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Chapter 14

"A Foot In Both Camps"

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"I hope Dutch doesn't have a fit over us disappearin' like that. I'm sure as hell we all don't need another 'we gotta be out there makin' money' speech."

Willow chuckled, "Oh please, do say that again but in Dutch's breakin' voice."

They all either grinned or gave a small laugh, covered by a cough. Arthur was secretly tempted to, but it was probably a bad idea since they already reached camp. "We were just out scoping a lead, he doesn't need to know it was a big furry one. Well, thank you lot, I probably owe all of you something."

"It was fun." The mute smiled, yawning and turning her head at such an angle away from them, so that no one could really see her mouth. They knew she was never really comfortable about having people look at her while eating or yawning for some strange reason (Tulip would occasionally hide herself).

"Don't worry about it, Hosea." Arthur hitched Brass, giving a proud pat on its golden coat. He couldn't help but be amused that he was eyeing Sunny. A beautiful, loyal companion that has a warm marigold coat.

"I need to head out to Emerald Ranch soon, look into something."

"See you later." Willow went off to their own area to drop off the weapons, while Tulip watched Silver Dollar ride off.

It was turning into a somewhat uneventful afternoon, the air was cloudy and crispy cold. Some folks were busy doing their own thing, Grimshaw cleaning; Mary-beth playing with her crochet; Bill being drunk off somewhere; and Dutch was looking out into the landscape. Tulip decided to see what the O'Driscoll had to say, was it her being sympathetic? Or perhaps something else for the reason?

"Mm.." She walked over, passing by the chuck wagon. The smell of a new stew was made by Pearson, she wanted to improve the food herself, but she had no ingredients. (It always irked her how she had so many spices and add ons in her arsenal of seasonings - but all was left in the dust, dirt, and snow).

She saw the dark figure of the poor man, tied to the tree. Upon closer inspection, Tulip noticed little marks upon his forehead, looking as if he was recently pelted by rocks. She sat on a boulder, he was about to snooze off until he jolted in fear of her. "P- Please, I- I got nothin' to say. I..."

It was then that Tulip gestured a "shh", holding a finger to her lips. Then she lifted her head for either person to have a better view of each other's eyes. The man dropped his tense shoulders, seeing that the woman didn't mean to do anything. She didn't glare like a snake or frown disgustedly at him, unlike the men in the gang.

"What do you want?..." He mumbled quietly, unsure to speak at the frighteningly quiet lady.

It must have seemed very terrifying that the quietest in the gang approached him. She thought. Tulip rummaged around her horse's saddlebag for a different notebook, and returned with a pencil in her hand. She wrote: "Just a conversation." then, sat on the rock.

"S-so you really can't talk?" He shivered from the chilly air, growing ever so colder as the day passes onto dusk. She shook her head in a "no". His tired eyes begged the question as to why Tulip would waste time to speak with him, she merely shrugged.

"Kieran Duffy?"

"Yeah... that's my name." He shifted uncomfortably against the tree, "You know, you seem to like your horse. W-well, everyone here loves theirs. Even other gangs..."

She nodded, a small curl on the corners of her lips formed as she saw Sunny and Brass sharing a hay bale. "Her name's Sunny, used to be my parents'. But now here we are, stragglers and pests of the ever-evolving world."

He read, nodding in a solemn agreement. "Yeah. How we all end up. She's a nice Foxtrotter, I always felt right with horses. Even as a kid, I mean."

"Mhm."

"How's... How's mine? Branwen?"

She's slightly surprised how Kieran seems to show more concern over his own horse than himself. Even the mere mention of the name had a caring undertone. "We don't cruelly kill horses and people like varmints. At otherside camp." She waited for him to finish reading and then pointed past the tents.

"Good, that's good... So, wh- what's your story?" Then he quickly added, as if he may have offended her. "I- If you don't mind."

When she thought about it, it has been a long time since she had to share her own story with anyone. It was...sad, how time worked. "My home was here." She wrote. "Too young to remember my own tribe. Then moved west, tried. But diseases claimed my parents' lives. Wandered, lost, then met them."

She looked up from her book, staring at Dutch and the others. Tulip left it vague in details, but enough for anyone to know, Kieran couldn't help but laugh to his miserable self. "It was the same, 'cept we thought we was gonna be farmers in California. I- I guess many folks aren't so different..."

Tulip chuckled, "I suppose."

The Native mute suddenly stood up, dusting herself off. "You're off to work or rest then right? W-well, thank you kindly. For the conversation and all..."

She tipped her hat. "Wait." Tulip turned around to meet his tired eyes once again.

"If you want Colm, I- I'll tell you." The mentioning of the name made Kieran have a toxic, underlying tone, she was almost surprised to see such a man like him sound like that.

She wrote: "Us folks are resting, we'll pay visit soon."

He nodded and stared at the ground, Tulip walking off. Her head begins to spin its cogs and think of a plan. Whether or not he was saying it in order to bait them into a trap, seemed strangely unlikely. Otherwise, it would've happened back in the snow. Perhaps, their "social call" would be best done at night.

She went to her quarters and headed into the tent, Willow lazily almost about to snooze off. "Hn? Oh. First impressions?" The blonde asked curiously about Duffy.

"Innocent." Tulip summarized.

She agreed. "I could see that. What are we gon' do?"

"Wait for night. Pay visit to Colm."

Willow bitterly frowned, "Are we gonna let Dutch know? Anyone?"

To Tulip's distaste, she hasn't felt like speaking to Dutch. She'd feel as if they'd go into an argument again, right after a great hunting adventure with Hosea - she wouldn't want to sour up her own mood. "Yes. We'll have the gang, rid of Colm."

"I'll let Dutch know- "

Tulip gently grasped her hand before she left their tent. "Make him go easy on him. We. Wait." Her stern expression made Willow go silent, she nodded, and the mute had finally let go of her.

She grabbed her pencil and took out her journal, settling down, and laid on the makeshift bed. With deep thoughts, Tulip didn't know what to write. She tucked it away, then, as her hand flew into her pocket, the mute suddenly had grim thoughts.

"MW." She gritted her teeth and stared skywards.

I'm no different from Dutch...

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A/N:Cut dialogue, thought it was more interesting to show how Tulip would be able to speak with someone if they didn't know sign language. Makes the conversation a little more private and small, or even personal between the two. Mary-Beth will be coming in a bit later, or next few chapters where she offers the water.

His tired eyes begged the question, while a new set of footsteps sounded behind them. "Oh, Tulip... Are you Igon' scare the life outta him too?"

"N-no, m'am." He spoke a little louder, the man didn't seem to be threatened by the newcomer of the conversation. Tulip tipped her hat, it was Mary-Beth. "Just wanted to talk, is all."

"You must be in a good mood if you ain't poking him with a knife."

Published: Wed, Feb. 15h, 2020
OMG IT'S TWENTY-TWENTY.