The Stampede ~Vash x OC AU~

Chapter 3: The Stampede

Kanyon

"Dammit, Kanyon," Jonas huffed, running. He leaped, jumping onto his tomas as I hopped on mine. He shot me a look. "You can't keep your mouth shut for more than five minutes?"

"Hey! Over here! They're at the posts!"

"Son of a bitch," he mumbled, slapping the reins. His tomas took off into a sprint, mine following behind.

"That guy was cheating!" I called, my chest burning. "And he was getting ready to grope that lady! I couldn't just sit there and do nothing!"

"Yes, you could have! It's called minding your own business!"

A bullet whizzed by, hissing past our ears. Jonas stiffened, ordering me to follow him more closely. Our toma galloped, their feet each stepping heavily as they pushed off the sand.

We made our way through the town, moving quickly when we saw the gates. More bullets shot by, missing every time, clinking against metal buildings and into deep sand. They were most likely only warning shots, really, but even warning shots can hit.

We rode out of the town, leaving trails of dust behind us as we climbed high onto the dunes, but no one followed. At the summit, we turned, glancing down at where we had come from, and then Jonas looked at me.

"You and that mouth of yours is gonna land you in deep trouble one day," he said. He looked and sounded exhausted, but I didn't care.

The burning in my chest swelled as I snapped, "It wasn't right, and you know that, Jonas. He was a creep."

"That doesn't make it our concern."

"You expect me to see something like that and stay quiet? Really?"

"Kanyon." His tone was flat and warning, his pale, chartreuse eyes meeting mine, instantly causing me to clamp my mouth shut. "Do I have to keep reminding you? Do I really have to keep saying this? We're –"

"Supposed to be laying low," I huffed, finishing his sentence. "I know."

I did know. I had known that for the ten years we had been on the road. I knew that as I laid my head at night. I knew that as we rode through the desert. I knew that in every moment of every day. Don't draw attention to us. Don't say anything that could draw eyes to us. Don't be foolish. I knew that.

I tightened my grip on the reins. "Still...it was wrong, Jonas. It was so wrong. How was I supposed to stay quiet?"

He observed me, then inhaled sharply before exhaling. "I admire your sense of justice, Kanyon. Truly, I do. However, you are far too young to place yourself in those positions." He motioned at the town below. "Look. Just now, bullets were whizzing by your ears and you're only fourteen. Tell me, does that seem like something a fourteen-year-old should experience?"

I puffed my cheeks, glancing away. "Well, most fourteen-year-olds don't live like a freakin' nomad."

Even then, I knew those words were meant to sting. I said them with that intent, and we both knew it. And for a moment, it did seem to work. Briefly, his eyes filled with pain before a saddened smile bowed his lips.

"Well, most fourteen-year-olds are living boring lives, aren't they?"

I turned, looking at him. He sat, holding his tomas's reins as he smiled back at me. His skin was tanned and crinkled at the corners of his eyes, and his beard – once brunette – was speckled by gray and scruffy.

"Come on," he said, pulling on his tomas's reins. "We should get going. Gotta find a place to stay for the night."

He started to leave, his tomas's feet stepping heavily, leaving footprints in the sand. I watched for a moment or two, then steered my tomas after him, following. And as I rode behind him, I regretted what I had said.