Chapter 1: Indy the Bandit

"Come back here, ya little runt!" A shop clerk exclaimed. A boy about the age of 16 with a blonde braid & a feather on his stetson, ran as fast as he could to a couple of Cherokee Indian children, "Here, take this back to your family... Y'all need it more than me. Now. Hurry." The boy said as he gave them the food he stole. The two children ran off & after thanking him. Indy smiled then began running again, he kept going until he got to his camp deep on the outskirts of town.

"What seems to be the commotion I could hear it from my hotel room." A woman asked.

"I've had the same little runt come in here & rob from my store, for the past year & nobody's been able to catch him." The clerk explained.

"Which way was he headed?" The woman asked.

"What are you gonna do about it? You're a woman." The clerk remarked.

"Ya see this badge? I could arrest ya right now & not lose a bit of sleep about it. I could shoot ya dead before ya got a chance to blink, my hands are that quick. You wanna test me, sir you'll be in for a rude awakenin'." The woman Texas Ranger snapped as she revealed her badge.

"Who are ya, ma'am?" The clerk asked.

The Texas Ranger lifted her head, "Ranger Taylor Jones." She answered.

"You're Ranger Jones?" A man asked.

"Ya got a problem?" Taylor interrogated.

"Not at all, ma'am." The man answered after seeing Taylor's hand was already rested on her revolver.

"Good boy. You let me know if your thief steps foot in this town." Taylor ordered.

"I will Ranger." The clerk replied as Taylor walked out.

"Indy, you're going out again?" White Feather asked.

"Yep. Be back after while, you hold up the tent 'til I get back." Indy teased.

"Fine, but please be careful. I've heard some terrible things from other tribes about there being a Texas Ranger in town. They say that he's the fastest gunfighter in all Texas." White Feather warned.

"Then, I'll show him, who's boss." Indy said as he grabbed his gun belt & put it on, "I'll be back in one piece. Until then." He said then kissed White Feather's forehead & walked out.

Taylor sat down outside the general store waiting as she had been for a couple of days now for the thief. Indy walked into town with a ten gallon hat on & had his Indian braid stuffed inside the hat to be less noticed. By the regulars in town. He walked inside. And started grabbing things off the shelves & hiding them in his clothing when no one was looking. Then snuck out again.

"You've gained a lot of weight there, partner." Taylor remarked walking up behind Indy, "What's your name, son?"

"It doesn't matter. If I wanted ya to know I woulda told ya already." Indy snapped turning towards Taylor.

"I think ya better start respectin' me a bit better than that." Taylor remarked.

"Why's that?" Indy interrogated.

"Cause... I'm a Ranger." Taylor answered showing her badge.

"In Texas that would mean a lot, but here it doesn't mean a thing." Indy remarked. Taylor had her hand by her gun. Indy did the same. "Sorry to rain on your parade, ma'am, but I'm the fastest hands in this town." Indy remarked, "Why don't ya go back to wherever ya came from."

"If ya explain to me why you've been stealin', I'll let ya walk away, scot-free." Taylor replied.

"I'm, takin' it to my family. We have no money to buy things & no one will hire me. That's the truth. Ranger." Indy said.

"Alright. Go. But, next time we meet I won't be so easy on ya, got it?" Taylor asked. Indy nodded & ran off.

"White Feather, I'm home." Indy said as he walked in the tent.

"Indy!" White Feather said happily running into his arms.

"What happened, White Feather?" Indy asked.

"I'm just glad to see you!" White Feather answered.

"Alrighty, then." Indy chuckled. White Feather wrapped her arms around his neck. "White Feather?" Indy asked.

"Yes, Indy?" White Feather asked.

"Why'd you leave your tribe to take care of me?" Indy asked.

"Indy... I left because my tribe would not accept you as a member. They wanted to kill you before you had a chance to kill them." White Feather explained.

"Why'd they think that?" Indy asked.

"Because, your a white man. And, they moved us away from our homes that are American states now. Some took our people into bondage. Some killed our people..."

"They thought I'd do that?" Indy asked. White Feather nodded, "Momma... I mean, White Feather..."

"You can call me mother if you want to, Indy." White Feather said.

"Momma, I'm not like those men. You know I'd never..."

"I know, Indy. My father didn't see it that way." White Feather said.

"Who cares what he thought." Indy remarked.

"He was the chief." White Feather said calmly.

"You were the chief's daughter? Why, Momma? Why give that up for me?" Indy asked.

"I saw that you were special, Indy." White Feather said. Indy gave her a confused look.

"You're gonna be somebody important someday. I've known it since you first walked into my life." White Feather said. Indy let a tear fall down his cheek. White Feather wiped it away, "I love you Indy." She said.

"Love ya too, Momma." Indy replied, "I'm gonna rest now, Momma."

"Alright. Good night, Indy." White Feather said

Indy awoke to hear the sound of someone moaning in pain.

"Momma?!" Indy called out as he ran outside the tent to find White Feather laying on the ground in a pool of her own blood.

"Momma? Momma?" Indy cried.

"Indy? Is that you?" White Feather asked.

"Who did this to you?" Indy asked.

"Two men... One white man & other one of my tribe." White Feather said.

"Hang in there Momma, I'm gonna help ya. You're gonna be okay." Indy cried.

"No, it's too late for that... Indy." White Feather said, breathing heavily.

"Momma." Indy cried as tears began to flow down his face.

White Feather smiled weakly at him, "Be strong, Indy." She said then closed her eyes & she died there in his arms. Indy mourned as he buried her & placed a cross made out of sticks in front of her grave. He then grabbed his pocket knife & cut his braid off he put on his hat, grabbed his revolver & put on his gun belt. Before leaving he set fire to the tent. Leaving his past behind him forever.