Where the heck am I... I can't believe Dutch would allow Micah to side with him...That gosh darn trader!
Arthur opened his eyes slowly and lights immediately burned them. Hot water on his pelt made him jump.
"Easy Arthur," a sweet voice said. "Your hurt pretty badly."
His eyes took a few minutes to focus before he saw the woman in front of him. It was Abigail. The buck slowly lifted his head and looked around to get his bearings. He was still sore from the fall and cold from the icy water, but he could make out a blurry yellow pile of hay and smell the dust in the air.
Then it hit him; he was in the barn. A horse's neigh made him jump and Abigail put a hand on his cheek.
"It's okay, Arthur. It's just the horses."
The buck let himself relax into the hay underneath him. The barn door opened and John, Jack, and Uncle walked in.
John was carrying a wool blanket, Jack was carrying a lantern and Uncle was carrying a bucket of water with some carrots and celery. The smell of the carrots made Arthur's stomach growl. Uncle chuckled and held out the vegetable. The deer quickly wolfed it down and Uncle set the pale of water next to him. John unrolled the blanket and laid it gently on the buck's back.
Arthur gave a flick of his tail.
So is this gonna be a regular thing? Treating me like a prince?
He held back a giggle. Abigail shooed everyone out of the barn.
"Okay, get outta here. All of you. Arthur needs his rest if he's gonna recover." Everyone laughed and obeyed. Abigail went back into the barn and got the lantern, then kneeled and placed a kiss on Arthur's muzzle. He gave a flick of his ear and smiled as she left, then slowly fell asleep.
Arthur rode his horse, following Hosea and Dutch to the lake. Soon he was on the water fishing with them. Arthur gripped his pole tighter as the fish swam with the bait...
But his dream turned into a nightmare...
"Arthur! Arthur wake up!" It was Dutch. Arthur was sleeping when Dutch had called his name.
"What is it, Dutch?" The boat rocked from side to side as the waves of the ocean hit it.
"I don't know but we are getting the heck off this boat!"
Arthur staggered out of his hammock and followed his leader with the other members, Micah, Bill, and Javier. On deck, fire took hold and the crew tried to put it out while the passengers jumped into the ocean or swam to get in lifeboats. Arthur jumped into the water as the boat was tipped over by another wave...
...
Jack was in the barn smoothing out a plank of wood. John walked into the barn and smiled.
"Hey Jack," he said as he walked over and sat down on a barrel. "Need any help?"
"Uh, no thanks, sir. I got it," Jack answered.
John leaned towards his son and looked over his shoulder. Jack was right, he does got this; the wood was as smooth as glass without any bumps or dips in it. "Looks like you have. You know you're really good with them tools," the man complimented. "Me and you're mother, we do our part, by the time your turn comes, heck this could be the nicest farm in the county."
John took a cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth, holding it with his teeth. He scraped a match on the bottom of his boot and lit it, blowing out smoke.
His son smiled, "maybe."
John looked out the window. Arthur was sitting on the ground like a dog, watching Abigail nit a little blue scarf on the porch.
It had been 3 days since he had fully recovered from his near-death fall, and already Arthur was back at being, well, Arthur.
"John, come here!"
It was Uncle. "John come here! Quick!"
John and Jack walked out of the barn and joined him. Arthur looked over and twitched his ear.What was going on?
The buck trotted to them.
"Take a look at that." Uncle handed the cowboy the telescope he was using. John looked through it and his heart stopped.
"Jack, go to the house and board up all the windows and doors. Don't come outside, you hear me? Whatever happens."
John hugged him for a few seconds. "Whatever happens, keep the doors locked and your mother inside."
"Who is it, Pa?" Jack asked his father.
"Just some old friends. Me and your uncles are gonna take care of it."
The teenager raised an eyebrow. "Okay..."
"Now run!" John yelled.
"Run boy," Uncle set his jaw and picked up a shotgun. Arthur pawed at the ground with his hooves and shook his head. He was ready for a fight!
"Well guys, looks like things are about to get settled once and for all," John cocked his rifle. The first shot was fired. Army soldiers shot back and the battle began. Arthur had run off to go find his herd while John and Uncle kept the soldiers busy. Uncle shot the last bullet, hitting a soldier in the chest, and reloaded his gun.
Blood. Everywhere, blood.A thundering of hooves made John smirk. Arthur led the deer into battle and clashed into the army soldiers, knocking them down. When the first wave was done, John raced to the house.