A couple hours later Will got up against both Miss Kates’ wishes. Marshall Perrington and his men had gone through the townsfolk and picked out reliable witnesses to give him information on the Wilhups, including Miss Kitty. They searched for a trail and lost it in the rocks to the south, looked over the bodies of the dead outlaws to see if any of them were known, and even collected spent brass in order to keep an eye on ammunition sales. But after all that, he decided there wasn’t much else to do. He announced he would be back through Vicksby soon and was leaving two of his men behind to keep order.

That of course meant the entire group was going back to Silverstead and Will wasn’t going to just sit around in bed for another day.

“The doc said you should be as right as rain by tomorrow, honey. There’s no reason not to stay. I’d offer to stay with ya but I think I might see what’s going on in Silverstead and of course, Miss Landry here’s already volunteered to stay with ya,” Miss Kitty said. Will knew all that already.

“I know, but I just wanna get home,” Will said and blinked. He felt a little dizzy. Apparently, it took a little longer for tonics to fix up his gray matter, he was still concussed.

“William, you don’t have a home in Silverstead,” Kate said, trying to convince him to stay.

“To be fair Kate… You know anyone can settle any abandoned house in town and as long as they stay there for a year it’s theirs… There’s plenty of empty houses,” he said.

“Really?” Kitty sounded intrigued. Kate looked over at Kitty and shook her head.

“Fine… but you’re riding with me,” Kate demanded, “We’re taking Void.”

“Wait I can ride by myself,” Will said.

“No you can’t! Come on, I’m sure it’ll make Granny’s blood boil,” Kate said and instead of trying to push him back, she pushed him to the door, “Don’t worry, she won’t shoot ya this time.”

Was she trying to use reverse psychology on him? You know what, fuck it. Hendrick had been very understanding once he’d gotten the full story and apologized for not letting Kate speak. Her brother and mom were also grateful. He didn’t have anything to worry about.

Will strode out into the street and started making his way to the stables, still a little dizzy. He started second guessing himself. If he got dizzy on Void he’d either fall off at a high rate of speed or have to grab Kate. In which case they both might fall off. And even if he stayed on, depending on where he grabbed he could get shot again… But the dizzy spell started to clear and he pressed onward.

They entered the stables, which were far busier. Half the Landrys decided to stay until Kate was back home safe and they were all in or around the stables getting their mounts ready to ride.

Kate huffed as she walked inside.

“I don’t understand why you’re actin’ so stubborn right now,” Kate voiced her complaint.

“Kate…” she turned and looked at him, “I just wanna get back. Once I’m back I promise I’ll take it easy… I’ll crack open my tome and start reading. I’ve got some outfits to enchant and I should probably figure out how to do it.”

Kate’s demeanor changed and she let out a brief smile… then a second later a grin, “Actually, I was thinkin’ bout that last night.”

“You were?”

“Mmmhm. See, like you said if you claim an abandoned building, as long as you’re there for a year, it’s yours. You should claim the old mining office,” Kate said.

“Why?” Will asked but after he said it realized that it was on the main street in town, right next to the bridge, and decent sized. Even if he didn’t live there, he could use it as a storefront of sorts. Or a workshop. He quickly held up his hands to stop Kate from answering, “Nevermind, I get it.”

“It’s got a living space in back I’m pretty sure,” Kate informed him, “And best you claim it then a group of Adventurers jump in and take it to set up a Union hall.”

“Why is everyone so against adventurers? You, the Marshall, the sheriff. What’s wrong with them?” Will was curious and the Landrys had learned about the dungeon. Will was pretty sure that was the only reason some of them had ridden off when they did.

“What’s right about them?” One of Kate’s uncles responded, “They’re armed traveling hobos that go around looking for trouble and usually cause it when they get there but think they’re savin’ folk. No homes, no families, all they do is drift.”

Will looked at the uncle, then Kate, then gestured to himself… Didn’t he fit that criterion? Not just in his new life but his old one too in a way… Kate laughed at him and left putting on Void’s tack with Will to tap her uncle on the shoulder.

“Uncle Remus… Mister Tempest is a [Bounty Hunter] from a long ways away,” she told him.

“Oh… no offense,” Remus said but Will waved him off. He was fine with it, he was trying to point out that adventurers couldn’t be that bad. Before he could say it, Uncle Remus perked up and looked at Will. He wasn’t sure what that was about. But again didn’t get his thought out.

“Come on William, Void’s ready for us,” Kate said, “You’re ridin’ in front. If need be I can reach around ya and take the reins.”

Rather than hop on at that moment, they led Void through town to where everyone was gathering. It was a much larger group even with two of the Junior Marshalls staying behind.

It was three lawmen, six Landrys including Kate, one Will, three prostitutes, and fourteen other townsfolk that had decided to call it quits in Vicksby, most were in wagons and would be left in the dust. But Will was surprised to see one occupant of the wagons.

“You’re going to Silverstead, Abe?” he asked.

“Yup, got me a job. Just this mornin’,” she stated proudly and pointed over to the group of Landrys, “The lady that looks like your friend asked for anyone willin’ that knows what’s what about docks and warehouses.”

Will looked over at Kate. She looked a little sheepish.

“I did point out that idea to my ma and pa… get our branch of the family in from the start,” she admitted. Why would he care though? Other than to give them props for jumping at an opportunity. He tried his best to look annoyed but he got dizzy again and utterly failed. He huffed and shook his head.

“You guys do what you need to do,” Will said, “The whole point was to make sure everything was under control before word spread about the mine. Not keep anyone out of business.”

That was partially true, he knew there was a concern the Landrys would strong arm their way into claiming the mine for themselves but Will was questioning that… Some of them probably would but it was wrong to think of the entire family as a whole. Unless they thought you messed with one of them, then all bets were off and you better run. But at least he felt like he had an in with the family through Kate but that was only second. It was nice having another friend, as surprising as it was considering how he first viewed her.

“Alright, we’re moving out! ...Ah, let Mister Tempest and Miss Landry go first,” Marshall Perrington announced. He looked over at them and both Will and Kate laughed while everyone else looked on. Either they’d seen it before or they’d heard about it. Or their name was Margret, and she was waiting to see where hands and other body parts were placed.

They went through the motions with Void and got set before starting out of town. Void did what he did best, kicked up dust and rocks. But unlike the trip back to Vicksby he wasn’t alone. Five Landrys and one spare Bakarna came after them or at least tried to. Void opened up his stride and Will glanced back at the rest of them and heard Kate laugh, they couldn’t keep up either.

“Watch out!”

Will looked forward and quickly ducked under the branch of a tall scraggly tree next to the road.

“Dammit, Void! I’ve already been hit in the face enough today. Go flatten a cactus and leave the trees alone!” He did.

The scene from the day before didn’t play out again. It was a shorter distance to Silverstead and the Marshall, with the higher endurance horses, didn’t try to catch up. Likely opting to escort the moving townsfolk. The smaller Bakarna didn’t have the stamina or the speed for such a long haul compared to Void. By the time Void slowed to a trot, they were likely far behind but there was still a possibility of them catching up. Will wasn’t in the practice of trying to get Void to go fast again after he’d slowed. Behind him, Kate shifted on the back of the saddle and looked around her.

“I think he ran further that time,” Kate said. Will had to take her word for it. She knew the area better than he did. She also stared back for a moment, “How’s your shoulder?”

“Stopped hurting before we left Vicksby,” Will said but she knew that. Yet, right after answering she wrapped him in a hug from behind.

“I didn’t really say it back there but, I’m sorry for my family. They’re just…” she started.

“Aggressive? Angry? Quick to shoot people?” Will said but decided that might be too much, “Kate, don’t worry about it. I’m alright and I get it.”

“You do?” she let go of the hug.

“Well… kinda. I can see kicking me in the face for what they thought I did… Still would have preferred they, you know… get the entire story first. But your grandma shooting me and putting a gun to my head was a bit much,” Will admitted and rolled his shoulder. It was scarred, the tonic didn’t take care of that completely but it should have been a much worse scar. It was fully functional again and no longer hurt though. That’s what mattered.

Will wondered if it was still too much, he was trying to keep it light but Kate didn’t say a word. They rode in silence for a while longer but soon things started looking familiar even to Will. Specifically the things in the distance. Kate noticed as well.

“I’m still sorry…” she said and Will resisted the urge to tell her it was alright again, she was working through it, “We should be getting near home. Wanna see the ranch before granny gets back? I promise ya it won’t take long and I’ll get ya outta there before she crosses the bridge…”

Will looked back at her again and saw she was trying to keep a straight face but had a slight uptick in the corner of her mouth. Just a hint of a smirk.

“Sure,” Will was alright with that, “I’m not gonna get shot again, am I? By the rest of the family, I mean?”

He looked back at her with a grin and she pursed her lips in return. Her brow furled on her head to join the look in her eyes. It was still a little playful.

“Careful Mister Tempest, don’t you forget I’m armed too. I’ll shoot off your little toe clean off, right here.”

“My little toe?”

“Little… Toe,” she said with emphasis and added a shooting gesture at his foot, complete with her thumb being the hammer. He couldn’t help but laugh. It was an odd threat and he had no doubt that she could do it without a problem.

“Alright… I’ll be nice, just leave my toes out of it, ok-”

Utility skill learned: Riding level 1

Will looked at the blue box in front of his eyes… Riding, why was he just getting that now? He’d been riding for days. He opened it up to look closer.

Riding Level 1

Provides the ability to better communicate with your mount on what you want them to do. Dependent on mount training and level. Allows rider to spend more time in the saddle with less soreness.

Higher level improves vitality and endurance of marked mount.

Do you wish to mark your mount?

“Yes?”

Mount Marked “Void”. Riding lvl 1- Vitality +1, Endurance +2

Void instantly shifted and looked around, giving a hiss to the air but soon decided all was right in the world, and settled back in.

“Skill?” Kate asked behind him.

“How’d you know?” Will asked.

“Folk don’t usually stare off into the air like they're reading something unless they level up somethin’,” She said… that made sense.

“Yeah, just got [Riding],” Will admitted.

“You didn’t already have [Riding]?” she asked. A tone of surprise in her voice.

“I haven’t ridden much before,” Will explained.

“Huh…I’d say. If you just got it, that means you reached 250 miles in the saddle just now,” Kate sounded intrigued, “Not sure how that hasn’t happened yet but I suppose you aren’t like my family. I’ve already got level 4 [Riding].”

“You’ve ridden a thousand miles?” Will asked, that seems like a long time in the saddle.

“No. I’ve ridden at least 2,500 miles. I’ve been ridin’ a long time Will,” she told him.

“2,500 miles? How does that make sense? Shouldn’t that be level 10?” he asked, also surprised that she’d ridden that far. That was like riding across a continent.

“At least 2,500. I think I’m getting close to level 5… but no it’s only 250 miles for the first level. It goes up from there. Second is 500, then 750, then 1000, then 1250. Each time you have to go 250 miles further than the last one. Level ten would be somewhere about-”

“13,750 miles…” Will did the math for her. That was a long distance. Halfway around a planet give or take, “What’s the highest level?”

“Level fifteen… that’s 30,000 miles to get there. After that, it’s another 2,500 more and you get your first level of tier 2 riding… I’m not sure what that gets ya but I’m pretty sure it’s only five more levels,” she explained, “Might be wrong on that. Even as much as my family goes ridin’, none of us has a second-tier ridin’ skill.”

That was insane, He didn’t even need to do the math to know he was talking around 50,000 kilometers! It was akin to riding the entire circumference of a planet to get there and then some. Plus it took 2500 more to get to level 1 of the second tier? Did it go up the same way with the second level of tier two taking 5000 miles riding? Was there a tier 3?

In any case, how would one even obtain that? He had little doubt that people rode a lot but that was like him riding to Fairpoint and back 1500 times… He changed his tune when he put it like that… It could be done but it’d have to take years at the pace he could travel, decades. Unless there were other tricks to it.

If there was, it had to deal with other skills. He figured there must be a riding speed Skill out there somewhere. Or it had to do with Void leveling and increasing in speed that way. Will tried [Identify] while staring at the back of his head.

Brindle Greater Bakarna Draft- Void- Level 15

Details: A domesticated variant of the pack hunting Bakarnas. The greater Bakarna variant is known to be a reliable puller if not temperamental. Like their wild cousins the Greater Bakarna survives on a carnivorous diet and often takes the role of a pack leader.

Age: 6

Durability: Unknown

Damage output: Unknown

Estimated value: Unknown

Stats: Unknown

Hah! He did level, it was 14. He wasn’t sure if that increased his speed but it would explain one thing. If Void’s endurance stat went up, he’d have higher stamina and it would explain how he went further that day… Will wondered if that meant he’d get his own demonic horse Skills. Or if they had a separate speed stat, or was that dexterity?

“Will?”

“Yeah?”

“That was the bridge,” Kate informed him. Will turned around and then got Void to do the same. He fought a little bit until Void saw across the river and handled it much easier. It was like he was trained to behave when around buildings but when he could get into the open, he just wanted to be himself.

“So where too first?” Will asked as they got on the bridge.

“Just keep goin’. I’ll point out the important bits… Guess the main house is the biggest one but I don’t think I gotta actually point for that one,” Kate said.

“Is that where Granny lives?” Will asked.

“Yup. Granny, Uncle Remus, and Aunt Alice. Course my cousins too, Francis, Elisha, and Cora. They’re Remus and Alice’s children,” Kate said. She had a lot of cousins as far as Will could tell.

“Just them?” He could see that it wouldn’t likely be able to hold the entire Landry clan but it was still large enough to fit more than six.

“Yup. They’re the main branch of the family I guess you could say… Uncle Remus is the oldest, he’ll inherit the ranch one day,” Kate told him, “The rest of us got our own houses down the hill. Blue one up on the corner there is my ma and pa’s house. That’s where I live.”

Will looked to where she was pointing and could see a nice looking two story home with light blue paint on it. It had a large front porch and from what he could see a small flower garden in front with a wooden bench swing. Also unlike most of Silverstead, it actually had glass windows.

“It looks nice,” Will admitted.

“Thank you, kindly Mister Tempest for that kind… word,” she said with a hint of lite sarcasm.

“Sorr-”

“Hush,” she cut him off then pointed to one of the other buildings, “That’s the saloon. My aunt Violet runs it. She’s also got herself a barbershop in there and a place in the back for a doctor.”

“You’ve got your own doctor?” Will asked, surprised.

“No, but if you haven’t notice my folk don’t go into Silverstead much and prefer a bit of privacy. Doc comes to us, so we’ve got a place for him to work. Been talk of Eunice, my cousin, going to University to become one. He’s still a little young for that.”

“Wow… okay, I’m guessing the rest of the houses are your family-”

“Nope, blue is family, white is ranch hands and other hires,” Kate said. Will took a look around to get an idea of the numbers they were talking about. It looked like half of Deathbane was white houses.

“Alright… I was gonna ask what that big brink building back there was,” Will said. They’d passed it as soon as they crossed the bridge.

“It says right on the front. It’s the auction house,” Kate informed him, “It’s where we put up our bakarnas for auction once a year. Can usually get folk from Viper’s Gulch out here for that… Last year there were even someone from Fairpoint too.”

“When’s the auction?” it was just a curiosity for Will. It wasn’t like he planned on attending.

“Second week of autumn, when things cool down. We got another couple months. It’s a good time for it, We miss out on some farmers but they usually buy from the stables anyhow. But the folk we want to come aren’t always the type to enjoy the hot weather here in the valley.”

“Huh, I can see that,” Will said. The heat wasn’t always unbearable but even when it wasn’t it was still a lot hotter and dryer than he was used to. Then again he was from North Texas, it wasn’t like he didn’t grow up in a similar climate, he’d just grown up used to air conditioning.

“Not a fan of the heat either, William?” she smirked. He didn’t look but he could hear it.

“Not really. It wouldn’t be too bad if there was a way to cool down,” Will admitted.

“Well… we got ourselves a swimmin’ hole but not gonna show you that,” Kate said.

“Why not?”

“Don’t need my kin tellin’ granny how I took you down to the swimmin’ hole all alone? Doubt there’s anyone back there right now but the menfolk and the womenfolk don’t go down there at the same time. Unless it’s late at night,” she said.

“Why’s that? You don’t swim together?” Will asked honestly. They had to have something like swimsuits. In fact, he was pretty sure he’d seen some wool looking garments advertised as that in Fairpoint. He wasn’t asking about the night activities, what happened after dark was pretty obvious.

“All I got is a smock and drawers to swim in. Most of us go in like that,” she said but Will didn’t understand the issue other than different levels of what someone would consider revealing. From what he’d seen in the general store, a smock was a shirt. Drawers, aka underwear… well it was like loose fitting boxers. He turned to look at her again and she blushed.

It was then that he realized the issue. He’d seen the smocks for sale at the general store and every single one of them was made from thin white linen! He returned the blush and cleared his throat as he turned away.

“So as you might expect. If you got caught anywhere near there with just me or got caught peekin’ when me, my aunties, or cousins of the fairer sex were in the water, gra-”

“Granny would shoot me,” Will finished her sentence.

“Somewhere the sun don’t shine,” she laughed.

He almost turned to look at her again but stopped. From the little he knew of the old lady, he didn’t doubt it. She’d shoot his dick off.

“So, anywhere else you wanna go?” Will asked, trying to change the subject from wet t-shirts and dick shooting.

“Let me see the reins,” Kate said and reached around him. He let it happen and she steered Void out of the main part of the ranch and up onto a hill near the main house. Unlike most places, it had a good amount of grass on it that was cut short and a small bench. Once she stopped she hopped off Void and swung his reins over a hitching post before moving to the bench. Will hopped off to follow.

“One of the best views on the whole ranch,” She explained. It was a surprisingly good view considering the landscape below looked like anywhere else in the valley, “That’s our main pack. Looks like the boys are bringing around their feed.”

Will watched as a group of thirty or so bakarna milled around in the pasture. They were mostly shades of brown and mostly the regular type. There was a couple of the Greater variety too.

Besides that, he could see dust getting kicked up in the distance. That must have been the ranch hands bringing in the feed that Kate had said but it didn’t look like a group of men on bakarnas.

“Rock Bison. There’s big herds of 'em out in the valley and up in the High Desert,” Kate preemptively answered his question.

“They’re bringing them living animals to eat?” Will asked but Kate didn’t answer. She patted on the bench next to her and Will took a seat to watch.

As they got closer, Will could make the bison out and they were far larger than anything he’d seen on earth. Big heads with horns that swept out sideways from its head, then straight up to a point. They looked long and dangerous. Behind the head was a body to match with a large hump over the shoulders and a thick coat of fur across its spine but shorter on the sides. They looked mean.

“Isn’t there a danger to the bakarnas? Those things don’t look friendly,” Will asked.

“They ain’t but the bakarnas will be fine, you’ll see. We feed ‘em like this so they can get some kills in and level. Can usually sell them at two years for a pretty good price if we can get their level up to around ten,” Kate said, “Easier said than done for most of ‘em. They can’t hunt like an adult till they’re at least a year, year and a half.”

“Hunt?” Will asked but she pointed and he saw.

The riders drove the bison straight at the pack of bakarnas and quickly veered away. The bison of course quickly noticed the bakarna and tried to turn but the pack had noticed them too and charged. Only the smallest ones that Will figured were too young stayed behind. The bakarna broke off into three groups and each surrounded a bison.

Will watched the closest Bison, which spun as a bakarna darted in and bit at its flank while it charged past. No sooner than it was turned than another one would dart in and do the same. Over and over. The bison’s turning getting slower as injuries piled on.

It must have thought that its tactic wasn’t working because next, the bison focused on one bakarna and started to charge but it was a fatal mistake and Will finally learned what the backwards claws on their front feet were for.

As soon as the bison committed to the attack, every bakarna except its target charged in and rear up at the last second. They squatted their hind legs and each drove its six inch long claws into the back or side of the beast. It was a group with a Greater Bakarna and Will could see that the larger one had actually reached up and over the bison, stabbing its claws into the far side.

That was their tactic, that was how they hunted. Their combined weight drug the heavier, wounded animal to the ground. The Bison tried to thrash but the mixture of their combined weight and dug in claws was too much. The entire pack, including the bait bakarna, didn’t wait a moment longer. They started to dig in while the bison was still alive, tearing it apart.

All except the Greater, it rose up and slammed its larger claws in a few times and when the bison was barely moving, hopped off to bite into its neck. The long saber like teeth slicing through the flesh and artery effortlessly. Will watched as it quickly bled to death.

Then he heard a hiss behind him, which made his hair stand on end and drew the attention of the pack. Void was staring at the slaughter, drooling.

“We… should probably get him something to eat,” Kate sounded only a little worried, “Don’t need him challenging the alpha. Come on, I’ll give ya a good deal on couple old goats.”