DUNCAN (The Prophet's Return)

Duncan lost count of how many times he'd read the message in the last three days. With his calloused hands, he carefully unfolded the message. It read: 'Duncan, Mary's been taken. Her sisters are safe, but they need you. Sorry to be the barer of such bad news, your friend Matt.' His friend's tersely worded note left Duncan with many questions. Questions his imagination attempted to answer and created the worse of scenarios for what could have happened. Self-reproach lingered in his mind and tugged at his heart. If he lost Mary because he wanted to leave on his adventure, he'd never forgive himself. Mary wanted to come with him, but he refused to allow it; maybe, he should have stayed and married her and forgotten about his plans. At least then, he could have protected her, and her sisters. Images of Jane and the twins, Helen and Sarah, cycled through his mind. Lucky, his wolf companion crawled into light of the fire. He seemed to understand Duncan's need for solace. He whined and inched closer placing his huge furry head on Duncan's leg. The wolf lay there for several minutes. As if being called, he lifted his nose to the wind, and then jumped to all fours. He issued a low, "Gruff," and loped out of camp. Duncan called, "Good hunting, Boy." He glanced towards Buck and the girls and added, "We won't see him 'til morning." Duncan sighed, finished his coffee, and crawled into his sleeping bag for much-needed sleep. Old, the bag was made of synthetic materials and weathered the time well. With his boots within reach and his jacket used as a pillow, Duncan kept warm and dry. Like the three nights before, Duncan slept fitfully; it was a reoccurring nightmare. In the dream, John Kimball, the religious zealot known as The Leader to his followers, is chasing Mary across the great salt flats. He sees Kimball as a lean shadowy figure dressed in black with long tangled hair and beard. His crazed dark eyes are sunken into his skull surrounded with charcoal colored circles. He reaches out for Mary nearly snatching her away. Duncan can see what is about to happen, but is powerless to stop it.