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"I think we should take a break."
If Butterfield or McElroy had said that, they'd already be dismounting, but Doc had been the one to break the aching silence between them all, and Dan and the rest of them turn to look at him - All but Wade, who was staring across te desert. Dan pulled up beside him and followed his gaze, but he didn't see shit - No horses, no posse, nothing but sand, sand, rocks, and from-hunger trees.
"We've been riding for a while," Doc added, almost apologetically, and he turned to look at Wade, too, before appealing to Dan with an apologetic smile. "Right, Evans?"
"We should keep moving." McElroy answered before Dan could. "We ain't got time to-"
"A short break should be fine." Butterfield interrupted. He slowed his horse and dismounted, and McElroy grunted and spat into the dirt. Butterfield's lip curled in disgust, but he had won, so he let McElroy sulk away. "Evans, can you handle Wade?"
"Actually," Doc piped up again, "Actually, I'd like to examine him. If it's all right, of course."
"I'd be happy to indulge your curiosity, Doc."
Doc had probably directed the question toward Butterfield, but Wade finally decided to bless them all with his attention, and TOOK OVER the conversation with a crooked grin. Most of the swelling had gone down, and although he still had blood caked like war-paint on his cheeks, somehow he wasn't as threatening as he'd been the night before.
Butterfield gaped as Wade dropped from his horse. He tossed his reins to Dan, who caught them without thinking and then frowned at himself for doing so, and sauntered to a rock next to Doc. There he sat, legs crossed, still smiling like they were in a tea parlor.
"Dan, keep on eye on them."
Dan nodded as Butterfield turned away - Even wounded as he was, Wade was still a threat, and Doc didn't stand a chance if the outlaw's good mood faded. He carefully dismounted, watching Wade as he stepped from the saddle. Wade's focus was on Butterfield's back, but his eyes flicked to Dan's face
But McElroy was right - Wade was even more dangerous now than the night before.
If Butterfield or McElroy had said that, they'd already be dismounting, but Doc had been the one to break the aching silence between them all, and Dan and the rest of them turn to look at him - All but Wade, who was staring across te desert. Dan pulled up beside him and followed his gaze, but he didn't see shit - No horses, no posse, nothing but sand, sand, rocks, and from-hunger trees.
"We've been riding for a while," Doc added, almost apologetically, and he turned to look at Wade, too, before appealing to Dan with an apologetic smile. "Right, Evans?"
"We should keep moving." McElroy answered before Dan could. "We ain't got time to-"
"A short break should be fine." Butterfield interrupted. He slowed his horse and dismounted, and McElroy grunted and spat into the dirt. Butterfield's lip curled in disgust, but he had won, so he let McElroy sulk away. "Evans, can you handle Wade?"
"Actually," Doc piped up again, "Actually, I'd like to examine him. If it's all right, of course."
"I'd be happy to indulge your curiosity, Doc."
Doc had probably directed the question toward Butterfield, but Wade finally decided to bless them all with his attention, and TOOK OVER the conversation with a crooked grin. Most of the swelling had gone down, and although he still had blood caked like war-paint on his cheeks, somehow he wasn't as threatening as he'd been the night before.
Butterfield gaped as Wade dropped from his horse. He tossed his reins to Dan, who caught them without thinking and then frowned at himself for doing so, and sauntered to a rock next to Doc. There he sat, legs crossed, still smiling like they were in a tea parlor.
"Dan, keep on eye on them."
Dan nodded as Butterfield turned away - Even wounded as he was, Wade was still a threat, and Doc didn't stand a chance if the outlaw's good mood faded. He carefully dismounted, watching Wade as he stepped from the saddle. Wade's focus was on Butterfield's back, but his eyes flicked to Dan's face
But McElroy was right - Wade was even more dangerous now than the night before.