Alright, chapter two. Here we go. I do not own the copyrights to this movie nor do I own any of it's characters or actors. Please, I'm begging, comment and I will give you a preview to the next chapter. Enjoy!
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The boys returned home to Mr. Tunstall's ranch about ten miles from town and about fifteen miles from Lawrence Murphy's home. They boys tied up their horses and changed out of their town clothes. Then they all separated into groups.
Charlie started to show Billy how to lasso a cow by using a post as a demonstration. Steve stood behind them watching and laughing when either one would miss. Doc and Richard sat on the porch and talked about what they wanted to do in the future. A conversation they had had many times. And Chavez started practicing throwing knives on a target, never missing a single shot.
About an hour after they had gotten home, Bill and Charlie started arguing over who gotten closest to the post from fifty feet away with the lasso. Chavez and Steve were watching them humorously, though Steve thought Billy was right and Chavez thought Charlie was right, so they started into the fray as well. Doc and Richard were watching from the porch, both laughing.
The sound of a wagon sounded not far from the ranch. Richard looked up just in time to see John come over the hill, followed by a black horse. Richard didn't pay much attention to the last detail, instead he whistled to get the arguing boys attention. It worked, "Hey! John's back. Now quit your petty arguing and make up."
The boys nodded and shook hands. Doc and Richard stepped off the porch and walked over to the others. "Looks like John brought another runaway home." Doc said to Richard but the others could still hear. "If it's another Mexican, I'm shooting him." Steve said and was answered by a laugh from Charlie and a slap on the back of the head from Chavez. "It's Mexican Indian, chicken shit. Get it right." Chavez said darkly.
At this time, John pulled up to the stable with the black horse and it's rider in tow beside him. John parked his buggy and stepped down and paused as the stranger slid out of the saddle. Then the two made their way towards the Regulators.
Charlie nudged Richard in the side, "Hey, Dick, isn't that the same horse we saw with that girl today?" Richard shrugged. "Same horse. Same girl." Doc said, answering him. They all fell silent as John and the stranger reached them. The stranger was the same girl from before but her hat was down so they still couldn't see her face and when they had seen her earlier she had been at an angle to them. So they had never seen her face.
John cleared his throat and gestured to the girl next to him. "Boys, this is Miss Ember Montgomery." As John introduced her, Ember, took off her hat and finally showed her face. "Ember, has agreed to stay with us for tonight and until she figures out where she will go next. Be nice and be polite. Ember, you may stay in the bunk house if you like. Well, I'll leave you all alone to get aquatinted. Supper will be ready momentarily. I bought an already cooked turkey and I will prepare it myself. Carry on." he said then walked into the house to prepare dinner that apparently was in the bag the boys hadn't noticed John was holding.
The Regulators looked back at the girl in front of them. She was Billy's height. With her hat off, they could tell she was fair skinned and that her hair was a light red that fell to her waist. She had emerald green eyes that nearly pierced through you. From her stance they could tell she had a tomboyish air about her.
Richard cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Howdy. I'm Richard Brewer. This is Josiah Scurlock or Doc, Charlie Bowdre, Steve Stephens or Dirty Steve, 'Jose' Chavez y Chavez just Chavez, and William H. Boney we call him Billy. Welcome to Tunstall's Ranch, Miss Montgomery." he finished, holding his hand out. Ember looked at the outstretched hand and them back at Richard. She reached out and gripped his hand. Hard. "Just Ember, thanks." she said.
Richard flexed his fingers and stepped back. Ember smiled innocently at him. Billy glanced at her belt and then nodded towards the two pistols that hung from the holsters at her side, "Those loaded?" he asked. Ember looked at him and smiled. She pulled them out and spun them professionally and they landed perfectly in her palm pointing towards Billy. "Wouldn't do me any good if they weren't, would they?" she said teasingly. Billy grinned at her and laughed, "You're a smart one aren't you? That'll get you killed out here."
Ember laughed and spun the gun in her hand again then pocketed it. "So, what are you doing out here?" Doc asked. "You Mexican?" Steve asked, spitting in the dirt. Ember arched an eyebrow at them then looked at Doc and shrugged her shoulders, "Same as everyone, I guess. Looking for myself, God, money. Take your pick." she said looking around. Then she looked at Steve, "And no, I'm not Mexican. Why?" she said.
Steve jerked his head towards Chavez, "We have enough of em'" he said. Chavez looked at him with dark eyes, "For the last time it's Mexican Indian you son-of-a-bitch." Ember cocked her head to the side, "Navajo, right?" she asked Chavez. He turned and looked at her, "How did you know that?" he asked her. Ember shrugged, "Your accent and your skin color gave it away." she said nonchalantly.
"Dinner time!" John called. Everyone looked up and Charlie came up beside Ember as Richard went forward already. "After you, my lady." he said trying to be charming. Ember eyed him and followed behind Richard. Charlie turned around to others, "She likes me." he said confidently. Billy put a hand on his shoulder "Yeah, Charlie, like a mouse likes an owl" he said laughing.
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Everyone was around the table in their appropriate spots. Chavez, Charlie, and Steve on one side. Doc, Richard, and Billy on the other. John was at one end of the table between Richard and Steve. And Ember was at the other end between Chavez and Billy. Everyone was finished eating and they were all just sitting around talking.
Actually, Steve and Billy were making jokes at each other and everyone else was just listening. John looked down the table to where Ember was and saw she was sitting quietly looking into her lap. John cleared his throat, "So, Ember, tell us where do you come from?" John asked the quiet girl. Everyone quieted immediately and looked at her. Ember's head had snapped up as soon as John had started speaking. "Uh, I'm from Tennessee." she said almost shyly but still with enough polite boldness. John smiled, "Ah, really? What area?" he questioned. "Shaconaqe." she replied simply.
Steve looked around Charlie and over at Ember, "What the hell is that?" he asked he skeptically. Ember blinked at the boys who were staring at her now. "Oh, sorry. I sometimes speak Cherokee without meaning to. It's a habit I'm trying to break. It means land of the blue smoke." she explained. John nodded, "Ah, The Smoky Mountains. You're from Pigeon Forge then I assume." Ember shook her head. "Gatlinburg actually." she corrected him.
Chavez looked over at her, "How do you know Cherokee?" he asked. Ember looked him dead in the eyes, "My father was full blooded Cherokee. While my mother was American." she told him. Billy looked at her now, "Uh, do you see how pale you are? There's no way-" he started debating but Ember cut him off by saying, "I know it seems…peculiar but it's true". Chavez looked at her questioningly, "Then where are they?" he asked. Ember looked down into her lap once more and without looking up she answered, "They died." she almost whispered.
Steve was about to ask how, but John stopped him. "Well, it's getting late and we have an early morning. Ember, I expect to have your answer, if you will stay, in the morning." John said. Ember looked up at the kind man, "Yes, sir." she answered. John smiled at her and looked at his boys, "Now boys, I'm counting on you to show Ember where she'll be sleeping. Good night, everyone." As he rose they all said their good nights and rose too.
As everyone was walking outside towards the bunk house, Chavez stopped Ember at the corner of the house. She nearly jumped out of her skin when he tapped her shoulder but she managed to keep calm. Ember turned toward him in the darkness. Chavez looked completely serious, "Were you lying about being part Cherokee?" he asked her. Ember tilted her head a bit to look at him, then she answered, "I couldn't lie about that if I tried." she answered calmly. Chavez gave her a faint smile, "Then you and I will get along just fine, Ooljee." he told her and kept walking. Ember turned towards him, "What does that mean, Ooljee?" she asked him. Chavez turned back towards her, "It's ancient Navajo for moon. Your complexion is that color." he replied simply, "Come on." he told her and she obeyed and followed after him.
She followed Chavez into a wood house. They went down the hallway that was lined with doors on either side. At the end of the hall Chavez lead her to the door on the left. He stopped just outside it. "Here's your room. I'm across the hall and Steve is to your right while Charlie is across from him. We wake up at dawn and lock your door, Charlie was staring at you at dinner." he turned and started walking towards the door on the opposite side of the hallway as hers. "Sleep tight, Ooljee." he said and disappeared behind the door.
Ember stood there for a few seconds and then sighed. The hallway was silent and dark as she turned to her door. Just then someone grabbed her shoulder and held on. Ember almost screamed but she just threw her arm out to fling him off instead she just hit someone directly in the, what felt to be, head. There was a "Shit" that sounded and a candle lit in front of her face. Billy appeared in front of her, holding his head. "Sorry, Billy. You shouldn't sneak up on people like that." she scolded him quietly. Billy laughed, "You've got quite a punch on you." he said loudly. Charlie came out and stood on his doorway. He only had his pants on and he looked exhausted, "Billy, for Christ's sake will you shut your yap". Then he turned and shut the door with a bang.
Billy chuckled and winced as he did so. Ember sighed and took the candle from him. She put a finger to her lips and motioned for him to follow her into her room. Billy followed obediently. Inside, Ember saw her saddle bags and a night gown laid out on the bed. "John had Doc bring your bag in. Hope you don't mind." Billy said as he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. Ember smiled and went to place the candle on the nightstand by the bed. She lit the oil lamp and walked back over to Billy. She knelt in front of him and smacked his hand away to where she could get a good luck at his head. There was a red mark the from where the back of her hand had smacked him but it was already fading. "Looks like just a bump. I think you'll live." she said and stood back up.
Billy grinned at her and stood. "Good as new! I think you'll fit in well around here. Just don't get yourself shot or stabbed." he said laughing his crazy laugh and then he was gone. Ember stared at the closed door, "Good God, I'm surrounded by lunatics." she said aloud to the door then turned to change into her nightgown John had been kind enough to give her. Ember took the daggers out of her belt and slid one under her pillow and one under her mattress. She pulled out the pistols and made sure they had plenty of ammo and did the same to them, one under the pillow and one under the mattress.
She slid under her covers and for once in six months felt truly safe. Also, she fell asleep without straining her ears and fell into a dreamless sleep.
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Billy grinned the whole way as he made his way to the bunk house's sitting room. Richard, Doc, Steve, ans Chavez were already there. Billy walked through the door grinning ear to ear, "Howdy boys!" he said laughing and sinking into a chair. "Billy, you've got to give Ember some space not scare her to death." Doc said to Billy. Billy pulled out his revolver and gestured at Chavez with it, "He talked to her too. So don't go lecturing me on personal space." Chavez looked over from where he was sitting, on the hearth of the fire place, "I didn't jump out at her from the dark. I asked a question about her life and I didn't walk into her room." he said. Billy frowned and Steve walked over and placed a hand on Billy's shoulder. "I believe ya, Billy. That Mexican greaser was thinking about going in there but didn't have the guts." he said around the piece of tobacco, that was almost permanently in his mouth. Chavez glared and stood up abruptly, making Steve gulp. "I'm going to bed." was all he said and walked out the door. Billy looked up at Steve and said, "I think you pissed him off. "