Chapter Text
The ferry job in Blackwater was a bust. One of the worst ones yet, if Yakko had his bearings right. He couldn’t really even remember all that had happened, it felt like a blur, and it hadn’t even been that long since it happened. All he remembered was that Mac, Davey, Jenny, and Sean, were dead. Sean maybe. Davey- well, he was dying. Yakko wasn’t stupid. And this weather wasn’t helping the poor man’s condition at all either. Was it a setup? From what little he heard, there were government agents on the gang in seconds it seemed. The whole situation was bad.
Yakko shivered, trying to adjust himself, trying to get comfortable. Dot and Wakko both cuddled close to their older brother, shivering just as bad as him. The gang had been forced to flee into the mountains, running into a raging snowstorm, one that could very well freeze their fingers off if they weren’t careful.
“How much longer are we gonna be out here for?” Wakko’s voice is quiet, nearly silenced to the wind blowing from outside the wagon. Yakko wishes he had an answer to give to his sib, he could barely even see out the back of the wagon, besides the light from one of the lanterns.
“We’ll get somewhere safe soon, don’t worry.” Yakko at least hopes he’s right about that. They’re quiet for a moment more, listening to the harsh winds, and the horses walking through the snow. And then, voices. What Yakko assumes to be voices at least. He can just barely make out Dutch’s voice, maybe Hosea’s too. Arthur? He felt himself perk up, hearing the outlaw’s voice, or what he thought was Arthur’s voice. All he could make out were some words here and there, but, he was definitely sure he had heard something about shelter.
Moments later, the caravan came to a stop. Everyone’s getting out of the wagons, and Yakko can only assume that they’ve made it to some shelter. Getting out of the wagon, he can make out the shapes of some buildings, and without getting a second more to look around, he and his siblings are ushered into one of the cabins by Arthur. The snow latches onto the fur of the Warners’ paws, and Dot whines, holding tightly onto Yakkko’s hand as they make their way into the shelter. Everyone’s inside after a moment, the light from Dutch’s lantern illuminating the old cabin. From what Yakko could make out, it wasn’t anything special, though there was a fireplace on one side, maybe some old kindling inside, he couldn’t really make anything out. Other than hearing Abigail say that Davey was officially dead; which made the whole room go deathly silent. Wakko whimpered, shrinking behind his brother as he heard the news. Was Yakko surprised about the man dying? With how he was wounded, he would’ve been surprised if Davey survived. But, no, he’s dead. Stone cold dead. Yakko tensed at the thought, hugging his siblings a little closer. Wakko and Dot just hid their faces in the cloth of their brother’s coat.
Dutch had gone off on a small tangent, something that Yakko hadn’t really paid much attention to. Something about having faith in him. Like all his other tangents, faith, and loyalty. Over the four years he and his sibs had been with the gang, Yakko had gotten used to it. And before they knew it, Dutch was instructing Miss Grimshaw and Mr Pearson to get this place turned into a camp, and to make sure everyone was warm. And then, he and Arthur left, to go scouting. In that weather? Wouldn’t they want to rest? Yakko was better off not questioning what those two did. No place for it now. Especially not when Grimshaw insists he help her start a fire. No shortage of work, even in this kind of a storm, nevermind the state of everyone.
An hour or so later, maybe longer, there’s a commotion outside. Which just sounds like Arthur, Dutch, and unfortunately Micah, coming back. Yakko didn’t get up to investigate, his fur bristling at the vague sound of Micah’s voice. There was something about that man, something that had always rubbed him the wrong way. Perhaps it was just his abhorrent nature, or the fact that Micah was just plain ugly. Or it was the way he talked. All three, perhaps. Most of the people that had been in the cabin decided to investigate, all but the Warners, who stayed put by the fire. Yakko can hear mention of the o’Driscolls, Dutch even mentioning something about how those fools were planning to hit a train. Hosea says something, but Yakko can’t pick up on it. More and more talking, mostly Dutch.
A moment passes, Tilly and Karen walking a stranger into the cabin. A woman, one who looked scared out of her mind. A fur blanket draped over her shoulders, tear stains down her face. “They made a widow out of her,” Yakko can hear Dutch say from outside. His sibs don’t seem to hear, let alone really notice, they’re both too busy with being curled up by the fire, on either side of their big brother. Tilly and Karen get this strange woman by the fire, letting her sit down, telling her that she’ll be okay. The woman stays silent, nodding her head slowly. Yakko felt a stab of pity for her, widowed by o’Driscolls. A shame. Didn’t those bastards have anything better to do other than make people suffer? Don’t we do the same? Yakko grunts, shaking that thought from his head. We don’t terrorize innocent people. We just steal from people who have plenty to share. Right? Right.
“You doin’ alright kid?” Yakko had barely noticed Arthur walking towards him, ruffling the fur on his head. How he hadn’t realized Arthur heading over in the first place was unlike him, but the kid went through a decent bit of shit the past several days.
“I’m freezing,” Yakko replies after a second, wishing the fire was warmer, or bigger even. Maybe then he wouldn’t be as cold. Or maybe he just needed better, warmer clothes.
“Aside from that I mean,” Arthur decides to sit next to Yakko, on the side where Wakko was, who was now asleep, leaning on his big brother. Dot’s doing the same, on the opposite side.
“How’re you feelin’?”
That made him think for a brief moment. That was a good question.
“... Honestly a little scared. And hungry,” Yakko mumbles, only now realizing that yeah, he was pretty hungry. All he really had to eat was some bread chunks and maybe a bit of some canned food. They didn’t have all that much in the ways of food.
“We’ll be alright, don’t you worry,” Arthur pats Yakko’s shoulder gently, offering him some reassurance. And then he reaches into his satchel, pulling out a can of food. Canned peaches. “Here, it ain’t much but I snagged it from that homestead. You need it more than I do.” Yakko takes the can from the outlaw, admittedly feeling the tiniest bit better.
“Share it with your siblings too.”
“I will.”
Arthur smiles a tad, patting Yakko’s shoulder again before standing up.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, eat and get some rest.”
“You too old man.”
“Ah shut up.” Yakko snorts as Arthur says that, watching the older outlaw head out of the cabin, presumably to the building where Miss Grimshaw moved him too. He remembered maybe hearing her mumble something about that earlier. No time for that. Yakko nudges his siblings awake, and offers them some of the peaches. Of course they take the food happily, if not tiredly, and what they don’t eat, Yakko eats. His sibs come first, as always, which has always been a habit of his. Though, once he and his sibs are done eating, Yakko finds it hard to drift back to sleep. Too much had happened, too many things clouding his mind. Hopefully that would blow over, maybe. He’d sigh, and focus on just keeping an eye on his sibs. Maybe he’d just pass out during the night. That’s what he hoped.