No Time To Die- ARTHURMORGAN x O/C

part 48- The Last Of Them

The sun hangs low in the sky, casting long shadows over the encampment as Claudia makes her way towards the edge of the clearing. The sound of metal clanging against wood echoes through the trees, sharp, precise, deliberate. Drawn by curiosity, she follows the noise until she spots Sadie standing before a tree, hurling knives with fierce determination.
Claudia admires her intensity, the way she seems to channel her pain and anger into every throw. After a moment, Claudia approaches, arms crossed, leaning against a nearby tree.
"Preparing for something?" Claudia asks, a smirk playing on her lips, intrigued by the sudden ferocity of Sadie's actions.
Sadie turns, wiping her hands on her jeans. A fire burning in her eyes, unmistakably alive with purpose, "There's an O'Driscoll hideout at Hanging Dog Ranch," she says, her voice steady.
Claudia raises an eyebrow, the smirk widening, "And what's the catch?"
Sadie steps closer, her expression fierce yet tinged with a hint of mischief, "I want to finish them off for what they did to my Jake."
The name sends a ripple through Claudia, memories of the stories she had heard about Sadie's husband, his loss marked a turning point in Sadie's life, "You're serious, aren't you?" Claudia laughs, a smile breaking on her face.
"Dead serious," Sadie replies, a steely determination in her voice, "I can't let them get away with it."
Claudia considers her words, "What about Arthur? Does he know?"
"Nope," Sadie replies, a reckless smile breaking through her seriousness, "But who needs a man when we've got two angry women willing to kill the men who ruined our lives?"
Claudia chuckles, her heart quickening with the adrenaline of the plan forming in their minds, "Well, I'll admit it sounds better with two of us."
"Good, then let's gear up," Sadie says, her eyes ablaze with a fierce energy, "We ride out at dawn."
The next morning came quickly, the sky painting in shades of purple and orange as light breaks over the horizon. Claudia feels a mix of nervousness and excitement shifting inside her as she saddles her horse beside Sadie's.
They ride for what felt like hours, the rush of wind in their hair mingling with the determination coursing through their veins. The world around them transforming from the familiarity of camp into untamed terrain, wild and relentless.
As they approach Hanging Dog Ranch, a sense of foreboding settles over Claudia. The air is thick with tension, anticipation clawing at her throat. Sadie notices her hesitation and offers an encouraging nod.
"Stay sharp, Claudia," she advises, "We may be outnumbered, but we have the element of surprise."
Once they reache a vantage point overlooking the ranch, they dismount. The hideout sprawls below them, a tangle of wooden structures and crude fencing. Sadie's eyes darken as she surveys the area.
"I want to keep a big man alive," she says, her voice low and menacing, "The one who killed my husband."
Claudia nods, feeling a surge of determination, "Let's make it count, then."
Setting up a nearby camp, they ensure they got their weapons at the ready, a couple of rifles, revolvers, and, of course, Sadie's trusty knives.
As dawn breaks fully, illuminating the hideout, they check their gear one more time, hearts racing with the thrill of the hunt. Sadie looks at Claudia, her eyes fiercely focused, "Remember, stay close, and don't hesitate. They'll fight back."
"Remember who you talking to, I have lived by myself since I was 18, I know how to fight" Claudia chuckles loading her rifle with bullets.
Claudia follows Sadie as they creep towards the ranch. The world around them feeling charged with electricity as they navigate the shadows, blending into the landscape, invisible predators ready to strike. They enter the property, the quiet was almost unsettling, apart from the chatter from the drunken fools. Sadie whispers instructions, her voice steady, "We'll create chaos. I'll take the house; you clear out the barn."
"Got it," Claudia affirms, her heart pounding with the weight of the mission.
The world transforms into a blur of adrenaline and instinct as they sprang into action. Sadie charges into the main house, while Claudia darts toward the barn. She could hear the distant shouts and confusion from inside the hideout—it was as if the air itself crackles with imminent violence.
Claudia pulls her revolver from its holster, the cold metal a steady reminder of her resolve. The barn loom before her, dark and foreboding, but she pushes through the door with force, ready to face whatever lay within.
Inside, the atmosphere is thick with the smell of hay and horses, mixing with the unmistakable scent of sweat and fear. She manoeuvres through, scanning every corner, every shadow, ready to engage as violence erupted outside.
Outside, gunfire rang out; shouts piercing the air, and Claudia steels herself. She spots a pair of O'Driscoll men hiding behind a stable ready to jump out at her, clearly unaware of her presence. With a determined grip on her revolver, she takes aim and fires, the shot ringing out and silencing one man before the others rush towards her.
In the ensuing chaos, Claudia moves swiftly, adrenaline surging through her, as she takes down one after the other, carving a path of destruction that mirrors the rage burning in her heart.
After a few moments of chaos, Claudia manages to clear out the barn, her body sweeping away the dust of what had once been a refuge for those men. The barn stands empty, save for the few stalls that still remain occupied by restless horses. She breathes for a moment, adrenaline still coursing through her veins, but her thoughts drift back to Sadie. Had she succeeded in her assault on the house?
Claudia exits the barn and heads towards the sound of commotion coming from inside the main house, her heart pounding as she approaches. The sounds of struggle, shouts and the distinct sound of a blade meeting flesh, grows louder, mingling with the chaos that still rages outside.
She pushes her way through the front door of the house, her instincts kicking in again. The interior is dark, the air filled with the sharp scent of gunpowder and blood. Making her way upstairs following the sounds, she peers through the dim light, seeing Sadie wrestling with a man, ragged and desperate, his bearded face twisting in rage.
"Sadie!" Claudia yells, charging in, but before she could even step further, Sadie plunges her knife deep into the man's side, and blood sprayed across the walls like paint splatters on a canvas.
The moment froze. Sadie looks over her shoulder, frustration briefly flickering in her eyes as blood splatters on her clothes, her face a mask of ferocity and revenge, but more than that, victory.
"He killed Jake. He needs to suffer," Sadie growls, her brows knit in determination.
Claudia feels a mixture of horror and admiration wash over her. The reality of violence and its consequences was stark, visceral, yet in Sadie's actions was a profound sense of justice. This man had taken something from her friend, and now his fate lay in their hands.
"Help me get him—" Sadie starts, but Claudia shakes her head, stepping cautiously toward them.
"Let him rot," Claudia says, her voice steadier than she felt, "Let him know the pain he caused and suffer it here." Sadie pauses, her knife still buried deep in the man's side. The wild intensity in her eyes softens, and she takes a breath, seemingly torn, "let's get out of here before, Grimshaw will be wondering where we went to." Claudia helps Sadie up, and takes her knife out of the man's side. They both leaves the house, whistling for their horses to come.
They both ride out, their horses trotting in sync, the adrenaline of the day slowly giving way to the heavy weight of reality. The ride back to camp is filled with a comfortable silence, punctuating only by the rhythmic sound of hooves against the earth and the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze.
Claudia glances over at Sadie, who wears a look of grim satisfaction mixing with a glimmer of something deeper, perhaps unresolved grief or the bittersweet taste of vengeance fulfilled, "You really took that man's head off back there," Claudia says lightly, hoping to bridge the silence with humor, but her tone fell flat.
Sadie shrugs, her lips pressing into a thin line, "Just doing what needs to be done," she finally replies, her gaze fixating ahead, as if she is still fighting shadows in her mind.
"Yeah, well, you did it with style," Claudia admits, trying to lighten the mood further, "I figure you'll have a reputation as a legend by the end of the fortnight, finishing the O'Driscoll gang."
Sadie snorts, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips, "Legends get shot too, Claudia. Just remember that." The weight of her words seem to linger in the air as they approach the camp.
Claudia nods, the reality of their situation hanging over them like a storm cloud. As they ride into the familiar clearing, she feels a sense of rootedness, a connection to the earth that had supported them through all their trials. She dismounts and hitches her horse to the post, rubbing the mare's neck gently.
"Good girl," she murmurs, attempting to shake off the heaviness that lingers inside her. It's  a fleeting moment until the memory of the day's violence began creeping back in—images of blood, of the men she had shot, and the resolve in Sadie's eyes.
She catches sight of Arthur Morgan sitting on his bedroll, engrossing in the act of scribbling fervently in his journal. His brows furrowing in thought, a look of deep concentration etching across his rugged features. The sight brings a swell of warmth to Claudia, a sense of safety that often envelopes their camp, even amid upheaval. Wandering away from her horse, she notices he hasn't noticed her yet, so she takes a moment to observe him. There is something comforting about his presence, a steady calm that anchoring her amidst the tumult of emotions.
"Hey, Morgan," Claudia calls out, breaking the spell. He looks up, his expression shifting from concentration to a warm smile that makes the corners of her mouth lift despite herself.
"Claudia," he says, closing the journal and giving her his full attention, "How was it out there?"
Claudia hesitates slightly, assessing her words as she approaches him, "We... we dealt with the last of the O'Driscolls," she says carefully, her mind racing through what to reveal. She could still hear the echoes of gunfire in her ears, the chaos of the barn, and the fear on the man's face, "Sadie needed to take care of something that she needed to settle."
Arthur's brows furrow deeper, concern flashing across his face, "You went out with Sadie to kill O'Driscolls? You didn't think to tell me? You know how dangerous those men are."
Claudia shifts a bit, guilt creeping in for not thinking about Arthur's worry, "I know, but Sadie needed my help. I thought it was important for both of us. Besides, we needed to take action, didn't we?"
He sighs, tilting his head slightly. "That doesn't mean you should put yourself in harm's way, Claudia. Well at least they are all gone now, only thing we need to worry about now is this gang."
"How did today go? I heard you had to go and see Dutch with Eagle Flies" Claudia questions, a smile appearing on her face wanting to know how his day went.
"Something's changing in the air, Claudia," he says, his tone suddenly grave, "Dutch has been losing his grip. Today, he got us involved with the army. The stupid bastard! He wanted to give them a scare and embarrass them with the Native Americans but it all went down hill, when they had about 50 soldiers with them!"
"Arthur, that seems a little--unorthodox, doesn't it?" Claudia asks, a frown settling on her brow, "What do you mean by 'involved with the Army'?"
"Exactly what it sounds like," he replies, shifting uncomfortably as he leaned back against the tree, leaving the journal resting on his lap. "He believes that we should go out with a bang, he's using Rains Fall and Eagle Flies."
"A bang?" Claudia echoes, her heart racing as she contemplated the implications, "how do they believe him, really? Most of them probably would have little interest given our kind, considering what we've already done."
Arthur runs a hand through his hair, an exasperating expression crossing his face, "Exactly! That's what I'm worried about. I tried to talk to him about it, but he won't listen. He talks about freedom and unity like it's still feasible, but all it does is put us in more danger."
Claudia pushes off from her tree, feeling the cautious anger rise within her, "You're telling me he's risking everything on this idea? He's gotten reckless before..."
"More than reckless," Arthur interjects, his tone sharper now, "This is madness, Claudia. Just a few weeks ago, we had a run-in with those last pinkertons, Dutch isn't thinking straight anymore. He thinks he can win over the army, and sure, maybe he wants to do something good  for the Native Americans by them—"
Claudia takesa deep breath, "Have you talked to Dutch about it since?"
"Just now, before I saw you. He's dug in, as always, convinced he's onto something big with Micah whispering into his ear 24/7." Arthur shakes his head in disbelief, "It's growing harder to trust him. I don't like the decisions he's been making."
"They're going to lead us into hell, Arthur," Claudia replies solemnly, "We can't follow him blindly. If he thinks he can shoehorn us into a war we're not prepared for... we'll be caught in the crossfire."
"We need to keep an eye on him," Arthur says, the determination in his voice giving Claudia hope, "It's not just about loyalty; it's about survival. And sometimes, that means stepping away from the madness."
Claudia studies him, sensing the currents of frustration and fear flowing between them, each thought a tether binding them together against the uncertainty lurking in their futures, "So, what do you want to do?"
"Well, for starters, we need to ensure John knows he's  not alone in this either," he asserts, "he's got a family, and they need to leave before this gets all nasty."
"Arthur..." Claudia hesitates, her thoughts racing to the next turn, "What if Dutch won't let them leave? What if he pushes ahead anyway?"
"Then we'll figure it out," he replies, a steely resolve flowing through his words, "We'll find a way to protect ourselves and John together."
"I'm with you Arthur" She sighs as her shoulders droop down, "I better go, I'm on guard duty. I will see you in the morning, rest up cowpoke."
"Be careful, Claud"