Chapter 1

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Bronagh's POV

The sun was blazing, I was baking. My horse, Otto, was barely keeping himself standing. We'd found a small rock overhang where we could rest and take shelter. The water was running out, all I had to eat was crackers.

The O'Driscoll's might as well have killed me. I had nothing but the clothes on my back and what I had left in a saddlebag from a previous outing.

I reached out and pet Otto, stroking his nose. He snorted, almost as if in frustration towards our predicament.
"Just our luck, ain't it?" I chortled to my equine companion. I shoved myself up. I should probably take Otto's saddle off, we won't be moving for a while and it's only making him hotter. I unbuckled the heavy saddle, hearing a sigh from my horse.
"There ya go, that's better" I hoisted it up off of his back, I settled it on the ground. I didn't have the energy to move it anywhere else.

From my observation, the sun looked to be going down at last. I had to keep on my toes though, O'Driscolls could find and finish me off any second now. My stomach ached at its emptiness, I'm sure Otto's did too. I dug out whatever supplies I had, I had two packets of crackers, a water flask, a blanket and some horse treats and a length of rope. I set out the blanket, gave Otto some water and a horse treat, hoping to satisfy him. I sat down on the blanket, trying to make comfort out of the dreary, rocky overhang we were left with. I had to keep my eyes open, I couldn't let my guard down for one second....
Well, maybe I could. Perhaps I could just rest my eyes for a few seconds. Yeah, just a little while.

Only those seconds turned into minutes, and those minutes turned into hours. Before I knew it, I was fast asleep.

Through my closed eyes, I heard voices. I listened to them, not wanting to startle them or make them hurt me.
"Arthur! We got a young lady here, she doesn't look too great" a deep voice boomed, obviously shouting to someone. I was honestly quite offended, doesn't look too great? I couldn't look that bad, I'd only been sleeping rough for two nights.
"What do you want me to do?" Another voice whom I assumed to be Arthur asked.
"Well, check her" I heard a reply.
I then assumed that Arthur was following orders and "checking" me. What was he checking for? Loot? I'll tell him now, I haven't even a pot to piss in.

I felt a hand, shaking me. My eyes bolted open- I whipped out one of my pistols from the holster and aimed it for his head.
"Stay back!" I shouted.
"Looks pretty alive to me Dutch" Who I had presumed to be Arthur chuckled. I cocked my gun, making Arthur raise his hands in surrender.
"Woah, easy. Just making sure you weren't gone there, sweetheart" Arthur looked young, about my age. Rugged, he had a cowboy get up but something reeked of Outlaw from him.
"How do I know you're not an O'Driscoll?" I spat.
"I'm Arthur Morgan, this is Dutch Van der Linde. He leads a gang of sorts" I lowered my gun, and held out my hand.
"O'Cealleigh, Bronagh O'Cealleigh" Arthur shook my hand, smiling at me. The man who had been introduced as Dutch spoke up as he hopped off his horse.
"You had some trouble? You seem on edge" I sighed before replying.
"The O'Driscolls, they raided my home two days ago. They killed my father, killed all the ponies, except this one horse. I've nothing now, only weapons and a horse"
"Ponies?" Dutch questioned.
"I had riding school, kind of. Taught kids to ride and such. Most of 'em were my old ponies that I rode when I was little"
"Don't suppose they would've had much use for small ponies" Arthur grumbled." So you're all by your lonesome?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. I nodded. Dutch piped up.
"Well, saddle up young lady. You're coming with us" My eyes widened.
"What do you mean?" I picked my things up off of the floor, shoving them in Otto's saddlebag.
"You're gonna come and stay with us, with our gang. Away from the O'Driscolls. You look about Arthur's age, you two'll get along nice" I smiled, finishing saddling up.
"Thank you, thank you so much" I thanked, profusely. Dutch chuckled and waved it off. I hopped onto Otto's back and set off to ride with my new family.

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