Carry on my wayward son,
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more
Carry on my Wayward Son—Kansas
Julianne doesn't remember when she'd fallen asleep, just that her eyes are flickering open when she feels herself being laid down on something flat. She groans, longing to curl back up in that warm dream space where Resa's still with them. The temperature has dropped and without Dustfinger's warmth she finds herself shivering.
"Here, you look like you need this."
"No, then you'll be cold," she says, barely more than a sleepy mumble.
"All the same." Dustfinger shrugs his coat off and lays it over her as a makeshift blanket and she snuggles deeper into it, breathing in the scent of earth and smoke.
Falling asleep takes a conscious effort this time, but Elinor's light snoring is a familiar sound that lulls her into a feeling of safety. All Julianne has to do is close her eyes and pretend she's a little girl again, staying in Elinor's house while Resa is pregnant with Meggs. Above her head is a blue ceiling, not a roof that looks ready to collapse at any second; beneath her is her soft bed, not hard dirt. Soon she's floating on a cloud, drifting deeper into dreamland where there are no worries.
Julianne smiles up at Dustfinger, her arms wrapped loosely around his neck as they sway back and forth in a sort of dance. The corners of his mouth are turned up slightly in a smile, eyes bright with some emotion or another. He's happy, she realizes. He looks genuinely happy as he spins her out and brings her close again.
"Are you enjoying yourself," he asks with a laugh.
"Very much," she says. They're in a meadow, beautifully green grass brushing against their ankles. Flowers of white, pink, and purple sprout up in places, going on for as far as Julianne can see. It's quiet here, a peaceful place she never wants to leave. "Can we stay here forever?"
"Yes, little bird. We never have to leave. Do you know why?" She shakes her head, hair pulled back in a simple braid that brushes against her back with every movement. Dustfinger draws her closer until their chests are pressed together and they're sharing breaths. "Because we're home." There's a little cry and then a small weight is hurling itself against their legs, Dustfinger's eyes brightening. He releases Julianne long enough to heft up the little boy, nuzzling against his cheek.
"Who's that?"
Julianne wakes up before she gets an answer, Mo kneeling over her with a hand pressed over her mouth. She can hear a dog barking in the distance, the fear and pain making a grand reappearance. Carefully, Mo helps her to stand and brings a finger up to his lips in a signal for quiet. She nods, moving to stand by Meggie and wrapping her arms around her. Elinor is leaning against one of the walls, biting her lips anxiously. Mo and Dustfinger move to either side of the doorway, their backs pressed against the walls as they wait.
Farid hurries to stand beside the girls, his eyes wide as the sounds grow louder and louder. There's at least two men out there, moving closer to their hiding place. One of those men is Basta, she just knows it. Julianne squeezes her eyes closed, breaths becoming shallow as the fear inside her wells up.
"They should have reached the valley at this point!" Flatnose's voice is rough, making Julianne hold Meggie closer to her.
"With two children, a fat old woman, and an injured cry baby?"
"Damn it, Basta, they're obviously not here! Let's head back to the village, I'm hungry and I certainly don't feel like gettin' bit by a snake. We'll tell Capricorn that they died when they crashed their car. We'll just push it hard enough and it should finish its tumble down that slope, and no one would be the wiser."
Julianne can barely make out Basta's reply, something about dogs and cheese. With her heart beating loudly in her chest it's a miracle she can hear anything at all. She's surprised the two men looking for them can't hear it too. When she builds up the courage to open her eyes again it's to see Mo charging out from behind a tree at Basta, struggling to get a gun from the younger man.
"Get him, you brutes," Basta shouts. The hounds he has with him hurriedly comply, lunging at Mo. Elinor has to latch onto Meggie to keep her in the hovel, but she can't get a good grasp on Julianne as she runs out the door and jumps onto Basta's back. Dustfinger drags the dogs away from Mo while Julianne hits Basta repeatedly with a closed fist against the top of his head.
"Leave him alone," she demands, digging her nails into Basta's shirt to keep her position. He's still fighting with Mo, but Julianne makes it harder.
"Little bitch!" He grabs one of her arms and flings her to the ground. With the adrenaline in her system she barely registers the pain as she gets back to her feet and goes for him again.
"Let them go," Flatnose demands of Dustfinger, holding up his rifle and aiming it at Mo. Dustfinger mutters a curse under his breath, letting go of the dogs seconds before a stone hits Flatnose between his eyes. He stays upright for a grand total of five seconds before collapsing to the ground, dust puffing up around him. Farid stands in the doorway of the hovel, another stone already in hand.
"Keep them off me," Mo shouts, cursing when one of the dogs sinks its teeth into his arm. Meggie darts forward and yanks on the mutt by its studded collar, but the dog isn't budging, and blood is beginning to spread across the sleeve of Mo's shirt. Julianne joins her sister, trying to pry the dog's mouth open without getting bit. Basta's still struggling to get his gun back from Mo, the barrel of the shotgun nearly missing Meggie's head as he swings it around. Julianne grits her teeth, shooting a desperate look in Dustfinger's direction.
"Get off him," Dustfinger calls out towards the dogs. "Come here! Get away from him!" The dogs listen at first, the one Julianne is pulling on releases Mo as it looks to Dustfinger with its tail wagging back and forth.
"Get him," Basta growls at them. The dogs just stay where they are, growling and unsure which master to obey. Basta gets away from Mo, bringing his shotgun level with Mo's chest just as Elinor presses Flatnose's against the back of his head. She looks like hell with red spots of color high on her cheeks, but she also looks like someone that can handle a gun and isn't afraid to blow Basta away if he makes a move she doesn't approve of.
"Drop the gun, Basta," she commands in a shaky voice. "And you leave those dogs alone! I've read plenty of westerns and I know that all I need to do is pull the trigger." Technically, you should squeeze the trigger, but Julianne will save that tidbit for some other time. Basta sets the gun on the ground, straightening up and facing Elinor with a disdainful stare.
"Sit," Dustfinger says. The dogs glance over at Basta to see if he has a different command and sitting when he stays silent. Dustfinger ties them to the tree, the knot loose enough that it can be untied easily. After that is done Dustfinger takes a red scarf out of his pack and uses it to bind Mo's wound, the red turning brown as it soaks up the blood. Meggie draws closer, looking like she might faint at any time. "It's not as bad as it looks, princess."
Julianne moves back into the dilapidated house, ignoring the burning pain in her back as she shakes out Dustfinger's coat. The men carry Basta and Flatnose inside, the two villains tied up and gagged to keep them here for a while. Basta grumbles something into his gag, some sort of curse as his companion slowly regains consciousness. Dustfinger takes his coat from Julianne, pulling it back on and giving Basta a sardonic smile.
"Dusty," she asks softly, one hand moving to her stomach as nausea kicks in.
"There's something I've always wanted to do," he says, drawing Basta's knife from his belt and moving over to the prisoners. Julianne steps in front of him, holding her hands up with her palms pressed against his chest.
"You're better than that," she says earnestly. Dustfinger just laughs a little and shakes his head.
"Don't worry, I just want to scare him a little." She gives him a once-over, not seeing any malice in his face before stepping aside to let him continue.
"Make it quick."
"Yes, my little bird." He bends down, using the stolen knife to cut through the leather strap that hangs from Basta's neck, holding up the leather pouch that had been on it and swinging it in front of Basta's face mockingly. "I'm taking your luck, Basta!" He straightens with a taunting smile. "Now you have no protection from all those things that frighten you." Basta tries to kick him, but Dustfinger avoids his bound legs with ease.
"A little bit quicker than that, dude. We need to get moving."
"This will be goodbye forever but should our paths cross again I'll have luck on my side." He ties the string around his own neck for emphasis. "You have a lock of your hair in this right? Perhaps I'll burn it. That's supposed to have a terrible effect on the owner, correct?"
"That's enough," Mo interrupts. "We need to get out of here before Capricorn sends men looking for these two." He urges Dustfinger out into the sunlight, but Julianne hangs back, sending a scathing look in Basta's direction.
"You know what I've learned in all my twenty years," she asks, feeling the rage as it pumps through her veins like fire. "Nasty little fellows such as yourself will always get their comeuppance." She leaves the knife thrower behind her and walks out into the open, closing her eyes and angling her face up so that she can feel the warm sun on her face.
"Come on, sweetheart."
They keep to the same path from last night, trying to keep an eye out in case they come across anymore of Capricorn's men or the snakes that slither through the high grass on either side of the trail. Julianne keeps her eyes on the ground, shoulders hunched as she tries to ignore her throbbing back and the rising heat.
The group moves slower than they had last night, having to stop every now and then for Dustfinger to fling a snake off the trail. Eventually they make it to a real town, filled with brightly colored houses and real people that don't look like they'll murder the group while they sleep.
"I hope we can get into a bank," Elinor says breathlessly. "We look as though we were amongst thieves."
"And so we were," Mo reminds her.