Longwood Second Hunt Day 07-08

First up the next morning and I can't not smile. The sky is still dark for night, the sun is not coming that soon. Powerful long time since I been up this early so I do a little victory dance while getting in my clothes. Dan watches with a grin then opens up the top to get at my breasts. He gives me a right good seeing to.

Then I get to go hunting, nobody wants to come with. Well mainly because no one besides Dan woke up with me. Still this is nice, just me and the dawn, with those coneys. Well at least I think there are coney, they don't seem to be awake yet. Just wander about here and there until the sky is lighting up fully.

Movement in a bush attracting my attention I silent as can edge closer. Taking a knee I reach down and brush at the grass there. Quietly cursing the location, the bush is facing the sliver of sun so hard to make anything out, I draw aim on the coney coming out. Hold my breath for a moment, no little coney, not fat with little ones.

Whistle a little so the coney freezes and fire. Head half explodes so get to hop up, trot over singing, and hunter cut. While walking back to camp I realize have another moving bush. Well this is not a bush so much as a taller cluster of grass. Drop to a knee, set the coney already caught down, and brush on the grass.

Can see better now so realize my first coney is tan. The second coney that appears is closer to brown than tan. Still though there is similar coloring so debate a moment or two then reload my Winchester. The clicks get the coney to freeze then I fire. This time the head does not explode so much as crumple in on itself.

After hunter cutting this new catch I sling both over one shoulder and trot quick like back to camp. There I find vittles are still being prepared though two coney is greeted well. Elan and Bipin dance for a good hunt. Bia and Chun shoot eye daggers at me a little, they are still cooking and now get to skin and cut the coney.

Not bothering me none, though I do drop down and skin one coney. Reckon there is no call to annoy our cooks. Besides been a spell since I done my own coney. Judging by the stares I'm getting I am still very good at it. Nobody says anything until I have skinned and quartered the second coney. Getting vittles at the time as well so glad timing.

"Janet how on earth do you cut coney so fast?" I grin at Chun.

"Learned when I was five, I had the happy duty of skinning coney to make moccasins for my tribe. Was small but sure handed so Mom taught and tribe was happy."

"Did you hunt the coney?" One of the marshals asks getting agreeing nods from most everyone.

"No, was not of a mind to hunt at the time, wished to cook and sew. At the age started to do moccasins was early so could not help cook beyond cutting, which came with skinning."

We fall quiet for a spell here, good vittles and we are all hungry. Not to mention we may be having a slaughter later today. Chun and Bia keep eyeing the quartered coney then scoot closer together to talk. Half watch them and mostly focus on my vittles until Dan nudges me.

"Janet supposing we don't find them, ride for the next town?" I sigh and shake my head.

"Likely best to just hole up in a likely spot. Can hit the town tomorrow if we don't find them." Dan nods then snorts.

"Would you mind the same if we do have a slaughter of a different gang?" Just stare at Dan a moment then nod.

"No different mind, do not like stopping with the dead. Have you seen a gang?"

"No, I don't sleep well with them either, you keep waking me up." Just stare at Dan a short spell then swat him.

"You always make us stop when have dead." Dan snorts and shakes his head.

"Most of the time we stopped so you could sate your need." This is true, but there is one thing.

"Yes but when I wish to move on after you always said no and had me make supper."

"Sating your need makes a fella hungry, and you got a second roll most nights." Everybody is watching us and Chun is giggling.

"I thought the second roll was for your need, we always went slow the second time."

"No that was for you, I got my needs met the first roll. You kept going on and on about wanting to stop for a roll. All day of that and a fella would have to be dead to not want to toss you down." Naught to do but stare at Dan after that, quite embarrassing to have him speak so and I was like that. "Let's pack up and get going."

I guess I scared Dan, or he wants to return to Balik just as much. Camp is packed up right quick so glad tidings there. Then we are on the way for the house, goodly distance away. Rather looks like was a farm but did not work. Possible there was attack and survivors did not stay, none will go back to attack house for long spell.

Scared of another attack would reckon, though round eyes are rather confusing at times. Injun attack and they will come back often. Sickness and they won't go near, though there is no different to either. Both are part of circle of life, either happens to test mettle of the folks or things involved. Does bring to mind one thing, greenhorns and Dan would not go near sickness house.

"House look like sickness house?" Dan looks over at me then spits on ground.

"Not as I can see." Cucaracha pulls out glasses and looks through a spell, we just ride on while he does so.

"No markings of sickness. Possible only one man stayed here and fell but then house would be burnt down." I look at Dan and he shakes his head.

"No you are not going in first, Elan can go in first." Bia is giggling, Chun looks a little lost.

"Why is Janet not going in first?" Dan puts his hand up so I no say on it, he does instead.

"Janet is not going in first because if is a sick house best to have a younger go in to see."

"Dan have not been sick from sick house so far." Dan glares at me.

"You have been in one twice now, third time is the charm and you said you may have a daughter."

Open my mouth then shut it, naught to say. Dan is right, best to not test a babe before decides to come out. If there is a babe, no tell on that until no bleeding time. Still is a powerful good thought and I do want to be good wife to Dan. Brings to mind one thing so look where we are in relation to house then turn to Dan.

"Dan would like house of our own. Promise to make vittles you enjoy." Dan looks over at me then looks at house before opening mouth.

"Did you expect an argument on this?"

"Yes, you already said no like my vittles." Dan snorts, opens his mouth then closes it before looking down.

"Did you are right. Mostly do not like the coffee you make." Chun snorts.

"Give Janet a house, you will get dishes, part of that is a sugar bowl. Everyone adds sugar to coffee at home." We both look at Chun then I look at Dan to get a nod.

"Alright we will get a house. Mind it may be sheriff's house not ours."

"Dan they will not fire us." I'm just bouncing now, I get a house.

Pinto looks back at me and snorts so pull out licorice and give half. Licorice half is eaten fast then pinto is bouncing with me. Quite funny and rather fun so we just go right on bouncing with laughter out of everyone else. Finally we are getting close to house and I realize there is someone inside house there is smoke.

Before I can say anything about this a man carrying rifle steps out of house. We stop, which is what man wanted. Since good distance between, at least two hundred feet I put hand to Winchester.

"Who be there?"

"US Marshals with posse hunting for a gang. They have injun with."

His reply is rather pointed, and not one I like. Rifle comes up so I am pulling mine when he fires. Dan pulls his revolver and shoots back, then I have rifle pulled and am singing as fire. The man jerks and falls over with blood coming out as the door is opening. Sergeant is yelling about the house then Cucaracha fires.

I fire into the house while Dan is scooting to the side. He goes past me though has dropped low to have horse be barrier. Not nice to horse but I agree with Dan, better for horse to be shot than Dan. Elan and Bipin have gotten off horse and are moving up toward side of house. I keep firing singing loud to attract attention.

Not that I need to, Cucaracha keeps firing and in between shots is yelling about being cavalry. Bipin and Elan finally get up to the house and head for the door. So I drop off pinto and send him to Dan while pulling out my pistols. Bipin and Elan go in before I get there, though there is no shooting so perhaps we got everyone.

Reaching the house I call out then step in to find Bipin and Elan standing over two more men. None are injun so I'm at a loss. Especially wondering why they fired on us, we were not hunting these men. Dan comes in and looks around for a moment.

"Wonder why they fired." I shake my head.

"Wondering same, here Dan let's look about, maybe pull up floor."

Dan nods so we look around. They have a small stockpile of supplies, enough for three on the move. Definitely not enough for three men trying to do farm. So we look around more and find a bank bag, but no monies. No bills, no coins, so if they are robbers they were getting ready to do another hit. At least until a thought comes so turn to Dan who is talking to one of the marshal.

"Dan possible these guys are part of gang we after, remember they had holed up in a house near to the town to wait for supplies." Dan nods then frowns.

"If that is true the rest will come back and they will move back the way they came." We both look at the marshal to get a shaken head.

"The gang is not known to do that. Not heard of a gang doing that either. Backtrack would take them to town they robbed already." This is true though there is one thing.

"Perhaps they went past train town to get supplies then return to get train. Powerful bad idea to stay in train town, they get told of posters often." Dan nods then shakes his head.

"Remember deputy said they stopped in store before moving on. Do not see them leaving men here to get more supplies."

"Yes Dan is true, perhaps rear guard?" Get two shrugs for that one, hard to tell since men are dead.

"Mayhap, or another group. Never found two additional on hunt but possible, war was powerful bad on many." Nod at that, then a thought comes of a different sort.

"Shall check behind house, likely have horses and perhaps hiding place for monies."

Dan nods then falls in step with me around house. We do find horses, four of them looking a little lean. Taking pity on them I give each a licorice then we untie so they can graze. Dan heads for the water trough to break the ice for them and make sure there is water. I keep going to check for footprints.

If they have a burial spot they would head out to it for monies. Usually a stockpile is kept inside but if they have large amount the extra is buried to avoid being robbed. Most everyone does this unless there is bank, even then not all monies are kept in bank. Some do other things, Amanda has a little lockbox in the kitchen.

Little chance of anyone stealing that with the sheriff and deputies living in the saloon. Not to mention how she is always in the kitchen until everyone has gone to bed. Might change once we get a house though not that likely. Course if we could get a bank Amanda would use that, she and Chun must have hundreds.

Not finding anything suggesting they have a burial spot I head back around the house to find the lean horses collected. Bodies atop them and they look a little unnerved at this. Head over to them and hand out another licorice then give one to pinto. He came over and was nudging at me so gave him one before he tried to eat my coat in earnest.

We all mount up and head for the hills, though one of the marshal has his arm in a sling. Best to ask about that, then see if perhaps we can add a bank somehow.

"What happened to marshal?" Dan looks over at me and rolls his eyes.

"First shot got him in the shoulder. Off hand so can shoot still at least. We shall stop in next town and see if they have a doc."

"Why not send him to last town with dead?" Marshal in question shakes his head.

"Am along on this to get the gang. The two of us are officially getting the gang so not skipping out." Look at him a moment then look at Dan.

"Dan may need to figure out how to do bank. If we get house Chad and Bonita move out of saloon with and no deputies or sheriff live in saloon. Amanda would need to move lockbox." Dan stares at me, likely figured I would ask on why marshal has to stay with.

"Did not mind that, problem being still have all the people visiting every day."

Dan has a point and nobody seems to have a solution for a spell. We just ride along toward the hills, taking out the glasses from time to time. I even get to look through them once, the hills are just that, hills. Still I mind they are great to hide in, likely would have been a favorite stop for the tribes in the area before round eye come.

Reaching the hills we then split up a little. Bipin, Elan, and me go up the hills to look about. Every hill we reach we go up, since many hills are connected we are going up separate hills often. Luckily Dan does not speak on danger to me in doing this, just follows along. I am not liking this but not speaking against either, Dan has fear on me, I fear on Dan.

"Are we going to stop for the night in these hills?" I look over at Dan, the shadows are getting long.

"Yes Dan, shall meet your needs." Dan snorts and shakes his head but does not open his mouth.

Looking about I find us a good spot, raised valley, open on one side so would make perfect camp. Also fairly close to top of hill so can walk up and look about for fires in the hills. Bipin and Elan like the spot though Bia and Chun look a little unhappy. The why of this becomes apparent quick, the snow is thick here.

Breaking out shovels and some of the bigger wood we clear a good sized area. Horses immediately begin grazing here so we go clear out another spot for camp. That done and Chun getting a fire going we go get everything off the horses and rub them down. After that most of us trek up to the hilltops and look around for fires. Finished with looking we set up bedrolls then sit around the fire.

"Reckon we have a cold winter."

"Possible, though likely just seems cold cause we are out on a hunt."

"Not striking me as cold." We all stare at Cucaracha until sergeant swats him.

"Share the why lad."

"I grew up in New York so got ocean right there out the door. Storms come up and bring freezing wind. When it snows there are feet of left laying about. You see your breath inside at the fire it seems." Chun nods and shivers.

"I remember the winter there, was powerful. Also got more customers then, so I was giving out more bath and having rolls often. On that side winter there was nice, going home was not but otherwise." Dan nudges me so I look up at him.

"I reckon Chun has as much need as you." Chun snorts and shakes her head.

"I give out rolls often at the brothel but not because I need to. Mind we are saving up to have own eatery and the ice machines. Amanda is not paid much so most of coin earned are mine." Sparks a thought and I best ask on it.

"Where would the ice machine go?" Chun shrugs.

"Not rightly sure, thing is noisy so not where families set up. Course right now we do not need more streets so the where is a puzzle." I nod and look up at Dan, he looks back after a moment and shakes his head.

"Our house would go up across from the eatery we have. Mind that was the location in mind for us already." Nod and mind on this for a moment.

"Why not open up new street, say move dentistry and put street there then ice machine go farther that way. Can place bank there and get deputies on street to mind." Dan smiles at me then I get a hug.

"Good thought Janet, still have danger of quiet rob though." Cucaracha snorts.

"Why not do up bank like pay office in fort?" We all look at Cucaracha then sergeant who rolls his eyes.

"The lad has a good mind on his shoulders. The pay office has bars on windows like sheriff. When go in you speak to officer through bars and get handed pay. Make robbing hard since man behind bars can duck. Still possible but not quiet, Janet in the same town means not happen."

Vittles get handed out here so we fall quiet to eat. Vittles today are quite good, we have the coney cooked up with beans. Also have tortillas so rather like morning vittles. No complaining I like tortilla better than the corn bread, always sweet. Then mind I need to get recipe since promised to make like Dan wants.

Perhaps should not have promised that, but then he is my husband. Best to get my vittles to a point he likes since he does much that I like. Course most of what he does I like involves a roll so I mind he likes just as much. Did promise and wish to be good wife besides with rolls and babes so nudge Dan.

"When get back will ask Amanda and Issac to teach how to make pie and bread." Dan snorts and leans against me.

"Sounds good course you forget, we are always at saloon anyway." I give Dan my needy look.

"Dan must be good wife and provide vittles." Sergeant is chuckling, so is Dan when he looks.

"Janet you eat in the saloon or the eatery. Never spoke on wanting to cook before."

"Never have house before. Mind there will be supply of honey, still think sweet is wrong." Dan rolls his eyes.

"Bread is not sweet anyway."

"Find more deputy, will make dinner for husband." Dan looks at me and sighs.

"One night a week. This way can let Bonita cook for Chad some as well." I nod then swat Dan.

"Three nights, one night Bonita cook with me and we feed our husband together so four nights you are eating at our house." Dan stares at me a second then snorts.

"Husbands, you said husband. Makes sound like I married Bonita and you." Everybody is laughing at this so I toss up my hands then notice no more vittles on plate.

Eyeing Chun I scoot over and get another tortilla roll done up. Have more so give this one to Dan then make up a second for me. Sitting down with Dan I start eating then notice Dan staring at me.

"I had enough already."

"Dan you eat lots all time." Dan rolls his eyes.

"I do not, just eat more than you. Account I am bigger so does not mean anything, you usually do not eat that much." I shrug then wink at him.

"Carrying babe again." Dan snorts and shakes his head.

"Been through that already, you do not eat extra yet."

"Och lad the lass is adding meat to her bones." I point at sergeant and grin.

"Not getting in your blanket."

Plenty of laughing to that then we quiet down again. Dan eats the roll I gave to him despite having had enough. I'm fairly sure he was kidding about that since he finishes with his first. The pot gets covered up since there was plenty left while Dan pulls me after to our bedroll. It is time for his roll and mine, I am looking forward to this.

If I am with child again then I can be a whore at least some. Not that desperate for rolls anymore so I can be a whore some days and just a good wife deputy the rest of the time. Then we are under the blanket and Dan is kissing me. No more thinking on things my husband has needs to meet, at least I think so.

His hand has come to me and he's rubbing, we are kissing but nothing else. He's pressed up tight to my leg so I can't grab at him. Also not feeling his equipment being all ready to fit into me. Makes me a little nervous because I want to meet his needs, and mine. Instead of stroking on him I run my hands over the rest of him.

Coming to his backside, which is a lovely backside that I probably should share the feeling on to him, I pull on him. At first Dan resists getting atop, like he actually has no desire to fit inside of me. Then he is moving atop and well Dan does want to fit inside because he has come to me as my husband, can't help the groan, it was rather sudden.