Chapter 2: Heavy Afterthoughts

Effie narrowed her eyes as she studied the point of the arrowhead she'd carved, her finger carefully tested the tip as she held it up in the bright sunlight. It seemed like summer was nearing closer and closer to West Elizabeth, and she was grateful to be rid of the cold winter and harsh spring rain that had hammered the state just a few weeks ago. With a satisfied grunt, she grabbed a strip of leather from the pool she had in her lap and fastened the arrow together, holding it over the embers of the small fire she'd built and sealed it.

A snap of a branch to her left made the girl stiffen, and she jolted her head towards the noise as she dropped the freshly crafted arrow and reached behind to grab her repeater from across her shoulder. A month ago when she was out in the wilderness crafting, her guns would be safely stowed on her horse, but since the incident with the three O'Driscoll's her repeater hadn't left her side. Leaning forward into a low crouch, she crept across the forest floor as quietly as she could, licking her lower lip as she glared into the undergrowth, straining her ears to try and hear anything that would suggest it was a potential threat. Another branch snapped and she could hear more movement.

Breathing quietly, she glanced back to check behind her before she dashed forward to cover behind the tree. Birds and insects chirped and chippered around her as she pressed herself against the bark, her finger twitched at the trigger as she found herself hesitating; the gunfight with the three outlaws flashed in her mind as she felt the fear growing inside her at the prospect of what could be lurking beyond her. She shook her head to try and dispel the cold doubt that was pooling within her and risked a peek from her hiding place, her gun raised with a flash as she leaned out.

The buck raised his head and stared at her as he munched slowly on the creeping thyme patch he'd found. Effie exhaled a small laugh as the fear evaporated, expecting the buck to startle and flee as she put her gun back on her shoulder, but he stayed where he was, watching her curiously as she stared back at him in almost disbelief. The deer was huge, the muscles beneath his glorious coat flexing as he shifted his hooves on the floor, the antlers atop his head stretched out and ended in a majestic arc, almost glowing as shafts of sunlight beamed down through the trees. The sight had the girl silent in awe as he stared at her, it was almost as if he was looking into her. Then, without any signal, the buck huffed and strode away, disappearing into the trees as Effie stared after it. After a moment she turned and scoffed to herself as she made her way back to her small campfire.

She was mad at herself.

Ever since the gunfight she'd noticed her demeanour had changed; she found herself jumping at every sound and sight, and had been reluctant to venture out too far from her home into the wild to hunt. Today was the furthest she'd gone since her recovery, and even though she hadn't met any other hunters or travellers, let alone any O'Driscolls, she couldn't seem to shake the new doubt that had seeped into her since that knife had stabbed her. Her hand dropped to her side and felt for the wound in her side as she approached the arrows and leather strips she'd abandoned next to her fire, beneath her shirt she could feel the ridges of the scar that had formed.

After a couple of weeks she had pulled the thread of fine stitches Arthur had done for her, the herbs he'd left her had done their job well, and the wound had healed up nicely, leaving only an ugly scar that curved into her side forever reminding her of that day.

Arthur.

The girl's lips pursed as she looked out through the trees towards New Austin, a small smile ghosting on her lips as she remembered their first meeting in the storm, how he'd tried not to judge or pity her as she'd welcomed him into the emptiness of her father's cabin, how they'd sat in front of the fire with nothing but a weak bowl of stew and a bottle of whiskey, sharing stories and enjoying each other's company. She still wasn't sure why he'd been out in the woods near her home the day she'd stumbled into that O'Driscoll robbery, but she was damn sure grateful for it, there was no doubt in her mind that she would have surely died if not, and the food he'd left for her had helped her recover her strength quickly. She'd never forget him for it, let alone be able to ever repay him for it.

She packed away her crafting tools and materials quickly, kicking dust into the fire to snuff it out as her mare nickered softly, breaking the still quiet. Effie smiled at her and reached into her satchel; she hadn't ventured into Strawberry since her altercation with the butcher, so she hadn't any apples or hay for her, but a few days ago she'd found some raspberry bushes. They were a little bruised and wet when Effie pulled them out from her bag, but they'd do. Her mare finished them off happily as the girl mounted, casting one last glance to the woods where she'd seen the buck before she clicked her teeth and moved off, the sun beating down as she headed through the woods alone.

We have been running for weeks. We found shelter and have been resting here in some old abandoned mining town while we wait for the thaw. Hardly the spring I had been hoping for…

Arthur paused as a shiver ran through him and he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, his fingers numb where he'd taken off his gloves to write. The last month had been hell; the grim climax of Blackwater still had him reeling and a deep, gloomy depression had since settled over him and the rest of the Van Der Linde gang. They'd been lucky to escape to the mountains, but with two of them freshly buried, the other two missing and presumed dead and Arthur and Javier returning yesterday after rescuing a half-mauled John Marston from being a hungry pack's dinner, the future for the gang remained bleak. Arthur flicked back through the pages of his journal, trying desperately to immerse himself in the happiness and joy the gang had been in whilst they'd been at Tall Trees; drawings of the girls sat by the fire with Javier as he played his guitar, the massive pronghorn Charles and Sean had brought into camp one night, a funny looking carved rock Jack had found whilst he had taken the boy out foraging for herbs.

He smiled to himself as he turned the page over and paused; there was a carefully detailed sketch of a girl on the left page, sat by a fire holding a bottle of whiskey, her hair in a long dark braid down her left shoulder and her delicate features alight with a sweet smile. Underneath the drawing he'd written her name; Effie Bartlett, he touched his finger over the name carefully, as if he was worried he'd cause the writing to rub out as he turned his attention to read the passage on the other page;

Was foolish enough to get stuck out in that mean storm today, the river had burst its banks and flooded all the roads down through West Elizabeth. I went to seek shelter in the woods out near Strawberry and met a girl. A hunter living out in the woods trying to take care of herself and her daddy, some no good gambler who likes the drink too much. She was kind, gave me what little she had and let me stay the night to keep warm. Her daddy reminded me of mine and how he'd been just as selfish and useless with me the same way as this girl's father is to her, I'll make sure to try and check in on her before we leave New Austin and head west, it won't be long now and then we'll be free.

The outlaw grunted and closed his journal and buttoned it shut safely, he grabbed his heavy gloves off the rotted bedside table and stretched as he stood up. "Some freedom." He scoffed to himself as he pushed the door open and headed through the dilapidated outhouse to the cold. The snow was bright and he glared down as it crunched under his boots, Colter had once been a busy mining town back in its heyday, judging by the mass of buildings and remnants of wagons and old tools that lay strewn about the place, but it had been abandoned and neglected long ago as the resources nearby had depleted, left to turn derelict and rot under the heavy blankets of snow as nature slowly reclaimed it.

It must have been near mid-morning, but there was hardly anybody in sight. Most of them would be in the main building, one of the few buildings left with a fireplace that could still be used. Near the entrance to the town there was an open shed, where he saw the large figure of Simon Pearson pacing around the sheltered area, rifling through empty sacks and putting what he had on the old tabletop. In the centre of the area was a long-tone fire pit, he rubbed his gloved hands together and muttered under his breath as Arthur approached.

"We're gonna starve to death up here, Mr. Morgan." The camp's cook greeted him with a grim nod, brushing the snow that was clinging to his unkempt beard off.

Arthur rolled his eyes at the large man, "We're okay."

Pearson scoffed and walked past the outlaw as he held his hands out to the fire, gesturing to the makeshift tabletop he'd put whatever food he had left on, "We have a few cans of food and a rabbit… for what, ten, twelve people?" He tutted and shook his head exasperatedly as Arthur turned away from the fire to eye the weak amount of provisions laid out, "When I was in the Navy," The butcher began.

"I- I do not wish to hear about what you got up to in the Navy, Mr. Pearson." Arthur held a hand up as he approached his fellow gang member.

Pearson rapped his knuckles on the table, "We were stranded at sea," He continued, ignoring the outlaw's protest, "For fifty days."

Arthur groaned, "And you unfortunately survived." He finished for the cook.

Mr. Pearson gave the outlaw a tight smile, "When we ran away from Blackwater I wasn't able to get supplies in." He heaved the cooking pot off the table and carried it over to the stove pit above the fire.

"Well," Arthur rounded on the large man, "When government agents are huntin' you down, sometimes shopping trips need to be cut short."

Pearson ignored Arthur's tone and narrowed his eyes, "If I'm remembering correctly, I sent you out to get some supplies before the job went down. You were gone for hours, Mr. Morgan, yet I can't remember you coming back with any cans."

Arthur glared at the large man, he was right of course; he had offered to go out and restock, but only because he needed the opportunity to go out to Strawberry and see if he could visit Effie before he knew he'd have to leave. After seeing the state she was in after she ended up in that gunfight, Arthur had left all the cans he'd bought for the gang with her so she'd be able to recover safely. At the time, it felt like the right thing to do. How was he supposed to know the job in Blackwater would turn into such a commotion that the gang would be forced to flee that same night?

The outlaw raised his chin and held the butcher's hard gaze, "We'll survive, Mr. Pearson, we always have," He turned back to the fire and crinkled his nose at whatever the cook had thrown into the cooking pot, "And if needs be we can eat you, you're the fattest." He muttered.

Pearson pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, then threw his hand out to gesture out to the snowy woods out of town, "I sent Lenny and Bill hunting and they found nothing."

Arthur let out an amused grunt, "Well, Lenny's more into book readin' than huntin' and Bill's a fool," He stroked his chin as someone joined them at the entrance, Charles Smith's burly figure was wrapped in a dark overcoat, his hat pulled low to cover his ears and an old scarf was pulled up to his chin. He nodded at Arthur once and glanced over the table and the near empty shack whilst Arthur shrugged his shoulders at Pearson, clearly enjoying his teasing, "Unless those mountains are full of game that wanna read it ain't no wonder they found nothin'."

Pearson glared at Arthur and threw his iron ladle down, marching around the fire pit with his hand raised menacingly to the smirking outlaw, behind them, Charles tutted, "Enough of this," His deep tone was sharp, clearly tired of hearing his two gang mates bicker, "We'll go find something. Come on, Arthur." He nodded his head towards where the horses were hitched and started off towards them, Arthur grunted and began to follow.

"Wait a second, hold on," Pearson bustled behind them and they both turned back, Pearson rooted around in one of the discarded sacks and pulled out a jar. It was chipped and dusty, the contents within it were a dark sickly brown, "Here," he tossed the jar and Arthur caught it, "You're gonna need something to eat out there."

Arthur brushed the dust off the jar and narrowed his eyes as he inspected the worn label, "Assorted salted offal," He read allowed and scoffed in disgust, "Starving would be preferable."

Charles grunted next to him, "Come on, let's go."

"You can't go huntin'," Arthur shook his head and eyed Charles' roughly bandaged hand, "Look at your hand."

Charles rolled his eyes, "I can't stay here listening to you two," The outlaw gave a guilty smirk under Charles' accusatory gaze, "Look, if there's game in these hills I'll find it, and you can kill it."

Arthur let out a deep sigh as he considered the compromise, "You need to rest, Charles."

Charles raised a brow, a mocking smirk tugged on the corner of his mouth, "You think this is rest?" He turned and resumed his stride over to the horses and Arthur shrugged in defeat and followed, Charles brushed the snow off his mare and grabbed a bow that was sheathed beneath his saddle, he held it out to Arthur as he approached, "Here, you take this. I can't use it so you'll have to."

The outlaw took the bow hesitantly and looked down at it with his brow furrowed, "Oh, you're jokin'."

Charles ignored his half-protesting tone with a shrug, "Use a gun and we'll scare off every animal for miles around," He patted his mare's neck and mounted, if his hand was causing him any pain at the manoeuvre he didn't show it, instead his expression remained neutral as Arthur mounted beside him, "You're never too old to learn… I imagine."

Arthur scoffed at his gangmates jibe and kicked his heel into his mare, his heart panged slightly as he yearned for Boadicea. Another tragic casualty to the Blackwater disaster. He'd found this horse a couple of night's back when he had been looking for shelter with Dutch and Micah, instead finding that it had been seized by a group of O'Driscoll's who'd lain waste to the cabin and murdered the owner, leaving the gang to take in the widow who had hidden in the cellar. The horse was strong and healthy, no stranger to the harsh cold that the mountains brought, she'd do until they got off the mountain and headed… wherever Dutch had planned to next.

Arthur shook his head, trying to quell the all too familiar feeling of unease that crept up inside him. Instead he cleared his throat and eyed Charles through the misty cold, "And how are you holding up, Charles?"

Charles kept his gaze forward as he guided his appaloosa through the deep snow down to the hill towards a dark river, "I'm okay, apart from this hand," He scoffed at himself and shook his head, "Stupid mistake."

The outlaw nodded, "Still bad?"

Charles shook his head, "It'll be fine in a day or two. I just can't pull a bow right now."

Arthur sucked a breath through his teeth as Charles guided them across the weather and towards the wooded area, "I sure hope I can, I never really got the hang of it." He admitted.

"You'll be fine."

"So," Arthur paused to pat his mare's neck as they pressed on through the cold, "You reckon we're gonna find something that ain't an O'Driscoll?"

Charles turned and offered him a knowing smile, "There's meat up here for sure. Pearson doesn't know what he's talking about. Now the weather's eased off a bit, they'll be needing to feed," He nodded his head towards the slope up ahead, "We'll head up this way, find some higher ground."

The outlaw nodded and followed Charles closely, he dropped his reigns and flexed his hands, trying to get some feeling back into his fingers as flakes of snow were kicked up around him, "Been a wild few days alright - that ride north from Blackwater, getting stuck in this storm, bringing John back in…" He trailed off, the sudden weight of the gang's situation looming over them.

Up ahead, Charles' bulky shoulders tensed and he shook his head, "You've had a lot put on you, I wish I could have done more."

Arthur shook his head as he looked on ahead, "I didn't mean it like that, just… a lot to look back on. He grimaced slightly; it wasn't all that long ago that the whole gang was together around the main campfire, singing and enjoying the warm evenings in New Austin, and now they were four members down, and starving in grim shelter in the cold up somewhere in Ambarino.

Charles' deep voice broke his reminiscing, "I still don't know what happened on that boat."

The outlaw scoffed bitterly, "Me neither. Well, Javier told me a bit, but," He paused as they came past the ridge, the woods were starting to thicken, and he could see more vegetation the further down the mountain they came, "It sure weren't good." He finished solemnly.

His gangmate nodded and focused on the view ahead with his jaw clenched, the harsh wind had ceased into a small breeze and Arthur's face was starting to throb. He couldn't wait to get everybody down off that mountain and moving to somewhere warmer. It would be bittersweet, though, knowing they were back at where they'd started - if anything they were worse off, there was no doubt they'd still have to deal with the heat from Blackwater, and if they'd found O'Driscolls way up out here then it meant their numbers were bigger than ever.

"Some of the ground's uncovered over here," Charles pointed to a patch of snow that had been disturbed, and recently, "Come on," He pulled on his reigns and his mare veered off, following the trail, "Let's try this way, keep your eyes peeled for movement, he looked up at the overcast sky, "The wind's died down too."

Arthur frowned, "And that's good?"

"No wind at all is bad, but if it's too strong they won't move," His gangmate explained, looking down at the trail and snapping his head up through the trees, Arthur leaned forward on his saddle, trying to see what Charles was looking at, "Stop here a second." He pulled on his reins with one hand and held his other hand up, signalling for Arthur to do the same. Once his mare had slowed he turned and dismounted, his focus on the ground below him. He landed in a crouch and reached out, his gloved hand moved over a patch in the snow and the grass. Arthur slowed his mare to a stop and frowned at the ground the hunter was examining, "I see something. There's deer been here, and recently."

"How can you tell?"

"How can you not?" Charles murmured and straightened up, looking out over the river, "Let's walk from here, we'll track them on foot," He turned and nodded his head at Arthur as he dismounted, "You're gonna need the bow, don't leave it on your horse. A gun will scare everything around." Arthur nodded and grabbed the bow, struggling with his gloves to knock an arrow in it, he rolled the tension out of his shoulders as he joined his companion and Charles pointed to the thick undergrowth among the trees, "Quiet as you can. Stay low and move slowly."

Effie sighed as her horse walked slowly down the hill towards Strawberry, turkey and rabbit carcasses swung lazily with the mare's gait. As she entered the town she spied the recently appointed mayor, a sharply dressed portly man with a prominent moustache that had been painstakingly pomaded into a tight coil. He was stood outside the jailhouse with Sheriff Hanley having a hushed conversation, they both looked up as Effie rode passed and she offered a polite nod and tipped her worn stalker hat, but didn't bother to stop. She'd not had many dealings with either of the two gentlemen and she intended to keep it that way - in fact, the less contact she had with the local townsfolk meant she wouldn't be harassed with her father's latest drunken brawls and tabs and debt he'd skipped out on.

She halted her mare outside the post office and made a small fuss of her before she hitched her, she shrugged her dirty scout jacket off and stowed it under her saddle before grabbing the small game that she'd shot earlier. As she approached the butcher's table she looked around for the hulking figure of Mister Flynn, frowning slightly when she couldn't see him in his usual spots; she tutted and went back to her mare and busied herself with the ropes she'd used to tie the young buck she'd spent the best part of the early morning tracking around Black Bone Forest. The hunter gritted her teeth as she braced and heaved the buck off her horse, taking short steps back as she struggled to hoist the buck over her shoulder, beside her the mare nickered with the weight finally relieved from her but Effie ignored her, focussed on getting to the table without buckling under the dead weight of her kill.

She all but threw the buck onto the table with a dull thud and she heaved a breath as she stepped back, rolling the crick out of her neck as she wiped her hands on her pants. "I thought you was gonna keel over for a moment there, girl!" A thick, meaty hand clapped on her back hard and the girl almost fell to the dirt, her head snapped up as she staggered away and she squinted through the bright sunlight to be met with Mister Flynn's wide grin, but it didn't meet his piggy little eyes.

"Mister Flynn," Effie greeted flatly, wiping the sweat off her brow as she regarded him warily, "I wondered where you'd got to, you're normally stewing on your stool back there."

The mountain of a man barked a short laugh and adjusted his pants underneath his dirty apron, "Well I was just having a nice chat with one of my usual patrons, as I was coming back over I thought you might've needed some help with that buck you got there."

The girl sniffed and raised her chin, "That's mighty kind of you, sir, but I don't need any help."

Mister Flynn chucked again as he made his way round to his usual side of the table, his huge hand examining the carcasses she'd put there, "Now that, Miss Bartlett, I got a hard time believin'. I ain't even sure how you get these bucks up on that horse of yours."

Effie shrugged and looked out towards the road leading out of the south-side of town, the biting edge to the butcher's words left the air unsettling and his gaze was damn near hostile, no doubt the memory of their last exchange fresh on both their minds. As much as she very much shared the animosity between them, Effie knew she couldn't afford any more altercations with the man. She steeled herself with a quick breath and forced a small, tight smile, "I manage out there just fine, Mister Flynn." She said evenly.

The butcher huffed a scoff in response as he finished prodding the carcusses, "Sure you do, Miss Bartlett, is that why I ain't ever seen you lookin' like you ain't ever had a full meal?" Effie's teeth ground together as she narrowed her eyes at him, "I shouldn't laugh, really. S'just a shame that no matter how much coin you make from goin' out and bringin' whatever you find back to me it'll never be enough. Your daddy's made sure of that. From the moment he let his drinkin' an' gamblin' get the better of him, he as good as killed the both of ya." Flynn drawled on, his mouth curling into a smirk as he continued to get under the girl's skin.

"You must've been so pleased," She met the butcher's sneer with an icy stare, "When we had to sell the store to the bank, it let you weasel your way into business, didn't it?"

The butcher shrugged cooly, "Now now, Miss Bartlett, I don't work for no bank. And no one forced a whiskey bottle and cards into your daddy's hand now, did they? When your daddy's store closed I went and opened this stall in his place, that's the way it works. You should count yourself lucky I even bother buyin' your stock. Now here."

One of his hands dipped into his apron pocket and pulled out some bills and held them out to her. Effie grabbed them and went to turn away, but the butcher's other hand shot out and clasped around her wrist and yanked her back to him. The girl grunted and tried to pull away, but his dirty, sweaty hand tightened painfully around her wrist and kept her in place. He leaned close to her, his red face heaving as his laboured breaths huffed against her cheek, "The world ain't like it used to be, girlie, and this here's a civilised town. After what happened the last time you were here you're lucky I'm still willin' to buy off ya, and it wouldn't take much word to the Sheriff to have him throw ya in a cell for causin' trouble." He gave her wrist one last painful squeeze and released her, shoving her in the direction of her mare, Effie shoved the bills into her pocket and rubbed her wrist as she started walking, refusing to look back at him.

There wasn't much she could say without running the risk of Flynn's threat - if he ceased business with her, what would she do to earn a living? She mounted her mare and urged her into a swift trot through the town into the wild, her mind swirling as she sat stiffly, her wrist aching slightly. She directed her mare to take the road down by the lake and slowed her to a leisurely pace. The sun was beating down and insects buzzed and hummed in the grass, in the undergrowth she could hear small animals skittering about, nature making most of the heat so early in spring.

The money she was earning was laughable as it was, and it was barely enough to keep her and her daddy going - that was even if her daddy was planning on coming back from Blackwater any time soon. She pulled on her reins and her mare stopped dutifully, leaning her head to inspect some weeds whilst Effie rubbed her face, her fingers trembling slightly as she felt the heavy weight of stress suddenly surge within her. She had to do something, it wasn't making much sense to keep scrounging away to keep a broken roof over their heads. If she could go out, find somewhere that could give her good work, she and her daddy could move somewhere else, somewhere better. She just had to figure out what kind of work she could do to suit what she could do, she chewed her lip as she mulled over the options, trying to think of honest jobs that would need somebody to scout and track, that would need someone who could handle a knife and a gun as she could.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

Effie jumped and looked up, a traveller coming down the road smiled and held his hands up apologetically, "Sorry, Mister, I was miles away. Can I help you?"

"I was wonderin' if you had a map I could take a look at, I'm trying to get to Valentine and I must have lost mine goin' over Little Creek River, I just need to make sure I'm on the right road." The man smiled harmlessly and Effie narrowed her eyes cautiously; she spied a cattleman holstered at his hip, but couldn't see if he was armed with anything else.

She mulled the situation over for a few more moments before she let her nature get the better of her, "Sure, if you stay on this road you'll make it into Strawberry, but let me show you which road you'll need once you pass through." She reached into the satchel on her horse without taking her eyes off the man, who stayed still patiently with the same friendly smile on his face. Her hands closed round the edge of a page and she pulled out the folded square, "Here, take a look."

"Well, thank you kindly, Miss," The traveller unmounted his horse and strode over, he took the folded map with a nod and opened it up to take a look, a folded note fell to the dusty floor.

"Oh! Sorry, that's just, that ain't a map." She smiled weakly as the man crouched to pick it up.

"S'okay, must be in there for safe keeping." He handed it back to her and then turned his attention back to the map, but Effie had lost interest. She opened the note that had been folded in the map and blinked as she remembered what it was, a small smile slowly formed as she realised what she needed to do. "Alright, with any luck I'll be gettin' to Valentine before last call, thanks again."

She took her map back and nodded her goodbye as the man rode onward, with both bits of paper tucked safely into her satchel she grabbed the reins and clicked her teeth, pushing her mare into a swift trot, when she reached the lake she carried on across the dam, heading to Blackwater. She knew it was a tiny sliver of hope, but maybe, just maybe, she could find someone there that knew where he was - or at the very least where to find him.

A/N: Okay so I know it's been a while since I last updated, the truth is I reaaalllly struggled to get through this chapter, and it's still not finished, but I figured I'd give you wonderful readers what I have so far. Sorry it's been ages! I moved into a new flat just before Christmas and it's been crazy hectic from there. I kept rewriting bits and deleting it trying to improve it, but I'm gonna keep at it and try and get the rest of this one finished soon - until then I hope you enjoy what I've got, let me know what you think in the comments!