Cruel World

Chapter 8

Peach couldn't bring herself to look at her riding companion the whole way back to camp. Riding companion, that really all she was to her right now, and Adalida was lucky she was even referring to her as that.

Once again, Peach held her breath, as they scraped through the narrow canyon trail into the camp. She didn't utter a word to Adalida, as they tended to the horses. Adalida could tell she'd rubbed Peach the wrong way, but she didn't much care to deal with it. Especially now, that she'd have to tell Belle that they'd returned empty handed.

Peach wanted nothing more than to lock herself inside her tent, but she had more pressing matter to attend to. She dragged the deer from where Adalida had left it, to the open air tent, that Evangeline ran as a kitchen.

Out of breath, she dropped the deer's head in the dust, and braced herself against the supply wagon.

"I keep telling you, and Adalida, to quite smoking those cigarettes." Evangeline grabbed the antlers and dragged the deer the rest of the way into the tent, "they can't be good for your lungs."

That wasn't why Evangeline had a prejudice against tobacco, Peach knew that, not that she'd ever bring it up.

"Don't lump me in with her," Peach huffed out, still trying to catch her breath.

Evangeline cocked her head as she began sharpening her skinning knife.

"What happened between the two of yous?" she asked, picking up the entire buck and dropping it onto her table. Evangeline's strength never ceased to amaze her. Peach watched as Evangeline began sliding her knife carefully along the deers ribs. Peach averted her eyes.

"I'll tell you later," Peach said, the thick and heavy smell of blood assaulted her nose, "Do me a favor and keep the antlers for me okay?"

"Will do," Evangeline waved her off with a bloody hand. Peach was thankful for the excuse. She'd already seen enough carnage for the day. She grabbed a chunk of bread from the supply wagon before hurrying off to the fire. Here, it felt like as soon as the sun set, the world was plunged into an icy tundra. Hard to believe the temperature was in the hundred during the day.

Peach sat on a lone stump close to the fire, but away from everyone else.

"Please!" Adalida's voice rang out across the canyon walls. Seconds later, Belle emerged dragging Adalida by her ear, out of her tent.

Belle dragged Adalida until the were standing in front of Peach. Belle's voice softened in a mock matronly tone, "Peach, is it true, that the two of you were gone all day and returned without a single penny?"

Tears were welling in Adalida's eyes. Her ear was a blistering red between Belle's long fingernails.

Peach ripped a chunk of her bread off with her teeth.

She spoke with her mouth full, "that about sums it up."

Belle narrowed her eyes at Peach. She could see the dust smattered across her cheeks the drooping bag under her eyes. Even Belle knew better than to tempt fate with Peach tonight. She gave Adalida's ear one more harsh tug before tossing her aside. Adalida stumbled before her boots found their footing in the dust.

"Lucky for the two of you, the others carried more than they're own weight today."

Ashe, and the others were grinning proudly through the flames of the bonfire.

"Girls, we'll be leaving for The Bowl, ahead of schedule," Belle held her ands out wide. Her black hair shimmered with the light from the fire. "Pack you're things, we leave at first light."