April 19, 1870

Oregon. 

This morning I went over to Kilyko and Adder’s place and joined them in their living room. We talked about the past few days and I looked between both of them. “Any information ya’ll need me to gather today?” 

“Anything you can get!” Kilyko grinned. 

“Aye. And if you can get me Free Feather’s whereabouts, and who is around town today, I’d appreciate it,” Adder nodded. 

“Sure. I’ll do that. No problem.” 

“Thanks,” he said and I headed out of the house in search of information. I rode through Idaho towards Colorado and I found the sheriff standing in front of the house and rode back home to Oregon. 

We went back to the house and called for Adder, saying I had news. 

“He left…” Kilyko said worriedly. 

“He… What?!I blinked. “He can’t have left... I thought we’d get back in time…” 

“He left,” she said again and I swore under my breath. “And I have a band feeling…” 

“I saw the sheriff in front of his house there.” 

“Yes the sheriff lives there now….” 

“I know but.. If he sees Adder... after Adder shot him the other day…” 

“Sun Stone was wearing a mask how would he even recognize him…” 

“He should have waited for me to get back,” I sighed. 

“I wait thirty minute’s if he does not come back I go after him… Any new’s on the tribes?” 

“No one else was in town," I shook my head and she sighed. “He should have waited,” I said again. “He’s going to a ghost town except for the sheriff.” 

“I am going…” she stood. 

“Kilyko, it’s not…” I sighed. 

“Trin… Should I wait?” 

“Yes, I think so. He’s not stupid... He has reasons I’m sure for why he went when he did. Just would have been nice for my search for info to have meant something,” I sighed. 

“It does mean something now. I know what I am up against if I have to go after him…Details?” Kilyko hugged me tightly. 

I hugged her with another sigh and said, “Like I said. No one was in town when we left except the sheriff on his front step.” 

“No one at all?” she asked and I shook my head. “Was that kind of weird to you?” 

“It’s the middle of the day... Seems there would be more people there but it’s been quiet around there a lot lately I guess.” 

“No sign of the apache?” she asked. 

“I can tell you that when he gets back he’s gonna get a lecture from me, and I don’t care if he likes it or not.” 

“Maybe not good to lecture him till he has had a day to cool off his body will be pumped…” 

“Not just his body. He’ll feel like he’s been vindicated and that he’s done what he set out to do. And then he’ll realize that he’s got nowhere to turn now except hide from people who will come after him.” 

“Trin....it is something he must do a path he chose...we can’t stop a warrior from his quest...as much as I would love to….” 

“But Kilyko even once he accomplishes it... Then what? He’ll be in hiding and we’ll never be safe so long as there’s people running after him for shooting the mayor.” 

“They can only chase after him so long….” 

“If we go out there after him we compromise his identity if he’s hidden,” I reminded her. 

“I know...but he know’s I will come after him in thirty minute’s if he is not back…” 

“But it’s still not smart. It could endanger him more than he needs to be in danger.” 

“Not yet. We wait,” she shrugged a bit. 

We didn’t have to wait long. Adder rode in and told us that nothing had been accomplished in his trip and I headed home after hugging Adder and Kilyko. 

*** 

Wyoming. 

I went out riding this afternoon and came across a Native man that I recognized from Wyoming. “Osiyo Trin.” 

“Osiyo. Just riding through,” I told him. 

“I no longer live here. I was one who run you off with knife.” 

“I remember,” I said grimly. 

“Ah. I not like that really.” 

“Right. I’ve heard that before.” 

“Tribe here not like you.” 

“Nope. Seems no one does lately.” 

“Ah. Why is that sister?” he asked. 

“If I knew that then I’d be able to make it right,” I shrugged. 

“I have place in Kansas now.” 

“I was driven out of Colorado,” I nodded. 

‘Ahh I heard you steal from Chief here. What you do there?” 

“I never stole from the chief,” I shook my head. “I’ve never done anything violent to anyone.” 

“That’s what I was told and to scare you off.”

“Who told you that?” 

“Chief Standing Bear you steal from him.” 

“What did he say I stole?” 

“My Brothers and Sisters here when I lived here.” 

“What did I allegedly steal?” 

“Ahh a necklace or something. I not remember.” 

“The chief gave me a bracelet... out of friendship. If he wants it back then I’ll give it back. But he gave it to me the first day we met.” 

“No, they say you stole it. I not know… before my time here. And I not live here anymore.” 

I took out my bracelet and handed it to him. “Here then. If that’s all this is about, you give this back to them.” 

“Not me, I not accept. I in different tribe now.” 

“Then I’ll find someone and give the bracelet to them. He’s framing me.” 

“Give it here someone in tribe,” he said. 

“I didn’t steal it,” I sighed. 

“That’s what I was told. You tricked and stole it. But I not know.” 

“Unbelievable,” I sighed. 

“I sorry sister.” 

“Thanks,” I nodded. 

“It happen before I was here and did not witness,” he said. 

“If you talk to them, tell them it’s a lie and I didn’t steal it. He gave it to me,” I said again. 

“Wado sister. Safe journey,” he said and I rode back to Oregon. 

Oregon. 

I knocked on Adder and Kilyko’s door and they let me in. I needed desperately to talk to both of them and looked at them as I said, “I just had an interesting revelation in Wyoming.” 

“What is that, Trin?” Kilyko asked as Adder had to get up to check on what Saiya was getting into.

“I ran into the native man who had pulled a knife on me a month or so back…” 

“I see who was it?” 

“He said he didn’t live there with the tribe anymore but that I wasn’t liked around there… I don’t even know his name… But then… He said that I’d stolen from the chief.” 

“Stolen what?” she raised an eyebrow. 

“A bracelet... that he actually gave me when we first met... as a sign of friendship,” I said and took out the bracelet and played with it with a sigh. “He said to wear it and I would be seen as friend. I should have gotten rid of this when I had the chance.. Obviously means nothing now.” Kilyko swore something about the Indians and I said, “It’s like that stone... that I received from the Apache…” 

“Burn em and bury, Trin. It isn’t worth the hassle,” she told me and Adder nodded in agreement. 

“Now they’re lying about my character and I’ll forever be seen as a traitor. It all makes sense now.” 

“I need a gang,” Adder muttered out loud and then said to me, “I’ve said it before, you’re better off away from that tribe, same goes for Hawk’s rabble too.” 

“Then I’ll just get rid of the bracelet so they can’t prove anything.” I handed the bracelet over to Kilyko, ready to be rid of it. 

“As they lied about mine,” Kilyko took the bracelet and tossed it to Adder. 

“You sure you want rid of this?” Adder looked at me. 

I looked at him then at Kilyko. “I’ve had it a long time..... Just in case things turned around and we cleared the air between us… Part of me wants to try to return it to them.” 

“Not what I asked.” 

“Wouldn’t it look better for me if I tried to return it?” 

Adder shook his head and tossed it back to me, sitting down. Kilyko sighed and said, “And get served by their tribal ‘Court’?” 

I shook my head and threw the bracelet to Adder. “Take it. I don’t care what you do to it.” 

“I’ve told you, over and over. They will see you the way they WANT to see you. Doesn’t matter what you do.” He took the bracelet and stood, walking out of the door. I held Kilyko’s gaze, knowing she knew how hard this was. Adder walked back inside and sat down on the couch. 

Kilyko whispered to me and said, “Trin.....you have to let it go....same way I had to the night I ran from the tribe……” 

“Is it gone?” I asked, pulling my knees up under my chin and looking over at Adder. 

“Aye. Sinking to the bottom of the water out there,” he nodded. 

“Thanks bro…” I said and he nodded. I took out my flask and drank some whiskey. “I really was just trying to ride through the area. Didn’t expect to be stopped.” 

“Where were you guys riding home from?” I asked, wanting to change the subject. 

“Nebraska,” Adder said. 

“What were you doin’ there?” 

“Had a wander out that way for a bit,” he said. 

A dog came over to the house howling and had a whiskey bottle in his mouth. I chuckled as Adder fed the dog with the whiskey and patted him. “The dog version of me!”

“Great just what we need…” Kilyko rolled her eyes and I chuckled. 

We watched Adder and the dog and laughed at how much the dog seemed to love whiskey. Adder pointed out that the dog had a Mexican flag on his collar and then we started thinking quietly. 

“Why are you both quiet?” Kilyko finally asked. 

“Just thinking,” Adder shrugged. 

“Yeah… just thinking,” I agreed. 

“Think out loud then,” Kilyko muttered and I chuckled. 

“I was thinking about how I need a proper gang,” Adder shrugged. 

“Oh thanks…” Kilyko frowned. 

“Maybe restore some law and order around the place,” he laughed. “No no, I mean, a proper SIZED gang. You and me, thats a duo, not a gang.” 

Kilyko laughed and threw a pillow at him, but the pillow didn’t hit Adder, it hit me as I tried to duck on the couch. “Geez woman,” I chuckled. 

“Like three leafs under your tongue would be plenty…” Kilyko laughed and tossed Adder a little packet. 

“What is it?” he asked, looking at it. 

“Peyote…” 

“Maybe later,” he chuckled. 

“Suit yourself,” Kilyko shrugged. 

We continued to talk and then I headed home.