Wysteria's eyes opened to the dying fire. Across from her Ladybird was already snoring. Shaking her sister awake she got to her feet. It was already too cold to sleep in the open but there was also the case of wild animals; ones that not even Sacha could defend them against.

"I'll put out the fire." Wysteria said.

Ladybird yawned and nodded before crawling inside the tent.

Wysteria began dropping sand into the flames to smother it when Sacha suddenly stood on alert. "What is it, boy?" she asked as the wolf scoffed at the air. She looked around the dark night, only being able to see her own breath before her. She put out the rest of the fire, patted Sacha then went into the tent.

She wanted to mention to Ladybird that the wolf had heard something but she was already asleep.

An hour or so later Wysteria still hadn't fallen asleep. She was watching the top of the tent when a human's voice reached her ears. She looked at Sacha sleeping at her head. The wolf's eyes were hard and focused at the tent entrance.

Looking that way Wysteria thought she heard feet walking around outside. She quickly hushed Sacha and shook Ladybird awake. "There is someone outside," she said just about mute.

Ladybird was awake in an instant and loading the rife. She knew her father's one rule about it but out here she was learning exceptions had to be made. She aimed it at the entrance and told Wysteria to keep Sacha back.

A loud whinny startled them from behind, tearing their eyes away from the tent entrance.

"They're stealing the horses!" Wysteria shouted. She burst from the tent, arming herself with a stick from the fire pit. She rounded the tent with Ladybird quick behind her.

At the back of tent a man was fighting to calm the gray mare, the sorrel had already been tied to another horse with a man on the back of it.

"Let those horses go!" Wysteria shouted clubbing the first man in the hand. He turned around in surprise when he saw her then ducked around his great black horse.

Ladybird fired into the air, sending the horses into a frenzy. The mounted horse reared, dumping its rider. When the black horse bolted into the dark it followed quickly. Fortunately the sorrel mare was freed of her halter before she too was lost in the night.

Before the hoof beats got too far to be heard Ladybird had reloaded her rifle and aimed it at the two surprised men.

Wysteria grabbed Mist by her lunge as Sacha stood between them glaring at the would be horse thieves.

"Whatever you took of ours I suggest you return," Ladybird said to the men in red cloaks. She tried to keep her voice and limbs from wobbling.

The man nearest them looked back at the other who was standing awkwardly. "Our horses were tired," he said. "We were replacing them."

"By stealing ours?" Ladybird returned. "And where would that have left us? Do you think it is all right to leave two women stranded in the wilderness?"

"You shouldn't be out here," the second man spoke this time.

Ladybird turned the gun on him. "I'm looking for my sister," she said. "If you've seen her..."

"Neither of us have seen your sister," the second man said. "We thought you were Windstalkers."

Ladybird frowned. "Who?"

"Windstalkers," the second man said. "Men in white with guns and swords. They'll kill anything in their path."

"And how do I know you are not like one of them?" Ladybird asked.

"You don't," the second man said moving forward. "To mistake me for one of them is the greatest insult I could get at this moment."

"Our mission is to wipe them from the earth," the first man said. "We just attacked a whole camp of theirs but three got away. We walked right in on them while they were sleeping. Two of us, against twelve of them. The three that got away should be in this region by now."

"That's why we needed your horses," the second man said. "If they get away...they'll kill again."

"Sounds harsh to kill so many people," Wysteria said.

"You don't know these men," the first man said.

"Did you say they wore white?" Ladybird asked and the men nodded. "Wysteria, the man at the cabin."

"So you have encountered them," the second man said. "It's hard to believe you are still alive." He looked her over. "A lady like you does not belong out here."

"I have to find my sister Beatrice," Ladybird said. "Then you and those Windstalkers can have the wilderness." She looked at the first man and then at the second. "You're hurt."

"I'm fine."

"Don't be foolish, you're bleeding." Ladybird said. "If you don't have that better treated it will become infected and you could lose it." She sighed. "If you can spare a moment, we could help you."

The men exchanged glances and decided that letting the woman have her way was the least they could do after trying to rob them.

Wysteria got the fire going again and sat with Sacha while Ladybird attended the man's, who called himself Napoleon, wound.

The other man, Lazarus, paced back and forth watching for their lost horses.

After a while she joined her sister who was carefully rewrapping Napoleon's bullet wound. "Did the Windstalkers do this to you?"

"Yes," Napoleon said to Wysteria as he watched Ladybird. "But this is a merciful wound. The Windstalker, January Frost and his men, enjoy suffering. The longer it is the more they are satisfied. If they should happen on you they will not show mercy because you are women. I know."

"Is it possible our sister may have met them?" Ladybird asked dreading the answer.

"It is possible," Napoleon said. "Especially if she gets in the way of what they want. But she is traveling with Tennessee Wellbeloved and it is possible they are well protected by the End After Knights, that's his band."

"How do you know about Mr. Wellbeloved?" Wysteria asked.

Napoleon grew silent and Lazarus turned and glanced at him passing a message between each other with a look. "I was told by an informant," he said. "That's how we find out what goes on out here. The Windstalkers though are very elusive. That we found that camp sleeping is a miracle."

"Do you spy on them?" Wysteria asked.

"We were," Napoleon said. "We had eyes on the inside and everything was going according to plan. You see, I wanted to find the man who killed my friend Andre—"

"Andre?" Ladybird paused. "Andre Yewtree?"

"Yes," Napoleon said cautiously. "How did... You're the fiancée."

"Not anymore," Ladybird said returning to her work. "I know what sort of monster the man I nearly married is. He tried to kill Andre at the mines."

"I didn't get to speak to Andre after the mining accident. He had gone on the run. I knew that Yewtree fellow had been careless with the mine. I didn't think Andre had been the target."

"Andre got away only to be killed later," Ladybird said. "I don't doubt the story because I've seen how possessive Philemon can be. He doesn't like to share." She finished wrapping his leg and when she looked into his face she saw it had changed.

"Then he may still be the one responsible for Andre's death. He'll pay."

"You're going to kill him?" Ladybird asked stunned. "Is that all you know?"

"If he killed Andre then he deserves it!" Napoleon snapped. "I will not rest until I put every Windstalker in the ground and this includes him."

"So you're going to run all the way to Massachusetts and kill one of most protected people in town?" Ladybird said.

"Napoleon looked at her. "Philemon Yewtree is not in Massachusetts," he said. "He's out looking for you."

Ladybird felt her heart skip a beat. She looked around the night, suddenly everything seemed twice as dangerous.

Napoleon turned away from her and examined his bandaged leg. "This is not a place for you," he said. "To die at the hands of a beast or the elements is a mercy compared to Frost and his men. You escaped once. You may not again." He took out his pocket watch and looked at the picture inside.

"Who are they?" Wysteria asked.

"Andre and my wife Ting Ting." Napoleon said. "Both were killed at the hands of these men. So you see, I cannot rest until I've stopped them. If you insist to continue the hunt for your sister then I advise you leave a small a trail as possible. If Philemon Yewtree is looking for you then the Windstalkers are too."

"The horses are back," Lazarus announced stepping away from the camp

"I'm sorry I can't do much to help you," Napoleon said. "Ting Ting and Andre would have wanted me to. I don't know what you'll find at the top of that mountain but I hope it is worth the journey."

Lazarus returned with the horses in tow. He helped his friend to his feet and they mounted up.

"I hope you find your sister," Napoleon said. "If I should cross their path then I will let her know that you are looking for her." He pulled the reins, turning his horse out of the camp.

As the hoof beats of the two animals died down the camp became still. To Wysteria and Ladybird it almost felt as though the two men had never been there.

/

Samantha looked around at all the faces in the room. Her mother was at her bedside and her father was at the foot. Two maids were present and so was the doctor.

"Well?" Mr. Hurston asked as the doctor packed up.

"She doesn't appear to be ill," the doctor said. "Perhaps she had a rough bout in the coach or ate something too sweet."

Samantha watched her father leave the room with the doctor. The maids made sure she was once again comfortable then left as well. "Mama," Samantha said turning to her mother.

The identical woman stroked her daughter's hair. "What is it, pet?"

"Do you approve of Silas and me?" Samantha asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Mrs. Hurston asked. "He makes you so very happy."

"Because he doesn't have money or his own home..." Samantha said. "He's never been waited on his entire life..."

"Darling those are petty things compared to love," Mrs. Hurston said. "It is true that your father and I are from the same social circle but that doesn't mean we would disapprove between the union of a woman and her man." She placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead. "Why do you ask this?"

Samantha swallowed. "Mrs. Winters doesn't approve," she said. "She said this lifestyle would be the death of him and I'd be the one to blame." She couldn't stop from crying.

Mrs. Hurston dabbed her daughter's wet cheeks with a handkerchief. "Don't mind her," she said. "After all she nearly married her own flesh to a brute, after what you told me he did to Ladybird. She's never had daughters and granddaughters aren't the same."

Samantha looked up at the ceiling. She wasn't sure how to say what she wanted to say next. "Do you think she is evil?"

"By what definition?"

"Evil as in John Wilkes Booth, evil."

"Booth?" Mrs. Hurston questioned. "I'm not sure I follow you dear."

"Do you think she would kill someone because she didn't agree with the way they did things?" Samantha asked. "Mama, I think she's going to kill them."