13 Maggie

"No!" Elloreah exclaimed, rising from where she knelt by the human woman. "He's not gone yet! Help him!" she cried.

Mingan shook his head. "I can't," he said simply. "He's too far gone." It was only a half truth. He could possibly draw upon his skills and save the man, but he wouldn't. Not only would the attempt drain him beyond what he would dare for a human he didn't even know, this was the border of John's land. If he tapped into the power of The Wolf here, John would surely sense the surge of power. Mingan would not risk his secret, not for an attempt that would likely fail. "I helped you rescue this woman, as you begged me to. We have to start moving again. Now we have three angry hunters as well as Wakinu and El Cucuy after us."

"El Cucuy?" the woman asked, staring at him. There was a note of real fear in her voice. She was dazed, a trickle of blood framing the edge of her face. Mingan resisted the twitch at the corner of his lips. From the looks of her, she likely grew up with El Cucuy, but only as a scary story.

"A nickname," he told her. He studied the woman, assessing her injuries. He could smell fear on her, the tinge of blood, and the lingering scent of the man who had held her down. She'd taken a rifle butt to the head, and she'd been pawed at a great deal, but luckily they'd arrived before much else had happened.

"Why didn't you kill them?" Elloreah demanded, ignoring the woman's confused comment. "They deserved as much."

He paused, surprised at her lack of regard for human life. "Killing hu - people," he corrected, remembering the human woman now in their company, "is generally frowned upon by those I work for," he explained patiently.

"They killed a man! They threatened you," Elloreah insisted. She hadn't struck him as the vengeful sort.

He sighed, she was right, though. He wasn't thrilled with the possible consequences of his actions. "Once I talk to John, we'll figure out a way to deal with them. So the quicker we get to the ranch, the better."

"What about Magdalena?" Elloreah asked, tucking the blanket more firmly around the woman and helping her to stand. The woman winced, and swayed on her feet. Head injuries were nothing to mess around with.

Mingan eyed them both warily before answering. "The same way I'm getting you there. We walk."

Elloreah sighed. "Come with me, Maggie. You need to get dressed, gather up a few of your things."

Mingan groaned and leaned against a tree, pulling a cigarette from his hat band as he stood guard. "See if it has any spare shoes before those tatters you're wearing fall off your feet."

There was no answer, only coaxing murmurs from Elloreah and the occasional hoarse voiced reply from the woman. Mingan surveyed the scene. This would surely enrage John. To have something like this happen on the borders of his own lands, and the two campers were likely John's own people. The hippie couple had probably just strayed far enough out the ranch's protective borders.

Hunters and hippies were not the most cohesive mix. Flower children running around half, or entirely naked, in the woods – though they should have the freedom to so if that was what they chose – were not looked upon with tolerance. There had been rumblings from the town just below the ranch for some time, complaints about how Zephyr Ranch was nothing but a den of sin. This clash had been a long time coming.

Elloreah climbed out of the tent, a pair of men's shoes held by the laces. "I do not know if these will be much of a help, or prove to be more of a hindrance."

"Take them. Don't think I haven't noticed your limp. You can stuff those. See if Maggie has some extra socks."

Elloreah nodded and hesitated. Her gaze strayed to the blanket behind the tent and she looked to Mingan once more. "We are not going to leave the body, exposed and in the open like that, are we?"

Mingan took a drag off his cigarette and shook his head. "We need to move. Come back with others to deal with it later if you're so inclined. Unless you'd like to wait and see who finds us first."

It didn't take more than a few steps out of the tent for it to be clear that Maggie would not be walking. Dressed, but unable to do much of anything else, Elloreah helped her to sit on a large rock before waving Mingan over. "She's nauseous, dizzy." Elloreah explained. "They hit her head."

"They said I screamed too much," Maggie said weakly.

He approached cautiously, knowing well that it was unlikely the human woman wanted to be near a man after how she'd been treated. He spoke slowly, calmly. "If you would let me, I can carry you to the ranch."

"Zephyr Ranch?" she asked in a hoarse, broken voice.

Mingan nodded. So she knew it. "I am good friends with John."

"Mingan. I know you," she choked out. "You help with the cattle."

Mingan nodded again. It was a good start. "I do. Late autumn and early spring most years."

She sniffed. "I want to see Sarah." She glanced back at her tent. "We didn't realize... we didn't know," she stammered.

Mingan sighed and bowed his head for a moment. "You were unlucky."

She hiccupped and nodded.

"I'm going to pick you up now."

"Okay," she agreed.

He reached out to put a hesitant hand on her back. She stiffened before taking a deep breath and leaning towards him, wrapping an arm around his neck. It was the signal he needed to reach under her legs and around her back, lifting her into his arms. He'd have preferred to carry her some other way, but hefting her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes could hardly be good for her nausea. He exhaled, as he stood, forcing back irritation. It was going to be a long walk.