Little Sharpshooter

Little Sharpshooter Chap 16

The three of them gathered everything they needed to travel across the desert for a few days and were finally off. Randy was relieved to leave Silver City behind.

It wasn’t long before Randy decided she didn’t like the riding outfit much. It was fitted a little too well to be comfortable. The seamstress said she should wear a corset. Randy would have no part of that or a bonnet. She had half a mind to take off the top and ride in her camisole or just take one of Trevor’s shirts and wear it until she could figure out how to make her new top more comfortable.

Al was eager to be on the trail. He chomped on his bit frustrated with their leisurely pace. Randy was too. If she was more confident as to which way they were going, she would have let Al take off ahead. Bronson was wary that Ernie’s buddies could be hiding out, waiting to ambush them so she stayed put.

Trevor rode beside Bronson as he told stories of when he and her pa were Texas Rangers together. Pa told her once after one of Bronson’s visits how much his tales were exaggerated. Randy figured Bronson exaggerated some but because Pa was so wary of someone seeking revenge, it made her wonder if what Bronson said was true. Bronson never inflated himself with the stories. They always made her pa sound like the hero. Bronson wasn’t trying to impress Randy either. She was too far behind for Bronson to take notice of her.

They stopped to rest at a barely trickling creek. Randy took off her boots to let the water run over her toes to cool off.

Al was drinking when he stopped to perk up his ears. He sidestepped away from the water. Randy wasted no time getting on his back as the hairs on the back of her neck started to prickle.

Bronson and Trevor leaned against a massive stone, passing a bottle back and forth to each other.

The other two horses were edgy too. Looking for movement in the sagebrush or someone on a horse, Randy didn’t see a thing. Randy was afraid to yell out if it was person. She drew her pistol.

A large cat leapt onto Storm’s backside from behind a boulder. She couldn’t shoot it. Trevor and Bronson were on the other side.  

Without thinking, Trevor screamed and ran for his horse. Storm lurched forward and bucked, kicking the cougar off his hind end. Randy shot up in the air hoping to scare the cat. The cat let go of Storm and leapt onto Trevor.

Trevor screamed, pinned on the ground fighting off the cougar. Bronson also shot up in the air. The cat paused to eye Bronson and growled at him. It wasn’t enough time for Trevor to get away.

“Find something to hit it with.” Bronson yelled searching the ground around him. He threw a rock at the cat’s hip. The cat didn’t even flinch.

A heavy stick was along the creek bed. Randy jumped off Al’s back to the bank to retrieve it.  She hopped and ran over to Trevor smashing it to bits over the cougar’s head. It backed off Trevor and prowled eyeing Randy. She backed away and fired her gun over her head. Growling louder and baring its teeth, it crouched, wiggled its hind end before it leapt for her. She was ready to fire when Al reared in front of her and kicked the cat onto its back. The cougar took one last look at them before it bounded off.  

Randy and Bronson ran to Trevor’s side. He continued to scream holding his arm.

“Hold still, boy.” Bronson rolled up Trevor’s sleeve that was dotted with bloody holes.

Bite marks covered his arm. They weren’t bleeding much but there were plenty of them.

“It kept goin’ for my throat.” Trevor struggled to sit. He trembled all over. Randy slid behind him with his back against her lap.