The Mockingbird's Ballad

Alex's shock quickly passed as he turned in his saddle to see what was the reason and result of Lou's actions. "God, Almighty, you got both of them. They ain't moving!" The first Yankee's horse had turned away from Alex and Lou and was standing perplexed fifty feet from the two. The second one stopped two feet away and looked back. The big slick black stallion and fine roan mare looked over the scene. It appeared as if they understood what had happened.

Lou held the smoking pistol, looked at Alex, at the grass obscured Union trooper, his horse and then to the right and left. She was as white-faced as Alex had ever seen her. There was fire in her eyes and Alex was struck by the heat and the starkness of her look. She put the pistol in her belt and looked up to her still mounted brother, tears in her hard eyes, "Brother, we've done it." She paused, took a deep breath and then said, "But I forgot to offer prayer before I shot 'em!" She went to Alex and grabbed his mounts' placid face. She hugged the warm horse's head as if her life depended on holding on and cried into it's sweat-soaked mane.