True Courage

Thomas stared out the window of a beaten truck as the convoy drove across the wasteland. Sahara looked at him while she drove, and she noticed he wasn't drawing like he usually did. "Thomas, is everything okay? You're not drawing like you usually do."

Thomas handed her his sketchbook. She looked into the sketchbook, and she noticed some bizarre drawings of people. She then recognized one of the banners in a drawing with a raven on it. A chill ran down her spine.

"You were kidnapped?" she asked. Thomas nodded silently. She carefully flipped the page and saw the people fighting and Thomas escaping.

She closed the book and handed it back to Thomas. "From now on, you stay close to the camp, deal?" Thomas responded with two taps, and Sahara smiled.

Suddenly, the vehicles in front of her immediately stopped. She slammed on the brakes before she rammed into one of the vehicles. People scrambled out with weapons, and she reached for her revolver. "Stay here," she said as she opened the door and stepped out.

As people took out oversized items and took cover behind them, Sahara walked over to the leader, Nicolai. "What's going on?" she asked. "We spotted a large group of vehicles coming for us," Nicolai explained, "It looks like a raider group. We're setting up defenses."

Sahara took a look both ahead and behind when she spotted a cloud of dust. "Can I see the binoculars?" she asked. Nicolai handed them to her, and she looked. First, through the binoculars, she saw armored dune buggies approaching. Next, she saw the banners; it was the Raven Bloodz.

She handed them back and went back over to the truck. She got back in. "Thomas, when I tell you, duck down. It's the Raven Bloodz."

Thomas's eyes widened, and he nodded. Brisk looked upon the group through a duct-taped spyglass as he and the rest of the Raven Bloodz under his command approached. He grinned maliciously.

"Blood play is upon us, boys. Time for the Jolly Green Giant," he said. The Raven Bloodz hollered in unison, "HO, HO, HO!" as they sped up.

When the Raven Bloodz arrived, shots rang out. The dune buggies drove around in a large circle as both sides fought.

A couple of ravagers fell off the buggies as they were shot by one of the group members. Several more ravagers jumped off and charged into the besieged convoy. "Thomas, get down!" Sahara hollered before she shot through the windows. With a few group members already killed in the fighting, the Raven Bloodz began closing in.

When Brisk gave the signal, the Raven Bloodz broke the circle and charged in on both wheels and feet. It was total chaos. Nicolai choke-slammed a shirtless raider off a dune buggy as it drove by. He then pointed the gun at the raider's head and fired. Another raider banged on Thomas's passenger window and laughed maniacally before Sahara shot him.

Suddenly, the fighting stopped. Thomas raised his head and noticed that the group and the Raven Bloodz stopped fighting and stared in one direction. Another cloud of dust was approaching. Brisk took a look through his spyglass, and he scowled. "Impossible. LET'S GET THEM!"

Those of the Raven Bloodz on foot climbed on the nearest dune buggy, and they drove off towards the cloud, leaving Thomas's group confused.

They heard the sounds of fighting not long after. One of the members asked Nicolai if they should depart, and he shook his head. "If they survive, they'll come back. If we leave, they'll pursue us. We'll make our stand here."

Soon enough, the fighting stopped. The cloud of dust began approaching the group. "Get ready!" Nicolai ordered.

What approached was not the Raven Bloodz. A large group of armored bikers riding motorcycles arrived. None carried a banner, but they had horse skulls painted on the front. The bikers stopped as they arrived. One of the leading bikers stepped off and walked over to the group.

The biker removed his helmet and revealed himself as Axon. "My name is Anderson Walker. I was formerly the leader of the Raven Bloodz. I apologize for the attack. The leader who attack you was Brisk, my former second in command."

Thomas stepped out of the truck upon hearing Axon's voice. Seeing Axon, he ran over and hugged him. Nicolai and Sahara walked over. "Who are they?" Nicolai asked as he pointed at the bikers. "The Horsemen. They were the Raven Bloodz archnemesis. We were at war with them for some time, and Brisk told me they were annihilated. I came to learn that they survived. After Brisk's treason, I contacted them. The Raven Bloodz are no more."

"How did you survive?" Thomas asked, surprising Sahara and Nicolai. "Brisk left me for dead. He beat me until I was unconscious. When I came to, I saw that the camp was destroyed. All those who fought for me were hanged."

Thomas reached into his pocket, took out the heart-shaped locket, and handed it to Axon. "I think you want this back," he said. Axon smiled and closed Thomas's hand. "Keep it as a memory. You've shown true courage back at the camp, and it's something I admire. I want you to keep the locket as a sign of friendship between us."

Thomas put the locket back into his pocket. Axon looked at the three. "Well, we best be going. A lot of miles to travel and plenty of things to do," he said before putting his helmet back on. He went back to his motorcycle and the bikers, the Horsemen, departed.

The trio went back to the group. Nicolai looked around. "Bury our dead. We leave at sundown," he ordered.

"Will you be alright, Thomas?" Sahara asked. Thomas looked at the Horsemen as they faded off in a cloud of dust. "I will now," he said.