"That's enough, take it outside," the man in black stood deftly between two men as the argument they were in heated up. KC only sat in his table at in the back of the saloon. His eyes were dark, as he rubbed his face trying to shake off some of the sleep, he had been avoiding over the past week. Upstairs Lily slept. In the saloon some out of towner's drank and talked it up, while the other residents of the town, waited in expectant anticipation. Wondering if the last search party that went out would come back with Bryn.
The old man walked through the doors of the saloon with a girl coming in behind him. His entrance caused everyone to look up, and then sigh as they realized that it wasn't the search party back with news.
"You look a mite tired there," came a smooth drawl suddenly beside KC. With little more than the knowledge that someone snuck up beside him. KC pulled his .45 nickel revolver aiming the weapon at Vin Tanners gut. The bounty hunter had barely seen KC move before it was too late.
Silence spread across the saloon as four guns aimed for KC's chest. A fact which he didn't notice. It took the tired gunman a few moments before he realized that the man he held at gunpoint was Vin Tanner and not someone wanting a showdown. Slowly as if it took great will power of his own, KC put the hammer back down on his gun. Returning the pistol back to its rightful place in his waistband. The others calmly sheathed their guns also and went back to their business. The incident seemed forgotten by all.
The blue eyed man sat across from KC, "Best you git some sleep, ain't no help to us if'n your tired," Vin stated peacefully.
"I'll git sleep when ‘m good ‘n ready," KC argued still trying to keep his eyes open. His mind was on Lily and how she was. Where Terrence was, and if he was bothering her. Nothing quite mattered beyond that.
KC stood slowly wanting to get away from the man that now tried to tell him what to do. Grasping his hat from the back of his chair KC strode out of the saloon the cool night air felt good on his warm brow, his hat held in his hand as he stared up at the sky.
"Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart," KC told the stars and the moon. Looking down at the hat that his fingers turned and twisted, he never noticed the shadow that was behind her, quietly listening and watching.
"Confucius," the man said plainly, "smart man." KC turned to look at the older man in confusion. The grey haired man smiled, "He lived long ago," Josiah chose to say as he stepped out of the shadows and into the light of the moon.
"What do you want," KC demand of the old man, ignoring the girl that stood near him.
"Just on my way out."
"Then leave me be," KC told him trying to keep his nervousness to a minimum. The man may have been old, but his profession only told of one way that would get him there. As Josiah passed him, and the girl came into view, KC's eyes narrowed at the sight of her. The craftsmanship of her buckskins sent shivers down his spine.
It took every ounce of his strength not to shoot this Cheyenne dead in her steps. Clenching his jaw KC watched as she passed him by without so much as a glance. As the two disappeared toward the church, KC proceeded to the livery. Lucky had been growing stronger, and needed to stretch his legs out before his muscles got cramped and unworkable.
The tallion nickered at KC as he entered. Gently slipping the halter on him, KC hugged the horses neck before leading him out of the stall. He still moved with a pronounced limp, and KC wondered if the proud horse would once again be what he was. Leading the horse out into the cool night air, Lucky lifted his head and looked around. Quivering with excitement at getting out of the stall.
A shadow of a man stood in the loft of the barn looking down at KC, silently lighting a cigarette before extinguishing the match. The burning embers at the end of the stick glowed dimly in the dark as a thin trellis of blue smoke trailed up into the sky. The man stood, high above and hidden, as he watched the horse and man walk away from the livery. A smile crossed his thin features.