The Guardian Slinger [Slugterra FanFic]

Chapter 5 The Cowboy

The entire team was in shock as Nora hugged the new comer. They were still weary, they held their blasters up just in case. They'd be tricked and deceived before.

"I am happy to see you alive and safe. What about your family?" Nora stepped back and looked at Kain.

"Ma and the rest are safe and sound. They were all worried 'bout yah. They'll be happy to know you're safe and sound." He said smiling. He looked over at the team finally. "Sorry for takin' hold of the little guy. Wasn't sure who yah were. "

"We understand," Eli said as he lowered the blaster but didn't holster it. "We haven't been introduced I am Eli Shane." He said holding out his hand.

"Kain Wilhelm, it's a pleasure Eli. I knew your father. He was a good man." He said shaking his hand.

"Wilhelm? As in Wilhelm Farm?" Trixie asked suddenly. Kain nodded in answer.

"Yup, that'd be the family farm." He said completely at ease now with the group. He'd heard about the adventures of the Shane Gang that had spread around Slugterra.

Eli had no idea if he should know about the Wilhelm family or not. Trixie remembering Eli knew very little about Slugterra began to explain.

"Wilhelm Farm is one of the largest farms in Slugterra. We have probably bought produce and meat grown and raised on their farm. They're well known all around. " Kain nodded in approval of her explanation.

"Yup sounds about right. It's not too far from here either." He'd grown up with the Drake family. It's why he knew Nora so well. He looked to her, he wanted to ask what had happened to her all this time but he wasn't sure if now was the proper time.

Nora sensed Kain looking at her. "I'll explain later." She could tell what he was thinking just as well as she could read her own family. "Kain....Do you know what happened that day?" She only knew up to the point where she was knocked out.

He sighed and ruffled his own hair. "I don't know if here's the proper place to be talkin' about that. " she'd probably need to sit down to hear what he knew.

"Here is the perfect place, I want...I need to know." She'd come hoping for clues. Not to mention hoping that coming would help the anxiety she felt gnawing at her stomach. She kept anxiously hoping it was all a nightmare. Maybe the truth would still her nerves.

"Let's sit down. " he said with a sigh. He had thought about how this may go if he ever got to see her again. The team walked outside and sat down in random places on the porch. Nora sat on the highest step. Eli stood leaning against the post next to her. Kain leaned against the railing facing the group.

"We didn't get here until after Blakk took off with yah. We weren't sure what happened to yah. Your...yah were the only one we couldn' find. " he sighed this wasn't easy.

"What do you mean couldn't find? Everyone else was here?" Does that mean maybe a few were okay? Nora's words full of hope. It broke Kain's heart hearing her.

"Everyone was here....but..." how could he say it? How could he tell her that everyone was gone.

"Kain....where are they?....please?" Her words no longer hopeful, but pleading and sad.

"They're where you'd want 'em to be," was all he said. She'd know. She shot up suddenly her eyes red, her legs and hands shook as she held back the tears. She took off quickly towards the woods directly across from the house.

Eli moved to follow but stopped himself. He saw Kain do the same but gently grabbed the man's arm, "she needs some time alone. "

Kain looked at the young Shane. What made him think he knew what she needed? Kain was practically family, he knew her best. Then he thought about it calmly. He sighed again, she needed time he knew that. He didn't like that this kid had to tell him that though.

No, no, no please no. She thought to herself as she followed an over grown path through the trees. Please don't be there, please no. She slowly began murmuring the words softly.

She suddenly came into a clearing in the woods. It was still part of the family property. She stared out at the area. Her heart breaking as her eyes moved across the scene in front of her. She slowly moved forward and opened a small gate to the fence that surrounded the whole area.

Back at the main house the team and Kain began talking about Wilhelm Farm. It seemed like the best topic for the moment. Any information or questions concerning past events should be asked while Nora was there. It was all something they felt together without ever uttering a word.

Eli suddenly got a bad feeling. The feeling poked at him for a bit before he decided to quietly sneak away. Surprisingly no one notice him slip away. Probably because he hadn't joined in on their conversation or even stood in their circle. He'd been worrying about their new teammate.

He made his way through the trees following the same path Nora had taken. He assumed it was the same path at least. Eventually he made it to the same clearing she had. He stopped dead in his tracks. It was a private family cemetery. It was completely fenced off, a small gate was just ahead of him. He walked forward and entered. The gate made no sound, the grass was well taken care of, not a single weed around. Kain's family must have cared for it. That was what Eli assumed at least.

He quickly found Nora sitting in front of a large headstone with two names on it. Her hands covered her face, her shoulders shook gently. He read the names, they were her parents. He knelt down next to her and placed a gentle comforting hand on her shoulder.

Nora pulled her hands away from her face slowly. She stared at the ground for a moment before looking at him. Her cheeks tear stained, her eyes red from crying. "They're all gone....all of them," all her family from down here. Her parents, cousins, aunts, uncles. He'd taken them all. She began sobbing again.

"I am so sorry," was all Eli could think to say. He didn't know what else he could say at the moment. He took a small moment to think before he pulled her into a hug. Much to his surprise she didn't pull away or push him away. She clung to him as she cried. He said nothing as he held her. He'd let her cry for however long she needed to.

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I am so sorry it has taken so long for me to get another chapter up. I have not forgotten about this story or any of my readers. I've been trying so hard to get back and finally I have. I will try to get chapters out on a regular basis this time. I thank you for all your kind words and encouragement. I am so glad I can write this again. I hope you all like what I have in store for this story. Once again thank you so much for being so patient with me.

PS. Sorry for the lack of Kord and Pronto in this chapter I promise they'll be in the next one