​Natures renewal. A short western.

A tall man walled slowly along a sunlit valley rim towards a stand of dead trees overlooking small clearing. He walked along with a shorter woman and another man. All 3 were dressed in traditional cowboy outfits with brimmed hats and long leathers. The taller man walked slightly in front of the other two, he strode into the clearing and ran his abrasive, hateful gaze over the man there.

He was wretched, gaunt with ripped clothing and blood, spit and other bodily fluids gather around the pole he was tied to. He struggled to raise his face towards the 3 people. Straining against the thing braided yellow ropes.

“You know what happens next.” The leader of the group said. He turned to the shorter male cowboy and drew his pistol shoving it towards him. “Shoot him.” He said simply in his deep voice. “I still don’t know why we are…” He started before a hole appeared in his face. “The new ones always question.” The lady didn’t even flinch as the mans body slammed into the ground. She stepped forward, grabbed the gun and as she pulled the trigger a line of bright blue symbols lit up along the barrel and as they reached the end it shot the man tied to the pole with a recoiless, bright white bullet. She passed the gun back and waited.

“Now we can start our plan”. He said and they both turned to leave not even burying their ex companion before they went on their way towrds the valleys edge.

“Here it comes.” She said in awe. The whole valley lit up in deep blue flame, all the buildings and peolple falling into ash but the trees, animals, river and bushes weren’t touched.

“It worked again, this gun never ceases to amaze me.” He said as he holstered it and winced. The pain in his shoulder was getting worse. He pulled a fist sized object from under his long leather jacket, as he did so the woman could see inside was a deep black, void, endless and hungry. He noticed her looking and quickly pulled it around himseld revealing the item. It was a tiny horse skull with gems in its eye sockets, he brought it up to his mouth and blew through it. Whispering as he did so.

A moment later a fog emerged from it and as it dissipated a solid horse was standing in front of them. “Rael, time to go.” He said patting the horses head. He mounted up and then reached a hand back to help the lady up.

“Come Shadow we ride.” He had forgotten her name long again. He lifted her effortlessly and they began their ride to the next campsite.