Western Trails (closed)

[DeathsKnight]

He held her tightly, the fear he had felt as he followed Seth's trail was one he could remember clearly. But now all seemed safe, yet in the distance he could make out the dissipating smoke, it was controlled billows and from their position he could not read them, but he knew them to be smoke signals. That only meant that they would have to get moving much sooner than Penny would have wanted him to move, but he was a trailsman and he would survive. The only thing he really cared about now was if Penny could make it, but she seemed to be a strong woman despite her size and build, she had gone through much and survived, that made her a fighter. He kissed her again and rested his face on her shoulder, taking in the smell that was Penny.

 

[heartofcourage]

“You’re hesitating from telling me something, John. I can read you like a book.” She said softly as his cheek pressed against her shoulder and she wrapped her arms around his body. “Tell me what you’re thinking about, dear. I can take anything you throw my way.”

As much as she wished that his next words were that he wanted to make wild, passionate love to her, she knew that they were about to move. She could see the glint in John’s eye and after their time on the trail, she knew that they weren’t safe any longer. Penny stared into his eyes, waiting for him to make the move to tell her what exactly was going through his mind.

 

[DeathsKnight]

"We will have to get going again soon."

He looked at her,

"I can see smoke signals going up, that would only bring more braves. I'm out of ammunition and the townsfolk are already on their way back to town. So we will be sitting ducks here."

He grimaced slightly,

"Of course I struggle lifting my cup, so it would most probably be an even bigger issue just to do anything else at the moment."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Then I’ll help you into your saddle and you’ll ride Sudden.” Penny said in a serious voice. “And if you feel too weak to go on, you will tell me, John. No if, ands, or buts.”

Penny was in charge now, the concern in her eyes a great and powerful thing as she looked into her lover’s eyes. He was weak and injured and she wanted to make sure that he didn’t slip away into nothingness on her. It would break her heart to love him after so much time together.

“Besides, I need to make sure you’re healthy enough to take me to bed when we finally get to one.” She teased him, trying to lighten the mood.

 

[DeathsKnight]

He chuckled softly,

"We have day at least, judging from the fact that there is no answer, I believe I will rather take Sudden. We know each other and he will look after me when I'm on his back."

He looked at her a slight smile on his face,

"I get the impression that you want to help me into a saddle just to feel my backside."

He grinned at her and then took a sip of his coffee,

"Tomorrow morning first thing we can get going, I do believe I will take a nap after breakfast though."

He flexed his left hand, he tried to remember how many lives have been added to the mounting list of lives he left in his wake. No matter where he tried to run, Death always seem to find a way to be where he went.

 

[heartofcourage]

“If I wanted to feel your backside, I could do it any time I wanted.” Penny answered with a grin as he took a sip of coffee and told her that they would leave tomorrow morning. She could see him fading, the need for sleep to regain his strength incredibly apparent.

“Let’s get you into the bedroll then, love. The more you sleep, the faster you’ll heal. I’ll make dinner while you’re sleeping.” She said softly as she took the coffee cup from him and placed it aside, helping him to rise and tucking him between the sheets.

“Comfortable?” She asked him, kissing his forehead gently.

 

[DeathsKnight]

"Was thinking of eating now, but I think you're right, I should sleep some more."

He shifted into a better position and looked up at her,

"I'm comfortable yes."

Just in time he covered his mouth as a yawn overwhelmed him, he chuckled,

"When the lady is right she is right."

 

[heartofcourage]

Penny smiled and leaned down to kiss John gently as he yawned. “Sleep tight, love. I’ll wake you for dinner.” She said softly, running her fingers back through his hair gently.

She was soon rising from his side, grabbing the few ingredients that they had left in their supplies. She could make a good meal with a potato, some dried meat, and some coffee. She wished she had some fresh things to put with their meal, but that would come when they got to a town.

 

[DeathsKnight]

He closed his eyes under her touch and felt himself slipping away, soon he was asleep again. He woke when a hand gently touched his shoulder and he opened his eyes to look up at Penny's face, he smiled softly,

"Now that is a sight any sane man would love to wake up to."

He hid a yawn behind a hand and blinked slowly, the sun was heading towards the Western rim quite fast. He stretched out lazily,

"I feel like I've slept the whole day."

He mentioned as he pushed himself into a sitting position

 

[heartofcourage]

“You did sleep the whole day away.” Penny said with a laugh as she helped John to sit upright. She wrapped her arms around his chest and hugged him gently, breathing in his scent that was unique to her lover alone. “And I missed you immensely.”

She pressed her lips against his cheek before she slowly released him and pointed to the meal that was simmering over the fire. It wasn’t much but it was enough to fill their bellies and get them in better spirits. She was immediately up and pouring him a cup of coffee to clear away the cobwebs of a healing sleep. She was glad that he had found the peace to get the rest that he so desperately needed.

 

[DeathsKnight]

He was glad for her embrace, her body against his, he found that he loved the smell and feel of her so close to him. He was hungry and the food's smell just emphasized that, he could feel that he was far from better, but he was not dead and he was taught that as long as there is life, there is hope and where there is hope, there is a way.

He watched Penny as she worked and when she did pass close enough, he took hold of her hand, tugging her gently to him, feeling her settle next to him, her curves seeming to fit exactly against him. He smiled at her questioning look and held her, she made him feel happy, alive, loved and in-love and there was not much he could say to show her that, he just held her, kissing her softly, tracing fingers over her cheek and jaw.

"You probably want to finish with that food huh?"

He reluctantly allowed her to go and rose himself, he was still not very steady on his feet, but he just had to stretch, relieving muscles and taking in a deep breath as he did so. He moved over to a rock and sat down stiffly, the wounds still bothering him, but not hurting as much as they should have.

"What did you use on the wounds?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Penny let out a squeal as John snagged her by the hand and tugged her down to sit beside him. She gave him a smile and melted against him as he held her to his side and kissed her softly, his fingers tracing over her cheek and cupping her jaw. The kiss was far too brief for her, she thought as he pulled away and asked her about finishing the food.

“I suppose I should. I wouldn’t want you to starve.” She said softly, smiling at him again as he allowed her to stand and she turned back towards the fire to finish the meal that she had put together for him.

Looking over her shoulder when he asked what she put on his wounds, she shrugged. “Just a mixture that my mother taught me about. I didn’t want anything to get infected and I knew it was important to get you up and on your feet as soon as possible..”

 

[DeathsKnight]

He nodded,

"Well your mother sure know what she was talking about, it feels like it is really working very well."

He tested his arm a bit, it was very stiff, but the pain was much duller than it should be. He leaned against a tree and closed his eyes, it felt good to rest, he could feel that he was weak and was basically useless for the time being. He opened his eyes when Penny settled next to him and before he could protest she started feeding him.

 

[heartofcourage]

She knew that John wouldn't like the way she babied him, but she wasn't going to let him over exert himself. Penny fed him, lifting the fork to his lips over and over again as she watched him closely. He was still in pain, even if he tried to hide it from her.

"My mother liked to experiement with different plants and herbs. She was always so good with getting us over colds and scrapes. I miss her a lot." Penny said as she looked at John. "But at least I can honor her memory by remembering and using all the lessons she taught me."

 

[DeathsKnight]

"I think that is a good way to honor anybody."

He gave her a quick smile, when the plate was empty, he looked at her as she got some food for herself and sat down to eat. He ran his fingers over her hair and down her slender back, he smiled at her and watcched her as she ate.

"It only occured to me now. You kept your part of the wedding vows."

He met her questioning,

"Until death do us part. First death stole you away and then it took Seth and brought the contract to an end."

He tilted his head,

"In fact, he is the only death that I do not feel bad about, the only one whom I feel did not leave a scar on my soul."

He smirked lightly,

"As much a soul that is left."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You do yourself a disservice, John." She said softly, pressing her hand against his chest, just above his heart. "You have a heart and you have a soul. If you didn't, it would be impossible to share what we do."

She leaned in and kissed him sweetly. "Or else that beautiful night in the desert pool might not have happened either. That is one of my most cherished memories now."

 

[DeathsKnight]

He smiled at her and ran a finger along her jaw,

"Indeed, but you know what?"

He leaned closer,

"If I wasn't this banged up, you might have been in danger of having to make space for another cherished memory."

He stole a gently kiss and then rose to his feet, he clicked his tongue and Sudden came into view a few moments later.

"Come on you brute, you've been resting too much. Already you seem to have grown fat."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You leave Sudden alone. He's a good boy." Penny said as John talked about how fat the horse was getting. "A few more oats here and there won't hurt him."

She moved to start packing up the camp, knowing that John was itching to move. It would be good to leave that oasis and to move on to more comfortable surroundings.

 

[DeathsKnight]

He chuckled,

"Oh now you side against me? That is good news for the horse."

He helped her in what capacity he was able to and when they were all packed up, he helped her to saddle the horses. The rest had done him good, but he still felt a little shaky. Pretty soon they were on their way though and leaving the desert and river behind as they traveled the trail leading away. John had tied Seth's horse behind Sudden and it followed them dutifully, John had half a mind to keep the horse, but the brand made it quite impossible. It even made it hard to sell, unless Penny sold it, she was tied to the ranch after all.

 

[heartofcourage]

As they road, Penny couldn't help but watch John like a hawk. She was afraid that he would injure himself beyond what he could repai and out there in the desert it could turn fatal. She didn't know what she would do if they came all that way and she lost him at the end of the journey. She very well might join him.

 

[DeathsKnight]

The trail took them through the bit of desert which remained, it then tuckered out into rocky grounds and soon grass started to show up among the rocks. As sunset started to settle in, they reached a stream, John was tired, exhausted to be honest. He helped Penny to set up the camp, got into his bedding and fell asleep almost instantly.

This was a much more travelled trail, so John assumed it to be safer and so it was, when Penny woke him for dinner, he felt a bit better and the stew went down good as well,

"You really make one fine trailswoman Penny."

 

[heartofcourage]

Penny grinned as she fixed her own dish of stew and settled at his side. She reached over and ran her fingers through his hair, pressing her lips to his briefly. It was good to hear the compliment from the man that had taken her on this wild ride.

"You did too much today." She said in a motherly scolding kind of way. "I think we should rest tomorrow and then start out again the next day. I don't know what I would do if you got sick again out here in the middle of nowhere."

 

[DeathsKnight]

He smiled at her and placed an arm around her,

"Our supplies will not hold. Judging from the way this trail have been travelled, we still have aways to go. I'll be fine, I am stronger than I look."

He looked down at himself and grimaced,

"OK perhaps I am as strong as I look right now. But I will be fine. You keep filling me up with good food will help that a lot."

He gave her a soft kiss and then settled into his bowl of stew. After dinner he settled back into his bedding, he could feel Penny make her bed next to him and he slid an arm around her. It felt strangely comforting to have her with him.

 

[heartofcourage]

As Penny slipped between the sheets of her bedroll, she let out a pleased sigh as John's arm wrapped firmly around her waist. She grinned to herself as she snuggled back against his body heat, enjoying the little moment in the middle of the desert. She didn't know what the future held at all, but that moment with the man that she loved and had saved her was absolutely perfect.

 

[DeathsKnight]

The ride into town took them four days, John's wounds had healed up rather nicely, but he was far from being healed. After selling Seth's horse (the fact that Penny's horse had the same brand and a convincing story about Seth's demise) John got the horses stabled and bought supplies, there was quite a good deal of money left and this he used to book them a room, along with the room came a warm bath. He gave Penny a smile,

"Can't remember when last I had a proper bed or bath."

Leading the way to the baths, he watched as she undressed, she had lost a few pounds, the trial life was a hard one, but she had retained her curves. He stripped slowly out of his own clothing and joined her in one of the wooden baths, his arms encircling her as he sat behind her and he gently kissed her slender neck.