Snippet #2634442

"All right. It's a sound plan to me. Let's go." Horatio decisively agreed. When he was sure no one was nearby, he and Anna walked through the hole in the fort, splitting up shortly thereafter to do their assigned missions. Horatio made his way south to the gates, while Anna made her way north to the stables and, hopefully, where the children would also be located.

Horatio crept carefully through the camp...vigilant and alert for any signs of life. He made his way past some tents and run down barracks...both places likely to house the bandits themselves in the camp, and their supplies as well. Aside from the occasional snore though, he heard no sign that anyone in the camp was awake. And he'd yet to encounter another sentry...though he couldn't tell if that was good or bad, just yet.

The sound of footsteps reached his ears, however, causing Horatio to pause and hastily hide behind a section of wall. The footsteps came closer and closer, and the older Dog drew out his Bowie knife, ready to pounce as soon as the apparent sentry came his direction.

The footsteps faded, however, and after a minute Horatio put away his knife and resumed his quiet, stalking pace....tempted to go after the sentry, but reluctant to divert his current path. Going out of his way to hunt out a bandit may well get him caught, after all, and he couldn't let that happen at all.

Finally though, he came upon the main gate...and to his amusement, saw a sleeping sentry propped up against the wooden doors, the man's rifle absently leaning against the wall.

Minutes later the sentry was lying in a pool of his own blood, his throat slit, and Horatio opened up the gates quiet as he could. He didn't get out a match and alert the posse just yet, however. He was still waiting for Anna to do her part in the plan. Whatever she did to spook the horses, he was guaranteed to hear the spooked cries of the beasts of burden. Once he heard that, he knew it would be time to alert the posse.

Soon, very soon...this would all be over, and these vile men would face justice for their crimes. He just prayed that Anna would see the children to safety, during all the fighting.