The cool morning air seeped through cracks in the tent making me involuntarily shiver. I lay there looking up at the canopy. It lightly swayed in the breeze creating tiny ripples that moved like waves across the fabric.
I was missing my bed back at home. The ground was hard, my bedroll was insufficient, and all I could think of was my perfect goose down comforter and how Andrew was probably unfairly enjoying it right at this very moment. That rat fucker.
"Excuse me?" Sean's voice came from outside the tent. I'd almost forgotten he was still here. I poked my head out and peered at him. He sat on the log looking back at me, cigarette in hand. "Who's a rat fucker, now?" He chuckled.
"Not you, I.. nevermind." I got up and stretched in the morning sunlight, taking in my surroundings. Lady and Ennis weren't far, grazing together in a patch of tall grass. Sean had thankfully kept the fire burning all night. The grass was wet with dew that sparkled in the scattered sunlight.
"You sleep well?" He asked. I could tell he was tired. His long, red hair was disheveled and at some point during the night he'd removed his jacket, revealing a dirty white union suit and holey blue jeans.
I nodded and sat next to him on the log. "A lot better knowing if you got shot, at least it'd wake me so I could have enough time to defend myself." He laughed and handed me a cup of coffee.
"You smoke?" He asked offering me his lit cigarette.
"Not really," I replied grabbing it and taking a long drag before handing it back to him.
"What are you doin' today?" He asked.
"Uhh.." I blew air out of my mouth making my cheeks puff up. "Keep heading East I suppose."
He nodded. "I think you should wait."
"Why's that?"
"Weathers awful today, might rain any minute." He pointed at the sky and did his best serious faced impression while trying not to crack a smile.
I looked up. The sky was clear and blue, not a cloud in sight. A flock of happy, chirping sparrows passed overhead. "Yeah, you're right. Might have to wait out the week just to be safe."
"Perfect, now that we got that out the way, I got somethin' to show you." He threw his cigarette into the fire, walked over to Ennis and mounted up, waiting for me follow. "Come on. Hurry, before it rains." I laughed and set my coffee down then proceeded to follow him on Lady.
Sean rode through the trees onto a small path that was barely visible. After a while we came up to a small cabin next to a creek. The grass around it had overgrown and the wood on the porch was rotted out in some places.
"It ain't much, but I think you'd be much safer here." Sean said stepping down from his horse. He walked over to me and held his hand out to help me down.
"Who's cabin is this?" I asked, taking his hand.
"Uh, well, no clue actually. It's been empty since I got to this area. I don't think anyone owns it anymore." He pushed the front door open with his shoulder and held it for me.
The inside had recently been cleaned out which I had figured was Sean's doing. There was a table in very bad shape, a fireplace which looked surprisingly cozy, and a single chair pushed into the far right corner.
"Gross." I laughed wiping away a cobweb I'd inadvertently walked into.
"Yeah, sorry princess. It ain't no gold, gilded manor." He replied sarcastically as he picked cobweb remnants out of my hair. My stomach did backflips and the thought of him calling me princess.
