Trespassing, and Other Such Deplorable Crimes

[Guest boshmi]

(ooc: I have no excuse I am just very absent-minded ha)

 

Brendan had hit the nail on the head in considering José reluctant to lead in this situation. He didn't want conflict on his hands, not after only just arriving. Being chased out of town would put him right back where he had started.

 

"He's too uppity for a farmer. That's why we don't like 'im."

 

"Uppity?" José repeated. He was unfamiliar with the word, but given their opponent's holier-than-thou demeanor, he could make some inference to its meaning. He didn't quite understand what the local attitudes were like yet, but all this posturing over range conflicts and armed cattlemen were quickly painting a vivid picture.

 

He moved Loretta forward until he could comfortably speak with Brendan without raising his voice. "What's the plan, amigo?" he mumbled under his breath to Brendan. José's hand still rested on his gunbelt, but he wanted some idea of his colleague's intentions before making a move.

@Wayfarer@Bailey

[Aurelian Redmond]

The one cowpoke stood up in his stirrups slightly and called, "Looky, mister, we're gettin' rid of the cows! All right? They didn't do nothin' to your place this time!"

 

"That's true. This time. I'm not stopping you, am I. I don't want any trouble, it's you folks who always end up on my land not the other way around," Aurelian called back.

 

The second cowboy now moved close enough to his pard and they were saying something in low enough tones Aurelian had no idea what it was. The second one also had one hand on his gun belt which meant it was very close to the gun - if he was considering pulling it.  Aurelian decided he'd drop that one first, then dive for cover, reload and worry about the other more talkative one.

 

Hopefully it would not come to that. But it was impossible to forget that one of the Evergreen crew once tried to shoot Clara who had been unarmed, hanging up clothing, and chatting with another Evergreen hand. Bushwhacking cowards.

@Bailey  @boshmi

 

[Brendan Connolly]

Brendan squinted at Aurelian, keeping a tight hold of Fiona's reins. He considered José's question and gnawed on his lip. He didn't want to give José the impression that he was a coward by backing down, and he didn't want Aurelian to think that any of the Evergreen hands were pushovers. 

 

"Ah...we follow the cows. I ain't in the mood for a fight today," he finally replied to José, then raised his voice.

 

"We wouldn't be on your land if you weren't here," he called to Aurelian. "Count yourself lucky we ain't lookin' for trouble today either!"

 

With that, he turned Fiona and headed back toward the safety of Evergreen land. "C'mon, Martinez." He again had to turn his back on Aurelian, but he kept Fiona at a walk to present a facade of nonchalance. He risked a glance backwards to make sure that José was following him.

[Guest boshmi]

José couldn't say that he disagreed with Brendan's course of action, but he also couldn't quite say that it left him all that comfortable to turn his back on a man with gun. He lingered a moment, maybe a moment too long after Brendan turned Fiona, watching the armed farmer with some trepidation, until the hand at his gun belt finally relaxed, and he too brought his horse to bear.

 

He met Brendan's glance with a brief nod, as though to affirm that they were making the right choice, but felt the bead of that rifle on his back all the way to the fenceline, even as they pulled up on the placid cows that stood waiting for them. He too moved slowly and easily, but he felt tense, and the rise of adrenaline had not yet subsided.

 

"That was well handled." he told Brendan finally. "No one had to die there."

@Bailey@Wayfarer

[Aurelian Redmond]

ooc:  I don't know what else to add here for my part. Aurelian is content they're departing and shouting something further out would just be provocative on his part, which he definitely does not want to do.