Cruel World

Chapter 10

Peach pulled herself up into her saddle, reaching down to pull Icarus' reins over his neck.

"Are we to go there right now?" Peach said surveying the already dark sky. The fringes of the sun were still illuminating the violet sky, but it wouldn't be enough to see by. In a new place like this, they could easily ride themselves off into trouble.

Belle cursed, looking up at the fading light as well.

"Fine, we'll return to camp, for the night." She pulled Dahlia's reins hard, yanking the horse around back in the direction towards the camp, "then I'll send you out tomorrow, to check on Cade's cove."

Peach slipped her hat onto her head and nodded.

She sighed, relieved, that she wouldn't have to be working all night. Her bed of furs was already calling her name.

-----

The rest of the gang had plenty of experience with setting up the camp. As Belle and Peach rode back down the hill, the tents were already pitched and a fire roared in the middle of the clearing. The Bowl, wasn't quite as cold as the canyon, but without the sun's warming rays, the temperature dropped to a brisk chill.

Peach took her seat at the fire, as Evangeline handed her a bowl, of warm soup on rice. Another one of Eveangeline's specialties, Gumbo.

Evangeline could probably cook a raccoon, and Peach would still eat it. After Evangeline had finished serving the rest of the girls, she sat down beside Peach. Across the fire, Peach could see Adalida watching them. As she saw Evangeline sit down next to Peach, Adalida took that as her invitation to leave. She set her bowl down on a go and slinked off into her tent.

"Could you redo a few of my braids when we're done?" Peach asked Evangeline in between spoonfuls of the warm gumbo. Evangeline looked over Peach's long brown hair.

"Yeah, I would say they could use a touch up." she smiled. Evangeline told Peach about how quickly and easily they set up camp. She went on and on about this perhaps being their forever home. One day when they had enough money they could all build little cabins here, and Evangeline would come and cook for Peach every night.

Peach smiled, "I'd like that."

"Good then it's settled," Evangeline stood up and held out her hand for Peach's empty bowl. Not even a grain of rice remained. Peach handed it to her and slipped off the log onto the dusty ground.

When Evangeline returned, she was holding gilded golden brush. Peach looked at the soft white bristles, it was one of Evangeline's favorite possessions, even if she rarely had to brush her own short crop of dark curls.

Evangeline sat on the log behind Peach, her legs on either side of Peach's slender shoulders.

"I know you're not tender headed, right?" Evangeline asked pulling all of Peach's hair around her shoulders to fall down her back.

"You know I am," Peach retorted.

"I'm just joking, I'll be gentle." Evangeline slowly began running the brush through Peach's hair star tined at the ends. Peach loved when Evangeline did her hair. She loved the feeling of her hands brushing softly through her curls, sending chills across her scalp.

After Evangeline, had pulled out the knots and tangles from the wind ripping through Peach's hair, she slowly began undoing the 8 tiny braids that mixed themselves in amongst the rest of her hair.

Peach always wore eight small braids in her hair. Two of them always fell on either side of her face. She liked the way they sometimes stroked across her face as she rode.