Jess Harper looked across the large span of prairie below him one more time before rising from the rock and starting down the steep slope. He watched his footing as rocks and dirt gave out below him, his hands half raised as he kept his balance. His rifle was griped tightly in his hand, and the collar to his blue coat was pulled up close. The winds had picked up once more, and like the wolf, he was hunting, he desired lower warmer ground, out of the wind.
Traveler was left not much further below him, and as he hit one landing he walked for the next, starting down it with the same care he had taken for the other slope. His boots slid down the loose dirt and as the slope was steeper than the last, he paid very close attention to what he was doing. To fall was the last thing he wanted. He grimaced when he lost his balance several times and struggled to stay upright as he slid down the mountain.
Hitting the last few feet, he ran with his momentum. Stopping, he smiled dusting himself off and walking for his ride out of there. The wolf had once again proven slightly cannier than Jess, and Harper, tired of the chase, was done playing this game they seemed to have going.
Smiling he said a word or two to his horse as he walked up. Slim was just on the other side of this canyon back at camp keeping things ready and Jess was tired enough to drink even his coffee. If you didn't think about it, it wasn't so bad, and he was chilled to the bone.
Stuffing his gun in its sheath he blew in his hands before taking Traveler's reins and getting ready to swing up. He lurched, fell against Traveler and slid down his horse before Traveler finally jerked from his limp fingers and took off running. His ears were pricked and the horse was still listening to the echoing boom of a rifle. Blood was streaked down the side Jess had slid, and the smell of it made the horse a tad bit more jumpy.
Harper lay still on the cold ground, the wind howling about him, and big white fluffy flakes started to fall.
The big white flakes were duly noted by Slim Sherman as well and he was ever so happy when he heard the soft tread of a horse. He had started to grow impatient for Jess' return and was thinking about going to have a look for him. Hearing the horse saved him a trip and he sat back at the fire to stay warm. However when he saw the state of Traveler, without the rider, shying away and blood all down his side, he was suddenly mounting Alamo and clopping back the way Traveler had come.
Back tracking the horse was irritating and as the flakes got heavier so did Slims dread for his partner Jess. He called his name several times looking ahead hoping that the trail was coming to an end, but he was never reworded with a reply.
The sun was going down and he could sense it, although he didn't really take any notice of it, for he was rather busy trying to follow the tracks that were quickly filling in and becoming obscured by the snow. He had to eventually dismount and carefully pick them out stopping to call every few feet. When the sun was completely gone he was almost blindly walking hoping that he was sticking to the right course.
It wasn't until his hat was piled high with snow and he was starting to shiver slightly from the cold that his eyes caught hold of a blue jacket and black hat.
"Jess…"
He froze the blood running cold and his legs went to work before his brain did. He scooped him up in his arms simply holding him there a moment. His gloved hands closed tight around Jess' middle and he looked at the blood stain that partially covered the left side of the coat. The low shoulder shot had bled a good deal and Slim noticed that it hadn't come out the front. A good thing in some ways, a very very bad thing in others.
"Jess…" Slim mumbled again rubbing his jaw with his hand a moment before he carefully got him up and over to his horse.