Robyn Sheva||The Crimson Lady's Story

"Better, I'm feeling better," there was a slight, almost imperceptible pause,"now."

"I can speak four languages, none of which are native."

He noticed the look in her eyes. "Well litu dloo I know about 7 none of which are not-native except english" His hand gripped hers as hard as he could. "Perhaps I could teach you while I'm getting over this bee sting," he said with a chuckle. He had been about to cup her cheek when she'd been about to cry but the medicine woman had walked back in, obviously making Robyn somewhat uncomfortable.

The medicine woman meanwhile was in fact checking his bandages. Finding everything satisfactory she added a bit of cooling salve and left the tepee. Coles eyes followed her as she left and once she was gone they met Robyns. Reaching up he cupped her cheek with his hand, his thumb brushing away the tears that had fallen. "Theres nothing to be sorry for litu dlo. Nothing at all," he said softly, that easy smile glinting in eyes that told her everything. If he could have leaned up to kiss her, he would have.

"Well, litu dloo, I know about 7 none of which are not-native except english" He said, his fingers gripping her hand, more firmly. "Perhaps I could teach you while I'm getting over this bee sting," He said and Robyn felt herself flinch. She was quiet, unable to shake the vision that flashed in her mind. That was her fault. Her damn pride. If she'd just killed the son of a bitch when she had the chance. She wanted to be seen, noticed by the world, and that nearly cost her the one person who truly saw her.

His hand came up then, clearly reading her thoughts, cupping her cheek, forcing the tears back. "There's nothing to be sorry for, Litu dloo. Nothing at all," His eyes finding hers, and she saw it in his eyes so she leaned in, pressing her lips to his. Softly at first, but soon, her guilt and grief and relief pressed her forward into a deep much more passionate kiss. Her hands came around to either side of his face, tears bleeding from her eyes. She pulled away before, only to breathe. pressing her forehead against his. "I was...I...You have to out live." She said, knowing it was a strange statement. "You have to because....I-I can't...." she couldn't continue, fearful of the words that threatened to come next.

He kissed her with as much passion as he could physically muster. Which considering his condition was quite a bit. He raised a hand to her cheek, his thumb brushing away her tears. "I'm not going anywhere, and neither are you," he said with a certainty in voice that would be hard to deny.

He leaned in and kissed her again. It was gentle and tender, loving. His lips parting form hers, he gently kissed her forehead then pressed his against hers. "I made a promise remember?" He brushed her tears away once more, gently pulling her into a one armed embrace. "shil nzhoo, litu dloo." He'd finally said it out loud. In Apache, but that counted, it was the language closest to his heart.

"I'm not going anywhere, and neither are you," He said and she looked at him, still breathless from the kiss as his hands softly brushed her tears away, it didn't stop them.

He leaned in this time, his kiss was soft, loving and comforting, she melted into it, wanting to wrap herself around him but didn't, mindful of his wounds. He broke the kiss, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I made a promise remember?" He said, his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes, tears falling only for him to brush them away. Yes, he promised, but she wasn't afraid that he would break his promise, she was afraid of what it would mean, not for her, but for him.

He pulled her into an embrace, one arm due to his injuries. "Shil nzhoo, litu dloo," He said, and she looked at him. His eyes translating for her.

Robyn looked at him, eyes wide, her chest twisted, she couldn't breathe, she felt dizzy, she felt like she going to die. She didn't want it to stop but it had too. She felt that before and it always ended the moment she let those words leave her lips. She pulled from him, and felt colder for it. "I'm sorry....I'm sorry, Cole, I can't say those words." She said, shaking her head. "Those are dangerous words..." She breathed before stumbling back. This was for his own good but it was breaking her heart. Her eyes told him she felt the same way, but she couldn't bring herself to say them. They'll kill him, they already tried. "I'm sorry...." She cried, getting to her feet, "I'm so sorry." She said and darted out of the tepee, Grey Wind to whom she hadn't even noticed, stiffened.


With that, Robyn ran, until she couldn't anymore, out of the village, past the river, even past the trappers hut, leaving everyone behind her. She knew Cole couldn't come after her, even if he wanted to and she knew he would but she had to get as far away from him as she possibly could. The worse was over now, he would be safe. Eventually, she stopped running, and was walking. Her tears long since dried, and now she was nothing, empty, and numb. Just like she'd been all those years ago. She didn't slit his throat, no, she only cut out his heart, breaking her own in the process.

"Should have seen that coming, should have kept my fucking mouth fuck, son of a..." he brought his fist down on the hard ground with enough force he heard a pop in his pinkie. "Great, now this on top of," he looked down at his stomach, "the rest of this nuisance. Fucking..." He felt his eyes welling for the first time since his mother had died. "Oh for fucks..." This was it, he was well and truly shattered. He could only imagine how she was feeling. There was that gnawing again. Grey wind looked from Cole to where Robyn had gone, to Cole, then back to the doorway. "Go ahead, you too, get, GET" he ended up screaming at the unfortunate wolf who left, tail between its legs.

He finally understood how his father felt as he looked over at the .45. He wasn't going to, but he understood. For the first time in almost ten years, Cole wept.

Timberwolf had seen the aftermath and a scared Grey Wind take off after Robyn. He sighed, he could only guess at what had happened. He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair debating whether or not to follow her and figure out what had happened, though he could guess. At the very least he needed to make sure she didn't do anything stupid. Though he could probably say the same for Cole. Fuck this got complicated quickly. He went over to Jack who was sitting just outside his tepee. "Jack, keep an eye on Coles tepee for a while, I'm going out into the woods for a while." Jack raised an eyebrow but did as he was told.

Timberwolf tracked her down and followed her at a safe distance. He knew this would not be the time to say anything until she had either stopped, or seemed more receptive to the relative unknown that he was. Luckily for him Grey Wind seemed to have a similar idea. The large wolf ran in front of her and stopped dead in front of her and wouldn't let her move farther, but he also wasn't pushing her back. He seemed to be looking for an explanation as to why his new friend was sad, she had run far away, and Cole had yelled at him. The confused wolf sat in front of her and looked up at her with a cocked head.

Robyn stopped short as a blur of grey shot by her. She looked down at the beast, who looked more like a lost puppy then a massive wolf.

She knew he wasn't about to move, but he wouldn't hurt her. He looked almost hurt as well as confused, sympathy also played in it's big grey eyes. Her mental stasis broke and she awoke for the first time in what felt like a few hours. Her legs burned from exertion, her feet stung, probably from rocks, twigs and other sharp things found on the forest floor. She was far from the village, she realized, far from...No, she wouldn't even think his name. It hurt too much. She could almost see his blood on her hands.

"Go home, Grey Wind, you can't come with me," She told the best, and it was then it occurred to her that Grey Wind wouldn't be alone, not this far from camp.

"You too, Timberwolf, I need to be left alone." She said, if Timberwolf taught C-him anything, hiding would likely be one of them and he was damn good at it.
Her mind flashed back to how they played in the water almost like children, how he felt so bad when she came up after her leg was lashed by that rock. How gentle his hands were, as he cleaned the blood from her leg. How his hands gripped her hips so mean after they decided to play a different game.

Robyn felt a pain in her heart, so bad it made her rub her chest. She had to get away from him, if she said those words to him, it would surely be his demise.

She started walking again, keeping her eyes forward, walking around Grey Wind, who whimpered before following. "Go, Please." She told the beast but he kept walking. "I'm not coming back so just go home." She said and realized that was in fact what she was doing, she was leaving for good. She had to. Casey and Jack, they wouldn't understand, or maybe they would, she didn't know, but Casey could move on and be happy with Nidawi, he seemed to want to and he was never truly and outlaw, and Jack, Jack could be happy in the pits of Hell if he found something to amuse himself.
She had to go, she was damn good at blending, she could hide out a while, maybe go up north, or maybe out to sea, find that ship she'd always wanted, sail off the end of the world, maybe she could find Ireland, see those birds she was named after...if she could just lose the wolf.

"Go home, Grey Wind, Go!" She shouted, pointing the the direction it came and the wolf looked at her oddly, bewildered even, whimpering, she could almost see the hurt in it's eyes. Like this hadn't been the first time he'd been yelled at today. She didn't know what state she left him in and while she knew she had to, she couldn't do it again to anyone else. Especially not her silent friend.

Robyn stopped, knelled down and pet the hulking mass of muscle, and sighed. "I'm sorry, but I have to go, Grey Wind, I can't stay here, It'll be in the end of him if I do." she explained. "I can't let that happen."

"And just how in hell do you know that Robyn?" Timberwolf, finally having had enough of hiding on the outskirts. "Do you really think that you, the woman he loves. That's right, loves. Both of you are too scared to say it because you're too afraid of preconceptions that in the grand scheme of things don't really matter." He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, its been a long few days, I've watched the man who was basically the son I never had to replace the daughter that didn't live past her teens."

He rubbed his temples. "I just, I just don't understand why you think that." He started pacing as Grey Wind pressed himself against her, almost knocking her over. "Now, I've seen a lot in my day. Villages of innocents burned to the ground, men and women drug out and shot in the street for the color of their skin. I've seen men kill each other over a crust of bread and the last gulp of water. But I've also seen good happen, most of it caused by the basic love one human has for another. Charity and mercy given to a mother on her last cent, the feeding of a hungry child. I've spent most of my life wandering this land, this land that used to be my home. You name it I've probably seen it or experienced it in my lifetime." He paused taking a deep breath, he had been finding himself shorter and shorter of breath lately and it was troubling him. But he fought through it and continued. "But never, ever in my almost seventy years on mother earth have I seen any situation where the simple act of loving someone caused their death."

At the last he was looking her in the eyes. Eyes that had beheld slaughter, devestation, remorse, and love. Eyes that held an eternal sadness and hope combined. "Let an old man tell you a story. There once was a young man, a young Shoshone man. His people had welcomed the settlers with open arms and trust. Giving them food and shelter for their first winter they would have otherwise spent starving and freezing to death. Among these settlers was the daughter of a farmer, Annabelle. The young mans family were a regular sight in the white settlement, trading goods and teaching the white people how to live on the land. There the young man met the young woman, and they grew to love each other. As the seasons passed their love grew and blossomed. She taught him english, and he taught her of his people and their way of life." He paused and pinched the bridge of his nose, running a hand through his hair. As his hand fell there was a small glint of a silver chain around his neck and tucked under his shirt. He had stopped pacing.

"On the eve of the young mans nineteenth summer, he approached the farmer to ask for his daughters hand. He was thrown out of the house and forbidden from seeing Annabelle again. But that didn't stop Annabelle, she would sneak out under cover of darkness and meet him in the fields. Eventually she ran away all together and they left the land of his ancestors and lived on the run. Along the way they had a child, a little girl they named Laura. Three summers came and passed until they found a place to call home. there they lived for the next eight until..." He paused again, coughing and wiping his eyes. Supposedly because of the coughing, but there was a glint in his eyes that wasn't because of the light.

"One night, the door was kicked down and the young man dragged out of the house. His wife and child locked inside. They forced him to watch as they put their hut to the torch. Forced him to listen to the screams of his wife and child. All because, in their words, he had made the mistake of loving a white woman." Timberwolf stopped and ran a hand through his hair again, looking at the sky.

"The point of this is, the young man lived so long thinking that his love was a mistake. That he never could love again, or if he did then it would be another mistake and end in the same tragedy it had with Annabelle and Laura." He found a nearby stump and sat down slowly, rubbing his knees as he did so. "He spent so long wrongly thinking his love was dangerous. That it would kill those around him, so he never allowed himself to get close to anyone else. But the young man realized eventually, that he was mistaken. Love does not kill, love creates life. Love is what brought Laura and Annabelle into his life. Hate, hate was what tore them apart. Their love had nothing to do with the death of those he loved, it was the hate of those who refused to understand that." He reached into his shirt and withdrew a silver locket, bringing it briefly up to his lips with hands gnarled by time and a rough life.

"Love doesn't kill, love doesn't curse, love brings us back from the precipice and gives us a firm hand to grasp onto." He looked up at her finally, his old sad eyes locking with hers. "Love brings us back from deaths grasp itself, love is a promise."

"And just how in hell do you know that Robyn?" Timberwolf, appeared from the woods, causing Robyn to stand defensively. "Do you really think that you, the woman he loves. That's right, loves. Both of you are too scared to say it because you're too afraid of preconceptions that in the grand scheme of things don't really matter." He said and she should him a nasty glare that matches the sharpness of her blades. It was good thing she left them by the river with the rest of her things. "I'm sorry, its been a long few days, I've watched the man who was basically the son I never had to replace the daughter that didn't live past her teens." He said and Robyn frowned, unable to stand for Grey Wind pressed her down.

Timberwolf sighed and Robyn set her jaw. "I just, I just don't understand why you think that."

She opened her mouth to speak, but he went on, he told her his tale, it was heartbreaking, it truly was, and she felt for him, but it did nothing to calm the storm that he brewed. He did not know her, he didn't know her story.


"Love doesn't kill, love doesn't curse, love brings us back from the precipice and gives us a firm hand to grasp onto." He said, looking her in the eyes. "Love brings us back from deaths grasp itself, love is a promise." He said and Robyn moved to him.

"Not my love." She told him. "You have seen much, and I'm so sorry for what happened to you, I know love doesn't curse, it's not love that's cursed, it's me." She told him, "You want to know why I think that?" She asked, her eyes darting around his face, looking for a weak spot to hit, she wouldn't but her body was tense, her fists clenched like she would. "I've seen it, Not once, that would be have an accident, not even twice, a coincidence, but three times..." She said and cocked her head, her voice eerily low. "That's a fucking pattern..." She hissed. "Each time, I said those words, it was water in their lungs, a blade across their throat, a noose around their neck...." She said, her eyes were dark, and far off, as if she was a seeing it all. "I didn't even say it, merely entertained the thought and look what happened." She said, gestured to the village. She turned her finger on him, and pressed it against his chest. "I don't care how old you are, Do not presume to know me, you don't, and the only one that does, I'd rather live in a world where we are desperate and he lives, then then together and watch him die." She said, pointing to the village again before she stormed off, away from Timberwolf, and Grey Wind.

She was almost grateful, she wasn't sad anymore, she was pissed and that was always easier to handle.

"You're right. I don't know you. But I know Cole. You leave now and he will hunt for you. And he will find you. But if he falls, you will have taken the only reason he had to get back up again." His voice had a slight edge to it as he called after her. "He deserves to know why you've cut his lifeline. If the two of you being apart is truly what you want, then don't you think you should tell him yourself. He's deserved that much." With that Timberwolf was gone, as was Grey Wind. The only sounds to be heard were the shrill cry of a hawk as it returned to its nest, and the whistling of robins as they sang to each other.

"You're right. I don't know you. But I know Cole. You leave now and he will hunt for you. And he will find you. But if he falls you will have taken the only reason he had to get back up again." Timberwolf called after her and she didn't stop walking. He promised he'd live, he would be fine. Besides, she could hid from him in town, she'd done it before. "He deserves to know why you've cut his lifeline. If the two of you being apart is truly what you want, then don't you think you should tell him yourself. He's deserved that much." He called and that slowed her step. After a moment, she just stood there, the forest telling her what she needed to do. But could she? Could she bring herself to look at him after that? He told her he loved her, handed her his heart and she ran from it. How could she face him after that? Would he hate her for it? She kicked the man while he was literally down.

She sighed before she saw something, an orange blur peeking out from a brush toward the village. "Well I'll be damned." She breathed. For the first time, it was an actual fox, not a dream induced one, but the real thing. She looked behind her, just to make sure she wasn't in some spirit dream again, she wasn't. Her spirit guide was laid up in a tepee. She sighed. She had to go back. If that wasn't a sign, she didn't know what was.

She came from a superstitious people, she knew better than to not listen. She would go back, and at least explain herself, then she'd leave.

She made her way back, and it was nightfall before she ever reached the trapper's hut. She then remembered that the stupid gold that she didn't even want was still in there. Jack had hidden it, somewhere in the place after she ran off after him. Robyn closed her eyes, his face behind her eyes, brought a small smile to her lips before something felt suddenly off. She didn't know what it was, but she didn't have time to find out as someone grabbed her from behind. Weaponless, she fought, thrashing about before something struck the back of her head, the feather falling from her hair was the last thing she saw before unconsciousness took her.

Two days passed before Timberwolf decided to head back out into the forest and see if Robyn had come back and left in the night, or had simply continued to leave. Grey Wind at his side he headed into the forest. He got as far as the hut when he felt something... off. Eyes scanning the clearing he focused in on a patch where the ground seemed freshly disturbed. Padding over he noticed something that made his blood run cold. Coles feather was lying on the ground amidst the scene of the struggle. Timberwolf ran back to the village pausing only to grab his shotgun and pouch of shells. "Jack, grab your sharps and follow me," he said, his tone brooking no argument from the confused frenchman. Getting back to the hut he knelt by the area of the struggle and picked up the feather, holding it under Grey Winds nose having him pick up her scent. With that they started tracking her down, something was obviously wrong. She had started to come back, but someone stopped her.

Cole meanwhile had an ever growing gnawing in his gut. She had crushed him sure, but there had to be something, some reason for it. There had been near no sign of this happening before so he simply didn't understand. Perhaps she just needed some time to process it, both his and her own feelings. But there was just something that didn't sit right with him, something that felt wrong. He didn't know if it was the connection they shared, what was left of it, or some sort of sixth sense warning him.

CRACK! The sound of skin meeting skin echoed throughout a small hut, low lit by candlelight as the sun had already set.

"Where is it, cunt?!" hissed a large man, white of skin, steely grey eyes, and an angry disposition. His fists were covered in blood, some of it his own. Behind him a smaller man, white of skin, black of hair, leaned against a wall, arms folded, annoyed and bewildered by what he'd witnessed these last couple of days. CRACK! CRACK! A blood curdling sound, as his target's chair fell over, wordless, and had been that way for days. The large man was exhausted.

"That's enough, Jimmy." said the smaller man. The large man- Jimmy, looked back at him with a grimace. "You wanna give it a shot, Sam?" He hissed, and Sam looked down at the battered body on the floor, black hair clinging to dark skin, marred with old scars. Sam sighed. "We've been at this for days." He said and Jimmy kicked the heap hard in the stomach,, still no words, only the sound of heavy breathing. "This stupid bitch knows where the money is! She stole the damn thing." He shouted with a frustration fueled kick before grabbing the black hair and heaving. "You're gonna tell us where you hid it, Cunt." He growled and all he saw white teeth behind blood and hair. "You're gonna have to do better than that." The Crimson Lady spat blood in his face.

"Fuck-" He dropped her to the floor, and the Red Woman only laughed, her arms tied behind her back, sweat and blood glistening on her skin. Her lovely face, bruised and swollen. Her right eye swollen shut. Her body, while already covered in scar tissue, sported new bruises, most on her ribs. Sam looked down at her, looking concerned about her mental health as she didn't seem to be affected, almost amused by the abuse she'd received. "We should just turn her in, get the money from the reward." He offered, pulling her wanted poster from his coat and unfurling it.

"We don't even have to keep her alive." He said, gesturing to the 'dead or alive' scrawled in red ink. The Crimson Lady sneered. "Oh look at that, they changed it." She said, raising on to her knees to peer over Jimmy's hand only for him to gave her a swift kick to the stomach, doubling her over. She heaved but she still laughed.

"That's only 10,000" Jimmy said. "Oh I'm worth more than that..."The Crimson Lady pouted, Jimmy slammed his hand across her face, sending her to the floor. He then grabbed her, after uprighting the chair she was in and dropped her into it. Securing her to the chair by binding her legs with rope, though she'd managed to get out of them before. Parting her legs, he got an idea.

"I wouldn't if I were you, that's been known to kill a man." The Crimson Lady sneered. Jimmy rose a hand to her thigh, the native dress she wore having risen enough to expose it. He grinned. "Where is the gold?" He asked again, moving his hand up and he saw her stiffened. "Alright, Alright, " She said, panicked, Jimmy stopped his hand but didn't remove it.

Sam watched them, dubiously. "Ask me nicely." She said, suddenly flirting with Jimmy, parting her knees a bit more. Sam frowned as Jimmy took the bait. "Where is the gold, Please?" He said and she looked at him. "I gave it to a man." She told him. "A chinamen, His name." She leaned in, her face a breath from his. "His name was Fuck You." She whispered and with that she slammed her forehead into his, shattering the bone. "My nose, the bitch broke my nose!" Jimmy cried, blood flowing down his face, his eyes watering. She laughed manically as Sam stopped Jimmy before his reached her, his hands going for her neck.

"I'll kill the bitch, I'll kill her, fuck the bounty, fuck the gold!" Jimmy cried before exiting the hut, Sam in toe. "We'll just wait til the boys get here, the Boss'll know what to do with her."

"I'll kill the bitch, I'll kill her, fuck the bounty, fuck the gold! We'll just wait til the boys get here, the Boss'll know what to do with her." Their hunt had taken them about an hour away from the hut. The mans voice breaking through the silence, warning them before they broke through into the clearing.

"That's got to be her," Jack said starting to move forward. Timberwolf stopped him before he could move any farther, pushing him gently back farther into the forest. Making sure they were out of earshot. "What are you doing? There's just two of them it'll be easy."

"Nothing is ever easy Jack," replied Timberwolf in hushed tones. "Think for a moment Jack. We kill these two now and get her back to the village. We cant hide the trail if she's wounded, and where do you think it would lead the men," he said with an intense look and a raised eyebrow.

"Fuck... you're right, big picture. Just like Cole."

"Exactly, so we wait for them here, they drop their guard and we kill them all here." There was an edge to his voice and a wolf-like grin that gave Jack the feeling he was suddenly working with an apex predator rather than an old man. "From here on out, no words, breathe slow and low, and do as I tell you, and we'll all get out of this alive."

Yup, just like Cole. "How will I know the signal to attack?"

"You'll know," he said simply, flashing that predatory grin. It had been so long since he'd last been in a good fight. Finally, something to make his blood run.

The trap was set within minutes. Jack had been sent up a large tree with a good view of the clearing with his sharps. Jack was feeling fine about this part. He was a crack shot and had enough shells to take out a small army. What he wasn't feeling so sure about was the old man and his shotgun. Timberwolf was hidden among some bushes with his long barreled side by side. What jack didn't know was that half of his shells were slugs. Large balls of lead that would tear a hole through a brick wall. One could imagine what it would do to a human body. That, and Grey Wind was nowhere to be seen, the large wolf having fairly disappeared into the shadows.

Just in time too, as the 'boys' were coming. A pack of seven of them rode in through the forest making enough noise to raise the dead. Timberwolf smiled as his eyes scanned the group, looking for the leader. He made himself known by signaling to the others to stop. He dismounted and started talking to the first two men. The one that had yelled before was sullen and the other one was doing all the talking. The boss signaled to the others and they started to dismount.

A few of them wouldn't hit the ground alive.

Timberwolf gave a loud howl that was reciprocated by Grey Wind. Right before the large wolf charged out of the underbrush and threw itself on the boss, knocking him to the ground as its teeth sank into his leg. Timberwolf raised his shotgun and fired off two rounds in quick succession. Jack, surprised, took quick aim. "Just like the fucking dynamite except this is a goddamn dog."

Robyn's breathing was ragged, every ounce of her body ached, but she was prepared. Mentally anyway, for what was to come. She knew that whoever their boss was, wold be a tougher opponent, he was boss, just like she was, despite her friendship with Casey and Jack, she still called the shots and that took a certain level of intellect, the fools she'd been dealing with was probably on the bottom rung of the ladder. All the while, she fought with consciousness, each time she nodded off, his face popped in her mind, or his voice would echo in her ear. Telling her to wake up.

She missed him, so much is hurt more then the beating she'd taken these last couple of days. Honestly, that helped her focus. The pain, she felt she deserved, and with every strike, she felt oddly better. Now she had to get out of here and back to him. She didn't know what she was going to say to him, nor if he'd even want to see him. He told her loved her and she bolted, that couldn't have sat well.

She tested the ropes binding her legs. They weren't as tight as they could be, but then again, not everyone aspired to be a pirate, and taught themselves how to probably tie rope either. She twisted her feet, shimming her ankles until the ties came slightly loose. She then worked on the bindings at her wrists. These had been upgraded to chains since the last time she'd broken out of ropes and choked the little one, Sam if she bothered to remember.

"Oh this is going to hurt." She told herself, and managed to twist her hands so that she looked as if she were praying, palm to palm, and the fingers of one hand moved to the thumb of the other. She took a deep breath. Imagining Blackjack's words.

"It's really quite easy, it's gonna hurt like son of a bitch, but better than being cuffed."
Her fingers found the joint, and with all of her might, she pressed until she felt a snap and heard the loud pop.

She bit back her cried, stomped her foot to fight the pain of dislocating her thumb, but it was well worth it as now her hand slipped free of the chains. She left the chains wrapped round her other wrist, it was a suitable weapon. She worked off the ropes on her ankles, having made it easier now that she was down a hand.

It was at that time she heard heavy hooves on the ground, rumbling in her direction.

"Fuck." She hissed and ducked down, so they wouldn't see her shadow in the candlelight should they peek in.

"You didn't kill her did you?" She heard one say, this was a new voice, clearly more intelligent. He was the Boss.
"No...." Said Sam, "She broke Jimmy's nose, nearly got free twice, once she even managed to choke me."
"Why didn't you break anything?"
Sam was quiet then.
"She only reacted when Jimmy touched her thigh, so I think maybe if we--"
"Stop thinking Sam, you'll give yourself a headache." He said and Sam was quiet again.
" So you have her for two days, and between the two of you, you've got nothing...you tell me this bitch is tougher then to two of you combined?' Again silence.
"We tried, Boss, We did but-" Jimmy chimed in but was stopped. Robyn's guess was by a look.
"I'll find out where she hid the gold, I'm gonna make her scream it to me, and when I'm done, I'll decide if you two fool even deserve your cut." He said and suddenly, gunshots rang out.

Robyn knew the sound of the one. That was Jack's sharps. "Jack" She smiled. She could have kissed the frenchmen at that moment. She stayed low, hidden behind a table so not to get caught by a stray bullet. She could have sworn she heard the howl of a certain wolf. But no, surely it isn't so.

Timberwolfs first shot tore a hole the size of a fist through the first man. Jacks took the head off the second. Grey wind jumped on and tore out the throat of the third, arterial spray coating his muzzle and staining the grey of his coat.

Timberwolf fired his second shot, missing. "Oh shit, guess I aint what I used to be," he mused as he inserted two more shells. He fired a double blast at the nearest man, blowing his leg off. Breaking the shotgun over his arm he ejected and replaced the shells. The horses were scattering, sowing more confusion as Grey Wind howled, yipped, and generally drove them crazy. Timberwolf took aim and fired another double blast, blowing the mans head off.

Jack racked the bolt back and jammed another cartridge into the rifle. He had no idea what the old man was shooting from his long gun but damn it made a large bloody hole. He sighted in and placed a shot into the hip of a man who had gotten caught up in the stirrups of his horse. This thing had a hell of a kick to it that he was not entirely used to yet. He racked another cartridge and snapped off a shot into the chest of the last man who was trying to take cover behind a dead comrade.

The boss was screaming as he laid on the ground among his dead comrades. That was until Grey Wind stepped on top of him and put his jaws around the mans throat. The teeth didn't penetrate, but they shut the man up. They had gotten Sam but Jimmy had bolted back into the hideout.

Timberwolf exited the woods, extracting the still smoking empty shells from his shotgun while Jack was climbing down the tree. Timberwolf passed the man who had been shot in the hip by Jack. "That ones yours, this ones mine," he said indicating the man whos leg had been blown off with the still open barrel of his shotgun. He inserted a pair of buckshot shells and closed the barrel with a snap. As he passed the man on the way to where the boss lay he pumped both barrels into the mans chest without looking at the man. The angle and the length of the barrel making it so no blood splattered onto the old man.

"Jesus Christ," Jack breathed as he pumped a pistol round into the head of his guy. He had to watch the bloodsoaked ground to make sure he didn't step in someones brain tissue or viscera. Timberwolf seemed to sort of naturally avoid it, not getting a single drop on his cowboy boots. Just who was this old man?

Timberwolf crouched down at the head of the boss shotgun lying across his knees. He was breathing shallowly to try and not aggravate the giant wolf sitting on him. "Jack, go make sure our lady is alright." Jack raised an eyebrow and started towards the entrance of the hideout.

Robyn stayed down, crouched like some feral woman, as blood and bullets flew. Who was the other shooter? It wasn't Casey, which was odd, since Jack was here. The growls she heard, knew she knew that was her Grey Wind, so surely Timberwolf was here. He was so like BlackJack, coming around, even when she told him to piss right off.
Suddenly, the door burst open and Jimmy, who somehow escaped the carnage, found her almost immediately. "How the fuck-" He didn't finish, Robyn was on him in an instant, the chains he used to bind her hands flinging out, cracking like a whip. The metal crashed into the wall beside him as he ducked, but Robyn never intended it to connect, just distract so she could close the gap. She didn't have a gun, and clearly neither did he, as he sailed to the floor. Robyn went down, a fist from her chained hand came down hard, she felt bone break, she wasn't entirely sure whose it belong to, as she kept at him, crouched over him, as he tried to defend himself, but Robyn was relentless. He did however managed to reach around, grabbing her by the hip and tossing her to the ground. She was tall, not heavy.
The tables were turned and he had his hands around her throat. Robyn struggled for breath but she didn't stop her fight. Her hands came up, and grabbed his head. Her right thumb was useless, but her left was not, as she dug the digit into his eye. Jimmy screamed, his grip loosening, Robyn's knee came up, slamming into his manhood, to which caused Jimmy to recoil and fall off of her. Robyn scrambled to her feet, and took the chain and wrapped it around his throat as he tried to stand, and pulled hard. His face turned red as he struggled to breathe, scrapping at the chains. Robyn pressed a foot in his back, and kicked off him, his neck snapped with a sickening crack. Robyn dropped to the floor, laying on her back, breathless and in pain, she was pretty sure one of her ribs had been broken. She reached down, and pressed, They were surprisingly all intact, but they were bruised.

The door opened again, and Robyn groaned. "Careful, I bite." She warned the newcomer. "And that's what I love about ya, Bosslady."

Robyn sat up, too quickly, to see Jack, ever the dandy peering down at her. He took one look at her, and she could see the mixture of relief and fury burn in his eyes. "Jack" She smiled, and he came for her, "I'm gonna hug you now?" He half asked, half warned, but at this point, Robyn didn't care, fuck her reputation, she was so unbelievably glad he was here. She held out her arms and he gingerly scooped her up. Robyn hugged him back and she felt Jack sigh. "Let me get a look at you, Can you stand?" He asked pulling away, Robyn nodded. "Enforie...." Jack hissed as he assessed her damage and Robyn smirked. He pulled his crisp jacket from his body and wrapped it around her. "Jack-"
"Oh no no, Don't you tell me you're fine, you're not. How's that eye?" He said with a frown. She was a bloody mess, and her native dress was barely scraps. She'd honestly forgotten she couldn't actually see out of her right eye. Robyn just stayed quiet. She didn't give Jack enough credit. "I don't give you enough credit..." Robyn said and Jack screwed up his face. "No, but now we've all learned a lesson, You know I'm smarter than I look, and I know you can't be left alone for more than five minutes without getting into trouble." He said gesturing to the dead Jimmy on the floor, and Robyn smirked softly and she wondered how much he actually knew. "Here, it's a mess outside." Jack said and reached down to pick her up. She stiffened at first but let him. She knew at that moment, Jack would never flirt with her again, and that wasn't a bad thing. "I've got a present for you." He said as they exited the hideout. The ground was covered in blood and bodies, copper wafted through the air.
She saw Grey Wind and beamed. "Hey you." She called to the beast, who was holding down a very large man. She ignore him as Grey Wind pressed his face into her palm. He was sticky with blood and god knows what else but Robyn didn't mind. She looked up noticing the old man with a shotgun in his hand. She smirked. "You don't know when to quit, do you, Old man?"

When the wolf got off of the boss he made the mistake of trying to move. Timberwolf, rolling his eyes, brought the stock of his shotgun down on the mans stomach, knocking the wind out of the man. He then stood and as he did he placed the barrel of the shotgun on the mans throat, putting an end to any and all movement from the man. He ran a gaze up and down Robyn, assessing the damage. It was bad, enough so he wondered how she'd endured it all. She was beat to shit, and in fairly urgent need of medical attention.

Cole was going to shit a brick when he saw what had happened. But first things first.

"I'm a wolf, a hunter. Quit is something I know not how to do," he said with a raised eyebrow and a chuckle. He felt the man squirm slightly through the barrel of the gun, so he pressed it into the mans throat. "Quiet prey, the grownups are talking. But I'm sure there are enough questions for you coming," he said with a look at Robyn. Reaching behind him he withdrew a large bowie knife, the edge glinting in the light the edge so sharp it seemed to disappear into the air. Spinning it in a gnarled palm, he held it out to her hilt first while slightly extending the stock of the rifle. Grew Wind also padded over and placed a paw on the bosses head, eyeing his throat with a grin that Timberwolf mirrored.

"So, which shall it be?"

"I'm a wolf, a hunter. Quit is something I know not how to do," He said and she smiled. She was grateful he 'hunted' her down. She knew it wasn't possible but she felt a small disappointment that Cole hadn't been here, that and a bit of relief, she would have kicked his ass half to hell for being so foolish, though the amount of pain she was in, he could say the same.

It was then that the so-called 'Boss' made a move to raise only to meet the barrel of Timberwolf's fun. "Quiet Prey, the grownups are talking. But I'm sure there are enough questions for you coming?" Timberwolf then pulled a large bowie knife, the edge so sharp it sang as he pulled it, and with a bit of theatrics, he twirled the knife, hilt toward her and also offered her his rifle. IF that would Cole she would have said something cheeky but instead she looked up at him, as Grey Wind pinned the man's head down with a massive paw.

"So,which shall it be?"

She looked up at Jack, who gingerly set her down, keeping his hands close as she wasn't entirely steady at first. She righted herself and smiled. "Don't you know, I'm the Crimson Lady." She said and smiled wickedly before grabbing the bowie knife. "Knives are my specifically." She with as much Southern drawl as she could muster, before turning on the boss. "What's your name, love?" She asked, kneeling down to her victim. "Fuck you, Cunt!" He spat, and Grey Wind snarled. "Now now, you're upsetting my friends." She said with a nod. "Theodore," He spat and she smiled. "Nice to finally meet you, Teddy, for these last couple of days, I've heard so much about you." She said. "I'm going make your trip to hell, as eventful as they promised meeting would be." She said and looked around. "I will admit, it was mighty eventful." She said, gesturing with the knife to the carnage that lay before them.

"Funny thing, The gold, was where you found me, the whole damn time, before course, you sent boys to do a man's job and even then, you weren't gonna get shit out of me anyway." She said and he glared daggers at her. "OO wee, Look at that face." She said, looking up at Jack, who knew how to play along. "Now, I'm gonna cut ya, over and over, and you're gonna scream until you bleed out in the dirt, alright?" She said, Teddy to his credit, didn't waver. "I'm gonna see you in hell, Bitch." HE said and she laughed. " Oh, I don't doubt that, though, I'm so good at what I do, The Devil's gonna offer me a job." She said and took his hands, and slice down his finger, like she was going to peel back the skin. He bit back his scream. "Don't fight it, it's only gonna make i worse." She warned and she repeated that for the rest of his fingers, and moved up his arms, she made it to his shoulder before shock did the rest.

"Oh that was too quick, oh well." She said, and stood up. "That's all I got anyway." She said, and with that, Jack moved behind her to catch her as she dropped.

Timberwolf watched the entire thing with an almost amused look of dispassion. He'd seen a lot of things in his day, done a lot of things in his day. This was nothing new. After it was finished and she fell into Jacks arms he whistled twice in quick succession. Grey Wind growled and tore the throat out of the man. "Never can be too sure," he said slinging the shotgun over his shoulders.

He whistled again and the large wind started to herd the horses back to the center of the glade. "Jack, take her to the medicine woman in the village. If she wakes up and protests, take her anyway." While Jack nodded and left he started stripping the corpses of any valuables or anything that would help the village, storing it all on the horses. Then tying them all together he led them back to the village.

On the way there he stopped by the hut. Looking inside he found the cellar door and stepped down into it. Making a quick look around he confirmed that it had indeed been hidden. A few minutes of searching however revealed their location. Hauling them up the ladder he distributed the heavy bags among the horses and continued on into the village. He stopped by Casey and Jacks tepee and dropped the gold off inside of it.

He then led the rest of the horses and plundered goods to his tepee. As he passed he looked to the medicine womans tepee, smoke coming from the top of it telling him that there were medicines being made and prayers being said. He could only imagine what Cole was feeling.

Cradling Robyn in his arms was a strange thing, Jack thought as he made his way toward the horses. He could never see her as weak, or vulnerable, but looking down at her face, despite the bruises and the blood- not all was hers- made him oddly protective of her. She'd kick his ass back to France if he made a move to do so. He adored that about her, she was like no woman he'd ever met, confident, and empowered by her own will. Women in France were much top dainty, he could meet only so many polite girls before he wanted to write his name on a bullet, even the Pilgrims here were much too soft for his taste. She was a tough one, taking beatings that would kill the average man. Jack respected her, and always wondered what made her this way, was this always who she was, or was it triggered. He didn't have the heart, nor the want to be fed his teeth to ask.

Gingerly, he lay Robyn across the back of his horse and climbed on himself. He righted her against his chest, and they rode off, Robyn's head lolling to the side. He never felt anything romantic for her, even if he'd wanted very much to bed her for the first few years of being in the gang but he honestly felt she was more like family, then anything. He flirted mostly to keep up appearances lately but after today. He knew he didn't need to do that anymore. He cared about her and she may have felt the same. It was hard to tell with her, she did let him hug her though, so maybe.

The ride took a little longer, to make sure not to disturb Robyn as she slept...He checked her pulse, yes, she was asleep.

He rode into the village, Casey was the first to greet them, and he was not pleased. "What the hell happened?" He asked, his eyes on Robyn for the first time since he met up with that native girl, Nidawi, who was beside him, worry etched on her face. "You know, Rob, Always a party." Jack said, as Casey pulled her from the horse, Nidawi hurried to the medicine woman not needing to be told. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked and Jack sighed, already sensing the guilt in the Englishmen. "You were preoccupied Timberwolf called me, and we left." He said. "She was gone for two days, Mon'emie." Jack said softly. Casey looked down at Robyn in his arms, and looked horrified. "Yes, that happened in that time..But she's tough, she killed one before I got to her, and took her time with another just before she-" Jack nodded to her current state.

"Why'd she leave?" Casey asked and Jack rubbed the back his head. "You'll have ask her, but I have my guesses." Jack looked at the tepee, as the same myriad of women came rushing out and gesturing Casey to put Robyn on to the stretcher, similar to the one that Cole was brought in on.

Casey rubbed his head. "I didn't know..."He whispered more to himself then to Jack and Jack sighed. He wasn't dumb, he might have played it, but he saw more then they thought he did. He'd heard Robyn crying a few nights before the heist, he'd also heard plenty of conversations thought to be hushed. He also knew of Casey's feeling for Robyn and how that amounted to very little. And that feather that Robyn had, that Timberwolf had found, he recognized it. He knew who it originally belong to, he'd chased after it once. He could only imagine what Cole would say about her current condition. She was in the same tepee as he was.

Jack patted Casey on the shoulder. "Don't beat yourself, Mon'emie. She'll do it for you." He said and while it might have seemed tastless given his guilt but it was reassuring the blonde man that she would live.

Robyn was way too damn stubborn to die.