The Silver Moon-An Add-on story

[CJF]

We have had just about any add-on storys you can think of. Accept, a Western. So, I'm going to bring in a Western.

PLOT: The plot of any other Western. There's an evil Sherrif and his Deputes run the city and blah blah blah. The towns name is "The Silver Moon." And, as I stated above, an eveil Sherrif runs it.

RULES:
Please, please no language.

There's no limit to the ammount of characters, but try not to have too many. We want to be able to include all of the characters, and it's hard to do that when there's alot.

Not too much gore. Let's keep this clean.

Its not a Western without romance. But let's keep this clean. Nothing inapropriate.

Have fun, and be creative!

NAME: Delia Witherspoon
AGE: 21
GENDER: Female
DESCRIPTION:http://img.www.tolkienonline.com/gallery/archive/blanchett_01.jpg
PERSONALITY: Friendly to just about anyone. She has a great sense of humor, and absolutly loves her horse.
HISTORY: Delia has had a good life. She is an only child,so she was pamppered.[sp] Delia's mother died fifteen years after she gave birth to Delia. Her father took care of her, until he died of a feaver. Delia was able to keep their farm, and owns a hotel. She's rather rich, but not extremly.

NAME: Jake Martin
AGE: 24
GENDER: Male
DESCRIPTION: http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc&id=1800017042&cf=pg&photoid=243518&intl=us (Kevin Costner to the left. Imagine him in a black shirt, jeans and cowboy boots.)
PERSONALITY: Cocky. Grew up, knowing he was good with a gun. Get's in trouble quite alot. Almost got hanged once, but his brother got him out of jail. Jake is not only good with a gun, but he's good on a horse. He knows he's good, and sometimes get's over confident. Friendly to just about anyone, unless Eaton doesn't like them.
HISTORY: He grew up an orphan, along with his older brother Eaton. Eaton, the polite one of the two, was known for his hospitality. Always tipped his hat at the ladys, old and young, helped women out of the carages, old and young, walked women across the streets, old and young. Eaton taught Jake a few things. Not many of them went to his head, but when he thought of it, he would tip his hat to a lady, help one across the street, help one or two out of their carges. Jake, unlike Eaton, has one weakness. A young woman named Delia Witherspoon. Jake and Delia were friends, but not much more. Jake liked Delia quite a bit, but wanted to travel more than anything. He went to California with his brother at age thirteen. He's been gone for ten years, and has finally come back to Silver Moon Texas.

NAME: Eaton Martin
AGE: 29
GENDER: Male
DESCRIPTION: He looks like Scott Glen. (Vertical Limit, Hunt for the Red October, Silverado.) Short, dark blonde hair, slightly dark skin, gray eyes. Wears a white shirt, jean pants, black cowboy boots, a red bandana and a brown cowboy hat.
PERSONALITY: Friendly to most. Can tell if someone is a friend or foe in their attitude.


Have fun!

 

[CJF]

Eaton rode into Silver Moon, and down to the house at the end of town. Jake had stopped by the hotel to fill up his canteen. Eaton walked up the steps, and knocked on the door.

Delia walked to the front door. She opened it, and gasped.
"Delia?" the man asked, taking off his hat.
"Eaton Martin! After ten years you finally come back. Come on in."
Eaton walked inside the house. It was quiet, but was neatly kept. Delia showed him to the front room. He sat in a chair, and talked while Delia made some coffee.
"Was California what you thought it would be?"
"It was alright. It was actually quite lovely. But Texas suites me more."
"What did Jake think of it?"
"Oh, he didn't like it at all. Probably because you weren't there."
"Oh, I doubt that."

Not much of a beginning, but it's better than nothing.

 

[Kookaburra]

lol, I'll have to add my bios after dinner . . . lol. I just read a western book. lol. lol. lol.

 

[Kookaburra]

NAME: Nairre *Nai* Daimond

AGE: 23

GENDER: Female

DESCRIPTION: http://personal.buildpage.com/Kendra/arce_e2.jpg

PERSONALITY: Beautiful, quiet . . . *but* . . . strong of will and utterly fearless. She carries a derringer in the folds of her skirt, with easy access through a slit in her pocket, and has a Walch 12-shot Navy Pistol in her duffel. She is so withdrawn, though, that people think her shy and gentle, or harmless. She is at most times, but will not hesitate to defend herself or her sister if or when trouble arises.

HISTORY: Half Spanish, she is the oldest living of her family and not afraid to stand alone in a world that seems pitted against her family. Her mother wasted away after her father was deliberately challenged to a gun duel in El Paso and gunned down by a dryditcher (someone who is hired to kill someone else from ambush) hidden in a stable loft. She defended the family honor and when her older brother was also killed, she rode with the posse that caught and jailed the killer. Although he escaped later. She now takes care of her brother and sister. She was practically born on horseback, her father having been a horse rancher in Colorado. Now, she comes south to Texas with their best breeding stock. Not exactly rich, but not penniless either. She knows how to ride, and she knows how to shoot with both rifle, shotgun and the pistol.


NAME: *Lute* Daimond

AGE: 22

GENDER: Male

DESCRIPTION: http://www.geocities.com/laurea_lasse/holcomb_p1.jpg

PERSONALITY: Strong-willed and as fearless as his sister, he wears his colt .44's though he prefers not to use them. Dressed impeccably always and speaks like a scholar, also like his sister. Is not afraid to use his guns, but his fierce moods are tempered by the wisdom of his eldest sister and the protective urge for his youngest.

HISTORY: Same as Nairre's.


NAME: Consuelo *Conni* Daimond

AGE: 20

GENDER: Female

DESCRIPTION: http://www.geocities.com/laurea_lasse/arce_e1.jpg

PERSONALITY: Stubborn and somewhat rebellious, she lives to ride and she is in love with love itself. She is what some call a 'victorian romantic', where she longs always for a knight in shining armor. She looks with a conquering eye on the West, and she intends to have met the entire town of Silvermoon by the time a fortnight is up, and have both friends and passionate enemies. She is a born-and-bred actress, and a slight flirt. But her hand is steady enough with a rifle and she knows how to load her sister's pistol.

HISTORY: Same as Nairre's, only she suffered more because her mother had the same artistic temperament as her -- the Spanish blood -- and she feels all losses and happiness more sharply than others.



ic:>> The stage rattled around the last turn of the arraiyo, emerging to climb the difficult talus slope up onto the broken lip of the Crescent Mesa, where Silver Moon was founded, the terraced hillsides reaching up into the morning mist as tendrils of smoke rose slowly from stone chimneys, stinging Nai's eyes as she stifled a bout of sneezing. Conni leaned forward expectantly, nearly pushing her sister out of the stagecoach. Her breath clouded the window. "Is this it?" she demanded, somewhat dissapointed. "Is this Silver Moon?"

Nairre smiled slightly and nudged her half-asleep brother. "You can see the town; we have just to cross the plank bridge over Grulla Creek, and we're there." Despite her usually unemotional demeaner, she was excited. She'd waited a full year for this -- a ranch of her own, with her own horses.

Lute rolled his eyes and moved away obligingly, letting Consuelo have a clearer view. "It'll keep."

Then the stage skidded to an efficient halt and let several riders pass before it took the bridge. A few moments later, they rattled across some loose gravel and halted in front of their stage stop.

"It's the end of the line!" The driver shouted, and the door opened. Lute was out and helping his sister down when a soft-eyed, deceptively young-looking man bowed to them, helping Connie out. She nodded politely, then stared around her. The man looked after her, a somewhat half-amused, half-annoyed look flashing through his great, soft brown eyes. For all her flirting and beauty, Conni always was slightly astonished when men seemed to like her very much.

An older, steel-haired, blue-eyed man waved at them and led them across the street, into a hotel. Nairre momentarily glimpsed the lights already on in the saloon down the street. Disturbed unconsciously, she pulled off her gloves and followed him to the restaurant in the back of the hotel. "I'll have the broom-boy take up your things," he said. "I'm Brian McLellan, and this is my daughter Cher." He gestured to the petite, pretty girl who was serving drinks. She smiled faintly and dropped her eyes. Nai met Conni's eyes and they exchanged a knowing glance as Lute looked at Cher interestedly.

"I see you've met Dornie Shaw," McLellan said, gesturing towards an empty table.

"I'm sorry -- who did you say?" Lute stiffened, staring sharply at the older man, who smiled slightly.

"Dornie Shaw. He's Silver Moon's deputy sheriff."

Lute waved his hand slightly. "All right. Who is running this town?"

"Wal, now. I'm Mayor and Dan Starless is Sheriff, with Ike Perry as Judge."

"All right." The conversation drifted to other areas, and then McLellan left to meet some other people of the town.

Lute looked over at Conni. "Would you like to see how are rooms are? Nairre and I are taking a walk down to see the horses."

Conni hesitated. "I'll be along soon, I want to freshen up."

"Sure." When they were out in the open are, Nairre nodded towards the saloon. "Who's Shaw? And Starless?"

"Dornie Shaw is the fastest gunslinger this side of the Brazos, and not the most honest. Dan Starless was wanted in two states for embezzling, but the charges were dropped when the witnesses vanished."

"Who's Ike Perry?"

Lute shrugged. "I don't know. I've never heard of him before." He rubbed the nose of their top stallion. He frowned. "I'll keep an eye out for trouble, sis."

Nairre spotted Consuelo leaving the hotel, and she began to saddle up her personal mare. "Me also. And remember -- " she gave Lute a smile " -- remember to be careful."

"I'm loaded for bear, sis. Don't worry."

Nai and Conni saddled up, mounting and riding along the town. Nai looked thoughtfully at Conni. "Keep an eye out for trouble, Con. There's danger here somwhere."

Conni winked. "Nai, I'll lend two. And I'm armed." The rifle was in its scabberd on the saddle. She looked alert, active. "C'mon Daeros," she said to her gelding, "Let's race Nai and her 'palous to the flat."

"Excuse me!" Nai smiled playfully. "She's not to be referred to as an appalousa, but as Excaliber, or her rightful name -- Mearas de la Lahrsi." She said this with a slight Spanish inflection in her voice.

Conni rolled her eyes. "Just call her Losa!"

Nai grinned. "All right, Losa . . . go ! " They raced across the hard-packed dirt of the path, and up the winding path towards the upper section of town, where most of the hotels were. Silver Moon was divided into two sections -- the hotel district, and the residential. They were staying in one of the few hotels in the residential district.

 

[CJF]

Eaton and Delia talked for some time.
"Do you have a place to stay?" Delia asked.
"Jake is suposed to be getting two rooms in a hotel. Who knows what he might be up to. I'd better check on him. I'll be right back."
Eaton put on his hat, made sure his pistol was loaded and walked outside. He saw Jake walk out of a rather large hotel.
"Hey Eaton! We lucked out. They had only two rooms available. It was kind of costly, but not as bad as the one across the street. It would have taken all of our money just to get one room."
Jake looked past Eaton to the house he had just come from.
"Hey, isn't that Mr. Witherspoon's house?" Jake asked.
"Yes." Eaton said.
Jake walked passed Eaton. He knocked on the door, as Eaton was walking up the steps.

Delia opened the door and practically screamed.
"Jake?"
"Delia?" Jake asked.
Delia wrapped her arms around Jake, in a friendly hug.
"Oh my goodness! You look more like Eaton than ever!" she said, backing away, and inviting both of them in. Jake took off his hat, and sat down. Delia got them both a cup of coffee.
"So, are you two planning on staying here, or do you pan on going back to California?" Delia asked.
"Oh, I don't know about Eaton, but I'm staying here. California's nice and all, but Silvermoon is better."
"Well, if Jake doesn't want to go back to California, I'm staying here. Someone has to keep him out of jail." Eaton joked.

Later that night, Jake and Delia were ridding their horses around town.
"You've come back at the wrong time Jake. The town is being controled by Dan Starless. He was elected Sherrif, and now he's running the town like we're his cattle. His deputes are everywhere. You tick them off, and you either get shot, or thrown in jail."
"I reckon I came at just the right time. Someone's gotta protect you."
Delia laughed. "Jake, these guys are proffesionals. Now, you're good, but if you get on their bad spot, they'll kill you. And I'd rather you stay alive."
"You don't think I can taken them?" Jake said dissmounting his horse.
"Jake, I don't doubt that you can. It's just that even if you could, you'd probably get yourself killed doing it." Delia said, dissmounting her horse.
She walked up to Jake.
"You just got back. Relax, and catch your breath. You don't need to end something that hasn't started yet."
"But you just said that the Sherrif is treating you like his cattle?" Jake said.
"Only the ones who stand in his way. The ones he thinks will be trouble, the ones who stand up to him. But the ones he thinks he can use, like the rich ones, he treats like royalty. But only to get them to trust him. Soon, he'll have them crawling on their hands and knees, begging for mercy. Jake, don't start anything yet. It's not the right time. The time will come when we will be ready to fight him. But we're not ready yet."
"Okay. The lady knows best." Jake said.
Delia smiled, and flicked the tip of Jakes hat just hard enough, that it fell off his head.
"I like you better, without the hat, Jake Martin." she said.
Jake smiled. "I would have liked California better if you had been there." Jake said. "I really missed you."
"I missed you too. Ten years was long enough, wouldn't you say?"
"It was too long. I only expected to be gone a month. And pretty soon, five years had gone by. I'm glad I'm back."
"I'm glad you're back too." Delia said.
Jake smiled and gave Delia a quick kiss on the lips. Then he mounted his horse.
"The sun's almost set. I should get you back to the house."
Delia mounted her horse.
"Jake, remember the old trail we used to race on?"
"Yeah."
"Okay then. I'll race ya!" And Delia was off.
"Hey! You cheated!" Jake yelled as he followed her.
A few minutes later, Delia walked into her house, laughing so hard she could hardly walk. About a minute later, Jake walked into the house, soaking wet.
"Jake, you're dripping all over the floor." Delia scolded. Jake stepped out onto the floor, as Eaton ran up the steps.
"What happened to you?" he asked, looking at Jake. Delia started laughing again.
"Delia was so kind, as to knock me off my horse, into a river." Jake said.
"Eaton, you...you should have seen...seen the look on his face!" Delia said between laughs. Eaton smiled.
"You finally took a bath. Thank you ma'am." Eaton said walking back to the hotel.
"You'd better change into some dry clothes, before you catch a cold." Delia said, turning serious, but still had a smile on her face.
"If you weren't so pretty I'd be mad about now." Jake said smiling. He tipped his hat, and walked to the hotel. Delia walked back inside, and went upstairs for the night.

 

[Kookaburra]

Nairre sat in the thick darkness, listening to the rise and fall of her sister's shallow breathing as she sought for sleep that would not come. Finally, Conni sat up and crept to where Nai was sitting beside the open window.

"Can you not sleep?" Nai asked, hearing the slight creak of the boards.
"No. I can't stop thinking that we should go back."
"It will be rough, but we'll manage. Tomorrow we go to visit our new home."

Connie was silent for a moment. "Mr. McLellan said it would be best to avoid Main Street. He said something, sort of like a warning. 'The town has been quiet -- too quiet. There have been no killings in three days'. Three days!"

"I know," Nai said at last, turning. "It is the way of western towns. The law of survival -- kill or be killed. Survival of the fittest."
"But so much killing -- so much death."
"We lived too long in the East, where fueds are now settled by attorneys and lawyers. Here they are settled by the gun."

Conni hesitated, and studied her sister's profile. "Do you think I'll ever meet someone . . . ?"
"Of course you will. Everyone loves you. All you need to do is choose the right one."
"Yes . . . . " Conni was thoughtful. She admired, perhaps even felt something for the Dornie Shaw that had assisted her down from the stagecoach. But she'd only seen him from a distance. "I'll have to meet him sometime," she murmured out loud.
"Who?"
"Oh, that man that helped me down from the stage."
"Dornie Shaw?"
"Yes! Him."
Nai was silent, brooding. Thoughtfully, she looked at her sister. "I have heard they judge men by their actions here, and not by their past. Still, be careful."

Conni smiled playfully. "Oh, I will! I will -- " There came the loud popping of gunfire down the street in the darkness, and the harsh crack of a rifle. A pause, then a single shot.
"Well . . . . " Conni said vaguely. She never finished her sentance, but drifted off to bed.

~~~~~

The stifling dust stirred up underneath the wagon, swirling in plumes around the horsemen. The grit filled Nai's eyes until she rubbed them clear. She had followed the lead of some veterans and covered her mouth and nose with her black silk kerchief to keep it from her airways. Still, the dust rose and the relatively small bronzed patch of barran salt flats kept receding into the distance. At length -- around a half hour after departing the town -- the ground became firmer, and less dust rose. Less than twenty minutes after that, and rolling green meadows spread before them, unrolling like the pages of a scroll. At the top of a small ridge, Nairre looked down on her new ranch. The R Bar D (brand appears as http://www.cowboy.mb.ca/rbard/images/rbardcut.gif only without the cowboy) was mostly rich grassland tapering off into the fir-clad foothills and finally to the Paseo mountains themselves (made that up). A sort of blue haze hung over the alpine slopes. From here, you could see the glitter of water in several places, and she smiled. Well-watered and well-maintained, this was the ideal place to build a horse ranch. Looking back, she counted the horses being herded in front of the wagon. Twenty there were, but she planned on buying more. Out of her father's herds, she had but a fraction -- his best -- of his herds. The rest were sold to pay off long-standing debts.

Conni spurred Daeros up beside Calli (Excaliber) and halted, breathing deeply. She gestured towards the hills. "Look at them! The Euphrates would not have inspired more passion than those mountain-streams. This is a land I can love!"
"It is land for man and woman to settle. It is ours."
"C'mon, let's hurry. I can see the homestead, and I'm hungry," Lute said, flashing them his movie-star smile. His sisters fell about laughing, then they rode up to the ranch headquarters and stabled their horses. Behind them, their breeding stock was herded into corrals, and the cook went into the house to begin lunch.

The ranch house was situated in a perfect place for defence. Not by chance -- two houses had been burned here by Blackfeet and Apache, and one of those owners had been killed. The other was wiser, and lit a shuck for California. The new owner built the house like a fort, back against an upthrust of sandstone, with access to the top of the overhang from inside the house, and a large cave behind, where one could live for days. There were various tunnels, both natural and man made that led out. The House sealed the opening to the cavern, but there was still free air inside from ventilation shafts. Supplies were cached in the Range shacks, in the hills and in this cave. It was large enough to hold at least a hundred horses. The house itself had heavy oak doors and was built of native rock, with eye holes for rifle muzzles in the walls. the walls sloped outwards with windows on the top, to kill any indians that might try to set fire to the walls. It had a good view for miles in any direction, and especially the corrals and bunkhouse. If one so wished, they could climb to the top of the upthrust behind the house and see the mountains to the West and North, and even see Silvermoon in its entirety. The plateau sloped downwards from this point to give this effect.

Nairre turned to Consuelo. "It's beautiful. And it's ours!"
Conni nodded. "We need supplies, though. Should we start back?"
"The horses are tired, so we will switch mounts. Lute can take care of things here."
They raced back up the path, two indomitable spirits.

 

[CJF]

Jake walked up the stairs of the fancy hotel. He nearly ran into Eaton.
"Where have you been?" Eaton asked.
"I took a walk with Delia." Jake said, taking off his black coat.
"Oh, I see." Eaton said knowingly. Ever since Jake first met Delia, he'd been attatched to her. He denied it for years, but decided not to hide the truth. A year and a half before Jake and Eaton decided to go to California, Jake and Delia's friendship had grown. They were really close. Eaton had seen, over the past ten years, that Jake had feelings for Delia. And it was true.
Jake changed into some dry clothes, and went to bed. But to be on the safe side, he kept his to pistols right next to his bed.

The next morning, Jake woke up an hour after sunup. He dressed into his usuall outfit. Black boots to the knees, jean pants, a belt with two holsters carrying his to silver pistols, a white undershirt, a black over shirt, with long strings hanging down from the wrists to the elbows, and a red bandana. He left his hat off, since Delia liked him better without it.
He walked outside, just as Eaton walked down the stairs.

(And now for a little action to begin...)
Delia walked into the Saloon, to deliver a few silver pieces to a friend. She went to the back room.
"Sarah, here are the three silver pieces I owe you."
"Oh thank you Delia." Sarah said, and walked into the front room. Delia turned to leave, and was stopped by one of the sherrif's deputes.
"Tyree I've told you. I'm not lending you any money." Delia said.
Tyree stood tall, his sandy blonde hair hanging neatly to the side. Tyree was rather dashing, but he was a killer. Delia had seen it. Tyree had asked her for money for months. She had always said no, fearing that one yes would lead to something more. She knew he didn't really want her money. Tyree walked closer. Delia stood where she was. She was scared for one thing. She had always been scared of Tyree. Everyone was. Well, mostly everyone. Those who weren't scared, usually got shot. Tyree kept walking closer, until he was looking down at her. He said nothing. He just stood there. Delia turned and walked out the back door. She rounded the corner and stopped. She saw Jake walking out from the hotel. Three of Tyree's men were watching him. One from directly across the street, one to the left, and one right next to him. Delia pretended as if nothing was wrong. She put on her best smile, and ran across the street.
"Jake!"
Jake turned and smiled.
"You look lovely this morning."
"And you look...dry. Better than last night." Delia said. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the guy behind Jake get his pistol ready. She had to do something.
"Would you care for some breakfast?" Jake asked. "My treat."
"Well, you do have some manners. Breakfast sounds nice."
Jake escorted Delia across the street and into a small hotel. They found a nice tabel, and sat down.
"Jake, you've got three men following you." Delia whispered.
"I know. I saw them when I walked outside. They were following me yesturday as well. You know, I've known you for...nearly twelve years and I've never seen you in a dress."
"I hate dresses Jake. You can't move in them. You can't fight in them either. I have a few dresses for special ocassions. But I never where them."
"I was just wonderin' cause you never wear dresses. It was just a bit strange to me that's all."
Jake and Delia talked and talked while they ate.

When they were done, Jake escorted Delia back across the street to her horse. Delia mounted and rode out of town, but rode around back, incase Jake needed any help if some trouble started. Which it did.

Jake went to walk back into the hotel, but the guy that was once behind him was blocking the way. The guys pistol was loaded, and ready so that all that needed to be done, was pull the trigger. Jake backed into the middle of the street, and the two other guys pulled out their pistols and stood behind them.

Delia ran int he back door of the hotel and up the stairs. She knocked on Eatons door and entered.
"Eaton, Jake could be in trouble." she said. Eaton grabbed his pistol and his bullet belt, and followed Delia down the stairs. She led his around the back of the hotel, and up an ally to where they could see what was happening. A rather large crowd had stopped to see what would happen.
"There's only three. Jake can handel them."
"Tyree's men are everywhere. If one get's killed, they all jump out of the hive and sting like crazy. Over twenty of them fill this town."
"Twenty!" Eaton got his pistol ready.

Jake kept his hands in the air. He was quick with his guns, but to take out this trio he would have to be quick minded as well. He hadn't done anything to these guys, so it would be legal for him to deffend himself. Hopefully he wouldn't go to jail for deffending himself...again.

Delia ran a little closer. She looked around. Tyree's men were everywhere. On rooftops, behind wagons, in windows. Delia pulled her two pistols, and held her hands to her side. She was ready. Eaton was ready. And Jake was ready. Now, all they could do was wait.

 

[Kookaburra]

hehe, I hope you don't mind.

~~~~~

Conni handed Nai the field glasses. "What do you think?"
Nai couldn't resist her smile. "We've got two packhorses, rifles and pistols."
"Think we can do it?"
"Of course!"
"Yeehaw!" shrieked Conni, firring her pistol as fast as she could. The earch hammered with the pounding of thousands of hooves as the herd of longhorns stampeded down main street, frightened by the gunfire. In the thick of it, Conni and Nai were carried along, their horses tossing their heads. As the cattle surrounded Jake, the gunmen lost their marks and missed in every shot they fired. During the confusion, he swung onto the back of one of Nai's packhorses and pulled Delia up in front of him, limp.

They vanished out of sight, until the cattle carried them out of Silvermoon onto the salt flats. There, the stampede faltered, then scattered, and Nai rode over to Jake to collect her packhorse. "I hope you had fun," she said, grinning. She saw Eaton running into sight and others close behind. "They will be here soon -- they won't be fooled for long. What do they want you for?" She saw the blood staining Delia's shirt and instantly was on the ground by the horse, touching the wound.

"She needs help, bad. Would the town be safe, or should I hire a buckboard and get her out towards our ranch? I know some of such wounds."

Conni extricated herself from the herd and cantered towards them, through the shimmering heat waves. Her horse shied when it smelt blood, and she calmed it, looking towards the men swarming their direction. "I'll hold 'em off if need be." She glared darkly, fingering her rifle stock.

 

[CJF]

Jake grabbed his pistols, shot the guy in front of him, turned and short both of the guys behind him before they had even touched their pistols. Jake looked around. No sign of anyone else.

Delia looked up onto the roof of a hotel. One of Tyree's men was aiming at Jake.
"Jake!" she screamed as a shot rang out. The man on the roof fell. Jake turned and waved his thansk to Eaton. Shots began ringing out everywhere. People screamed and ran inside. Jake began firing at anyone firing at him. Delia took cover behind a wagon. Jake was directly across the street to her left.

Tyree walked slowly up the ally way. He saw his target. He aimed. He fired. He missed! Delia turned and saw Tyree running at her. She jumped ou fo the way just in time. She kicked Tyrees gun away, and aimed hers.
"Tyree! If you move I'll shoot. Don't think I wont."
Another shot rang out, and Tyree took his chance. He grabbed Delia's hand, and twisted it, trying to get her to let go of her pistol. Delia faught and faught, trying to keep her pistol in her hand. Suddenly, a huge pain hit her side. She let out a slight scream. Tyree got the pistol out of her hand. Delia kicked Tyree in the knee, breaking it. She kicked the other knee. He couldn't walk. She took her pistol away from Tyree, who was angrily trying to get to her. Delia looked at her side. Blood stained her shirt. She had been shot. Soon, Jake was at her side.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine Jake." she said, presperation running down her face, pain dripping from her voice. Jake covered her. He kept shooting. They were getting no where. The sun was to bright. Neither side was hitting anything. Tyree was the only one who'd hit his mark. And still, he'd meant to kill Delia, not wound her.

 

[Kookaburra]

oops. read my post. << embarrassed >> I'll say that they leant a packhorse to Delia, also.

 

[CJF]

Never mind my post. I didn't see yours. :o

Jake looked over his shoulder at Eaton and Delia.
"The one on the black horse is my brother. The other, well she's a close friend."
Looking back at Nai he said, "Thank you. If you hadn't showed up I would have had to kill those guys. I've only been here for about twenty four hours. I don't want to wind up in jail yet."
Jake dissmounted the horse, as Delia and Eaton rode up. Delia, the most concerned one of the two, dissmounted imediatly and walke dup to Jake.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"I'm in one piece. Thanks to them." Jake said looking at Nai.

 

[Kookaburra]

Nono, reread my post. We'll go with both. sorry for the confusion!

 

[CJF]

Oh, okay. Gottcha. Let's say that the fight stopped, and Jake, Delia and Eaton rode out to thank Nai and Consuelo. Does that work?

 

[Kookaburra]

okay. After the stampede trampled a couple deputies. And isn't Delia wounded? but anyway, you do the first post.

 

[CJF]

Yeah, Delia's wounded. Do you mean the first post after the shooting?

 

[Kookaburra]

yes, I do mean just after the shooting.

 

[CJF]

Okay.

Jake insisted that Delia ride with him, but Delia said she'd ride by herself. Jake helped her on the horse. He mounted his own, and after Eaton joined them, they rode out to where Nai and Consuelo were. Jake thanked them.

 

[Kookaburra]

lol. kinda short.

~~~~~

The shimmering heatwaves of the salt flat enveloped the girls as they cantered out of the herd of cattle, silent. Nai's keen sight deciphered that men were coming from Silvermoon, and Conni's eyes searched out Dornie Shaw among them, and her demeanor brightened considerably.

Nai nodded to Jake, smiling slightly. "It wasn't a problem. I always side underdogs. In fact, I am an underdog."

Delia leaned out far over her horse's withers, her face pale. Nai was on the ground and at her side instantly, her fingers probing out the wound. A crimson stain was spreading, and Delia's eyes were wide. "The bullet is still in her flesh. We must get her to a doctor."

Eaton hesistated. "The doctor was one of them shooting at us, ma'am."

"Miss . . . Conni, hire a buckboard, here's some money." Sensing the urgency, Conni nodded and sped off. "We'll take her out to my ranch. I know some healing skills." She looked up seriously at Jake. "You be careful. The entire town seems to be gunning for you, and we just got here yesterday morning. I don't know anything of what's going on. Her eyes shifted to Eaton, then to Delia. She helped her to the ground, and she plugged the wound to stop the bleeding.

 

[CJF]

Here is my post.

Eaton looked at Jake, and Jake looked at Eaton. Eaton could tell that Jake was mad. Eaton gave Jake a sympathetic look, and Jake seemed to calm down a bit. Jake came back to his senses and helped Nai with anything she might need. Delia had gone unconciouss already.

Sorry. Not much.

 

[Kookaburra]

that's okay. I will post a longer one later.

~~~~~

The rattle of the buckboard's wheels on the gravel brought Nai to her senses. The men were very close now -- Jake had hidden in some brush along the side of a dry creek, and Eaton stood his horse, his rifle ready and his eyes alert. Conni dropped to the ground from the still-moving wagon and helped to lift Delia into the spring-wheeled buckboard. Nai looked approvingly at these. "Good, it will not hurt her so much now, with springs. You drive while I bind the wound quickly." With one lithe move, she hooked the reins of their two riding horses on prongs for that purpose and even as she stepped into the vehicle, it was scattering sand. The men looked on them darkly, but even the New Mexican gunhand *Snake* Fernandez objected to shooting women, and men in the back. Codes of the west were strictly kept, except by the most unscrupulous. Dornie carefully hid any resentment to Eaton as they passed, not wanting a bad impression on Conni, who he doffed his hat to.

Further along the dry creek bed, Jake joined them, and they hightailed it for the ranch. Being in a hurry, they travelled quicker than their outward ride, despite swerving around potholes and large stones to make Delia's ride more comfortable. The bandages that Nai applied were already soaking, and Delia's face was pale from bloodloss as well as shock.

They arrived at the ranch, and they carried Delia to a table, after sterilizing the tabletop. For fifteen minutes, Nai carefully probed the gunwound until she managed to draw out the bullet. She placed the piece of twisted shrapnel on the tabletop, then handed it to Conni. "What does this look like?"

Conni's finger traced the bullet to the flat tip. "Someone cut off the end. It makes the bullet spin faster and become larger on impact, making a larger wound than is made by untouched bullets."

"It was fired from a small handgun," Nai added. "We're lucky it struck where it did. No internal damage that I can see, but she'll have bad scarring always. If she can survive on the little blood she has, she'll still have to survive infection." She looked over at Jake and Eaton. "That means that only Conni or myself may see her until the wound closes." They started to protest, but she stopped them. "We'll have to keep her in a seperate room."

Swiftly, she dabbed a mixture of diluted lysterine (yes, it was invented back then, but pretty rare -- it was first invented to fight desease in the surgery) and water around the wound, hoping to cleanse it of bacteria. Then she tore up some rags and wrapped them tightly around her middle body, tying it expertly. A sad look passed into her eyes, and when they'd carried her to a different room, Conni turned to Eaton.

"She had to help in the battle on Etheridge . . . not many would have died that she treated, but the indians snuck into camp early in the morning and killed most of the wounded while they slept. She was lucky -- she was at the spring for water." Then, she looked out the window. "There's riders coming."

"How far?"

"Around two or three miles."

Wordlessly, Nai ran outside and got Eaton and Jake's horses. She concealed them in the cave behind the house, and she bade the men themselves to either stay back there or to go up onto the watch-rock and keep well hid. "After all, they don't know you're here, and I'd like to avoid as much trouble as possible." A haunted look came to her eyes.