A Lawless Land

A Force Stronger Than Men

Leo had spent several hours every day in their watchtower, watching and waiting. He could do little to calm his anxieties. Brent took notice.

"Everything okay, boss?"

Leo let out a long sigh, "I told you not to call me that. And I'm fine."

Brent saw Leo's hand rub restlessly across his chest. A gesture he had only seen a few times before, when he was genuinely worried.

"Nah, I don't believe that. Something is eating at you, I can tell," Brent stared him down as he thought about it, "could it have something to do with a certain badass chick?"

Leo glared at him, "don't talk about her like that, show some respect."

"Aha, nailed it. I think you're catching some feelings, am I right?" Brent teased and was answered with another glare, making him laugh, "you do. Can't blame ya, she really kicks ass, and doesn't look too shabby either."

Leo rolled his eyes, "are you finished?" He was answered with Brent's boyish smirk and a shrug of his shoulders, he shook his head dismissively and continued on, "something is bothering me, but it has nothing to do with feelings I may or may not have about her. There's something off. I just have this weird feeling something is gonna happen. Something that could change everything."

"That sounds ominous, you know, I've noticed some kind of electricity in the air. Think maybe there's a big storm coming?"

"Dunno, maybe. In any case we better prepare ourselves for anything. Get a group to cover up the garden, and spread word for everyone to shelter up, I don't like the look of those dark clouds coming in," Leo gazed off into the distance one last time before leaving the watchtower, giving himself a mental shake to stay focused.

>>>><<<<

Darren had watched Queen climb a tall oak tree and peer through the scope on her rifle. Duke gave out a small whimper as he watched her from the ground.

"It's okay boy, you know your lady is tough," he gave him a scratch behind his ear as he nervously trained his eyes on her.

Heights made him uncomfortable, and seeing her up so high only further agitated him. But he knew she was scouting out the area. They had far too many run-ins with dangerous people and he knew she would try avoiding anymore if she could help it.

She finally started making her way down. She dropped into a crouch before standing and combing her loose strands of hair out of her face, "we have to be about 12 hours from our destination, but it's far too quiet around here. I noticed an encampment at the halfway point. No movement yet, but I know people are there. The question now is, will we have to fight them or not?"

Darren's hand grasped his crossbow until his knuckles turned white. Having never had to prepare himself for a possible fight before. He had always just improvised when the situation called for it.

She seemed to sense his anxiety and turned her steady gaze on him, "you and Duke can stay hidden, just leave it to me, and follow my lead."

It went against her training to baby him, but when she saw that fear in his eyes, something maternal stirred within her. He was barely an adult, and though he had somehow managed to get as far as he did with little to no combat skills, she knew she couldn't let him charge into a possible hostile situation unprepared.

A wave of relief seemed to enter his expression and they were on their way once more. Once they reached that halfway point, she motioned for them to duck behind some brush. Cautiously, with one hand at her side near her holster, she approached the small encampment at the edge of a grove of trees.