THE NEW VANGUARD! HAUNT Issue #9 with Special Guest Star STEEPLEJACK!

Soaring through the increasing daylight Haunt was suddenly aware that he made for a big, white against blue sky target...

OOC Perception check from the bad guys Int 10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,8,+0 Total:17 (27) vs
Haunt Dex 8 + Thief four dice + Roll(6d12)+0: 11,4,1,9,10,2,+0 Total:21 (29)

However he seemed to have picked an approach with the sun behind that made it difficult to pick his form out, and he soon picked and angle to start his dive!

OOC one more check for Haunt... Int 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 4,8,+0 Total:12 (20) vs
OV10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,10,+0 Total:15 (25) Perception check failed

Taking the trio by surprise Haunt targeted the slight (in comparison to the hulking Muton Aliens) form of the woman who was dressed in period clothes albeit those of a man rather than a dress.

OOC HAUNT HP 158 buying two dice HAUNT HP 145

Haunt swoops in!

OOC Dex 8 + two dice (he really misses out on martial artist when he's not using omni arm!) +Roll(4d12)+0: 2,12,8,1,+0 Total:20 (28) vs
Dex 11 - surprise 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,1,+0 Total:10 (17)

Hit!

Haunt scoops up the woman and flies away in triumph! She must be unconscious as she didn't make a sound and he looks down to see the woman limp in his claws!

The aliens immediately level weapons and shoot but seem to be shooting wide on purpose, possibly not to hit the woman! Despite a slightly nagging feeling in his mind Haunt manages to make his escape and fly a few miles back to the canyon/ambush site... And glances down to find that the woman is gone???

Admin wrote:Steeplejack checked Scalphunters wounds over. None were life-threatening, but if he'd run here whilst wounded he would be completely exhausted! But if he'd run here... then... the indian's over that next hill might be his people!

Moving to the horse, knowing that the dear old mare, would groan, Steeplejack, hoisted Scalphunter on resting him against the horse's neck whilst he himself kept both men on and leading the horse as good as he could into the camp below. This was going to be tricky, and not for the first time in the last 12 hours he was going into a hostile situation, without much in the way of back up.

OOC: Ok so I will lead the horse whilst walking beside in order to let the two men rest on her and me keep them on as best I can. I'm not worried about Scalphunter so much but do need to watch Dick. When I get down to the camp, I will say I come in peace, with one of their own...etc. Make no threatening moves and say I have come to gain their help etc.

Sj

Steeplejack led the horse into the camp with the two prone men aboard.

Despite claiming to come in peace the indians weren't keen on surprises and quickly surround Steeplejack. With bows and knives pointed at him he knew this could get tricky... until they saw Scalphunter and immediately cries went up! A group of warriors, five of them, made towards Steeplejack with knives and rope... the message was clear! Submit to being trussed up or there would be trouble!

Gone as invisible or gone as no longer in his claws?  Squeeze his claws to make sure she is there or not. If she isn't there, circle around about 20' up and look for tracks in the dirt. Maybe sweep the wings to cause dust to go in the air and maybe it will outline her.

Admin wrote:Steeplejack led the horse into the camp with the two prone men aboard.

Despite claiming to come in peace the indians weren't keen on surprises and quickly surround Steeplejack. With bows and knives pointed at him he knew this could get tricky... until they saw Scalphunter and immediately cries went up! A group of warriors, five of them, made towards Steeplejack with knives and rope... the message was clear! Submit to being trussed up or there would be trouble!

Steeplejack saw no point in resisting right now. He needed to find a way to help his friends, but new he'd best play along. Besides the ropes would hardly be a problem unless they were made of steel or something. But even as he submitted to the bonds, he shouted out to the chief men. "I brought Scalp hunter into your camp to help him, I am a medicine man and I have another man who is also wounded, would you take a man who came in peace and bind him when he came to help as a friend? He wasn't sure if his words were even meaningful to the men, but Scalphunter spoke English, he hope that someone there might yet be able to translate.

OOC: Ok shouting out as loud as I can, not in a raving loony way, but trying to talk sense into them even as I let them tie me up I don't need them to try and spear me though nor take on the whole camp after all. But Dick won't last long, and I haven't brought him this far to waste time, so I might have to impress them if it takes that. As a 'Medicine man' call on my earth powers or something...

Sj

Haunt clenched his claws, looked about... nothing. It was as if he'd swooped down, grabbed fresh air then flown off with it!

Had he imagined it? What on earth was he dealing with?

He swooped down and started to circle. No tracks. Landing, he looked about to where the woman would have dropped. Nothing. No indentations, no suggestions that she'd ever been here at all. Suddenly he doubted his senses. Or... perhaps the woman was something else. He was dealing with forces that he had little knowledge of.

Magic.

A shiver went down his spine. He could double back and head to where the aliens and the woman had last been seen or wait for them at the canyon...

The Chief, an aged warrior though still proud, strode from his tent and the shouting/hollering ceased.

He looked about, taking in the trussed up Cowboys and the now trussed Steeplejack, then at the injured men. His eyes widened at the sight of Scalphunter and he moved to the fallen mans' side. Calling in his native tongue he arranged for Scalphunter to be taken to a tent and cared for. He looked at the unconscious Dick Brewer and barely spared a glance, then turned to Steeplejack.

"White man is our enemy, but comes into our camp and asks help? Also bringing downed warrior who is as a brother to our people. Did you do this? If not, who? Answer carefully, for your life and the lives of these men, who are not worth the dust on my moccasin, depend on it." said the Chief.

One of the cowboys, Doc Scurlock, called out "We helped him! We brought him here to..." crack! the butt of a rifle silenced the young cowboy and he slumped back. That riled the others up but they were in no condition to do much about it!

Death hovered over the camp like a cloud, ready to strike light lightning!

Admin wrote:Death hovered over the camp like a cloud, ready to strike light lightning!

Steeplejack wished Haunt was here, he'd know how to speak to these guys...but he wasn't so he'd have to think fast once again.

"Great Chief you people have been here for many seasons, and rightly lived in harmony with the lands. Before the white men, before we came, you lived and hunted and all was good. White men brought their guns, their ways, their violence and paid little heed or respect to you, your ways or your ancient rights. I accept that a grievous injustice is done that will be a stain on the conscience of many a white man, for many a year-long after we are all gone. But violence only breeds violence, Scalphunter knows this. I rescued him, I am a medicine man trained, and I can help him, and our own. I ask that you let my people go, we mean you know harm. But in exchange for helping my friend your son Scalphunter you'd let me help our own and let us on our way. A great evil has been done to your people, don't let it poison you, but let us seek to suck that poison out, and find a way that healing can come for surly better than slaying a foe, is to find a friend, better than spilling blood, is to be of one blood."

Steeplejack was no pacifist, and he knew these people had every right to their sense of indignation, justice was a luxury out here. But he hoped that with practical wisdom and honour and nobility he might persuade them to consider. If they could be away quickly, maybe their pursuers would leave the village and pass on. He had to hope so, or his own situation would be the least of their worries if the Aliens caught up to them here.

Sj

OOC I like the way you put that so the roll can be forgotten in this case to persuade.

"White man speaks words of wisdom." the Chief turned, looking at the cowboys.

"These young ones have much fire in them, like our warriors. While they are here they must behave and hand over all weapons including knives and bullets. When you leave you must promise me they will not make war on us. In the meantime... we will help your injured friend and you can help."

In moments Steeplejack was kneeling in a tent treating Dick Brewer with help from the medicine man and several women. Finally he rose, happy that the young cowboy would recover. He would need rest but for the moment, he would survive.

He gratefully accepted some cooked meat and vegetables and slumped at the fire with the cowboys who were resting or sat quietly. William Bonny sat with a sullen look on his face and hadn't touched his food.

He looked up at Steeplejack sitting down and glanced about. "Hssst! Hey! I'm thinkin' of scootin from this place. Ah need ma gun n ma horse. Can you help?"

Steeplejack looked across at the fire at William H Bonny, Billy the Kid of legend. At the moment he was a frightened young cowboy. Eventually his deeds - and misdeeds - would leave a lasting legend and legacy that cascaded down the ages. Did the aliens want to kill him? Why? Why would they travel back through time, making ripples and possibly changing history completely, simply to kill someone who would die young anyway. What was the point? Did Bonny leave any children behind? He needed an expert for that, or at least Wikipedia, which wouldn't be around for over 120 years!

Glancing around, he looked out into the darkness. Somewhere Haunt was alone, fighting the aliens. He had to make a choice. Stay here and make sure the cowboys behave whilst Scalphunter and Richard Brewer recovered. Or go out and find Haunt to help him against the Aliens...

He swooped down and started to circle. No tracks. Landing, he looked about to where the woman would have dropped. Nothing. No indentations, no suggestions that she'd ever been here at all. Suddenly he doubted his senses. Or... perhaps the woman was something else. He was dealing with forces that he had little knowledge of.

Magic.

A shiver went down his spine. He could double back and head to where the aliens and the woman had last been seen or wait for them at the canyon...


"Danggit! If I am dealing with magic and science, I am in big trouble," the Haunt said, calling up the fog to surround the area. It might not help since the aliens seem to be able to see through it somehow even though it was supposed to block all vision wavelengths or at least that is what Dr. P said when he designed it for him. "If she went back to them, then they probably know this is an ambush site. What to do? What to do?"

He mulls over his choices. None of them seem to be any good. He tries thinking like both a detective and a thief to see if he could come up with a better plan of action against this foe.

Maybe he could bombard them with large rocks from long distance? Stretch up his neck in the fog, staying within the fog, to be able to see them coming from further away and then shape himself in a cannon or large slingshot and shot the boulders at them? Would that be his best option or could he think of something else.

ooc: actually kind of clueless, this is the best idea I can come up with at the moment.

OOC If Haunts abilities weren't reduced chances are the thermal vision of these aliens wouldn't be able to cut through it...

Haunt looks about. The Aliens were smart, driven and focused. They wanted one, or all of the cowboys. The most famous was Billy the Kid (or he would be at any rate). That made him the logical choice for assassination.

OOC Int 8 + detective dice four + Roll(6d12)+0: 10,6,8,1,9,10,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,3,+0 Total:27 (35) vs
OV10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,2,+0 Total:3 FAILED OV 0.

+8 EV (to 16 Will) vs RV 10=6 RAPs

1) They travelled back in time to kill someone. This time and place only suggests one of the era's most important historical figures.
2-3) Billy the Kid was 21 years old when he died. His younger brother, who didn't seem to have been a gunfighter, died after a long (ish) life in 1930 aged 67. The Aliens have specifically targeted William H Bonny aka Billy the Kid (amongst other aliases). Killing him earlier than his projected 'natural' death would logically make little difference save to rewrite his legend.
4-6) Perhaps the target is not Henry MCCarty/Antrim/W Bonny (etc) and is in fact one of his companions. Someone whose lineage stretches into the modern day and whose death is vital for the ADVENT plan against the United States.

Haunt shook his thoughts clear. Rather than help him in his current situation he now had a slightly better idea of WHY the Aliens were after Bonny. Knowing that... did he still want to fight them, and possibly die or be taken prisoner... or find Steeplejack at the Indian camp and make sure the cowboys were safe? Bonny, or one of his companions, might be key to securing the future against the aliens!

The Haunt debated what to do.  Having Steeplejack at his side would increase his odds of surviving.  However, if he went to the Indian village and the aliens showed up there then more than one target could be killed, the aliens weren't known for their restraint or decency as he had personal reason to know.

Maybe ... he would have time to get to the village, by flying, it seemed fastest, and check on Steeplejack and the others and then get back here before the aliens arrived?  He stretched his body up as far as it would go, trying to spot the aliens and trying to determine if he had time to do that.

actions stretch up and look around and then if he thinks he can make the Indian village and back then do so. If it looks like he can't, then stick here and get ready to throw rocks at the aliens.

Admin wrote:[color=#0033cc]Glancing around, he looked out into the darkness. Somewhere Haunt was alone, fighting the aliens. He had to make a choice. Stay here and make sure the cowboys behave whilst Scalphunter and Richard Brewer recovered. Or go out and find Haunt to help him against the Aliens...

Steeplejack could see the look in the boy's eye, he didn't know what was so significant to the timeline that he died later than now, but he hoped what he would say, assuming it made any difference, wouldn't inadvertently make things worse. "Son, you and these men have stuck together this far, and if I know something its the value of family, friend, men you can trust and who'd lay down their life for you and you for them. Its a lonely road you'd take if you take it alone, and you'd have no one watching your back. If them things, whatever they are, are out to get you...how would you sleep, how could you not run your horse ragged, for fear of them catching you? I can put Dick back together and I am pretty good with my fists, though maybe not so fast as your draw. With Dick being stronger, we will ride out of here together and we, me and my partner, we'd make sure we'd have your back. You know that look how I came back for you...now how are you going to return that favour to me son if you run out on me? I've got your back, have I got what any hope of you having my back?

Steeplejack wasn't one for speeches, but so far his mouth was running off with itself and he didn't quite know if it was because of the need of the time, sheer desperation not to frighten the boy but try and pull him on board, or he really was down to brass tacks when it came to options right now. He hoped the boy would listen, headstrong and willful though he appeared to be.

Sj

Haunt takes to the air as a giant white eagle and looks about.

OOC He can give himself telescopic vision with binocular peepers and see the camp within flying distance, though it looked to be about 50 miles or so away.

Switching his power to give himself giant wings Haunt reckons even with his reduced abilities he could be at the camp in about 10 minutes.

OOC At Flight 8 he'll take nearer 8 minutes actually.

Looking back he couldn't see where the Aliens were at the moment, which was a worry as the flat plain offered little in the way of cover. What was worse was that trick the woman pulled to vanish from his grasp! Could he trust his senses?

He set off to the indian camp. Time was wasting while he scoured the plain for the Aliens.

=========

Back at the camp William H Bonney considered the older mans words.

And he WAS an older man. Steeplejack may be a superhuman but he was deep into his forties, old enough (just) to be this young mans' father!

Before Bonney could answer he looked up and rose to his feet. Steeplejack turned and saw Scalphunter being helped across the camp by an indian woman. He smiled and thanked her then sat by the fire with Bonney and Steeplejack.

"Follow thin man and normal man. Many miles. They move plenty fast. Magic." said Scalphunter. "Different to man with smoke and man who move earth. Vanish... appear distant. Take many miles of running plenty fast. Found place in hills. Cave. Scalphunter ran back here after picking up your tracks. Injured by shot but not bad. Their guns shoot like fire. No bullets, clean wound but plenty bad if not lucky. Bad men. Not men. More, worse. I can show you and man with smoke. I tell Chief time to move. Bad times coming. Plenty bad. Arrow, knife, bullet... no work on these not men."

Bonney gaped and turned to Steeplejack. "You believe him? This makes no sense! I..." he trailed off having barely registered the sights he'd seen over the last few hours.

Scalphunter continued. "I recover soon. Feet hurt from run so far, so fast. Get better. We make war on bad men. Teach them we not scared, not chased away." He pulled a large sharp knife from his belt and twirled it slowly in the firelight. "Scalps this blade will take. Chief not believe me when I say of dark magic they make until I swear on souls of ancestors. He look into eye. Then he believe." said Scalphunter, staring at Bonney.

The cowboy matched his stare and looked away before adding "I believe you injun. An' I'm done runnin'! Time ta take it back ta them!" Steeplejack was about to protest but he saw the determined look on Billys face and saw the other cowboys rising to stand behind him in the darkness. "We ALL done runnin. No more. We fight, we make a stand. We take the war to them." said Doc Scurlock.

He looked about "Our story won't end here. I feel it in my heart. History won't know about this, and will forget all about us ever having lived, but right here, right now, the Regulators won't run any more. They want war? We'll give em WAR!" he shouted and the others roared.

"And you not be alone." said the Chief from the shadows behind Scalphunter. "My hunters will stand alongside stupid does not learn from mistakes but heart is pure." he said, referring to Scalphunter as he placed a hand gently on the warriors shoulder. "When heart is pure, gives light in darkness for others to follow. My warriors will follow him."

Suddenly Steeplejack knew he had an army!

Admin wrote:Suddenly Steeplejack knew he had an army!

He wondered at that point what on earth he had gotten himself into. At one time he might have been a team player a follower no problem, but an army captain, head of this motley crew! Suddenly coming out of retirement didn't strike him as a particularly bright point on his colourful life so far.

But ever the pragmatist he started to nod in all the right places, tell the men to gather what they needed and take time to thank the Chief. Scalphunter would lead the Indians, he the Regulators with Doc Scurlock's help. When it was safe to move out, they'd go. But beforehand Steeplejack took the time to look over Dick, and make sure he was safe to travel with the rest of the tribe. Then looked out to see if Haunt might make a return anytime soon. He'd not seen him in quite some time, and he had to wonder what he might have gotten himself into.

Sj

The Haunt landed outside the village and transformed back into his Haunt persona, he kept a bit of fog rolling off his body just to let the Indians know that he wasn't someone to mess with, and went looking for Steeplejack.

[assuming he isn't stopped or attacked]

Once he finds him, he will relay his encounter with the aliens and how the woman slipped from his grasp and he can no longer see them.

DavidMcMahon wrote:The Haunt landed outside the village and transformed back into his Haunt persona, he kept a bit of fog rolling off his body just to let the Indians know that he wasn't someone to mess with, and went looking for Steeplejack.

[assuming he isn't stopped or attacked]

Once he finds him, he will relay his encounter with the aliens and how the woman slipped from his grasp and he can no longer see them.

Seeing Haunt step in across the camp Steeplejack spoke to the others before going over to his partner. "Wow are you ever a sight for sore eyes... After listening to Haunt's tale he filled him in on his own exploits adding "So Scalphunter knows where they are holed up, and these lot a fit to go burst in and take em. I guess its risky, but I'd rather have the kid with us, where we can keep an eye on him, than running off to who knows where and we're left playing catch up again? What do you think?"

Sj

"This really is a pain isn't it," the Haunt grunted. "Damned if we do, damned if we don't. Take them with us, and maybe the aliens ignore us and kill them instead when we attack, winning this round and who knows how many people won't exist if that happens. Leave them here and just go with Scalphunter and if they are not in this cave, then they could come here and wipe out everyone, winning this round and who knows how many people won't exist in our time if that happens."

"There is very little chance of us winning if we split up for this attack. There's no way to win if we don't attack and wait for them to come to us. It's like rolling the dice or flipping a coin. We might even have a better chance of succeeding if we did that."

"What about the wounded man? He can't come with us, can he? If we leave him here and he is the target ... or have the Indians pull up stakes and move to another hiding place?"

ooc: Ok, try Detective Skill to see if I can figure out who the one or more person[s] it is we have to absolutely save. Maybe some of this new information may help us decide what to do.

OOC Not so much detective skill (as there are no clues to decipher) more of a need to access Wikipedia to see which of the regulators lived longest and sired children who might have turned out to be an important person in the fight against Advent.

Int 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,9,+0 Total:11 (19) vs
OV10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 3,8,+0 Total:11 (21) FAILURE

Steeplejack saw Haunt (all costumed up and smoky) hold chin in hand and narrow eyes, lost in thought.

He considered Haunts words then had a think...

OOC Int 9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 7,9,+0 Total:16 (25) vs
Int 10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,5,+0 Total:11 (21)

+3EV (to 12) vs RV10= 2 RAPs

1) The person you are trying to save is NOT Billy the Kid. He was killed by Pat Garrett and achieved immortality through a growing legend but left no other legacy.
2-3) Billy the Kid never led the regulators. Richard 'Dick' Brewer was the first leader, killed by 'Buckshot' Roberts. Next was a Frank McNab, killed in a shootout. The final leader was Josiah Gordon "Doc" Scurlock, who lived out most of the rest of his life after the Lincoln County War (which is yet to happen but the die has been cast with John Tunstalls' death) as a respected citizen and fathered a number of children, finally dying of a heart attack at the ripe old age of 80.

Steeplejack glanced about and saw Scurlock checking on the others. His gut said this was the man aliens had come to kill. His descendants, whoever they were, would bear children who bore children who bore children that would be important figures in the modern age. ADVENT saw this person to be a key threat and had gone to the trouble of putting them on the 'kill list'. Killing one person before they were born would not guarantee ADVENT success in their plan to take over the world.

However, take out enough important figures on their list would destabilise the resistance to the Alien rule and possible cause enough ripples to change history so that, for example, the United States were no longer United, or Europe might still be at war with itself, or similar.

Steeplejack shuddered. Whatever they did would cause ripples unless they took the fight to the aliens head on and stopped them! He glanced about the fire. Most of these cowboys were destined for death or jail. Scurlock was a major standout according to Steeplejacks patchy general knowledge. His survival, therefore, was key. He was due to survive, the rest destined to fade into history in some way. Though he couldn't be sure, he felt it was Josiah Gordon "Doc" Scurlock who was the aliens target.

[quote="Admin"Steeplejack shuddered. Whatever they did would cause ripples unless they took the fight to the aliens head on and stopped them! He glanced about the fire. Most of these cowboys were destined for death or jail. Scurlock was a major standout according to Steeplejacks patchy general knowledge. His survival, therefore, was key. He was due to survive, the rest destined to fade into history in some way. Though he couldn't be sure, he felt it was Josiah Gordon "Doc" Scurlock who was the aliens target.[/quote]

Turning to Haunt, Steeplejack spoke in a hushed tone so he alone could hear. "I think we've got this all wrong if we are thinking about famous ancestors and the implications for their descendants in our present, their future, then we ought to be thinking about those who survive. The Doc, somehow this has only just jogged free in my head now, outlives them all and have children. Not so much the others... it's not the kid, but Josiah Gordon "Doc" Scurlock, who is the real target of this incursion. Puts a different light on things. It's him we need to stop from getting killed more than the others...what do you think?

OOC: OK that is a major help, esp since we don't want any of the others to be killed but if it comes down to saving anyone Doc is the one we've to keep alive. Once Haunt has replied unless he thinks there is anything else we need to take care of, I assume we are good to go?

Sj

"I'm going to need you to help take down the aliens," the Haunt whispers back. "Guns and knives and bows & arrows aren't going to work on them, unless we are very very lucky. IF Doc is the target, and he probably is since the more famous members of the gang die in the next couple of months or years, the aliens must have some way of tracking him. So leaving him behind while we attack might only work if we move faster than they do because if they attack this village while we are trying to attack them at the cave ... we can fail. But if we bring him and they have some way of tracking him, they will know he is coming and any surprise attack is out the window."

"IF we bring the Indians in with us to attack the aliens, that might bring about some extra confusion that will help with the attack but then we risk the lives of the Indians, and even if their decedents aren't important to the Advent's takeover of the Earth, they could still be important or famous in some field of endeavor, maybe even decedents beyond OUR future."

He thinks a bit more.

"I'm leaning towards just you, me and Scalphunter going and attacking the cave. I can carry the two of you and can cover ground faster than a car can, flying, leaping and/or running. We get the Indians to fort up here or somewhere better with Doc and the others while we attack. But I'm not leaning hard that way. If you think we should stay as a group and attack as a group of stay here and defend as a group, I'm willing to be convinced."


ooc: Stupid Butterfly Effect.

DavidMcMahon wrote:"I'm leaning towards just you, me and Scalphunter going and attacking the cave.  I can carry the two of you and can cover ground faster than a car can, flying, leaping and/or running.  We get the Indians to fort up here or somewhere better with Doc and the others while we attack.  But I'm not leaning hard that way.  If you think we should stay as a group and attack as a group of stay here and defend as a group, I'm willing to be convinced."

Steeplejack weighed the options, "I think we are going to have to go in with the warrior braves, this is an honour and shame culture, if we go without them we might mortally offend them. They've been good enough to make us part of the tribe extending their tent as it were. I am not sure I feel comfortable backing out of agreeing to them coming. I know, I know its a risk. But I'd rather know who is with me and have Doc insight with you or me to watch over him than just leaving him here. You know how these guys would carve up the doc, and the Indians. I don't know if they are tracking him or not, but if they are underground, well earth is kind of my thing. So let's see if we can't bring that to bear.

Sj

The Haunt ponders what was said.

"Okay, we will go with that plan. We will become part of the war party and have Scalphunter lead the way. You and I can be out in front but on the wings? Keep Doc in the center of the party? Best plan I can think of at the moment."

Scalphunter chimed in. "You two talk plenty much. Hurt head to keep up."

"Bad tall men go into cave with bad man. I can show way, we take scalps, yes?"

"But man who digs dirt make good talk. If lizard giants and bad woman with lights from hands seek Cowboy, maybe we can lure them. Set up braves, push rocks, crash down. Arrows and bullets no good. Maybe... maybe medicine man make strong magic to grant power to tomahawk and arrow head." he mused.

"I will talk with elders. We move soon. Braves blood has much thunder but lizard giant magic is strong. Not many chances at defeating them. On way Scalphunter can take us down path to spring ambush. Need Cowboy as bait. Not good. While that happen rest go to cave and defeat Thin Tall Men?"