Tonto pulled the tree branches aside to view the clearing beyond. The Lone Ranger looked over is shoulder to view the wasteland. The tree line surrounded the clearing in a perfect circle. The land was flat and barren of vegetation. There was not even a single blade of grass in the expanse. The ground was dry and cracked and stones covered the ground in the pattern of seven co-centric circles. In the central circle was a single teepee. Smoke rolled from its apex and the smell of cooking meat emanated from it.
"Why are we here again?" the Lone Ranger asked Tonto.
"Because he can answer what I cannot," Tonto replied.
The Lone Ranger nodded and stepped into the clearing. They had traveled for two days through the forest. There had not even been a trail leading to this place. He still wasn't sure how Tonto had found the place in the dense woods.
Tonto grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the forest. "We not invited," he warned. "We wait."
The Lone Ranger settled himself and leaned against a tree. A few moments later, an old weathered Indian lifted the flap on the teepee and motioned for them to enter. Tonto led the Lone Ranger through the series of circles it almost reminded him of a square dance. Tonto directed each step with caution as if a wrong step could be fatal. When the arrived into the central circle Tonto opened the flap and instructed him to enter.
"Welcome, Hunter," the weathered Indian began. "Please be seated and we will eat before we talk."
The Lone Ranger sat down across from the old man and Tonto sat next to him. A spit was stretched over the fire and a leg of venison was roasting on it. The old man took a knife and cut a hunk from the leg and began eating. He pointed instructing them to do the same. The companions complied.
Once they had eaten the old man settled back and looked to the Ranger. "Well Hunter, what is the knowledge you have traveled here to learn?"
The Lone Ranger leaned back also. "You speak English very well," he replied.
"No, I don't," the old man stated. "I know nothing of your language. It is the magic of the circles. All who enter understand what is spoken. In days past, tribal leaders met here to speak of peace. Now only the Wokani remains. Now tell me Hunter, why have you journeyed here?"
"I want to know what this task that has been thrust upon me is. What is a 'Hunter of the Dead'?"
The Wokani nodded slowly before he began his answer. Absentmindedly he grabbed a long ancient pie and lit it in the fire. He puffed a few times and exhaled. The smoke drifted upwards and he began to speak. "Some say that one is born to be a Hunter but I have never seen a child born with the aura and I have seen many children born that have grown to be Hunters. I believe it is earned through trials and bravery. I believe a warrior must first be pure of heart then he earns the right to take the test. Once the test is passed he may reap the benefits of a Hunter. Then he becomes the enemy of all vampires."
The Wokani turned to Tonto. "Has he passed the test?"
Tonto nodded.
"What is his weapon?"
"He wears them, Wokani," he spoke the last word with a great deal of reverence.
"He slew a vampire with the White man's gun?"
"His bullets are silver."
The Wokani nodded knowingly. "What else do you wish to know?"
"What is a vampire?" the Lone Ranger questioned.
The Wokani chuckled. "That is a very broad question. I suppose I could give you a simple answer and tell you they are the walking dead. Yet you already know that. You wish to know the origin of the beast."
The Lone Ranger nodded.
"It all began on an island far from here. Men who had powerful magic wished to cheat death. So they studied death. They killed many innocents in the pursuit of knowledge. Then they achieved partial success. However their success came with a price. They were no longer truly alive and they required the blood of the living to maintain their sanity. Then the humans that fell victim the creatures also became them. It seemed the great solution was actually a disease that spread when the vampires fed. Soon the island became infested with the beasts and they needed to find new men to feed upon. So they built ships to travel to the other lands."
"The Great Spirit saw the evil and fear it's spreading. So he sank the island before they could leave. He had pity on those men on the island that hadn't be infected so he changed them. He allowed them to breath and live beneath the sea."
"You mean that there are men living at the bottom of the ocean?" the Lone Ranger asked.
"Yes."
The Lone Ranger looked at the Wokani skeptically. Once he would have disbelieved the entire tale. However after the things he had seen recently He was prepared to believe anything.
"So why didn't it end with the sinking island?"
"Some of the creatures managed to escaped. To balance the creatures evil the Great Spirit forbade them from standing in sunlight and he began to speak to the priests to show them the ways to slay them."
"Where do the Hunters come into this story?"
"The priests were not strong enough to fight the creatures. So they asked the Great Spirit for warriors to assist them. The Hunters were born."
"Why do the vampires turn to dust when they are slain?"
The Wokani paused for a moment to smoke his pipe. He gave the Lone Ranger a sober look and continued. "It is not dust. It is ash. A vampire is consumed by his own hatred. From the moment that a man enters into the unlife he is filled with hate, anger and lust. It is this hate that destroys him. It is a fire that burns so hot that even the clothing the creature wears is consumed in it."
The Wokani took another puff on his pipe and shifted to a more comfortable position. "You have another question. I can see it in your face."
"You said earlier that the Hunter had benefits. That he earned them. What are the benefits?"
The Wokani rose up and looked him in the eye. "In time you will know when a vampire is near. You will sense it in your very being. You may also call a horse. This is a gift of the spirits. A horse of the finest quality will come to you. It will be smarter that most horses and it will join you in your fight. Then as you become more experienced you will be able to slay a vampire by your own will."
The Lone Ranger sat for a moment taking in everything he had heard. He started to ask another question but paused when the Wokani shook his head.
"Tonto will be able to tell anything else you need to know," the Wokani responded. "Go and wait outside the teepee. Tonto and I have things we must discuss. Do not try to cross the stones without his guidance. It will be most unpleasant if you do."
The two Indians sat in silence. Tonto refuse to look the Wokani in the eye. The Wokani allowed the silence for a moment Satisfied in smoking his pipe. Finally he spoke.
"You only have one question."
Tonto nodded. "I wish to know what happened to Totanka. Why did he fall?"
"Another broad question. I could tell you he was to weak but you would never fully accept that. I could assure you that you were not to blame for that is your fear. In the end you still need to hear the tale in order to be at peace with his loss."
Tonto nodded.
"Totanka was proud. Everyone knew this and for most Hunters pride was never a big downfall. However for Totanka it was. Totanka's hated the white man and he desired the white women. His lust was so strong that a white woman seduced him. He realized to late that his seducer was a vampire. Even after his change he still slew her. Then he grew mad from the new power he possessed. He wanted to destroy the white man just as he had once sought to destroy vampires. He still didn't want the Indians to be blamed for his plan. So he turned a band of outlaws and disguised himself as one of them. He even made it appear that one of the white men was in charge. Then he started attacking white man's towns. It was a good plan but your Hunter shot him down and ended it."
"Then my goal is clear," Tonto replied. "To set things right so my friend can be at peace, I must destroy the outlaw gang he turned."
"That would be a good plan," the Wokani stated. "If I would allow it to be fulfilled."
"What do you mean?" Tonto asked eyeing the Wokani suspiciously.
"Totanka knew you would come here," he said rising. "He knew eventually you would seek me out. Of course I think he was planning on you coming here first."
"Totanka came to see you," Tonto replied.
"Yes."
"He set a trap for me here."
The Wokani nodded with a sinister grin. His fangs gleamed in the fire and he tossed a handful of dust. The fire was extinguished and Tonto stood in the darkness. The Wokani had the obvious advantage and he started for Tonto. The sound of gunfire stopped his charge. In an instant the Wokani went from a charging animal to a pile of dust.
"You know," the Lone Ranger started, "he said in time I would be able to sense a vampire's presence. I guess he didn't realize just how far along I was."
Tonto stepped through the teepee flap into the moonlight. "We should get going."
"Where will we go?"
"Wherever he leads us," Tonto answered pointing.
The Lone Ranger turned. At the edge of the clearing was a magnificent white stallion. Its coat shimmered in the moonlight like silver.
"My horse?"
"Yes. You are truly farther along than I, or the Wokani thought. Come it is time to go we must be beyond the outer circle before the sun rises."
Tonto began walking through the path of stones once more. It still looked like a dance.
When they reached the white horse the Lone Ranger stroked its back. It muzzled him gently with its nose. "I will call you Silver," he said.
Silver began rocking his head in a nodding motion. The horse took a single step into the forest. Where there had once been dense almost impassable growth there was now a trail. The Ranger followed and soon found Tonto's horse waiting in the center of the trail.
The companions mounted their steeds and began moving down the trail.
"Do you believe everything he told us in there was true?" the Lone Ranger asked Tonto.
"Don't know," Tonto responded.
"We may never know."
Butch hadn't bothered to learn the name of the small Mexican village he had just destroyed. It was really not his concern. He had fed and that was all that mattered. His gang was still busy ravaging the town while he sat at the ancient wooden table. The clay jug he had found contained some form of alcohol. It wasn't whiskey but it was the best he could find. He poured the liquid into an old tin cup and drained it. Then he poured himself another. It wasn't long before the jug was empty. He tossed against the adobe wall and it shattered.
He was angry but didn't know why he was angry. He wanted satisfaction but hadn't found any in anything he had done. Something in his gut told him he needed to go back. Agua Dulce was his home and he shouldn't have to run from his home. He stepped from the shack and into the streets. The first member of his gang he saw he grabbed.
"Gather the others," he commanded. "We're leaving."
He mounted his horse and waited. Fifteen minutes later his gang was riding down the street firing their guns and screaming at the chaos.
"Boys, let's burn this town to the ground. I don't want to take a chance on any of these Mexicans sharing in our gift. Then get ready for a hard ride. We're going back to Agua Dulce. We're going home."
The gang cheered as they started lighting torches and tossing them on rooftops. One rolled from the rooftop and landed in one of the gangs lap. He screamed as the fire consumed him. He scattered in the wind and the rest of the gang just laughed as his horse panicked and ran away.
"We're going home," Butch said to himself. "And this time no Rangers are going to run me out. This time I'll be the one in charge."
Next issue: The final chapter of our story as the Lone Ranger and Tonto ride against the Cavendish gang.