Author's note: It's time for chapter 2. I hope it's good.
"Catch me!" Young Anna yelled happily. "Slow down!" Young Elsa warned. She ended up slipping on ice. Anna jumped off the tallest snow mound. "Anna!" Elsa cried frantically. She tried to create a snow mound, but her aim was off, and she struck Anna in the forehead.
"Anna!" Elsa whimpered as she ran to her fallen sister. A strand of her hair turned pure white. "Mama! Papa!" The young girl cried for her parents. More ice grew around her, freezing the walls of the ballroom. It took all of Iduna and Agnarr's strength to break through the frozen door.
"Elsa, what have you done? This is getting out of hand!" Her father said. "It was an accident! I'm sorry, Anna." Elsa said, fighting back tears.
"She's ice cold!" Iduna gasped as she held Anna.
Elsa's eyes snapped open, and she shot up in her bed, breathing heavily. Her magic had frozen the frame a little. "Elsa, are you okay?" Dutch said as he entered their room. "Yes. I'm fine." Elsa said, her breathing returning to normal. "Okay, I'll be out here if you need me." Dutch closed the door.
It had been years since she had that nightmare. Why did it come back? She thought. Elsa shook her head and put on her snow boots over her pale feet. She put on a pair of gloves that Hosea had gotten her. She was still confused about how her magic had managed to penetrate them.
With her winter coat on, Elsa stepped out of the room and found Dutch and Anna talking. "So what are we going to do now, Papa?" Anna asked. "We hold up here for a while, then when the storm is fully clear, and the wagons thaw, we'll be moving on. We go east when that happens." Dutch answered her question.
"Will Colm find us?" Anna asked next. "I don't think he knows where we are. But remember, Anna, as long as I am still standing, no harm will befall any of you." Dutch said as he hugged her. Elsa stepped outside.
She entered another cabin where some more of the gang were held up at currently. "He ain't been seen in days. And the weather ain't let up." Abigail said. Arthur entered also and joined his younger sister at the fire. "He's strong, and he's smart." Tilly assured the young mother. "Strong, at least." Abigail corrected.
"Hello Elsa, Arthur." She greeted them. "Abigail." Arthur returned the greet. "Arthur... how you doing?" Abigail asked. "Just fine, Abigail. And you?" Artbur asked suspiciously. "I need you to... I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry to ask, but..." Abigail started, but Arthur already figured it out. "It's Little John. He's got himself caught into a scrape again." He groaned. "He ain't been seen in 2... 2 days." Abigail said.
"Your John will be fine. I mean, he may be as dumb as rocks and as dull as rusted iron, but that ain't changing because he got caught in some snowstorm." Arthur said, irritated. "At least go take a look. Javier?" Hosea turned to the Mexican. "Yes?" Javier asked. "Javier, will you ride out with Arthur to take a look for John? Would you help them, Elsa? You three are some of the best fit men we've got." Hosea asked. "Right now?" Javier asked as if Hosea was crazy.
"She's... we're all... we're pretty worried about him." Hosea said. "I know. If the situation were reversed and he'd look for me." Javier gave in and got up, and gave Elsa a sawed-off shotgun. "Thank you." Abigail thanked them.
The trio stepped outside, mounted up, and started the search. "This way. Last I know, John was headed up the river." Javier said. "For all we know, he kept riding north and never looked back." Arthur said grimly.
"He wouldn't leave. Not like that." Javier disagreed. "Wouldn't be the first time." Arthur murmured. They ride throughout the freezing blizzard that was showing no signs of weakness.
"Hey, I see some smoke. Come on, let's take a look." "Let's hope it ain't more of O'driscoll's boys." Arthur said. Javier pointed at a weak plume of smoke. They found a small abandoned camp. "Is this John's?" Elsa asked. "Maybe." Javier said. He dismounted and examined the area.
"Well... seems somebody left... recently... and... that way." He pointed at a direction, and mounted back up. "Sure, well, come on then." Arthur said. "There's some tracks leading to the river." Javier said. The adopted siblings follow Javier as he followed the tracks. "Let's cross." They cross the partially frozen river.
"See, they continue up that way." Javier pointed at the other side of the river. They exit the cold river. "Do you think it's John?" Arthur asked. "You tell me. These are horse tracks for sure, but... could be anyone." Javier answered.
"Let's just see where they lead." Elsa said. "So... you were there, Javier. What really happened on that boat?" Arthur asked Javier. "We had the money, it seemed fine, then suddenly they were everywhere." Mr. Escuella said. "Bounty hunters?" Elsa asked. "No, Pinkertons. It was crazy. Raining bullets." Javier said.
They were now near a rather large ravine. "Take it slow, big ravine here." Javier said. They slowly rode around the ravine. "Dutch accidentally killed a girl. In a bad way. But it was a bad situation." Javier continued. "He what?" Elsa asked. "A Pinkerton grabbed her, and used her as a bullet shield when Dutch fired. He didn't mean it." Javier said.
"Tracks go left. Down here." They turn around the ravine and continue following the trail. "Davey got shot. Mac and John, both shot too. Sean, we don't even know. I'm surprised we escaped at all. By the time you lot showed up on the other side of town, we were only just holding on." Javier said.
"Bad business alright." Arthur said. The wind and snow start increasing, which was a bad thing. "Damn snows coming in hard again." Arthur grumbled. "We'll lose these tracks if we don't move fast." Javier warned. The wind soon dies down, but the tracks are gone completely.
"Whatch yourselves, it's not very wide here." They rode on a ridge in a single-file line. The horses neigh in neglect. "Easy, boy. Come on. We can do this." Elsa calmed the horse. "Horses are getting tired." Arthur said up ahead. "Yeah, a lot of fresh snow here." Javier said.
"I don't know about this, Javier. W-We can't follow nothing." Arthur said. "Let's push in a little bit. Maybe we'll pick up the trail again." Javier said. "Almost there, boy. Come on now!" Arthur urged the spare horse. "Hey, look.Over there. You two see that?" Javier pointed at an object in the snow in the closing distance.
A few crows flew away. It was a rotted horse that was partly frozen solid. Elsa's stomach churned a little at the sight of it. "John was riding that horse when we left Blackwater." Javier said slowly. "Oh... that's..." Arthur muttered. "Let's see if he can hear us." Javier grabbed his fancy Double-Action revolver and fired two shots into the air.
"Hey! Help! Here!" A faint voice yelled over the growing wind. "Come on. Up there!" Elsa and Arthur followed Javier onto another snowy ridge. "Hello? Over here!" The faint voice called again. It's coming from up ahead somewhere." Javier said. "I don't think we can go much further on the horses. We'll have to walk from here."
They dismount and Elsa grabbed her new shotgun. "Come on." They trudge through the knee high snow. "Are you sure about this?" Elsa asked nervous. They slowly walked down, a small hill. "Over here!" The voice called again. It had to be John. "Help!"
"It's coming from this way." Javier said. "Okay..." Arthur said uncertain. He grabbed Elsa's hand and helped her keep balance as they climbed down. "Mierda, we're high up here." Javier said quickly. "You're telling me." Arthur said. "Help me!" The voice sounded.
"Careful, there's a drop here." Javier warned them. They carefully jumped off the drop. "It's slippery, be careful." Arthur said. They slowly walk down another slope. "Watch your heads here." Javier said. They crouched under a rock that could fall on them any second. But they emerged on the other side without an issue.
"Okay, from here." Javier said. "Watch your steps. This is real slippery." Elsa said. "Stay close to the wall." Javier said. The trail narrowed dangerously.
"Up this way." Javier climbs up above them and helps the outlaws up. "Gap here." Javier said. "Hey! Over here!" The voice was closer now. "That sounds closer now. Come on." Javier said.
"We're coming, John!" Elsa yelled. They climbed up two more gaps. "Damn, it's cold!" Arthur cursed.
They entered a narrow pathway. "How you two doing?" Javier asked. "We're miserable." Elsa said. "Been a tough few days." Arthur said. "I know." Javier took a drink of Kentucky Bourbon. "Here. Take a drink of this." Javier tossed it to them, and they took a sip.
"I'm not designed for this snow..." Javier groaned. "Let's keep moving then. Come on." They advanced forward again. "John! Can you hear us?" Elsa yelled. "Marston!" Arthur shouted. "John!" Javier yelled. "I'm here! Out on the ledge!" John's raspy voice was far clearer now.
"That's John! We're on our way!" Elsa yelled. "I'm down here!"
They push through the growing wind. There was John, he had a nasty wolf bite on his face. "I have to say, you were a lot less ugly last time we saw you." Elsa insulted him. "Very funny." John rasped. "That's quite a scratch you got there." Arthur said. "Never thought I'd say this, but... it's good to see you, Arthur Morgan." John said.
Arthur climbed down to the ledge and examined John's wounds. "You don't look so good." The blue coated outlaw said. "I don't feel too good, either." The black coated man said back. "I'm freezing." Arthur picked up John and Javier, and Elsa pulled him from the ledge. "Don't die just yet, cowboy." Arthur said before climbing back up.
"Come on, conpadre." Javier said gently. "Well, we can't go hack the way we came. Let's try this way." Elsa said. They walked through another way and soon emerged into a clearing where the horses were waiting. Then, a small pack of wolves appeared. "Shit!" Elsa cursed.
"Perfect." Arthur sighed. "You two, get John to the horses. I'll distract them." Arthur said. Javier and Elsa hauled John to the mounts and got him up, while Arthur quickly killed the wolves. He immediately raced back to them. "Come on then, let's get back to the others." Javier said.
"I don't feel too good." John muttered. "You'll be fine. It's just like a... a dog bite." Javier said. "I knew a feller, got bit by a dog. Died an hour later." John said.
"You ain't gonna die. Not yet." Javier said. More wolves rode down the hills around them and gave chase. "I got them!" Elsa grabbed her sawed-off shotgun and fired at the animals and put them down before they could attack.
"You see anymore, fellas?" Javier asked. "Nope." Arthur and Elsa said in unison. "Jesus." John said. "You still with us, Marston?" Arthur asked. "Just about." John groaned. "You're gonna be okay. We have some shelter now." Javier said. "Thanks for coming for me." John thanked. "Of course. That bullet in Blackwater, and now this? You had a hell of a time." Elsa said.
"And you and Arthur always say... I'm lucky." John said. "None of us are lucky right now." Javier said. "We should ride in the water for a bit, try to lose the scent. Don't want to leave a trail right back to camp." Javier said. They enter the river and soon lose the scent.
They continued riding until the buildings of Colter slowly came into view. "See those buildings up ahead, John? That's where we're camped. Nearly there." Javier said. "We may have to come up with a better story for that scar, John." Elsa said. "So... bleeding, freezing, starving, and damn near getting eaten to death ain't good enough for you?" John asked with sarcasm.
They soon enter Colter. "Come on! Someone help John down off this horse." Javier ordered. "Hey! We need some help!" Elsa said. "Can we get some help here?" Arthur asked. Soon, Abigail and some of the others rush out of the nearest cabin.
"You're alive! Oh, you're alive!" Abigail said happily. John yelped as Abigail and Bill tried to get him off. "Ay, careful idiotas, it's his leg!" Javier warned. "Come on, let's get you warm." Abigail said. Lenny helped Bill carry John inside. "Thank you.Thank you all." She thanked them.
Strauss, Anna, and Hosea joined the trio. "Thank you, Arthur. You two, Elsa. Thank you, " Hosea said. "You got any other lost maidens need saving?" Arthur asked. "God, hopefully not." Anna said. Earning a chuckle from Hosea. "Not today." He said. "Have you and Papa talked about how we are gonna get out of this?" Elsa asked.
"I was just discussing with Herr Strauss. When the weather breaks, I suppose we'll have to keep heading East." Hosea responded. "East? Are you crazy, Papa? That will take us to civilization." Anna said surprised. "I know, honey. The West is where our problems are worse." Hosea said.
"Come on, fellas. Let's get warm." Hosea, Anna, Elsa, and Strauss enter the cabin to warm up. "Thank you, Mr. Morgan." Strauss said. Arthur walked back to his own cabin.
Author's note: Ending the chapter here. Please point out any mistakes, and leave reviews. Until next time.