The roads north across the Salmon River Mountains had deteriorated over the winter. Now that the spring thaw had at last come it was the duty of the Peacekeepers to secure the roads and locate any damaged stretches for the states to repair.
This would be the first patrol that Angela Dreadfulwater would range out on. She’d been training with the Pecekeepers for the better part of the winter. Stuck in a cloister reading and training had certainly strained her mentally. Yet her instructor had at last informed the Rangers that she was ready for field duty.
The squadron rode north from Boomtown and made their way through the Gem Canyon towards the Payette Forest. The head ranger, Joshua Bridger, was a friendly man, just four years Angela’s senior. He was tall and handsome and she found herself admiring him whenever he rode near her. He had sandy blonde hair that he kept cut short, yet his neatly trimmed beard was strawberry blonde. And his blue eyes captivated her.
She did her best to hide her infatuation, though she could feel herself blush whenever he spoke to her. Her cheeks would burn and she’d get giggly at his compliments and encouragements.
“You’ve got a knack for this,” he said one evening after they’d made camp and he’d chosen her to go out hunting with him. She’d quickly spotted a pair of rabbits and downed them both in quick succession.
She felt the familiar heat in her face as she scooped up the rabbits and strung them over her shoulder.
“Pa taught me all about hunting,” she answered. Then felt disgusted with herself when a little giggle escaped her throat. She was a woman now and yet she found herself acting like a smitten schoolgirl.
Joshua however didn’t seem to notice. He just scanned the terrain. His hand resting casually on his hip. “It’s starting to get dark. Two jacks are good enough. Let’s head back to camp.”
The rest of the men were happy to see their hunt had been fruitful. Angela skinned and dressed the two jacks, before one of the other rangers added them to a pot and prepared stew.
It was a fine meal, even for a trail meal. Angela had rarely eaten so well, though the cloister meals had been better. Growing up on an indentured plantation she’d never eaten so well as she had since joining the Peacekeepers.
She drifted off to sleep, satisfied from the meal, and dreaming of the handsome Joshua Bridger. His blue eyes piercing deep into her soul.
Herschel Clay tasted blood in his mouth. He could smell smoke and feel the heat of the roaring fires around him. He tried to open his eyes but they were so swollen shut he could only manage a thin slit on his right eye.
Horizon was on fire. The town engulfed by flames. Around him the figures of the attackers moved about, gathering up the things they’d taken before torching the buildings. The ground was littered with the dead. People he’d known for his entire life, butchered in the streets.
He was sprawled out across a horse trough. His feet in the water and his arm dangling to the ground. He didn’t move, even if he could. He lay like that for a long time, barely conscious as the attackers finished up. They’d taken the town’s horses and livestock, their weapons and much of their food and medicine.
Now they had left. Herschel couldn’t remember when they’d gone. It seemed like he’d blinked and they disappeared. He must have passed out. He forced himself to look around. The fires were still going, but they were no longer blazing. They’d burned down as the buildings had.
He pulled himself over the edge of the trough and fell to the ground. He then passed out again. But this time not as long. Only a few minutes he guessed when he came to. His senses were coming back. He could now remember the attack. Being dragged out of his house and beaten. His brother had tried to protect him and been shot down.
He tried to sit up but couldn’t manage, instead he pushed himself over onto his side. His vision was now blurry, and he couldn’t see at all now. He realized he was crying. Tears were pouring out of his swollen eyelids. He managed to wipe them away clearing his vision. It was then that he saw more riders coming out of the smoke. Shadowy figures atop horseback. Had they come back? Were they here to finish him off? He closed his eyes, ready to face death as the riders approached.
Angela stared in horror at the carnage around her. Bodies of men, women, and children cut down and brutalized. The entire town burned down.
“Rangers, dismount!” Joshua ordered. Angela was the last to comply, still in shock. But she slid down off her mount and drew her rifle, her training.
“Spread out!” Joshua continued giving orders. She was amazed at the way he remained calm. “Stay frosty! Look for survivors!”
She complied, walking forward. She approached the body of a woman sprawled in the dirt, but moved away when she saw her skull had been split open in the back. All the bodies she approached were the same. They’d been viciously cut down, beaten, and butchered. Her stomach churned.
She felt a moment of rising panic as her breakfast rose in her throat. She hunched over, ready to puke.
“You alright, greeny?” asked one of the other Rangers. She remembered his name was Jackson. She breathed deeply and gave him a shaky thumbs up. “Good,” he said. “Puke afterwards.”
He moved off and she straightened up, once again moving about, checking the dead. She was passing a horse trough, the water colored red by blood, when the body laying next to it moved.
Startled, she trained her gun on the man. His face was badly beaten, yet one eye was opened enough for her to see a glint of consciousness.
“Help me, Peacekeeper,” he said so softy she barely heard it.
“Medic!” She screamed. “This one’s alive.”
She remembered her training, and knelt down next to him, checking to make sure he hadn’t been shot. His fingers seemed broken, and one of his legs was bent wrong.
The medic came over and took over. She got to her feet and stepped back out of the way.
Joshua came running over. He noticed the man was still conscious as the medic began to administer aid. He dropped to his knee, leaning over the man.
In a calm and reassuring voice Joshua told the man, “You’ll be alright.”
The man had started crying, tears coming out of his one open eye.
“Can you tell me who did this?” Joshua asked.
“I don’t know,” the man whispered. “They had...” He wheezed. “...crow heads...around their necks.”
Joshua smiles reassuringly at the man. “Thank you,” he said standing up. He waited as the medic continued to work, but it wasn’t long before he shook his head and stood up in disgust.
“Is he dead, John?”
John Mercer, the medic shook his head angrily. “Not yet. But he’s got a it of internal bleeding. It’s only a matter of time.”
Joshua stared at the dying man at their feet. “Give him something to ease his journey.”
John Mercer complied, and soon the man’s labored breathing eased. Angela wanted to cry, but she stiffened her back and pushed her feelings down. She’d deal with them later, as her instructor had taught her.
“What was that nonsense about crow heads?” John Mercer asked.
Joshua met his gaze, and then met Angela’s. “Listen, both of you. You’ll not repeat what that man said to anyone. You hear me. Not until we’re back to safe house. You understand?”
They both nodded in agreement. Joshua gave no further information, he just ordered them to carry on, as the rest of the town was searched.
This would be the first patrol that Angela Dreadfulwater would range out on. She’d been training with the Pecekeepers for the better part of the winter. Stuck in a cloister reading and training had certainly strained her mentally. Yet her instructor had at last informed the Rangers that she was ready for field duty.
The squadron rode north from Boomtown and made their way through the Gem Canyon towards the Payette Forest. The head ranger, Joshua Bridger, was a friendly man, just four years Angela’s senior. He was tall and handsome and she found herself admiring him whenever he rode near her. He had sandy blonde hair that he kept cut short, yet his neatly trimmed beard was strawberry blonde. And his blue eyes captivated her.
She did her best to hide her infatuation, though she could feel herself blush whenever he spoke to her. Her cheeks would burn and she’d get giggly at his compliments and encouragements.
“You’ve got a knack for this,” he said one evening after they’d made camp and he’d chosen her to go out hunting with him. She’d quickly spotted a pair of rabbits and downed them both in quick succession.
She felt the familiar heat in her face as she scooped up the rabbits and strung them over her shoulder.
“Pa taught me all about hunting,” she answered. Then felt disgusted with herself when a little giggle escaped her throat. She was a woman now and yet she found herself acting like a smitten schoolgirl.
Joshua however didn’t seem to notice. He just scanned the terrain. His hand resting casually on his hip. “It’s starting to get dark. Two jacks are good enough. Let’s head back to camp.”
The rest of the men were happy to see their hunt had been fruitful. Angela skinned and dressed the two jacks, before one of the other rangers added them to a pot and prepared stew.
It was a fine meal, even for a trail meal. Angela had rarely eaten so well, though the cloister meals had been better. Growing up on an indentured plantation she’d never eaten so well as she had since joining the Peacekeepers.
She drifted off to sleep, satisfied from the meal, and dreaming of the handsome Joshua Bridger. His blue eyes piercing deep into her soul.
Herschel Clay tasted blood in his mouth. He could smell smoke and feel the heat of the roaring fires around him. He tried to open his eyes but they were so swollen shut he could only manage a thin slit on his right eye.
Horizon was on fire. The town engulfed by flames. Around him the figures of the attackers moved about, gathering up the things they’d taken before torching the buildings. The ground was littered with the dead. People he’d known for his entire life, butchered in the streets.
He was sprawled out across a horse trough. His feet in the water and his arm dangling to the ground. He didn’t move, even if he could. He lay like that for a long time, barely conscious as the attackers finished up. They’d taken the town’s horses and livestock, their weapons and much of their food and medicine.
Now they had left. Herschel couldn’t remember when they’d gone. It seemed like he’d blinked and they disappeared. He must have passed out. He forced himself to look around. The fires were still going, but they were no longer blazing. They’d burned down as the buildings had.
He pulled himself over the edge of the trough and fell to the ground. He then passed out again. But this time not as long. Only a few minutes he guessed when he came to. His senses were coming back. He could now remember the attack. Being dragged out of his house and beaten. His brother had tried to protect him and been shot down.
He tried to sit up but couldn’t manage, instead he pushed himself over onto his side. His vision was now blurry, and he couldn’t see at all now. He realized he was crying. Tears were pouring out of his swollen eyelids. He managed to wipe them away clearing his vision. It was then that he saw more riders coming out of the smoke. Shadowy figures atop horseback. Had they come back? Were they here to finish him off? He closed his eyes, ready to face death as the riders approached.
Angela stared in horror at the carnage around her. Bodies of men, women, and children cut down and brutalized. The entire town burned down.
“Rangers, dismount!” Joshua ordered. Angela was the last to comply, still in shock. But she slid down off her mount and drew her rifle, her training.
“Spread out!” Joshua continued giving orders. She was amazed at the way he remained calm. “Stay frosty! Look for survivors!”
She complied, walking forward. She approached the body of a woman sprawled in the dirt, but moved away when she saw her skull had been split open in the back. All the bodies she approached were the same. They’d been viciously cut down, beaten, and butchered. Her stomach churned.
She felt a moment of rising panic as her breakfast rose in her throat. She hunched over, ready to puke.
“You alright, greeny?” asked one of the other Rangers. She remembered his name was Jackson. She breathed deeply and gave him a shaky thumbs up. “Good,” he said. “Puke afterwards.”
He moved off and she straightened up, once again moving about, checking the dead. She was passing a horse trough, the water colored red by blood, when the body laying next to it moved.
Startled, she trained her gun on the man. His face was badly beaten, yet one eye was opened enough for her to see a glint of consciousness.
“Help me, Peacekeeper,” he said so softy she barely heard it.
“Medic!” She screamed. “This one’s alive.”
She remembered her training, and knelt down next to him, checking to make sure he hadn’t been shot. His fingers seemed broken, and one of his legs was bent wrong.
The medic came over and took over. She got to her feet and stepped back out of the way.
Joshua came running over. He noticed the man was still conscious as the medic began to administer aid. He dropped to his knee, leaning over the man.
In a calm and reassuring voice Joshua told the man, “You’ll be alright.”
The man had started crying, tears coming out of his one open eye.
“Can you tell me who did this?” Joshua asked.
“I don’t know,” the man whispered. “They had...” He wheezed. “...crow heads...around their necks.”
Joshua smiles reassuringly at the man. “Thank you,” he said standing up. He waited as the medic continued to work, but it wasn’t long before he shook his head and stood up in disgust.
“Is he dead, John?”
John Mercer, the medic shook his head angrily. “Not yet. But he’s got a it of internal bleeding. It’s only a matter of time.”
Joshua stared at the dying man at their feet. “Give him something to ease his journey.”
John Mercer complied, and soon the man’s labored breathing eased. Angela wanted to cry, but she stiffened her back and pushed her feelings down. She’d deal with them later, as her instructor had taught her.
“What was that nonsense about crow heads?” John Mercer asked.
Joshua met his gaze, and then met Angela’s. “Listen, both of you. You’ll not repeat what that man said to anyone. You hear me. Not until we’re back to safe house. You understand?”
They both nodded in agreement. Joshua gave no further information, he just ordered them to carry on, as the rest of the town was searched.