Marked for Death: A Feminist Western

Chapter Five - Greenhorn

Sunstone Ranch.

"Up ya get, sleepyhead."

I hadn't slept very well at all the night before. The precariousness of my life and the terror of being a fugitive followed me into my nightmares. I cracked my eyes open to see Maud standing over me, a big grin on her freckled face, her smile a direct contrast to how I felt. "'Aight ..." I mumbled, raising my head with effort.

"C'mon. Get your kit on, we're heading out to check on the cows at pasture," she chuckled.

Dawn hadn't even broken on the ranch yet. My bones creaked into action as I eased myself out of my barnyard bed. Standing up, I rubbed sleep from my eyes, "sounds good, Maud," I manage to mumble, my head thumping with fatigue.

"Not used to the early rise, hey?" She joked, giving me a playful shove.

"Nah," I grin while rubbing my arm, as jovial as I can be, given the fact that I was waking up while it was still dark out. "I'll just be a second, meet you outside?"

"You got it."

I kicked my shoes on, buckling on some spurs that I found in the barn. Slipping on a bandoleer over my dress, I strap the gun that killed my father to my belt. It felt heavier today than ever, the weight of guilt and fear adding kilos to it.

The mare that I had stolen from the Sagebrush Creek inn was tied up near where I slept in the barn. I patted her muzzle with an outstretched hand, soothing her. "Morning, girl," I mumble while saddling her up.

With the horse saddled and ready, I led her out of the barn and into the crisp morning air. Maud was waiting by the corral, her own horse already saddled and restless, pawing at the ground with its well-kept hooves.

"You ready, Sadie?" Maud asked, looking down at me from her perch atop her imposing Appaloosa stallion.

Though my fake name catches me off guard for a second, I manage to quip back with a cheeky "as I'll ever be," before swinging myself onto the horse's back and adjusting my grip on the reins.

Together, Maud and I rode out onto the vast expanse of Sunstone Ranch, the world around us still shrouded in darkness. The rhythmic sound of hooves against the ground filled the air as we made our way towards the grazing pastures.

The silence was broken only by the distant howl of a coyote and the rustling of sagebrush beneath our horses' hooves. The sky gradually transformed, hues of deep purple and indigo giving way to the soft, golden glow of sunrise. As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the horizon, illuminating the desert landscape, the world came alive with vibrant colours.

We reached a hilltop overlooking a vast pasture, dotted with grazing cattle. With a steady "woaaaah," Maud reined in her horse, and I followed suit, surveying the scene before us. The herd seemed calm, peacefully grazing in the dewy morning light.

Maud turned to me, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Alright, Sadie, time to show you how we wrangle these beauties. Stay close and follow my lead."

Maud guided her horse down the hillside, and I followed suit, carefully manoeuvring my mare to keep pace with her. Fuck me, she's good at this, is all I can think as she bolts down the hill. As we approached the grazing cattle, we moved with a purpose, positioning ourselves strategically to steer the herd in the desired direction.

As if she could tell that I was admiring her, she stood up in her stirrups, turning to face me while charging down the hill. "See that stray cow over there?" She pointed out a straggler from the herd, all the while not slowing pace.