Connor had been tracking his quarry forever now it seemed. His hunt had taken
him to places no sane person would willingly go. Now it had brought him to these
godforsaken mountains in the middle of winter with nothing but the clothes on his back,
his katana and a bag with an old army issue blanket inside that he had received from an old
Indian woman in trade for a young deer he had just brought down.
As he trudged through waist high snow his mind drifted back to those horrifying
events that had sent him on this headhunting quest.
As gently as he could he eased away and slipped from the bed.
Padding across the cabin he peered out the only window. Nothing stirred but the buzz was stronger...whoever was out there was coming closer.
A slight sound from the loft nearly sent him out of his skin his nerves were stretched so tight, but it was just Jason.
Lifting the latch he quietly opened the door and stepped out into the night.
Before he had made it a few feet from the door screams rent the night.
Connor had lived through enough to know a woman in mortal anguish when he heard it. Without even a seconds hesitation he sprinted towards the sound.
As he slipped as silently as speed would allow through the woods he wished that he had chosen a spot closer to civilization to build his family’s new home. There would be no other help to rely on...he was it.
Sound close by slowed his steps. A woman whimpering in terror in an almost hypnotized manner.
Connor slipped in behind the thick bushes shielding the stream that ran parallel to their home.
A darkened figure leaned over a soaked bundle on the ground.
“Oh Cassie, you thought you could hide from me.” The voice was definitely male and the speaker was immortal.
In response the bundle moved slightly and a moan of despair filled the air.
Connor had seen enough. He couldn’t watch this poor creature suffer any longer.
He charged the other man loosing a battle cry that could chill any heart.
The man whirled to face this new threat.
Even with only the moon to light the night Connor could see that a wicked scar slashed across one eye.
“Oho,” the stranger taunted. “Who might we have here?”
“Your Death, of course.” Connor couldn’t stop the words, he wanted to just smash this evil creature who would torture defenseless women, but his honor made him give him some warning.
“Oh I think not,” The strangers voice dripped with venom. “It will take more than you, little man, to take “my” head.”
Connor stepped forward, sword drawn. A slight sound behind him gave too little warning, then the world went black.
He must find shelter of some kind. Even an immortal must take care in this kind of weather. It wouldn’t do to have some mortal find him frozen, then thaw him out by accident. Those things were just so difficult to explain, and they took up too much precious time.
With some diligent searching he found something suitable. It was only a cave but it would do for the night.
The inside was bigger than it appeared at first. Searching the inside he discovered a cache of firewood, obviously this was not the first time that a desperate soul had sought shelter here.
After starting a good fire Connor stripped off his soaked clothing and laid it flat around the warm blaze. If he hoped to make it far the next day he need to start out warm and as dry as he could be.
He opened the small bag and tugged the wool blanket from inside. He was very grateful to the woman who had traded him these two priceless treasures. The blanket may had seen better days but it was dry and warm thanks to the waterproofing on the bag and they were well worth the trade. He only wished he’d had more time to hunt for her and her tribe, they’d seemed to be on the edge of starvation.
With those troubling thoughts he wrapped his naked form with the musty blanket and leaned back against the wall, hoping for just one night of sleep free from the nightmares. But it was not to be.
“No!” A shrill voice cut through his head like a knife. “Don’t touch him.”
That woke him up. Someone was defending him. He didn’t know whether to be amused or insulted. He was Connor MacLeod, no one needed to defend him.
Turning his head towards the voice he saw two men leaning over...well it had to be female with that voice. But it sure as hell didn’t look like a woman.
“Oh he’s tougher than he looks little one.” The voice came from behind Connor.
Damn, Connor thought. This is going to take more time than I thought.
Just then the unidentifiable creature across from him turned and he saw her face. One look into those eyes and Connor’s opinion did a complete turnaround. Not only was this a woman, she was an immortal. He had just assumed that the buzz he was still feeling was coming from that evil son of a bitch who had ambushed him.
Now that his head was clearing he realized that the other man wasn’t anywhere nearby. A shaft of terror struck Connor’s heart. He had to find out where the other man had gone.
Now what had that man called her, Cassie.
“Cassie.” His voice was harsh with his fear for his family.
“Don’t call me that!” She lashed out at Connor verbally, her voice rising with each word.
Connor winced, his head still ached somewhat and he knew he was going to have to tread carefully with this one or he’d have to take his own head.
“I’m sorry,” he said each word carefully, “but I don’t know your name and I heard that monster call you that.”
She flinched but didn’t respond.
“Where is he?” He persisted. “What does he want with us?”
“He had an errand to take care of.” The man behind him explained.
He had moved closer. Connor could tell by the stench that had reached his nostrils. Obviously these men did not believe in bathing, and the smell was reacting with the pain in his head to turn his stomach inside out.
Apparently they viewed him as no threat to them in his condition because they had no weapons drawn, in fact they seem very relaxed.
Even as Connor noticed this the third man entered his field of vision.
Like the others he was just what Connor expected a mountain man to be, huge bear like form with long scraggly hair on their head and face. Dressed in clothing that seemed to have seen even less washing than the ones who wore them. Even their hair color seemed to be the same, possibly brown. All in all a very disreputable and disgusting bunch.
In fact, only one thing seemed to set this new man apart from the two others. There was a definite look of malice about this one while the other two only gave the impression of lumbering stupidity.
The third man only deepened this impression with his next words.
“You might be interested in this errand of his, stranger.” The man definitely enjoyed taunting his bound victim.
Even as his previous fears gripped his heart, causing it to beat at a furious pace, he faced the man with a look a complete indifference.
“And why would anything he does concern me?” Connor fought to keep his voice even.
“I thought that would be easy to figure out.” As the man spoke he knelt down in front of Connor. “He’s gone to your home. Once he’s done there won’t be anyone looking for you.”
The man’s words stopped rational thought for Connor.
Connor surged up from the floor, his vision clouded with thoughts of Sarah and Jason.
He hit the man in front of him with his shoulder, sending him slamming into the wall. He slumped to the floor, unconscious.
He was about to relax his guard when the buzz hit. It had a soft undertone, he knew without checking that it was Cassandra.
“Damn, how did she find me so fast.” He muttered under his breath. “Well I can’t leave her out there to freeze.”
“I’m in here,” he called.
A scuffling sound at the entrance drew his gaze. Cassandra stepped into the cave. She wa covered from head to toe with a cloak but from the looks of her it hadn’t kept out the cold. Her lips were blue and her skin had taken on a translucent quality.
“Dear God woman, what are you trying to do?” Connor’s voice was harsh as he rose and helped her to the fire. “You’ll freeze to death if we don’t get you out of those.”
A small spark of the real Cassandra managed to surface.
“Well, I haven’t heard that line before.” Her voice, though rusty from disuse, was like music to Connor.
It was the first show of spirit that he had seen from her. He thought she might never recover when he had left her in a small town outside of Fort Walla Walla.
“How did you find me, Cassandra?” He tried to keep his mind off of the woman that he was undressing.
“Connor,” her voice was filled with exasperation. “You left a trail that a blind man could follow and I’ve had lots of practice.”
“Well, at least you could have brought some supplies with you,” he shot back. “We’ll have to share this blanket if we want to stay warm.”
He tried to make his tone sound aggrieved but wasn’t sure if he’d managed it, especially if that look on her face was any indication.
She didn’t say anything, just settled down with him against the wall.
The fire had burned down to nearly nothing but Connor didn’t particularly want to get up. In fact he was a good deal warmer now than when the fire was at it’s peak.
“Connor?” Cassandra’s voice was hesitant.
Maybe if he pretended to be asleep she would do the same, Connor was desperate for some distance from the situation he suddenly found himself in.
He was not to be so lucky.
“Tell me about her, Connor.” Cassandra’s voice was more determined this time. She was not going to back down. “Tell me about both of them Connor.... your family.”
That was what he was afraid of. He didn’t want to remember. It hurt too much. But he knew that he owed Cassandra this much. After all she had told him about her vendetta against Kronos, the immortal that had nearly taken both of their heads and had killed Connor’s family.
He pulled her closer and told her how he had left to find a small measure of quiet, just for a while, where no one would be hunting his head. He told her about how he had come across a lone wagon with a young woman and small boy inside. They were determined to make it to their new home in the Northwest Territory, but her husband had died just a few days before and the poor woman was struggling on her own.
“Well I helped Sarah to reach the land that her husband had staked a claim on. There was an old trappers cabin there. It wasn’t too run down so we were staying there until we could finish a bigger one, something better for Jason.” His voice was distorted by the tears he refused to shed.
“We had barely gotten started......” Connor’s voice trailed off into the darkness.
“I’m sorry Connor,” Cassandra fought vainly against the emotion that shook Connor’s simple statement.
Slipping her arms around his neck she pulled his head to her shoulder. Her right hand began absently stroking the back of his head in a comforting gesture.
With her simple show of compassion Connor’s control broke.
Cassandra felt a single scalding tear hit her breast, followed by another. Her hold on him tightened. For what seemed an eternity she held him until the tremors eased and his breathing returned to normal.
Connor lifted his head, his eyes were red and swollen in the firelight, to Cassandra he was the most magnificent thing she had ever seen. Here was a man who gave himself completely, he had loved so deeply after such a short time. Why could she never find someone like him for herself and why did she think maybe she already loved him and her only wish was to help him heal and maybe help herself too.
She started to pull back then was caught by his gaze.
It shouldn’t be possible for a man to hold that much power just with his eyes, was her last coherent thought before their lips met.
Copyright 2000 Written by CinnamonBearCDC
The pictures and/or characters of Connor MacLeod/Christopher Lambert, Cassandra and Kronos belong solely to Rysher,Davis/Panzer or Christopher Lambert. I have no claim to them and I am not profitting by this story in any way. It is purely for entertainment and fun.