Trouble Times Two

by Wendymypooh

Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner did not actively seek out trouble, but it usually found them. Today was no exception. They were caught in a life and death struggle that neither were certain of the outcome.

They had been returning to Four Corners from a hunting trip, when a group of hide hunting band of outlaws waylaid them. Eight against two were not the best odds, so Vin and Chris had quickly reduced their opponents to four, before they had turned and made a run for higher ground. Vin took a hit to his left shoulder, and Chris was hit in his right thigh. Together they had practically crawled their way into the tiny niche in an outcropping of barren rocks, that they currently found themselves in.

"Going to be dark soon." Vin tersely said as he reloaded his mule's ear.

"Better cover for us to make a move. How's your shoulder?" Larabee grimaced as he shifted position in the cramped quarters and his injured leg felt as if someone stuffed a red-hot poker through it. He let out a slew of expletives, that Vin echoed a couple of minutes later when he accidentally bumped his injured shoulder on a sharp point of the rocks they were hiding in and pain engulfed his torso.

Darkness fell, and with it, an opportunity for Vin and Chris to make their escape. They were very aware of the fact that the four remaining outlaws could be planning another attack upon them, but that was a risk they were going to take. Their bullets were dwindling down and instead of becoming absolutely helpless in the face of their enemies, they were willing to fight to the death.

Their escape proved relatively easy as the cockiness of their opponents led the remaining men to make camp for the night, instead of taking advantage of the darkness to be rid of Chris and Vin once and for all.

Neither the tracker nor the gunfighter were going to look a gift horse in the mouth for whoever was watching over them and decided to give them a chance to live for another day.

By the time morning arrived, both Chris and Vin were extremely tired, thirsty, and in constant pain. They had awkwardly attended to each other's wounds, bundling them up as best they could, so that neither of them lost too much blood during the night. They were holed up within a stand of trees when the rest of their fellow peacekeepers arrived and gave them the aide they desperately needed. Soon all seven of the men were headed back to Four Corners together.

End