Ah feel a bit sorry 'bout writin' this 'ere chapter so late, but it was the interest of former readers that kept me goin'. Ah felt so touch by their honest statements, Ah felt that I oughta drop in a couple o' ideas mentioned.

It's true, didn't you know?

So far you don't even know its Kidd. Gosh, I'm horrible at these long stories, but I cannot stop now! My fans await! (If I had any fans...)

Please review. You'll see why at the bottom of the page.

Chapter Four

A dry, hoarse groan rattled through the wooden shack.

It had recently rained, and the covering of the trees sheltered the damped base well and protectively, yet looking alone amidst all the green.

A tall lean character sat up slowly, a hand going up to midnight coloured hair and dizziness fading from the adolescent's cranium. He opened his eyes slowly, his amber gaze settling on round, bright blue ones. He flinched back, unintentionally knocking his head against the wall.

"Patty! Don't go up so close!"

"But sis, he can hardly do anything: he's totally whoozy!"

Unfamiliar voices rang in his ears, and he steadied himself, taking a breath—never failing to realize how cool and crisp it was—and patiently opened his eyes again.

He recognized the face. Round and embroidered by short blonde hair, round blue eyes and an optimistic smile which showed her immaturity despite her age which he guessed to be sixteen, taking in delicate consideration her bust. She looked at him beneath a roughly sewn handmade hat, and a coat over a red shirt, short jeans and brown leather boots.

"Mornin', partner," another voice called.

Kidd sharply looked over to another figure across the room, tall lean and attractive as the first girl—her sister he guessed, with longer, duller blonde hair clipped neatly at her waist and besides the long slim jeans, dressed as identically as the younger sibling.

"What are you two doing here?" Kidd hissed, voice cracking and losing its hostile background.

He noticed that she was cooking on a coal pot, and the scent made his mouth water, but he quieted his hunger and pricked his ears as she sighed and began to formulate her introduction.

"I'm surprised that you actually remember us," she stated, eyes going back to the black pan, stained by years of use.

"I never forget a face," Kidd said grimly. The girl by his side, Patty, jumped from her crouch and walked giddily over to her sister, barely risking Kidd a second glance.

"Do you remember the men who shot you?" the older sibling asked, observing him from the corner of her eyes. He frowned. "Under your left rib."

Kidd shoved down the heavy navy blue cover onto his lap and lifted up his crimson ridden torn white shirt to show his lower abdomen wrapped in fresh bandages, and his left side faintly red. He became aware of it throbbing. His voice caught in his throat. How did he get this?

"You don't remember, do you?"

The voice was closer and he looked up to see the older cowgirl standing over him, hands perched on her hips and eyes staring down at him impassively.

"Just what did you do to me?"

"Nothing but save your sorry butt," Patty growled over the pan, voice and expression suddenly vicious. Her sister glared at her over her shoulder. "Patricia," she warned. Patty pouted repentantly.

"There were two men who walked into a bar in a town a ways off from here," the currently nameless sister explained to Kidd. Wounded and tired, he remained silent, observing the cabin as she spoke.

"I remember them," he muttered. "They said they wanted to arrest me."

"Yeah, then you refused."

Kidd shook his head. "I didn't do anything."

"It might have been when they spiked your drink," Patty volunteered, a kind of cheerfulness to her voice despite the serious situation. Her sister seemed to ignore the tone and nodded, crossed her arms.

"They had their eyes on you since then," 'Nameless' continued. "Some sort of drug. I recognized it, but couldn't remember what it could've done till you blacked out on your horse, then strolled into town as if you were drunk."

"Midnight," Kidd mumbled. "Where's my horse?"

"Outside, tucked under the patio roof with a three days' supply of food and water," Ptty's sister said before the younger could respond. "She's doin' fine. Unfortunately, you aren't. So, until you heal up and intend to threaten us with your guns, shut up and listen your story."

Kidd was forced to ask about his twin weapons, but remained silent and leaned his back against the wall, eyes half closed as he listened.

"Anyway, like I said, you strolled into that town as if you were drunk then blacked out in a corner. Patty and I were watching you warily."

"How long were you intending to follow me?"

"Just until the drug eased up," she confessed, shrugging. "Unfortunately, Giriko and his goon got to you before us."

"Giriko?" Kidd repeated, "Who's that?"

"The younger of the two who attacked you," 'Nameless' replied mildly, almost surprised of his ignorance. "Didn't he introduce himself? I'm sure his goon did."

"They went by the names of Sandrake and Barken."

"So you can remember all that but you can't remember the fight, how you got shot, and how Patty and I raced you out of the town into the forest, huh?"

"Was I eve conscious when all of this happened?"

"So to speak," she responded, but explained no more. Kidd accepted it as a side effect of the 'drug' he had unintentionally consumed. That surprised him: his followers must have certainly been skilful to have spiked his drink without him knowing. He growled. That was careless of him.

"So what the point?" he spat, unknowingly hissing between his teeth. The sisters were surprisingly unaffected, save for the older's slight frown. "What do you mean?"

"What's the point of saving me?"

"You saved us, didn't you?"

"I didn't shelter, nor heal, nor feed you," the last words tumbled out of his mouth as Patty handed him the plate of beans and beacon. He ate it hungrily.

"I suppose it's because we've got a lot in common, the three of us."

He swallowed the strip of beacon, looking between the blondes. "What do you mean?"

"The 'Snakes' are after us too," she said with a grim smile. "By the way, my name's Liz."

A pair of bat's wings, a puff of toad's breath, a chuckle of witch's cackle with a dainty six pounds of salt, and the perfect brew is cooked to torment any reader who doesn't review.

Brilliant.