[ AUTHORS NOTE: So I adore RDR2 and have recently begun another playthrough, hence the inspiration to write in the genre, and though I do approve of how the game ended I wanted to change just a few things about the outcome. So this is my retelling of RDR2, many things will change as time goes on. We'll see how far we get anyway! Remember all feedback is greatly appreciated! Can't wait to get things going :) Hope you enjoy this first snippet-as you can tell things will change dramatically. ]

Red Dead Redemption: An Outlaws Redemption

"Why don't you take young Lenny with you? He could do with some experience from a man such as yourself," Dutch nodded in the direction of the youngest gang member who sat at one of the tables opposite Mary-Beth he was playing with the knife and drumming it against the wood. Arthur cast a look in the young man's direction. Out of all the gang members to choose from, aside from Charles, Lenny was one of the ones Arthur could tolerate for more than an hour. The boy was young but he showed promising spirit and grit to survive in the collapsing west like Dutch had said before 'always the first one on his horse'.
"What you mean Micah didn't show him enough?" Arthur muttered sarcastically blowing a plume of smoke from his lips. Dutch cocked a brow. Did Arthur need Lenny though? He only needed to threaten a good for nothing do-gooder how hard could that prove to be? Thomas Downes was a spindly thing that only preached for the poor and helpless but the man couldn't help himself! All that money he tried to raise in Valentine he should have been smart and raised it for himself. If he had he wouldn't find himself in the position he was in.
Arthur plucked the cigarette from his lips and shrugged.
"Alright fine." Arthur tossed the used butt to the side and pulled the peak of his hat down across his brow. Giving a nod to Dutch and Strauss he turned and marched forward.
"He's more slippery then he seems, Mr. Morgan. Don't take any nonsense," Strauss called out after him.
"Nonsense, me?" Arthur smirked feigning shock before shaking his head and continued his march.
He knew what to do and how to do it.
Strauss should have had a little more faith in him.
He passed Charles who was hauling a number of rabbits towards Pearson, John was sat awkwardly with Abigail as they attempted a conversation, Jack was scurrying about after Hosea and Uncle was harassing Grimshaw...or maybe it was the other way around.
"Morning, Arthur," Mary-Beth looked up from the table where she sat with Lenny. Arthur tipped his hat.
"'Scuse me, Mary-Beth. You don't mind if I borrow Lenny here?"
Mary-Beth's cheeks turned a shade of pale pink and she raised her brows.
"Course I don't!" She stammered. Arthur grinned.
"You need something Arthur?" Lenny asked curiously over his shoulder as he picked up the revolver off the table and holstered the weapon before sliding the blade he had been playing with away.
"Dutch wants you to have a bit more experience in debt collecting, come on. You'll need your horse," Arthur turned.
"Sure thing!" Lenny grinned bouncing up from his seat and toward the eastern side of the camp where Maggie would be waiting him.

Arthur approached the large dappled grey hide of Lux. The stallion raised its head in the morning light, it's long white forelock was draped over its eyes like curtains. The Hungarian half-breed dwarfed most of the camps horses, Old Boy being his only rival, but the outlaw was growing to have quite the companion in the beast. After Boadicea Arthur wasn't sure he'd find another horse as good but Lux was proving himself to be just as good, if not better. Reaching out he snatched the rains from the hitch, with a jerk the rains slipped free and were swung over the beasts thick neck. The stallion chewed at the iron in its mouth as Arthur fastened the girth of the saddle its ears flickering back briefly. The day was warm, a subtle heated breeze was washing down from the north, flies zipped around the undergrowth irritating the rest of the horses that pulled at the grass. The sky was a teal blue fading slowly into a dreary grey, clouds rolling in front the ocean down south. Arthur finally threw his foot up catching the stirrup before hauling himself up onto the stallion. Lux grunted before spinning instinctively beginning away from the camp before a gentle pull on the rains halted him. Arthur cast his eyes across the camp to where Lenny was bustling forward, pony in tow. Once the boy had mounted they got underway. Trotting from the camp both horses left the cover of the trees heading onto the beaten road toward the Downes ranch.

The air grew thick, stifling, the heavy weight of a storm was rolling in quickly. Arthur wanted to get this done before the damned thing hit he hadn't brought his duster coat and with only the loose white shirt he didn't fancy getting caught in a downpour. A pair of deer took flight as they rode the trail, Arthur made note of their location for when he went hunting next. Rabbits scurried through the grasses to their burrows seemed they knew about the storm too. Arthur held the rains loosely in his left hand, Lenny following happily. The little mustang had to work hard to keep pace with the Hungarian's extended strides.
"So what's this about? Last time we did anything together I ended up in a cell for a night."
Arthur laughed. "Guess that's better than ending up half way to Rhodes and having to walk back to camp."
"Let's face it, Arthur, you could do with the exercise," Lenny teased. "You getting soft on that big old horse of yours."
"Soft? You gotta' be kidding me. I've been running around more than anyone since we got here, don't you be talking like that. Besides I managed to slip the lawmen-you didn't." Arthur called over his shoulder.
Lenny laughed again.
"Whatever you say Arthur."

The hooves drummed the dirt as they ascended the steep bank to the farm. A small garden patch was to the left hand side of the small cottage, a barn and some livestock pens had been constructed just past the cottage. It wasn't much, more then what Arthur had but not much. Arthur gently pulled the rains, leaning back and slowing Lux who snorted, Lenny finally drawing up next to him.
"Check around for the do-gooder. Start with the barn," Arthur gestured toward the large sun bleached red barn to the north of the property. At a glance he couldn't see the man in the vegetable patch, he may be among the corn stalks but if he was Lenny could flush him out.
"Okay," Lenny nodded spurring Maggie toward the large barn. Arthur turned now reining Lux toward the front of the cottage. The horses hooves thudded on the earth-no that was the sound of thunder rumbling in the heavens above. Halting Lux just before the porch of the cottage Arthur swung his leg over the front of the saddle and slid off the side of the horse and just as his boots met with the ground the door of the cottage opened revealing a woman in a grey high collared dress and apron. Her eyes scrutinized Arthur, her hair pulled back severely from her hook nosed face. Arthur could make out the form of a boy pushing past her and standing in front of her defensively.

"What do you want?" The boy demanded.
Arthur cocked a brow and smirked. "You think you can talk to me like that? I ain't here for you, I'm here for Mr. Downes and you sure ain't him...though you look like him." The eyes and nose were the same but the rest belonged to the woman Arthur quickly deduced this was their son.
"If you're here about the money-" the woman spoke up.
"Then you ain't as stupid as you look. Where is he?"
"My husband's not well," the woman shook her head pushing in front of her son.
"Yeah...noticed that," Arthur has heard the man spluttering and coughing his way through Valentine, the bloodshot eyes and pale skin. No the man wasn't well at all. "He's gonna be a hell of a lot worse if you don't tell me where he is." Arthur warmed.
"We ain't giving you nothing," the son growled.
"See that's where you are wrong," Arthur hissed taking a step toward the porch placing a boot on the first step, "You see that horse?" He hooked a finger to Lux. "That belonged to a feller up Painted Sky, he owed us a lot of money too but he was like you-didn't want to pay up. So, you see, I can take whatever I want from this pitiful farm of yours until the debts settled or you can get me the money. Now I'd rather get the money, I don't have much use for cows and pigs nor obnoxious little shits like you," Arthur looked to the son.
"We don't have it," Mrs. Downes said finally pursing her lips attempting to hold onto some pride.
"Hey Arthur! I found him," Lenny's voice echoed from near the vegetable patch.

Arthur stepped away from the porch quickly and marched for the patch, Mrs. Downes and her son following swiftly. Arthur's eyes found Thomas Downes pinned against the fence by Lenny who held the man by his collar. The farmer was bloody nosed and panting, the kid must have put some of his skills to use them.
"Ah Mr. Downes," Arthur greeted in a polite tone before it shifted to a menacing growl, "You owe me money."
"Please, sir...I'm...I'll-" Thomas began before coughing violently. "Please sir, I have a family."
Arthur entered the patch striding toward where Lenny had the farmer pinned.
"I don't care about your family!" Arthur snorted before nodding to Lenny. Lenny removed a hand from the man's collar and threw his fist out catching the man in the stomach. Thomas doubled over and spluttered a few gasping breaths.
"Stop!" Mrs. Downes called from behind them.
"Why did it have to come to this?" Arthur heaven shaking his head.
"Believe me, sir. I didn't want this either," Thomas heaved another choking breath. Arthur looked to Lenny and nodded. The young gang member turned his attention to Thomas and threw another fist across the man's jaw, wasn't as hard as Arthur would but Lenny was learning and he had much to learn.
"You ain't such a do-gooder, are you?" Arthur hissed, "If you're running out on debts!"
Arthur felt a rough force knock against him. He spun and snatched hold of the young Downes by the scruff of his neck and with a swift single swing of his fist he sent the boy toppling back to the floor with ease. Mrs. Downes gave a cry of fear and rushed toward her son who churned in the dirt.
"We ain't running from the likes of you!" The son barked nursing his bruised ego and lip.
"I'm doing my best for you," Thomas choked another wheezing cough from his lungs. "Please leave my son be!"
"You borrowed money from my business partner, Herr Strauss. You owe him. You took the money. He wants it back what's not to understand?" Arthur bellowed turning his attention to Thomas again.
This was getting tiresome.
The faint patter of rain began to tap off Arthur's stetson.
Just what he wanted.
"Please stop this!" Mrs. Downes begged. Thomas gave another hocking cough before growing a pair of balls suddenly and spitting directly into Lenny's face. That irritated Arthur. He marched toward the man and snatched hold of him pushing Lenny back before throwing his fist against Thomas's face, there was a crack of bone as the farmer's nose crunched. Thomas wailed loudly as Arthur's hands snatched hold of the farmer's suspenders and threw him against the fence of the vegetable patch. Mrs. Downes shrieked again.
"Where's our money?" Arthur demanded.
"I don't have it."
"Sell your place then."
"We already owe more than it's worth," Thomas choked.
"Then sell your wife, or your family, or something. We ain't your idea of charity!" Arthur tightened his grip lifting the man nearly off his feet. "Is that clear?"
All Arthur got was another wheezing cough.

Raising a lip in disgust Arthur knew it was a waste of time to stay much longer. The storm was rolling in now, the rumbles of thunder echoing through the Heartlands, the air becoming sticky and heavy while the patter of rain began to grow heavier. Lenny spat from his mouth growling in irritation, running the back of his hand over his chin.
"Son of a bitch," Lenny hissed.
Arthur dropped the spindly man to the floor where he crumpled like a leaf that had fallen from a tree. His face was bruising and bloody, his coughing growing uncontrollable as he twisted and writhed on the floor.
"Thomas!" Mrs. Downes was sobbing as she rushed past Arthur to her crumpled husband on the floor. She assessed her husband. Arthur knocked a fist against Lenny as he passed the boy and gestured to the horses.
"If we could just have more-" Mrs. Downes began.
"Like I said-" Arthur growled over his shoulder as he approached Lux. Lenny was sitting atop Maggie waiting while Arthur mounted his stallion. He cast a look to the small family, "We ain't nobody's idea of charity. Get us the money!"

With that Arthur and Lenny turned their horses and left the Downes family behind as the heavens above opened and rain cascaded down in thick heavy sheets.

What a day.