ENDING OF PREVIOUS POST:

A few minutes later, the sound of dogs barking was punctuated by a single rifle shot. Jim was the first to arrive where the horses were tied. Alex wasn't far behind.

TODAY'S POST:

Alex chuckled. "You planning on rattlesnake for dinner?"

"Don't you think that was overkill?" Jim studied the snake and spread his arms out to show the size of the snake. "I'd say about three feet."

"The boys were protecting me from it. I was worried one of them would get bit." Soni looked at the weapon in her hand. "This was handy."

"Anybody here?" called a man from outside the shack.

"The agents arrived. I'll handle it." Jim headed toward the shack. "And I'm not eating rattlesnake." Halfway to the shack, Jim yelled over his shoulder. "Alex, see if you can keep her out of trouble."

"That man has problems. Besides, rattlesnake's a delicacy." Soni tossed the snake into a bush.

"I think he's worried about your safety." Alex eyed the suited agents removing the prisoners. "I wonder who he really is."

"So do I." Soni leaned against a large rock. "He says he's from New York City. I'm not sure I believe that. He knows too much about the wilderness."

"Didn't he say he was a retired Marine?"

"Yeah, but is anybody ever an ex-Marine?"

Alex chuckled. "I guess not."

Soni watched the agents drive away and then checked her watch. "It's late for starting out, but I don't want to spend the night here."

"I'll ride Banjo to my pickup, settle him in the trailer, and then come back to get Mack." Alex headed for the shack with Soni following behind.

*****
About an hour later, Soni and Jim were ready to head home. Soni pointed. "Butkus, get Midnight's reins."

The horse shook his head. The dog glared into his eyes, showed his teeth, but was silent. He then took the hanging reins in his mouth and yanked. The horse's hind legs kicked slightly behind him before he complied and walked with Butkus.

"I thought they were friends." Jim studied the interaction of the two animals.

"Not really. They put up with each other. They both want things to go their way. So there's a difference of opinion." Soni placed her foot into the stirrup and climbed onto Smoky. "I should've brought Midnight's saddle and rode him back."

"This should be fun." Jim mounted Paco. "What did you do with that snake?"

"Threw it to the buzzards."

"Just checking." Jim pointed at a cloudbank. "Is a storm rolling in?"

"Looks like it. Let's hope it goes around." Soni stayed close to Midnight and Butkus. Goliath followed.

*****
As the sun lowered in the Western sky, Soni studied the large dog. "I think we'd better camp here tonight. Butkus needs a break."

"He's been pretty patient." Jim dismounted. "Why don't you saddle Midnight and walk Smoky?"

"He's very picky about his saddle." Soni walked over to Midnight and ran her hand along his right flank. "Looks like they tried to ride you."

"What's the problem? Isn't he broke?"

"Midnight only lets me ride him. See here?" Soni pointed to some cuts. "These were made with spurs. He's not used to rough treatment." She answered her ringing cell phone.

"Alex, is everything all right with Mack?" Soni listened and then replied, "Thirty-eight stitches total. I'm not surprised." Again, she listened. "We're not being followed, yet. A mountain lion's been tagging along for a good hour. I probably have some of Mack's blood on me, and he smells it."

Jim scanned the area. "A mountain lion? How do you know?"

Soni motioned for Jim to quiet as she listened to Alex and then asked, "Does your cell phone have a compass?" After Jim answered, she continued, "Would you check our coordinates?"

After relaying the latitude and longitude degrees to Alex, Soni waited.

"What's going on?" asked Jim. He stood beside her.

"It's out of our way, but maybe we can make it to that shack Dad and Grandpa Alder used over by Pine Mountain." Soni listened and then added, "It's a solid two hour ride, but I don't see another choice." She shoved the phone in her pocket.

"I'd like to know what's going on." Jim's eyes met Soni's.