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“How did this even happen?”
“Elaborately, like the horse was plannin’ it.”
Hosea sighed and wiped sweat from his forehead. “Arthur, you know the horse wasn’t plotting against you.”
“Then how in the hell did he get spooked by a porcupine but I’m the one with an ass full of quills?”
It was something else, the porcupine incident. Arthur was almost back into camp when his horse became spooked, bucking him off to land on an angry porcupine. His screams of pain as his ass was punctured a few dozen times drew the entire gang out to see the commotion.
Each step into the main camp was agony, pulling at the punctured meat of Arthur’s butt. He barely made it, assisted by Javier and Bill. Now he was in his tent, face-down on his cot, ass in the air.
There was a rolled blanket under his hips and Hosea and Susan were discussing how to remove the large pins, whether they should cut the pants around it or pull the needles through the fabric.
Arthur would be embarrassed if he wasn’t in so much pain.
“I don’t care what’chu do, just do something!” He howled, startling the two.
Relief flooded him when he heard the Reverend rush in, no doubt about to ease the pain. A decision had apparently been made about his pants and he felt rough hands and a cold blade cutting fabric away, exposing his skin. He was white-knuckling the cot, wincing and holding back whines of pain at the movements. It paused and he felt the pinch of a needle in his ass cheek.
Numbness slowly spread and Arthur let out a deep exhale. The drug was making his mind dopey and he didn’t feel any humiliation at the three people cutting the seat of his pants away and tugging at the porcupine’s embedded quills.
People passed by the tent making sympathetic pained noises. Arthur was glad he couldn’t see his ass or what was being done. He’d probably see one quill sticking out and then feel that nasty dread in his gut. He was beyond glad he didn’t have to pull them out himself and ride back to camp for first aid.
The last quill was removed and he soon felt his ass being wiped with a wet towel, removing blood and leaving an alcoholic smell. Larger pieces of cloth were laid over his ass, the men gripping his hips and lifting them for Susan to roll a strip around his semi-clothed pelvis.
His ass was bandaged as good as they could get it. Later Hosea resolved to change the bandages out and get Arthur out of his ruined pants.
For now he pulled a thin blanket up cover Arthur and ran a hand up his back. He heard a light snore, glad Arthur was able to fall asleep during the process.
Arthur woke up to his ass on fire, feeling as if he had been spanked mercilessly and left to ride out the waves of pain. He tried to prop himself up on his elbows, grunting loudly as more pain shot up his back.
He heard a few voices, one becoming louder and saying, “Lay down, Arthur.”
Arthur bit his lip and did as he was told, letting himself be flat against the cot again. Hosea walked up into his view at the head of the cot, reaching out a hand to stroke the back of Arthur’s head.
“Reverend Swanson is getting you some pain killer ready, then I need to check the bandages.”
Arthur weakly nodded. Humility was coming back to him and he kept his face down. His face burned as the blanket was lowered and a needle was pushing into his soft ass. His whole body relaxed as the drugs worked into his veins and eased the burning wounds. Reverend slipped out the tent unnoticed.
Hosea lifted the bandages, checking the enflamed skin. He seemed to like the look of it and put the cloth back into place. He fixed the blanket, raising it up to Arthur’s back.
“Give it a few days, you’ll be fine.”
Face pushed into his pillow, Arthur’s hushed voice replied, “Thanks, Hosea.”
The older man laughed and ran his hand over Arthur’s shoulders. “I know it’s an unfortunate spot to get hit, but think of it this way… at least you weren’t turned around.”
Arthur cringed. “Don’t put that image in my head!”
“Could have been a lot worse, we’d be giving you a circumcision.”
Arthur laughed. “Stop, that’s awful.”
Hosea patted Arthur on the back. “Alright, son, best you try to sleep this off. Call out when you need the Reverend for more pain killer.”
“Ugh, I don’t want the Reverend coming in here seeing my ass again.”
“Everyone around here has seen your ass,” Hosea chided. “Don’t be a baby or I’ll have to find a pacifier for that big mouth of yours.”
A gentle laugh rumbled in Arthur’s chest. “Alright, fine. I’m going to sleep.” The dopey haze of the drug made it easy for Arthur to shut his eyes and be out like a light. Hosea shook his head fondly and touched Arthur’s arm, making sure the man was out.
He lowered the blanket and took the time to unsheathe his knife and cut away at the ruined pants, not wanting to jostle Arthur by pulling them down. It took a few minutes, but he was left with the scraps of Arthur’s bloodied jeans. He tossed them aside and pulled the blanket back up.
Arthur nuzzled his face into the pillow, unbothered by the commotion. Hosea knelt down beside him before he left the tent and left a gentle kiss on Arthur’s exposed forehead.
“Feel better soon, son.”