Two Outlaws, One Bounty

Part 2 - Origins (Paytah)

SECTION 1/3 - PART 1

Paytah was never truly loved. The little love he ever received from his people was only when he was a baby, when they hadn't come to hate him yet. But, the hate began as soon as his birth had killed his mother a day later. It was his mothers sister who cared for him, but just a bit until she started to blame him aswell; but she never showed it. Around the age of 8, Paytah began to get bullied. He tried his best to make friends, but none of the other tribe members wanted to talk to him. Everyone around him blamed him for his mother's death. Calling him a 'disgrace' and a 'murderer'. Even though, it was never his fault. He didn't choose for his mother to die. All he could remember about his mother was the smell of her from when he was just born.

Paytah's childhood was mostly lonesome for him. He barely talked to people, causing his english to be kind of slurred and forgetting to add words in his sentences due to not having learned enough as a kid. He was bullied excessively. Called names, and picked on. Some of the kids would even cut pieces of his hair off during storytime. Paytah would go to his Aunt's tent every night, crying to her about his hair. But, everytime it happened, she told him that it would grow back, and that kids will be kids. He struggled mentally. He always felt like he was the problem. That he never would be loved by anyone. Until one day, when he was 9, when he was out catching fish with his spear, a groups of children his age, the ones who frequently bullied and harassed him, pushed him down into the water. They all laughed and began to drown him. Only letting him catch his breath every once and a while. Paytah screamed and cried in pain as water filled his lungs, and eventually they stopped. They let him get up, and the leader of the kids yelled at him.

"You killed your own mama! Father Karma is gonna come after you! Now run, little killer! Run!"

The children laughed evilly, throwing rocks at him. Watching as Paytah ran off and cried. He ran so fast, he couldn't even see where he was going... He fell off a small cliff, hitting his back and then his leg... Snapping on a rock... His screamed out in pain. The bone peaking through his pants. He cried in pain. And eventually his Aunt came and brought him to the tribes healer. The healer patched his leg up, but told him that it would be permanent, and that it would not work as well anymore. Paytah cried and sobbed all night, depressed and suicidal. All he could think was 'Why did I kill my mother? Why am I such a disgrace? Why can't I just disappear? Why can't I just die?'.

Paytah slept rough that night. Having nightmares of his mother dying. He'd wake up in a sweat every time and he'd cry, before falling back asleep...

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SECTION 2/3 - PART 2

Paytah's teen years was a little bit better than this childhood. Most of the bullies had outgrown the tormenting, and were bored of him, so they left him alone. But, it didn't go away permanently. Paytah had found an interest in crafting. Making woven baskets, crowns, headbands, anything he could stick together with a little tree sap or grass. He'd spend hours just making baskets for his tribe. It was the only way he felt useful. He would watch his tribe members use the baskets, he knew that they didn't know he made them, but it was nice to see something he put so much effort into be used for good.

One night, after finishing a whole batch of baskets, he was walking to his tent whenever he heard a loud squeak... He looked around curiously. Before walking towards the noise of a horse neighing. He saw a beautiful white and black spotted foal limping away from it's mother. The mother looked very agitated, as she has rejected her foal. She walks to the foal and tries to kick it, but Paytah gets in the way. The kick in his back hurts a lot. Pushing him onto the ground, but the mother backs away. Huffing angrily, she trots off. Paytah looks at the lone foal, neighing in sadness that her mother rejected her. Paytah picks up the foal and walks over to his tent. Sitting her down. He wraps her leg in leaves.

"It's okay... Little one... You... are... Safe now..."

He smiles sadly at the foal. The foal looks up at him with big wet eyes, afraid, but trusting of this strange boy. She gets herself comfortable as he treats her leg. Watching him carefully.

Paytah treated her leg and helped her walk again, calling her Iima. And as she grew, she would follow him everywhere, almost as if he was her mother. The other tribe members would mutter and laugh at the two. Finding their friendship very pathetic. An outcast tribe member, and a rejected foal. Paytah would braid her tail and trim her mane. Making her as pretty as he could. She'd always greet him in the mornings with a lick on the face. He never let her sleep outside, and always kept her in his tent. Paytah would spend hours, days, months, and YEARS on her. Making sure she'd grow up to be a big strong mare.

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SECTION 3/3 - PART 2

Once Paytah turned 28, his tribe members all came together and decided it was time that Paytah go out and hunt for the tribe. Feeling very excited, wanting to make his tribe members proud, he rode out on Iima. Paytah traveled down to Cotorra Springs. He had never been this far away from the reservation. He hitched Iima up on a nearby tree and crouched in a nearby bush. Looking around, he spotted a decent sized buck. Aiming his bow, he made sure to aim for the head. Shooting the arrow, the buck collapses onto the ground. Paytah cheers loudly, as this is his first time officially hunting for his tribe. Not just some little rabbit for himself.

Paytah takes the deer and puts it onto the back of Iima. Then he goes back to the bush. Paytah hunts multiple animals. Managing to kill two rabbits, the buck, and a few birds. He stores them all on Iima, proud of his catches. He slowly trots back towards the reservation. He kept hearing rustling behind him, but he assumed that it was just Iima's trotting scaring away animals. So, he made his way back. Getting off Iima, he puts all of the animals he caught on the ground next to the tribes cook. He doesn't say anything, and just nods to Paytah. Paytah, looking around excitedly, was hoping that someone would congratulate him on his kills... But, no one said anything... Just carrying about their day... He felt ashamed. Like he disappointed everyone. So, Paytah went back to his tent with Iima. Grooming her, he re-braids her tail, and does small braids out of her mane.

He wakes up in the middle of the night to the sound of screaming, gunshots, and babies crying... He jumps out of his bed and runs outside. Stopping his Aunt and niece as they try to last him.

"What is happening?"

He asks worriedly. His Aunt looks at him with anger and sadness. Holding his niece away from him.

"You led Lemoyne here! They are slaughtering our people! This is all your fault!"

She yells in anger. Paytah looks around in a panic as everyone is screaming and running. Everything is blurry, the smell of fire is just now beginning... He watches as people get shot and killed. He's completely frozen, unsure what to do. All of the Teepees and tents are burning in flames. And he watches as Iima runs out of his tent, running off into the forest. And just as soon as everything settled down and every Lemoyne Raider retreated. He walked around the reservation, looking at everything burning. His tribe leader, and the rest of the members, comes up to him. Looking at him with pure anger.

"We. Should have killed you as soon as your mother died."

The male tribe members charge at him, stabbing, cutting, pulling, tearing at him. Screaming in anger as he's beaten by them. He cries out in pain. And eventually passes out from blood loss. All he sees as he passes out... His vision blurry... And the tribe leader... Glaring down at him with furious eyes...

END OF PART 2