Shasta Wild; Mouse

Shasta, still recovering from her injuries, limped across the bridge. She carried a cane in one hand. On the handle was an elegant metal wolf's head. How she hoped the would be able to walk normally again.

Mouse, a fawn-colored Saluki, walked faithfully by her side, wagging his tail contently.

Crystal,Amy

Amy walking with her master spotted another dog.Tail wagging she walked beside her master."Hi,"she said to the male when they got closer.

Crystal padded along and smiled at the other woman and her dog."Hi,"she said trying to be polite.Spotting the cane and her wound she felt bad for the woman.She rembered when she broke her leg."Are you okay,"she asked.

Shasta Wild; Mouse

Shasta looked back at Crystal, grumbling quietly. She wasn't really a 'people person,' and she certainly didn't like sympathy. "I'm fine." She said dully.

Mouse looked at Amy indifferently, saying nothing.

Crystal,Amy

Amy wondered if the dog could speak or no.She inclined her head to the side questingly.A smile was still on her face though.

Crystal nodded her head.She could tell the woman didn't like people feeling sorry for her.She met plenty of people enough to know that."I broke my leg once and i though it'll never heal from the drama that happened,"she said.She wondered if the woman would ask how she got it.It be the first time she told someone.Then again it wasn't that important.Except for the wild girl their that was with the animals.

Shasta Wild; Jesse Norse; Samuel Steele; Rachel Parker; Maria Sokolov

Shasta sighed. She really didn't care about what happened to this stranger, especially since she didn't even know her name. What was ironic is that Mahala, the girl at the Ruins, was Shasta's half-sister.

A group of four came down the bridge. Jesse was in the lead. The other three stopped while Jesse approached Shasta. "I'll admit that your friends are smart, Wild. We won't let you trick us again." He said with an arrogant grin.

Shasta stepped back. "I didn't trick you. I just have friends who look out for me. It's called love, Norse. Read the Bible." She replied angrily. Okay, the ATHA were really there for Bonnie, but Jesse and his gang didn't know that.

Jesse stepped forward. "Ah, yes. You're a girl. You go on and on about emotions." He glanced at Crystal. "I've never seen you around here before. And by the way Shasta is acting, she hasn't either."

Samuel, Rachel and Maria stood back, ready to help their leader if they needed to.

Crystal,and pack.

Crystal didn't like the way these new strangers acted.Grabbing a whistle around her neck she blew on it.It didn't make a sound a human can hear,but a canine can."I never seen you either,"she said a bit edgy.

Zing,Jena,Wishstar,Cloverleaf,Starshooter appeared.Snarling they circled around Crystal.Amy joined them too.They didn't growl at Shasta just the others.

Shasta Wild; Jesse Norse; Samuel Steele; Rachel Parker; Maria Sokolov

Jesse narrowed his eyes at Crystal. "You've never seen me because I and my gang are stealthy." He replied calmly. "Call your dogs off before my trigger finger slips."

Samuel, Rachel and Maria moved toward their leader, ready with their weapons.

Shasta wanted to swing her fist at Jesse, but refrained from doing so. "Go away before my friends come back and kill you." She snapped.

Crystal,and pack.

Crystal narrowed her eyes."Then i suggest you lower your guns.They won't listen to me if they think your going to harm me.Their part wolves,"she said as if that explained everything.She had known to know that do what they want.

The pack stopped snarling but continued to growl in warning at the the strangers.

Jesse Norse

Jesse shook his head. "A wolf would be more likely to listen to a good alpha than a dog would. And a canine would listen to his alpha more if the alpha is in danger." He said truthfully. Even the wildest canine would be more inclined to listen to his alpha when they were in danger, and a canine would listen to a good alpha 24/7 instead of choosing when to listen.

Crystal and pack.

Crystal became angry."Are you calling my dogs ill trained.Their also good dogs if you treat them kind with love and affection.Not just disobedience.My dogs do listen to me,except when they think their doing right by protecting me,"she said in a very edgy voice.

The dogs still growled silently.Amy lowered her head to protect her neck.Zing growled louder then the others.

Shasta Wild; Jesse Norse

Jesse stepped forward. "No, I'm calling you an idiot and your dogs brain damaged." He shot back. "A dog can't only have affection. He needs these three things, in this order: exercise, discipline, and affection. Just like in the wild."

Shasta looked at Crystal. "Please, just don't argue with him." She pleaded.

Crystal,Pack

Crystal lost her control.She was in one of her tempers now."Then i guess that'll make you a freak.Plus i raise my animals the way i want too,"she said.Nobody was going to tell her what to do."Guys back off,"she said to the dogs.

The dogs stopped growling.They padded to Crystal and sat down beside her.They still eyes the strangers,but showed no agression.

Crystal looked at the strangers.The look said,see.

Jesse Norse

Jesse put his hand on the pistol. "You raise them the way you want to, at the expense of the dogs. Dogs have to be treated like dogs. Anything else is psychologically harmful to them." He replied.

Crystal and pack

Crystal let out a sigh.She was trying to kee her tempature.Her light blue eyes burned fire."I don't treat them like nothing but dogs.I don't feed them human food.I don't give them stuff human gets.I'm not stupid,and i apretiate it if you keep you gun down,"she said edgy like.

The dogs watched intent for any command from their master.Their pelt bristled and their eyes watched the strangers like a snake intent on prey.

Jesse Norse

Jesse raised an eyebrow at the woman's ignorance. "Feeding them the right food isn't enough. You have to actually treat them as their alpha in the wild would." He said, very annoyed now. He felt sorry for all these dogs that were being treated like humans.

"You'd like me to lower my gun, wouldn't you? Too bad." Jesse replied.

Crystal and pack.

Crystal narrowed her eyes."Don't tell me how to raise my animals,"she snapped.Her dogs were in perfect shape and were very intellignet.Silently she flciked a small stick on a blue bracelet she was wearing.It was a tracking siginal that she had.You better bring the guns and Wisher Jake she thought.A small part of her bracelet began to flash red.

The dogs hearing their master speak like that started to growl louder.Their pelt began to bristle more.The gentle Amy's tail began to thrash in anger.These dogs were getting pretty angry.

Jesse Norse; Maria Sokolov; Shasta Wild

Jesse stepped forward. "I'll do anything I want to, miss." He said darkly.

Maria gasped, watching as Crystal activated the tracking signal. "Bracelet!" The Russian woman shouted, almost mispronouncing her English. It was apparent that she was not from here.

Shasta looked at Crystal. "What have you done?!" She cried out. "Now there will be a fight!"

Crystal,Jake,Wisher,Sunholder,and pack.

Crystal narrowed her eyes silently.She didn'tsay nothing to the stranger.Turning her head to Shasta silently."Don't worry if things get bad you cna escape while we create a diversion.I just hope you can ride with your injuries though,"she whispered. The pack tails wagged slowly they smelled some familiar scents.

The sound of clip clops came across the bridge.Two horses appeared.When they got closer you could see Jake riding one.The guns were safely hidden out of sight in the saddle bags.The horses pulled up silently.

Jake spotting what was going on narrowed his eyes.He said nothing to the men.Unlike Crystal he didn't have problems with tempers.Glancing at the wounded woman he pulled Sunholder reins forward."You can ride him hes gentle,"he said.Then he glanced at the men wondering if they had a problem with that.

Jesse Norse; Shasta Wild; Others

Shasta knew what would happen. With some attackers here, Jesse and his gang would take her and run from Crystal and Jake. That was what was bound to happen. "No! You don't know them. They're dangerous. They'll only kill me faster now!" She was peeved that Crystal didn't heed her first warning. Shasta then looked at Jake and the horse. "If I ride that thing, I'll break my back and die." She said spitefully. "You shouldn't have come."

Jesse looked at Jake, unafraid. He moved toward Shasta, but didn't make a move to grab her yet.

Samuel and Rachel stood behind their leader. "Shasta is right. You're only causing more trouble for the poor girl." Rachel taunted to Crystal and Jake.

Crystal,Jake.Sunholder,Wisher.

Without any hesitation Crystal got up on Sunholder and rode inbetween Shasta and Jesse."Back off she hasn't done naything to you,"she said with a edge too her voice.Her light blue eyes burned icy cold like a blue fire.

The dogs surrounded around Crystal and Shasta protecting them.Their pelts bristling and teeth shinning agressivly.

Jake moved his horse in the way too.He put his hand on the saddlebag ready to grab out the shotguns."Run now,"he said ordering Shasta and Crystal.He'll keep the others back until it was safe to go.Crystal waited for Shasta to go first before she followed.She grabbed a shotgun out of Sunholders bag quick as a flash.

Shasta Wild; Jesse Norse

Shasta looked up at Crystal. What on earth did she think she was doing? "Hey! Back off!" She snapped at the slightly older woman. "This is between me and him!" She meant it. She didn't want anybody interfering on this. This was her fight and she would fight it alone. Rally, she was more afraid of Crystal and Jake than she was of Jesse, and them trying to talk to her would only make it worse.

Jesse gritted his teeth. "Back off, bitch! Or I'll shoot you and the horse!" He warned, raising his rifle at Sunholder's head.

Shasta pulled out her pistol. "Move it!" She shouted at Jake and Crystal. "Mind your own damn business!" Normally, Shasta was kind and friendly, but she could be pretty vicious when she was mad.

Crystal,Jake,Pack,Horses,Sparkle.

Crystal moved out of the way.She backed up to give them room.Although silently she had her gun ready she shoot Jesse.She hid it behind her horse's mane to hide it.Silently she she blew her whistle at a different tone.

The pack growled silently.They moved though seeing their owner.Silently the dogs on the side the other strangers were on turned and watched them silent.The other watched Jesse and Shasta.

Jake watched.He too had his shotgun out,and a pistal.The shotgun was aimed at the others hidden to behind the mane.His pistal was aimed at Jesse hidden too behind the mane.He was silent and watchful.Very watchful.If they paid attention to him they think he was just here for kicks and fun watching.

The horses waited silent for any commands from their owners.Wisher the one Jake was riding didn't like men with guns.She had been abused that way.If one got too close he would beeter watch out.She wouldn't hesitate too strike out with her teeth.

A grey and black stripped color streaked out of the bushes.Running swiftly across the bride the 10 kilopound Ghatta cat launched herself on Crystals shoulder.She been trained like in the old days to ride on her masters shoulder.When an enemy got close and snuck up behind she warn her master and leap onto the enemy.She scratch and bite like crazy.In the old day cats used to be able to tear them to shreds.Could this cat do that?

Shasta Wild; Others

Shasta seemed to snarl at Crystal and Jake. "Go away! Are you just here to watch us kill each other, you sick freaks?!" She snapped.

Jesse, for once, agreed with Shasta. He didn't want Crystal and Jake here.

Maria stepped up, staring at Shasta. "Where...is...Volkov?" She asked, trying hard just to remember the strange English words.

Shasta sneered at Maria. "I don't know who you're talking about." Surprisingly, this was true. Shasta had seen Lark Volkov, but had not met her. She didn't even know her name.

Maria brought her pistol up, trying to whack Shasta's face with it, but she was stopped when Jesse grabbed her arm. "No." The man said. "Do not hurt her." He then pushed her back. Maria sighed, moving back to where Samuel and Rachel stood.

Shasta looked back up at Crystal and Jake. "I'll give you five seconds to get out of here." She said bluntly, beginning to count down. "Five...four...three..."

Crystal and others.

Crystal narrowed her eyes,but nodded her head.They'llleave.Turning Sunholder around she nudged her horse to go.Although they wouldn't know it she stopped and turned her horse into some bushes.If something went wrong shed help.She didn't know who these people were,but she wasn't going to watch them attack some helpless woman.

Sunholder with a snort ran off and then detoured into the bushes.She was silent.

Jake followed with Wisher silent.

The dogs gorlwed once more before following their master.They were silent.

Sparkle stayed on Crystál's shoulder silently.

Shasta Wild; Others

Shasta watched as Crystal and the others left, calming down slightly after that. She raised her gun at Jesse.

Jesse aimed his gun at Shasta once more. "Easy, Shasta! You're going to help Maria find her friend, alright? And then we'll let you go." He bargained.

Shasta huffed. "I seriously doubt that this Volkov could be her friend, or else Maria wouldn't have to go searching for her." She replied defiantly. "Ha! How many times have you told me that you'd let me go after I help you? What makes you think I'll trust you this time?"

"We know where your mother lives." Jesse suddenly said. "If you don't come with us, she dies."

Shasta had no choice but to go along with this plan. She didn't want to bring her mother in on this. "Alright. I think I can help you. What does this person look like?"

The group walked off, Jesse explaining what the target looked like from descriptions provided by Maria. Rachel had already taken Shasta's gun from her.

Crystal and others.

They followed silently and out of veiw,but they could see the others easily.