At first it went on cool, like Aloe vera to the skin or soothing eye drops. Kitty sighed in relief, rubbing the Peyote button on her other eye while squeezing it. Her HUD cleansed itself of the blinking red debuff and she sat back against the wall of the shallow cave while her eyes ceased their pains. Then came the lightning bolt. Her teeth clicked closed as her spine convulsed and she had to bite her tongue to avoid crying out in pain. It passed quickly, leaving Kitty breathing hard while Nels looked on in concern. She glanced up at him, colors streaking slightly in the background.

  “Holy shhhh . . .” She stopped, staring up at Nels. He had a strange sparkling outline, dancing jets of yellow light coursing all around him at a slight distance. She waved her hand at them, seeing that she too had an outline. Hers was jet black, with flickers of every color she knew dancing through it. Looking back, she realized she could see Earl’s green outline without being able to see him, a solid wall of rock between the two. A vibrant green buff was present on her HUD, a set of wide eyes with glowing lines radiating from them. A debuff was directly beside it, a lolling dry tongue hanging from a panting mouth, and Kitty watched her thirst bar to notice it was ticking down significantly faster than normal.

  Doing her best to ignore the floaty feeling that seemed to be attempting a coup in her brain, she scrambled to her feet and stared directly down. She could see the outlines of six men, four of whom were solid red outlines, with dancing sparkles of yellow mixed in. They were clustered off to the side around a prostrate solid green outline. The sixth was significantly larger than the others, with a swirling black and red outline. Kitty shuddered, remembering the cannibal.

  “Nels,” Kitty gasped. She staggered slightly, gripping his shoulder for support. “We should always do drugs.”

  He grinned in reply, and they moved outside. Her head began to clear as she crouched and gestured for Earl and Nels to crouch beside her. They formed a triangle, all on their haunches, ready to move if needed. Kitty stared into the distance for a few moments before speaking, watching thick clouds moving in as the wind picked up.

  “Six men, down below.” She glanced between the men, looking away from each when they nodded their understanding. “I think their fire is directly below us. I’m going to drop some drugs down the crack into it, it should help us storm the place. Mitchel is alive, but not for long. It looks like they’re talking about what to do with him.”

  “Storm the place?” Earl scowled.

  “Yeah. I want to take our bounties alive. You boys should be able to wing the others if you aim, should be four of em. Watch out for the big guy, he’s dangerous up close.” She thought about it for a second, making a revision. “Okay, wait we don’t know where the cave mouth is . . . first you guys go find the entrance. Sneak around and get back to me. If I hear gunfire I’ll come runnin’.”

  “Good enough for me.” Nels grinned and scooted off, moving in a crouch as he descended the trail.

  “If you’re sure.” Earl nodded at her uneasily. He then turned and followed Nels.

  Kitty reached into her satchel and produced the bundle of Chamomile. Smiling to herself, she began shredding it, pulling apart all the flowers, stems, and stalks. Once that was complete, she bundled the herbs up in a small pile next to the crack in the floor. After taking a swig from her canteen to top up her water bar again, she dribbled some water over the herbs, to ensure they would smoke when they burned. Just a few minutes after she was done preparing, Nels returned.

  “Found it, Miss Kitty. Ground level, swamp side. Was covered with branches.” He popped a bit of cocaine gum into his mouth after whispering. Noticing her staring, she shrugged. “The gum helps me aim, gives me confidence. I like to do this drug.”

  Kitty smiled at him. “Let’s all do drugs.” She shoved the herb pile into the crack.

  As they scuttled away from the ridge top, Kitty heard faint shouts of confusion start from below them. Nels led her to the branches and she pushed past, slipping inside a sandy cave. It was wide and tall, a gaping chasm in the rock not unlike stepping into an egg. A makeshift stable was at one end, and three horses nickered at them from the planks and boards driven into the ground. Loose sand filled the room ahead, which sloped slightly down and led into a tunnel at the back.

  Kitty scowled at the length of rope on the sand behind her, extending from one wall of the entrance to the other, but didn’t have time to wonder what it was for, as the sounds of enemy encroachment drew her attention. Their shouts filtered up from the tunnel and seemed to be getting closer. Kitty could see the auras of four men advancing from underground.

  “What the hell is that smoke!?”

  “It’s so relaxing!”

  “EEEEUh! I can’t stop yawnin’!”

  “It smells like my granny’s tea!”

  Nels hugged the wall and moved into the cave further, positioning himself behind modest cover at the makeshift stables. He only hid behind a ramshackle hitching post, but he kept the horses between himself and where the enemy posse would be coming from. Earl stuck close to Kitty, who stood in front of the exit, double barrel held casually at her side.

  Jacob entered the cave, skidding to a stop in the sand with his eyes wide as he saw Kitty blocking the exit. She winked at him as his three new friends piled in behind him. They each wore floor length black shotgun coats, and had revolvers slung from their waistbands. Kitty noticed that Jacob’s exposed hand was empty aside from burn scars, but he kept his other hand hidden behind his back.

  “Think they’re with that lawman?”

  “I get her shotgun!”

  The last one to enter the cave stopped to lean on the wall, yawning widely. Jacob turned back to look and had to stifle a yawn with the back of his hand. “Dammit, stop yawning, it’s contagious,” he crowed.

  Kitty looked around, wondering where Abraham was, then she noticed his aura moving slowly below them through the cave system. He wasn’t close to them, or Mitchel’s prostrate aura, but he was moving closer to the man as Kitty stared.

  “What’s -UUHH!- wrong with her? She’s just staring at the dirt.” One of the thugs jerked his chin towards her, easing his hand to brush his revolver clear of his coat after stifling a short yawn.

  “Oh sorry. Forgot about you guys,” Kitty said with a titter. Then she swung her legs wide and pointed a finger forward dramatically. “I’ve come for Jacob. The rest of you stand down or hand him over, I have no quarrel with you today. Jacob, you come quiet now.”

  Jacob stared at her, moving a wispy shock of hair out of his face, exposing a wide streak of burn scars rising from his neck. “You’re law now? I hate the law . . .”

  “Oh really? Super interesting. That some philosophical thing? Don’t answer, I don’t care. The feeling appears to be mutual, as there’s a hell of a price on your head.” Kitty shrugged at the man.

  “Why don’t y’all just kindly fuck off?” Jacob asked, in character. He made a face. “Other option, I feed ya to my dog.” Jacob stifled another yawn against the back of his wrist.

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  The goons on either side of him glanced at their leader but said nothing. Each of the three was beginning to look twitchy though. No one seemed to have noticed Nels yet, hidden behind the horses as he was.

  “Hey, short stuff,” Kitty said. When the slight statured man she indicated glared at her, she nodded. “Yeah you. Any iron leaves leather and I cut you in half first.” She hefted the shotgun, cradling it in her arms. “Earl, you shoot anyone but that skinny bastard if any of em so much as look at us funny.”

  Jacob backed up a single step, keeping his arm behind him as he looked over his thugs. “Our deal stands, boys. I’ll teach you what I’ve learned if you protect and serve. Just consider this a bonus; you guys can keep their stuff.” His voice was pleasant, if a bit wheedling. His thugs’ attitudes changed immediately at his words.

  The one in front glanced at his friends, and all three of them started to move.

  Time seemed to slow down for Kitty, as Nels fired to her right. His bullet sparked off the stone wall behind the lead man as his gun left its holster, and the man slumped to his knees, most of the top of his head spattered against Shorty. A cloud of black powder smoke rolled over the men that remained, sparkling faintly to Kitty. The man’s friends on either side went wide eyed but drew down on Kitty and Earl anyway.

  It was like they were moving in slow motion, auras shifting around their limbs. Kitty dropped to a knee as she tucked her shotgun into her shoulder and caressed the first trigger. More sparkling smoke thrust from her gun to wash over the men in a wave as Shorty fell over backwards with a scream. He clutched at his hand and yowled in pain. Kitty heard a series of sharp snaps come from behind the horses and turned her head in time to see Nels raise the trapdoor rifle to his shoulder and aim. She shouted for him to stop, but far too late as he shot the shorter man directly in his open mouth, cutting off his scream with a third burst of black powder.

  Earl had the last man cold and took a few aggressive steps forward while cocking and firing his revolver three times. The man fell back against the cave wall gasping. Earl only hit with one of his shots, and it blew a chunk of leather and viscera from the thug’s shoulder. The man shuffled at his shotgun coat, trying desperately to dislodge his own revolver, but the thick material proved uncooperative and he shot himself in the leg instead.

  Jacob’s hidden hand came around from behind his back and Kitty’s eyes went wide as she started running in his direction. His hand was warped and twisted, several of the fingers torn loose or broken into unnatural positions by her shotgun blast. He had a jagged edged hunting knife wired into his mostly closed fist, and a double barrel sawed off shotgun strapped to his forearm.

  The gun’s stock had been removed entirely, replaced by the basket hilt from a cavalry saber. The entire contraption was in place upside down, allowing Jacob to pull the covered triggers easily at the crook of his elbow. Kitty tackled Earl as the first barrel went off, tearing into her left arm. She grunted in pain as she rolled over Earl and leaned her double barrel over his back. Squinting, she squeezed the nail trigger and let the gun jump out of her hands.

  Jacob grinned as the blast went wide and turned back to cover his last hired thug, reaching back to the basket hilt for his second trigger. Nels stepped around the horses at that point, his rifle reloaded and tucked up to his shoulder. He fired it at the same time as Jacob, and both men’s guns filled the cave with more black powder smoke, which now hung thick in the air.

  Nels winged him, a splash of blood spattering from Jacobs neck onto the stone wall behind him. Jacob blew off Earl’s hat, causing the man to hunch into the fetal position as Kitty struggled to her feet behind him. Her peyote was officially wearing off, nothing seemed glittery or shiny anymore, it was all gun smoke and blood. The buff was gone from her HUD, a red bleed debuff now slowly blinking in its place.

  Scrambling to his feet, Earl lifted his revolver and screamed a curse at Jacob’s retreating back, stumbling into a sprint after him.

  “Earl! Nels! Wait!” Kitty did her best, but Earl was gone, lunging heedless down the narrow tunnel. Nels and Kitty both flinched when a resounding steel clang echoed up from the tunnel. A second passed, and Earl began to keen. “Nels, get him back up here and watch that tunnel. I’ll get him patched up if I can.” She began reloading her shotgun. “We don’t kill prisoners, Nels. Try and remember that.”

  Nels nodded once, his eyes narrowing. “Yes Miss Kitty.” He vanished into the dark with his repeater handgun out, returning within a few seconds, dragging Earl by his collar. Once the man was deposited in front of Kitty, Nels popped the hatch on his rifle and fished a new shell from his jacket pocket, depositing it in the breach and slapping the hatch closed. He cocked the rifle and went to a knee against the wall nearest the tunnel, keeping his eyes out for danger.

  Earl whimpered on the ground in front of Kitty, an oversized steel bear trap clamped solidly over his leg, below the knee. He had three large teeth from the trap sunk into his leg, and Kitty could see blood oozing from the wound freely. If she opened the trap, he would bleed out in no time. He grit his teeth as she gently moved his leg to look at the other side of the wound.

  “Earl, you’re in a bad way. You bring any hooch?” Kitty asked. She looked down at the man severely, her expression brooking no dishonesty.

  “Yes . . . y-yes. I’m s-sorry Kit . . . in my c-coat pocket,” Earl groaned. He fumbled weakly at the pocket he meant, his hands not answering his commands fully.

  “Hey!” She slapped him once, hard. “You’re going into shock. Stay awake, focus on me. You start passing out again, I’ll have to squeeze your leg.” She fished out the small bottle of booze and tore out the cork with her teeth, holding the bottle to his lips and pouring some in when he managed to open his mouth a little.

  Next she grabbed the Herbs and Medicine tome from her satchel and started flipping through the pages. Nothing in it covered this exact scenario, but a few different pages added up to what she needed. Crushing damage to an extremity, large lacerations, and stopping a bleed.

  Nels’ rifle went off, jerking Kitty from her book in time to see him being dragged off into the depths of the cave with a piteous wail, the shadow of a hulking man vanishing an instant before her friend. Abraham had made his appearance finally, and she could hear his brute strength come into play as a solid thump stopped Nels’ screaming.

  “Shit. Nels, hang in there! I’m comin’!” Kitty yelled. She fished in her satchel and produced one of her advanced fire bottles, yanking the pin and tossing it directly into the ceiling above the tunnel. It burst in a flaming shower that spooked the horses and covered the entrance to the lower caves in dripping fire. As long as it lasted, she could work on Earl in peace.

  She undid Earl’s belt and yanked it free, sliding it into a tourniquet around his leg just above the knee. Then she grabbed her sewing kit and slid the small cardboard box open. Inside were an arrangement of needles and two tiny spools of thread. Kitty bent one of the needles into a rough curve, and then threaded it, before turning back to Earl.

  “Earl, this is gonna hurt like hell,” Kitty told the NPC. You can pass out if you like, but you better bite down on this first.” She handed him the shotgun and lifted the strap up to his mouth. “Get ready.”

  Kitty grabbed both ends of the bear trap and heaved, pulling the teeth from his leg as the metal springs squalled in protest. Earl bit down and grunted in pain, but kept his leg still for her, even pulling back when he felt it come free of the teeth. Blood began pooling under him again, and Kitty went to work. Her skinning knife was out in a flash and she cut the denim material away from the largest wound, before dropping her knife and grabbing the needle and thread. Once she punched through his skin the first time, it was actually pretty easy to close up the wound.

  She recited what the book had told her, reading it again from its position at her side in the sand. “Lacerations require a needle and thread. Patch up the wound, and the bleeding will slow, finally requiring a bandage to fully stem.” A package deposited itself in her satchel, the sudden weight now familiar and exciting.

  Kitty smiled, muttering to herself. “Pretty sure this would be more complex.”

  “Wha . . . wha?” Earl’s head lolled as he tried to look at her.

  “Nothin’ Earl, hush up now.” She kept working, closing each of his hideous leg wounds with a few stitches each. After that she wrapped each with a simple bandage. “Right. Next is crush damage. Apply a splint and ensure your patient gets plenty of rest.” Kitty cast about, looking for anything she could use to make a splint. “Ah!”

  A few careless kicks had the horses’ hitching post in fragments. It looked like it had been part of a wagon at some point, possibly the buckboard. Busted up, it was just planks, and perfect for her cause. Kitty returned to Earl and set a board on either side of his leg, wrapping it tightly with bandages. She kept glancing at the tunnel, as the fire bottle drippings were quickly fading. Shoving Earl up against the wall of the cave a bit more, she slapped him once to wake him up.

  “Here. Drink some more of this.” Holding the flask up to his mouth seemed to liven him up a little, and the man took a long pull. When he breathed it out, his eyes were somewhat more focused.

  “Look straight ahead,” Kitty directed him. “You see that tunnel? If anyone but Nels, Mitchel, or myself come out of there you blast em.” She steadied the shotgun for him and pulled back both hammers. “Just make damn sure it ain't us.”

  Earl nodded, taking a few deep breaths to steady himself. “I got it, Kit. Go get ‘em back,” Earl said. He was pale, but clear eyed.