Sixes Wild: Manifest Destiny (30 page)

Blake’s Diary

July 5th, 1890 -

Yesterday I had the displeasure of being hurled in a creek, tied up, and shot.

The day had mundane makings— at sunset, I stood watching the festivities with Doc when Deputy Harding pushed through the crowd at a dead run. He informed me that Hayes’ General Store had been robbed. I flew down there with all due haste, finding Tanner Hayes already fuming. As we were talking, my thief stole my own pony from the city stables and rode off! I gave chase, but the scoundrel escaped. I found another pony and headed off in pursuit.

I caught up with the thief beside Skull Creek, hours later. Gave the suspect a chance to surrender, the result of which was having the desert hare throw a shovel at me and then knock the gun out of my paw. Attempted to detain suspect physically, but we were that very moment happened upon by a number of ruffians. I announced my title and intent, but they attempted to shoot me. I surely would have taken a bullet, had not the hare knocked us both into the creek.

We emerged far downstream. I had taken a blow to the head and the bunny had me at a disadvantage— I had lost my pistol. I was tied up, but in the course of the night we were forced to huddle close together for warmth or face hypothermia. It was then that close quarters caused me to make a discovery: this hare was a woman!

I wish at this time to assure you that this close contact was nothing ungentlemanly, just to stop any idle speculation later. Not long after I had assured the lady her secret was safe with me, we were again accosted by desperadoes. Six, my charming thief, claimed they were in the employ of Tanner Hayes himself. They were about to shoot us, but the bunny found a most unusual way to stop them— she shot me!

In the confusion that followed, she was able to shoot the stunned bandits. As they were still intent on shooting me, I decided to throw my lot in with hers, wounding one of the bandits myself.

After she dressed my wounded wing, she loaded all parties involved onto ponies and we headed back to town. She deposited us at Doc’s and fleed before Hayes could notice her.

As I write this, Hayes has just left, having been met with the fiery mercies of Charlotte. His behavior was strange, demanding to see the wounded men, as if he knew all along there were more men involved.

August 5th, 1890 -

I find myself slowly recovering in strength. Though I don’t care much for the sling Doc has placed on my wing, I am even less fond of his continued insistence that I sleep in a bed, rather than hanging properly from a rafter.

Forget all previous complains, as I have had something far more confounding just occur. Six Shooter returned. She checked to make sure I was alright, chatting casually with me. Then, as if drawn together by some strange magnetism, we found ourselves in each other’s embrace, getting a trifle amorous. The long and short of it is I ended up locked in one of my own cells when Harding spooked her. Wouldn’t have been so bad, save for the fact that I was light a pair of trousers at the time. 
A wholly mortifying conclusion to the encounter. I’m not sure what I’m thinking, allowing that woman to make inroads on my heart. It isn’t as if I could settle down with somebody like her, or rather that she could never settle down with me.

Still, I end up thinking about her. Surely, this will diminish with time.

August 20, 1890 -

I find myself thinking of Six more and more. I have yet to let it interfere with my duties.

September 4, 1890 -

Six arrived at my office late last night and spent the night in my wings. In the morning, she confessed that she wanted me to come with her to investigate Hayes’ mine. I said that would, once we had collected some information. This was not good enough for her, and she took off in a huff. After trying to find some information here, I eventually surrendered my better sense and gave chase after her.

I didn’t find her on route, but there are many ways up the side of the mountain. Upon seeing some men at Hayes’ mine, I landed to ask them some questions. This resulted in one of them taking me unaware and knocking me unconscious. I awoke in a dingy cell with Six hauling me to my feet. We made our escape, though she was affected adversely by something in the mine. We hid on the mountain for a few hours before making our way down. Once back in town, we began organizing a posse to investigate the mine more fully. The mine then exploded.

A town meeting was called. Having been tipped off by a bunny who’d witnessed our escape, Hayes identified “Jasper Haus” as the hare who’d broken into his mine and dynamited it, posting a reward for his arrest. It became clear this “Jasper” was indeed Six. She fled to avoid capture.

September 14, 1890 -

I have been piecing together clues from my uncle’s journals. This, combined with some information from Harding, has led me to believe there is more going on here than I at first suspected. Turns out that Harding reported the former Hayes’ mining operation to the Office of Indian Affairs, since it cuts in on ‘yote holy land. This resulted in Jasper Haus, Six’s father being sent out to investigate. Before the investigation was complete, however, Jasper ended up killing the elder Hayes and being wounded himself. I shall have to check into this further.

September 15, 1890 -

Fate has seen to it that I learn more about the Jasper-Hayes affair. One of Hayes’ men confronted me for delaying the search for Six yet again, but Doc smooth-talked him off my case. I was then obliged to accept, at long last, his invitation to dinner. While there, he and the misses informed me further on the subject of Hayes’ mine. What’s more, it seems Charlotte has known for some time now that Six is a woman! I nearly choked on their fine cactus wine when she hinted at that fact. Does everybody in this town know more than I do?

September 16, 1890 -

I flew out and located Six in the desert, with some aid from Harding. We re-entered the mine, more covertly this time. However, the mine seemed to have an even more detrimental effect on her this time, as she passed out soon after entering. I brought her back to the foxes’ place, where we started to formulate a new plan.

Unfortunately for me, this plan entailed me wearing a dress so we could infiltrate a party being held at the Hayes estate in Scoria Grove. After embarrassments I shall not go into here, I managed to find records of the ore Hayes has been digging up. Shortly after, we were found by Hayes and had to flee. His men tried to stop us, but Six handcuffed me to a cart and chased the horse team off!

After being freed from my predicament by the local sheriff, I set off after Six. As I neared White Rock, the mine once more exploded, nearly cracking the mountain in half. I knew instantly that Six had to be involved. I flew with all haste to the washout that had been created by pent-up water inside the mine. I found Six, half-drown and half-deaf, but alive. I managed to fly her to the edge of town, despite some unladylike comments she made. I wish I could say these were brought on by the delirium from the mine collapsing around her.

At Harding’s place, the foxes and I managed to put Six’s arm back into place, which was the worst of her injuries. We decided it would be for the best if she hid out here for the time being.

September 18, 1890 -

I visited Six today, to see how she was recovering. Being alone and happy to be alive, we became somewhat amorous. I fell fast asleep beside her. To my sorrow, but not to my shock, she was gone when I awoke.

January 4, 1891 -

I had only just now begun to contemplate what life would be like without Six. She showed up today. I find myself forced now to contemplate life with her.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hayes’ Story

You see, Mei Xiu, it all started when I arranged for some funds to go missing. The intent was for them to end up in the right paws, keep the right eyes looking elsewhere. But somehow that damned bunny found out and managed to steal the cash first!

I know, I know. I have to control myself.

Once I heard tell of the robbery, I summoned the sheriff. I mostly meant it for show; I’d already sent Morris to go round up our would-be thieves and send them after that bunny. The next morning, my men were hauled back into town by the sheriff and hare, trussed up like turkeys. I demanded to see them, but the fox and his wife wouldn’t hear of it, seeing as how they were wounded. In the end, they were shipped off to prison before I could get anything from them about the money.

No, it wasn’t really about the money. You’re right. It was about a threat, a threat to what was mine. I can see that now. Too bad I had to lose everything first.

After that, I plotted with Morris on how best to deal with the situation. Luckily for that rabbit, she didn’t show her face in town for a while.

Oh, yes. Didn’t I mention? She’s a woman! Just dresses like a man. Of all the prey debauchery...

I had no real means of getting revenge and had resigned myself to waiting, when the sheriff showed up at my mine unannounced. Some of my men found him, roughed him up (without asking me, mind you), and locked him up in the mine. When I heard about this, I was riled something fierce. I didn’t let it affect my judgement, however, instructing the men to clean the lawbat up and bring him to town to recover in the comfort of my offices, the better to explain this as a sad misunderstanding.

But that bunny had to come charging in! She blindsided two of my men, stole the key, and hauled the sheriff out of the cell. I would never have even known who she was, were it not for Bennet, another hare, swearing up and down that she was Jasper Haus, his long lost relation of some sort.

I had to think fast. I knew that once the sheriff got back to town in that condition, people would be coming up here to see just what I had been doing. I didn’t need that manner of attention, so I dynamited the front entrance.

Yes! It was rash. But I needed a plan and that seemed as good as any. Someday, when I’m back on my feet, I’ll dig you all the mines you want.

I spent some time stewing in my own juices. This was about the time we had one of our little hunts. You remember: the one where that fat lizard got jammed between the bounders? I knew you wouldn’t forget...

The next time I saw the sheriff and hare was at that party I hosted. Yes, that one. I think everyone was having a right lovely time until the fight. But what most folks never realized was that not only was the bunny dressed as a man, but the sheriff was wearin’ a dress! The lawbat managed to escape somehow, but my men caught Six Shooter.

No, I assume that’s not her real name. She has some connection to Jasper Haus, the bunny who killed my uncle, who had some tie to Bennet, but he’s gone and probably still running now, and with no small amount of my money. If I ever get my claws on him or his little marmot friend, I’ll—

Oh. Yes. I had them bring her back to the mine, so I could get the truth from her. It was then that I found she was a woman.

It was nothing indecent! She’s only prey, madam. Ugh! No, it’s just that certain facts came to my awareness in the process of interigatin’.

My finding this out brought forth a fearsome reaction from the bunny. In the twitch of a whisker, she had grabbed one of her guns and was fighting my men.

Of course I had her tied up! I didn’t get this far in life taking unneeded chances.

Never in my life had I seen prey put up such a fight. Beautiful, after a fashion. But not so beautiful that I cared to stand around and wait for her to plug me. I took off, one of her guns in paw. I knew that she’d come back that way, and I could have my revenge on her on my own terms.

I had just about made it out of the mine when she did the unthinkable. She somehow managed to shoot our explosives, propelling me out of the entrance like a cork and collapsing the mine completely.

Sometime in the confusion, Bennet and Morris made off with my money and the ore. I sent men after them, but I’ve not heard so much as a word back.

Now what’s this you say about where the ore might be going?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Six’s Past

I grew up poor. Dirt poor on a dirt farm. 

Daddy had been an off-and-on lawman. He took a bullet in the gut the year before we homesteaded. Never recovered his full strength. I reckon he was happier farming, even with that lead still in him. Momma was able-bodied enough, but she was doing the work of at least ten people, eleven after that. So it fell to me to fetch things from town.

I was a shy child and even then I had never taken to dressing like a proper girl, so when a few of the folks from town started jawing at me like a boy, I couldn’t drum up the sass to tell ‘em ‘no.’ Word got around that the new hares down the road had a darlin’ little son. Momma thought this was for the best anyway. Daddy didn’t, but he had enough trouble tending to the few cattle we had, let alone trying to check up on my every move.

Helps that I’m taller than the most of folk. My breasts ain’t precisely a part of the Rocky Mountains either, but they suit me fine, thank you very much. A good loose shirt and you’d never know I was packin’ a cozy little burrow in place of a trouser snake.