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The kiss lasted for what seemed like a blissful eternity before he pulled away simply for the purpose of breathing. He pressed his forehead against hers, his brown eyes locked with her amber ones. "Oh trust me, I see plenty of playing doctor in our future. But for now, this will have to suffice," he said before leaning in for another kiss, a slow one this time.
He pulled away slightly, though he kept his arm around her waist. "So, shall we get some sun then," he asked, his slow easy smile creeping across his face, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
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He pulled away, still holding on to her waist, that smile of his on his lips. "So, shall we get some sun then," He said, mischief in his eyes.
"I really don't want to now. Thanks" She told him, biting her lip, feigning indignation. "But we should before I throw you on that cot, and ruined those fresh bandages." She told him, wanting very much to act on those words. The mere idea of it, warmed her blood. She smiled but it faded as the bandages on her eyes begin to itch. "Fucking thing." She said, and scratched but it didn't help. "Ah fuck it," She said and pulled the bandages from her face. She tossed the bandages to the floor, and sighed. "What the hell, how many are there." She said, still unable to see from the right side. It was only when she reached up, lightly scraping her cheek to searched for more bandages, didn't she realize she was touching skin. Horror sit in her heart. "Cole...." She swallowed. " Tell me my eye is still swollen and that's why I can't see." She said, even though deep down she knew that both of her eyes were open. "Tell me I'm not b-blind....?" She said, reaching up and touching her the once bandaged eye,looked around, and could feel it moving beneath her hand behind the lid but when she dropped her hand, she couldn't see a thing when she opened it.
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He smiled at her reassuringly, cupping her other cheek with his other hand. "I'm sure that you'll see again. But even if you cant you can see through my eyes." He leaned in and kissed her gently and briefly. Pulling back slightly he winked at her as he worked the bandanna around his neck off. "If you cant, you'll truly be a pirate then. Every true pirate has an eyepatch right," he said with a reassuring chuckle. He then folded the bandanna up and gently placed it over her eye and tied it around her head, creating a makeshift eyepatch. "There, looking like a pirate Queen already," he said with his easy grin.
Guilt sat heavily in his heart, weighing on him like a ton of bricks. It was his fault that she had gotten beaten. It was his fault she had run off. It was his fault that she may be blind now. It all rushed him in an instant, near overwhelming him with the weight of it all. But he couldn't let it show, he wouldn't. That wasn't how he was, it was his guilt to bear, he would assuage it alone. Making sure no more harm came to her would be a good start to that.
He moved the arm back to around her waist and held her to his chest, his other gently stroking her hair. "We'll work through all of this together litu dloo. We'll do it together."
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The Fool blamed himself when she cut her leg on a rock when he was no where near her. She could only imagine what nonsense was running through his mind now.. Her eyes fluttered closed -she hoped they both closed anyway- as his hand reached up and cupped her other cheek. She took a breath and looked up at him as he spoke. "I'm sure that you'll see again. But even if you cant you can see through my eyes." He said and she felt herself smile a bit as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lip, She welcomed it wholly. She wasn't alone, that was something but something else occurred to her. What would she do now? How was she going to function? She couldn't be anything else but an outlaw, she didn't know what else she could be...It was the one thing...the only thing she was good at. "If you cant, you'll truly be a pirate then. Every true pirate has an eyepatch right," Cole said, and Robyn couldn't help but laugh. "You ass." She murmured as he began to tug off his bandanna and softly placed it over her bad eye and tied it behind her head. She just stood there, pouting like a smile child as he did so. "There, looking like a pirate Queen already," he said and she sighed. "That is a terrible stereotype, you should be ashamed of yourself." She teased and instantly, regretted the last bit. He was ashamed, she could feel it. The tension that radiated off of him was almost palpable. Her expression softened as he pulled her against him, an arm around her waist and she rested her head against his chest as his hand stroking her hair. "We'll work through all of this together litu dloo. We'll do it together." He told her and she nodded. "Of course we will, but first...This is not your fault, so stop." She said, her head still on his chest. "This was my own damn fault, so don't your dare blame yourself for this. I know you are, I can feel it, and I know you now," She said, and rose her chin, looking at him. "All you did was love me...and tell me so...I was the fool who ran, and admittedly, I was beating myself up, I edged those men on once they took me, I made them hurt me, I wanted the pain because it was easier to deal with then coming back here and facing those words... that was me, all me that..." She said and her hand which had be wrapped around him, had fallen down to his wound, whispering over the bandages. "and this...all me." She said, and looked back up at him. "As far as I'm concerned this is my karma, my punishment for getting you shot, so you don't get the blame, you were doing just fine without me, first job and you're nearly dead, if I can't see, then I can't, if I had to loose my eye so that you live, so be it."She said,softly, as she rested her head against his chest, wrapping her arms around him in the process. "So be it."
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But as with all things they had to end, and in his case with a growing cramp in his leg. He leaned back slightly and smiled at her. "We should probably get to moving, work out some of the kinks. Then maybe later we can work out some others," he said with a wink and a chuckle. He leaned down once more and kissed her gently, tenderly, lovingly. Reluctant to let her go he took a half step back, fixing the crutches beneath him, his easy smile creeping across his face.
As he did so Grey Wind poked his massive head into the tepee, brushing aside the flap. Seeing that Robyn was upright he immediately trotted over to her and pressed his massive frame against her legs, veritably begging for her to pet him. At this Cole laughed, weaker than it otherwise would have been, but containing the same energy. "Seems he really has taken a shine to you eh Litu Dloo. Cant say that I blame him," he said, mischief twinkling in his eyes.
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After a moment, he pulled back even though she could have been like that forever, and he grinned again. "We should probably get to moving, work out some of the kinks. Then maybe later we can work out some others," He said and she chuckled."I'm gonna hold you too that one, Cole Black-Thorn." She said, as he leaned in for a kiss, to which she granted eagerly. He affixed himself on his crutches, and she smirked. For a moment, she almost forgot she was blind in one eye and he nearly died a few days ago.
Before they could do anything else , Grey Wind popped inside. Peeking through the flap. He took one look at her, and figured it was okay for him to enter, and pressed against her. She knelled down and scratched behind his ears.
"Seems he really has taken a shine to you eh Litu Dloo. Cant say that I blame him," He said and she smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes until she turned back to see the mischief in his eyes. The weakness in his otherwise hearty laugh was not lost on her. "Of course he did." She said with a kittenish grin, still scratching Grey Wind. "I'm good with my hands." She said, raising her brows suggestively. She stood up, and Grey Wind at her heels. He was a giant wolf but he seemed to turn into an excited puppy whenever she was around. He was hardly the beast that maul a few men a few nights ago.
"Come on, I'm Hungry and neither of us looks good this pale." She said and with that, she pushed the flap and stepped into the sun. She winced at the sun, her one eye doing twice the work now, she was almost immediately blinded. "Fucking Hell." She hissed, shielding her eyes-eye with her hand. She blinked a few times and soon the world cleared in her vision. She opened the flap for Cole and and when she turned Jack and Casey were in her vision.
"Ah there she is," Jack said. "Only woman I know with such fancy grammar." He said with a grin. He noticed her eye but didn't say a thing. He probably knew that night. He was there. Casey was not, and looked horrified.
"Oh stop with that face, William, This is not the worse you've seen me." She said and she knew the was a bold face lie. This was only second to a day she'd still rather not think about.
"I um..I didn't know...I was.."
"Speak the King's English, Man." Robyn said and he sighed. "I'm sorry, I wasn't there."
"You didn't know, It's not like you knew and you didn't come, if that was the case, I Would have skinned your ass." She said and smirked, to which he did not return. That was going to be a long ass conversation for another time.
"Move out the way, I need some sun, look at me, I'm almost a pale as you lot." She said pushed them aside so they could greet Cole.
"Look at that, He's vertical, it's about bloody time." Jack said with a smile. "You've more then earned your cut, I reckon." He said and Robyn rolled her eyes but smiled. "Where is it?" Robyn asked and Jack turned to her with a grin that could only be described as Childish. "My tent---or tepee" He said, and nodded so they could follow along. Casey who only gave Cole a nod and grip on the shoulder hung back behind the rest of them. Robyn ignored this for now. She didn't have the patience for it.
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Jack paused and sighed, "bloody safe was on a timer, I couldn't crack it. BUT, we did make out with a ton of gold bullion," he said cracking a grin.
Cole smiled a wolfish grin. "Now thats even better, much harder to track that is. Unless of course its stamped. But thats easy enough to fix, just melt it down and reform the bars." As Jack started to follow Robyn he hung back a bit and stopped Casey for a brief moment. He turned to the large man and clasped his shoulder gently. "Trust me, I'm beating myself up as well about it. But neither of us knew it had happened. So neither of us could have done anything navezgane," he said under his breath with a squeeze of Caseys shoulder. He then nodded and turned away and started hobbling after the other two.
It took him a few minutes to get used to the crutches and how they felt beneath him instead of just his legs. It was also tiring him out more than he had expected the activity to. But, looking up and seeing Robyn and the rest ahead of him he gritted his teeth and forced his weakened frame to continue. Thick beads of sweat were forming along his brow as he put all his focus and energy on moving forward.
"Well, well, look who finally decided to get out of bed ciye cetan," a voice came from behind Cole, breaking his concentration. Timberwolf came striding up behind him and gave him an amused half smile.
"You fucking try this schila wicasa," Cole spat with a chuckle and no real malice.
"Oh I have, not something I'd want to do again son," the old man said with a chuckle, making slow exaggerated strides beside Cole as they walked. Grey Wind was still at Robyns side even with Timberwolf near.
After a shared laugh and a few silent moments Cole broke the silence. "Thank yo..."
Timberwolf cut the young man off with a wave of his hand and clicking of his teeth. "Quiet, theres no need little hawk," he said switching to Apache, "I'm just an old man who happened to be in the right place at the right time."
"Again, you seem to have a habit of doing that," Cole replied in kind, pausing to give the man a raised eyebrow.
The old man shrugged, "so I do." He smiled wolfishly as they continued to the boys' tepee. "Ah Robyn, its good to see you out and about once more," he said in English, giving her a small bow, the wolfish grin still on his face. The monster of a shotgun was still slung over his shoulder, the bandoleer of shells that was the sling noticeably diminished. Rising he took her hand, in doing so, pressing the hawks feather into her palm unseen to anyone else near. He drew back with a quick wink and a smile, reaching down to ruffle Grey Winds ears. "There you are you little traitor, I've been wondering where you've been."
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"By any chance has any of you," she started thought she was looking at Timberwolf. "Seen my clothes, those were custom made, hella expensive too.." She said and looked around. "Took five whole days to make that too." Jack said with a wink. He was as good with a needle as he was with his sharps. Patience, she figured, was the key. "And by god,I am starved." She said before ducking into Jack's tepee, the rest of them following behind her. Jack, ever the Dandy, kept a clean tepee, his things were all neatly arranged, clothes clean, even though she knew she saw him covered in mud at least once.
Her eye was drawn to four the large satchels, all lined up neatly in a row, equal in size, all seemingly glimmering with a light all their own. She grinned just as brightly. "There she is, Cap." Jack said. "I divided it up evenly, even though you'll check it." He said and while if it had not been for the days before, she would have instead she said. "I trust you." She said and surprised even herself. She didn't look back at them to see the shocked expressions, she couldn't so she continued on, and grabbed a satchel by the strap and attempted to drag it toward her. She howled and grimaced, her ribs protesting. "Fucking hell..." She breathed before Casey darted over and lifted it. She sighed, rolling her eyes, before opening the flap while he cradled it. She pulled out a bar, examining it. She grinned. "Unmarked" She breathed, turning to the rest of them. "Unmarked Gold." She almost cheered. "It was almost worth it." She said but a look at Cole, the bruises forming under his arms from the crutches, the gnarly scar on his abdomen and she recanted...sort of. "Almost."
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"It was almost worth it. Almost," she said, her eyes locking with his.
He smiled that slow easy of smile of his, the gleam in his eyes not entirely from the gold in the satchels. "I'd say it was," he said hobbling forward towards the farthest satchel. It was the little challenges of distance that would push him to getting better faster. He ran a hand over the gold on top of that satchel. Wrapping a hand around the cool bar he brought it up to the light, its surface glinting and shining, flashing across his eyes as he inspected it.
He raised an eyebrow though as he ran a thumb across the side of the bar. "Whats this," he said as he turned the side to face him. Almost worn off by time the bar had a slight embossed sigil. It was a sort of coat of arms with a crown at the top and a cross in the center the rest was too worn to make out. But it certainly wasn't the mark of the US mint. "Well, I guess some of this has some deeper story than the rest of it." The bar was also decidedly duller in sheen and slightly smaller than the others in the satchels. "Now I wonder where this one came from," he mused turning the bar over in his hands.
He turned to Jack, "hey, were there any others like this one in there." He tossed the bar to Jack, who fumbling slightly as he was caught off guard, caught it.
He turned the bar over in his hands. "I don't think so... but I'll search through them to make sure. What do you think it's from," he asked the room as he passed the bar to Casey, who looking at it and shrugging passed it on to Robyn.
Timberwolf, looking over Robyns shoulder at the bar, spoke up. "I'm not sure but it looks Spanish, and old at that." He ran a gnarled hand through his hair. "I know someone who may know something more about it if it is," he said moving towards the entrance of the tepee. "I'll also bring something to eat by," he said over his shoulder with a chuckle. And with that he ducked through the flap of the tepee.
Cole looked around and found a nearby chair and stealthily crept over to it and sunk down into it. Finally giving his aching body a rest he rested the crutches against his legs. He slowly rolled his shoulders and neck, attempting to work out the last couple weeks of ache. He was only partially successful but he didn't let it show to those in the room. He was itching to run, to leap, to climb, he was itching to be free of the prison of his own infirmity. He'd been still for too long, and a clipped wing is just as ensnaring as a cage.
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"What's this? He asked and she looked up. He was holding a bar in his hands too and had been examining it as well. Only while hers was smooth, his had some sort of engraving on. She used to have pretty good vision and had she not put out and eye. She would have been able to see it from where she stood, but as it stands, she could not. "Well, I guess some of this has some deeper story than the rest of it." He said, looking from it to the bags on the floor. "Now I wonder where this one came from," He said and tossed it to an unsuspecting Jack, who barely managed to catch it. "hey, were there any others like this one in there." He said and after a quick game of hot potato with the gold bar, it landed in her hands. She turned it over twice before running her thumb over the engraving. It had been worn down, and it didn't have the same shine the others did. Definitely old. She was thinking up what the engraving could have been before Timberwolf, invading her personal space, looked over her shoulder and spoke. I'm not sure but it looks Spanish and old at that." He said and she blew air from her nose, annoyed at his closeness. "I know someone who may know something more about it if it is," he said moving towards the entrance of the tepee. "I'll also bring something to eat by,
"And my clothes, while you're at it!" She shouted in his direction before turning to the group, She then sat down, her ribs aching in protest. She managed a small grimace before taking a breath. She noticed how confined, Cole seemed to be, and guilt turned her stomach. She knew how much he seemed to hate the cave, and that was huge this small tepee, and bound by bandages and crutches must have been killing him...and it was all her fault.
She looked down at the gold. "How'd you reckon Spanish gold got up here?" Jack asked and Robyn looked at him with a rueful chuckle. That same way I did, if I had to guess." She said and Jack sighed, feeling sympathy for her she imagined and she regretted it. God, she was getting soft. It had only been a few days since she killed someone and it was beginning to show.
She knew what it was. Cole was making her sentimental, hell she cried for him and Jack and Will, they saw it. There was no way she could put all of that back in her padlock box where her emotions used to lay, they were out and bare for them to see.
"How old d'you think it is?" Casey asked, finally speaking more than a few grunts and stammers to her. She was grateful. "I can't say. I mean, it's Spanish, not Mexican, so I imagined it's pretty old." She said, smoothing her finger over the engraving. If she could make out the image, or the words, then she could make a guess but she had nothing.
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"I come bearing gifts," Timberwolf said with a chuckle as he ducked into the tepee. After handing Robyn a parcel wrapped in a rabbit hide shawl with a "I believe these are yours," he set a satchel near the center of the tepee. Gathering up some twigs and tinder he stoked a small cookfire, his gnarled hands moving deftly. As he worked the Doctor ducked into the tepee giving his patients a quick appraising glance up and down. Finding nothing amiss he took a seat near William with a slight involuntary groan like his back was giving him trouble. As he sat, Cole slowly slipped down from the crate onto his knees next to the fire and began helping the old man silently. The old man raised an eyebrow at Cole but said nothing and simply passed him a hunk of meat. Then like a long practiced ballet they began preparing the meal. All the while a small smile on Coles face, like something he had missed had returned at long last.
"I suppose I should introduce myself at last. I am Doctor Louis Francisco Alvera-Manuel," his thick accent bringing to mind the touch of sun and sand. Now It is my understanding that you have something of... Spanish origin to show me?" The Spaniard took his glasses off and proceeded to clean them with the tail of his shirt, pausing to rub his tired eyes and suppress a yawn. "I apologize, theres no rest for the wicked or the doctors eh," he said with a tired but genuine smile.
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With that, they began a small fire and began cooking. "I suppose I should introduce myself at last. I am Doctor Louis Francisco Alvera-Manuel," He said and she nodded. "Now It is my understanding that you have something of... Spanish origin to show me?' He said and then yawned unceremoniously. Robyn merely arched her eyebrow. "I apologize, there's no rest for the wicked or the doctors eh," He apologized and Robyn nodded to Jack for him to hand to the Doctor, while Cole held a smile on his face that Robyn was glad to see and admittedly, a little jealous. She could see that that smile was brought on by Timberwolf's presence something she couldn't have again. Nostalgia wasn't something she could have and it looked nice. With that, she turned to the group. "Before we start, turn around boys and no peeking." She said, though her eyes told Cole he could peek if he'd so wished. Once the rest of them had turned to give her privacy she unfurled the shaw and found her crimson and blacks, stark against the browns and tans of the tepee. Her hat sitting on top of the neatly folded pile. She smiled. She took her time sliding on her clothing, her trousers first, then her brassiere, her crimson top, her corset with the knife pockets, her long black and crimson coat, her black boots with the silver spurs, and finally her hat and belt. her six shooters at her side. She felt as if she could breathe again, her armor was back on. She was herself again.
"Alright, Doctor, what've you got?" The Crimson Lady once again.
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"Letting your eyes wander young hawk," Timberwolf asked under his breath in Apache.
Cole chuckled and threw a handful of carrots into the pot. "A hawks eyes see all do they not," he replied in kind. The old man rolled his eyes and chuckled as they continued to prepare the stew.
The Spaniard meanwhile had been turning the bar of gold over in his hands. After a while he took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh my, and here I thought I would never see this seal again," he muttered with a rueful chuckle. "Santa Maria I thought I'd escaped that seal actually." He put his glasses back on and withdrew a small notebook and seemingly from memory sketched the seal onto one of the pages, passing it to Robyn. "The seal of the Queen of Spain when my great great grandfathers time. His brother was a... missionary is probably the closest term. But in reality he was the part of the militant arm of the church during the Conquistadors conquest of the west Indies."
He sighed and set the bar down next to him. "If it was found here, then that means it's probably a part of the last expedition that was sent for ancient gold. The one that at last sighting was running from warriors north to these lands. After that though, they were lost, and my great great uncle and his cadre of conquistadors was lost to time."
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He sighed. "If it was found here, then that means it's probably a part of the last expedition that was sent for ancient gold. The one that at last sighting was running from warriors north to these lands. After that, though, they were lost, and my great great uncle and his cadre of conquistadors were lost to time."
He said and Robyn was all ears. "Alright Doctor sounds to me like there's more of this gold somewhere, and at least part of it has been found recently otherwise it wouldn't have been on that train. So Storytime, tell us about this expedition." She said and after a moment of gingerly lowering herself to the floor, she crossed her legs, waiting to hear this tale. Her boys, Jack and Casey could already see the gears turning in her head. She only wanted to know more about something if she had plans on going after it. They wouldn't be wrong.
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At that point Timberwolf began to dish and pass out the stew. Louis took his portion with a nod then crossed himself and said a short silent prayer. Cole drug two portions and himself over to his spot near Robyn and handed her a bowl before starting to eat his own with a raised eyebrow at the praying Doctor. Timberwolf handed portions out to the boys and took a seat on the other side of the doctor.
After his prayer and a few bites the Doctor wiped his lips with a handkerchief and started his story. "Jean Babtiste Manuel was the priest and missionary for the battalion of conquistadors sent by Queen Isabella for the conquest of the new world. Translation, grab as much gold as possible to fund her wars. I think with France but I'm not sure, but anyway. Everything was going fine for them until they raided the wrong temple. They were able to get the gold melted down to bars but almost immediately afterwards they were attacked. Well after that they were chased north, their numbers dwindling as they continued to be attacked."
He paused and took a few more bites. "Thats where the facts end and my conjecture begins. From what I could surmise they were chased somewhere into the Rockies. There are stories in that area of a hidden cave with a cursed treasure. And putting one thing with another as well as other stories and tall tales one could surmise that this treasure has the possibility of being the Spanish gold from the doomed expedition." Having finished his story he went to finishing his food, leaving his story hang in the air.
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"So basically, all you have is a ghost story," Robyn said and her boys stiffened. She sounded annoyed but she wasn't. At least not with the story, but with the fact that it might hold some truth. They took the gold, and immediately things went straight to shit. Cole was shot, she was beaten and probably blind and they only had one gold bar imagine the havoc the full amount could wreck.
"Boys, What do you think?" She asked, not turning to them. "I'm not afraid of no curses," Jack said confidently. "If people think it's cursed, then that just means it'll be easy to find and won't nobody touch it," Jack said and Casey, who had been quiet, as usual, grunted. "If we grab it, tey won't believe it's cursed after that." He said and Robyn rolled her eyes. She wanted them to be put off by the curse, not turned on by it. "Drop the curse bit, We don't have enough information about it, somewhere in the Rockies....Tere is a lot of places that can be considered somewhere in the Rockies, and there is a hefty bounty on my head back that way too." Robyn said but smirked at that. She wondered how the deputy was faring in his new life as a eunuch.
"Never stopped you before, Boss," Jack said with a smirk and Robyn chuckled. "No, not the latter anyway, Cole, you're uncharacteristically silent, What do you think?" She said, her eyes on him. She wanted him to tell her that it was a bad idea, but even if he did, it wouldn't help that both of the boys wanted to go get this gold. If he had a good enough argument, they made he could convince them it was a bad idea, beyond her fear of curses.
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He finally spoke.
"I don't know what I think. I've got a... healthy amount of respect for curses and all that goes along with them. Yet, if there is a curse, the odds are that the people who originally stole the gold were cursed and not the gold itself. But then again, we cannot be sure. As for the location, I'm fairly well acquainted with that part of the country so I don't think finding it would actually be that large of a problem. Its just a matter of following the shards of truth in the stories." He paused and set his bowl down. "I don't know what I think yet though, I'm going to need some time to think about it before we do anything. I'm not mobile yet, and the heat from the heist likely hasn't died down. I don't feel we should make any decisions until those two issues have sorted themselves out," he said with a chuckle and that easy smile.
Timberwolf leaned back in his seat and filled a pipe before lighting it with a coal from the cook fire. The smoke curled its way to Coles nostrils and he looked up, realizing he hadn't had a smoke in what felt like years. Timberwolf, noticing this, smiled and passed the hand carved pipe to Cole. Cole cradled the bowl in his palm and took a long deep drag, blowing the smoke out through his nose. He nodded his thanks as he passed the pipe back to the old man.
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Or maybe she'd just smack him a little.
"I agree, I'll sleep on it and once we all heal up and the heat dies down, We'll decide then." She said and looked at Cole and Timberwolf, narrowing her eyes at the pipe they were sharing. The last time she inhaled some Native--well whatever it was. She saw things she didn't want to see. It helped in the long haul she supposed but she didn't really want to go down that path again. However, if it had the same dull effect as Rum or whiskey, that she would appreciate. "What is that you two are smoking and you better be willing to share." She said, looking around. "Unless you've got some rum or whiskey." She said with a shrug as Jack chuckled, laying on his back. It was his assigned teepee after all.