Billie and Brandon: Untamed

24

Ezra leaned against his horse tiredly, keeping watch on the horizon for any possible riders in the night. Any any possible riders who could very well be affiliated with Wesley. They'd already had a couple false alarms and close calls, so they could never be too cautious. Especially now that they were bordering on the outskirts of their town. No doubt Wesley would have people ready and waiting to capture them if they weren't careful sneaking around.

"You okay there, Maggie?" Ezra hiss whispered in that way one did when trying to stay quiet but be heard at the same time.

"Yeah" she called back from behind a tree, "I just wish these leaves weren't so prickly. What I wouldn't give for a real toilet right now..."

Ezra chuckled, "Well, we're almost back."

Maggie sighed as she walked out from behind the tree, buttoning the slacks they'd managed to snag for her at an abandoned campfire. She approached Ezra, her expression a little perturbed.

"Ezra, Wesley's men are all over the place. Where are we even going to stay?"

"The Donahoe's home." He responded, stretching his arms above his head to prepare for the ride back.

Maggie frowned in concern, "But don't you think that's the first place they'll check for Billie?"

"The Donahoe's have already skipped town. The house has probably already been ransacked and searched so no one will think to look there now."

"Hiding in plain sight."

"Right" He nodded, "Plus their home is on the outskirts of town square, so less of Wesley's men will be in the area, thus giving us time to prepare for the final step of our plan."

"Alright" Maggie said with a smile, preparing to mount her steed, "I'm hoping you're right."

Ezra placed his foot into the stirrup, intending to climb atop of his horse, and then he heard it.

A low snarl behind them.

A dangerous growl accompanied by the heavy pants of a beast.

A coyote.

Ezra sucked in a sharp breath and spun around, plastering himself to his horse, his eyes wide and heart racing wildly in his chest.

"M-Maggie!"

"I see it..." she muttered, head turned backwards to stare at the feral animal, "Don't make any sudden movements."

"What the fuck do we do?!" he shouted, feeling every muscle in his body tighten to the point where he was unable to move even the slightest bit. He was gripped by his fear, paralyzed.

"Keep quiet!" Maggie hissed, gasping a bit when the coyote took a couple ominous steps in her direction, "The louder you are the more likely it will attack."

"It's frothing at the mouth!" Ezra said anxiously, his hands shaking.

"It is not frothing!" Maggie snapped him a glare, "You need to snap out of it, Ezra. I have a plan, but I need your help. Can you move?"

"I-I..." But he felt stiff and helpless, unable to do anything but blink widely in shock.

His heart was racing wildly in his chest, and his ears were blaring with internal sirens. The coyote took another step closer to Maggie, snapping its jaws menacingly a couple times.

"Ezra! You need to snap out of it!" Maggie said earnestly, "Listen to me, okay? I'm going to distract it so it comes at me. I need you to attack it with one of your knives once it's distracted."

"Maggie, I can't do that! And you can't put yourself in danger like that!"

"We don't have a goddamned choice!" she asserted, "This is happening. So either go on board, or you're going to have to explain to Billie why you let her mother get eaten alive by a coyote."