The Ragtag Resistance 

Suddenly, I screamed “Ride! Ride as fast as you can! She is being trapped by a conquistador on horseback! Go! Go now!” I pulled out the SKS and fired three shots into the air, paused and fired three more. Blossom turned to look back to see if she was missing anything, when the conquistador came up out of a ravine on her left, angling to cut her off from fleeing up the valley.

She wheeled Ranger around and began to race headlong back towards the valley. Suddenly, as Ranger leapt over a bush, his front feet came down on some soft sand and he went to his knees, almost somersaulting into the bushes. Blossom went flying over his head and landed on a bush that somewhat cushioned her fall. Her rifle went flying off into the bushes. She got up groggily and took a few staggering steps.

The conquistador unsheathed his sword and headed straight for Blossom at a gallop. He was only forty yards away and closing fast when a gray blur shot out of the bushes straight at the side of the horse’s nose. The horse plowed to a stop, throwing its head back and almost unseating its rider. Sah Sha hit the ground, wheeled back and went straight for the horse’s nose again. This time the horse reared to bring its front feet in to play to defend itself. At that moment Kih Ta rushed in and grabbed a back leg. As the horse tried to kick him off, it found itself trying to stand on one leg and it fell on its side throwing the rider into the sand.

Both the horse and the rider got to their feet with the conquistador standing for a moment on unsteady feet. It took him only a moment to get his equilibrium and orientation and he started towards Blossom, swishing his sword from side-to-side in front of him. The wolves were closing in on each side, when Blossom got her wits about her enough to gauge the situation. The wolves would break their teeth on his armor and probably get killed by his sword. Quickly, she called out, “Kih Ta, Sah Sha stay back.” The wolves backed off a few steps but continued to stalk step-by-step with the conquistador.

My heart was in my throat and I couldn’t breathe as I watched through the binoculars. The conquistador stalked slowly towards Blossom. I could almost hear the swish of his sword as he brandished it back-and-forth in front of him. Blossom’s rifle was in the bushes and out of sight. She was still too injured and dazed to run. Suddenly, a surge of hope came over me, as I saw Blossom reach into the pouch at her side.

The conquistador gave no sign that he had any idea of what she might be reaching for and the wolves were distracting his attention. Besides, his quarry was only ten steps away with no possibility of escape now. Blossom actually took a step towards him to stand squarely before him with one foot slightly forward. She brought both hands up towards him and his wolfish sneer implied that he thought she was begging for mercy. Suddenly, he jerked in midstride as something struck his armor accompanied by a searing pain in his chest. His next step forward was stopped totally as he jerked in response to her second shot. At that range, even the little .22 magnum miniature revolver had enough power to go through armor. The conquistador was totally confused. This little girl couldn’t strike him without a weapon and the tiny piece of metal that was dwarfed even by her small hands, couldn’t harm him yet he was being engulfed in pain in his chest and his feet were refusing to move. At her third shot, all his strength evaporated. His sword fell from his hand and he crashed to the ground.

As Blossom began to look around, she saw two riders approaching from the south. Two conquistadors were heading straight for her. She still didn’t have the strength or equilibrium to flee so she stood her ground with three shots left.
At that moment shrill, piercing war cries reverberated across the valley floor, as Lobo and Sunflower burst upon the scene.