The night was calm and quiet which was another quality Peter wasn't used to, having grown up in modern New York Peter was so used to the sounds of traffic, dogs barking and the glow of street lights that without them sleep was impossible. That and the bed was basically a board of wood realising he wasn't going to sleep tonight he rolled out of bed back to the desk where his web cartridges and empty bullet casings were scattered across the surface. He had been tweaking his revolver to shoot his webbing but without the control configuration of his shooters the ability to swing was no longer an option all he could fire were his impact shots and web cocoon snares.

He worked into the late hours of the night perfecting his new vintage web six shooters before blacking out in his chair.

Dawn hadn't yet arrived when Colt kicked the door open startling Peter awake "who, w-what?" he gasped,

"We're riding out let's go" Colt ordered.

Peter rose from his chair and got dressed with the exception of the dim candle lamps the whole building was consumed in darkness the outline of 6 horses tied outside drew his attention just as Marek and James or as Peter knew him best Wolverine came around the corner with satchels slung over their shoulders, "look who decided to wake up" Marek mocked throwing Peter a satchel "hope you practiced kid cause it's along ride to dodge city especially if we're riding through renegade apache territory"

"Renegade Apache?" Peter parroted "fill in the blanks because I'm new here renegade usually means "doesn't play well with others" his voice was higher with nervous energy every western movie he watched with uncle Ben as a kid indicated renegade Indians were the ones who refused to be relocated by the railway transit companies and fend off intruders by any and every means possible.

"you're right kid they don't, they kill on sight some more violent ones take trophies" Marek said while dragging his thumb across his forehead just under his hair line, James jumped onto his horse as another teenager dressed in higher quality leather attire with a white hat "Bart I really wish you'd dress normal for once it's ridiculous riding with a fancy boy" Marek sighed.

"God damn it, its Rawhide Kid Marek not Johnny not Bart…what's the point of a nick name if nobody calls you by it"

("ok so the Rawhide guy is the Nova of the this era")

Colt and Sasha rode out after him as Peter climbed onto his horse silently praying that they wouldn't be riding fast today. They started with a brisk pace out of the city with Marek and James at the front Sasha and colt in the middle with a nervous Peter cling on to his reins next to the Rawhide kid. The rising dust surrounded them with every step irritating Peter's eyes and nose he would kill to have his mask back but it was stowed away in his satchel and for no reason what so ever he would be taking a hand of the reins.

"Nervous kid?" Rawhide laughed as he rode up closer to Peter,

"I don't like horses" Peter shuddered. Rawhide smiled as he extended his hand over "Johnny Bart, better known as the Rawhide kid" he said in a formal tone,

Peter didn't extend his hand which was now white knuckling the leather strap in his hand "Peter Parker better known as Spider-man" he choked.

Rawhide chuckled a little, at first Peter assumed it was because of the way he was riding the horse but when he looked over at him he saw a very familiar mocking smile the very same smile he got when he first went public. Rawhide was laughing at his alter ego, "Spider-man? Man I'm sorry but with a name like that you'll be shot on sight…most likely by Sasha but who knows maybe as long as you consider changing it" Rawhide laughed.

Peter rolled his eyes in annoyance "everyone's a critique, but for the record where I'm from the nick name Rawhide and being dressed like that you would be the one getting shot" Peter retorted. The two continued to banter back and forth for a lengthy period of time, when it dawned on Peter that they were riding to Dodge City Kansas on horse "exactly how long is this trip?" he asked.

"10 days at full gallop and that's crossing over the plains, through thick forests, over the mountains not to mention the problems with wild life, renegades and gun slingers" Rawhide replied

"And…just like that I hate you, why would you tell me something that!" Peter cried.

"Because you asked"

"….shut up"

And so the journey began across the plains as the six riders rode out of the city into the wild.

("Ok for the continuation of the human race guys stay off of saddles and horses")

Peter bounced in his saddle the whole ride, the team remained quiet as if going on these long rides was normal for them but for Peter it was torture he needed to speak it was driving him crazy.

"Hey Johnny how did you end up in all this?" Peter asked gesturing towards the front of the pack, Rawhide pulled one his pistols and passed it to Peter who took it and examined it. Nothing overly special about it, solid black little worn out but as far as Peter could tell nothing special.

"Look at the hilt" Rawhide suggested,

Peter did as Rawhide suggested there were initials engraved, on one side "B.C" on the other "R.R"

"I was born Johnny Clay as a kid my family was killed in the Indian raids…my older brother was captured and so I was sent to live with my aunt and uncle In Rawhide Texas where as I grew older my uncle Ben the last of Rawhide Rangers taught me how to shoot on the promise that what I learned would only be used as a last resort in self –defence…one day uncle Ben went to town for supplies, a pair of gun slingers named Hawk & Spade rode through town looking to heighten their fame Hawk called Uncle Ben out Spade tricked him with a distraction and Hawk gunned him down in the street".

Rawhide hesitated for a moment as the haunting memories of his uncles death crept through him "I buried my uncle claiming his guns before returning to town… I'm quick on the hammer my friend like unchained lightning but then again I learned from a true legend…I called both Hawk and Spade out into the street. I remember being terrified and angry at the same time craving vengeance every intention of killing them both where they stood, then the weirdest thing as my hands clasped the hilts Uncles Ben's voice echoed in my ears "Johnny you have to swear tome that what I teach you will only be used in self-defence never in anger or vengeance promise me Johnny" I drew my pistols and shot them both in the arms…a fate worse than death, humiliation they were beaten by a kid and arrested then hanged. I took the name the Rawhide kid after Uncle Ben and the Rawhide Rangers so that no one would forget what they stood for after that I was outlawed by the jealous sheriff and ever since I've been honoring my uncles memory" he finished taking back his pistol from Peter.

"wow close to home" Peter thought to himself, in a different time his story was that of another right down to how a kid began a vigilante, he & Rawhide were more alike than he could have ever imagined.

"How about you? Nobody just falls into vigilantism" Rawhide said,

Now it was Peter's turn knowing that if he wanted the others to trust him he would have to tell them something about himself. He pulled his mask from his satchel and handed it to Rawhide,

"Like you I lost my folks as a kid and was raised by my aunt & uncle. It was a great life they loved me as their own, as a kid I wasn't exactly the most physically capable more of a thinker than a doer. I was 14 when I was bitten by a spider and it…" Peter trailed off this wasn't a scientific era so telling his story might sound crazy to Rawhide "…it enhanced a few of my features to the point where I was able to do great things or at least I should have realised that sooner…I took advantage of my new found abilities for a prophet. All I cared about was looking out for myself, so when a man robbed the establishment I was in I chose to let him go…I came home to find my uncle had been murdered and I was devastated driven by anger and revenge I hunted down the man the police believed to have killed my uncle cornering him in an empty ware house. I used my power to put the fear of god in him with every intent on ending him when I realised my uncle raised me better than that and that if I made the choice to kill him then what would make me any better? my uncle had told me that those who have power have the responsibility to properly use it, I made my choice…I chose to be better and walk away, to let justice be served to be the hero instead of the villain" he finished.

Once Peter finished his story the air became still and heavy as New York shrunk in the distance and the open wide world filled the horizon their path had been laid at their feet and the adventure west began a beautiful landscape stretching across the horizon beyond what his eyes could see "wow...that's amazing Ava would love to see this" Peter whispered to himself.

"who's Ava, you're girl because i'll tell you now rookie life on the road changes a man...if you want to see her again you better be able to cope with what's waiting for us over that river, renegades, outlaws, gunslingers, carnivores, not mention the deadly dry heat of the western plains, narrow paths of the mountains, quick sand..." Rawhide continued to laugh as did the others watching the color drop from Peter's face.

"so basically everything wants to kill us, there really is a million ways to die out here...I want to go home!" Peter cried,

"can I shoot him now?" Sasha laughed.

"ha-ha, leave him be and ride on I want to be at on the other side of those trees with a camp set up before nightfall" Marek ordered.

("hey maybe I'll get in the history books after this…you know if I live")

the journey is underway and so far the odds seemed stacked against them.

Peter has learned the origins of one of his new teammates and boy did it ever hit close to home.

what events led the other riders to their current choice?

and what awaits them along the way?