Lukas_KD

(cowritten with LostSheep3) Half a day's semi-hurried ride from where they'd finally come upon and teamed up with Brian Coltrane, and a long silence after a short talk about the known positions of outlaws and lawmen later, Bo and Luke Duke were at that present time probably nearer than the deputy realized. Just over a rise outside of town, able to look down toward the street leading into the heart of Hazzard, the cousins were standing in front of their horses, Bo close to Luke's shoulder as the elder Duke checked out the situation they'd be riding into with a spyglass he'd picked up off a Confederate colonel a few months back. Brian Coltrane was still on his horse a short distance away, allowing his stallion to graze while he kept a wary eye on his unlikely, temporary allies. "I see townsfolk... a few people at the saloon... no sign of the outlaws though," Luke finally grunted as he lowered the glass and handed it to his cousin's hand, turning to squint against the afternoon sun back at Brian. "What'd y'all think?" Taking the spyglass from Luke, Bo raised it to gaze down into the town, noting the forming of the wagon train. He gave a satisfied nod, commenting, "At least they're gettin' the women and children out before those snakes show up." Luke gave his cousin a wry smile. "Most the women at any rate. You know there's a few who won't leave no matter what." Be returned the sideways glance with a nearly matching expression and a small shrug. "Least they can take care of themselves." The blond slid the spyglass shut. "Looks peaceful enough for now... let's go find out where they need us." He sent a glance back over his shoulder at Brian. "Though I ain't too sure about Mr Coltrane here ridin' in without any warnin', if he was told to get out of town and stay that way." Luke turned, taking the glass from his cousin's hand and moving back to tuck the instrument carefully into one of his own saddlebags. "Y'might have a point there." He gave the black-clad outlaw a contemplative glance-over, then turned his attention back to the town visible beyond. Bo picked up his reins, preparing to head down the hill. "Ya ready, cousin? Time ain't on our side right now." "Hurryin' into trouble ain't either." Luke pulled up a stirrup to tighten Raider's girth, then gathered his own reins to swing lightly aboard, settling into the saddle and looking at their heretofore silent companion. "Guess it's your own choice as to where to go from here, Brian. We're gonna go help your cousins. Want us to warn 'em you might be comin', or take yer chances?" (cue Brian... finally, I know)

Brian, unfortunately it looks like your deputy cousin may be right... and dangit you two were doin' so fine, too... This is the one I see that you didn't get -- "Topic: Things that make ya go, "Thbpth!" Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:09 pm " Looks like you caught every other one but that!

The Wabash Cannonball was a song by Roy Acuff about a train.

Let me ask somethin'.... are the posts *new* posts, or *any* posts?

I'll be over. We can dicuss our strategy... <grin> neutral of course.

<chuckling> Why the heck not... keep things fair.

Well there's two refs for each side so far... hm. I was gonna pick which side based on who had less help, but... hm. I guess I'll keep an eye on Brian, cause if I keep too close an eye on his cousin he might take offense. <teasing wink> (Or kill me LOL) Really, I could work for either side. Or both.

<chuckling> Sounds like fun... hectic, but fun. This town could use a little of the *right* kind of livenin' up. I'll volunteer to be a judge... best I can anyway!

“Not invited, huh?†Luke looked at Bo, an eyebrow arched. “Tell me, cousin, when was the last time we needed an invitation to go anywhere..?†“Hmm,†Bo played along, scratching a mop of blond hair thoughtfully as he wandered back to Traveler, checking his girth briefly. “Can’t rightly seem to remember, Lukas...†Luke smiled at his cousin, then glanced back to Brian more seriously, standing beside the great black horse with one hand on his hip. “Well, seems to me we’re kinda on a little lawmen-seeking expedition ourselves. What with that gang out there, seems like Rosco might need himself another couple hands... or guns.†“Specially seein’ as yours seem to be on the run from the very same Sheriff,†Bo taunted lightly, mounting up. Luke flicked him an amused but cautioning glance, reaching for the reins of his own dappled gray. (Cue Brian, you confounding Coltrane... or anyone, lol)

Luke and Bo looked at one another as the black-clad Coltrane dismounted and flipped over the bodies. The smell was enough to make Luke want to gag, but he steeled his stomach... he’d known worse. Holstering his own gun, he nudged Raider close behind and to the side of Damascus to dismount, Bo behind him, and the cousins wandered up to stand at Brian’s shoulder. Luke shook his head slightly. “You know ’em?†Bo was still thinking over Brian’s outburst, though, and now he suddenly spoke up, looking at Luke, and across him to Brian. “You thought this was MaryAnne and Rosco?†(Cue Brian)

Luke's eyes narrowed slightly at the threat in Brian's voice. However, the man did have a point. The Dukes had been close enough behind the lone Coltrane to have heard gunshots had they been fired, nevermind that scavengers wouldn't have found such fresh kills yet. The oldest Duke had seen more than enough dead men as a Rebel militiaman during the war to not be able to identify relatively when a death had occured... although it was not a knowledge he was that proud of. Still, the dust and vulture coated mounds behind Brian’s stiff posture and raised gun had been there too long. He glanced to Bo, and shook his head slightly. The blond glared, but his fist clenched against his knee, aborting a move toward his pistol. Luke turned his attention fully back to Brian, blue eyes icy in their own intensity and matching dark ones without giving ground. Raider tossed his mane and side-stepped, picking up on his rider's tension. "I figure you didn't kill 'em. You didn't have time. But I bet you know who all might have. I don't believe in gunnin' down men without facts or proof, so I ain't drawin' at any one man yet, even the kid, black sheep as he might be. And you might also just know who these two were... and where your cousins might be." "A matter we've been a little concerned about, while you've been gallivantin' here 'n there," Bo put in with no small amount of acidity in his tone. Luke flicked his gaze to his cousin briefly with a slight nod, then back to the man on the large and angry-looking black horse. "So..." His hand shifted just slightly, the barrel of his Colt sliding against his pant leg without coming up - but he knew his own reflexes and speed. Already having aimed, Brian might pull his trigger first... but it would be the black-clad outlaw’s last act. "We’re here. We have each other at something of a stalemate. Talk." (Cue Brian or anyone!)

Traveler squealed, the whites of his eyes showing as he half-reared, shying away from the falling branch. Luke, who had ducked out of instinct, spun Raider around in a quick three-sixty, eyes glancing over the Quarter and his blond rider, who had managed to hang on and now was circling the now-jumpy chestnut around in a small circle, then coming back to rest on Brian as he faced the black-clad outlaw again at a stop. Raider pranced nervously underneath him with head drawn well up, wired to run after the sharp sound had whistled over his head. Bo came up beside the older Duke as he and Brian stared dangerously at one another, and muttered something quick and sharp under his breath that Luke didn’t quite catch. Then his voice raised. “You no-good...! Shootin’ first and makin’ threats! Seems to me like you should be a little more thankful we ain’t shot at you yet!†Traveler stepped slightly forward with his rider’s vehemence, and Luke reached his left hand to grab hard onto Bo’s sleeve, urging him back with a tug. “Whoa, cousin! Good way to get yourself killed!†he scolded the blond’s impetuous nature with an edge of nervous adrenaline in his own tone, then light blue eyes focused back at the black-clad Coltrane. “You got somethin’ to say for yourself, sneakin’ around like you were? And what about them?†He sketched a slight gesture with the end of his gun toward the shapes beyond, trying not to let his stomach quiver at the sight of the vultures giving the intruding humans an evil eye. (Cue Brian!)

“Luke!!†Bo’s shout was unnecessary. Luke had also seen the flash of sunlight on metal... but worse than that, he’d seen the mounded forms beyond the black-clad outlaw’s stance. His mind whirled - first came the thought that Brian Coltrane must have shot somebody, then on its heels the realization that there hadn’t been any gunshots ahead so these bodies must have already been there. With that thought came a curiosity who they’d been, and a tightening in his gut of dread as his mind brought up several unwelcome possibilities. The train of thoughts only took a couple moments to come to completion, then the cousins were spurring their mounts in diverging directions behind a stand of trees. Raider broke into the open first, Luke’s Colt pistol drawn but laid against his thigh, not up in threat - yet. Dukes were no killers, usually, but he’d sooner shoot than see himself or Bo dead, if it came to it. “Coltrane!†he shouted as he reined his gray gelding around a low but dense copse of bushes. It was partly a warning, partly an announcement of identity, partly... he wasn’t quite sure. Brian hadn’t actually ever shot him or Bo before, but he’d certainly threatened once or twice, and there was always a first time to set a precedent... It wasn’t like the Dukes and this particular Coltrane were exactly friends. (Cue Brian)

After Cooter Davenport explained the details of what he knew about the happenings in Hazzard of late, silence reigned for a few moments. Bo glanced at Luke briefly, but the dark-haired Duke was gazing sightlessly at a pair of long tongs laid across the blacksmith's bench. Finally he pressed his lips together tightly and lifted one fist, seeming to ponder slamming it down before instead gently thumping the side of his clenched hand against wood. "Dang it," he muttered quietly, finally looking up. Light blue eyes skated across Bo's darker ones before fastening on those of Cooter, who was watching with an expression somewhere between sympathy, wryness, and expectancy. Luke shook his head and repeated his comment, "Dang it all. Not only Chet back in town, but true outlaws as well." "Enough to make you think about for once turnin' your back on the mess," Bo muttered a continuation of sorts. Luke looked at him a bit reproachfully. "Bo, tell me honestly... can we really do that? I mean, Chet, goin' off his own way like he did, may not be our responsibility, but weren't we raised to stand up in the midst of trouble? Didn't Uncle Jesse always say it was our place to stand up for what's good 'n right? Besides, it sounds like Rosco could use a couple good men at his back. I don't like the sound of how he went ridin' off after MaryAnne alone, even if she is his kin." The blond man sighed deeply, a bit as though he were being put out of his way - which he was seeing as the day had been begun with thoughts of a fishing expedition - and gazed up from under his brows for a couple seconds before finally sighing a bit again, and nodding. "Alright, alright... So what do we do, head out after 'im?" Luke gave his cousin a slightly longsuffering look, then nodded slightly to himself and started for the door. "Sittin' still won't get nobody nowhere, so's ridin' out's the best plan I can think of to start right now. With outlaws we don't know, a couple we recognize, and Rosco out there by his lonesome... on top of that explosion... I don't like it one bit." Bo followed on his heels, and Cooter went after them as far as the doorway. "Hey!" he called out, and the Dukes both turned. The blacksmith smiled a humorless, almost dangerous smile and lifted the large hammer in his hand. With the black soot touched here and there on his face, he almost looked like a harbinger of Hell's fires. "You come ridin' back fast if you find trouble, ya hear? I'll round up a few men I know and be ready. Those outlaws'll learn soon enough Hazzard folk don't appreciate their kinda business!" Luke and Bo looked at one another, and quirked smiles of part amusement, part appreciation of their friend's serious statements, then nodded. "You do that," Bo called back, then jogged a couple steps to catch up with his cousin as the pair headed to untie their mounts. Raider tossed his head a bit in protest as his dozing was rather rudely interrupted by having his reins slung over his neck and the weight of his rider swung up onto his back. The gray gelding laid his ears back but obeyed the nudge of Luke's heel into his ribs to turn from the water trough. He flattened his ears closer to his skull though as his rider's surprised shout accompanied a hard reining-back. Luke turned to look at Bo, who was half-mounted, and pointed to the black-clad man riding a big black horse at a hard gallop out of town. The blond's eyes widened, and he swore softly. "That's that Brian fella!" Luke's voice was steely. "Yeah, and he's in a big hurry to get out of the town he ain't supposed to be in to start with. I think we need to find out what he's up to, eh?" "You got that right!" With Bo's tug on the reins, Traveler spun about on gathered haunches to spring into a Quarter Horse gallop down the road out of town, and Raider leapt into action after him, following the dust cloud left on the way out of Hazzard Square. (cue anyone)

After Cooter Davenport explained the details of what he knew about the happenings in Hazzard of late, silence reigned for a few moments. Bo glanced at Luke briefly, but the dark-haired Duke was gazing sightlessly at a pair of long tongs laid across the blacksmith's bench. Finally he pressed his lips together tightly and lifted one fist, seeming to ponder slamming it down before instead gently thumping the side of his clenched hand against wood. "Dang it," he muttered quietly, finally looking up. Light blue eyes skated across Bo's darker ones before fastening on those of Cooter, who was watching with an expression somewhere between sympathy, wryness, and expectancy. Luke shook his head and repeated his comment, "Dang it all. Not only Chet back in town, but true outlaws as well." "Enough to make you think about for once turnin' your back on the mess," Bo muttered a continuation of sorts. Luke looked at him a bit reproachfully. "Bo, tell me honestly... can we really do that? I mean, Chet, goin' off his own way like he did, may not be our responsibility, but weren't we raised to stand up in the midst of trouble? Didn't Uncle Jesse always say it was our place to stand up for what's good 'n right? Besides, it sounds like Rosco could use a couple good men at his back. I don't like the sound of how he went ridin' off after MaryAnne alone, even if she is his kin." The blond man sighed deeply, a bit as though he were being put out of his way - which he was seeing as the day had been begun with thoughts of a fishing expedition - and gazed up from under his brows for a couple seconds before finally sighing a bit again, and nodding. "Alright, alright... So what do we do, head out after 'im?" Luke gave his cousin a slightly longsuffering look, then nodded slightly to himself and started for the door. "Sittin' still won't get nobody nowhere, so's ridin' out's the best plan I can think of to start right now. With outlaws we don't know, a couple we recognize, and Rosco out there by his lonesome... on top of that explosion... I don't like it one bit." Bo followed on his heels, and Cooter went after them as far as the doorway. "Hey!" he called out, and the Dukes both turned. The blacksmith smiled a humorless, almost dangerous smile and lifted the large hammer in his hand. With the black soot touched here and there on his face, he almost looked like a harbinger of Hell's fires. "You come ridin' back fast if you find trouble, ya hear? I'll round up a few men I know and be ready. Those outlaws'll learn soon enough Hazzard folk don't appreciate their kinda business!" Luke and Bo looked at one another, and quirked smiles of part amusement, part appreciation of their friend's serious statements, then nodded. "You do that," Bo called back, then jogged a couple steps to catch up with his cousin as the pair headed to untie their mounts. Raider tossed his head a bit in protest as his dozing was rather rudely interrupted by having his reins slung over his neck and the weight of his rider swung up onto his back. The gray gelding laid his ears back but obeyed the nudge of Luke's heel into his ribs to turn from the water trough. He flattened his ears closer to his skull though as his rider's surprised shout accompanied a hard reining-back. Luke turned to look at Bo, who was half-mounted, and pointed to the black-clad man riding a big black horse at a hard gallop out of town. The blond's eyes widened, and he swore softly. "That's that Brian fella!" Luke's voice was steely. "Yeah, and he's in a big hurry to get out of the town he ain't supposed to be in to start with. I think we need to find out what he's up to, eh?" "You got that right!" With Bo's tug on the reins, Traveler spun about on gathered haunches to spring into a Quarter Horse gallop down the road out of town, and Raider leapt into action after him, following the dust cloud left on the way out of Hazzard Square. (cue anyone)

With the stolen horses delivered back to their rightful owner (not without a bit of tension at the start when a few rifles had been aimed the Dukes’ way before they could explain that they were not the rustlers), the four cousins split up. Daisy and Daney took a shortcut path through the woods toward the Duke farm to inform Jesse of the day’s happenings, while the boys headed at a trot down the main road toward town. “Cousin,†Bo complained, removing his hat long enough to wipe his forehead with his sleeve, then jamming it down again with little care for its shape, “why are we doin’ this again? You know how much help Rosco’s gonna be.†“Because he’s the only sheriff around these parts, and besides, MaryAnne and Enos might be of some help if nothin’ else.†“If they’re back yet,†the blond pointed out, tugging the reins of his chestnut Quarter Horse sharply to the right as the big horse laid his ears back and began to snake his head toward the shoulder of Luke’s dapple-gray Thoroughbred-Quarter cross. The dark-haired cousin nudged his mount in the opposite direction a bit as Raider saw the other gelding’s bite coming and flattened his ears against his skull in retaliatory threat. “Quit it, Trav… We don’t even know what all we might end up against, except for what Daney said she saw.†“She don’t have that much info. And that’s another good reason to go see Rosco.†Luke’s eyebrows went up a bit, and his hand lifted from the reins to point at his cousin. “I don’t know what’s goin’ on around here, but it smells like trouble, and if Chet’s involved, it probably is. C’mon, let’s git at it.†Not in a mood to discuss the situation at length, Luke tightened his legs about Raider’s sides, and the gelding sprang into the powerful but easy gallop that his breeding suggested. Behind him Bo scowled, looking a bit put out… but then let a pawing Traveler have his head. The chestnut snorted and took off after his companion, unwilling to be left behind. The boys trotted into town side by side as usual, tugging at the brims of their hats briefly to the postmistress as they slowed to a walk down main street. They reined to a halt before the sheriff’s office and dismounted, tying the geldings to the railing. Luke started up the steps to the wooden porch, but Bo paused to cup some water in his hand from the trough and encourage Traveler to lick at it, whetting his thirst, before patting the chestnut wetly on the neck and jogging after his cousin, leaving the horses to drink their fill. He came up beside Luke as the older man knocked on the wooden door, calling out before he turned the knob to open the door. “Rosco? Ya home?†(cue anyone)