Sheriff

Carefully, you and Joseph sidled up to the building. Sticking close to the side you shuffled along the stone wall, cold in the shade.

"Black Vulture is bored, ah can tell. He's itching to do somethin'."

Curly muttered.

Dreams of putting down the people who made your life miserable didn't quite match up to the reality.

Your arms crossed where your hands held on the stock, Joseph's other hand holding the barrel.

"Maybe ah was grateful to you, once. We're way past that now, the idea that you're gonna help me? That dog don't hunt."

Joseph's brow furrowed. You felt his hand shift underneath yours as a finger passed over the trigger and squeezed.

Joseph turned and pulled away from you, wrapping a hand around his beak. His whole chest heaved with quiet breaths.

Joseph was still now, too. He was looking out across the hill, but to his right, a dozen or so paces away, Curly was just peering over the ledge.

His gun was drawn, and Joseph dared not to move, as Curly clearly knew he'd seen him in the corner of his eye already.

He took a few steps away from the edge, gun now held lazily with his elbow on his hip, pointed between you two.

"Real pain in the ass stunt you pulled back there, tomboy. Care to explain?"

He hadn't immediately assumed you betrayed him, not yet. You'd be on the ground begging for mercy by now if that were the case.

He didn't like you, but you'd just about wormed your way into his good books. You can use that.

"Had me going for a moment back there, though! Thought you'd finally seen some sense, in your own screwy way."

Curly hadn't even pulled the knife back yet and it sliced through your cheek as you stuck your head out and clamped your teeth on his snout.

You didn't hang around as the fight started, but you knew, you saw, as you took off between the houses of the main street.

"Little formal of you, but I'll take it. It's nice to see you again too."

"Aw come on, $Player, what were you expecting me to say? I'm mighty happy to see you, but my heart's beatin' like a jackrabbit."