“A ride?” Will wasn’t to sure about that. He looked through the barn and spotted three bakarna locked away in steel caged stalls at the far side of the building. Two of them looked very different than the third, which looked like the ones the Sheriff, Kate Landry, and everyone else rode. They were bigger, the size of clydesdales and looked a lot meaner. For one the damn things didn’t just have sharp teeth, they had fucking fangs hanging out of the side of their mouths. He tried [Identify] on one of the saber-toothed hell horses.

Brindle Greater Bakarna Draft- Level 14

Details: A domesticated variant of the pack hunting Bakarnas. The greater Bakarna variant is known to be a reliable puller if not temperamental. Like their wild cousin’s the Greater Bakarna survives on a carnivorous diet and often takes the role of a pack leader.

Age: 6

Durability: Unknown

Damage output: Unknown

Estimated value: Unknown

Stats: Unknown

“Hoowee. That’s not good,” Skunk let out with a laugh.

“What isn’t?” Will asked and Skunk pointed at the only normal sized mount in the barn. Will looked into it and wished he didn’t see the problem.

Southern Chestnut Bakarna Charger- Level 10 (Lamed)

Details: A domesticated variant of the pack hunting Bakarnas. Like their wild cousin’s the Bakarna Charger survives on a carnivorous diet.

Age: 19

Durability: Unknown

Damage output: Unknown

Estimated value: Unknown

Stats: Unknown

“She ain’t keepin’ up with nothin’. Looks like you get to ride one of the big hosses. They can outrun ours no problem. I’d go for the black one. Pretty sure… Yep, that’s the male. Take him,” Skunk said and moved to start gathering a saddle.

“Wait, aren’t ma- stallions supposed to be harder to ride?” Will asked, really not liking the situation. He looked at the one that had a mottled coat of black, dark brown, and dark gray. He would have thought it was an awesome look, if it was on something less dangerous. Like a rabid pitbull or something else just as cuddly.

“Yup. Both with horses and bakarnas but thing is with bakarnas you go with the male over the female. Might be a tougher ride but the females tend to be more ah… bitey if they ain’t use ta ya,” He laughed again. Will moved closer to the animals and watched as the big brown one lifted her head and unhinged her lower jaw in what might have been a yawn and let out a hiss. Fully showing two rows of serrated teeth that went along with the bone daggers growing out of her upper jaw.

“What the fuck?”

That was not normal… Was it?

Will wasn’t sure but what he was sure of was he really wasn’t much of an animal person at that moment. Maybe it was just too much time in space and he’d forgotten how dangerous terrestrial wildlife could be. Not to mention some of the messed up things in the colonies. Grew use to the most dangerous lifeform around being his Master Sergeant...

But even thinking of the worst he’d ever seen, either a tiger in the zoo or a helcat… a type of reptile that was the size of a large breed dog and moved like a fast house cat on Epsilon 5, also in the zoo… compared to them the bakarna in front of him would probably eat them alive, gladly. And these crazy fucks domesticated them! No one on earth ever looked at an 800 lb tiger and thought, ‘you know what? Bet I could ride that!’. Seriously!

But Will watched as Skunk showed him how it was done. There was a trick to it, in the form of a glass jar with an indescript liquid in it. Skunk poured some on his forearm and without hesitation put his hand into the cage.

“It’s his own piss. Just showin’ him that I’m marked as his…” Skunk informed before passing the bottle off. “I’d put some of that on you ‘fore I let him out.”

Will took the bottle and looked at it. He’d woken up covered in bat shit and now he was going to be pouring direhorse piss on himself. He started to open his mouth to question-

*SHUNK*

The heavy metal bar that kept the gate of the cage locked slid out of place and Will quickly splashed some on himself.

“Stay still and just let him smell ya,” Skunk advised.

Will stood in horror as the gate opened and the massive beast slowly walked out of the cage. It’s shoulderblades were even with the top of Wills head, it’s own rose far above. That was until it looked down and lowered its head while sniffing deeply. Will froze but with some visual help from Skunk slowly brought up his piss covered arm for the monster to sniff. It breathed in deeply then took a few deep sniffs of his hair like it was some early millenia ruler of his homeland and Will was an 8 year old. But after it seemed content and stood up straight.

“See, he ain’t gonna have a problem with ya now. Just gotta do that till they get use ta ya. Once they recognize your scent… you’re silver,” Skunk smiled and went to place the saddle on the bakarna’s back.

“Hey Skunk. What about you? Won’t the smell bother yours?” Will asked, only halfway curious.

“Who Mischief? Nah… Got myself a mare. She ain’t gonna get mad ‘bout that. She’ll probably like it,” Skunk laughed and quickly got the saddle and rest of the tack on. Only taking a moment to slow down when he put the bit in the big steeds mouth but it seemed mainly because he had to get it past the saber teeth. A technical problem rather than caution. “There ya go, now mount up and let’s get you some lessons on the trail.”

“Woah!” Will exclaimed as they picked up the pace the moment the trail moved into the grasslands and became more obvious. He clung to the horn on Void’s saddle and held on for dear life. Void… the damn thing needed a name, he couldn’t keep calling it a monster helhorse or a direhorse in his head. Those described all bakarna. But Void… he was something else. He even made Sheriff Teddy wary. It seemed like a fitting name for some reason.

He was a highly mobile battering ram of an animal. Where the three nimbler bakarna would cut and weave their way around the brush, Void just barreled through them without pausing. He even ran straight through a patch of cacti without flinching. All so he could keep his eyes on the prize… which happened to be Mischief to Skunks terrified dismay and Will’s slight amusement.

Void was so preoccupied with keeping up with his new fling, so he could prance around her in an attempt to seal the deal, that Will didn’t even need to steer. He just went where Void went and Void went wherever Skunk told Mischief to go. It was a nice set up for the most part.

“Come on boss! Half an hour’s all it’ll take! He’s a charming bastard and if Mischief says yes while I’m on her I’m Dead! You know they like to bring food with them in the sack! Let them get it out of their system!” Skunk pleaded occasionally looking back at Will and Void. “OH COME ON! BOSS! He’s got his fuckin’ cock flopping in the wind back there! He ain’t waitin’!”

Skunk was desperately trying to spur Mischief to move faster, occasionally darting into thicker brush or between rocks in an attempt to get some distance. Will had to hold on even tighter as Mischief started swishing her tail around as she ran. Causing the big beast to completely demolish trees and jump over rocks in his attempt to catch up... It wasn’t as amusing anymore.

“Boss! We ain’t gonna find shit if Skunk keeps yelling like that,” Jakob chimed in, which seemed to have more of an effect. Will barely heard Jakob and glanced up to see Sheriff Teddy turn in his saddle to look at his two posse members or more than likely the animals they were riding.

“Aight! ...Skunk you better dive! William, get off as soon as he slows and get your distance!” Teddy yelled and Skunk didn’t wait to slow much before diving off the side of Mischief in a roll. She kept running but started slowing and Will caught a glimpse of Skunk scrambling to his feet as Void shot past. Ahead Mischief slowed down to a trot and Void hissed loudly when her tail lifted. Will didn’t hesitate and jumped off twenty feet before Void caught up to his mistress, before he’d really slowed down.

It hurt and he rolled through the grass a few times, hitting some rocks and other things but remembering the second part of what the Sheriff had said, quickly got to his feet and ran away from the two bakarna that were both hissing at each other. He didn’t stop until he reached Jakob and the sheriff. The sounds behind him getting louder and suddenly more violent.

“Damn boss, sure Mischief’s going to be alright after that? Big boy musta been dying of thirst and she looked like just the right drink. One she was happy to serve, Whew!” Jakob laughed.

Will turned and got to witness a miracle of nature in the making. A massive death horse bending a smaller death horse over a boulder and going to town, trying their best to shatter the stone they were using while scoring the hell out of it with their claws. All mixed with terrifying hiss roars of pleasure and spitting… Beautiful.

“What the fuck?” Or not so beautiful. For the second time that day Will had to say it. No one else seemed concerned but from his point of view it looked like Void might have been hate fucking but at the same time was attempting to murder Mischief. She was doing her best to fight back. Not to throw him off. No.

Instead she’d turn and try to bit his face anytime his head came beside hers while he eventually bit a chunk of her mane and fucking pulled. For some reason the hiss she let out made Will think she liked that... Some kinky ass helhorses.

“I told you! Dammit boss…” Skunk came up in a limping jog, looking back at the festivities. “My fuckin’ saddles gonna be torn to shreds.”

“Or covered in you know what if big boy there’s still shootin’ when he pulls out of the holster,” Jakob laughed and Will couldn’t hold back. Even the Sheriff chuckled to himself as he ignored the other going ons and surveyed their surroundings. Skunk’s face went white then flashed to red as disgust gave way to anger and he started kicking grass.

“Look at it this way, Skunk,” Teddy spoke up calmly. Even in his rage Skunk stopped and turned to his boss, “Mischief’s yours right? A hell of an animal…”

“Yeah! So?” Skunk asked with a bit of anger in his voice but he sounded confused.

“Well if it takes you’re gonna end up with a half Greater Bakarna filly or colt… The big one there’s a stud. Look at him, you saw how he rode. How much do you think that’d be worth?” Will couldn’t help but laugh as the Sheriff’s point was well made. Skunk’s color changed yet again back to it’s normal state and he spun to look at the two beasts still mid coitus.

“Two reasons you better hope he leaves it in the holster,” Jakob chimed in. “Wonder what Betsy would think if I pulled her hair like that?”

“Alright, think that’s run it’s course. Settle down,” Teddy said and added, “And Jakob. You do that and we won’t find your body when she’s done wit ya.”

Skunk had nearly called it. Half an hour of demonic horse fucking and the two had worked out their frustrations. But another fifteen minutes of them catching their breath while Will and Skunk rubbed a healing ointment on their cuts was a necessary delay. A few of them were deep but it didn’t seem to effect either animal much. That and getting Skunk’s saddle back into working order was needed. In truth though, Will was actually kind of happy for Void and for himself. Not for the act, really. He’d give the big guy props on longevity but also because Void was a completely different devil-horse afterwards.

Sure he was still hard to control but for the first time since they’d left Lemar Ranch, Will was in charge. Sort of. Void apparently didn’t see the need to listen to commands, reigns, spurs or anything else when it came to running around things. He still left a path of destruction behind him like running around things was beneath him or he just enjoyed destroying shit. But Will could live with that, even understand it. But it was nice to be able to steer and not just hold on with white knuckles.

“You know what he were used for, dontcha?” Skunk asked as he rode along side Will. Just far enough away to discourage anymore love bites.

“Who, Void?” Will tried to clarify.

“Void?” Skunk asked confusedly and glanced at Void’s big head.

“I needed to call him something. No one said his name,” Will realized he could have just asked.

“Huh… Void? Eh, it’ll work… Nah, that’s a good name for ‘im. If he had one ‘fore today, it probably died with Lemar... But do you know what he were used for? Well, what his kind were used for?” Skunk asked again.

“No,” Will admitted freely.

“Bakarna like him used to be war horses. Read it in-” Skunk said but was stopped.

“Skunk, don’t be telling lies, we all know you can barely read. You ain’t touched a book that didn’t have drawings of women in it in your life,” Teddy called out from the front. Skunk smirked and stared at the Sheriff for a moment before opening his mouth again.

“He ain’t lyin’, it was a picture book. Had more than just women in it though… Yeah, those were warhorses, Knights and shit used to ride them into battle. Covered in steel… heard they couldn’t stand up to a bullet though, so there’s not any of them left,” Skunk explained with a smile, “Still got the book if you wanna look at it.”

“Ah… I’m good. Thanks, Skunk,” Will answered but Skunk shrugged, he didn’t care. He kind of wondered if it was like an art book or if it was just what they called magazines. A long outdated form of media that basically stayed in business to be piled up on tables in a doctor’s or dentist’s waiting room. Will knew what it was and didn’t want to peruse Skunk's dirty magazine collection.

“Shut it!” Teddy suddenly whispered loudly catching their attention and he pointed at a thin line of smoke rising up in the distance, “Idjit started a campfire.”