𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 ─ arthur morgan ✓

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Third Person

Adeline went hunting early the next morning, telling Arthur that if she wasn't back by tomorrow morning to go and find her somewhere in Big Valley. Arthur insisted to go with her but she told him it would be better if she went alone. Besides, Adeline wanted some time away from camp.

She packed some provisions in to Buell's saddle bag and made sure she had some decent hunting rifles. Adeline bid Arthur goodbye before mounting up and riding eastward to Big Valley.
"Where's Adeline going?" John asks Arthur as they both tend to their own horses.
"Hunting up in Big Valley, Pearson needs extra supplies and she needs the time alone," Arthur explains, brushing Onyx's raven black coat down, "she should be back soon but if she ain't back by tomorrow morning, we're going to have to go and find her." John simply nods, tightening the girths on Old Boy's saddle.

°×°

Meanwhile, Adeline was out on a very successful hunt. Tracking and hunting multiple deer, pronghorn sheep and bighorn rams. Every animal she killed, she skinned and took the less fatty meat off the carcass. All of the pelts were stowed on Buell and the meat in his saddle bags. A Springfield rifle was Adeline's preffered rifle.

Adeline left Buell on top of a small hill while she went down to get her last kill of the day. The whitetail buck grazing in a small patch of grass. She aimed the rifle at its head, finger hovering over the trigger.

Just before she pulled it, Adeline heard the roar of a cougar then the loud whinny of a horse. The sudden sounds startled the buck as it ran off in to the darkness of night. With only the moon illuminating Adeline's path, she made her way back up the hill she had left Buell on. She kept her rifle aimed in front of her, ready to fire.

Adeline gasped at the sight in front of her. Buell lay on the ground, completely motionless with claw marks patched over his body. Adeline held back the tears as she stroked her fingers through the dead horse's mane. She truly loved Buell.

A growl from behind Adeline startled her as she slowly stood to her feet, picking the rifle up with her. Near enough silent paws padded against the gravel behind her as she spun around.

There was a lily white cougar, blood all around its mouth and on its paws. Without enough time to react, the cougar pounced and knocked Adeline down. It scratched at her face, leaving a long scratch down from her left temple, across her left eye and across her nose at once. It also left a few more smaller scratches, including a longer one that ran from a bit above the right side of her top lip down to midway down her chin. Then, it scratched at her stomach, leaving three long marks and ripping her top in the process.

Finally snapping herself out of her shock, Adeline drew her knife and stabbed the cougar multiple times in the neck. The lifeless body of the cougar fell beside her. The scratches all over her weren't all that deep, but deep enough to draw a lot of blood. Adeline crawled over to Buell's carcass, pulling an extra shirt from his saddle bag and wrapping it around her stomach.

The sun wasn't meant to rise for another two or three hours. Blood dripped down Adeline's face as she began to stand to her feet. She limped over to a ledge some distance away, hauling herself down and sitting as close to the wall behind her as she could. Adeline's breathing was quick and reasonably heavy. The rest of the night, Adeline didn't get a wink of sleep.

°×°

The next morning, Arthur woke up early just for Adeline not to be beside him. He sighed, standing up and sliding his boots on. Arthur let out a sudden cough, concealing it by keeping his lips pressed together. He spat the phlegm on to the floor beside him before wondering around camp. There was no sign of Adeline. Worry took the best of Arthur as he went over to John and Jack's tent, creeping inside and gently shaking John awake.
"John, wake your ass up, Adeline ain't here," Arthur whispers, his voice urgent and worried.