Freak

7

7.

Blue's weeks in camp soon turned into months and for every moment that passed she seemed to grow a little more, or at least that's what Dutch said. Almost every day he would squeeze her in a sideways hug and measure her against his side, claiming she'd grown over night. Then he'd turn to Arthur and say something like: 'soon enough you'll have to start chasing off boys, son' or 'our little girl's almost all grown up now, ain't that right Arthur?"

Blue was smart enough to know it wasn't true but humored their leader by agreeing.

But that morning, once he'd measured her, he said something that stuck with her for the rest of the day, 'Almost tall enough to ride out with us'

To which Arthur had said something like 'over my dead body' and ushered Blue over to the fire before going back to Dutch's tent where they had a hushed conversation.

It confused her since she'd been riding with both Arthur and Dutch several times by now and she'd even ridden with Sean, Charles and Hosea. She, of course, hadn't been allowed to ride on her own... could that be what Dutch had meant? That he thought she was big enough to ride on her own? Excitement bubbled up in her belly, maybe she'd get her own horse one day!

She'd come to love the horses and often snuck off to help Kieran take care of them. Most of the people around camp seemed to not like Kieran all that much but she thought he was great, he didn't talk too much around the others but when it was just the two of them he'd tell her all he knew about taking care of horses and whatever else he found interesting in the world.

So it was to Kieran she went to find out what Dutch could have meant. When she asked him he stuttered for a while before he finally told her that Dutch probably just meant that maybe they'd go for a ride someday. Blue didn't believe that since Arthur had said no to whatever Dutch wanted and it didn't make sense for him to do that if it was just about going for a ride. Deciding to push him a little further she asked what she'd been wanting to know for a while;

"Kieran... What do they do when they leave camp?" the man in front of her wrung his hands, trying to distract himself from her question.

"They uh... work..."

"I know that! But what do they do? I know they can't just find those things they bring back, where do they get them?" the urge to know kept her form retreating back into her shy self when he didn't want to give her an answer, he obviously knew.

"It ain't my place to say kid... Please just leave it at that..." and so after a few more tries she gave up.

It couldn't have been more that 20 minutes, however, before Arthur and Bill came riding into camp with unfamiliar bags on the back of their horses.

"What are you doing over here princess?" Arthur said getting of his horse and walking over to her, ruffling her hair like always.

"Helping Kieran..." he looked to the man in question and with a somewhat unpleasant voice said;

"I don't want her too close to the horses, you here me?"

"O-of course Mr. Morgan I always make sure she's out of harms way!"

"You better..." placing his hand on Blue's shoulder he guided her away from Kieran and the horses. Not wanting to argue with the man Blue simply waved goodbye to Kieran and let herself be led away.

Peering up at Arthur she noted the dirt and the grim expression on his face, wondering what could have caused it she tugged on his shirt to get his attention

"you have dirt on your face..." she mumbled, only receiving a small smile and a 'I know' as an answer.

"Arthur... where do the things you bring back come from?" the man stopped abruptly, staring at her with his mouth opening and closing like he couldn't get words out anymore.