Longwood First Hunt Day 05-06

Quiet steps waken me, I don't move at first simply move my hand to my Colt. When the person comes around the corner I sit up pointing my revolver at one of the Apache, his hands high looking a little surprised. He tells me the sky has awakened, with a sigh I nod waving him off as he looks at me smiling. I shoot him a dirty look and he goes chuckling quietly.

Feeling like a failure that a man had to come wake me up I grab up my clothes. Dan is still asleep or so I thought, I sit on the bed to put my pants on when he grabs me. I'm under him in a flash his handsome face pressing down to me for a kiss, then a second. Before I get to excited and let him have his fun I push him back a little.

"Vittles Dan, the sky is awake and you want me out of the sheriff's." Dan chuckles and smiles at me.

"Gwen are you making vittles?" Dan asks we hear a conversation before Gwen answers.

"Sylvia is making it, something to do with eggs and tortillas. Be a little bit before it's done we just started."

I look up at Dan he looks back with a questioning look. I sigh and put a hand to me, I'm somewhat ready with only a little pain. I nod to him he comes to me for a kiss. I wrap my arms around him and work one foot under so I can pull him atop me. Dan does not try and come to me, just lies on me kissing away his readiness pressing in. I'm ready now I want this, I move under Dan trying to work into a good place to get him in me.

Dan pulls back to look at me and smiles before coming to me, I accept him with a sigh. I feel good having my Dan, my hips move with him a little, afraid of moving more and wanting to. Dan holds me tight kissing me as we move together I can feel stars coming, held back a little by pain and discomfort. I try and only think of my Dan with me, it works I'm moaning as the stars come. Dan gets almost a pained expression above me then groans as his stars come.

Lying under my man I welcome his warmth with a sigh as my stars fade away. I hold on to him as he moves a little to get everything where I want it. Dan collapses atop me I sigh and hold him feeling like everything is good. A knock on the wall gets us to look Gwen is standing there looking a little jealous.

"Vittles are done, Janet I thought you gave birth last month." Dan chuckles and goes for his pants.

"I did, second son it gets easier. Dan hurry up I think Gwen has a question." Dan looks at me then Gwen and sighs then slips his shirt on grabs his boots and goes.

I sit up on the bed, grab my pants and work them on as Gwen comes and sits on the bed. She doesn't say anything so I grab up my shirt hand her the badge and slip it on. I'm putting my belt in place when Gwen finally opens her mouth.

"Janet I don't know if I'm making the right decision. Silvia had to help me get ready for Martin. Shooting those men felt right but I keep seeing their faces, I woke up twice last night." I sigh and sit next to Gwen putting my arm around her.

"It is not normally like that, I'm prone to shoot first. Round eyes never treated me well until Dan and not often since. It gets easier, you don't want it to but it does. You need to find something to do to keep you calm during, and find a way to feel fine about it after. Martin says rolls are my way to do that, they are not, it is the being held after that puts me good."

"Do the faces go away?" I shake my head.

"The faces stay you will see them everywhere at first I see the dead hovering behind us. They start to fade but you will always see them at odd moments, anytime you are excited or upset. Kansas City was always bad for me I would see the dead buying a roll. Walking down the street when I would leave the brothel. They fade they never go away they become instead a welcome sight, a sign that you are alive."

Gwen looks down I grab up my moccasins and put them on. Standing I take her hand and my Winchester to pull her out for vittles. Silvia hands me a plate with two tortillas rolled up with something in them. I look inside to see scrambled eggs and beans. Dan is smiling at me as I sit at the desk again apparently it has become my desk.

"Scrambled eggs, corn, and the baked beans are in these really very good."

I look down at the rolled tortillas and sigh before picking one up to take a bite. Dan is right it sounds bad but tastes good. Silvia is watching me she smiles big when I smile at her. Gwen and Martin are talking quietly to each other before Gwen gets up and walks over to me, she sits on the desk.

"Janet we should get going it's a little past seven, Martin is worried the deputies lied to us." I sigh and nod.

I hand my plate to Silvia keeping the half of the rolled tortilla I have left. Gwen follows me holding her Winchester until I shake my head and hold mine up. We head straight for the store, Gwen not saying a word, I'm to busy hoping we can get her pants and a shirt. We have to knock on the window a few times before a little man comes running.

"Apologies for the delay, I did not know we had a new deputy in town." He says looking at me trembling a little.

"You don't, I'm from Longwood with the sheriff and a Marshal we had a cell break and had to chase down the prisoner. May we come in? I would like to ask some questions on the deputies and sheriff, along with I'm hoping getting her in pants she wishes to learn how to track." His eyes gets wide and he smiles big before moving aside and motioning us in.

"I don't want to wear pants, I'm not a man." Gwen says her eyes wide making me laugh as the man closes the door.

"Gwen I wear pants because a dress means no kneeling, the dress would ruin any track."

"I'm sorry I do not have anything in leather, I have corduroy if that would be acceptable." The man says getting us to look at him.

"Yes that would be fine I had to order my pants and shirt a while back. They are not as warming as the clothes you would have."

He leads us over to his counter and produces a string of twine. He measures Gwen around the middle, makes a note then hands her one end to hold up to herself. Gwen looks at me quite pink as he measures her leg to her ankle on the inside.

"Well now, I should have a pant in these dimensions, the shirt will be loose I am afraid if you need one. Men do not come that small you understand." Gwen looks at him and nods with a sigh.

"My shirt should be fine Janet is more brazen than I am." He chuckles and heads into the back.

"Now I understand you had questions?" He says as he comes back with a pant.

"Yes, according to our two prisoners from the bandits the farms have been dying after the sheriff got here. The deputies are said to be strong arming, I do not understand this. The bandits were well supplied I know this, I wished to see what you say about the sheriff and deputies."

Gwen moves behind me to slip out of her skirt and put the pants on. He sighs and looks down then looks up at me.

"Your prisoners have the right of it. There is only one farm left, it is a milk farm. The sheriff and deputies take the supplies they want, they don't pay leaving me to pay for them. We don't get enough trade to afford it the trains buy supplies, sometimes the passengers. We don't have a saloon, had a woman wanting to put one up, she went to talk to the sheriff and left again. We would leave if it wasn't for the deputies and sheriff, they have said if we try the bandits will get us. If we speak against or resist in any way even to say it's the last item we become a deputy and there is a bandit attack, they are always fatal to the new deputy."

"Is there a judge in town? Marshal was told there was a judge here to try the prisoner."

"No, we've never had a judge in town. Most likely the plan was to get the prisoner and let him go again." I sigh and look down.

"Would not explain why he was not with the bandits. I think they want to kill him after the marshal leaves. When does the sheriff get to town?" The wide eyes tell me something is wrong, I look behind to see nothing.

"The sheriff should be here, is there a reason you are not at the sheriff's?"

"I shot him ten years ago, why he limps. Do you have a back door?"

I head out the back door Gwen following along behind me. We press into the shadows of the last building before the sheriff's. A man had gone to the outhouse I did not know this man. I hand my Winchester to Gwen and peek around the corner no one is in front of the sheriff's. I put a finger to my lips and dart across to the outhouse. I pull my Bowie and open the door the man looks up at me deputy badge glinting on his shirt.

He opens his mouth to say something I put one hand on his mouth and shove my knife into him. His eyes get wide and he tries to scream I pull the knife free and shove it in again. I shove him full of my knife twice more before his eyes flutter closed and he slumps. Not wishing to have him wake up I cut his throat then wipe my knife on his pant leg. Gwen is standing outside of the outhouse green and trembling when I exit I take her arm and lead her toward the sheriff's. Putting a finger to my lips to make her quiet I whisper to her.

"Gwen stay here, this is my slaughter." Her eyes get wide and she shakes her head.

"Martin and Silvia are in there, I am helping."

"I'm not sure that is a good idea. You need to wipe everything clean and simply act, see a man you don't know shoot him." Gwen nods then huddles to me when the door opens.

I look around the corner Dan and another man are walking toward the undertakers. Martin appears calling out for the sheriff to wait, both men turn. When they turn back to talk Martin signals two more in the sheriff's and he can do the sheriff. I nod and smile at him before holding a hand to Gwen to stay here.

"Shoot the sheriff if Martin is slow, I will take the sheriff's."

Gwen sighs behind me, I move not wishing to see if she will or not. I peek in through the window to see one deputy at the near desk. There is another by the cells talking low. I move to the door and look at Martin he is walking slower with a limp one hand behind him thumb and finger in a circle. I cock both of my Colts then pull one so I can open the door. The deputy by the cells turns slow opening his mouth when I shoot him.

He falls back blood splattering everywhere as I roll into the sheriff's, the door behind absorbing a bullet. I turn to shoot the other deputy to see he is turning fast standing tall eyes wide and desperate. I shoot him twice, his revolver shoots as he is falling back. I shoot him twice more before he has fallen into the chair blood splattering the wall. I turn to look out to see Martin and Dan running this way, a body lying on the ground behind them.

I look around to see Silvia and the Apache staring at me eyes wide, the prisoners likewise staring. I holster my Colts and move to stand up only to fall down. Sharp pain shoots through me from my shoulder, I put a hand there to bring it back covered in blood. I sigh and close my eyes the room spinning, I am faintly aware of my head hitting the floor.

I come back now and then, the first time being carried to a bed, the second time to a conversation of some sort. The third and final time to an older man holding some sort of metal thing digging in to my shoulder, this really hurts. He moves back when I groan and grab his hand. Dan appears above me saying calming things to me until I let go of the older man's hand.

"Dan that really hurts and I don't know that man." Dan sighs and grabs my head to kiss me.

"That is the undertaker, closest thing to a doctor here. The townsfolk were screaming thank you's to us. The store guy was even willing to forget you didn't pay, I gave him ten dollars. Martin has gotten a telegraph out detailing all of the bounties we are collecting. A full twelve if you can believe it." The older man appears again holding a bottle of what looks to be whisky.

"Here take a few swallows of this it won't hurt so bad, we were hoping you would not wake up until I finished."

I take it and look at Dan, he nods holding up two fingers. I sigh and take two swallows grimacing it burns going down. After a moment I get a little woozy and have to put my head down. Dan takes the bottle and gives me a little more then nods to the undertaker.

"I'm not dead yet." I say giggling, the undertaker looks at Dan worried.

"Second time she's had whiskey, we've given her watered beer twice, the second time it had whiskey in it by mistake. Janet doesn't normally drink anything besides water and milk."

The undertaker nods with a grin and gets to work. I am aware of some pain in my shoulder. I giggle when I realize I should have something to bite on. I wave Dan over grab his hand and stick it in my mouth. I bite down a little getting an ouch out of Dan, the undertaker looks over and laughs. I start chewing on Dan's hand getting an odd expression from him. The undertaker spends a while working on something before he finally pulls something out of me that looks like a rock.

"I was hit by a rock?" The undertaker looks at me funny as I start laughing.

"Janet shush you were shot in the ribs, you should be dead according to the undertaker." Gwen says appearing over me, I giggle at the idea of the undertaker seeing me.

"I'm not dead, why would the undertaker see me." I giggle more getting a sigh out of Gwen.

Dan pulls me up to pull my shirt off I stop him then pull the badge off laughing. I stick him with it then pull my shirt off, Dan holds me up as the undertaker bandages me. I notice Martin appearing and kneeling down in front of me.

"We did good twelve wanted posters all wanted dead, some or alive. We have made eight hundred and fifty dollars to split up seven ways." I shake my head.

"Six ways," I say holding up one hand with all five fingers out giggling. "Everything the tribe does goes to Dan he hands it out as needed." I look over at Dan my head wobbling. "Dan I think the roll will have to wait, I'm tired."

Dan nods as I giggle and lean in to him, the undertaker pulls me back. I giggle and lean into Dan again earning me a look from the undertaker. I find this funny and laugh before leaning forward and lose my breakfast. I sit up saying sorry wiping at my mouth then giggle again. I relax and lean in to Dan then fall back giggling at the roof. My eyes grow heavy and shut in no time I lose all thought.

I wake up hearing what sounds like Balik wanting his milk. I try and get up only to be held in place by Dan. I groan at the pain in my head and stop moving. Dan sits me up despite my protest and feeds me water. I get two of the metal cups worth in me before my eyes open. Dan is looking at me worried as he holds up a plate of beans and cornbread. With a sigh I take it and start eating, feeling better though I keep getting more water out of the pail sitting there.

"Janet, are you feeling good? The undertaker said after you stopped moving that we should get you back to Longwood. All he can do is get the bullet out of you."

"No, I'm lots of pain my head, my shoulder, my chest isn't feeling good I need my Balik." Dan nods and pulls me to him for a hug.

"Eat up I'll get us packing, the town sent word they want a saloon here free land for it. Michael and Benjamin are going to take up sheriff and deputy. We will order you a new shirt and a vest. Please don't stick me with your badge that hurts." I look up at Dan and giggle.

"Did I really do that? I thought it was a dream." Dan sighs and hits me on the head before heading out front.

Feeling more pain than I should for the hit I eat what I have here. By the time I finish I'm feeling better and needing to visit the outhouse. I waver a bit when I stand up, looking down I realize I don't have pants on. Not feeling up to finding and putting my pants and shirt on I head for the outhouse anyway. All eyes are on me as I walk through the sheriff's, except one Apache having his roll with Silvia.

When I say outhouse and point Dan shakes his head and points the other way. I follow his direction to find another outhouse, this one marked with a full moon. Not knowing the difference, the other one was marked with a half moon I use the outhouse. Exiting the outhouse I find Gwen standing there, she smiles at me then latches to a breast. I move to get her off when I realize she's draining me not going for a roll. I let her with a sigh enjoying the slacking of pressure on my chest.

Both sides sufficiently drained I put my arm around Gwen and let her help me to the sheriff's. Dan takes over taking me to get dressed, I squeak when he drops me on the bed. Dan hands over my pants once I am in those, it took longer than I'd like to comment on, he helps my get my shirt on. When Dan brings my belt over I shake my head and point at my moccasins. He hands those over then goes up front with my belt in one hand.

"Janet, why are you not wearing your belt?" Gwen asks coming around to kneel in front of me.

"Dan said I don't need to for a while, there are no bandits in the area. I need to try and not look at every armed man as someone I should shoot." Gwen nods as I go back to getting my moccasins on.

You never realize how hard things are until you only have one hand working without pain. It takes me a bit to get my moccasins on, once I finish I stand up. Looking around I find there is nothing of mine or Dan's left here so head for the front of the sheriff's. Everyone is outside of the sheriff's where our horses are saddled and ready to go. I look around then grab the lantern hanging there and hand it up to Dan, he shakes it and lights it before handing it back.

"Go on ahead a little ways I want to show Gwen a little on tracking." Dan nods and gets everyone moving our horses pulled along after.

I pull Gwen Michael comes along, down low holding the lantern high. I point out the hoof prints to each getting nods.

"As you can see Gwen horseshoes leave a very distinctive mark. Tracking an unshod horse is harder, they spread out the weight more but can only go on soft dirt, hard dirt or rock will tear up their hooves with a rider. Now if you notice, these two are not as deep, those are our horses, this one is Silvia's and this one is Elizabeth's or vice versa. Women weigh down a horse less, now if you take your arm elbow to finger and hold it in line with the tracks crosswise you can estimate how many horse. Each pair falling at the edge of your arm is one horse." Michael tries it and finds his arm is to long. "Michael for you try from your elbow to where your arm turns to hand, should be roughly same."

"What about over hard dirt like rock or clay?" Gwen asks getting a smile out of me.

"Good question, for hard dirt like that you look for scrapes, fresh scrapes have no dirt, the more dirt the older the scrape. It is possible to lose a target in hard dirt go past and try to pick up trail if they confuse it. Never follow into a gulch or canyon, always work to go above."

"What if they get on the train?" Michael asks getting a sigh out of me.

"If they get on the train put up wanted poster and send ahead of train. The tap machines are good for that, an hour after train leave the next five towns are looking for target. If they hop off someone will notice and tell sheriff in next town, marshals will pick up prisoner and return if caught. Talk to engineer they have to stop to let someone off or on, every train comes through meet." Michael nods then grabs my hand when I stand up.

"What if they leave on foot?" I giggle at the question.

"Then follow, small town nothing can happen a run can get away from. If they are carrying rifle or revolver and run shoot first. If you need help with bandits send message Dan and I will come or send Apache with rifles, many know round eye now."

It takes longer than I would like to catch up with everyone. Dan has to hop down and pick me up to get me on my horse. We move along at a slow trot so the horse can hopefully see any holes. Dan rides ride next to watching me his rein in his left hand.