Ravenfair

Chapter 1

Wispy snow white clouds, reminiscent of mare’s tails blazed across the azure sky of Sweetwater on this unusually hot June day. The sun showed no mercy as the town’s Pony Express riders, better known as Teaspoon’s boys, heaved heavy sacks of livestock feed and other need supplies from Tompkins’ store onto the stations buckboard. 

“Come on Boys, let’s get this wagon loaded, it’s getting close to noon,” Teaspoon hollered, “Y’all know how Emma hates to be kept waiting when she’s about to get dinner on the table!”

Lazily he leaned his chair back against the clapboard wall of the store, turning his attention towards the town’s marshal, Samuel Cain. "Ya know, Sam...."

Jimmy, heaving a sack to Ike, cut off Teaspoon’s comment to Sam with a disgruntled, “Oh. for crying out loud, Teaspoon! We’re moving as fast as we can. Why not get onto Cody, who seems too preoccupied with every pretty girl that passes by to bother helping us?”

Buck was hot, sweaty, and most of all hungry. His belly was well past rumbling and had now grown into a fully-fledged gnawing at his backbone as he hefted another sack onto the wagon bed, all the while cursing Cody for slowing their work! The last place he wanted to be was in this town after what happened at his last visit to Tompkins’ store.

In May, Kiowa Indians had attacked the nearby town of White Canyon, one county over in Harper's Creek, setting fire to their Pony Express way-station. Since then, the local town’s people didn't take too kindly to Buck’s presence in Sweetwater. Tompkins, using some very disparaging words had run him out of his store soon after that fateful day in May, and things hadn't much improved.

Now, Buck found himself back in town again, doing both his and Cody’s work as wary eyes watched his every move. He thought he had steeled himself against the way the town’s folk treated him, with their poorly concealed disdain and at times abject fear; but the words and looks still hurt.

Buck knew his true friends didn't see him as a “half breed” as he had been cruelly called by Tompkins and others. They saw him for who he really was – Buck Cross a man who happened to be part Kiowa; part White. His fellow riders embraced his duel heritage, and in Buck’s mind they were his family, even Cody, who sorely vexed him at times such as today.

Pausing in his work, Buck looked over at Cody, as he flirtatiously curled one of Mary’s golden locks around his finger. Mrs. Higgins’ pretty daughter was giggling and smiling sweetly up at Cody with shining eyes only for him. The image strangely left an empty void in Buck’s heart, and suddenly he felt alone, so alone. He wondered if he would ever experience the feel of someone gazing up at him with such a glowing smile and adoring eyes. His gloomy thoughts were suddenly interrupted as a sack of flour slammed into his arm, knocking him with a grunt into the wagon's sideboards. 

“Hey!” Buck yelled, “Watch where you are throwing that sack, Jimmy!”

“I was watching, Buck! You just weren't paying attention, that’s all!”

“I’d sure as hell pay more attention Jimmy, if I wasn't so hungry!” Buck growled as he bent to pick up the bag of flour, throwing it unceremoniously on top of the other supplies, then proceeded to rub his sore arm that now took precedence over his empty stomach.

Turning dark eyes upon Teaspoon, Buck spoke out almost shouting, “Hickok's right Teaspoon!” Kicking dirt with the heel of his boot the young man’s anger flared, “We've been working hard here! Cody’s done nothing to help us.”

Buck looked over at Ike who was just as angry, hot and tired as he was, signing furiously with his hands. Buck translated for his friend, “Ike says we should just leave Cody here with the rest of Emma’s supplies and let him figure out how to get it all back to the station!”