Hooves clicked against the stones of the trail, dust, and sand was kicked into the air, the morning sun was warm, the chilled, frozen soil of the path crunched under the caravan, the trio of riders accompanying the wagon as it bounced along the trail, the cargo rolling around in their boxes, the people atop horses sat alert like owls, piercing gazes cut across the plain as they continued, rifles slung over their shoulders, handguns sat stiffly in holsters as the riders encouraged their horses closer to the driver.
"How long we got till we hit Benter?" The youngest called to the front, he wore cow leather chaps, and a pinstripe shirt secured by the heavy bandolier that extended from his shoulder to his waist, it was tight and constricting but it offered him a better chance.
The head pursed his lips, "It's a long ride Pete, we'll be in Benter by mid-day tomorrow, its best if you keep alert and guard this transport like we were hired," he looked back at the kid, no older than 16, head down, hat dipped low to keep the sun out of his face, Pete's curls fell around his face and he sighed glumly.
Rhodey grunted, "I don't know Tones, that storm looks pretty bad, I'd say we'll be there by tomorrow night," He pointed off into the distance at the darkened sky and full clouds that gloomed the area, birds flew frantically out of its range and Pete frowned.
"You think it'll be a big one… like that one, what did you call it Tone somethin like Pointbreak?" Tony laughed and shifted the leather reins in his hands, he looked back and grinned.
"Yeah the one where Thor was doing some voodoo shit right before, it was almost like he summoned that bastard of a storm, he looked like some big 'ndian chief," Peter shook his head and grinned watching the others ahead of him, Rhodey scoffed and spurred his horse to ride alongside their head, his cremello stallion picking up its slow walk to move onto a more brisk pace.
"Ya'll need to shut up and let us ladies sleep in quiet!" Pepper yelled from her place in the wagon, her strawberry blonde hair glinting in the sun as she leaned out to glare at Tony, and he spluttered indignantly, Peter smirked at the couple's antics, he couldn't wait to find a love like that.
"I'm trying to sleep!"
"Pepper! Be quiet"
"I will freaking slit your throat if you don't stop talking"
The voices of Wanda, Carol, and Nat trailed out from the caravan, and Peter slowed his horse back to get a good look at the four ladies, the white fabric of the course canvas flapped in the slight breeze it covered the wooden frame of the horse-drawn vehicle, Peter glanced in and smiled.
Nat lay sprawled over the cargo boxes, seemingly giving up on the sleep she had wanted, sharpening her silver dagger and sticking it into the wood of the platform, Pepper was busy with tidying up their little space behind the boxes of moonshine and supplies, bright clothes hung from the rims, and folded tent canvas peeked from underneath the other boxes, Wanda sat bored watching the mountains blue and standing proudly behind the caravan, the dusty plain stretched out around them and the orange sky still held no clouds.
"How are you all doing back here?" He asked politely shifting his horse to walk behind the wagon and keep a conversation going, Nat looked at him unimpressed and went back to sharpening her dagger, she was tough at times, but quite the fighter, great with any type of weapon, as the gang had found her layin waste to the town of Perlesh not far from here.
Wanda smiled thinly and offered a shy "Good" She was new, Peter had only known her six months, and though she was shy, they were the same age, and got along well, it was lucky they got her when they did, one of the rival gangs: Hammer's Boys tried to take her, they were in the middle of a shootout when she ran after them.
Carol had been here the longest, she and Tony had created the group together, she was notorious for her bank robbery: Old Lawson, she had one of the highest bounties in the group, nowhere close to Tones but it was high enough to attract the best bounty hunters: The Pinkertons or as they called them, Hydra.
She rolled her eyes fondly at the teen and he grinned in response, jerking the reins to the right to come up on the side of the wagon, Karen snorted in annoyance as the metal bit clanged against her teeth, she flicked her tail irritably and quickened her pace, Peter spurred her to catch up with the others.
"-ony look over there, by the cattle," Rhodes hushed whispers caught Peter's ear and he directed his gaze over to the group of cows over to the left of the nibbling at the dry studs of grass that peeked up from the soil, the black and white bodies throwing his gaze off as he narrowed his eyes to block out the sun.
Black tall shadows stood over the plain, the angle of the sun only making them longer as they ran smoothly through the grass, the pounding of hooves echoed in the empty field, what was just cattle became men on horses: Bounty Hunters, Tony let out a loud whistle, his panicked heart rate hidden under a calm face, but Peter could hear it, and it only freaked himself out.
"HO! Peter, Rhodes get the women and cargo out of here," Tony ordered sharply, his tone snapping Peter to attention and nodded, turning Karen around to close in with the wagon, Rhodey right behind him, Tony pointed to the two drivers, "Barnes, Wilson! With me" He held up his gun, "There's about eight of em, kill em, shoot em, do anything that you need to get rid of em," The shadows that ran along Tony's face darkened as he gave a shout and rode of heading towards the others, Barnes and Sam leapt from their seats and grabbed at the horses that had been following the wagon, their reins attached to the knobs on the back, Pepper jumped to the front and took control of the wagon.
It happened so fast he didn't realize Pepper had driven off until she was ten feet ahead of him and he spurred Karen into action, slamming a hand over her haunches with a loud smack, she gave a whinny and tore after the others, her hooves digging into the dirt as she ran along, Peter glanced back and cast a worried glance as gunshots rang out.
He turned back with finality and caught the others as they crossed a nearby river, the cold water rushing down in currents that swept at their mounts feet, and legs. Peter's heart slowed as they crossed, the wagon bouncing with every stone. He didn't see the Pinkertons that had followed them to the river.