The man you knew as Trelawny, who you met back in Rhodes when Dutch had gotten him out of going to a cell had left the camp at Beaver Hollow. Arthur had informed you that he was always coming in and out, he even said that he'd be back but Arthur warned him there may not be anything to come back to. He gave him his blessing to leave, and not worry about the consequences.
Turns out, the feeling of worry wasn't something only felt by yourself. Seeing the fate of Molly and learning about Annabelle already had you worried that you were in danger because of your relationship with Dutch, but a good number of gang members were feeling unsafe too.
"I just... I don't know if it's safe for us here anymore," began Mary-Beth, as you sat with her and Tilly by their tent. "There was a time when I knew this group would protect me, but now I'm not so sure."
"Now Mary-Beth, they will always have your back," Tilly seemed to still have faith in the gang and had shown no signs of wanting to leave even if she was worried.
"Sure, some of them will. But it feels like nobody is truly safe anymore." Mary-Beth looked around the camp with dismay.
"Have we ever been truly safe? We're outlaws Mary-Beth, in case you haven't noticed." Tilly continued to sew; she was one of the few that had continued to do all of her chores just as she used to. Part of you wondered if she was just trying to cling to the normality the gang used to have.
"Trelawny did leave -" you began.
"Trelawny's always leaving y/n. Do you feel the same way as Mary-Beth?" Tilly asked you.
"I do," you began, "but I have since what happened with Molly."
"I can't see Dutch letting that happen to you though. We all knew," Tilly nodded at Mary-Beth, "he didn't love her. Never did. It's different with you, I can tell."
Tilly had been running with the gang for some time, hearing her belief in Dutch's feelings settled you somewhat.
"Still, I can see where Mary-Beth's coming from. I know I've not been here long, but things are very different even compared with when I first joined," you turned the subject away from your relationship with Dutch.
"Karen hasn't been taking it well at all," Mary-Beth glanced at Karen, who was dozing by a tree with a beer in hand. "She's been permanently drunk for a while now."
"Miss Karen has always had a drinking problem," Tilly remarked. "But even I'll admit it's grown much more concerning recently."
"Have either of you spoken to her about it?" you asked.
"Oh sure, she doesn't want to talk about though," sighed Mary-Beth, "she just dismisses us and says something mean whenever we try."
"I guess," you stood to your feet, "I might try my luck as well."
You began to walk over to her when Arthur stopped you. "Hey Miss y/n, have you spoke much to Sadie since Colm?"
Looking back to the trees outside the entrance to camp you saw Sadie throwing knives into a tree trunk. "I haven't, she doesn't seem to be as at peace as I thought she'd be. I thought seeing Colm swing would help, but if anything, she's just angrier."
Arthur's sigh morphed into a cough. "I was afraid you'd say that. Thank you, miss," he tipped his hat before making his way over to her.
"How's it going, Karen?" you asked as you sat opposite her.
She opened her eyes slightly to peek at who was addressing her. "Oh, it's just peachy," she took another swig.
"I've missed chatting to you recently," you began, "maybe we could go out for a little walk?"
She perked up slightly, "we could go to the saloon!"
You shook your head slightly, "no, I was thinking more just a bit of fresh air."
Her expression turned to a scowl, "I suppose you think I'm drinking too much as well?"
"No, Karen," you shook your head. "Well -"
"I am sick of people telling me what to do. If I wanna drink, I'll drink. It don't make you no better than me just because I like a beer," she snapped.
"I'm not saying that it does -"
"Worry about your own problems," she took a few gulps from her beer bottle, "you're gonna end up just like Molly. After that bitch shot her," she pointed at a passing Miss Grimshaw.
Miss Grimshaw scoffed and rolled her eyes before continuing, she must've finally lost the energy to berate Karen. You couldn't exactly blame her.
You stood up and looked at Karen with pity. "All right, well if you change your mind let me know."
She grumbled as you walked away, and you heard her chuck her now empty bottle to the ground.
"I'm guessing that didn't go well?" Mary-Beth smirked as you made your way back over to her, Tilly had gotten up to get something to eat.
"It did not," you sat next to her, "I am really worried about her."
"I am too, but sometimes..." Mary-Beth sighed as she watched Karen drinking from a newly opened bottle, "you can't help people if they don't want to help themselves."
"You think she's too far gone?" you asked.
"It's possible. Besides, we all need to watch our own backs now."
"You're still not convinced that the gang will look after you?" you hushed your tone.
She shook her head. "I don't like what the gangs become. I have dreams, aspirations... I don't want to be on the run my whole life."
"Do you think you'll leave too?"
"Can I trust you?" she eyed you suspiciously and you nodded reassuringly. "I am thinking of leaving. I've been coming up with some ideas for books like you said I should, and maybe it's silly but I think I'd like to see where it could take me."
"Try and become an author, you mean?" you asked with delight.
Her expression softened at your positive reaction, "it's worth a try I suppose."
"Of course, it is," you placed a hand on her forearm, "and it's not silly. You'd be a fantastic author."
She smiled to herself. "Thank you, y/n. I don't know when or where I'll even go."
"You know the surrounding areas, and I'm sure you can take a horse," you began, "besides, like you said... we all need to watch our own backs, and perhaps you've been selfless for long enough now. You deserve a better life than this, Mary-Beth."