Loving River

Squirral Hunting

The men wasted no time in watching the sweet scene taking place before them. No, their leader was temporarily distracted by a woman but they still had their eyes focused on the goal: Robert Krillan. Leaving Zane in the arms of his woman, they galloped onward determined to carry out the thoughts of their master. Like bees swarming to the hive, they galloped on letting nothing deter them from their goal. Micah, though shot and weakened, rode with the men from town. He would see this through. He would report back to Zane.

The men slowed as they neared the area they were sure the ambush would be, while in town Zane had indeed wired ahead to the town of Fairview. It didn't take much time to convince the neighboring town and sheriff to aid in the capture of the wanted criminal. These men were ready, now all they had to do was...

"I hear horses coming." A shop keeper murmered, his pistol ready in one hand. Silence reigned..

"Hefty, you lousy fool! You're no better than a rotten woman!" A harsh male voice filled the clearing.

"It ain't all my fault, boss. You fell asleep just the same as I did. In fact, you..." Hefty paused in his speech, his bloodshot eyes landing on the men surrounding them. Nearly every gun owned in the town was aimed at the two men.

Hefty's gulped. "Heyy ya'll." He attempted a smile. "You all ummm.. Squirrel hunting?"

"Not unless you've grown a tail." Micah ground out. The pain in his leg hurt unbearably but he was determined to see this through until the end.
Krillians eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the banged up Micah. Krillan was old but he wasn't stupid. He recognized the man that had been in the saloon with him that day.

Hoof beats caused Krillian and Hefty to look beyond the men surrounding him. Rage seemed to seep from every pore as Krillian recognized the girl that sat protectively in his sons arms.

"You.. You did this to me?" Krillian accused his son.

"It's long over due, isn't it Krillian."

All his life, Robert Krillian had lived in the wrong side of the law, he handed out justice by his law, and profited from the failure of others. As an outlaw went, Krillian was rather lucky. Little jail time and certainly no noose. But then he had to get caught up on something as insignificant as a girl.. A prize that had escaped him. So long he had been determined to regain wait he thought belonged to him and now it was to be his undoing. Krillian could feel in his bones that this was the end.  Even so, he had to try. "You ought to address your pa more respectfully son. I've killed men for less than the way you just spoke to me." The old man held his head high. Even when he was clearly losing he was determined to demand respect.

Respect no one gave except one.

"You're not my father. You're an outlaw, a murderer, a thief, and a liar but you never were and you never will be my father." Zane growled. His hand was itching to drawn his gun and shot the man down, but his sense of justice wouldn't allow it. Robert Krillian deserved a fair trial.

Krillian's skin took on an unnatural red color as his anger tripled. Veins bulged in his neck. Whipping his horse, he turned and attempted to gallop the way he'd come.

"Going somewhere?" The sheriff of Fairview asked, his gun trained in the outlaw before him.

Hefty, seeing the odds were so stacked against them, surrendered in that moment. Krillian, however did not. The warped part of his mind that fed his lust for murder and thieving, urged the man that he could escape. Sure he was surrounded by two towns but he still had a chance in escaping. Maybe the men would shoot at each other instead of him. Or maybe he decided a quick death was better than a trail and judgement. Whatever wayward thought went through Krillians mind, it resulted in him attempting  to break through the line of men from Fairview.