The Western Chronicles
by B L Miller and Vada Foster
18: First Bounty
Josie crouched down in the bushes, concealing herself from the man hiding in the bunkhouse. Wilson wasn't worth that much, but it would be enough for her to leave with Rebecca and move on. He was wanted for armed robbery and was known to drink far too much in the evenings. All she had to do was wait for him to pass out and then she could tie him up and bring him back to town. Her eyes fell on a buckboard nearby. It would be perfect to transport him with. She stole over to the barn and found one strapping horse, albeit a bit smaller than Phoenix, who was still safely tucked away at the OK Corral. Still, he would do the job. Josie settled back in the bushes and waited for nightfall to come.
Rebecca returned the book to Doc Jackson and looked around at the stores that littered the sides of the main street. Her eyes fell upon the saloon and her mouth watered for something tastier than stale water and bad coffee. She couldn't imagine any reason why she shouldn't go in and have a sarsaparilla or two or even a beer. Slipping two of the dollars Josie gave her into her bodice, Rebecca headed up the street and entered the watering hole.
Signs of yesterday's activities were still apparent throughout the room. A pile of wood that used to be tables and chairs was piled in the corner, and a fair amount of broken glass was swept into a pile in the middle of the floor. Rebecca noted that two of the large mirrors on the wall showed cracks that she hadn't noticed there before. The barkeep looked up from polishing the bar and spotted her. He frowned and looked around for her trouble-making friend before walking up to her. "I don't want another fight in here today, Miss. Now you look like a nice child, you shouldn't be hangin' out in a place like this."
"I'd like a sarsaparilla, please.", she said firmly, trying to sound every bit like her taller companion. The barkeep shook his head in defeat and handed her the bottle of soda. No sooner did she place her hand around the glass then his eyes widened and she heard footsteps behind her.
"Well, now lookie what we have here? If it ain't the purty little thing that was with that bitch in black yesterday," the lanky man who sat across from Josie during the card game said as he put his grimy hand on Rebecca's shoulder.
"Uh oh," she said softly, instantly regretting disobeying Josie's instructions.
It was nearly daybreak when Josie pulled into town on the buckboard with her captive securely tied up in the back. She left the sheriff's office a few minutes later with a note for the bank to retrieve her money. The distrusting teller tested her patience as he stalled turning over the money to the well-armed woman. It took her returning with the sheriff in tow to retrieve her cash. After a long day of waiting, all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep.
The two mugs from yesterday's coffee were still sitting on the table when Josie entered their room. Frowning, she checked around to make sure that all their belongings were still there. She went downstairs and found the round woman who ran the boarding house.
"Where's Rebecca?" The look she received from Miss Patricia chilled her to the bone.
"I thought she was with you. I haven't seen her since yesterday. She left shortly after you did." There was fear in her eyes, but no sign of deceit. Josie turned on her heels and headed to the doctor's office.
Two hours later, Josie was leaning on a hitching post, looking around and trying to figure out where Rebecca could have gone. Lifting her hat and wiping her brow, her eyes fell upon the slatted doors of the saloon. Well, it wouldn't hurt to wet her whistle, she thought.
The barkeep gave her a terrified look that went beyond the activities of two days past. "Whiskey," she barked as she leaned against the bar. She noted that his hands were shaking as he set the small glass in front of her. "I'm looking for my friend, the one that was with me the other day. You seen her?" Her tone made it clear that a lie wouldn't be tolerated. Sweat began to form on his brow as he backed up slowly. Quick as a cat, Josie reached over the bar and grabbed his shirt at the throat. She jerked him forward, slamming his gut against the wooden bar and stared menacingly at him, her face mere inches away from his. "Now you listen here, little man. Where is she?"
"Ah...she...well..." She jerked him one more time, making sure that bruises would be left behind. "Ugh...he took her."
"Who?" Her anger was at a frightening level as she cocked a gun and placed it against his nose. "I want answers and I want them...now," she nudged the cool steel against his face to punctuate her point.
"Smith. Tom Smith...he took her." At her questioning look he added, "He's the one from the poker game."
"Where?", she growled.
"Ah..." Beads of sweat were rolling down his face, which was turning red from her grip on his collar. "Small ranch 'bout two hours north of here. The Double S."
Without another word, she shoved him back and left the bar. It only took a few minutes to saddle Phoenix and tear off in search of her young friend. 'Hurt her and I'll kill you,' she vowed. She also decided that Tombstone was too dangerous a place for Rebecca to stay without her.
Rebecca pounded on the door again. "Please let me out. It stinks in here," she bellowed, knowing that no one could hear her. The outhouse was too far away from the main house. She shoved at the door again. The ropes used to hold the door closed showed no signs of budging. "Of all the places to stick me," she muttered before resuming her pounding.
Josie looked down from her perch on the hillside at the lone ranch. The area was too wide open and flat for her to attempt anything during the day. If she made a run at the ranch, Rebecca would be dead before she could reach her. Being out of earshot, she was unable to hear the young woman's calls for help from the small building set so far behind the main house. The gunslinger forced herself not to think about the possibilities of what could happen to her young friend while she waited. It was hard enough not to go blazing in there with guns drawn without having to think of Rebecca's innocence being threatened. She impatiently waited for darkness to fall.
Two lamps burned brightly inside the ranch as Josie crept up alongside the small building. She needed to know how many men she was dealing with and exactly where Rebecca was before she could make a move. Looking through the small window partially obscured by a dirty piece of cloth being used as a makeshift curtain she could only make out some of the room, noting that there were two rooms off of the main room that she couldn't see into. She watched as the lanky man she fought with at the saloon rose and headed to the door. She quietly slipped around the side as he came outside. She watched as he pulled down his britches, squatted, and relieved himself. Her brow furrowed. Why was he doing that there instead of the outhouse? He went back inside and she headed behind the house. She grinned when she saw the ropes wrapped around the small wooden structure.
"Rebecca," she whispered.
"Josie? Oh Josie, please let me out of here."
"Shh." There was silence for a moment before Rebecca heard the sound of the ropes being cut and the door opening. She stepped out and fell to her knees, gulping in draughts of fresh air. Josie grabbed her and pulled her behind the side of the outhouse. "Are you all right?" In the dim moonlight, she tried to visually inspect Rebecca for any signs that would confirm her fears.
"I'm fine, I'm just glad you're here."
"Come on, I want to be long gone before he realizes that you're missing."
It was at that time that Smith decided to go check on his captive. He was really disappointed that the tall bitch in black hadn't decided to pay him a visit. He was looking forward to getting her back for his black eye. He chuckled to himself as he thought of other things he could be looking forward to. It didn't make a difference to him if that girl lived or died; she was only good as bait for the bitch. Perhaps a little fun with her was called for, a payback to her friend for besting him in cards. He froze when he saw the partially open door to the outhouse. He never heard her come up behind him. One sharp contact with the butt of her gun on his skull was all it took to send him bonelessly to the ground.
"What are you going to do with him?" Rebecca asked as she watched Josie tie his hands and feet together.
"Take him back to town to answer for his crime." She double-checked her knots before stepping away from him. "He's lucky I didn't just kill him."
"Josie, I wasn't hurt. Just shaken up a bit."
"But you could have been," Josie snapped, taking a step closer to her. "What in tarnation did you think you were doing going into a saloon alone? You could have been killed." She grabbed the smaller woman's chin and forced her gaze upward to look at her. "Or worse, Rebecca. When I tell you to stay somewhere, stay there."
"I-I'm sorry," she stammered. Josie released her grip and took a step back.
"Don't be sorry, Rebecca. Just improve. I'm tired of rescuing you." There was anger in her voice, but something else as well, a touch of concern. She turned to pick up her quarry and place him across the back of his horse.
"Thank you for saving me...again," Rebecca said softly. She was certain that Josie heard her, but chose to ignore her.
Josie looked at Rebecca's dirty dress, then at the horse, then back to her. "How did he get you here?"
"He uh kinda threw me over the saddle. That horn really hurts when it's pressed against your ribs, you know."
"No, Rebecca, I've never had that pleasure," she sighed. "You'll just have to ride side saddle. We can't keep cutting your dresses every time you need to ride."
The ride back to town took longer than it should have because Josie had to make certain that Smith didn't fall off the horse, although she was tempted to shove him off a few times just to see him fall to the ground. Once he woke up and tried to wiggle off the saddle only to have Josie knock him back into dreamland.
After depositing him with the sheriff, Josie dropped Rebecca off at the boarding house and took the horses to the corral. Despite wanting a hot bath, Josie opted for the cool sheets and soft pillow upon returning to the room. She was so tired that she didn't even bother to remove her boots or holsters. It took some effort but Rebecca finally managed to get the two holsters off. She gave up on the idea of pulling the black leather boots off and decided to wear her own to bed to protect her feet from the hard heels. Crawling into bed next to her protector, she whispered a quiet thank you before settling down on her side and going to sleep.
19: Moving On
After a quick breakfast and cup of coffee, the pair headed over to the corral to retrieve the horses and put Tombstone behind them. Since they were going to be on the road again, Rebecca had changed from her worn dress to her britches and shirt. Once at the corral, Josie went to pay the owner while Rebecca went in to feed the horses a few apples. They weren't ripe enough for humans, but the animals didn't seem to mind. Rebecca was still intimidated by the palomino's sheer size, but was bound and determined to make friends with the horse. The gray mare in the next stall whinnied and nudged her with her nose every time Rebecca turned her attention to the big palomino. Even though the little horse had been with them for some time, it was the first time Rebecca had ever really looked at her. The little horse had a gentle, sweet expression; Rebecca could almost swear she was smiling. "Now stop pushing me," she squealed as she backed up out of reach. "Oh, you're a cute one," she said, stepping in front of the gray horse's stall. She held out one apple, which the horse took eagerly. Rebecca took advantage of the busy mouth and stroked the mare's nose. "Oh, you like that, don't you?", she cooed. Phoenix nickered in protest and she complied with another apple. "Now don't be jealous Phoenix." She went back to scratching the gray horse. "I don't remember you being so friendly before," she said as she started to use both hands to scratch and rub the smaller horse, who snorted with enjoyment. She didn't hear Josie enter the stable and lean up against one of the supports.
"Do you like her?" Her voice caused Rebecca to jump slightly.
"Well, as far as horses go, she's fine." She almost added a comment about the mare being friendlier than Phoenix but decided against it.
"She's yours," Josie said. Rebecca turned around and looked at her with a look of confusion.
"I...I guess I have been thinking of her as mine ever since...."
Josie laughed and shook her head. "Rebecca, this isn't the horse we picked up...back there." She pointed to a stall on the opposite end of the stable. "That's the horse we've had with us all along." Rebecca looked from one horse to the other, and could not imagine how she had mistaken this sweet little mare for that one.
"Really? Oh Josie," she moved over and wrapped her arms around the taller woman's waist as she gave her a hug.
"Really," she answered as she extricated the younger woman's arms from around her body. "Rebecca, I don't like to be hugged."
"Oh, sorry," she said, but the twinkle never left her green eyes. "How did you come by this horse?"
Josie shrugged as if it was no big deal. "She was with the man I brought in for the bounty. Her and the buckboard. Since her disposition seemed more...suitable for you, I decided to sell the other horse and keep this one for you."
"Buckboard? You mean I won't have to walk everywhere or ride behind you?" She gave a look up at Phoenix, her eyes showing her dislike of riding upon the massive steed.
"It would seem that way." With the look of happiness in Rebecca's eyes, Josie didn't have the heart to mention that it was still a short-term arrangement. "Let's get them ready."
An hour later they were on the road again. They rode on the flat wagon, Josie handling the reins for the mare while Phoenix walked behind, tethered to the back of the buckboard. Rebecca sat next to the gunslinger, holding the Winchester in case Josie needed it. Time passed while she related the different things she had learned from Doc Jackson's medical book and tales of American history. At some point, she decided that since the mare was her horse she had to give her a name. "Flossy," she said.
"Flossy?" Josie gave her a look. "You've got to be kidding."
"Nope. I like it. Do you like it, Flossy?" To Josie's dismay, the mare whinnied in agreement with the new name from the honey-voiced woman. "Flossy it is then."
"Flossy," Josie said as she rolled her eyes.
"Hey, be nice. I could have named her Petunia."
"Flossy is fine."
"I thought you'd see it my way," Rebecca said smugly, proud to have won the argument. Josie smirked.
"Just remember that you are responsible for 'Flossy'. You have to feed and brush her and take care of her gear."
"Oh sure, Josie. I'll do a good job too, you just watch."
"Uh huh," the gunslinger said in a knowing tone. There was no doubt in her mind that Rebecca would do everything in her power to please her or prove that she should stay with her. What Josie didn't want to admit to herself was that it was working. After taking care of Smith, there really wasn't a reason that Rebecca couldn't have stayed in Tombstone, except that Josie wouldn't be able to keep an eye on her then.
They traveled northeast, hoping to reach Wilcox by nightfall. It was an insignificant small town and wouldn't have been worth stopping in at all except that it was the last place they could get supplies before reaching the Oxbow Route. Josie drove the wagon with Phoenix tethered behind while Rebecca sat next to her. The Winchester leaned on the seat between them, within easy reach should the gunslinger need it. The hot summer sun beat down on them unmercifully, making Josie regret her choice in clothing. The black long sleeved shirt and britches only served to absorb the heat, not to mention her Stetson, which quickly found its way into the back of the wagon. It wasn't long before the top three buttons on her shirt were open in a futile attempt to cool off.
"Damn it's hot," she muttered as she wiped her brow again. The gray bandanna usually wrapped around her neck was now soaked with sweat and grime as she used it to keep the perspiration from running down her face. The dust from the road stuck to her skin, only serving to add to her discomfort. Her legs felt like they were on fire as the dark britches continued to soak in the heat. There was no sign of trees or shade anywhere. Rebecca wordlessly handed her the canteen of water. Josie tipped it up and took a large swallow before making a face and handing it back. "Ugh, that water's hot enough to make coffee," she grumbled.
"Sorry," Rebecca said before pulling out two pieces of jerky and handing one to the gunslinger. Josie shook her head.
"If I eat that, I'll have to drink more of that rancid water. No thanks."
Rebecca was never happier to see the sun setting before in her life. By mid-afternoon, Josie's mood was decidedly foul from being overheated and the young woman was afraid to say a word for fear of getting her head bitten off. They passed a small ranch and both let out a sigh of relief. Wilcox couldn't be much further ahead. "We'll rest in town for the night," Josie said, keeping her eyes straight ahead. "The horses need to rest and I need a bath."
"Yes you do," she agreed, wrinkling her nose. Josie turned and looked at her.
"Hey..." she said, feigning hurt. "You don't smell so good yourself."
Rebecca thought the gunslinger was being serious until she saw a twinkle in the blue eyes and a small grin appeared. She smiled and let out a soft laugh. Josie turned her attention back to the dusty road. "We'll get cleaned up and let someone else cook dinner," she said. Now that the sun was setting and she was beginning to cool off, Josie felt bad about the way that she had snapped at the young woman she was beginning to consider a friend. Her brow furrowed. When was the last time she cared about anyone else's feelings? It only took a few seconds for her to decide that it had been far too long. "Maybe we can even pick up a new dress for you while we're there," she said, noting the smile that came across Rebecca's face.
Since they were only staying the one night, Josie decided to splurge and get two rooms at the hotel instead of the flophouse. After bathing, they went downstairs to the combination saloon/restaurant and had a hearty meal of stew and cornbread. Josie had several mugs of beer while Rebecca sipped on her sarsaparilla. The heat from the day and their full bellies dictated an early evening and both retired immediately after dinner.
Josie awoke in the middle of the night, her dreams too much to bear. Again and again she saw the face of the young girl looking up at her, her chest completely covered with blood. She got out of bed and splashed some water on her face from the basin. Knowing that sleep would now be impossible, she settled into a chair and waited for the sun to rise.
Rebecca was sleeping soundly when Josie entered her room with two cups of coffee. "Time to get up, Rebecca," she said as she set the cups on the small table. Seeing no movement from the young woman, she kicked the bed with her booted foot, but not with much force.
"Grmphf."
"Rebecca, let's go. I want to get our supplies and get on the road early." She waited another moment, then jerked the blanket off of the sleeping girl. She never expected what happened next.
The young woman yelped and curled up into a ball, pressing herself against the wall. Her arms covered her head and her whole body shook in fear. Josie took a step back. "Rebecca?" she said softly. Slowly the young woman moved her arms and looked up at her.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "Guess you just surprised me." She crawled off the bed and headed for the chamber pot in the corner. Josie kept her back to her until she heard the scraping of the chair against the floor then turned around and took her seat. There was an awkward silence as each woman remained deep in her own thoughts. Josie watched Rebecca out of the corner of her eye. Rebecca's face and body betrayed every emotion as she fought to regain some kind of composure. She drained half of her coffee before speaking. When she did, her voice still carried a bit of shakiness to it. "Please don't wake me up like that again." Memories of her father coming in to wake her up, angry and sometimes violent flooded her mind. There were too many times that the blanket being pulled back wasn't enough to wake her after sitting up half the night reading books that he didn't know she had and she'd find herself being woken up by him pulling her out of bed roughly. She involuntarily shuddered at the memory.
"I won't," Josie said. She wanted to ask what it was that had frightened her so, but comforting and personal conversations were foreign to her now and she wasn't sure she could handle all the emotions that went with caring that much about someone else. She finished her coffee and stood up. "I'll meet you outside."
Rebecca changed into her dress, frowning at the way it looked. At dinner last night she was embarrassed to wear such a tattered thing in such a nice place, but unlike Josie, she couldn't walk around town in britches. No one dared question someone as tall and well armed as the gunslinger about her clothes, but a small thing like herself would only bring about trouble wandering around like that.
Josie was leaning against a post when Rebecca finally exited the hotel. The gunslinger looked at the faded and slightly tattered dress and grimaced. "The first thing we're doing is moseying over to the dressmaker's and getting you a new dress."
Rebecca thought about offering to make a dress herself, but something inside told her that the gunslinger wanted to buy this dress for her. She nodded and allowed herself to be led to the dressmaker.
The dressmaker was a large woman, easily twice the weight of Josie and three times the girth. The top of her dress barely held her more than ample bosom as she walked over to talk to them. "I'm Rita, owner and seamstress. And just what'll ye be looking for today, missies?"
"She needs a new dress," Josie said. "Something simple and easy to care for." She looked quickly at the wide expanse of skin showing from the front of the seamstress's dress. "And not revealing."
Rita wondered if she should have been insulted, but answered. "Aye, a simple traveling dress, perhaps? Something in a calico?" she said as she moved over to a rack containing several simple dresses of varying colors and sizes. She removed a dress from the rack and held it up so both women could see it. It was a light green checkered pattern with long sleeves and a high lace neck that Rebecca was sure would choke her. She was just about to voice her opposition to it when Josie nodded.
"That'll be fine." She turned to Rebecca and said. "You stay here and wait for the dress, and I'll go get the supplies." She strode to the door and grasped the knob, then turned back. "And Rebecca..."
"Yes?"
"Don't leave." There was something about the tone in Josie's voice that made the young blonde swear it was less of a statement and more of a question.
"I won't."
Josie nodded then left in search of the rest of their supplies. Rebecca resigned herself to her fate and let the large woman fit her for the dress. As she was being turned and pinned she swore to herself that the instant they were out of town she was changing back into to her britches. She smiled as she imagined what it would be like to see her tall companion wearing a dress.
Josie returned almost two hours later with the wagon loaded down with a variety of supplies and staples. A small washboard was securely tied to the side of the wagon, while the back area contained as many supplies as Josie could afford. She wasn't the least bit happy with the cost. The largest sack contained oats for both horses. Unwilling to ask for assistance, Josie hefted the sack herself, pulling a muscle in her lower back in the process. She was glad when Rebecca bounded out of the shop, new dress in hand, and climbed up into the wagon without assistance. The gunslinger waited until the young woman placed her new garment carefully in the small trunk under the seat then clicked Flossy into motion. The forward jerk reverberated through her sore muscle, causing Josie to take a sharp breath.
"Josie? Are you okay?" Rebecca looked at her carefully, searching for any sign of injury, wondering if the outlaw had been in another saloon fight.
"I'm fine," she replied, her eyes never leaving the road ahead as they pulled out of town.
"You sure?"
"Rebecca...." She said in an annoyed tone.
"Sorry," the young woman said. Several minutes passed before she spoke again. "Josie, have I told you the story about Daniel Boone? No? Well..." she burst into her tale, knowing full well that the gunslinger was only half-listening, but preferring to hear her own voice over the howls of the coyotes in the distance. Several hours and tales later, Josie pulled the wagon off the trail and chose a spot to set up camp for the night.
Pulling the horse to a stop, Josie waited for Rebecca to get down before slowly getting down herself. The sore muscle aggravated by hours of sitting on the wooden bench made itself known as soon as she tried to straighten out and stretch. Rebecca had just walked around to that side of the wagon and saw the unmasked look of pain on her face. "Josie, you're hurt!"
"No," she said softly. "Just a sore back, that's all."
"I could rub it for you. I mean, I still have some liniment and I got pretty good at rubbing my own muscles when they were sore."
Josie looked at her for a moment before making her decision. She reached behind her back and tried to reach the protesting muscle herself. She nodded and watched the smile break out on Rebecca's face. "Great. I'll move this stuff out of the wagon and you can..."
"No. That sack..." she said pointing to the oats, "...is what gave me this. We'll have to sleep on the ground tonight. You should be used to it by now."
"Sure, no problem." She turned and started to remove the items they would need to camp on the ground. "No problem..." she whispered to herself. "I should be used to sleeping on the hard ground, uh huh, sure. Much more comfortable than, oh, say a padded wagon back, yup."
"Quit bellyaching or I will make you empty out the wagon, including the sack of oats," Josie said, but her tone made it clear that she wasn't being serious. Both chuckled at the thought of her trying to lift the large, heavy sack.
Josie lay down on the blanket and let Rebecca deal with setting up the small camp and getting the fire started. They ate a hearty stew, washed down by Josie with a mug of ale from the small keg on the wagon while her companion settled for tepid water from the larger keg. Only when all the dishes were wiped and put away and the shotgun was placed within easy reach of her hands did the gunslinger finally remove her shirt and settle on her stomach while Rebecca knelt down next to her and opened the bottle of liniment. "Where exactly?" the young woman asked as she placed her fingers down lightly near Josie's spine.
"Lower...okay, over to the left...ow, right there...."
"Like this?"
"Yeah...just like that...." Josie closed her eyes and rested her cheek against her forearms as she relaxed under the gentle ministrations.
"I'll tell you a story...." Rebecca spoke gently as her hands continued to gently massage the muscles in the bounty hunter's lower back. Everywhere her hands moved she felt the tightness and tension and she worked slowly to loosen and relax every muscle she found.
"That reminds me of a story my mother used to tell me when I was a little girl," Josie murmured when the story was finished. She made no effort to stop Rebecca from massaging up her back. "You do that good, you know?"
"Thank you," she replied. "Would you like me to tell another story?" Her fingers kneaded and rolled over Josie's back, washing away months of tension. Getting no answer, Rebecca began another story, and another, and another as time rolled by. Several times she felt the gunslinger jerk, but she could tell that it was from the pain, not her touch. Her arms began to ache by the time she finally sat back. "How was that?"
Josie turned her head and looked at her young companion before sitting up and stretching. She rolled her head and twisted her back, allowing a small smile to come to her lips. "It feels better," she said before reaching over and grabbing her sleeping shirt. Rebecca tried not to let her disappointment at not getting a better compliment show.
"Good. Well, I guess I'll go to bed. Goodnight." She rose and headed to the other side of the fire.
"'Night," Josie replied as she watched the young woman settle into her blankets. She arched her back one more time, relishing the limberness. "Thank you, Rebecca," she said just loud enough for Rebecca to hear before turning over and facing away from her, but not before seeing the smile on the young woman's face. Josie made a mental note to compliment her more often.
20: Bite
Two days later they felt no closer to their destination. The dusty ruts in the ground led endlessly into the distance, slicing the landscape in two. Only the occasional brush or collection of rocks gave them any indication of progress. The excessive heat had not dissipated, forcing both the women and the horses to use more water than they had planned. Josie took pains to take only minimal amounts for herself, knowing that they were still a distance away from the nearest watering hole. Rebecca was aware of the bounty hunter's reluctance to take any water for herself and decided to limit her own use, an action that was not lost on Josie.
The reds and oranges of sunset filled the horizon. Josie led the wagon off the trail and to a small outcropping of brush and rocks. They fed and cared for the horses, the younger woman mimicking every move the bounty hunter made. Once Flossy and Phoenix were settled, they set about getting their camp set up. Although several pounds of oats had been used, the idea of hefting the sack out of the wagon every night and back in the morning was unappealing to Josie. So as they had been doing, they set their bedrolls on opposite sides of the fire. The gunslinger set about getting the fire going while Rebecca gathered the items from the wagon that they would need for the night. As the deep red ball of fire disappeared over the horizon and the dark gray of twilight settled in, all the gear was set up for the evening. A small pot of coffee was warming in the fire; the only luxury Josie allowed herself. "I'm going to go look around," Rebecca said as she stood up. "I won't go far."
Josie nodded and went back to cleaning her gun. As the young blonde left her sight, she said softly, "Be careful," before returning to her task.
Rebecca wove her way through the pillars of stone, mentally making note of the twists and turns so she could find her way back. The moon was not yet high enough in the sky to cast any illumination to the area. As her thigh grazed the thin branches of a small brush, she heard the unmistakable rattle. Fear gripped her now racing heart and all thoughts of direction left her mind. She took a small step backward and heard it again, this time even closer than before. In the very dim light her eyes were unable to pinpoint the location of the deadly snakes. Whether it was her eyes playing tricks on her or a real snake moving closer, she never knew. Rebecca let out a loud shriek and turned to run away. Frightened and disoriented, she tripped over the same brush that she had scraped against before and landed too close for the rattler's comfort. It struck with blinding speed, sinking it's curved fangs deep into the back of her left calf before slithering back and coiling up in a defensive posture.
Before the scream had died, Josie was racing toward her, shotgun in hand. "Rebecca!" she called as she made her way through the darkness, bumping into the stone pillars of granite in her haste.
"Josie? Josie!" Rebecca cried, her eyes wide as she tried to see any more snakes. Paralyzed by fear, she was unable to move. "Josie!" she cried again, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Rebecca!" She stopped just short of stepping on the young blonde as her keen eyes made out her form on the ground.
"S-ssnakes." Tears rolled freely down Rebecca's face as she felt the burning pain in her leg. Her protector's presence gave her the strength she needed to move. She turned and wrapped her arms tight around the gunslinger's leg. Josie picked out three snakes coiled up in the darkness. All seemed to be a safe enough distance away. She set the Winchester down on the ground and turned her attention to the terrified Rebecca.
With a firm grip, she extricated the frightened woman from her leg. "Were you bit?"
"Y-yesss," she bawled as she reached for her lower leg. Josie released her grip long enough to remove her bandanna and tear it in half. She quickly tied one piece just below Rebecca's knee and the other right above the ankle. The gunslinger scooped her up and raced back to camp.
Josie knew that time was of the essence as she set her wounded charge down on the blanket and pulled a knife out of her boot. She rolled Rebecca onto her stomach and cut the pant leg open, exposing two angry looking puncture marks against the creamy white skin. "This will hurt," she said, unsure if the young woman heard her over her sobbing. Already the affected area was puffing up. After a quick check to make sure the restricting bands of cloth weren't so tight that they cut off circulation, she placed the blade against Rebecca's skin and made quick incisions across both wounds. The young woman's cries and screams were enough to wake the dead as she tried to pull her leg away. Josie's powerful arms held her down forcefully. "Rebecca, we don't have time for you to be fighting with me. You need to calm down." She contemplated cold cocking the young woman, but the hysterical sobs gave way to sniffles. "Concentrate on your breathing. Take deep, slow breaths." Her long fingers worked to squeeze out as much blood and venom as possible. Rebecca buried her face in her hands and let out a series of ragged sobs. Josie stretched her body out along the ground, bringing her mouth closer to the bloodied leg. "I have to suck the poison out."
"No!" the young woman wailed, but she was powerless to stop her. A burning sensation was moving up her leg to her thigh and more panic set in. She felt the pressure of Josie's mouth against her calf, then a strong sucking feeling. The gunslinger drew as much of the fluid into her mouth as she could, lifted and turned her head, then spit it out before repeating the process. The vile taste made her stomach turn but she refused to let it impede her progress. Already the fluid was changing from a watery substance mixed with blood to mostly blood, but she knew that the first fifteen minutes were all there was to remove the venom. After that, they would just have to wait for the remainder to run its course. Josie sucked as hard as she could, her ears tuning out the wails and cries of her companion. When all she could taste was the blood, the gunslinger stopped sucking and reached for the saddlebag. Rebecca was still crying but had stopped the hysterical sobs. Josie removed a small roll of cloth from the saddlebag and wrapped the wound securely.
"Roll over," she said as she rose and headed for the wagon. She pulled out Phoenix's saddle and returned to Rebecca's side. "I'm going to put this under your leg. It's important to keep it elevated." The dim firelight allowed the bounty hunter to see her nod in understanding. Josie placed the saddle under her leg then covered her with the blanket, tucking it in around the young woman to keep her warm and to hopefully stave off shock.
The bounty hunter kept vigil all night over her, changing the bandage frequently. She grimly noted that the soaked bandage still showed traces of yellow, indicating that she hadn't gotten all of the venom out. The fangs had penetrated deeper than she had thought. There was nothing Josie could do now but wait and let the snake bite run its course. She knew that no matter how deep the wound, it was not life threatening. It would be painful, however, and most likely would swell up for a time before it got better. Rebecca stirred several times, but slept through the night.
She woke up to the smells of coffee brewing and meat sizzling on the fire. Josie was sitting next to her, mug in hand. "Morning, sprite. How's the leg feel?" the gunslinger said as she took a sip of coffee, trying hard not to grimace.
"It burns and my skin feels...tight."
"It's swelling. You'll have to keep it up until the swelling goes down." She poured Rebecca a cup of the strong liquid and handed it to her. The young woman propped herself up on one elbow and gratefully accepted the coffee. She took a sip, crinkled her face, and looked at Josie.
"How much coffee did you use? This stuff is really strong."
"It is, isn't it?" the gunslinger responded as she looked down at the blackness in her mug. "Well, since you do it so well, you can be in charge of making the coffee from now on." She set her mug down on the ground and stood up. "I'll be back in a minute. Stay here."
Rebecca forced herself to drink the vile coffee while she waited for the bounty hunter to return. Three shots rang out, breaking the silence of the morning. Josie returned moments later with her shotgun and three lifeless snakes in her hand. The sight of the rattlers, even dead, was enough to start the young woman's heart racing. Josie saw the panicked expression and tossed the snakes on the far side of the fire. "Dinner," she said simply. Rebecca nodded, her eyes never leaving the pile of serpents. With a sense of pride, the bounty hunter pulled out her knife and began to skin and clean the snakes. She didn't know which one had bitten her friend, but it didn't matter now. All three would make a fine stew. "We won't be moving on until your leg looks a little better."
Rebecca nodded, grateful for the chance to rest. The rock formations helped to provide some shade from the burning sun and she settled back to rest for a while longer, daydreaming of a valiant knight slaying dragons to protect a princess. Josie piled the chunks of meat into the cooking pot and leaned against the wagon, using a wheel to support her back while she started to clean her guns, a chore all but forgotten in last night's excitement.
By nightfall, the swelling had diminished enough for Rebecca to move about and make supper. Although the gunslinger seemed to enjoy the stew, the young woman found herself unable to eat it; the memory of being bitten was just too strong. She contented herself with some warmed over jerky washed down with ale. Despite her dislike for the taste, she worried about the effect the extra day would have on their still dwindling water supply.
After dinner, Josie changed the bandage on Rebecca's leg and saw that the wound was no longer oozing anything but blood. The long night of watching over the young woman caught up with her and the bounty hunter settled into bed early, leaving Rebecca alone with her thoughts. She noted that not one unkind word had been said about her getting bitten, even though she knew that if she had just remained calm, it never would have happened. She vowed to make the effort to get over her fear of snakes.