The chill on the air promised that winter months would be quick to reach them. Snow worried him. It was hard to survive when the cold washed in and covered everything in white. If they didn’t find themselves a group to mooch off, or settle into something for themselves… well, Reno didn’t want to imagine how far the journey to warmer terrain would be. His paws felt like they’d been walking for years.
The scent of the gang was heavy on the air in the wetlands. The cowboy sniffed in several places and found their scent was strong – stronger than it had been further back. It meant he was getting closer, or it meant they were growing their numbers. Neither of those things were bad, unless Colt had earned his followers through blind promises.
Pausing in the muck, Reno drew his head back and called for
@Colt. His scouting trip would offer some information, at least.
five days. six. seven.
colt briggs fixed red in his mind. he did not deviate from thinking of her expression before it had gone to painful black. he had never forgiven hotfoot for choking her like that. the very idea made his nostrils flare.
reno summoned him. "guess he don't know what happened," the rogue spat to no one in particular before hobbling in that direction. soon he was forced to rest, and howled irately out for the other cowboy to join him.
been cut up, yew ol' cuss.
Reno grumbled and groaned at the response.
Something’s happened, but it could be no shocking news when Colt Briggs was involved. The cowboy heaved a tired sigh and trudged inward, sniffing out the familiar chew scent that clung to the man. It didn’t take long to pick something up. He cursed as he stepped through the wetlands, wondering why Briggs had stopped there.
Where are ya,
he barked into the rolling fog. The stench of chew was there. He could smell the other man. Couldn’t make out where the bastard had gotten himself. Can smell yer ass from a mile away,
the cowboy grumbled next, scowling into the heavy air.
colt snorted and hauled himself upright, limping another couple of moments. the reeking fog was like a sticky blanket. "good, follow my perfume," he cackled loudly.
the red eyes searched. he followed the annoyed glint of reno's voice until he thought he saw the other man's shadow. briggs sat again, his body trembling with exertion.
"this place weren't my first choice. jest where we ended up." he watched the figure in the gloom.
That damned lunatic, Reno almost hissed out loud. The glimmer of ruby red eyes drew his attention toward the man’s shape. The dusty wolf lifted his head and squinted. His tongue licked at his whiskers before he sludged over to Colt and shifted his paws out of the muck of the earth.
The other man made a remark that it was just where they landed. Reno found it hard to believe that this place was meant for anyone other than Briggs. It seemed just up his alley.
Place is absolute shit, but scenery can change,
the cowboy grunted. What happened to ya? What’d ya do to get yer hide tanned?
More importantly, was the rest of the gang with him?
gawdamn reno sagebrush.
admiration and something different ate at colt for a second. "last we left off, yew was coming to natigvik. but they went on home with their extended family. sadey an' i got two more, gun an' red. we was set up in the taiga fer the winter, was gonna wait on yew."
he spat.
"couple women come through, one of em at least got hydrophobia. so we hightailed it outta there. come up to a creek, was happy to settle there a bit. but the uh, the inhabitants didn't take so kindly t'sadey an' i."
this part was shameful.
"we fought. we lost, but not before cuttin' them t'bits. but they got red, reno. they got her. an' gun is close, i think. an' we got a healer now. but — red." his eyes hardened; his voice became a knife. "one of em choked her, threatened t'kill her. fucked her up. i won't let it go."
Reno listened with a stern face.
It seems Colt and the gang had been up to a fit of trouble. The man had already caused a pissing match with some of the natives and gone so far that they’d lost a kid. The cowboy had known better. He had known first thing when that kid appeared that it was going to be bad business. Little Red was not old enough for the road life.
So we get her back,
he said gruffly. How many of ‘em d’ya figure? Ya look like yer strugglin’ to stand on yer damn legs.
They must have put up a hell of a fight to leave Briggs looking so pathetic, well- more pathetic than normal. The interaction that he’d shared with the group must have rattled him something good.
Reno wouldn’t admit it, but he was pleased to see the loyalty flash in Colt’s eyes.
colt let out his breath and leaned his head back. "jes' two, reno. we need yew back." he had vied for leader, he'd made sadey a second. but maybe he wasn't cut out for it right yet. whatever his failings in leadership, they were overlaid by his worry for red.
suppose even now they —
his nostrils flared.
"i told them kill her." reno would judge him for that but the man might understand the gambit. "they'd already torn sadey's guts all but open. i said kill her. but that one was too chickenshit. he dropped her an' they came for me. sadey told me they threw me into the creek there." colt laughed humorlessly. "that's how come we're all the way down these parts."
I’m standin here ain’t I?
A heavy sigh fell through his nostrils. Reno had only been gone a short while. He’d been scouting, searching for prospects. How on earth had they managed to get tangled up in such a shit show? There hadn’t been enough time, or so he thought. It seemed like they were going to need a game of search and rescue before they could consider moving on. It looked like Colt wouldn’t be any good to them for a while, either.
Y’think she won’t kick shit in yer wounds fer leaving her to die? S’pose we’re gonna just have to get her out and see.
If Red was one of their gang, Reno wouldn’t leave her behind. It sounded like there was a chance they had been too soft to kill anyone. Things could still play into their favor, if they moved at the right time.
Where’s Sadey?
"reckon i'd welcome it, so long as she stayed alive." colt tried to smother his sentiment with a laugh that became a cough. his eyes flickered for a moment. "she's back that way." he jerked his muzzle along his path and stood with great effort.
"healer's name is lonesome dove. coywolf. agreed t'join up with us in exchange for protection."
he began to hobble back toward their headquarters, leading reno along as they spoke. "the creek ain't well-fortified yet. couldn't handle another raid."
They’d have a fight ahead of them, that was for sure. Reno grimaced into the fog, looking at the direction Colt had pointed.
When had he gotten so attached to little Red? Reno couldn’t make sense of it. The man had never cared about anyone beyond how well they could be used. The girl was young. She seemed like she’d already been through a rough go of things. The cowboy wondered what the other man saw in her that worked him up about her capture. Anyone else and Reno would have expected they’d be left behind.
Lonesome Dove? Native?
he asked with a frown. He didn’t want to get them caught up in their plans. If the coywolf could heal, he’d have value and a place among them.
Yer sure there ain’t a whole gang of em?
colt nodded. "witty little thing. she an' sadey almost wrung each other's necks the first time they met," he laughed, embellishing a bit as he limped alongside reno.
"there might be now," he conceded. "but when we went, was only two of 'em. an' red did her part." she had listened to instruction, danced the dance. it had been him who'd fucked up.
Whole lotta trouble,
Reno grumbled to the other man. There was no telling what they’d have to do in order to get the girl back. There was no telling what state they would get her back in. All of it reeked to high heaven. The dusty figure thought that they were asking for trouble if they tried to barge back in there. He couldn’t stomach leaving one of their members behind, though. It didn’t settle right.
We oughta scout out a place where we can run n hide fer after we get little Red out,
he mused aloud.
Reno squinted his eyes at the mountains in the distance. They seemed imposing, threatening to their small band of outlaws. If they got trapped up there in the snow, it would be the end of their good fortune. He couldn’t think of anywhere better, either.
last for me! <3]
whole lotta trouble. "yew shoulda seen her though, reno." colt's crimson eyes burned. "she danced. i said switch an' she was there. i said go an' she went off. without her sadey'n i would be dead fer sure."
briggs dissolved into a coughing fit and set down heavily on his haunches. "need a minute."
but after that he would be together. after that he would return and call them all together. his eyes blazed.
They’d figure it out. They always did, somehow.
Reno shifted away from the man while he coughed and sputtered. The dusty wolf eyed their surroundings with a curious glint to the gold of his gaze. They needed to get out of the wetlands. They were sitting ducks, if those wolves decided they wanted revenge.
Hesitant as he was, Reno hoped that this young girl had sparked a sense of humanity in Briggs – that they were headed toward a better future.