"And you just let him go?" Doc groused angrily.

"Festus is a grown man, Doc," Matt replied harshly. "And someone who was raised in the hill country I might add. If anyone can take care of them self out there it's him!"

"Why would he just leave?" Kitty said softly. "Without any reason?"

"I'm sure he had lots of reasons," Newly said seated across from Kitty in the Rock Creek cafe.

"Stubborn mule," Doc stated absently wiping at his eye when he thought no one was looking. "Well, enough of this foolish nonsense. When do we leave this place? I'm ready to go home!"

Festus studied the landscape around him. He had traveled in and out of Kansas many times, he had some idea of where he was but didn't really know where he wanted to go, he just knew it had to be where no one else was.

He couldn't stand the thought of returning to Rock Creek and Dodge under such a dark cloud and he sure didn't need any of his friends feeling sorry for him after what he'd been though but the simple truth of the matter was, he'd almost lost his life and for that reason alone, a person sometimes just needed time alone to reflect on things.

Climbing into the hill country, he stopped to make camp next to a river. After building a fire, he took out some fishing line and a hook.

After putting the trout that he caught on a spit over the fire, the hill man settled back against a log to nap while it cooked.

The sound of something moving though the brush made him sit up, drawing the pistol Matt had given him, he looked around.

"Don't shoot an old man," a voice said with a slightly crazy laugh.

"Come outa there an ya won't get shot," Festus said holstering his gun as the old hermit looking man stumbled though the thicket. "What ya doing up here by yer lonesome anyway?"

"Ain't all alone," the old man said coming into the clearing. "Yer here!"

Festus scrunched up one eye as the emaciated old man sat down hard on the ground in front of his fire.

"Wal, I just got here," the hill man said looking around. "How long ya been up here?"

"I don't know really," the disheveled man said squinting in the light as he looked up.

"Where ya livin?" Festus said taking a seat next to him.

"Here and there," the man said looking at Festus. "What about you, why you here?"

"Wal, I asked you first," Festus said pulling the fish apart, he handed the old man a large piece.

"I come ta die," the old man stated with a toothy grin as he picked at the piece of fish.

"Die," Festus said slightly bemused. "What ya mean?"

"Just what I said," the old man replied. "I'm waitin ta die!"

Festus scoffed. "Ain't ya got no family or someone ya can stay with."

"Nope," the man said sadly. "No one wants a nobody around."

"Who says yer a nobody," Festus said gently. "Everyone has ta have somebody."

"You don't," the old man said with a wiry grin. "Cause if ya did, you wouldn't be here!"

"Yer just tryin ta get me ta talk," Festus said petulantly.

"Then tell me, Festus," the man said quietly. "Why you here, where's yer family."

"How'd you know ma name," Festus said slowly.

"You told it to me," the old man said smiling. "I'm Micheal, and you didn't give me no answers yet!"

"Fine if ya must know," Festus said angrily. "I came here ta think bout things and yes I gots me a family!"

"Ah," Micheal said evenly. "A thinker, that's all the better!"

"I ain't got no schoolin," Festus was quick to point out. "And when I say ta think bout things, it's to you know, find ma way, don't ya see."

"I see," Micheal replied softly, he closed his eyes and yawned as dusk fell upon them. "I'm just gonna rest a spell."

"Ya," Festus said with a grin. "You do that."