Twisted Slough hiding behind a pack of lies

she gave a lot away. a mother with an infant. thankfully colt could eye her body in the typical invasive manner of his gender, and her body said nothing about suckling no babies. had to be a little bit older.
"do i look like i'm tryin' t'be someone's pa?" colt guffawed, as much for the joke as the insult that a woman should offer him what sounded like a prairie-marriage first. that was his line.
but she didn't need anything from him. the roundness of her blank pale eyes started under his skin. colt shook it off. "already know my future comes at a cost," he growled gruffly.
briggs had little more to say, even to a pretty golden creature like the one staring at him now.
"i'm headed west, spitfire. if yer still roun' these parts when i get what i want, i'll trade ya. but i don't hunt without a guarantee of somethin' in return. too much energy expended. yew get it."
a snicker. he was ready to swagger off now, turning, one ear slanted to hear any responses. colt had a mission. hunting for kids other than marston wasn't on the agenda, and besides. that boy could do his own killing now.