Bitterroot Valley [m] there's nothin better than shootin a fella

Mature Content Warning

This thread has been marked as mature. By reading and/or participating in this thread, you acknowledge that you are of age or have permission from your parents to do so.

The participants have indicated the following reason(s) for this warning: foul language/suggestion throughout

colt allowed @Indra III to take their lead — until they were in sight of the riverwolves. then he headed her off, halting the young hothead by stepping into her path. "that land there, that's natigvik. not a mark." his voice was decisive.
but he had a treat for her. colt swaggered away a few feet, then called out in his etching voice for @Reno and @Sadey, telling them he had come to bring them together.
a bare assertion of his own leadership, and he was prepared for resistance from reno.
the call hung in the air. colt glanced toward indra and winked.

For a while they ran together with Indra in the lead, and she felt more free than ever before; caked in coyote blood and with a fully belly, even the wind whipping at her face did not sour her mood.

It was Colt, as he stepped across her path, who strangled what goodness remained. He spoke of the place they were headed for as if he knew it - this Natigvik - and said no to the plan of raiding the place; Indra didn't want to give up so soon, and petulance won out.

She ignored Colt until he sang for two others - and when she heard them named, she stopped and rebounded closer to him. They were to meet with these others?

Colt's wink made her turn deferentially away, to watch the horizon line for signs of life.

Mature Content Warning

This thread has been marked as mature. By reading and/or participating in this thread, you acknowledge that you are of age or have permission from your parents to do so.

The participants have indicated the following reason(s) for this warning: Swearing

Sadey heard the howl and with narrowed eyes and anger in her gaze she followed it. She was no longer wounded, weak and weary. No, she was full of piss and vinegar and he had caused her irritation. 

So with the swagger of a woman who knew what she could do and had done it. She approached them both. Eyes going over the youngling with him, her lip curled in distaste. She wasn't much to look at, though perhaps she had hidden talents or something, but she was not Sadey's concern.

Instead her pretty eyes settled on the darker male and she narrowed them. He would see what was coming were he a smart man.

What the actual fuck, Colt! You just leave in the dead of night. Perhaps we ain't buddies, or friends, but we are pack mates. I was left to clean up your goddamns mess as I always do! And here i find you cavorting with a youngling, old enough to be your daughter.

She snorted, her tail lashing behind her as she glared at the two, but she didn't move to attack. What you'd bring your ragdoll to the pack for? What yew need?

I am so sorry for her petulant attitude.

The summoning call arrived. Reno was familiar with the voice. Colt’s scent had faded somewhat from the area around Amalia’s home. The dusty cowboy couldn’t help but wonder what trouble he was causing. 

Upon arrival, Reno caught sight of the unfamiliar figure. She was younger with ginger fur and a white ear. It didn’t seem like she had much to her. There was a skittishness in the gleam of her eye, though she held her ground well enough. Reno wondered where Colt had found her. 

Colt, the cowboy drawled tiredly.

sadey arrived first, and she looked hotter than a scalded cat. with a sigh of long-suffering, colt spat a stream of birchbark juice into the grass just as she began to light into him.
rather than respond to her growing ire with his own, colt grew more relaxed, grinning with open teasing at her. "oh, now, come on, sadey!" he cut over her claim about the ages shared by he and indra.
but she wasn't done yet, so he fell silent till she was.
"howdy, reno," he told the man first before turning his red eyes back to the irate woman. "i'm sorry. i been off. yew know good an' well i couldnta stayed in natigvik, not after who i was entertainin' there." that big pale man covered in scars would have ripped his hide apart had he known colt enjoyed several rolls with his woman.
"as it were, my travelin' companion an' i have been on reconnaissance. go on girl," he said abruptly to indra. "introduce yerself."
colt wondered what moniker she'd use. it was a formal moment for someone about to join the gang. he hoped the importance of it was not lost on red.

There was an irate woman who spouted all kinds of things at Colt, and Indra eyed her with the same skepticism she'd met the man with on their introduction. The racket of her voice kept climbing, and Indra looked to Colt for some clarity on how to respond.

There was a man also, but he was much more quiet. Colt knew them both; Indra needed only to recall the names that had been shared with her: the woman was Sadey, the man was Reno.

He calls me Redbird, she drawled to them both, once prompted by Colt. Stiffly moving between each of them, seeking scents, the girl soon retreated to stand nearer Colt.

Her ire continued to climb as Colt, reprimanded her for her mouth about the girl. She narrowed her eyes even further. 

Don't you come on Sadey Me COLT BRIGGS!

Sadey turned and met Reno's gaze. Reno. She grumbled. Then turned back to the two in front of her. 

Sadey found weakness and she pushed at it. A girl who was skittish and let others speak for her had no reason to be around them. It would get her killed. Sure Colt could teach her a thing or two, but until she learned to think for herself, well she was dead duck.

Sadey snorted and eyed the girl, her attention on her now. Oh he calls you redbird does he? But is that your name? You always do what a fella tells you to do? Yew don't think fer yerself good and proper.

Sadey moved closer catching the girls own scent. She smelled like Colt, but  not in anyway that would be considered wrong. She was actually alittle glad for it. She could handle most of his hang ups, and his whoring. But when it was a child, and she was clearly a child. that was where they had an issue and she woulda ripped strips of his hide for garters.

Let me guess. He promised you a life where you could do what you wanted, but he still controls every goddamned thing you do. Hrm? All them men all the same. They get what they want and leave you behind a shell of what you were.

She spat venom, but there was wisdom in her words. She just hoped the girl would take it and listen. IF she could meet her beat for beat, then she would accept her. Because she would know she wasn't a lost cause, wasn't just a rodeo bunny.

"sadey. let her alone." the hairs along colt's nape were bristling; he snorted and turned his red eyes on reno a moment before glancing to indra.
she didn't need to answer.
"now. it's high time we got outta here. winter's sure t'be hard." colt spoke with the unearned confidence of a leader, drawn almost entirely from indra's presence. "i found a few game trails, we been huntin' too. there's food aplenty."

The woman railed against her for no apparent reason except to hear herself, and to fill the air with noise. Half of which Indra did take offense to - but she looked to Colt to approximate a response, only to recognize with a nervous, hot-cheeked glare that Sadey was at least partly right. Indra didn't think too much for herself. She was learning quickly from Colt, just not quick enough for the woman apparently.

Colt came to her defense sharply enough. Indra wanted to say something more but couldn't think fast enough, and her warden's eye was turned upon her for a moment. She remained silent.
If they carried on walking now, Indra would glare a moment at Sadey and then turn her attention away. Colt had shot her down, that was enough.

Sadey snorted. Figured as much. Foolish and it's gonna get ya killed when ole colt or one of us not around ta save ya.

She glared at Colt and raised a brow. Gettin' to big fer your britches there Colt Briggs. You ain't boss a me, but in this case yer right about one things Winters comin'.

Sadey would push past them both. Eyeing the girl. Glare all yew want child, i killed men bigger than Colt Briggs neither one a yew scare me.

Then she'd say no more. She'd approach Briggs one more time bout the girl. Then well it was his problem. But if he tried to strong arm her again. Or try and order her around. She'd bite his ear off.

colt remained unconvinced that all of sadey's theatrics were not out of some sense of possessiveness toward him. he said nothing. red said nothing, though he sensed a shift in her energies. 
sadey talked a lot, but unless indra did something to cross her, colt doubted they'd come to blows. he stepped to reno's side, then turned away from the sight of natigvik, ready to be shut of the place.