The Following Storm

Chapter 1

On the planet Karhawk, Red Arrow had received a message stone in the town of Golden Thread. She had been there helping some friends buy the land they had settled on. She had just finished up the final details; and after listening to the stone, she had said her goodbyes and headed off to Kore.
She had started her trip a week ago; and for the last three days, had been riding to avoid towns. She touched the stone and Fred's image popped up.
"Red, I need your help. Friends of mine are in trouble of losing everything. Please come soon. Take the long route I told you about in my last letter. You will be able to avoid the town that way. Try to keep out of trouble," Fred's voice was heard.
Red placed the stone back in her bag and turned up her collar. It was drizzling and she had been wearing her jacket since the heavy rain the day before. Her eyes searched the land. She didn't understand why she had to take the longest route; especially since Fred had asked her to come quickly. He may want to keep her out of trouble; but, if that were so then why call her at all. He knew about her past and about her breaking up the gang started by her dad. She had a knack for getting herself in trouble, even though she tried to avoid it.
Running at top speed, Apache suddenly came to a stop, dropping on all fours; causing her to fly over his head and roll a few feet, knocking the wind out of her. Luckily, she didn't hit the spikes along his neck. She laid still for a minute, taking deep breaths. Then she stood up and took a look around. Apache, her pincanto, was gone.
Beginning to walk in the direction Apache's tracks were headed, Red saw three flashes. Dropping to the ground, she waited until her breathing and heartbeat were back to normal. Then she slowly stood up and began walking to the hill where the flashes came from. She walked slowly and lightly, praying she wouldn't come upon the shooter. The tall purple grass tickled her feet and hands as she walked. She held her gyun in her left hand. Because of the storms, her gyun was fully loaded and ready when she needed it. She had two other fully charged crystals attached to the right side of her belt.
When she could see over the top of the hill, she came to a stop and studied the scene. The far side of the trail was lined with pink and everorange trees. In front of those trees were two bodies lying near the runner's path. Runners were a form of transportation that had seats along the sides. It had wheels that were as long as the runner and on each side. The canvas on the runner was gray and used for shade. Runners were mainly used by the rich or lazy. Pincantos could go to more locations without restrictions.
She ran down the hill and turned the bodies over. Both had been shot through the head; their gyuns were still in their holsters. She studied the tracks, trying to figure out what had happened. From what she could tell, one man had come up, stopping the runner. Then a small group of maybe three or four men had come out from behind the trees, drawing the attention away from the lone man who then shot these two in the head. This told her that the man was confident. Either these robberies or murders happened often around Kore or the man got his experience elsewhere.
Red heard the sound of pincantos and konderikes. Konderikes looked like the horses on Earth with their manes and tails moving like they were on fire. Some konderikes had purple manes and tails; others had red manes and tails. Their bodies were blue just like the trunks of apple trees that were a rarity to see on Karhawk, except for three locations where they grew in abundance. Usually, konderikes would travel in big packs, but because recently they were being ridden almost as often as pincantos, it was normal to see them in small packs or just by themselves. They had no eyes but they could hear and smell. Red looked up and, seeing a group coming up the trail from the direction of where she figured Kore was located, she turned around and ran back up the hill. She slipped and rolled down the opposite side. She came to a stop at the bottom, stood up, and started to run. A rock pellet exploded next to her and she stopped. She lifted her hands slowly to the sky and turned around. Having no creature, she knew she couldn't get away. One of the men had followed her and had his gyun aimed directly at her. It had a long barrel, which was rarely seen. He motioned for her to come back; and backed up his konderike as she got closer. Then he followed her to the group of people gathered around the bodies. One of the men had brought a riskeer, which was similar to the runner but had no top or seats, to carry the bodies.
"At least the survivors made it to town," she thought to herself.
The men turned their creatures around and stared at her. One elderly lady had jumped off her pincanto and was cradling one of the bodies in her arms, but now she looked up at Red.
"How could you?" She sobbed.
Red looked at her. "Ma'am, I didn't..."
"Liar!" shouted one of the men. Red glared at him, but he sneered.
"Why did you run away?" the sheriff asked.
She looked at him and answered, "I thought you were the law."
"Are you wanted?"
"I didn't kill them," she said, ignoring the question and turning back to the lady. "Apache, my creature, stopped so suddenly that he threw me. Then he took off. I stood up, saw three flashes, dropped to the ground, and then crept over here."
"Do you have any proof of that?" another man asked.
Turning to face him, she answered, "It may have rained hard yesterday; but it is drizzling now. My tracks are still there. The rain hasn't washed them out; just like the rain hasn't washed out the tracks of the people who really did this." The sheriff rode over to the tracks she had indicated and swung down. He looked around and talked to a message stone, recording what he found.
After he was done, he rode back over and said, "She's right."
No one said anything for a few minutes, and then the elderly lady laid down the man she'd been holding. Keeping her head down, she said, "Sheriff, when you get a chance please tell George, Mary, and Dave that their partner is dead; and tell Al that his brother is also dead."
The sheriff nodded, turned to the others, and said, "Could some of you take the bodies back to town?" Turning to Red, he asked, "Do you need a ride to town?"
She looked away and whistled. At the sound of running, the men jerked a little and some stared at her and others looked in the direction the sound was coming from. They kept a hand near their gyuns; but when the creatures came into view, they noticed that none of them had riders.
When the herd of pincantos and ogris stopped, Red gave another, softer whistle, and the ogris, the shaggiest the posse ever saw, began walking towards her. He looked like a bear but was as tall as a pincanto, hinting he was a young ogris. Red walked up to him and swung up onto his back.
"Who is this?" the sheriff asked.
"This is Buffalo," she replied.
"Then where is this Apache?" one of the men asked sarcastically.
"Not here."
"Where could he have gone?" the sheriff asked, trying not to lose his patience, deciding she was gonna give as little information as she could.
"The rayncera."
"What do you know about the Double H?" the sheriff asked, suspiciously.
"Who said I was talking about the Double H?" she countered.
"There is only one rayncera located in the area," the sheriff answered quickly, looking away.
She turned and rode Buffalo through the group, heading to town. The sheriff and the others followed. The group's mind was so occupied with different thoughts that they missed seeing a herd of pincantos grazing behind the trees; each one had the Double H brand painted on their shoulders. Their riders were now hidden in the red and blue brush behind a hill.

The elderly lady believed Red had killed Stephen. She'd known Stephen since the partners arrived thirteen years ago, but she didn't know Al's brother very well. Stephen was outgoing and easy to get along with. He was especially courteous with the women. He had helped her out many times at her small cabin in town. A week ago, the sheriff had suggested the robberies were carried out by someone from town. She hadn't believed him for a minute and now that Stephen was dead she was sure that it was an outsider. Red had been near the bodies when they had ridden up; and had run away when she had seen them. "Red is the only logical choice," the elderly lady mumbled to herself, glaring at Red's back.
The sheriff had been certain that the person doing the hold-ups was someone who lived in the area. However, the robberies before had only taken money. None had taken someone's life. He didn't understand why there was a sudden change in their behavior. He looked once more at Red and smiled to himself. Red was calm; that was obvious from the way she'd handled herself. He was sure she wasn't the robber because he had never seen her around town before. As for the murders, he wasn't sure. She had claimed innocence but... Another thought occurred to him, why was she worried about the law finding her? She may or may not be innocent of these killings, but she had been guilty of something in her past. He decided he would try to look up her name when they got back to town. He smiled again. "I don't even know her name," he thought to himself.

Red sensed someone was watching them but didn't show any sign she knew. She knew none of her creatures would snort when other creatures were around. They had all been trained from birth not to by her adoptive dad and then her. The reason was because, as outlaws, a creature snorting could be the difference between life and death. The fact that the creatures belonging to the riders who were watching them hadn't snorted meant they were more than likely outlaws. However, she had trained her creatures; so someone else could've trained theirs.
She continuously looked around trying to find their location, moving her head slightly. She caught a glimpse of Apache. He was looking at her stamping his left hind leg. She slightly nodded. The move meant they were being watched from behind something located back of them but to Apache's left.

"Are you sure that was the girl who he'd described to us?" one of the men behind the hill asked.
"I'm positive. The boss described her and every creature he'd seen in her herd. The ogris she's riding fits the description of one of the creatures. Besides, the pincanto that rode in and then left fits the description of one of her herd leaders."
"Oh, no."
"What's wrong, Tom?" asked the cook.
"It turns out that we may have to ride into town," Tom replied.
"Why?"
"Because that rider down there is Red Arrow, the lady we've been waiting for." Turning around, Tom yelled, "Tim!"
"Yeah?"
"Ride to town and take Bob with you. Find out where the young lady on the ogris stays at."
"Awright, Tom."
Bob and Tim mounted and followed the group of riders to town. As they got closer to town, they started to pick up speed.
"Do you really think that girl on the ogris is Red Arrow, the young lady we've been looking for?" Tim asked.
"I don't know, but there's one way to find out." Bob answered.
"How's that?"
"We ask her." Tim gave Bob a side-long look and then smiled, shaking his head as he turned his attention back to the trail.

"Are you planning on staying in town?" the sheriff asked, after they had arrived in town.
"No," she answered. "Why?"
"Cause I may have a few questions to ask you."
Red thought for a moment. "I'll be around. If you need me you can get in touch with me at the hotel."
As she turned and headed to the holdings, the sheriff asked, "By the way, what is your name?"

Continuing to the holding, she swung down at the door and walked in. Every holding was covered by a canvas whenever the weather got intensely hot, giving shade to the creatures held there if there were no trees growing nearby. Letting out a sigh, she led Buffalo to a patch of dark purple grass, his favorite. She'd finished filling a barrel of water before someone walked in. She started brushing Buffalo. Ogrises fur was naturally shaggy and really thick. The brush she used was one she'd made herself, combining a crystal and metal. When Buffalo lifted his paw, giving the signal, she turned around. The man looked to be in his thirties and he was wearing black. He was lean, with mean eyes. She felt a chill go down her spine; but kept the worry, recognition, and fear from showing.
He stared at her for a few minutes then walked away. Turning back to Buffalo, she mumbled, "What's he doing here?" Buffalo snorted and shook his head. She smiled, patted him on the neck, and finished brushing him.
Afterward, she went to the store and bought a pre-cut crystal.
"What do you need this crystal for?" the clerk asked.
"Just restocking," she answered kindly. Part of the training she had received from her adoptive dad had been to be courteous.

"Are you sure she went to the holding?" Tim asked.
"Yup," answered Bob.
"How can you tell?"
"When we went over the hill, I saw her ride away from the sheriff and she was heading to the holding."
"But how do you know she went into the holding?" Tim asked.
"Where else in town would she be able to put her ogris," Bob replied.
"Now what do we do?"
"I guess we wait until the boss gets here," Bob answered. The two men turned their pincantos and headed for the nearby café to wait for their boss. They didn't see Red leave the holding and then enter the store.

She stood outside and took a look around the town. She had only glanced at the town when she had arrived. This time, she took a longer look around. The town was cut in the middle by the main street. The houses were made out of everorange wood. Some of the houses had a garden in the yard or an apple tree. It also didn't have something that surprised Red. Through her years as an outlaw, every town they had visited had one. This town didn't have a shickter. Shickters were buildings known as the best places to get information; and used to send and receive message stones.
The people were busy with what they needed to do for the day. Every town Red rode into, this never ceased to amaze her. Everyone had a set schedule they followed. She smiled to herself and shook her head. There was no way, not with the life she had led, that she could ever get into a set schedule. Especially since too many people seemed to want her dead.
She walked back to the holding, entered, and then exited out the back way. Apache was there, waiting for her. She put the crystal into one of the bags that hung at his sides and then swung onto his back. She had to buy a pre-cut crystal because of the way her gyun had been built. She rode back to the place where she had first felt like she was being watched. Then she gave Apache his head and he took her to the place where the Double H hands had been waiting. She found their tracks located behind one of the many hills along the runner trail located in the area and smiled.
They were good but they still made a few mistakes. One was that there was no cover behind them. Second, according to their tracks, they had focused on her and the group but didn't watch their back trail. She also noticed that two of the riders had left and followed the posse back to town.
She rode further along and found tracks of tribals. She studied the tracks and smiled at how careful they were to avoid the Double H hands. Then she found the tracks of two women and their runner. She studied them for a bit until she remembered where she'd seen their footprints before.
They belonged to two women she had met a year ago. Red had been asked to find one of the women by the name of Izzy. They, Red and Ida, had found her in a cave. She had been near death by the time they had gotten to her. Red had actually been the second person to arrive. The two had been talking and stopped the instant she'd walked in.
For a week, they had taken turns nursing Izzy back to health. At the end of the week, since Izzy was well enough to travel, Red had wanted to take her back to town; but Ida had protested. That night, both had ridden away under the blanket of rain. In the morning, Red had found them and two of her pincantos gone. She had taken the time to memorize their footprints before riding to town. She had told the town what had happened and then left.

Tom and the other riders rode to the ranch to tell their boss what they'd seen. Fred was sitting in his favorite chair, mounted with a head of a wreek, one of the deadliest creatures around.
"Hey boys, what's up?" he asked.
"Well Boss, we think we saw Red Arrow," Tom answered.
"Good. Then she should ride in soon."
"I don't think so, Boss," one of the hands countered.
"Why?"
"Cause Red was riding to town with the sheriff and some of the townspeople. The people looked really upset," Tom answered. Fred smiled. Tom and the others wondered why he could be so cheerful, but Fred just rocked his chair and shook his head when they asked. "Do we have permission to ride to town?" Fred shook his head again.

Red rode back to town, went to the hotel, and checked in. She dropped off some of the things she had taken from Apaches' bags in the room. Then she snuck down the back stairs and left the hotel. She left town again, but this time walked back to the scene where the two bodies had been, she had sent Apache back to the Double H. She had planned on taking a longer and more detailed look. However, someone had come by and driven a herd of cales through the tracks sometime after she had found the Double H tracks. Cales were slightly shorter than wreeks. They had no obvious forms of defense. However, their tough skin was hard to penetrate; and they had a row on top and a row on bottom of razor sharp teeth that were retractable when not needed. As tough as their skin was, their meat was the best and very sought after. Just like earth raised cattle, Karhawk raised cales.
She went back to town which took her another two hours, especially since she kept under cover as often as she could. As she got close to town, she saw one of her white pincantos waiting nearby. He looked up and watched her walk toward him. She mounted and began riding back to the trail making it seem she was riding to the Double H. However, when she got to the hill where the hands had hidden, she began following the runner tracks keeping off the trail and just following alongside it. It was an easy route to follow since the trail was used often. After forty-five minutes had passed, she turned around and rode back. This time, she followed the group of riders whose tracks she had intercepted a ways back. She had marked the spot by an everorange tree with a ribbon tied around its trunk.
When the one who'd stopped the runner separated from the group, she pulled to a stop. Her eyes followed the tracks until she could see them no more. She squinted her eyes against the sun, which was going down, and looked around, picking out certain landmarks: a pile of rocks to her left which reminded her of a porcle, a waterfall, and a section of pink trees that, when lined up with the rocks, looked like they had been planted in rows. Pink trees had no leaves, but the color of their wood was pink.
She turned to follow the rest of the tracks, but thunder rumbled. She looked up and noticed dark clouds were coming up behind her. She didn't like the idea of leaving the trail, especially since any rain would wipe out the tracks. However, she had not brought her jacket. Her white pincanto snorted and danced a little. She knew he didn't want to be out in this, so she decided she would come again and search the surrounding area when she was better prepared for the weather. The closest shelter she could think of was the Double H, so she headed there.
When she was about five miles away from the Double H, Apache appeared again and walked toward them. Red dismounted from the white pincanto and mounted Apache. Red turned Apache around and they headed to the Double H ranch. The rain began coming down hard, so she put on her jacket and pulled her hat brim down low over her eyes. By the time she passed a small farmhouse that looked abandoned, the rain was almost blinding.
She decided not to stop there since she needed to see Fred. Besides, she saw a wreek watching them and didn't want to chance a fight in this storm. Although the white, glowing fur of the wreeks would've been a great help in the dark. Wreeks were known to fight anywhere, at any time, and for any reason. She had seen one fight a bear that two of the earth scientists she'd meant when she was young had brought once. It had been a gruesome fight. One she didn't wish to have happen out here in a storm. Their red eyes and temper were what really made them dangerous. The red eyes allowed them to see if blood was still flowing to and from the heart.

Eyes from inside the farmhouse watched her ride away.
"Is she gone?" one asked.
"She's gone," another responded.
"What'll we do if she returns?" another voice questioned.
"We follow our orders," was the reply. The wreek growled a growl similar to the sound of thunder which made the men in the cabin glad they were inside.

"Told you I couldn't stay out of trouble," Red said with a smile, riding up to the porch. Fred stood up and pushed his hat back. Grinning, he stretched out his hand. She dismounted and took his hand, shaking it. The rain had stopped for now.
"You told me to expect something' like this didn't you," he replied.
"Past experience proves it. In your message, you said a friend of yours needed help. Who's your friend?" Red answered after shrugging. Fred was silent for a moment.
"My friend wishes to be anonymous."
"Then why did you send for an ex-outlaw who got two earthlings killed..." Red trailed off when two of the hands came from the house.
"What does she mean, Boss?" one of the hands asked.
"I didn't want to tell you, but she told me that I'd have to tell you some time," Fred said, sighing.
"What?" Tom asked, from the door.
"I will see you later in town." Red already knew the story and wanted to see the two who'd followed her to town. She remounted Apache, turned away, and headed back to Kore.
"It was about five years ago when she was seventeen. She and I were building' this house when Harvey and Harper rode up," Fred began, watching Red leave. The rain came again, gentler. "They helped us, so Red invited them to have dinner with us and they agreed. We rode into town and headed to a café. A group of men were riding down the main street, but when they saw us, they pulled up and waited for us. I recognized them, knew what they were here for, and turned my konderike to go around them. Harvey and Harper turned their pincantos, but Red continued toward them. When she was a few feet from them, she stopped.
'Hello, Red Arrow.'
'Hello, Bill.' They greeted each other.
'What've you been doing lately?'
'Staying on the side of the law, but I doubt that's what you've been doing.'
Bill had glared at her and said, 'Because of you no one will allow us to join their gang.' Then Bill angrily drew his gyun and fired. His shot missed, hitting her arm instead. Harper and Harvey joined in to help because she was outnumbered. Well, to make a long story short, Harper, Harvey, Bill, and five others in the group died that day.
Red obviously lived; however, she gained a scar. If she pulls up her sleeves you'll see it on her right arm. The sheriff arrested her, but it was ruled self defense so they let her go. No one seemed to understand why those men tried to kill her, other than it seems she broke up their gang. They also didn't understand why Harvey and Harper had joined in. It was known around town that they were missionaries and didn't like getting involved in strangers' affairs.
She had me call this place the Double H in remembrance of Harvey and Harper. After that, she mounted Apache and left, taking Apache's herd with her."
There was a moment of silence, each hand busy with their thoughts.
"Boss, do you want to ride to town?" Tom asked. Fred nodded. Some of the hands mounted up and rode to town. They put their pincantos in the holding and entered the café. Red was already eating, although no one had seen Apache in the holding or outside. They saw Buffalo. He had been eating and didn't even look up when they entered the holding.
Fred turned to his men and told them that he wanted to talk to her first. Tom and the others sat down with Bob and Tim, waiting. A waitress came over but they told her they had already eaten. She nodded and left them, flicking her tail, to take care of the other customers.

"Is there room for me to sit here?" Fred asked. Red nodded. He sat down to talk about the old times, but she wouldn't have it.
"How long have these hold-ups been going on?" she asked. Fred hesitated; he didn't want to talk about something like that. "Fred?"
"About a year," he replied. "But that's not why I called you out here."
"Then why?"
"You remember Shawn?" Red looked up and glared at Fred for a minute. He squirmed a little. "You remember the time you were learning how to ride?" Fred asked, attempting to change the subject. She nodded. Fred grinned and continued, "You fell off at least eight times before you got the hang of it."
"But I did get the hang of it," Red interjected, a warning in the statement. Those who had been part of the gang before Red became leader would recognize the warning. No matter how many times she would fail; in the end Red always figured out the answer. Fred had been a part of the gang. However, he hadn't been around when one man brushed off the warning. Last Red had heard that man was sitting in jail, wishing he had taken Red's warning seriously.
Fred brushed it off and continued down memory lane. Fred still considered Red the same little girl he had watched grow up. He had forgotten Fire had raised Red to be a better leader than Fire had been.

"Can you believe those two?" Tim asked his brother.
"Well they haven't seen each other in like five years." Tom answered.
"How do you know that?" Bob asked. Tom retold the story Fred had told them.
"I was wondering where I'd seen her before," Bob exclaimed.
"What do you mean?" asked Tom.
"Well a few years ago, before I had hired on here, a man challenged her in the middle of the street and told her to restart the gang or die."
"What happened?" Tim asked.
"She shot him."
"Wait a minute. Are you telling us that she was a member of a gang of outlaws?" Matt whispered.
"I don't know, but after the shooting, I heard the sheriff ask her who that man was. She had simply replied, 'Bill's brother.'"
"You think this Bill was the same as the Bill in the boss' story?" Tim asked. Bob nodded. "Then that means we'll be working for an outlaw."

Realizing he was the only one reminiscing and Red was just tolerating him, Fred said, "My boys saw you ride in with the sheriff, why?"
"Where were they?" Red asked, without looking up.
"In the brush," Fred answered.
"They're good."
"So why did you ride in with the sheriff?"
"They thought I killed two people," she answered, looking up. She saw something that looked like pleasure pass quickly across his face and disappear; she could have been wrong.
The door swung open and a few looked up to see who the man was that had entered.
He stomped over to where Red and Fred were sitting.
"My name is Al. Are you the one who killed my brother?!" He yelled looking at Red.
"No," she answered, still watching Fred.
"I don't believe you," Al retorted. She shrugged and took a bite of food. "What about Stephen? Did you kill him?"
"Who?" She asked after swallowing.
"He's the partner of three others who own most of this town."
"Tell them that I congratulate them on their success and mourn for their loss. However, I didn't kill their partner or your brother," Red said, looking up but disinterested.
"Is your last name Arrow?" He asked. At her nod, he continued, "Because you've actually killed two of my brothers." She waited. "You killed Bill because he recognized you, and you killed Miguel because he threatened to go to the sheriff with what he knew about you."
Red smiled, it was a gentle smile, but there was a warning in her eyes. Those who had been members of the gang knew that look was what they called, 'the calm before the storm'. "Mister, I don't know who told you that, but they're lying. I killed Miguel and Bill out of self defense."
"Red, when can you leave town?" Fred interrupted.
"The sheriff wants me to stay in town for a few days. I'll come out to the ranch when I get a chance," She answered, still watching Al.
"Good, then that gives me time to get the place ready for you. See you later."
"See ya," Red put her hat back on and watched Fred leave.
She paid for her meal and was about to leave when Al grabbed her arm.
"I'll meet you in your hotel room," he said. Jerking free, she looked at him. The warning in her eyes had grown fiercer.
"I have no interest in restarting the gang. What we were doing was wrong. I am not interested in leading people down the wrong path. If you want a gang so badly, then start your own." She walked back to her hotel, took a shower, and went to bed. It rained during the night. While listening to the rain, Red fell asleep.