Evenin' Sheriff

Chp.5: I Give My Thanks.

TODAY WAS the only day of the week when the outlaws of the Workhouse had some time off. And of course the two scandals were ready to make the most out of it; as they always had. Blue and Red had a habit of visiting an old secluded oasis during this small holiday.
It was quite the distance away, but they were lucky to have horses. It took about an hour to get there with their steeds, meaning if anyone dared to walk towards it in full health, the desert would have them before they'd even make it to the halfway mark. That's what made it so perfect; they were the only ones who knew about it. It was like their own private estate, made only for them.

Their journey came to an end once they saw the jutted out rock dancing against the wavy refraction against the hot desert. The ground had become noticeably higher, which was another clue as to their location. That, and their horses were noticeably more eager for a taste of water.

Climbing the small dune made hidden greenery slowly reveal itself. The hill being really just a concealed cliff, treasured waters pouring from the crevasses of rock. Below, was a large pond formed generously by the waterfall. The entire oasis was worked into a crater that had cut it off from the desert and made it all the more discrete. How it came to be that way was beyond the lads' minds, they were just glad to have it.

The two took another prolonged moment to gaze down at their vacation home before looking to each other with grins on their faces. They proceeded to walk their horses into the oasis, steering away from the waterfall for now and towards the sides of the crater. There, the ledges weren't as steep, nor slippery.

Tying their horses loosely by a kept patch of grass, Red and Blue made their way towards the water while playfully nudging one another. Both went at their own pace; Red, immediately throwing off his shirt, boots, and pants before jumping right in to contrast Blue, who simply took of his boots and dipped his feet into the water.

Blue looked up at the waterfall, the lively waters spilling furiously down into the body of water below. He could feel the speckle of the falls sprinkle onto his skin gently, even from where he was sat on the edge of the water.
Red eyed the other mischievously. His head out of the water just enough so that his eyes were above the surface. He held his breath and dived down again, disappearing under the water for a few moments before reappearing at Blue's side. He clung to the side of the large pond, resting his chin in his palms, head turned to Blue with a grin on his face.

"Just gonna sit there all day or are you gonna come in here and have fun for a change?" Blue shifted his gaze from the waterfall onto Red, who wore his smug demeanor well despite not wearing much of anything else that paired so perfectly with it. Red searched for the other's eyes, but still, the shade from Blue's hat and kerchief guarded them like any mighty wall does. He wondered...
"Nah, sitting here is pissing you off plenty so I'm already having fun." Blue replied. He swayed his feet back and forth through the water childishly, splashing Red with each jerk of his ankle.

Red's expression hardened, his features curling at the challenge Blue had so teasingly tempted him with. So, Red dived back under the water and repositioned himself under Blue's feet. Then, without warning, Red resurfaced, quickly latching onto Blue and taking the other back down with him.

Water claimed his clothes faster than it took for Blue to resurface; his hair draped over his eyes, gravity finally being able to take hold of his naturally spiked up fibers as he blindly hunted for Red in the waters. "You asshole! These are my only other pair of clothes!" Blue whined through his hair, the annoyance in his words alone. Red covered a hand over his mouth, holding back giggles. He jumped back as Blue leaped towards his direction. "Tord! Get back here!" Blue called out, still struggling through the water to get to Red.

Red couldn't contain his emphatic laughter for any longer, "Sorry Tommy boy, but you're gonna have to try harder than that!" He swam in another direction, steering Blue further and further away from the shore in a game of Marco-Polo.
Blue had retrieved his hat in that time, using it for an extended hand after it failed to dry his eyes.