The Wandering Kind (Jack&Danny)

[Katie]

The New Hampshire Grants.

A beautiful place to raise a family, everyone called it, including the leader of the Green Mountain Boys, Ethan Allen called it. Or at least according to the article he had written in the Pennsylvania Gazette two years prior. Now the Scottish turned American soldier was now riding heavily to meet the leader knew what he was talking about.

Colonel Jack Stewart of Boston, Massachusetts rode his horse Caesar across the wilderness constaantly avoiding low branches or possible British soldiers. Bloody Redcoats he scowled to himself continuing to follow the path that General Arnold had given up. Why Arnold had asked him to ride to the Grants to ask Ethan Allen and his group of men to join Arnold in battle was beyond Jack. No one knew who they were or how they were important unless people read about the battles which they didn't. Allen always had considered the Green Mountain Boys independent from other militia, yet offered to fight along with the colonists to fight the Redcoats.

All Jack knew was that he needed to get this parchment to Ethan Allen as soon as he could before the British or a Tory could intercept it. You couldn't trust anyone now a days, unless you really knew them, he concluded a long time ago before he became in charge of any men.

He suddenly spotted a large blotch of red in front of him and he immediately stopped Caesar as he recognized two or three Redcoats riding towards him talking amongst themselves.

Jack cursed to himself before turning down a fork in the road that he had seen and immediately took off trying not to let them see him. Sure he posed as a Loyalist and Redcoat before, but he had forgotten his own red coat back at Arnold's camp and he only had a pass from Arnold, but knowing that it wouldn't do him any good up here, he knew he had to escape for now.

Brushing a piece of his curly black hair behind him, he went back around and came back to the road he was coming down before.

"That was too close boy, let's go." He told Caesar in his husky, low, Scottish accent before riding off down the road concentrating on only arriving at the camp of the Green Mountain Boys where he was expected and only that. He could not afford any other distractions.

Glancing back down the road, he let out a sigh of relief when he recognized no other British soldiers around him. When he turned around to face the road once more, he stopped once more as he recognized once again he was not alone.

"Dammit," he muttered as he stopped Caesar once more and he raised both eyebrows.

"Pardon me, are you friend or foe? American or British?" He called out cautiously with one hand reaching towards his pistol in his coat pocket just in case it was an enemy. He was not afraid of anything.

[faithfulguardian]

Danny took in a deep breath of the fresh mountain air, it had a smell to it that few other places in these colonies did, it was the closest smell she could figure to the highlands back home. her dear sweet Scotland and her brother Duncan were an ocean away, yet this forest of New Hampshire brought her just a little bit closer.
the patrol she had been leading had come across nothing interesting that day, but she wanted to be sure and head out on her own for a spell, she had dismounted the borrowed mare and sent the other three scouts back to the encampment down the road. she promised she would only be another hour or so, and it was not even half a day's walk from where they had come. she would be back before supper.
The three privates had looked uneasily at her, but turned back anyway, she was a Cadet after all, and their superior.
after they had disappeared from view, Danny reached into her satchel at her side and pulled out her moccasins, switching them quickly with the stiff leather boots of the army. she then took off her coat and waistcoat and pulled a soft buckskin tunic over her shirt and tied it around the waist with her plaid sash. she rubbed the tartan affectionately and smiled, thinking of her family back home. It wasn't until too late that she heard the hoof beats behind her; when she spun around, coat and boots stuffed hurriedly into her bag, a man on horseback had reined up, looking as surprised as she did. he challenged her as she stood in the middle of the path.

"Tha' depends, sir," Danny answered him, eying the hand that reached for his pocket and doing the same for her siagn dubh in her belt, the small knife would be well suited for throwing at him. "Friend or foe depends on if yae are American or British, and even then, there are the wee grey areas." she held his gaze, watching for what he would do.

[Katie]

Jack could not help, but stare at the person who had stopped in front of him. The birds continued to chirp around them and various animals scattered around the wilderness all around them. He raised an eyebrow slightly, studying the soldier in front of him. He wondered if the person was a scout in front of him. He did not appear to seem harmful and then when the person opened their mouth, Jack was genuinely shocked to hear a familiar accent come out of the soldier's mouth.

So the person was also a Scot, so surely this person would be a colonist. Most Scots in the colonies could not stand the Brits. Only one way to find out right now. The other thing that struck him as odd was that the accent sounded more feminine than masculine. How strange.

"Aye ye are correct on that, I am a Scot hailing from Boston in Massachusetts Bay Colony so to answer yer question I am an American. I am Colonel Jack Stewart of the Continental Army. Who may I ask for ye?" He asked the person curiously wondering if his pistol was necessary or not.

[faithfulguardian]

Danny felt the blood drain from her face and a stone drop into her stomach. A Colonel? in the Continental Army? she was in major trouble if she couldn't think up a good lie, and fast.

"A Stewart? that is a kingly name, sir, yae didn't by any chance have any of yaer family fighting beside mine in the Jacobite Rebellion of 45'? supporting the cause of Bonnie Prince Charlie?" She shifted her bag further back on her hip, hoping to conceal any of the red coat that still might be showing.

"yae can call me Danny. Danny McPherson. Cadet, Scout, and Messenger. most recently of Boston also, but permanently a resident of the highlands near Aviemore, Scotland." she left out the bit of who she was a cadet for, hoping this man Jack would also miss it.

"now tell me, where yae are off tae, friend, mayhaps we can travel thegither." Danny forced herself to relax her pose and cross her arms over her chest, trying for an innocent smile but inwardly kicking herself for inviting herself along with a colonial. this could end badly. very badly.

[Katie]

Being a Colonel had it's advantages and disadvantages and he knew he could be intimidating to people. He never wanted to be like that, but Jack could not help himself. Needless to say he was in total shock that he was suddenly intrigued by the now cadet or scout in front of them.

"It's a pleasure to meet yer acquitance then Cadet McPherson, ye have a very Scottish last name aye indeed. As for other Stewarts fighting, perhaps so, but I am not one of them nor do I know anyone from that region. I mostly spend time travelling all around the colonies. Aviemore? Beautiful land, aye. I desire to go back to Scotland one day, maybe after the war perhaps." He replied curiously knowing that she did not answer his question still, he had determined that Danny was indeed a female. How brave, or foolish to join the army, he thought to himself. He could turn her in right then and there, but wouldn't.

Raising an eyebrow at wanting to join him, "Aye ye are an colonist I see for if ye were a Redcoat then ye would make me go with ye somewhere or trick me somehow. I am heading to the New Hamisphere Grants to a small militia called the Green Mountain Boys with a message from Major General Arnold. If ye are heading this way, Danny, ye are welcome to join me unless ye have an alternative motive. How brave of you to volunteer yerself to join me, especially since ye are a female and joining the Army ye know." He said smirking a bit as he rode over to her stopping in front of her own horse.

[faithfulguardian]

Danny's eyes widened at his claim, how had he known? she thought frantically, he had said something about the Green Mountain Boys, and General Arnold, but it had quickly left her mind when he came right out and called her a woman. if he brought her to an american camp and she was found to be both a woman and a redcoat...she shuddered at what could happen to her...but if she captured this man and brought him back to her camp he could tell all her secret...she thought of how difficult it would be to leap onto his horse and cut his throat. but no, that idea quickly was shoved from her mind. she had no intention of killing anyone, especially not a Colonel.

"Actually, sir, Ah've just remembered- Ah'm going the other way, j-just scouting oot the area as it were. following those redcoats that just went by actually." she began backing up slowly, off the trail and heading for the forest. she had a better chance of outrunning him on his horse if she was in the brush. "Pleasure tae meet yae though, Sir. always a pleasure tae meet a fellow Scot, I trust my secret will be safe with-whoa!" she stepped off the road and tumbled into the ditch. when she landed he treacherous satchel opened up and out spilled the redcoat. curses! she thought, and scrambled up to take off into the woods.

OOC: Danny dismounted her horse earlier, so she doesn't have it anymore

[Katie]

The tension in the air around them, was so tense you could cut it with a knife. Jack knew in his gut that something was about to end up going wrong. He could just feel it in his bones so he obviously wanted to know more. He raised an eyebrow as Danny who was obviously a female, he could tell by her accent and by her lack of facial hair that she was a female. He actually should turn her in, but his heart was telling him not to, to let her go. She had obviously chosen her own path and she did not seem to regret her decision.

"Oh I see, well then good day to ye miss." He told her with a nod of his head and turned his horse around and then heard a crash behind him. He turned his head and saw that her bag had scattered her things all around the road and he stopped when he saw a red coat lying in front of her. He raised an eyebrow and it suddenly hit him that he had been talking to a Redcoat all this time. She looked terrified and he smirked, tempted to bring her with him and let the colonists deal with her. It was his duty to do so when she suddenly ran off into the woods.

"Not so fast there little redcoat!" Jack shouted as he jumped off Caesar and lead him off the road towards and into a patch of field so he could eat. Jack meanwhile ran as fast as he could to catch up with the little traitor. He glanced around and saw her running from him a short distance ahead. Smirking, he ran after her fast from being athletic, he grabbed a hold of her arm and turned her around so she was now facing him.

"Going somewhere? Well well well what shall I do with ye now? Ye know way too much already." He asked holding onto her tightly so she could not escape.

[faithfulguardian]

Danny ran as fast as her legs could carry her, leaping brush and logs until her lungs burned inside her chest. she risked a look over her shoulder and when she saw no one, slowed her pace a little. curse that ditch! she thought to herself. and curse my clumsiness! If I hadn't fallen, I wouldn't have to be running, I'd be home free and whistling down the road.

Just when she began to hope the man was far behind her, he came from the brush beside her and grabbed her arm, spinning her to face him. he had a grip like iron, and a glare to match, she tried to pull away but he was too strong. she had no way out at this point except either pulling out her knife with her free hand, or keeping it hidden beneath her tunic and trying to explain herself.

"Please-You don't understand! Ah'm not a redcoat! I mean, I am, but Ah'm not one of them. but Ah'm not a spy either..." this was not going well. "Please, don't take me tae the continentals...at least don't tell them what I am...please..." She stopped fighting and lowered her head, trying to hide the fear in her voice. Both sides had a reputation for being somewhat barbaric, especially to female captives. She tried to hide the shiver that went through her.

[Katie]

This was turning out to be one interesting day, Jack thought to himself as he grabbed her other arm and twisted it behind her back as if he was going to bind her. He really should, she was a traitor to the colonists and it was his duty as an officer to turn her in.

Snorting a bit, he rolled his eyes at her pleading with him, "If ye are not a Redcoat nor a colonist what are ye there? Ye are either or little Redcoat and mark me words, ye will have to make yer final decision on which side ye will need to be on, now Danny I believe yer name is, but I prefer Little Redcoat, what shall I do with ye?" He asked holding onto her tightly trying to resist the smell of a female. It had been a long time since he had had the pleasure of a female's company and now he sorely missed it.

Could he remedy that situation right now? Have his way with this attractive woman? He thought to himself before shaking his head with distain for himself.

"I believe ye could be a spy my dear Redcoat, I have told ye a lot of information already thinking that ye were an American and ye could go running to Cornwallis himself with any more information ye have. Why shouldn't I turn you into the colonists? Ye and I both know what they do to spies." He asked her curiously fighting with his conscience right now.

[faithfulguardian]

Danny winced as the Colonel twisted her arm behind her back, she feared he would bind her, but he didn't, not yet anyway.
"I'm not a colonist, nor am I English. Ah'm a Scot, and we don't have the luxury back home of choosing side, they're chosen for us." she managed to say, trying to ignore the way he looked at her over her shoulder, his nose close to her hair, breathing in. she resisted the urge to kick up her foot between his legs. she knew she could not outrun him now.
"Ah'm not a spy! Like I said, Ah'm a cadet, I was once a drummer with the 43rd light company in Boston, but I won a sharpshooting contest and with it a commission-" she kicked herself inwardly again. sharpshooting was a dangerous profession, the enemy would gladly dispose of marksmen the same as spies, she only hoped the death sentence could be better than hanging. her neck burned red from where it had almost been done before, as it always did when she became scared or agitated. she hoped he wouldn't notice.
"Yae don't have to hold sae tight, Billie-Jock, if Ah'm going tae be yer prisoner, I'd rather have both hands still attached when yae turn me in." a bit of her defiant personality had returned and she debated trying to headbutt his nose with the back of her head to get away. but how far could she get? back to her camp? it was a faint hope she clung to.

OOC "Billie" basically means fellow or comrade or brother in scots, and Jock is a more highland version of Jack