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Chapter 18
"Of course you are," Arthur sighed, ignoring the perplexed look the man gave him. He wracked his brain, trying to find if Charlotte told him anything 'bout her husband. Inside of him, there was a churning in his chest-the sensational feeling he'd been getting from the moment he left the other time and came here to the past. He wasn't certain what it meant but it concerned him. This ain't the first time recently that he'd tried to remember something and found he just couldn't.
The man shrugged, "Uh, well, yeah, thanks for the warning, sir, I'll have to be careful."
"Just don't go that way," Arthur warned, 'cause he didn't want Charlotte to be a widow, he found. The fact that she'd understood him, offered him solace, gave him momentary peace. When she insisted for him to take anything from her homestead, he ain't have the heart to do it. He just wanted to help the people he could with the time he had left. It just felt wrong to take anything, even if that was what she wanted.
Worse, a man who had been spying on her mentioned to Arthur how he'd like to essentially get his hands on her. The nude pictures and handcuffs in his tent ain't exactly paint a promising picture. So Arthur had to shoot him.
"Take the longer route back. I doubt your wife would want whatever you're giving her along with your corpse." Arthur said, laughing slightly.
"Will do, mister, I may be a banker but I ain't suicidal," he laughed. "We live in the wild, but we ain't trying to get into any trouble." He sighed. "I know how to hunt. My wife doesn't."
"Teach your wife how to hunt. Learn how to hunt yourself. You ain't going to survive without knowing the basics."
"Arthur," Hosea piped up from behind, already mounted on his horse, "come on, son."
"You 'ought to teach her. In case you might not be here one day." Arthur persisted.
"I might," he sighed. "She's probably going to chew my face off for not coming back sooner. Again, thanks for the warning." The man walked up to his horse, which was also hitched nearby, and climbed on top, riding away.
With him, Arthur hoped he'd repaid Charlotte. He was the one who knew how to survive in the wild. She was already hungry, and Arthur taught her how to shoot and skin an animal.
Assuming that he'd gone in that area, he might check up on Charlotte. Then again, there might not be time. The man seemed to be a good one, someone that the woman loved unconditionally. Maybe she would be happier with Cal. He would admit when she kissed his cheek, he was very bashful-it was the first affection he'd seen in some time and it reminded him to some extent that he did a good thing.
"Son, are you alright?" Hosea asked, concern in his voice as he began to dismount from the house. He'd wanted to get the monster, but he wasn't going to allow Arthur to go on this objective, worrying his days away. That was the type of man he was.
Arthur shook his head and dismissed the thought. What did it matter anyhow? If the bear was indeed the same one who killed Cal Balfour, even if he'd saved her, by extension her, that pain, it didn't mean that something couldn't still happen differently. He couldn't get too hopeful 'bout things without considering other actions.
"Yes, I just been thinking a lot," Arthur replied, unhitching Ryan and mounting his horse.
"I'd noticed." The man stopped himself before disembarking.
They took off.
At Arthur's silence, Hosea began to speak. "The lake we're going to is called O'Creagh's Run, up in the mountains east of Cumberland Falls. I just hope I can remember how to get there."
"Try to not get us eaten, why don't ya?" he quipped.
"Silence, boy."
"Oh, look, it's John's favorite location. Mountains." Arthur snarked.
"You know, I remember when it was you, John, and Javier."
That introduced a new pain. He'd wanted to save Javier more than anything, but the man was loyal to Dutch.
"Hopefully, it doesn't end up like Cain and Abel," Arthur said, sharper than intended.
Hosea sighed in irritation, making Arthur wonder, "Just when I thought you and John..."
"Oh no, John wouldn't leave me for dead, nor would I leave him." That was an immature response, and it didn't happen yet, but Arthur couldn't help the disdain for Javier. It was even bigger than the one he had for Bill. Sometimes, he'd felt like he had overcome it. Other times, he'd just seen the blind bastard who slowly aimed at John in Beaver Hope. The fact that he hesitated notwithstanding.
"Oh, Javier? What is it with you two lately? You and Javier? You don't seem to want to be around him." Hosea frowned. "Did something happen that I should know 'bout?"
"No," Arthur lied again. "It's nothing."
Poor Kieran looked like he'd wanted to say something. The man hesitated briefly, opening his mouth three times before the words came in a squeak.
"You know... you all ain't that different from the O'Driscolls."
Arthur looked at him now. This was a familiar conversation.
Kieran seemed like he cursed himself at his stare before just continuing. "You're outlawed like them. You're out to survive like them. You live rough. You live hard, fighting the law, and nature. You're out for yourselves."
Yep, described them perfectly. Arthur ain't want to admit it last time, seeing it as an attack against the gang, and willing to defend it. Now, he was humbled, enough so to take into consideration how much was at stake, and how Kieran was ultimately right. If they'd all shared his mentality, maybe Dutch wouldn't land them into as much trouble. Rhodes. Shady Bells. Beaver Hollow. Countless events where everything headed to shit.
Arthur didn't realize his face became grim, almost into a glare when he'd looked at Kieran. The kid looked terrified.
Not 'till Hosea looked at Arthur, no doubt taking his silence and stare for anger, "It is a fair comparison."
"I didn't say it wasn't." Arthur nodded in agreement, though his tone came out forced, strained, 'cause it was still a hard pill to swallow. "Blackwater shows how far some of us are willing to go." Now at Kieran. "You're a smart kid, Kieran Duffy, just ain't let no one else hear you say that. Could get yourself shot."
The kid breathed out a sigh of relief and nodded.
They continued on their ride for a few minutes in silence, the only source of noise were the hoofs of the horses continuing to hit the ground and birds flying.
The rest of the ride continued in a peaceful and serene silence. They made their way on the trail, Hosea at the front with Arthur and Kieran at each other's side.
On the way, they came past various wildlife, who upon spotting them, retreated.
As well as a pretty little body of water with Hosea helpfully informing them was called 'Moonstone Pond'.
"That's the lake there," Hosea said, grabbing the attention of his companions. "Good, we made it. Let's loop around the other side." Hosea accelerated while the two dutifully followed. "Look there. Rabbits. Maybe we should catch one to cook."
"Sure. Let Kieran try and shoot one." Arthur said thoughtfully.
"You need to work on it too." Hosea grinned. "Kieran has much to learn."
"I have hunted rabbits before."
"You obliterated them with a shotgun if I remember right."
"Not the best memory," Arthur feigned a yawn, "I learned since then. Let Kieran do it." He looked at the anxious boy. "You don't want to use anything too powerful on a small animal like that. You'll just ruin the meat. Best thing's a bow or a .22 caliber varmint rifle." he grabbed the bows he had forgotten he had when he, Charles, and Javier went out to rescue John and tossed them at Kieran.
"Charles taught you well, I see." Hosea complimented.
The boy followed suit, with the bow in hand.
"Come on, kid, you'll be alright."
Eventually, they found the rabbit.
Arthur instructed. "Focus. Stay low. It's easier with snow, but once you get your eye in, you can track in all type of habitats." Kieran nodded as he approached stealthily. He continued. "Quick, get that bow. Aim for the head or the neck. You want a good, clean, kill. Get good tension of the string before releasing. Just don't overdo it."
Kieran followed all of the instructions and released. The bow connected to the back of the neck. The rabbit dropped. The two moved up.
"Nice job, kid. Now, pick it up."
The boy nodded and picked up the kill, his nose scrunched in disapproval. Arthur had to laugh. "You can fish but not hunt?"
"That'll make a good enough meal. It's getting late." Hosea said, getting off of his horse, Arthur quickly following. "Reckon we should camp here. You two can get the camp set up."
By the time they made themselves a camp and started up the fire, the sun had gone down. The wildlife was still and pensive, the only audible noises were the crackling of the fire and crickets chirping in the grass.
Their bedrolls were secured nearby with small foldable chairs by the campfire. Arthur wasn't that tired. He had a lot of time to sleep with his time traveling to the past taking a toll. He began cutting up the rabbit and skinned earlier as the other two stared with hunger when he began cooking the pieces over the fire.
Arthur passed them pieces of meat when they were finished. Hosea and Kieran thanked him before turning to practically inhale the savory meat as soon as it was handed to them. With their hunger satisfied, they began dozing off.
Time passed. Was it hours? Was it minutes? Was it seconds? It didn't matter, for Arthur suddenly woke to a loud, gruff sound. The sun was slowly rising, he'd seen, so it confirmed it must have been a bit. He'd heard a whacked cry and instantly reached for his repeater. A growl confirmed his worst nightmare, and he ran to it, hearing a gunshot, followed by a thunderous roar that cut through his hearing.
There was another cry, a yell, followed by that said roar, and Arthur spotted the bear. Hosea stood in front of Kieran, looking terrified, as he had his revolver in hand, willing to protect the kid with his life.
Arthur froze.
This. Did. Not. Happen. Last. Time.
The bear fell back on its back legs and fell into the air. Its teeth bared together in fangs as it eyed the two victims, but it focused on the armed one, not spotting Arthur yet. Nothing mattered at that moment. The familiar slowness came to him. His ears rattled. His hand shot closer to his revolver. The paw, nails extended, was coming closer. There was a sound of waving, and the mighty beast got closer and closer. Inching away. Then it was an inch. Arthur's revolver came up as he glared at the target, aiming, as he fired.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.
Everything still proceeded slowly. The beast was still moving, 'bout to rip both of its victims' limb from limb, 'till it began to fall over, as time began to speed up, still coming at Hosea, not with the same fierceness as before. It tumbled over, giving one last whine before its head fell slowly, and it collapsed, dead. Wow, it was easier than last time.
But that was a distant thought.
"Old man, come on," Arthur said, as the beast landed on top of Hosea. Did he accidentally get Hosea killed earlier? Worry gripped his heart as he pushed the dead beast off of his father figure with the help of Kieran. "HOSEA!"
Hosea laid there, looking lifeless for one singular moment, eyes closed, head on the ground.
"Hosea..." He repeated solemnly.
No!
No!
No!
But he was-
Then he blinked, opening his eyes as he looked up at Arthur's relieved eyes, and gripped his hand in support, helping himself up.
"Next time, we're not going this mighty far."
Breathing out a sigh of relief, Arthur felt the tremendous urge to grip him and never let him go, like the child he once was. Being held by Hosea Matthews 'till the end of time would give him a peace that he didn't know he needed. He quashed this, reminding himself that Hosea was already suspicious 'bout his latest behavior, and he didn't need the man to crack down upon him more than he would already soon enough. Sadie did so for some reason.
Hosea eyed the corpse of the mighty beast, placing one foot next to the dead bear in satisfaction.
At times, he was more like Dutch than he liked to admit.
"Well done, son, a great kill. And with some excellent shots too," Hosea's lips broke out into a smile. "Saving my old carcass as well."
"How did it got here anyway? Why did it came after us?" Arthur wondered, mainly to himself, but Hosea must have taken it as a question.
"Probably smelt the meat we'd ate," Hosea said. "Bears do have a good sense of smell."
That was the most plausible explanation. Arthur decided not to look into it too much.
"Or maybe it's Kieran." he quipped, grinning at the boy. "He does have a way to attract trouble. The bear probably wanted a bit of young meat." he laughed.
Kieran, finally fully at ease, and realizing he could call Arthur a friend too, laughed as well, "Probably went after us 'cause it couldn't smell you. I don't know how though. With that amount of stench you'd given off."
"Actually, that makes sense," Hosea snickered, "Arthur with bears, John with wolves-what next?!" He pretended to deliberate.
"Unlike Marston, I ain't allowed myself to get eaten. I saved you two bastards." Arthur quipped.
"Oh, Arthur, Arthur Arthur, I had the situation under control."
Sure he did. "Should have allowed the bear to have you as a mating partner," Arthur pretended to grumble.
Hosea grinned. "You ain't getting rid of me that easily, son."