The Devils Backbone

Sundance

It was another cloudy day with a chilly wind threatening to freak the outside world solid. Chyna stood before Cap as he blocked her way to the front door. "There ain't no way I'm lettin' the two of yous out in that mess of a freeze," Cap said.  Chyna struggled to keep herself from giggling at the long frown on Cap's face.

With his arms folded across his chest, he peered down at her. "But Luella will need me down at the Saloon." Chyna reasoned. "let that new girl handle it." Cap said quickly. "Oh come on Cap, it's not snowing of nothin'. I can go, I'll be fine if you take me to town." Chyna reasoned. 

"It ain't snow, now, but it might snow on the way there, or later on the way back." Cap said, he pointed to his face, "I'm pretty good with one eye but I wouldn't test it in the middle of snowfall." He said, "there's still bushwackers all ov'r the gawdang place. The ground might get icy and you could fall." Cap went on.

"I ain't gon' fall, Cap." Chyna giggled, "You don't know that, it could happen." Cap said quickly. "Cap lots of things could happen. The wind could blow so hard it knocks one of them trees outside over, an' it could fall on the cabin. or there could be a rockslide an' it'd take half the cabin down." Chyna tried to reason.  

However, she soon regretted it as Cap looked down at her with wide eyes, "I-I think I cleared the trees back far 'nough when I built the place....there is an old Beech, things goes up forever, it could be problem." he murmured, Cap's eyes then when to the back wall of the house, the mountain face. "can't do much about that..." he said.

"Lord Cap I was foolin!" Chyna gasped. "those things could happen though." Cap said. Chyna chuckled and took his face into her hands. "Cap by all rights  I could step out that door there to use to loo, and the sky could fall, the ground could open up, a big old bear could rush in an' a stray bullet could zip out of the sky that is falling all at once," Chyna said. Cap was trying his best to listen but found himself lost in her eyes and melting at the warmth of her hands on his face.

Things that would always feel like the first time. " it all could happen, don't mean theys will happen." Chyna said. Cap gave her a sheepish grin, "awright fine," He sighed, "I won't go out and hack down that Beech tree to reinforce the roof." He said, leaning forward he dropped two kisses upon the bridge of her nose.

"But you still ain't goin' to the Saloon in the freezin' cold." He added.

"Cap!" Chyna called, "not going," He said quickly. Cap picked Chyna up and headed towards their bedroom. "Well we gotta go get Cotton from your Ma's anyway," Chyna said. "That's different and we ain't gonna go nowheres. I'ma go." He said.

"....Cap I've gotta pee." Chyna sighed. Cap turned lightly on the ball of his foot and headed back to the door with Chyna in tow. "I can walk!" Chyna said in a roar of giggles, Cap couldn't stop himself from grinning, "yeah but I like this better." He hummed. He gaze on her soft as he lugged her through the cabin. "what happened to tall that talk about slippin' on ice/' she asked. Cap held his head high and Chyna could feel him puff out his chest, "I wouldn't drop you two for the world." he said.