Snippet #2004110

Kate had been riding a very, very long time. She'd taken off at the crack of dawn this morning, between four and five, and now, judging by the sun's position directly overhead, it was midday. And God was it hot. That was the thing about deserts. They were just so damn hot.

Kate tugged the brim of her black Stetson down a little further, squinting out across the shimmering desert. For miles and miles there was flat, red dirt, studded with the occasional scrubby bush or prickly cactus. Behind her lay the formidable mountains from which she'd come, and before her lay...a town? Yes, it was a town. She could barely make it out, but it was definitely there- a collection of small buildings on the horizon. This must be her lucky day! It'd been four days since she'd seen a town, at least. She laughed at the memory, recalling the rowdy gang of outlaws she'd left just this morning.

She'd met them about a week before, six scruffy bandits who called themselves "The Railroad Gang", as they had a reputation for thieving from the railroad camps constructing the railway West. It'd been easy enough to work herself in, and she'd proved herself the first night when she assisted in holding up a stagecoach and looting a nice load of fine jewelry and cash. The gang had almost immediately informed her of their plan to rob a bank in the budding town of Blackshade, and Kate was only too happy to assist.

Unfortunately, the robbery hadn't quite gone as planned. Tex, who was supposed to keep watch, got distracted by a pair of drunk saloon girls and wandered off, and Kate and the gang were caught in the act by a very angry sheriff. Two of the gang were killed before Kate could blink, and she'd hastily scooped up two sacks of what she hoped was a fair amount of cash and dove out the nearest window. Gunsmoke, ever the trusty steed, was still standing calmly at the hitching post where she'd left him, and she'd hurriedly swung into the saddle and ridden for her life, the sound of gunshots echoing behind her.

She'd met up with the three surviving members of the gang at the appointed meeting place (another outlaw had been killed in the process of Kate's escape) and said she'd be happy to continue North with them. Of course, Kate knew that was far too dangerous. That sheriff would stop at nothing to get the gang, and that meant she needed to split, and fast. So she'd stuck with them a couple days more as they headed through the mountains, then, at the first opportunity, stole their cash and took off.

Now she was approaching a strange town with god knows what kind of lawmen. Had they ever heard of Wildcat Kate here? Well, they were about to. Smiling to herself, Kate gave a loud whoop and spurred Gunsmoke forward, galloping towards the town.