Leaking Pan's buffalo galloped at full speed to catch up to his party.
“We're being followed!” he yelled once he reached Brad.
“What? Who?” Brad asked startled.
“That woman dressed in black back at the saloon. I don't know why she's following us, but she is. She fled when she saw me.”
Bradacus considered what he'd been told. Should they try and track her? No, it would only delay their arrival and they needed to meet with Catalysts and Wikki Wald on time.
“Keep a look out for her, but we need to continue to Reno's. We've got a schedule to keep.”
Leaking Pan understood.
“Nothing to do but press on, gentlemen. Be alert!”
They rode on in silence, wary for her return.
Day 3
Morning dawned and there was still no sign of the blue-haired ninja. Was she still following them? Had she left for good?
As they rode, the treeline changed and Pancake suggested a lunch break.
“See these?” he asked as he dismounted. “These are maple trees. Watch this.”
Pancake removed his knife and fashioned an impromptu spigot from a branch. He hammered it into the base of a tree and a thick, brown liquid poured from the spigot and into Cake's outstretched cup.
“How did you know that?” Burning Zee asked.
“You kiddin' me?” Cake responded surprised. “Did you think a guy named Pancake wouldn't know a thing or two about maple syrup?”
A vicious snarl erupted from the trees as a cougar sprung from hiding, knocking Pancake to the ground and leaving him unconscious. Wilko rushed to Pancake's aid but was batted away with massive paws and vicious nails.
When the cougar spotted Bradacus, it was struck with overpowering desire. It turned, devoting all its attention to him, pouncing and leaping, hitting on him any way she could.
Burning Zee was already up a tree. He jumped from its branches, landing squarely on the cougar's back. He rode the cougar like a wild man, getting swung to and fro, an enormous grin on his face as he tried to tame the pussy.
Brad pulled his revolver from its holster, hoping to get a clear shot at the cougar while it leapt about with Zee on its back. Trying to shoot the cougar without hitting Zee was damn near impossible.
Near impossible, he reminded himself as he ran his fingers across his ushanka for luck.
Looking down the sights, he pulled the trigger and sent a deadly bullet to whoever stood in its path.
A horrible scream escaped Zee's mouth.
“Why, Bradacus?” he shouted in pain as the cougar fell to the earth dead. “I was just about to conquer that beast!”
Brad shook his head, the corner of his mouth cocked in a half grin. Burning Zee sure was one of a kind.
Leaking Pan emerged from the forest, pulling up his zipper. “What did I miss?”
Brad pointed.
Pan looked at the cougar's corpse and blinked. Apparently he missed a lot in that short absence.
Pancake came to and Wilko helped him to his feet.
“Those cuts will need proper mending,” Pancake said to Wilko, noticing the large wounds the claws had made on his arm.
Wilko looked at his bloody arm. “Bloody ripper!” he exclaimed. Because of his accent, no one could tell if he was swearing or shouting in excitement.
“This horse glue will stop the bleeding temporarily, but you'll need stitches.” Cake applied a generous amount to Wilko's arm. “That oughta last until we find some.”
“How much you think it'll cost?” Brad asked.
“I'd say about tree fiddy.”
By evening, the glue men arrived in the small, farming village Reno called home. Kanadia. As they rode through town, the villagers waved and smiled. Why were the people so friendly and inviting? It was strange and Brad didn't like it.
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