Without law 9, p.2
Without Law 9, page 2
“Alright,” Anna said.
“Just keep him comfortable,” Marla said. “I’ll check on him every hour or so today.”
“Thank you, Marla,” I told the woman. “I know animals aren’t your specialty, but I appreciate it regardless.”
“Yeah,” Bailey said in a soft voice. “Thank you, Marla.”
“Of course, dear,” Marla said with a pat on Bailey’s shoulder and a smile.
“We should move him to the laundry room,” Paige suggested. “With the stove in there it will be nice and warm for him.”
“Good idea,” Marla agreed.
“Let me go make a bed for him,” Bailey said, and she ran upstairs.
“She’s pretty upset,” Marla said once Bailey was out of ear shot.
“I know,” I said. “She has every right to be.”
“She does,” Marla said. “But he should make a full recovery, so let’s try not to let her get too down.”
“I appreciate the concern,” I told her with a smile.
Bailey returned a moment later with Rolly, Betty, and an arm full of blankets.
“How’s he doing?” Betty asked as she and Rolly came to see Winchester.
“I was just telling Tav that he should make a full recovery,” Marla said.
“What happened?” Rolly asked.
“He took on a gray wolf,” I said.
“Wow,” Rolly said and he whistled low. “Quite the fighter, isn’t he?”
“That he is,” I chuckled. “He is a soldier, remember?”
“You ran into wolves today?” Betty asked with concern.
“Yeah,” I said. “A whole pack of them.”
“That can’t be good,” Betty said.
“It’s not,” I agreed. “Everyone needs to be careful in the woods right now. A pack of hungry wolves won’t think twice about attacking a small group of us. These didn’t even run when we started shooting at them.”
“Alright,” Rolly said. “I made some coffee if you’d like some.”
“I would love a cup,” I said. “Then I’ll head out and finish up the chores for the day.”
“We’ll help,” Cathy said from the stairs. “Sorry, we overheard what happened.”
“Is Winchester okay?” Joanna asked.
“He’s going to be alright,” Marla said.
“Okay,” Bailey said as she came out of the laundry room. “His bed is ready.”
I gently scooped up the black headed dog and walked him into the laundry room. Bailey had set up a bed in front of the wood stove, so I laid him down there.
The blonde sat next to him and Winchester laid his head in her lap.
“Good boy,” Bailey cooed. “You are soooo brave. Awww, we love you so much. Such a good boy.”
“We’re going to be right out here for a minute,” I said. “Then we’re going to finish up chores.”
“Okay,” Bailey said, then she bit her lip. “Is it okay if I stay with Winchester today? I’ll do extra chores tomorrow.”
“Bailey,” I said softly. “You don’t need to do extra anything.”
“Yeah,” Paige said. “Stay and keep him company.”
“Let us know if you need anything,” Anna said.
“Thanks,” the blonde said with a small smile. “I just don’t want to leave him alone.”
“Okay,” I said. “Marla will be inside if you need anything, okay?”
“Alright,” the blonde agreed, and we all left her alone with her dog.
“Here.” Rolly handed me a cup of coffee as I took a seat on the couch.
“Thanks, old timer,” I said as I took the mug of hot liquid.
Rolly passed out coffee to everyone else as well, and we all sat in silence for a moment and sipped the hot, bitter liquid.
“What are we going to do about the wolves?” Anna asked.
“We can’t have them around with the livestock,” I said. “They’ll probably come back once they establish who the new alpha is.”
“You think they’ll be back?” Paige asked with wide eyes.
“I do,” I said. “Wolves don’t give up easily.”
“They’re tricky little bastards,” Betty muttered.
“We had a problem with a pack roaming around about a decade ago,” Marla said.
“We lost three cows that year,” Betty said with a nod.
“Everyone needs to be careful in the woods,” I said again.
We all finished our coffee in silence, and I went to check on Bailey once more before we headed out to finish up the chores.
“Hey,” I said as I made my way into the laundry room.
“Hey,” Bailey said.
“How’s he doing?” I asked.
“He seems okay,” the blonde said with a shrug.
“He’s going to be alright,” I assured her.
“I know,” Bailey sighed. “I just wish he wasn’t hurt.”
“I do, too,” I said and I sat down by her. “But he was trying to protect us, and I’m proud and grateful for him.”
“He’s such a good boy,” Bailey said, and I saw a single tear roll down her cheek.
“He is,” I agreed and I wiped the tear away.
“I should have been there,” Bailey said with a frown.
“Don’t blame yourself,” I told her. “There’s nothing you could have done, and even if there was, it’s over now. We just have to deal with what’s going on.”
“I know you’re right,” the blonde said. “It just makes me so sad to see him like this.”
I didn’t say anything, I just pulled Bailey against me and let her cry into my shoulder for a moment.
“It’s all going to be okay,” I told her after she had calmed down.
“Thanks,” she said with a small smile. “Will you bring him something to eat after you guys are done with chores?”
“Of course,” I said and I kissed her forehead. “We’ll be back soon.”
I headed out into the living room, threw on my winter jacket, and met the rest of the group outside.
“How is she?” Tara asked.
“About as good as I expected,” I said.
“Poor Bailey,” Tara said with a frown.
“Poor Winchester,” Paige said.
“Yeah,” Tara said. “We’ve been through a lot of shit, and I know he’s going to be okay, but I can’t stop worrying about him.”
“We’ll get through this,” I said. “For now, let’s get our chores done.”
“Alright,” Anna agreed. “I’ll go check traps. Jeff, Donna, can you help Jenny and Dan get the cows put away and fed?”
“Of course,” Donna said.
“We’ll collect the eggs and feed the chickens,” Cathy offered, and Joanna nodded her agreement.
“Great,” I said. “Paige, Tara, can you two take care of the horses?”
“Got it,” Tara said.
“I’ll help Anna check traps,” I said.
“We can chop some wood,” Mike offered.
“Yeah,” Justin agreed.
“That’d be great,” I said. “Thanks, guys.”
“Okay,” Anna said. “There are wolves in the woods so be careful and head back inside once you’re done with your chores.”
The group nodded and headed off in different directions. I followed Anna through the tree line and into the woods toward our traps.
“I feel so bad about Winchester,” Anna said as we walked. “We need to cheer Bailey up.”
“I don’t know if that’s possible right now,” I said. “She needs to be able to feel upset.”
“I know,” the redhead sighed. “But seeing her like that just breaks my heart.”
“You’re a good friend,” I told her. “And a good leader.”
“Thanks,” the redhead said with a blush.
“I bet we can convince Tara and Betty to cook up something special for dinner,” I suggested.
“Good idea,” Anna said with a smile. “And I’m sure we still have some Riesling left. That’s Bailey’s favorite, isn’t it?”
“It is,” I agreed. “Good idea.”
“Maybe we can bring Winchester out into the living room for a while, too,” Anna said. “That way Bailey isn’t cooped up in there all day.”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” I told the redhead.
“I did have something else on my mind, too,” Anna said, and she bit her lip.
“What’s wrong?” I asked seriously.
“Those wolves,” Anna said. “Something felt strange about them.”
“How so?” I asked. I wanted to see what the redhead had noticed.
“Well,” she started. “It almost seemed like they were trying to get us instead of the cows. Maybe they were trying to get rid of us first before they tried to eat, but it just felt strange.”
“They did seem far more interested in us.”
“Yeah,” Anna said.
“But I think you’re right,” I told her. “They knew they needed to get rid of us before they could get a good kill.”
“I’m sure that’s right,” Anna said with a nod. “But it was still unsettling.”
“Anytime you deal with a creature like that it should be unsettling,” I said. “I’d be more concerned if you weren’t fazed at all.”
“I guess that’s true,” the redhead chuckled.
“We’ll deal with them soon,” I told her.
“Good,” Anna said. “Fuck wolves.”
“I agree,” I laughed. “Fuck wolves.”
Anna and I checked the traps and got two rabbits and two fish. Then we carried our score back to the dorm room and threw them into the smoker.
Soon everyone was back from chores and gathered in the living room. The morning craziness of Winchester and the wolves had set us back some, and it had already begun to grow dark outside as everyone returned.
“Tara,” Anna said as the platinum blonde took a seat.
“What’s up?” Tara asked.
“Can you make something special for dinner tonight?” Anna asked.
“You guys trying to cheer Bailey up?” the platinum blonde asked with amusement.
“Yes,” I said.
“Well, I had already planned on it,” Tara chuckled.
“Awesome,” Anna said. “And I was going to get her some wine, too.”
“You mean some Riesling?” Tara asked, and she pulled a bottle out of her backpack. “It’s her favorite.”
“And we grabbed Winchester something to eat,” Paige said, and she pulled out a nice deer leg from her bag.
“Thank you,” I said. “I forgot to grab him something on our way back.”
“We got you covered,” Tara said with a wink.
“I grabbed a few things to make a nice dessert for her too,” Betty said with a soft smile.
“You all are wonderful,” I told the ladies.
“We know,” Tara said with a wide smile. “Now let’s open this wine.”
Tara had grabbed several bottles, and she poured drinks for everyone.
“Let’s move Winchester and Bailey out here,” Anna said.
“Just be careful with him,” Marla said. “I’d hate for him to bite you because he’s in pain.”
“He tried earlier,” I laughed. “When I first picked him up.”
“He didn’t get you, did he?” Marla asked. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I’m fine,” I assured her. “He didn’t draw any blood. I know he was scared.”
“Alright,” Marla said. “But you tell me next time.”
“Scout’s honor,” I agreed.
“I’d like to make something for tonight’s dinner if that’s okay,” Briar said, and we all looked to him. The old farmer was always grumpy and rarely spoke up.
“I’m sure everyone would love that,” I said.
Briar didn’t respond, just gave a slight nod.
I headed into the laundry room to get Winchester.
“What’s going on?” Bailey asked.
“We’re going to cook dinner,” Paige said.
“Yeah, so you gotta go,” Tara teased.
“But,” Bailey started, and her eyes were big with emotion. “But it’s warm in here for Winchester.”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “He’ll be plenty warm in the living room for now.”
“We won’t take too long cooking,” Betty assured the blonde.
“And we brought you wine,” Tara said and she handed Bailey the cup.
“And Winchester has a bone waiting for him,” Anna said.
“Well, alright,” Bailey agreed. “Can someone help me move his bed?”
“Of course,” Paige said.
I scooped up the black headed dog once more and the girls grabbed his bedding and moved it to the living room. I set Winchester down on his bed and Bailey sat beside him once more.
“How’s he doing?” Kimmy, the newest member of our group, asked as she took a seat on the couch.
“He’s okay,” Bailey said. “He hasn’t moved much, though.”
“That’s normal,” Marla assured the blonde with a small smile.
Baby Anthony pushed away from Kimmy’s chest and tried to make his way toward Winchester. He was getting closer to a year and over the course of winter he had begun to be far more adventurous.
“No baby,” Kimmy cooed, but the boy whined and pushed against her once more.
“He’s at that age,” Marla laughed.
“It’s like he wants nothing to do with me,” Kimmy sighed.
“He still loves you,” Cathy said. “But at this age they just want to explore.”
The women continued to chat about child rearing while I watched Bailey gently stroke Winchester’s head.
“Here,” Paige said as she handed Bailey the deer leg.
“You want some food, boy?” Bailey asked, and she held the leg in front of his nose.
Winchester sniffed the food, but made no move to take it.
“He’s not eating,” Bailey said with a panicked voice. “Why isn’t he eating?”
“He’s just sore,” Marla said. “His neck hurts a lot right now.”
“Is there something we can give him to help with the pain?” Bailey asked with a frown.
“Not really,” Marla said. “But I could give him some benadryl to help him sleep.”
“Would that be good for him?” Bailey asked.
“It might help him get some rest,” Marla said with a nod.
“One of our dogs a long time ago got attacked by a bear,” Justin said. “And Marla fixed him right up. Don’t worry, Bailey, Winchester will be just fine.”
“Thanks,” Bailey said, and a small smile crossed her face.
“Quit pouting and drink some wine!” Tara called from the laundry room.
“Alright, alright,” Bailey chuckled, and she put the cup to her lips.
“Now how about a game?” Paige suggested.
“What did you have in mind?” Anna asked.
“Candy Land,” Paige said with a grin.
“I do love Candy Land,” Bailey said quietly.
“I know,” Paige laughed. “Come on, let’s play.”
“Can we get Winchester the benadryl first?” the blonde asked.
“Of course, dear,” Marla said with a pat on her shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”
“And I’ll set up the board,” Paige said.
I sipped my wine as Paige set up the board game and Marla retrieved some benadryl for Winchester. Bailey was obviously still upset, but I could tell that she knew the girls were trying to cheer her up, so she did her best to smile and play along, though she never left Winchester’s side.
We played a game of Candy Land while Tara, Betty, and Briar cooked dinner. I made sure to keep Bailey’s wine cup full, and soon Winchester was fast asleep from the medicine and Bailey scooted closer to the coffee table.
I think everyone was more concerned about her than they were about Winchester. We all loved the dog, and we felt bad for him, but Marla assured us that he would make a full recovery, and I trusted her completely.
She had proven herself a valuable person to have around even before winter, but with winter came colds and fevers, and Marla had stepped up and made sure everyone was healthy. She had kept a good eye on Kimmy, who was extraordinarily thin when she had arrived, and now the young woman was thriving along with her infant son.
“Dinner’s ready!” Betty announced as she walked out of the laundry room carrying a large pot.
“It smells delicious,” Jeff said. “What is it?”
“You’ll have to ask Briar,” the old woman said with a raised brow.
“I thought you were making something to go along with dinner,” I laughed. “I didn’t realize you made the whole thing.”
“I had help,” Briar said.
“So what is it?” Kimmy asked.
“It’s my famous chili,” Briar answered.
“And cornbread,” Tara said as she carried two large pans to the coffee table.
“This looks amazing,” Bailey said. “Thank you all for cooking.”
“Yes,” I said. “Thank you.”
“Chili always cheers me up,” Briar said with a shrug.
“Briar makes the best chili,” Justin said with a wide grin.
“It’s true,” Marla agreed. “He won the county fair three times.”
“Three times?” Anna asked with a raised brow. “Oh, now my expectations are high.”
“It’s not exactly the same recipe that I used at the fair,” Briar said.
“No,” Betty agreed. “But I tried it. It’s better.”
“Awww, shucks,” the old man laughed.
“I wasn’t sure that was possible,” Marla chuckled. “I’ve been trying to get the old goat to give me his recipe for years.”
“Oh, we didn’t get the recipe,” Tara said.
“Weren’t you watching him cook?” Marla asked with a frown.
“He made us turn away,” Betty said dryly.
“Briar,” Marla teased. “I’m going to get that recipe one day.”
“I’ll leave it for you in my will,” the old man joked.
“I can’t wait to try this famous chili any longer,” Rolly chuckled. “May I have a bowl please?”
“Of course,” Betty said, and she gave Rolly a kiss on the cheek.
“Let’s serve the lads first,” Rolly said with a gesture at Frank and Mitch.
