A loud crash could be heard approaching from the trail where Cowboy had just emerged moments before. Holding on tight she could feel the power of the beast between legs as Smokey lurched into a full run, dashing headlong onto another trail on the other side of the pond. With her arms wrapped around Cowboys waist, she could feel the sinewy muscle of his flat stomach flex and move as he guided the horse with ease. Deeper into the trees they raced, the sound of whatever was chasing them fading away. She lost track of time and had no idea how long they had run when Cowboy finally pulled up and slowed to a stop. Turning slightly, he helped her slide to the ground, then dismounted and started to check the cinch on the saddle.
“What happened? What was that?” she asked as she realized she was shaking and reached out to touch Smikey for balance.
“I don’t really know,” Cowboy told her when he finished tightening the cinch strap of the saddle.
“Did you see it?” she prompted.
“Yes,” he replied as he took the canteen from his saddle and handed it to her. She accepted it with a still shaking hands and sipped lightly, too scared and nauseous to drink any deeper. She handed it back and watched as he took a long pull from the canteen and replaced it on the saddle.
“Aren’t you scared?” she asked unnerved by his calmness.
“Of course. Only a fool wouldn’t be scared,” he told her, still avoiding direct eye contact.
“Can you tell me what made that noise?” she tried again. She observed his body language as he turned to look at the trail they had just followed, he never looked directly at her, he avoided eye contact and keep his posture such that she felt alone. It never occurred to her that he might have feelings that could get hurt, in school he had always seemed above the pettiness that seemed to consume most of the people she knew. Her friends had made fun of him for his clothes, his mannerisms and his seeming indifference to high school life.
“Please look at me,” she said quietly as she walked up behind him and touched his arm. Noticing for the first time the tattoo on his back, near the top, between his shoulder blades. A downward pointing dagger, piercing a red rose with two names written on a scroll, Joseph, and Mary.
He turned around and faced her, his eyes dark with mystery, his face etched with concern. His proximity allowed her to breathe in his scent, she found it intoxicating.
“What?” Cowboy asked softly, lost in the feelings of passion. Knowing that he would never be enough for her, never be able to give her what she wanted. She was gazing at him and had this look in her eyes he had never seen before, one he did not understand. “Oh, God. She smells so sweet,” he thought to himself.
“Please tell me,” she said still touching his arm.
“I don’t honestly know what it was, it was big and predatory,” he told her.
“Will it follow us?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he informed her.
“What do we do now?” she said and started to cry softly stepping closer to him, hoping that he would hold her. Comfort her. Protect her.
Unsure of how to react Cowboy wrapped his arms around the crying girl and held her close while she cried for few moments. He gently stroked her hair and waited. After a time Smokey wondered over and nudged Cowboy. She seemed to have calmed down and stepped back when Cowboy slowly broke contact and petted his horse on the nose.
“Hey fella, I know you’re hungry. Let’s see what we can find,” he stated and climbed back into the saddle. He offered her his hand and she quickly mounted behind him, once again wrapping her arms around his slender waist, this time she rested her head against his back as they rode.
Captain Jack's words of wisdom. 