Wow, it’s like moving house! A bit different over here.
For you Riviera:
Determination lay under winter and shored up against the blizzard that raged through as though hell was on its tail. Snow piled up against buildings and lay heavy on the rooftops. Wagon tracks dug deep furrows through the streets, and the townsfolk battled through the stinging snow to warm hearths and doors shut tight against the freeze.
A mile outside, two figures hunched over their horses pushed forward. Steel and Riviera had left the other storm riders 5 miles out on the edge of the blizzard. Casey, Mule, Blackjack, and Kat were headed round the mountain ridge looking for an easier route, but that looked like taking them a wide sweep out and another day’s ride. Steel looked across at Riviera. She needed Determination, and fast. Two days back they’d hit the mountains. They knew the fastest route through was the mountain pass and headed in. Determinaton was only 3 days away, and they could rest up there. All of them had taken a beating in the desert crossing and could surely do with some time to heal. The horses were just as tired, and they’d taken to walking as often as they could to spare the animals. The pass seemed easy enough to start with. The mountain slopes angled up to each side, dry, hard, unforgiving, but the track was clear and easy to negotiate. Then on the second day they had to climb. They hit the snows early morning, and the first snow fall in the early afternoon. The track kept winding through the mountains, and wasn’t getting any easier. Visibility started to drop, but there was nowhere to stop and make camp. Mule shouted back, her voice whipped by the wind “We either go back, or keep going and take the chance, but this snow isn’t letting up and we’ve got another 4 hours before we get out of the pass”. “I say keep going,” said Riviera. “We turn back now and the pass might close.” The others agreed, and walking two abreast, riders and horses muffled against the cold, they pushed on, the wind picking up as they went turning snow fall into blizzard.
Three long hours later Steel yelled back against the wind, “I can see the end of the pass. Not long, but this blizzard looks like it keeps coming once we get out.” The others indicated acknowledgement and Steel turned back. Suddenly, the edge of the track started to move. “Back! Get back!” shouted Steel. BlackJack, Casey, Mule, and Kat pushed their horses back and into the mountain side, but Riviera’s horse lost a foot to the edge, and in panic reared up. It’s hoof sliced across Riviera’s chest and threw her backwards. Steel leapt forward and grabbed the horse, pulling it in. Blackjack edged round and took the horse to quiet it while Steel moved to Riviera. “I’m fine” said Riviera, but winced hard and couldn’t help the groan that escaped. Steel pushed aside Riveria’s coat and scarf and sure enough there was a gash in her chest starting to ooze blood. She took her bandana and pushed it inside Riviera’s shirt, fastening everything back down. “Up you get kiddo. We need to get you out of here and into Determination.” “Just point me in the right direction” said Riviera, and leaning on Steel she stood up , and started moving on. Blackjack followed leading her horse and Riviera’s.
Two hours later, they were out of the pass and looking down the mountain side towards Determination. The blizzard was fierce and there was nothing to see except white. Casey looked over at Riviera, whose face was about the same shade. She nudged Mule. Mule took a look at the wound. The shirt was drenched in blood. “We’ve got to get her inside, fast. She needs that stitched up, and she needs warm.” They stood huddled between the horses. There was a ridge on the right and it looked like the snow was lighter that way. They considered taking that, but Kat pointed out that the map indicated a long route that way. Steel looked out towards Determination again. “Ok, this is how we’re doing it. You four take the ridge. Find a path that way and stay out of the blizzard. It shouldn’t take you more than a day. I’ll take Riviera down here. We’re not more than 6 miles from Determination and as long as I keep the ridge on my right I can’t miss it.”
They helped Riviera onto her horse, Steel took the reins, then nudged her horse forward and down the mountainside. “Hey Steel,” shouted Riviera, “When we get in, I want a martini before they start stitching this up.” “I’ll get you a bucketful, kiddo. Hang on.”
And so two hours later, half frozen, their horses near exhaustion, two Storm Riders rode into Determination. The streets were deserted except for the howling blizzard, but the farrier and blacksmith was still at work with the furnace raging. He looked up as the doors blew open and two horses and their riders walked in, one rider holding the other up.
“What the ……!”, as he ran forward and slammed the doors shut. “Where in all darnation did you two come from?” He grabbed Riviera and helped her to a stool. “Can you stable the horses? “ asked Steel, teeth chattering. “I need to get her to a doctor”.
“Sure, go on” said the blacksmith. “I’ll take care of them. The doc’s four buildings down. I don’t know who you two are, but you’re hard as steel coming through that. Go on, get going.” Steel couldn’t help a wry smile as she helped Riviera up and moved for the side door.
Ten minutes and a lot of door pounding later, Riviera was lying on the doc’s table, and Steel was trying to get some warmth back into her hands at the small stove.
“She’ll be fine,” said the Doc. “I’ll clean this up, stitch it, then the two of you are going to eat with me and my wife, get warm, and tell us whatever story you’ve got about how you ended up here tonight.” Riviera tried to sit up. “No you don’t young lady. You lie right there. After you’ve eaten, you’re going to bed, and staying there till I tell you otherwise.”
“But…” said Riviera.
“Don’t worry, kiddo, I’m on it.” said Steel. “Where’s the saloon Doc? I need to fetch a martini.”
And the journey through Determination begins.
I’m sitting here waiting for my hair to drop out, and thinking “but it looks great, how can this be really happening!”. Had the wig appointment on Friday - oh and I look so cr@p in short wigs. Pooh! I was really looking forward to a fantastic short style. But you need a good jawline, so that’s me on the celery sticks now. “I’m so rumbly in my tumbly, in my tumbly, I’m so rumbly, I’m so rumbly in my tumbly, and I don’t know the rest of the words…”