To Be Together Again
Locations, scenery, Horse breed ideas and most characters belong to Rockstar, I do not own Red Dead Redemption, thank Rockstar for the wonderful game. Horse names used by a great book called 'The Sight' written by David Clement Davies.
Depending on reviews I may continue this, thanks for taking the time to read it. Please don't be too mean, it's my first fan fiction but do give advice, thanks
Chapter 2: Second Time Lucky
"So you're a Marston." The Sheriff replied, looking away from Jade. "Well, it's nice to meet you Miss Marston, my name's Luke Douglas, and if you need any help around here, just go to the office right over there." He waved his hand in the direction of the building with a large sign, and written on it 'SHERIFF' underlined and written in white capital letters. "Oh, and if you need a place to stay, I'm sure the bartender in the saloon would let you rent a room upstairs, though I must say, it's not pleasant, so I've heard from the townsfolk." Jade shook her head then allowed a slight smile to appear on her face.
"It's no problem Sheriff Douglas, I'm stayin' somewhere near Plainview, there's a camp there." The girl continued after a short pause, "Oh, I don't think I thanked you for saving me back there, I appreciate that, and I'll try not to get into anymore trouble." The Sheriff chuckled lightly then walked off slowly.
"Well I might see ya round Miss Marston, take care." He disappeared into the white building, well, it used to be white, in its age it was turning to a beige kind of colour, with dirt clogged in the corners. Jade smiled one last time before turning to go unhitch her horse, but just as she did so, it was right there, positioned in front of her nose. She jumped back and shook her head,
"That is it! I need expert help on how to tie a horse to a bloomin' hitching post..." She exclaimed at her horse. It just neighed gently at her and she smirked, wrapping her arms around the horses neck lightly, "At least you didn't run off, good boy you are."
She disconnected from the horse and walked to its side, feeding her left foot through a stirrup and hoisting herself on top of the large stallion. She clicked her tongue and yelled softly "Yah!" The horse dashed passed the Sheriff's office, out of Armadillo and up to Hennigan's Stead. They both cantered up the long slope, Jade observed the landscape from the raised ground, a Chapel, or Church came into view, she halted Fell and grabbed her binoculars. "Well, would you look at that?" She stated raising the binoculars to her sky blue eyes, "There's someone burying a body..." She Stopped her sentence then continued, her voice troubled and horrified, "Eww! No he's not, he's digging it up!" She stuffed her binoculars into her chestnut brown satchel and worked the piebald patterned stallion into a trot, urging them both away from the sight even though it was far away.
Fell and Jade now approached a small ranch, a woman darted up to her yelling. "Help us, please! Help!" She continued to scream, Jade's gloved hands pulled the reins. They came to a stop, but Jade couldn't help but put on a 'what the?' expression. "They're about to steal our livestock!"
Jade's hand was already hovering above the revolver planted in her holster. "Where are they now?" She questioned awkwardly.
"Over there, see the cattle? Look!"
Jadespurred her horse, thrusting it into a gallop, it travelled at racing speed, its strides unbelievable. She revealed the Schofield and pointed it at one of the rustlers, while fighting to stay on top of the horse. Her finger twitched and a single bullet flew out of the barrel, stinging a man in the shoulder, he fell from his mount and rolled around on the dusty floor cursing to himself. She averted her gun to another man, the barrel of a Winchester Repeater was waving at her. Without hesitation she pulled the small trigger again, it was either her life or his, another shot rung through the air, drowning out the mooing of the cattle, this time a bullet span through his chest, and he too was without a horse.
She was stopped, the Schofield fell limp in her hand, colliding with the floor, disturbing the dust, as a gun clicked on her neck, she froze, aware that her life was about to be taken. Jade swallowed quickly, not daring to turn, run, or move. She didn't even blink, all she did was hold her hands up above her shoulders looking blankly in front of her, staring at a patch on one of the cow's hide.
"I'm afraid that's a bad idea Miss." The man commented with a chuckle, "Now you have to pay for the lives you just took..."
Before she could say anything, another shot sprang into action, the man pushing a gun to her neck also fell of his horse, falling to the ground next to her revolver. She looked down, her mouth agape, and turned around, a woman on a cart of two horses smiled at her. "Well that was a lucky shot."
The woman Jade had encountered just a few minutes ago ran up to her, "Thank you, thank you! Miss..."
"Oh call me Jade, please..."
"Okay Jade, I'm Miss Warthington, thank you so much for saving my cattle." Her eyes shone a delicate green, and she started for the cows, her black hair swaying in a trance as she did so. Jade then looked back at the woman still smiling on the cart.
"What were you trying to do Miss?" Her smile now faded to a confused frown.
"I was saving this woman's cattle, but it seems that it would've ended in a bad result if you hadn't come along at a perfect time." Jade stated and looked back at the blonde woman nodding, she also had blue eyes but much lighter blonde hair coated her head. Jade tapped her horse's sides and it walked gently towards the cart. "Thanks for that, I would've been worm food for the second time today."
The woman just chuckled, "Isn't your lucky day is it Miss?"
"No, no it isn't."
"I'm Bonnie Macfarlane, it's nice meeting you, how about you come back to our ranch, help me out for saving your life with a lucky shot." She smiled, successfully holding back another chuckle.
"That sounds fair Miss Macfarlane, I'm Jade Marston, it was a pleasure meeting you too."
Bonnie turned to her, narrowing her eyes so that they fixed onto Jade's, "You say you're a Marston? No wonder, they are all so stupid, genetics I guess." She still stared hard at her, nerving Jade a little, "Yeah, why do you ask, and what makes you think we're so stupid?" She asked, a little shaken by the stare and sternness locked in her voice.
"I'll tell you when we get back to the ranch; it's a long story..."
Jade just nodded at her in agreement, looking down at her horse and patting it's neck for a few moments, until she was cut out of her thoughts.
"That's a mighty fine stallion you got there Miss Marston, what's he called?" Bonnie questioned, breaking the silence that hung in the atmosphere.
"Oh, this is Fell, I've had him since he was just a year old, but he's four years old now, me and my brother found him in an abandoned barn in Tumbleweed. If you know where that is." She smiled, gazing at the horn of the saddle.
"Well it's good you saved him, such a remarkable animal... Now, let's hurry." Bonnie whipped the reins on the horses, enabling them to travel faster, kicking up dust as the horses galloped steadily along the dirt road. Jade also tapped Fell's sides, triggering the horse to canter at the same speed as the cart.
After a couple of minutes, they entered a large ranch, it had its own general store, barn, sheriff's office and corral, the corral was huge and inside it were probably a dozen horses. The ranch also had a good amount of stables, and the cattle had a huge paddock.
"Wow, this ranch is wonderful, Miss Macfarlane." She said, trying to keep her lower jaw from dropping. Bonnie just smiled, taking the compliment.
"If you say so, we haven't got much anymore."
"You sure do have enough though." Jade said, slowing to a trot as Bonnie halted the cart outside of the general store. She exited the driving seat and began unloading the products.
"Give me a hand will ya?" She yelled loud enough so it was audible for Jade. Miss Marston slid of the saddle, her boots connecting with the ground almost silently, she grabbed the reins of the piebald stallion and took her time hitching the creature. After another thirty seconds of time wasted, she made her way to back of the cart, sun throbbing in her face. Jade joined Bonnie in helping unload the cart of horse feed and hay.
"I think I'm going to enjoy helping you out Bonnie, I'm havin' fun already." She exposed a clear smile to the older blonde woman.
"Good. After we've sorted this out, we'll go and talk, and you can have a nice cold drink, this weather is unacceptable for a youngster like yourself to work in, especially cause' you haven't worked on a ranch before," She continued after a short break. "How old are you exactly?"
"Fifteen."
Bonnie didn't answer, she just carried most of the goods into the store, with Jade following her, also carrying products. They both walked out, silence hung awkwardly around them, until Bonnie decided to break it.
"Well then, let's go and have that cold drink and talk shall we?" She half questioned.
"Sure." Jade replied unsure if the question needed answering. Either way, they both proceeded to a large white house made of wood, it was in great condition and looked cosy, the fencing was in decent condition, but maybe needed a touch up or something. They made their way through an arch and towards the door, Bonnie stopping allowing Jade to go through first. "Thank you Miss Macfarlane."
"Oh please, call me Bonnie, call me Bonnie." She ordered.
"Okay, if you call me Jade... Bonnie." She half smirked at Miss Macfarlane, watching her nod.
"Sure, Jade."