🂱 • 𝚍𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚢 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚘 • 🂱 ~ 𝒹ℴ𝒸 𝒽ℴ𝓁𝓁𝒾𝒹𝒶𝓎

chapter sixteen - the search

Doc's P.O.V.

A sharp snap of gunfire erupted from a nearby saloon. Doc, who had been sitting calmly smoking a cigarette, jumped up from his rocking chair. He had left Cheyenne alone after the whole circus that had happened at the theatre. He figured she wanted some time to herself.

Now, terrible thoughts raced through his mind. Was that Cheyenne's gun? Did she get caught up in a fight?

Doc quickly flew down the wooden steps of the porch and across the empty street to the Oriental.

He was met with a scene of pure chaos. Women crying, men shouting, dogs barking, and blood.

In the center of it all was Wyatt and Morgan Earp. Wyatt held his brother as Morgan was curled into a fetal position, biting down on a rag to stop his screams. Morgan was covered in blood, a gaping bullet wound on his back.

Wyatt murmured hysterical words to Morgan, telling him to hang on.

"Get that damn dog out of here!" Wyatt yelled over his shoulder, as he met eyes with Doc, who stood by the doorframe. "Doc. Find Cheyenne! She needs to be here."

Doc nodded without another word, giving Morgan one last sad glance before exiting the saloon. Doc coughed, pulling his long coat over his shoulders and placing his hat onto his head.

As he walked the streets of Tombstone, he began to get worried. She would have instantly been by Morgan's side, without a doubt. How could she not have heard the gunshot?

~

"Oh, are you just going to ignore me now?" a sharp voice questioned from behind Doc as he saddled his horse.

"I do not have time for this nonsense Kate." Doc replied without turning around, tightening his saddle's cinch. Kate stood beside him, leaning her back on Doc's grey gelding.

"I thought I was 'darlin' to you? Or is that the Earp girl now?" Kate hissed with jealously, folding her arms.

"Why don't you go back to your brothel?" Doc said, turning to her. He took one look at Kate, who was dressed to the nines as usual. "Have some class. A sour personality can make a beautiful woman quite ugly."

Without another word, Doc threw the reins over his horse's head and swung his leg over the saddle.

With a gentle roll of his spur, Doc Holliday was out of Tombstone like a feather in the wind.

~

Doc's eyes came across a billowing cloud of smoke rising above the mesquites in the distance. Perhaps Cheyenne had gone for a camping trip? Doc thought to himself hopelessly, loping on. He had to figure out what was out there.

Thoughts of Cheyenne filled his memory. Her piercing blue eyes that could kill a man, and the softer tones he'd seen in them before. Her long, wavy, golden hair bouncing in the wind as she rode away. Her mannerisms, her mouth like a sailor's. Doc loved everything about her. He needed to find her. She was the only person he had only met that he truly felt safe around. Every night he dreamt of her. Her arm wrapped around his as they slept. Those midnight blue eyes that seemed to follow Doc everywhere he went, even when her presence was absent.

She was everything to him.

He hoped she felt the same way.

Cheyenne always seemed wrapped up in her own conflicts. With her brothers, the cowboys, and herself. She always looked concentrated and stressed. Doc wondered if she'd ever make time for him.

Suddenly, Doc was approaching the gathering of trees. He hadn't even realized how far he had ridden.

The scent of cheap whiskey, filth, and cigarettes filled his nostrils. He knew cowboys had been here.

Doc slowly dismounted his horse, coughing violently. His illness was getting worse. But he didn't have time to deal with that. It wasn't a priority. His priority was Cheyenne.

As Doc entered the clearing in the trees, he was met with an empty camp. Cigarette butts, makeshift wooden fire pokers, and fallen tree trunks surrounded the central area- the campfire. It was still radiating fire, as if just recently lit. Doc tied his horse to a nearby tree and slowly walked around the abandoned campsite, his thoughts racing a mile a minute.

Suddenly, something caught Doc's eye. On one of the fallen logs was clump of blonde hair. The tuft waved in the wind, small bits of hair flying away every gust. Doc crouched down and picked up the clump, inspecting it. It was certainly hers. He didn't know another woman with hair like hers around these parts.

Doc stood up and searched around the site some more. He spotted a trail in the sand of many hooves. About three horses. He looked ahead, noticing the path continued as far as he could see. That was a lead.

Doc quickly grabbed his water canteen from his saddle and poured it over the fire. He did not want a brushfire to start, just because of some filthy cowboys. The drought was bad enough.

Doc mounted his horse again and took off the way of the path. He knew that the cowboys had a decent head start, but he had to catch up.

so... Morgans dead.

I thought it would be unique to put that scene through Doc's perspective.

how do you guys think Cheyenne will eventually react to her brother's passing? I'm curious!

Next chapter coming soon!