A BETWITCHING MOON
By: Suzy B.
Nathan stood beside the fire gently stirring the cauldron filled with water almost ready to boil. Rain moved silently between the rows of cots that held the bulk of her village, comforting the sick as best she could. Seeing Nathan rubbing the back of his neck wearily, she moved to stand behind him and allowed her fingers to gently massage the knot of muscles at the base of his neck.
"What's wrong Nathan?" she murmured.
"I have no idea how to help, Rain," he whispered. "I'm no doctor. I've tried everything I know, but nothing seems to be helping them."
"You are helping them," she stated. "They are better than they were yesterday."
"But they're not improving. My herbs are only making them more comfortable." He shook his head. "If I could only work out what is making them sick."
"You will," Rain murmured, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss against the base of his neck. "I know you will." She began to move amongst the sick once more, comforting them whatever way she could.
Walking their horses slowly into the gypsy encampment, JD and Buck were uncomfortably aware of the eyes that watched them from every direction.
"My daughter tells me you want to see us," a heavily accented voice said as a large swarthy man stepped from one of the garishly colored caravans.
"That's right," Buck spoke with a nod. "My name's Buck Wilmington. This here is JD Dunne." JD responded with a gentle nod of his head, tipping his fingers to his hat brim. "We're two of the peacekeepers in these parts."
"We have not broken any of your laws, have we?" he frowned as he reached the bottom step, his fisted hands firmly on his hips.
"None," Buck spoke. "We just wanted to introduce ourselves."
The gypsy considered them both for a long minute before he stepped forward and extended a hand to Buck.
"I am Joachim Trjanejkic." He grasped Buck's hand in a tight handshake. "Please let us welcome you to our home."
Even as he spoke, the people who had been watching from the shadows and the inner sanctum of the caravans began to filter into the campsite. JD watched carefully, his eyes scanning the people who were rapidly filling the campsite for Danella. Finding her suspicious violet gaze, he looked away, a light flush of embarrassment staining his cheeks.
Ezra sat astride his mount watching as Vin pored over the ground, leading his horse by the reins.
"Really, Mr. Tanner," he sighed. "Why don't we make our way back to town and resume this little excursion at a later date?"
"Ez, we're gonna find the wolves before we go back."
"Why did I know you were going to say that?" Ezra rolled his eyes as he answered. Hearing the rapid approach of a horse, he turned to watch. "It seems we have company."
"Yep." Vin swung into the saddle and sat, his hand resting on his weapon as they both watched the new rider approaching.
"It's Miss Wells," Ezra announced as she drew closer. "What are you doing out here, my dear?"
"Chris sent me to find Buck and JD at the waterhole," she answered breathlessly.
"What's wrong?" Vin asked quickly.
"Louisa Pickering is missing," she replied. "Her papa thinks the gypsies took her. Chris wants Buck and JD to help in the search."
"That would explain the tracks I've been seeing," Vin mused.
"Please Miss Wells, don't let us keep you." Ezra smiled. "We'll keep a lookout for the youngster. I'm sure she's out here somewhere."
"I'll tell them," Casey said as she spurred her horse into action and rode away at a hectic pace.
"What did you mean that would explain the tracks?" Ezra turned on his companion.
"Xactly what I said, Ez," he murmured as he began to follow the tracks that were clearly visible only to him.
"And when are you planning on letting me in on the secret?" Ezra retorted, gathering up the reins.
"No secret, Ez," Vin shrugged. "It just makes sense is all."
"Of course it does." Ezra sighed and resumed his task of following the tracker in silence.
JD sat on a fallen log and watched Buck talk to the man who was obviously the leader of the gypsies.
"You are young to be a lawman," Danella spoke from behind him, startling him enough to spill the mug of coffee he loosely held. She giggled. "Nervous too!"
"I'm not young," he answered defensively, watching her intently. Her white blouse was richly embroidered with floral designs, heavy red skirts embellished with the same flowers. He watched with a slight grin as he saw her bare toes poking out from the hem.
"But you are nervous." She reached out to touch his arm in reassurance. "I won't bite." She pulled her hand away. "I know what your people say about us."
"Not everyone believes those things," JD blurted quickly, hearing the hurt in her voice.
"And which are you, JD Dunne?" she asked bluntly.
"I believe what I see for myself," he said honestly.
"Then you are a rare man." Danella nodded with wisdom her age belied. She tilted her head to one side as if listening to the trees around them and looked at him again. "You have a friend," she spoke cryptically.
"I have six friends," JD nodded, frowning.
"No, a friend who needs your help," she began to explain as the sound of hoofbeats caused several of the men to stand and confront the visitor.
"Casey!" JD sputtered as he jumped to his feet, the coffee sloshing out of his cup and across the toes of his boots. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you," she explained, frowning at the young woman so close to JD's side.
"What's wrong, Miss Casey?" Buck moved to the side of the horse, placing a hand on the beast's flank.
"Mr. Larabee sent me." She tore her gaze away from JD's companion and looked at Buck. "Louisa Pickering is missing!"
"How long has she been gone?" Buck asked.
"I'm not sure," Casey shrugged. "But the town sure is riled up," she stated.
"Go back to town, Casey," Buck patted the horse thoughtfully. "JD and I won't be far behind you."
"Okay." Casey smiled shyly at Buck before looking at JD, who refused to meet her eyes. He deliberately turned his face from her searching gaze.
As they all watched Casey ride away from them, Joachim stepped forward.
"I will gather some of my family and we will help you to search for this girl," he spoke quickly. "My Danella has the gift of the sight. She might be of help to you."
"It's okay, Joachim," Buck extended a friendly hand towards his new acquaintance. "The folks in town are a mite skittish."
"By this you mean they will blame us?" Joachim frowned. "We have done nothing wrong."
"People don't like newcomers," Buck shrugged. "When something goes wrong, it's
easy for them to blame anyone who is different or new."
"You mean because we are gypsies?" Joachim felt his anger rising.
"Maybe," Buck shrugged answering truthfully. "But they don't know no better and they are frightened."
Joachim looked into Buck's face trying to judge the truth in his words. Seeing nothing but sincerity, he extended a hand for Buck to shake, a grin creasing his face. "Then you must go," he paused. "But you must know that we will look for this child."
"I wouldn't expect any different," Buck smiled back, before turning to move towards his horse.
JD watched Buck with interest. Feeling a gentle hand on his arm he turned to face his companion.
"Will I see you again, JD Dunne?" Danella asked.
"I guess so." JD 's interest in his boots was renewed as a gentle flush stained his cheeks. "I'm sure we will," he muttered as he moved to walk away.
"I am sure as well, JD Dunne." She nodded, letting her fingers slide down his arm and briefly connect with his fingers before breaking the contact.
"I'm sure we will," he muttered again as he moved to walk away.
JD paused briefly, watching her heavy skirts swirl around her bare feet before he moved to mount his horse and wait for Buck in silence. Both men rode quickly away from the campsite and back to town.
Nathan sat at the side of the small creek that constituted the village's water supply and cursed softly under his breath. He had racked his brain trying to come up with some clue why his Indian friends were being decimated by an illness that he couldn't decipher.
Dipping his hands into the cool flowing stream, he cupped them under the water and brought them to his mouth. Touching the chilled waters to his lips, he drank of its soothing goodness.
Swallowing deeply, he allowed himself to savor the sweet liquid. Frowning as he swallowed, he dropped his hands and cupped them again, raising more water and tasting it carefully. Pursing his lips, he rocked back on his heels and thought for several long minutes, his dark eyes scanning the creek intently.
Reaching a decision, he swore softly under his breath and stood, moving quickly back to the village, intent on finding Rain and asking her a few questions.
Vin and Ezra picked their way through a small canyon carefully, the trail of the wolf fresh enough to have both men on edge. Their horses were also skittish, the scent of wolf strong enough in the air to frighten them and make them dance at every noise.
"Pray, Mr. Tanner," Ezra queried. "Do you anticipate we'll discover these creatures any time soon?"
"They're here, Ez," Vin relayed calmly. "Can't you feel 'em watching us?"
"Thankfully no, Mr. Tanner," Ez retorted dryly. "I'm quite happy to leave that particular experience to you."
"They're here, Ez," Vin spoke softly. "Watching us while we search for them."
"Sometimes I worry about you, Mr. Tanner." Ezra shook his head sadly. "I'm certain...." His words were cut off as a large grey mass hurtled towards them from a small rocky outcropping.
Neither man hesitated in his movements. Two shots rang out and the ferocious creature fell motionless to the ground scant inches from Vin's feet. The snarling creature and twin gunshots had done nothing to sooth the taut nerves of the horses. Both animals pawed nervously at the ground and pulled on the reins as their riders struggled to keep them under control. Vin reached out with his foot and prodded the corpse.
"This would be the werewolf the townsfolk blame for their losses," he stated as he knelt to run a hand over the fur. Frowning deeply, he stood quickly and scanned the rocky incline carefully.
"What would you be looking for now?" Ezra's brow wrinkled.
"You'll see," Vin stated, pushing his reins into Ezra's hand and scrambling up the incline towards a shallow cave he had seen in the shadows.
"Are you sure that's safe?" Ezra called.
"Yep!" Vin spoke.
"Mr. Tanner," Ezra called. "I don't think that is a good idea!"
"I do," Vin called back as he crawled out of the cave and swung off the ledge dropping lithely a few feet from Ezra. "I couldn't leave this little critter," he spoke as he pulled a small wolf cub from inside his buckskin jacket.
"And you're going to do what, exactly, with that creature?" Ezra frowned.
"Find a home for it." He looked at it critically, blowing on its nose and ruffling its fur as it snuggled against his hand. "It might not live long. It's too young to be away from its mama."
"Then wouldn't the kind thing be to kill it now, before it suffers?" Ezra asked.
Vin pushed the wriggling pup into Ezra's arms. "There you go," Vin nodded. After a few moments, he grinned. "Can't do it can you?"
"The fact remains, Mr. Tanner," Ezra spoke tickling the squirming bundle of fur, "that it will grow up to be just like its mother."
"Then we'll deal with that once it's old enough to look after itself."
Vin slung the dead wolf across his horse's rump and plucked the placated wolf pup from the crook of Ezra's arm and slid it inside his jacket before he mounted his horse.
"Rain," Nathan called as he walked quickly back into the village.
"What is it, Nathan?" Rain emerged from one of the tents at his summons.
"Rain, where does the village get its water from?" Nathan asked.
"There is a small creek. We take our water from where it flows quickly," she answered "You know the place. Why do you ask?" she asked, frowning in confusion.
"Because I think the water is tainted," Nathan replied quickly.
"That is impossible. The water flows quickly; there is no still water to grow poisonous."
"Then the poison must be coming from further upstream," he explained as he walked away from her. "I'm gonna go and have a look see if I can't find what the problem is."
Buck and JD rode quickly into town dismounting in front of the jailhouse. Looping their reins around the hitching post, they quickly strode up the stairs and into the building.
"Ma'am." Buck spoke as he noticed Mary sitting in the seat behind the desk. "What's happened?"
"Louisa Pickering is missing," she stated quickly. "Chris has taken some volunteers out searching." She paused a moment before continuing. "He asked me to stay and wait for you to return."
"We'll get fresh horses and see what we can find," Buck assured her.
"Mr. Pickering is sure that she has been abducted by the gypsies to use as some sort of sacrifice," Mary stated as both men turned to leave.
"We've been there, Mrs. Travis," JD stated. "Little Louisa is not there."
"We know that, JD," Mary said. "But Lindsay Pickering is more than convinced otherwise."
"C'mon kid," Buck prodded him. "The quicker we find her, the quicker we get them off the hook."
Both men moved through the door and across to the livery. Saddling two fresh horses, they rode out of town in the same direction they had entered it from such a short time ago.
