Archive of Our Own ^beta

I hate cattle drives…something always happens. We’ve been on the job for five days and for some reason the ramrod of this outfit had taken an instant dislike to my partner. I know if it had been up to him he wouldn’t have hired him, he’s told us that more than once, but the trail boss was the one who took us on since they were real hard up for drovers. I gotta hand it to my cousin though, he’s been tryin’ real hard to stay outta trouble, but Ben, that’s the ramrod, has been givin’ the Kid all the shitty jobs. He’d ridden drag all day yesterday and after a bite of supper and just a couple hours sleep, Ben had kicked him awake orderin’ him to mount up and take a turn keepin’ an eye on the herd the rest of the night. The Kid didn’t say a word, just sighed as he got to his feet and headed for his horse. I watched Ben grinning as my partner walked away and couldn’t help wondering what it was about my friend that caused him to dislike him so much.

I musta drifted back to sleep because the next thing I know we’re all being jarred awake by the cook bangin’ pots together lettin’ us know breakfast is ready. I quickly pack my bedroll up and head for the chuckwagon, looking around for the Kid as I walk, frowning when I don’t see him, thinking someone should have relieved him by now.

Sitting with my plate of food and cup of coffee, which according to my partner is worse than mine, I watch Ben laughing with Joe, the man who seems to always be by his side…and gets all the easy jobs. He’s still laughing when he turns away from him and heads in my direction.

“Mount up Smith, we leave in five.”

“Haven’t seen my friend come in for breakfast yet.”

“He’s already helpin’ to get the herd up…he’ll be ridin’ drag again today.”

“But…”

I bite my tongue, it would do no good to argue, but this was getting out of hand. Taking my plate over to the wagon I snag the last two pieces of cornbread quickly wrapping them in a clean cloth and shoving them in my pocket.

I find my cousin weaving back and forth behind the herd, getting the animals up on their feet, dust already beginning to rise as the cattle began to move. He had his bandana covering his mouth and nose and I was almost on top of him before he realized who I was. Pulling the food out of my pocket our eyes met as I handed it to him, and I could see how tired he was. He nodded his thanks and I rein my horse around to head back to where I was supposed to be. I didn’t see my partner the rest of the day.

The day had been long and hot and after we made sure the herd was settled, we head for the chuckwagon for something to eat. I had dismounted and had just finished unsaddling my horse when I saw my partner approaching. It was impossible to tell what colour clothes he was wearing, he was covered head to toe in dust and he sat wearily in the saddle, his head hanging, his shoulders drooping. He pulled up at the far end of the row of horses and slid off but before he could start to loosen his saddle Ben strutted over to him and grabbed his elbow, spinning him around.

“Get back on that horse, you’re ridin’ first shift on night herd duty.”

Well the trouble with Kid Curry is not only does he have a bit of a temper, but stopping him from eating when he’s hungry, which is most of the time, will more often than not lead to a fight and since he hasn’t had a real meal since yesterday noon I’m surprised he’s held his temper this long.

The Kid jerked his arm free from Ben’s grasp and I hold my breath. If looks could kill Ben woulda died right then and there and I know…I just know what’s going to happen.

“Gonna get me somethin’ to eat first.”

“You’ll mount up now!”

I closed my eyes briefly…opening them in time to see Ben give him a none too gentle shove, stirring up a cloud of dust from the Kid’s clothes as he was forced back a couple steps. I’m sure if he hadn’t bumped into his horse he would have fallen, he was pushed that hard. Sensing movement, I spied Ben’s friend Joe stepping closer. I stepped out from between the horses making sure he saw me when I dropped my hand to rest on the butt of my Schofield…his eyes narrowed but he stopped. Yeah, the Kid wasted no time in shoving Ben back and the fight was on. It didn’t take long for the men to gather round and cheer on their favourite. I knew this wasn’t going to end well…there was no way my partner would win a fight against Ben even if he wasn’t so tired. The man had four inches and at least thirty pounds on him, but my cousin isn’t one to give in…stubborn cuss. It was the nearby gunshot that put a stop to it. I hadn’t even seen the trail boss walk over to see what was going on, but there he was gun in hand and not looking happy. My cousin was slowly staggering to his feet and as I started to head over to help him the trail boss’s voice stops me.

“Smith I wanna talk to you.”

‘Shit, here it comes’, I think to myself.

“Yes sir?” I ask as I face him.

“Jones is done here. If you want to stay that’s fine, but he’s gotta go, I can’t have fightin’ among the men.”

“Now that ain’t fair…he just wanted to get somethin’ to eat before headin’ out to…”

“Smith it’s like this…you and Jones have been with me less than a week. Ben’s been with me five years.”

“Well guess I’ll be leavin’ as well…dunno why your ramrod dislikes my partner so…gave him all the shitty jobs, not lettin’ him eat…it ain’t right and you know it.”

“Come to my wagon and I’ll give you what pay you’re both owed.”

After having collected our pay I walk up behind my partner and pat him on the shoulder. He turns and gives me that contrite look of his and mumbles “Sorry, but I couldn’t take it no more.”

“It’s all right…I’m surprised you lasted as long as you did. Now let’s get outta here.”

“But…”

I wait for him to finish but he just bows his head and looks at the ground.

“What is it Kid?”

“We gotta leave now? Before we eat?”

I bite down on the smile that threatens.

“’Fraid so, he wants us gone. We’ll make camp in a mile or so. Least we got paid some.”

“Sounds good cos I don’t think my horse has much more than that left in him.”

“Don’t think you do either.”

Hearing steps approaching behind us we both turn and see Reno, one of the other hands that has been with the crew for almost two years.

“I’m real sorry for the way you bin treated Thaddeus, don’t know what the hell’s wrong with Ben lately but him and that Joe are actin’ real strange. Anyway, I know you boys have to leave so I grabbed this for ya.”

He holds out two sandwiches filled with thick slices of roast beef.

“Thanks Reno.”

He nods and turns away to join the rest of the men. I eye the Kid’s face.

“You’re gonna have a real nice shiner by mornin’ and reckon it’s gonna hurt some to eat this with that fat lip.”

“Don’t you worry, I’ll eat it.”

“Of that I have no doubt,” I say with a grin as we swing ourselves up into our saddles and head out.

We ate those sandwiches as we rode and for once I finished eating before the Kid. We stop to make camp by a stream about a mile and a half from where the drovers are and while I got a fire going and put the coffee on, the Kid went down to the water to get himself cleaned up. I can feel the money in my pocket that the boss had given me…five dollars apiece for almost six long days of work. The way I figure it my partner deserves at least ten dollars for the hell he went through.

I look up from pouring coffee when I hear him coming back. I can’t recall ever seein’ him look this exhausted before.

“You look a lot better.”

“Feel lighter without all that dust weighin’ me down that’s for sure.”

Even his voice sounds tired. I hold out a cup to him that I had sitting by the fire keeping warm and he hesitates.

“It’s willow bark tea.”

“Since when did you start carryin’ that?” he asks giving me a look of surprise.

“Since you can’t seem to avoid getting’ yourself into fist fights.”

He starts to smile, but winces instead. We sit silently for several minutes, just enjoying the fact that we can’t hear cattle, when the Kid speaks up.

“I seem to recall you sayin’ if we took this job, you’d buy me a steak supper.”

I look over at him with a small smile.

“But we didn’t keep the job.”

“That wasn’t part of the deal…you just said if we took it.”

That’s the trouble with Kid Curry, he never forgets anything that has to do with food.

“You got a point there Kid, I did say that.”

He gives me a lopsided grin and I can see the firelight reflecting on his face, can see the shiner, the cut on his cheek and the fat lip. It is undoubtedly sore now, but it’ll really be hurting tomorrow and he’ll be proddy having to eat soup and stew for a couple days when he has his heart set on that steak.

“We should get to Wayburn sometime tomorrow afternoon.”

He grunted approval and moved to his bedroll, sighing as he stretched out. I know he’ll be asleep in no time and probably dreaming about food…in particular a big juicy steak.

I put a couple more sticks on the fire and go to my own bedroll. Laying there with my hands behind my head I gaze up at the cloudless sky…and find myself thinking of my partner again.

The trouble with Kid Curry is…well people tend to look at him and think he’s young and harmless, which has on more than one occasion caused them to do something stupid to make him prove he’s anything but. He won’t stand to see a woman mistreated whether she’s an upstanding member of the community or a saloon girl. He hates bullies and he’s gotten himself into trouble defending someone that wasn’t able to do it for themselves. I’ve even seen him take offense to people mistreating animals…which I don’t like to see either.

As for the fights he gets into…he seems to get upset when I don’t jump in to help him, but I think he realizes that if I did, his opponent’s friends that are watching would join in, like Joe was going to do, and it could end up killing one or both of us. At least this way I can keep an eye on the friends and when it’s over provide whatever medical care I can to my cousin. That’s not to say he’s never been in a fight and deserved what he got because he has, but I still look after him.

So you see the trouble with Kid Curry is that yes he’s got a reputation as a fast draw…I’ve never yet seen anyone faster…and that’s all folks care about, but I know he’s basically a kind hearted, gentle man who knows who and what he is and he’s learned to live with that. He’s not only my cousin, he’s my partner and the best friend I could ever have. Sure he frustrates me to no end at times but I have to admit I wouldn’t want him to be any different than he is and I can’t imagine my life without him by my side.

A sleepy voice stirs me from my thoughts.

“Heyes.”

“Hmm?” I turn my head to look at him.

“Go to sleep, I can hear you thinkin’ all the way over here.”

I can’t help but chuckle because that’s another thing about him…he likes his sleep. “G’night Kid,” I say softly.