((couple days later))
Greg rose from the chair in front of the saloon and walked inside. Since the fight a couple of nights ago, the town had been pretty quiet. There had been a party in Buddy and Greg's honor. Greg had pushed most of the glory on Buddy. He had thought up the poster idea, Greg had just enforced the situation. He went to the bar and stood beside Buddy, who was finishing off a shot. "So, when do we leave to find her friend." They had talked about it the night before, and Buddy had said he would sleep on it. The bandits had her, so she was being treated, and there was no imediate danger, but they did need to get her back.
Buddy shrugged, tossed back his own shot of brandy, and poured himself another. Business at the bar had fallen off since the bartender was killed, so Buddy and Greg made a command decision to use the liqour for their own party, until a new bartender would step up.
"I'm still not convinced Catori is alive..." Buddy admitted. "How can it be? You didn't see the explosion and cave-in! It was pretty bad..." he couldn't bring himself to think about it much without tearing up, so he tossed back another shot, while spinning the tin star badge playfully on the bar.
"Need more proof... maybe find those bastards you overheard and beat some more information out of them, or something..."
Greg chuckled. "If i were to talk to them, some beating would go down..." Greg thought back on the he had spent with the gang and told Buddy about their illegal drug dealings. "...So, when i left, i had to kill their former leader to get away. So needless to say, they are pissed at me. And as for Catori, you're right, we need more proof." Greg grabbed the bottle of brandy and took a couple of big swigs. He smiled at his friend. "Let me see ya do that."
"What we need is to put up a barkeep, someone they wouldn't suspect, who could get us the dirt... can't be any one of us... maybe the dancer girl, Lily Sanders? Sure she is the sheriff's daughter, but since he's gone now, and all that's gone on since, she might just pass as the lowly saloon mistress, trying to keep the only thing left from her past life up and running...
She seems a bit young and innocent, but like I said, after everything she's been through lately, maybe it's time she lose some of that innocence and get the dirt on some of the low-life murdering scum like those who killed her Pappy!"
Buddy took the brandy bottle and looked at Greg, accepting the challenge and gulping down the last 1/4 bottle in 3 big gulps, then belching heartily. "We should go find her, and fill her in... she'll want to help, I'm sure of it!"
((yeah with 16-year old Benny running the mercantile and 16 years old Lily running the saloon, the town's off to a young fresh start!! still need a new smith and another banker, although I have a few ideas about the banker dude, or at least a new money man to come in and stir things up for everyone, starting with Luis and Nat, but probably involving everyone else in New Hope too...))
((I've been gone all day, apologies oh master jedi 😛))
Luis and Nat stumbled onward through the desert, over time abandoning their chaps, their vests, and eventually their shirts. By morning the next day, they came to a river.
The two threw their boots and hats off and dove in eagerly. After having thoroughly rinsed the grime and dust both from the diamond mine and a day and a half of walking through the desert, they settled in for a long nap...
(((Everything in italics takes place in the spirit world. Mr. Xornon is currently in charge of what happens to Catori in the living world.)))
Catori growled lowly as she felt a sharp the needle pierced her already pained body. She groaned and open her eyes to see a tall mexican woman quickly sewing her chest gash up. Catori winced again.
Lola cringed. "Lo siento, Senorita."
"What does that mean?" Catori asked stubbornly trying to sit up.
Lola gently pushed her down again. "It means 'I'm sorry Miss'" she explained finishing the stitches. The burns were pretty bad but had already somewhat started to heal.Lola smiled warmly at the poor beaten up Indian girl. "Well, let's try doing this right, Catori. You need to rest."
"How do you know my name?" The Indian girl asked. Her brown eyes desperately seeking that of the older senora.
Lola sighed. There wasn't time. If this was going to work, Catori needed to see her father. The chieftan spirit. Her spirit had done job, now it was all left up to Catori and her father. In the end Catori would have the final say. Lola laughed. It was light and seemed to make Catori's pain go away.
"There are a lot of things I know about you, Catori." Lola giggled as she saw the shocked face of her patient. "You must see your father before returning to the living world and seeing your beloved Buddy." Lola said lovingly kissing Catori's cheek.
Catori swung her legs over the bed side and tried to stand. She then felt someone help her balance. Turning she saw Lola. "Thanks."
"Let's get you to your father." Lola said as she helped Catori to the door of the small river cabin, or what seemed to be one. Catori saw her father and broke into a full scale run towards him. She forgot about the pain ripping through her chest and legs. She hugged her father hoping that he would never leaving. Yet Catori knew he must. "Father?"
"Yes, Catori," he said smiling warmly at her."You have to go back to the land of the living. You have a wonderful life ahead of you with the white man. Be good."
Catori turned away as she began to sob openly. Everything rippled disappearing slowly like chalk on a sidewalk in a drizzle storm.
Catori groaned and turned on her side in the bed. Her head was killing her, and she did not want wake up.
As Lily was tending the bar that night, two men walked in and sat at a table near her. "So, when do we get rid of the Indian girl Rich?" Rich just shoke his head.
"We don't for now. She is still alive. Very close to death, Susan says, but alive none the less, and I won't get rid of her until she is." The other man stood up. "Hell Rich, we don't know when she'll die!" Rich grabbed the man and sat him down firmly. "Raise your voice like that again Nick, and I'll kill you." Nick just glared at Rich and then lowered his gaze to the table when Rich didn't stop glareing back.
"Susan says the girl was muttering in her sleep. Didn't say much; a couple of names: Buddy, Greg, Lily, and I think she said Catoru, Catori, something like that." Nick just continued to stare at the table. "Listen Nick, the girl is hurt. I just want to make sure she either dies peacfully, or is able to recover. If she starts to recover, we'll dump her on someone before she can see or identify us, I swear." Lily didn't have to listen to the rest of the conversation. She had to go tell Buddy and Greg about this!!