May 3, 1870

Kingsley.

This morning I took a walk around town and, finding no one, I wandered back up to the Scorpion fort to see who would be around that I could meet from my new family. I still felt baffled that I was even welcomed among them, considering my past with the law, but it gave me solace to know that it was probably proof that they do indeed work closely with the local sheriff. 

Catka was mining so I waved over to him and greeted him. “Good morning, my friend!” 

“Ohh, Trin!” he turned and waved back with a smile. 

Two other women came up to the fort that I didn’t know and he greeted one of them. “Hi there,” I smiled to him. “How are things, Catka?” 

“Things are well, thanks. As you too, I hope?” 

“If by well you mean uneventful then yeah, things are fantastic,” I winked. 

One of the women was looking at the skull heads on the railing and she shook her head. “Nahimana, may I introduce Trin to you?” Catka said to her. “She is our new scout. Trin,” he turned to me, “This is Nahimana. I told you about her.” 

“Hello there,” I smiled. “Nice to meet you.” 

“Nice to meet you, Trin,” Nahimana smiled back. 

The other girl looked at us and said, “Hi, I’m Tess.” 

“Hi Tess,” I smiled to her. 

Catka looked over at Nahimana and laughed, knowing why she was shaking her head. “Nat’s work,” he told her. 

“Hmm, that’s what I thought,” Nahimana nodded. 

“Things been quiet for ya’ll too, or just me?” I looked around, starved for activity. 

“Oh, me did a visit to Tucson,” Catka replied. “Was not too quiet. Some people recognized me on wanted poster there,” he coughed nervously. 

“Uh oh,” I chuckled. 

“Yer head is worth a fortune,” Nahimana laughed. “Makes every man think about trying to get it.” 

“As more and more people appear around me, I thought it would be better to go.” 

“Indeed, probably wise,” I agreed. 

“So has there been much activity the last couple days?” I asked then. “Feel like I haven’t seen any around here in town.” 

“Hmm... Not much here in town,” Catka answered. “But in Texas were some fights with Shoshones and other hostile bandits.” 

“Getting a little tired of those Shoshones,” I admitted, thinking about Jabuu and his friends. 

“Oh, better awake,” he told me. “They will come back I guess. Again and again.” 

“They always do,” Nahimana laughed and I chuckled at the way he replied, knowing it was all too true. 

“Well I need to wander on down and see what I can find out,” I said then, getting restless. “I’ll keep in touch.” I waved as they said goodbye and headed back down. 

*** 

While sitting in the saloon later that morning, a man rolled in with a wheelchair. He was an older man and had a hard time hearing me unless I spoke loudly. We talked about mining and gathering supplies, and then Snow came in (the Cavalares’ dog, not mine). The dog and the man seemed to not get along and the man actually took his shoe and threw it at her. He complained and I told him maybe he shouldn’t have thrown it. 

Another woman came into the saloon then and the dog seemed to know her. Snow kept trying to torment the old man, however, and eventually he just grabbed his shoe from her and wheeled out of the saloon. 

This evening I walked around town looking for a place to stay other than the hideout or the saloon. Snow found me and it seemed like something was wrong by the way she was barking but there was no one around for miles that I could see. We walked around looking together and then I met a woman who knew Icey and Maggie, but she didn’t tell me her name. I decided to keep walking around town and said goodbye with a wave.