The Ballad Of a Bird~ Jack Marston Story

☙ ✯ ❧Chapter Eight☙ ✯ ❧

{listen while you read?~ I recommend The Railroad by Goodnight, Texas}
~ ☙ ✯ ❧ ~ ☙ ✯ ❧ ~ ☙ ✯ ❧ ~ ☙ ✯ ❧ ~ ☙ ✯ ❧ ~
(not edited)

Rex was the first to awake with the rising sun as he relighted the fire got to work making some coffee and a small breakfast for the three it was the morning smell of the cowboys cure that awoke Birdie as she quickly changed from her nightwear into her clothes for the day and was securing her weapons onto her belt as she  exited where Rex was pouring her a cup of coffee which she gladly expected and placed her fathers hat on her head and her main revolver in Johns holster

"Before we head past Blackwater I gotta make a stop" she said and Rex looked at her and the way she looked at him told him not to question the sore subject

"Alright" he answered before both dug into the food he had cooked and the rustling in the other tent drew their attention as Clara stepped out with a stretch and yawn before sending a friendly smile to the two at the campfire and Rex raised an extra plate to her which she took with a smile and dug in enjoying the meal her first in days

"So clara I gotta ask how did you end up on the back of that awful man's horse?" Birdie asked

Clara looked at her and in the daylight saw something she didn't in the dark the woman's brown hair and matching eyes and among the scars on her face the four tiny stitch scars peaking out from her hairline stuck out to her as she recalls seeing her face more than once in her life then it hit her as it took all the air out of her lungs, Jack he had a portrait of this woman in his tent next to his father and mother photograph, she had looked at it many times wondering who she was and what she meant to Jack as they looked nothing alike and sure the woman in front of her was different but definitely the same just with new details to enjoy

She recalls one time after moving camp the portrait frame had broken and the glass shattered causing a tear in the paper she remembered Jack being upset but trying to hide it and she observed him trying to carefully placing hide glue on the back of the portrait fixing it but you can still see where the tear was and she remembered that he road out the next morning only to return with a new expensive frame for it

Clara cleared her throat before answering the question realizing she had been silent for a time both of her current companions looking at her 

"I was visiting MacFarland's Ranch to get some supplies when that bounty hunter came along with plans to return me to Armadillo" she answered and the two took in the information

"Supplies for what?" Birdie question and Clare didn't know what it was maybe it because she's seen the woman's face so many times she felt like a friend or because she been shown so much kindness from strangers something she never experienced she told them

"For the gang I'm apart of the Bonnie and her family are trusted friends of us the only town we trust to receive supplies from" she answered truthfully and watched as Birdie and Rex shared a look

"I'm gonna ask you a question and I beg of you not to answer but if you do that's alright to we will not harm you or turn you in but is it the Marston Gang?"Birdie question and watched as Clara's eyes widen a little before she sheepishly nodded her head in answer which caused Birdie to huff before dropping her plate and stood up turning around and walking towards the river that flows out the Aurora Basin she walked a little up stream and the two back at the fire watched and both jumped slightly when the woman threw her cup to the rocky shore line the dark liquid splashing across her boots as she let out a scream before kicking the cup away from her where it splashed in the river and floating downstream passing the two who looked at each other Clara with fearful eyes and Rex with sad ones