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Cassidy slung her gun behind her, the leather holster catching it to hang at her side. "Whoa now Neil. After what you and your horse just went through, the only moving you need making is to a bed or wherever y'all lay your head down." She said, lifting Neil upright and slinging one of his arms over her shoulder. "Now, if it ain't too much of a fuss for ya, I'll put ya on the back of Percy and I'll guide Mizu back to the ranch. If you can't hold on to nothing back there, then either lay crossways or hold on to me cause you can't take any more tumbles, and I ain't privy to picking you up many more times." She stopped beside Percy, who kicked a small patch of dirt at her approach. "As for that what'd ya call it, nest? As for that, well we best be getting back to town proper so we can figure out what we're gonna do. Can't fight a herd of landsharks with five or six of us, no matter how much 'omph' we bring." Cassidy stated, moving to help Neil onto the horse.
 
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Solomon started back to town, but hesitated after noticing a lonely hat sitting forlornly on the dusty earth before him. It looked like the one Elbridge was wearing, so Solomon scooped it up and headed back into civilization...or what passed for it in these parts, at least. As wild, overgrown grass gave way to dirt road and drafty buildings, He raised a hand in greeting to Doctor Simmons. Simmons was one of the very few that Solomon had grown to honest-to-god trust in during his decades in Littlerook, and they shared a warm smile and handshake. The sweat on the Doctor's brow and crow's feet around his eyes piqued Solomon's curiosity. "Busy day, Alfred?" Solomon asked.

"You remember Mrs. Burheart, don't you? We just delivered the baby some minutes past, a beautiful baby boy. I'm just now gettin' some fresh air." He stretched his arms above his head. "Shi'Kara stopped by to get supplies to patch up Elbridge. Poor guy got roughed up by a bullette." He chuckled. "Not that I need to tell you, Sully. You were there, right?"

"Wouldn't be worth my badge if I wasn't," Solomon replied. "We took care of it, don't you worry." He didn't feel the need to mention anything Neil had told them - best not worry anyone unnecessarily. "I'm headin' back to the Tiger before patrollin' around for the afternoon."

"I'll see you there in a bit," Doc opened the door to his clinic. "Told Shi'Kara I'd check on her once I was done here. Now I'd better finish up, make sure the mother and child are right as rain." With a shared nod of goodbye, he disappeared back inside.

Now that the crisis was professionally averted, Solomon could relax a little. He stepped up to the bar and placed his usual "it's been a rough day and it's only 1 p.m." order of gin on ice.
 
"Oh, he wasn't my friend." Elbridge half slurred. "He was a complete shit, but his heart was in the right place. He was our commander during the first part of the war. I respected him but I did not like him."

Elbridge clutched his pillow as Shi'Kara continued to work needle through his skin. "My friends... I don't..." he looks off to the wall of his small room and stares beyond it, back east. "I didn't make many off at war. But... the ones I did, didn't make it home. That damned dragon took em from me... just like my pa..." he takes a sharp breath in at another stab of the needle. "Sorry, don't mean to make it out like you're doing a bad job. You're a fine hand at it." Elbridge chuckles. "I should know. I've had more surgeons work on this flesh than any man ought."

"I should really try and get shot less..." he shakes his head. "What am I doing? I sure am a surly drunk." he tries to crane his neck to look back at Shi'Kara, "do you know much about landsh-" he sees the wet line of Shi'Kara's tear and pauses for a moment.

Before turning back to lay on the pillow, "I'm sorry if I brought up unpleasant memories Shi'Kara. Would you like to lead this conversation towards more pleasant pastures?"
 
"...huh? Oh. Don't worry about it." Shi'Kara faked a smile as she slipped the needle through his skin. "The capsaicin may be mixing with the ale and enhancing the intoxicating effects." She paused and chuckled for a moment. "For an intoxicated person, you seem quite calm. Might sight better than some of the dwarves I've dealt with in the past." Now those were better memories. "Now those were truly surly drunks; at least they were short and could not reach too well." If her skin was capable of blushing, it probably would be right now. She was almost done with his back thankfully. The big thing from her on out was keeping infection was setting in, which meant cleaning the wound a few times a day. Who knows what he had picked up from having open wounds in the dirt and what the bullete had had on it. "You do realize you'll be down for a few days at least, right? I will not allow you to go back to work till the Doc okays it."
 
Neil nodde slowly at Cassidy's statement. He was far too exhausted to be going out nest-hunting, and Mizu was at least twice as tired as he was. "I appreciate it Cassidy . . . make sure she's taken care of . . ." He offered no resistance as the young woman helped him on to the back of her horse and they started back to town. It was always interesting, heading back into the activity of his home. The acrid smell of burning water always hit him first when they entered, or 'alcohol', as others called it. He couldn't stand the presence of the stuff, it smelled like poisoned water to him. Yet there were many pleasant people about, and he seemed to be the only one bothered by the stench of the tavern. Everyone else he had talked to did not seem to notice it. Upon entering the ranch, Neil let himself down from Cassidy's horse, and gently removed the saddle and bit from Mizu. She deserved at least a day without any of the usual trappings.
"there you go girl--go take a rest, you've certainly earned it."
 
Elbridge listens quietly for a moment, "Well, I've got enough cash to last me the next couple of days," Elbridge sighs as he chews the leaves. "Does that mean you've finished up? Because I do think I have a story to finish up telling downstairs," he weakly pushes up forgetting his blood loss and that Shi'Kara is upon his back. He falls back into the bed with a huff. "Well, umm, maybe I better rest some, first."
 
Cassidy slid off the side of Percy and undid his saddle. "Well go on then," She started, giving a light swat on the horses quarters. "You did a mighty fine job today Perce. You know where home is." She said as Percy turned and gave a light trot towards one of the stables. "Mizu is welcome to stay wherever she decides Neil, so long as she doesn't mind the hoof traffic from other horses." Cassidy said, moseying up behind Neil as he tended to his horse. "Plenty of hay and water, might be a fine idea to let her lay for a short while." She said, turning to look back towards town proper. "I figure you're wanting a rest too. But something like this ain't exactly a once and done kinda thing. You know best about the surrounding areas and are probably the best to help Solomon hammer out a plan." Cassidy finished, tipping her hat slightly as she did. "So if you think you have enough walk left in ya to head to the Adamantine Tiger, I have a hunch that Solomon stopped to cool his hooves a minute." Cassidy said with a slight smirk, turning and walking towards the town center.
 
"You best not move from that bed without my say-so." Shi'Kara raised an eyebrow at the weakened man. "I expect you to rest and I'll bring you up some dinner in a bit. Now, I best not catch you out of that bed, ya hear?" She paused for a moment; then, she opened the door and held out her hand towards a spot downstairs. A small, metal bell came to her hand. "You ring this if you need me. Remember, you get up before I say you can, there will be consequences."

She shook her head and then went down the stairs, spotting the sheriff at his usual spot. Shi'Kara also spotted Doctor Simmons. "Hey Doc! He's in the last room before the ladder to the attic. You best make sure he understands he needs to take it easy for a bit!"
"Yes, Shi'Kara." Simmons chuckled as he walked up the stairs. He had figured out that she tended to get might protective over there she considered to be in her care.
"You got everything taken care of with that greenhorn, Sheriff?" Shi'Kara poured herself a Scotch as she spoke.
 
"Uh, you've got it," Elbridge eyed the bell that set down on his bedside table. "But just a couple days... I'm not one to lay about..." he nodded and winked, "thanks for all the help. I owe you one."

A few moments later the good Doctor Simmons walked in. "Sir, you seem to have gotten yourself into quite the predicament this time."

"Lose the honorific Doctor. I'm not that man anymore," Elbridge sighed as the doctor began to examine the many lacerations on his back.

"Your wounds would beg to differ, sir. What did you do this time? Dive atop a bed of nails to save a falling orphan?" the doctor said as he readjusted his glasses and smiled to himself.

"Something like that. Neil had gone and pissed off a landshark. I stood my ground against it. Took a dive to get in close enough to see its eye and," Elbridge held up his right hand and pointed at the wall before jerking it back like the recoil of a gun. He closed his eyes for a moment. "That's not the whole story... Cassidy gave me that opening. And Shi'Kara made sure I got back alive."

"I heard that the sheriff was there too."

"Oh, was he?" Elbridge hissed through gritted teeth as the doctor sat down in the one chair in the small room. "I heard him but I didn't see him when lives were on the line."

The doctor let that sit and picked up that bottle of whisky and examined it, "do you mind?" Elbridge waved consent with his right hand and the doctor took a swig. "You'll need a few days rest. You've lost quite a bit of blood but because you're still conscious I'd say you didn't lose enough for it to be dangerous." The doctor stood and walked to the door. "The wounds didn't knick anything important and Shi'Kara did a good job patching you up so a few days going easy and you should be alright, sir."

"I told you not to call me that."

"Huh, you know what I believe you did," he said with a big grin as he shut the door behind him and walked towards Shi'Kara.
 
"Told him to come meet me in town, so assuming he could hear me he'll be around." Solomon nodded with a friendly smile.

"Neil's a bit drained but not injured. Cassidy's takin' care of him. They'll turn up sooner or later. We gotta think of somethin' to do about that nest Neil mentioned...assuming he's right and it even exists, of course. Between you and me, miss, I hope he's wrong." He chuckled dryly and took a big gulp of his gin. "Elbridge got some nasty cuts but between your care and Alfred's he's got nothin' to worry about."

Solomon paused, resting his gaze on Shi'Kara. The fact that she was an elf was one thing; her unique appearance was another. Still,, she wasn't like the savages in the wilderness; while he didn't trust her - there were few people that he did - he wasn't particularly suspicious of her either. "You alright?" he asked, his fatherly side coming out. "That 'greenhorn' caused quite a blast. Seems he has some odd tricks up his sleeve. Is yer hearin' ok? No injuries or aches?"
 
"As long as no infection sets in, I think Elbridge will be fine. Problem is that he'll try to get up and about before he should. I ain't gonna let him do that if I have to bolt him to that bed myself." Shi'Kara took drink of her Scotch. "That whipper snapper better not throw any more of those explosives too close to towns folk. And the damage he caused to the forest..." Shi'Kara lips twisted into a snarl. "Those city folk think nothing of what their contraptions do. Next time he does some idiotic crap like that and hurts someone again, he may be taught a lesson." She quickly regained her composure as she downed more Scotch. She then registered that he had asked how she was doing. "Oh I'm fine. I was far enough away that it did not effect me too much."

Doctor Simmons walked down the stairs and up to the bar. "He'll be up and about in no time. Just keep an eye on him for a bit. Can't stay, I'm afraid. I have to go back and keep an eye on that little'un. Just call me if you have any issues." Simmons tipped his hat and walked out the door.

"Well, at least that's handled." Shi'Kara finished her Scotch and reached out with her telekinetic abilities to grab the rest of the bottle.
 
"Thanks for letting her stay here. She needs a good rest after that spook." Neil could only nod at Cassidy's comment regarding the adamantine tiger "I'll be there in a hot minute, just let me make a quick detour." The young man gave his horse one more pat before heading off to the edge of the town center. It was a small building, with a large bucket of water, filled seemingly with the runoff of rainwater from the roof. It was where Neil had taken up residence for the time being--a small dwelling with only 2 basic rooms, one for sleeping and one for living. At the back was a shelf containing several more canteens. It was not the first time he had lost one, and it almost certainly wouldn't be the last. The young man grabbed one of the canteens, filled it from the basin outside, and headed to the direction of the tavern.

Neil had never liked the inside of taverns. It smelled sour, like a river south of an outhouse. It was always noisy, and it felt stifling from all the warm bodies that were usually present. He had never understood why so many people found these appealing. It didn't take long to find the old sheriff, drinking away the troubles of this morning.
"Greetings sheriff. Thanks again for your help this morning."
Neil started as he sat down at the same table
 
Cassidy moseyed through the swinging doors a few minutes after Neil arrived, with one less shotgun and one less hat. She saw the majority of the group gathered up around one of the larger ends of the bar with a table drawn near to allow room for everyone to converse a bit easier. "Glad everyone managed to make it here more or less intact." Cassidy said, pulling one of the chairs across the floor to rest near the table nearby. "Judging as I ain't seen a black wagon and no one is almost crying, I'm guessing that Elbridge is at the least stable." She finished, sitting a bit more upright. "Now I know that the saloon is a place to forget ones issues usually, but hopefully now that Neil ain't whiter than a newborn sand snake, we can get something more solid about what in tarnation is happening out there." Cassidy finished, leaning on the table slightly.
 
Surveying those gathered, Solomon wished that the greenhorn had arrived, but they may as well begin planning now. "Right. Neil, I reckon you'll know more about landsharks than me." He'd only seen bullettes in the wilderness, and he'd always steered clear. Their encounter earlier today just reinforced how dangerous one can be, and a nest of them could seriously threaten the town - his town. He'd never forgive himself if he just ignored this possible threat, but he needed more information. If anyone could teach him about wild monsters, it was Neil. "Assuming there is a nest, how do we find it? How do we clear 'em out?"
 
Riding into town astride his horse, a dark gray creature of some breed, Karst's head panned from side to side, as he attempted to locate the place he was told to meet up with those rather odd people. He couldn't quite remember the name, but he figured it'd stand out if he saw it. After about ten minutes of riding down the main street, he figured it was a lost cause, and decided to see what the bar had, and if they'd be interested in buying some of the alcohols he could manufacture. After dismounting from his equine companion, and tying the reins to a post securely, he swiftly strides into the bar and makes his way up to the bar, looking for the bartender.
 
"Hey Sheriff!" Shi'Kara barely avoided snarling her lip at the newcomer as she walked behind the bar. "The greenhorn has arrived." She looked him over for a moment, as if searching for something. "If you have any of those explosive things on you, get them the hell out of my bar. And whatever you do..." She reached over the bar and grabbed the front of his shirt with a menacing glare. "Don't you ever hurt any of my people again, you hear? Next time, the Sheriff might not be around to make sure I don't gut you." She then pushed him away, towards the table the others were sitting at.
 
"Alex!"

Elbridge jerked up. Sitting and sweating in the dark. Eyes wild. He breathed raspily twice, then one deep inhale.

He closed his eyes and held the breath. Then slowly exhaled through his nose.

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and leaned back, head resting against the wall as he looked up at the ceiling. "Its just a dream. War's long over." He inhaled again and sat up proper and lit the small candle on the small nightstand. "And there aint no rail here," he stared at the flame flickering strongly in the windowless room.

"And no devils neither," he whispered as he stood up and looked at the bloodstains on the floor and the remains of his shirt and jacket. He sighed and shook his head and reached for a hat that wasn't on the hook on the wall. At that he chuckled. He grabbed his duster and swung it over his shirtless back with stiff effort and left his room and shut the door behind him.

The candle burned strongly for another second.

Then it snuffed out with an echo of a chuckle.

---------

Elbridge leaned against the wall. Trying to hide from the eyes of Shi'kara as he walked around the edge of the establishment. He slowly walked his way down the stairs, winced as he tipped the pianowoman, and shuffled over to the bar dropping coins on the bar as he reached behind it to grab a bottle of scotch.
 
Neil slowly nodded his head at the comments of both Solomon and Cassidy. He took a large swig from the canteen he had brought in, and shook his head afterward. It seemed as though a cloud removed itself from his eyes when he did so.
"There's a couple of reasons why a creature would chase so far out. It could be desperate for food, which I dare say is not the case after looking at the thing. It could be a young'n trying to settle new territory, but it didn't look like a small critter, so I reckon that's not the case either." The young man took another drink from his canteen. His gaze had not left the table in front of him, simply looking down as his mind pondered over all the information he had. "The only other thing I can reckon is there's a nest nearby where the beast attacked me. As for how to deal with it . . . I'll be honest I can't think of much off the top of my head. I usually stay safe by avoiding those types of creatures."
 
Straightening himself up, Karst resettles his pack, and turns to Shi'kara. "Fair enough. But in the future," he says, "Please ask about the explosives before trying to throw me around the place." As an after thought, realizing that his statement may have been a tad rude, he adds, "Not that I begrudge you for doing so, its just that, since i'd be carrying such things, I'd very much like to stay un-explosively expanded at as much as you'd like this bar to stay the same."
 
"Get your caboose to the table and sit your haunches down." Shi'Kara did mentally note to check for explosives next time in the event that he screwed up again and she needed to cut his throat. "They are discussing our little bullete problem, which brought us into contact with you." She quickly walked from behind the bar back over to the table. "Lady and gents, the greenhorn has arrived that nearly blew us into oblivion..."

It was as she walked that she saw Elbridge has sneaked downstairs and was currently downing Scotch. "Elbridge! I told you to stay upstairs until you were healed up enough!" Her quick steps rushed towards Elbridge, her face cracking into a visage of worry for a moment.
 
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