Unshaken

I Still Know You

Liam opened his eyes to see the room dimly lit from the dying fire. He shivered, got up and fed the hearth more wood. Everyone else was still asleep, nestled in their cots and bedrolls. He missed Chez Porter. As the fire grew again, he rubbed his hands together and warmed himself up. His pocket watch read almost five in the morning. He didn't know why he was up so early. He had a feeling he woke up for a reason, but couldn't quite pinpoint it.

Putting on his ram skin coat, coyote fur chaps and boar skin gloves, he walked outside with the electric lantern he'd somehow not lost. He violently shivered as the wind slightly picked up, but fortunately died down after a moment. He took his gun belt off as he fully buttoned his coat. He put his gun belt around his waist and tightened it. He put the lantern out and looked around into the dead of the night. The moon glimmered over the snow of the unforgiving landscape. He observed the silhouette of the shadowed mountains in the far distance in front of the dark blue skyline. The sky glimmered with sparkling stars. It all seemed unreal, somehow. He felt he'd never get used to seeing anything like it, nature's treacherous beauty. He trailed the camp to the barn where the horses were, quickly closing the doors not to let the cold in.

A lantern hung off the roof of the barn. The horses seemed alright. He walked up to Colter. Like him, the horse wasn't used to the cold either. "Here you go." Liam said as he put a spare blanket over his horse. After a while of being in the barn with Colter, Liam could see the light start to grow upon the landscape through the cracked boards. He walked outside and took another look around. He saw the glow of a fire in the distance into the trees that he hadn't seen before. Grabbing his revolver, his slowly made his way towards the mysterious fire in the distance. Flurries of wind and snow weakening his view of the odd situation. As he approached, he saw a man in a suit kneeling by the fire.

"Nice to meet again, Liam." The man said. Liam recognized him from the Bastille Saloon back in Saint Denis. Liam jumped back for a second. How was this man so far out in the wilderness? How did he find him? "Who the hell are you?" Liam asked as he walked up to the fire. The man stood up. "Welcome to the Grizzlies, Mr. Parker. A bit cold, wouldn't you say?" He asked, circling Liam. "How the hell did you get out here? Where do I know you from?" Liam asked, baffled. "I can't quite say. You're not so popular in the surrounding areas. You're the young, southern, gunslinging boy who killed a whole heap of government agents. You're a kid who decided right and wrong, between a man and death. Between a man and his wife." The man said, referencing back to Liam and the drunk in Saint Denis. "And who are you?" Liam asked. "You know, I admire you, Liam. I hope my boy turns out just like you." The man said. Liam looked away. "I killed my daddy, so for your sake, I hope he don't." Liam told him. "You kill people so easily, yet you respect the vows of marriage. That's very curious." The man said, leaning in on his side. "I'll be the judge of my own morality, mister." Liam said. "Yes, you will. And you shall." The man said.

He then looked at his feet and started to walk around again, his hands behind his back. "Anyway, I hear that a wandering group of Indians are trying to find their way through this unforgiving land to seek refuge Canada. They're carrying the money they have left and have little defense. They're traveling up from Ewing Basin. Why don't you go help them get where they're going? Road's full of thieves. Either that, or rob them yourself. I'll see you around, Liam." The man said, kindling the fire with a stick. "I guess." Liam said walking off across the stretch of snow covered ground back to Colter.

The morning sun glistened over the snow as it rose. It started to warm up a bit. Charles was up chopping firewood and Kieran went to the barn to tend to the horses. Tilly and Mary-Beth had started to tidy up and do some cleaning. Liam looked back at the spot the strange man had been, but he was no longer there. Liam shook his head and walked back into the cabin. Arthur was up, having coffee with Susan and Abigail. "Morning." Liam said, walking up, pouring himself a cup. They all greeted him. "So what's the plan for today?" Liam asked Arthur. "Well, not much, just staying warm, fed and alive. Don't wanna draw any attention up here." Arthur said. "I understand. I was gonna go out and scout this area a bit. Is that alright with you?" Liam asked, planning on helping the Indians the strange man had talked about.