[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

The Pure And Simple Truth
But the Truth is rarely ever pure and never simple…

“Get them pants off!” Raider hollered. Stranger blanched and looked at him,

“What.” he murmured, Raider smirked as his minions tore off Stranger’s boots and tan trousers, Bailey stared, frowning in confusion. Down the sides of Stranger’s legs were little pieces of thread, Bailey cocked her head to one side. They looked remarkable like…stitches… Bailey’s head was suddenly filled with Stranger’s screams. And now she knew why.

Stranger was having his legs sown…

But why?

“Cut them stitches!” shouted Raider. The minions obeyed, one taking out a knife while the other three held a now fighting Stranger. The minion with the blade cut the stitches one by one until-

Bailey blinked and gaped, her eyes huge and round.

Stranger had four legs…

Stranger, was a Steef.

Bailey felt sick, for two reasons. Now she understood why Stranger had taken the Steef bounty so hard, and the fact that she had been hunting his kind (even unintentionally) sickened her. What added to this was that Stranger had let that monster of a doctor sew his legs together… Bailey shuddered. And now she understood his words from what seemed like a lifetime ago…

“I need this to survive…”

He had had his legs sewn together to make it look like just two legs, sawn off his horns and filed down his teeth to disguise his identity.

Because Steef were hunted for their heads.

“Is that what I think it is!?” exclaimed one of the minions, forcefully dragging Bailey from her sickened thoughts. Raider strode up to Stranger and grabbed his ponytail, yanking his head back.

“It’s a Steef!” he laughed manically, “It’s an Odd-damn Steef!” Stranger roared and twisted out of Raider’s grip, snapping at him with sharp fangs, almost taking off the Outlaw’s hand.

“Stranger…” Bailey whispered, completely stunned by this shocking, completely unforeseen revelation. Stranger deflated and looked at the floor, not able to look at Bailey,

“Tha operation…” he murmured, “It would have removed ma hind legs permanently…made otha adjustments so I would neva have been found out…” Bailey watched Stranger sadly.

“You thought I would hate you for who you are?” she thought miserably, “You really thought I would abandon you?”

Bailey was struck by an epiphany.

“Or maybe I will…” she forced a look of fury and disgust onto her expression. “Steef!” she yelled, “A STEEF!? You lying SON OF A FLEECH! I TRUSTED YOU! AND YOU WERE AN ODD-DAMN STEEF!” Stranger snapped his head round to look at her. The look of deep pain and utter broken, helplessness nearly broke Bailey’s resolve, but she remained firm. She had to be convincing. She lowered her voice to a furious, deadly whisper. “When I get down from here I’m going dig out your heart with a spoon! I’ll hack off your head myself!” the Outlaws were laughing again and Raider looked impressed.

“Maybe you ain’t that bad after all kid,” he remarked, “You’d seriously kill ‘im?”

“Get me down an’ I’ll show ya how serious I am!” Bailey said. Raider thought about this, then he grinned.

“Mr Sekto was right about you… alright! Git ‘er down lads.” The minions looked at each other confused,

“You sure boss?” asked one. Raider scowled at him, the minions hastily did as they were told.

Soon Bailey was brushing off the severed ropes and looking smug. Stranger watched her, with a look of such deep wounding and distress that Bailey wanted to cut him down and hug him, never letting go. Telling him it would be alright.

“Everything’s gonna be alright. I promise.”

“Git her the hatchet.” Raider bellowed. A minion hurried to do obey, scuttling to Bailey’s pack, taking out the hatchet and scuttling back, handing it to Bailey. “Now kid, hack off the Steef’s head.” Bailey tensed, her grip tightening on the hatchet’s handle. And faced Stranger. Her leg was stiff from it’s injury and it made her movements slower, but at least she could use it.

“Yer gonna git it now Stranger,” sniggered one of the minions, he was right behind Bailey, just next to her left shoulder, “Done in by yer lil’ friend. Dumb Steef.” The minions all began laughing again. Bailey’s eyes slid to one side, looking at the Outlaw who had spoken from the corner of her eye and glared.

Before anyone realised what she was going to do, Bailey swung around and punched the Outlaw by her shoulder. He went down with a loud ‘Umph!’ and hit the deck with a thud. The other Outlaws made sounds of fury and outrage of being betrayed but another one fell before anyone had even taken a breath, a hatchet buried in his skull.

Bailey stood between Stranger and the Outlaws, her eyes were gleaming ferally and a grim, malicious smirk touched her face.

“You really thought I’d just turn on Stranger. You’re all stupider then I even took credit for.” Caste Raider looked furious.

“Traitorous scum! Take ‘er boys!” the two unharmed minions and the one recovering from being socked in the face closed in of Bailey. Bailey stood still, fists clenched, waiting.

When they struck she fought back as best she could but she was only a young human child and could not beat three all at once, not with an injured leg that slowed her up especially. She was soon taken down and trussed up like a fly, a gag in her mouth, arms behind her back and on her knees, in a worst situation then before. Raider hoisted her up by the back of her shirt so that they were eyelevel.

“And you will pay for that later.” He growled. Bailey’s eyes smiled vindictively. Raider snarled in anger and disgust and threw her down.

Stranger watched all this helplessly, eyes burning like twin emerald fires had ignited in them. He glanced over to Bailey who held his gaze and shrugged as if to say ‘Tried me best, sorry it didn’t work.’ Stranger gave a barely perceptible nod. The captives both turned to look at the Outlaws. Raider looked furious but satisfied to be in control again.

“Looks like yer lil’ idea didn’t work princess.” He spat, “But it was damn good, I’ll give ya that. Very convincing, got me goin’ and believin’ yer fer a second dere.” Bailey narrowed her eyes at him.

“On second thoughts,” she said to herself, “I’ll settle for you just dead.” She made a muffled growl. Before the Outlaws would have laughed, but now they knew that Bailey was capable of, and they were wary. She had their grudging respect now.

Raider returned her glare. One of the minions handed Raider the hatchet. He tossed it from hand to hand and then threw it at Bailey’s feet, guffawing. Bailey fought to restrain a grin.

“Idiot.”

“Boys!” Raider called, “Slic-” his order was cut off as suddenly ropes with clamping jaws fixed to arrows burst through the skylight high above their heads, smashing the window and showering everyone with glass. Bailey looked up with the rest, her eyes wide.

“What the heck?”

The clamps fastened on Bailey and Stranger’s packs and equipment and they were hauled up.

While the Outlaws were preoccupied with what was happening and fighting complete shock, Bailey brought her arms quietly under her legs so that were in front of her and pulled out the gag. Keeping an eye of Raider and his minions she crawled forward and took hold of the hatchet, quietly cutting herself loose.

Unfortunately one of the small Outlaw minions looked back at her just then, he did a double take when he saw what Bailey was up to.

“Hey boss!” he yelled, “The lil’ one’s escapin’!” Raider spun around, Bailey was on her feet, loosely holding the hatchet on one hand.

“Well well, fulla surprises ain’t yer?” he sneered. Bailey half-grinned and shrugged. “Get ‘er lads,” Raider waved his hand carelessly, “An’ make sure there’s nothin’ left.” Stranger roared in rage and thrashed in the ropes. Nothing gave.

As if sent by some deity, a flurry of flaming arrows suddenly rained down from the broken skylight. Several hit Stranger’s rope, severing it and he dropped to the floor, it only took a few moments to free himself. Fire began licking at the walls.

“We have to get outta here…” Stranger said to himself, “Don’t Yer Dare Touch My Bailey.” He snarled in a low voice to Raider. The Outlaw turned, smirking – though with a little less confidence.

There was noise from the tussle between Bailey and the minions but – predictably – the minions won and Bailey was soon held firmly between them. Raider’s confidence returned. Stranger growled and took a step forward, fists clenched, the muscles of his four legs tensing.

“I don't think so, yer fou'-legged freak.” Said Raider in a low voice, “Yer worth booku alive, but I'll settle fer yer dead.”

“Bring it on.” Stranger snapped, “Yer mama did.” Even in this dire situation Bailey rolled her eyes and muttered to herself,

“Don’t matter where you go, there’s always masculine repartee before a scrap…and what’s with this obsession Stranger has with people’s mothers!?”

“After 'im, boys!” Yelled Raider “To pieces with 'im!” the minions leapt at Stranger, Raider meanwhile wrenched Bailey’s arm behind her back and put the blade of her own hatchet against her throat. “Now we’ll watch yer lil’ Steef friend get it.” He muttered in her ear, Bailey cringed but kept her voice steady.

“D’you know that guys like you always get what’s coming to ‘em?”

“Not this time sweetheart.” Raider grinned.

“Always.” Bailey growled.

The first minion approached Stranger, a blade raised. Stranger grinned a feral smile and beckoned for the Outlaw to come any closer. When he stupidly did so Stranger balled his fists and decked the Outlaw right in the face. The Outlaw fell back with a yelp and staggered into a section of fire. The Outlaw’s yelp became a scream and the smell of burning meat made Bailey gag.

Still on fire and screaming the Outlaw rammed into one of the barrels. It detonated with a huge explosion that rocked the entire building.

“Show off…” muttered Bailey. The blast from the explosion threw everyone to the floor, Bailey tried to roll away but Raider had a firm grip on her.

“Not this time lil’ girl.” He snarled.

Stranger hit the floor, the remaining Outlaws were running and screaming now. Stranger could hear the tortured creaking and groaning on the building as it threatened to collapse.

Where was Bailey?

This sudden thought released faint panic in Stranger and he looked around quickly. He pushed himself up and looked around again, the whole place was filled with smoke and flames, Stranger coughed.

“Bailey!” he called through the smokescreen, there was a particularly loud groan and the screech of collapsing wood and metal and a crash like a huge tree falling as part of the roof fell in and hit the floor. “BAILEY!” and then he heard it, a faint call.

“Over here!” Stranger plunged into the smoke and sparks, casting around for Bailey. He finally found her, she was right by the caved in roof, but she seemed unharmed. Raider on the other hand had been crushed from the middle down by the falling beams. But his hand was locked in a death grip around Bailey’s wrist. Stranger crouched down quickly and pried the Outlaws fingers away from Bailey.

Suddenly the hand twitched and Raider lurched at them, roaring, his body smoking, but he was pinned beneath the fallen roof and could not reach them. He still clawed at the floor, gouging huge furrows in the wood, his blazing eyes fixed of the slowly retreating Bailey and Stranger. Bailey stooped, her eyes on Raider and picked up the hatchet that had fallen from the Outlaw’s grasp, and held it ready.

There was another creak and groan and another part of the warehouse toppled. Right on top of Raider. Crushing him completely. Stranger swept Bailey into his arms and pressed her forehead to his shoulder, his hand on the back of her head, so she didn’t see the grisly end of Caste Raider.

But she’d been right.

He’d got what had been coming to him…