Red Dead Redemption 2
Chapter 1
Tibone pursed her lips as a violent shiver ran through her. She narrowed her eyes against the wind as it whistled past her ears and she quickly pushed down her hat. Hopefully that would protect her face better or, at the very least, keep her hat from flying off her head.
“Ti!” She heard a voice call out and she glanced over to see that Dutch’s wagon had caught up with her. “Come on, sweetheart, you really should go back in the wagon.”
“I ain’t like Mary-Beth or somethin’, Dutch!” She called back to him as she glared at him. “I’m not some innocent little thing you can sweet talk into doin’ what you want!”
“We’re just worried about you.” Dutch tried and Tibone shivered again as she pushed her face closer to the fur-lined collar of her coat.
“I’ll be fine, Dutch, I’m practically sweatin’ bullets over here.” She joked, and she chose to ignore the look he sent her as one of the men struggled to make their way up to them. “Besides, someone needs to make sure nothin’ sneaks up on the caravan.”
“Dutch!” The man called out and they both glanced down at him.
“What?” He called back, his voice slightly irritated and the man winced slightly when the cold air blew against him.
“Abagail said he’s dying, Dutch. We’ll have to stop someplace.” The man explained, and Dutch nodded, a sad look on his face.
“Okay, Arthur’s out lookin’, I sent him up ahead.” Dutch replied, and the man nodded gratefully before he started working his way back to his wagon.
“I’ll start lookin’ ahead.” Tibone said as she began to walk off, but Dutch held up a hand.
“No, we wait for Arthur, I’m sure he’ll be back soon enough.” Dutch said and Tibone huffed as she ignored the feeling of worry that twisted in her stomach.
“We don’ have time for that, Dutch!” She said, but he continued to shake his head.
“I can’t be loosin’ two of the best shots I have. Not to mention Arthur would have my head if he found out I let you go out in this storm.” Dutch said and Tibone rolled her eyes as she turned to face forward again.
They walked for a few moments longer before Tibone heard the whinny of a horse. A small smile grew on her face as she urged her horse to move faster. Ashe, a beautiful auburn and white Kentucky Saddler, stomped her foot a few times in protest before she grudgingly moved forward.
“I know, sweet girl, just a bit farther, I’m sure we’ll find a place to rest soon.” She soothed the stubborn horse as she leaned down closer to her neck. “Arthur!” She called out over the howling wind when she reached him.
“Tibone, what in the hell are you doin’ outta the wagon?” He demanded as soon as he saw her and she raised her brow.
“Whatever I damn well please, thank you.” She snapped back and Arthur sighed as he shook his head. They both looked over as Dutch’s wagon pulled up to them.
“Arthur! Any luck?” He asked and Arthur nodded.
“I found a place where we can get some shelter.” He said and a relieved smile grew on Tibone’s face.
“Thank Jesus, let’s get goin’ then!” She said as she already was turning Ashe and urging her to move forward. Arthur was quick to follow her and Dutch wasn’t far behind.
“What did yah find exactly?” Tibone asked Arthur as they rode side by side. It was decent enough way to try and forget the biting cold pushing against her face. Besides, Arthur had always been her close friend, or she liked to think so at least.
“It’s an old mining town, just up ahead. It ain’t far.” He said and Tibone nodded as she urged Ashe to go faster. Not only was she ready to get out of this god awful cold, they needed to find a place for Davey and quick.
…
She guessed that it was about ten or fifteen minutes later before she could see the town that Arthur was talking about. A relived smile grew on her face as she could see the roofs of the buildings. She excitedly urged Ashe to go faster until she reached the first small cabin. She jumped off her horse and gave her a small pat on the neck before she tied her to the post near the cabin.
Tibone shook the snow from her long black hair before brushing it off her coat and pant legs. She looked up as she heard another horse and she nodded to Arthur. She studied each broken down cabin as she waited for him to join her. She frowned slightly as it was obvious that the place was abandoned, but she hoped the small cabins could provide some kind of shelter.
“Hosea said ta wait for them.” Arthur said as he pulled her closer to the cabin so that they were out of the wind.
“Always such a worrywart.” Tibone said with a smile and Arthur shrugged before he grabbed her red, shaking hands. There was frown on his face as he looked up at her.
“Just how long have you been out on your horse?” He demanded and Tibone sighed as she snatched her hands away.
“It doesn’ matter now, we’re at the cabins.” She said and Arthur shook his head as took off his gloves to put on her hands.
“I’ve never met a woman quite as crazy as you, Tibone. Why the hell did you want did you want to ride out in the middle of a damn snow storm anyways?” He asked as he finished putting his gloves on her and Tibone let out a content sigh as she could finally start to feel her fingers again.
“Dutch sent you, Micah, and Johnny to scout ahead. Someone had to watch the caravan an’ I wasn’ gonna make anyone else do it when I knew I was capable.” She explained as they both turned to see Dutch and the rest of the wagons pulling up to them.
Hosea jumped out of the front and immediately made his way up to them. He gave them a weak smile as he did a once over of them.
“Glad ta see that you followed my instructions for once.” He said and Tibone rolled her eyes, but there was still a smile on her face.
“Of course we did, old man.” She teased and he narrowed his eyes at her teasingly before he turned to Arthur.
“Jus’ make sure the damn idiot gets herself warm, yah hear me Arthur?” Hosea asked and Arthur nodded as Tibone’s jaw dropped.
“Hey!” She cried out and Arthur smiled as he grabbed her arm to pull her closer. He told himself it was so that Hosea could get past, besides he told Arthur to make sure that Tibone got warmed up anyhow.
“Jus’ let the man through and quit yer yappin’ for once, Tibone.” Arthur lightly scolded, but there was still a small smirk on his face and Tibone glared at him, but she did as he said. They watched as Hosea opened the door and did a once over of the cabin before leaning out the door.
“Bring ‘im in here!” He called out and Arthur made of motion towards the men carrying Davey on a stretcher. “Get yer li’l butt over here, Tib.” He said as he looked at the pair and nodded to Arthur to go help with Davey and everyone else.
“Somethin’ you need, Hosea?” She asked and Hosea gave her a weak smile.
“No, darlin’, just wanted you to get inside, now go make some room for everyone.” He said and she nodded once before heading deeper inside the cabin. She couldn’t deny a request from Hosea, he had always been kind to her and respected her wish to do as she pleased. It wasn’t often you found a woman wearing pants and wielding a revolver, especially one with a Indian mother and white father, but if anyone could accept her for who she was it would be these people.
She made quick work of pushing the broken down furniture to the sides. Then she started picking up things that could be used as kindling and stacked them near the fireplace. She shivered with a small frown when the door opened again and the wind blew in. She watched as they carried Davey in and placed him on about the only flat surface that wasn’t broken.
“Miss Gaskill, light the fire.” Abagail ordered as she began to look over Davey. “Miss Jones, bring all the blankets in here and Mr. Pearson see what we have in terms of food.” All three set off to do their tasks as Tibone leaned against the wall and watched them silently.
Eventually she had to look away and she looked down at her boots. She wasn’t lying when she said that she was riding her horse out in the snow storm to help protect the caravan, but it wasn’t the only reason.
She and Davey were friends who were, at the very least, a little more than that on occasion. Tibone couldn’t sit in that wagon anymore listening to those woman cry and groan about him all the while watching him only get worse. As much as she cared for Davey and knew that she should have stayed by his side she just couldn’t do it. She couldn’t watch him die, the feeling of helplessness and shame was too much.
“Davey’s dead.” Abagail said suddenly and Tibone’s head shot up. A few of them were giving her careful looks while the rest were staring at Davey with miserable expressions on their faces. She quickly looked away again when she felt tears well up in her eyes.
Tibone shook her head as she used her hand to quickly wipe one away that had escaped. She couldn’t stay in this room anymore than she could stay in that damn wagon. She pushed herself off the wall and started making her way out of the room. She paused when she felt a hand on her arm and looked up to see Hosea staring at her with concern. She shook her head again as she pulled her arm out of his grasp and marched out the door.
She shivered as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself and trudged through the snow to the other side of the cabin. Jenny was dead, and now Davey too. Sean was missing and who the hell knows what will happen to him. All the people she was close too, who accepted her without judgement, she was losing one by one. Maybe she was cursed, maybe she should go off on her own. She never believe that mumbo jumbo her mother was always spouting off, but maybe there was some truth to it.
“Tibone.” Her head shot up as her thoughts were interrupted by a voice. When she recognized it was Arthur she gave him a weak smile.
“Shouldn’ you be gettin’ warm inside?” She asked when he stepped closer to her and examined her with narrowed eyes.
“Are you alrigh’?” He asked and she suddenly felt the urge to hug him tightly, but she quickly shoved the urge to the back of her brain as she smirked at him.
“Course I am! Who do yah think you’re talkin’ to? A little cold isn’ gonna hurt me.” She said and Arthur sighed as he leaned against the wall of the cabin with her.
“Yah know that’s not what I meant.” He said with a raised brow and she sighed. “Look, Dutch and I have ta go look for Micah and John, the dumb bastards.” Tibone chuckled at his grumbling. “For my own sanity please go back inside.”
“Wait,” Tibone said as she grabbed Arthur’s arm before he could walk away. “Let me go with you.”
“No way in hell, Tibone, you need to get warm.” Arthur said stubbornly and Tibone sighed, her grip on his arm tightening when he tried to pull away.
“Please, Arthur.” She pleaded and when the stubborn expression remained on his face she looked down. “I…can’t go back in there. If you leave me here I’ll just be standing outside anyways.”
“Tibone.” He sighed and she looked up to see that his expression had softened. “Fine, but you do as your told, yah hear?”
“Yes, daddy.” She said teasingly and he glared at her.
“I ain’t your father.” He grunted and she smirked at him as she started to walk away.
“And aren’t we both glad of it.” She said with a wink and he rolled his eyes as he followed her.