bakerstreet | pic prompts.

To be completely fair, John didn't go out to train the horses, but he did go check on the cracker horse, which he fed, then groomed slowly, using his left hand to do most of the work, talking to him and telling him what a fine horse he was. He still hadn't decided whether or not to sell the tall boy. He was quite taken with him, regardless, and he knew that Seminoles sold very well, even without their papers.

Dutch wandered out to look at what John was doing, and gave him the same gruff lecture of 'take it easy', to which John quipped back, "You oughta do the same, old man. Why're you even up? You should be restin' that leg."

Kieran looked up and shook his head, which then turned into a spin between yes and no, and he gestured past Arthur's shoulder to the old man walking in, dressed in a new set of clothes than what he'd been wearing the night prior.

"Howdy, gents!" Uncle greeted pleasantly, noticing everyone around looking at him like he'd grown a second head. "Guess the secret's out." He gave a lackadaisical shrug, and set aside the newspapers that he'd brought home from town. Dutch looked over from where he was standing by John, and started forward, determined and angry.

"Now now, Dutch, 'fore you get any highfalutin' ideas about givin' me a lecture, remember you ain't lost a single chicken in the years I been here with you, I done you all great service in patrollin' 'round the camps, I been keepin' you all damn well and safe."

"You didn't tell me," Dutch started, and Uncle raised his hands in surrender.

"Now would you go'n and say somethin' so serious as that in my shoes, Dutch? So outlandish?"

"John's right Dutch, you should be off your feet for a couple days at least." Dutch was double John's age too and he'd heal slower, but he dare never mention that to the old man.

When Uncle walked in, Arthur was about to thank him when it seemed like Dutch was irritated at the man about somethin'. "Why what's happened?"

"Mister Uncle, h-he's a bobcat like you is a bear" Kieran filled in for him quietly

Well, cat was out of the bag it seemed. He wondered who'd spotted the change.

"Leave him be Dutch, I knew" he defended "Don't hold it against him, hell, I might have kept my own shifting ability to myself if Charles hadn't come lookin' for me." And Micah dying in between the time when he'd been bitten and when he was dealing with the side effects.

John followed after Dutch while the older man approached Uncle. He hadn't even heard the news, so the whole thing struck him as absurdly amusing to learn of it this way. And hey, it explained the bobcat, so it had that going for it.

Before Dutch could get too into his fury, he was defused. Arthur had some good points, and his leg hurt like hell, so between the two things - neither of which he was particularly happy about - he sighed with a pinch to the bridge of his nose. "I propose a new rule. If any'a you fools got shapeshiftin' abilities, or any other supernatural happenings, you have to tell me! Christ, what other secrets do all of you got?"

John piped up with a smartassed, "Well, I'm a bigfoot, Dutch. N'Sean's a leprechaun."

Uncle snorted at both things, and then patted Arthur on the arm. "I told who needed knowin', and you didn't need to know, Dutch. Ain't nobody known about it save Arthur for damn near on fifty years! You folk are lucky to have that knowledge. Ain't too good for much, bein' so small."

The quip from John was appreciated, and he was glad he was taking it stride. He'd seen how the man had been a bit unsettled when he'd told him what he was, but he quickly grew on the revelation once Abigail and Jack had been told. Dutch however...to Arthur, felt like it'd taken the man and whatever internal misgivings he'd had quite awhile to come around.

So he wasn't having that from him. "If folk wanna keep personal things to themselves, that's up to them Dutch. Like he says, Uncle need not have told anyone. Ain't someone's business but their own."

Truth be told, he'd probably need to stop spending so much time as a bear. While he was pretty certain Sadie would be looking to take out the rest of the O'Driscolls, it was better for all he didn't get caught again for whatever hair brained ideas they had cooking. Though in the event Pinkertons showed up, he'd have to change to avoid the awkward truth that while they hanged and buried him, it didn't take.

Speaking of Sadie...

"Anyone seen Mrs. Adler?" he asked

John had come to not just accept the idea that this sort of thing happened at times. It was more the BEAR thing than the WERE part of the wearbear scenario. He had enough scrapes and scraps with big beasts for one year, and wasn't quick to looking for another. Gunshy though he was of Arthur's predicament, he got less fearful over time. Not of bears in general, but the big blond one that lived with them? He felt protected, safe, and generally less likely to pick a fight with him just for fun.

Truth was, Arthur was just about the only person that could've gotten him over that skepticism and worry. Except for maybe Uncle, who clearly had been this way since he'd known him.

Uncle, for his part, gave a smile and a "Thank you, mister Bigfoot," fully deciding to enjoy the joke for what it was, while Dutch simply steamed over the fact that everyone around him was ready and willing to take Uncle's side in this, and make it out to be small potatoes. He supposed it likely was, because Arthur didn't mind, John was able to make fun, and Uncle... well, he was Uncle. If something that required gravitas was the topic of discussion, nobody would be so lighthearted about it, especially after a night like last night.

Patting Dutch on the back and then Arthur, Uncle gave a sparkling-eyed smile to the men. "Oh'n I told Jack, too."

"You did what?" John said, looking first at Uncle, then the boy, who beamed up at him, and said, "I told you he was the oldest man ever!" He seemed a little put out that John hadn't remembered, or didn't believe him. Hell below, Jack certainly had said that.

Sadie was in the stables, brushing down and pampering her horse. "I'm here, listenin' to you idiots talk." And too busy doing what she was doing to come out and make things a spectacle.

"It makes sense, for all it don't make sense," she said, setting the brush aside to walk out and light a cigarette. "You heard his stories, ain't no more outlandish than any of them."

Arthur laughed at that, of course Jack knew long before any of them.

He left the group to continue to chat and stepped up to the stall Sadie was in. "So, when you aimin' to head out after the O'Driscolls?"

He knew she was still out for blood and while he didn't go for revenge, he didn't want her going out on her own. Arthur would admit he left her probably too soon in that barn, looking after everyone else before her. He wanted to make sure she was okay on this, as well as offer to be another gun. Not a bear this time.

John decided to help Dutch back to his cabin, offering his good arm in exchange for Dutch's bad leg. "C'mon, Dutch, let's get you off that leg. Ain't gonna do a heap of good aggravatin' it like that so soon after you got shot. No need to catch hell from Hosea over it."

"I'll be fine."

"You'll be needin' a cane to walk for the rest of your life if you keep this up, old man."

Sadie briefly watched the men - and Jack tailing after - as they walked away, giving a thought to Arthur's offer. "Probably this evenin'. They ain't liable to pick up stakes just because you escaped. Hell, chances are, they'll try it again if we don't get to 'em first." She took a drag of her cigarette, looking up at Arthur with a wry smile. "Thought you wasn't the sort to go after 'em anymore, Arthur."

Arthur watched them go, but mostly watched Jack trailing after John, and the man accepting the boy. What a difference a couple months made.

"Well as you said, they'd undoubtedly try again, though find the bear has left the ranch, so to speak as I ain't changing again I think for a long time. Also, if they know I-Arthur Morgan-am alive, that could potentially cause problems. Colm weren't above dealing with the law to get what he wanted so there's the possibility, even slim, that this new leader might as well if it means a big payday or at least the government off their backs." He sighed, looking out the stables doors to the land they'd settled on.

"I don't want all this to blow up because Agent Ross or another Pinkerton gets wind we're here. Local law might forgive us if we're on best behavior but Pinkertons with pockets loaded from Cornwall will, and there's a lot of proof the man was ruthless in gettin' what he wanted. John and Dutch and a few others seem to think we're out of their reach, but look at where the O'Driscolls landed. No, I want the O'Driscolls dead, just not for the same reasons as you."

"That moron don't know his ass from a hole in the ground, but you're probably right; if they know you're up here, there's no doubt they'd be just as soon take you in, to get the Marshalls off their asses." Sadie looked around as well, at the prosperity that the gang had found, of the simple, comfortable life they'd built for themselves.

Lord, how it reminded her of Jake and her life before. She wanted to see it succeed without the interference of the damned O'Driscolls that had burned her dreams, her hopes, her love to the ground.

Sadie nodded to Arthur's proposition. "We'll take care of it together. That's the last of 'em. The sooner they get dealt with, the sooner you folks can live that life you all been craving."

She had yet to decide whether or not she wanted to come stay. There was the pain of seeing this place and the memories that came up, but there was a spark of happiness in seeing the people who had kept her safe, comforted her while she grieved, finding themselves on the road to a good life outside of The Life. That spark was the first she'd had felt since they found her, ruined, half-wild, and panicking up on her land.

It'd take a little longer for her to make up her mind.

"Sure. Let's get saddled, go see if they're still where we left'em, and attack tonight" he planned. He gave Edelweiss a brushing and then geared her up, thinking if there was anyone else they could bring along. John ideally but his arm needed rest, same with Dutch. He approached Sean and the young man happily leapt at the chance to kill some O'Driscolls

Arthur quickly informed Dutch where they were headed and the trio rode out for where they'd last seen the rival gang.

The fire in Sadie's eyes hadn't been extinguished since that fire was set inside her by what Dutch had said. Dutch had gotten his blood, and Sadie had seen her fill of it, herself, but she wasn't done yet. Until she was, she couldn't make the decision of if she wanted to travel or stay with this ragtag group of outcasts and outlaws.

She saddled up her thoroughbred mare with a subtle brindle coat, patting her with a "good girl, Vesta," before mounting up, not unhappy that Sean was with them. While most people thought his incessant rambling was an earsore at best, Sadie thought his chatter was, at the very least, entertaining.

It wasn't far, but the camp that the O'Driscolls had made was tucked away and hidden in the woods, barely able to be seen save for the plume of smoke rising up from their campfire. Surrounded by trees, it was obfuscated, but that left plenty of hiding spots for people who wanted to peek in and see who was there.

Once Sadie dismounted, and hitched her horse to a tree, she looked over her shoulders at Arthur and Sean. They really were good friends, she thought, or at the very least folks who had her back. And she ultimately had theirs, too.

They were far enough away from the O'Driscoll camp that she spoke to them. "If they're lookin' like they're on the move, we take care of this now. If they look like they're stickin' round, we take 'em out tonight. You boys don't need the hassle of another botched kidnapping, and I sure as hell don't need this bag of shit runnin' around to terrorize any more goddamned innocents."

Horses tied to trees to avoid wandering, the trio made their way closer, pausing when Sadie spoke.

"Sounds like a plan. Sean, keep quiet." Arthur said, pre-emptively.

"You and Lenny tellin' me to shut up all the time" Sean huffed, but obeyed as they made their way a bit closer, keeping silent and each other's sights.

They eventually manage to get close enough to see what was happening.

The new leader was actually addressing the gang who were mostly gathered around, talking about their next move. From what Arthur could pick up, they were aiming to try and grab "the bear" once more, and if not capture, then kill it so that the Van Der Linde gang was minus such a powerful creature in their arsenal. Their other aim was to kill Dutch and bring his body to the law in return for being let off the hook for the papers incident.

No one seemed to miss Colm.

It was a miracle these O'Driscoll dopes hadn't died of stupidity ages ago. Sadie snorted and listened in some more, her brow furrowed in concentration. While she didn't much care for Dutch, she wouldn't let him die. He'd saved her life, kept her safe, and gave her the means to do what she felt was necessary. She looked over her shoulder at Sean, then over to Arthur, before nodding. Well, that settled it.

"We take 'em while they're fixin' to leave, distracted by saddlin' up. There ain't many, the three of us are definitely enough to take down the mess of 'em. Til then, we got plenty of time to gather ourselves." She was hushed but still serious and assertive, knowing exactly how this band of fools operated.

She was so close to done. It was within reach. She was patient, though, and wasn't about to go in guns blazing until it was the right time.

Arthur agreed and they sat in wait to see what they'd do.

After today, it'd be over. For good he hoped.

Didn't take long to figure they were looking to move during the day instead of under the cover of night so the three of them fanned out to pick off those on the outskirts quietly as they could.

They each managed to get one before Sean was spotted and the alarm was sounded. Arthur raised his gun and began to fire, bullets began to fly and O'Driscolls began to fall.

Sadie wasn't the type to take cover and let the boys have all the fun. Once the jig was up, and the posse of idiots was alerted to them, she was in there, guns blazing, and hellbent on one man.

She didn't give him much of a chance. At least that poor bastard wasn't done like a piñata like the man in the barn the night before. But he did wind up with a throwing knife sticking out of one eye socket, and a shotgun last into his torso.

Now how the hell did these morons think they was gonna steal a bear, as ill-prepared as they were for a little shootout? No cohesion whatsoever.

They made short work of the O'Driscolls, the fools even under new leadership apparently no smarter or more capable than before under Colm and they cleared them out quickly.

Once they were all dead they rounded up a few of the horses to see if they were worth taking, or otherwise removing them of their gear and setting them free. In the end they took none of them as they weren't anything special.

"Well, that's that then." Arthur said quietly before mounting up on Edelweiss. No more O'Driscolls to fight, after years of it all, it was over.

Gladly so. Sadie got on her horse and shot Arthur a proud look, short and meaningful. She knew she would have probably been able to take care of it on her own, but to have the help brought gratefulness that she knew a good man like him.

About halfway back to the ranch, she finally made up her mind. "I'll stick around," she said, turning to the two of them. "You folks don't know a thing about runnin' your own ranch, and you might just need someone who has a couple years experience." She'd been having a hard time of it, granted, but she and Jake did what they could.

"Maybe I could teach you boys how to sow fields in the spring."

Arthur grinned, "We'll be happy to have yea" he said honestly. Another hand, especially an experienced one, would definitely come in great use, even temporarily.

They returned to the ranch, tired but victorious.

"Might be some stragglers about but I think we got the last of them for the time being" he said as they reported to Dutch and the rest who cared to listen in.

Felt strange, being rid of the O'Driscolls in their lives.

Once the others had dispersed, Arthur continued to speak to Dutch. "I'd like to dip into them funds again for another place." he said. "For myself this time, leave the extra room for the Marstons to give to Sadie while she stays with us."

Sadie gave Arthur a thankful nod as she walked off, and went back to the Marston's house to go clean up and check on John's wrist. She knew Abigail would have seen to it, but she had a feeling the man was giving his wife hell.

Dutch was glad to hear the news, and, despite not getting up - at Hosea's explicit say so - he sat up proudly and gave Arthur a look of gratitude and pride. He considered Arthur's proposal for a new house, and asked, "You boys not gettin' along again?"
He knew for a fact it was likely due to the Marstons not giving anyone a moment's peace with their bickering, but he wasn't going to ask that outright. Arthur had his reasons, and after so much had happened, and how Dutch felt like he needed to win Arthur's trust back for reasons he'd never disclose, he was more lenient with the man. He rubbed his jaw in consideration. "Give me time to think it over. I don't feel comfortable in giving one man his own place. If Charles was here, it'd be an immediate yes."

"Heh, no, no that ain't it at all." he chuckled. In fact he and John were never closer he reckoned. The man had earned his respect again and was happy to call him his brother. Sure his and Abigail's fighting got on his nerves but he could deal with it.

He was hoping for Charles to stay with him too but as the man wasn't due to return until the spring, he figured having a place for him to come to when he did return would be better than waiting until he did return...When...

Arthur didn't push Dutch for it. He nodded and left it at that.

The next week or so was mostly the gang switching to prep for the coming winter by cleaning up the peach trees and-with Sadie's help-figuring where best to break ground for their gardens. Meat prices had gone up in town so most of the guns of the gang spent a lot of days out hunting and filling up their stocks, along with gathering anything they could.

During one blissfully warm late September, they sat around and began to plan which horses should be paired up come spring. The drafts were priority followed by the best tempered mustangs. Khan's filly was a handful but she was learning quick so it made the former herd leader prime stud stock. No sign of those stripes on her but coat colors came and went until the horse matured so there was hope when she was a bit older they'd see them on her.

Sean had gathered news that there was to be a horse fair southwest of them soon so Arthur volunteered to go check it out along with John.

Dutch had eventually made the choice that Arthur could wait until spring to see if the house was warranted. Things had to be planned for long term survival on the property, not just immediate wants. But should Charles arrive, Dutch figured, they could pair them up and get that house built.

John's wrist hadn't healed completely by then, but it was still serviceable, and he wasn't feeling the tightness that came with the immobility while healing up as much. He'd worked with the wrist as much as possible once he was able to put weight in his hand without dropping things or struggling to keep himself from reacting to pain. He wasn't going to turn down some time to get off the property and get some work done that didn't involve people bitching at him to take things easy on himself. He'd been much better at tending to his wrist than Dutch had been tending to his leg. The old man had still been relying on a cane, and it concerned John greatly. Dutch had always been strong, never showing weakness, but that cane made him... Not weak-looking per se, but more... normal. Human. It took him off his pedestal and it was a weird new dynamic.

John hadn't given a whole lot of thought into why it bothered him to see Dutch with a cane, actually. But it was because he was busy with a whole lot else on his mind. Primarily, dealing with the horses and finding a new home for some of them. He'd given thought to the cracker horse especially, and while she was beautiful, she wasn't something he could keep if it meant they could add a good couple thousand dollars into the coffer.

As they took the trail, his horse still following the centerline of the road, John kept an eye on the scenery, scanning around for movement as he always did. Be it as a hunter or a wary outlaw, or just as a hyperaware kid from the streets, it didn't matter. Movement mattered. He didn't really have reason for it outside of habit.

"It'll be a good chance to make some contacts," John spoke up, about the fair. "Even if we ain't set up yet, not completely, it'll still be nice to have good rep... rapport with folk."

Seeing Dutch on a cane was admittedly strange if not a bit unsettling when Arthur saw him walk about. He'd never seen the man so slow to recover from a wound before and he felt that the change was permanent as while his wounds had healed, whatever the bullet had hit when it went through his leg had done some irreparable damage. And the fact he was taking easy less than John, was slowing any healing he might still have.

To be honest he had yet to see the man get back up on The Count since that day, and wondered if he'd ever ride again. Probably, the leg wasn't dead and he still had some good upper body strength to him despite his age. Would just take him longer or with a bit of help he supposed.

Fortunately their days of chasing trains on horseback and running from the law were behind them. He hoped anyway. The local law of Fairview had yet to find or mention any O'Driscoll bodies, and he suspected that was due to by now most of the predators and scavengers in the area will have scattered them about, but he did note in his few times in town that people had picked up on the gang that had suddenly come and gone.

For the time being, things were okay. Perhaps the best they'd ever been now that Colm and the main posse of his gang were gone, but winter would decide that he assumed. For now, they had a fair to get to and see about making new friends interested in their stock to come.

The fair was a decent ride away at the town of Ephraim. Banners and streamers decorated the place with carts and horses, horses everywhere. It was a lively event and everyone was friendly and looking to make or lose some money.

Edelweiss got quite a few looks as they rode through slowly. When they dismounted at the livery to board their horses while they had a look around, a man came up and asked about Arthur's mare and offered a grand for her on the spot. Arthur declined of course but had a laugh with John. "Maybe I should reconsider breeding her with The Count next year"

There was some good food to be had at the vendors about which they tried some of as they went over to the main event of the horse pens. There were horses of all kinds on the block. Nokotas, Tennessee Walkers, Halfbreds, Shires, Paints, some handsome Thoroughbreds, more horses than Arthur reckoned he'd ever seen in one place before.

No Arabians, which accounted for the eagerness of the man they bumped into. No mustangs either so that could potentially be an in on the market, unless folk just didn't buy them at all here.

John kept his eyes on everything around them, ears out for anybody who was looking to sell drafts, and as they handed over the horses to the stable owner, he got a lopsided smile. "Shit, you really oughta. With the way things look, we might just get business gettin' all them mustangs sold, too. Oughta bring those down." But first, it was a matter of seeing to renting out stable space for the pens.

John stepped up to the pen with the pretty paints, leaning over the fence and resting there. "Whaddya think, Arthur? Get some space cleared for some drafts back home, make some money with the mustangs, maybe sell the Cracker? Bet I could get a good price for her." Pretty as she was, and as well-trained, he half-wondered if the O'Driscoll he got her off of stole her from a Dressage stable. Fancy folks who treat their horses like circus animals were a bunch that John couldn't deal with, but he found that a horse like her was just as good at rounding up sheep as any other he'd had the pleasure to ride.

Then he got distracted from his thoughts when an appaloosa trotted near him and he got a smile. Reminded him of Charles' horse.

"With the way you keep going about that cracker horse you ought to just keep her." he teased, having a look at what the prices for the drafts here were going for. They were decent but he got the feeling they might get more for selling them to that mayor John invited over and they'd be guaranteed to sell all they wanted at once rather than haggle for days in a place like this for each one individually.

Asking about, it seemed like mustangs were just harder to come by so they'd likely have a corner on the market.

He spotted the appaloosa and a pang shot through him, thinking for a second it was Taima, but the markings on the legs were entirely different. Charles wouldn't be here, he knew perfectly well where they lived now.

They continued to wander, asking about prices and the like, having a look at the animals and the quality of stock. Seemed they'd fit in pretty well here with their own when the time came.

John swatted Arthur on the arm, snorting a little. "Shut up. Honestly, what I'd do if I could, is I'd breed 'em. They're good ranch horses, good for cattle drivin', which happens to be this area's needs. But we decided on drafts." He'd been thinking it over since they got the horse he really did like, but knew that, if they fudged the papers for her, she'd fetch them enough for Arthur's new house, fully furnished, and he'd wanted to do that as a bit of a surprise.

But he knew they'd make a fine amount of money on a bunch of them.

"What're you thinkin'? Wait on it? Get what we're lookin' for, sell what we don't need?"

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