Nathan sighed heavily to himself, glancing down at the brand on his palm. Curling his fingers to hide it, he jumped when Bob asked him curiously. "Everything alright?" Straightening up, Nathan quickly tugged on his fingerless glove, replying gruffly. "I'm fine. Just tired." Nathan started to walk around Bob, but Bob stepped cautiously into his path. Towering over him a bit, Bob discreetly asked him in a gentle tone. "You knew the Chief's son by name... and it brings me to wonder how young you were when you joined the Marshal's gang." Nate couldn't stop the slightly disgusted smirk from pulling at his lips, when he shot back darkly. "Joined? When did I say that, Deputy?" Brushing by him, Nathan walked to the river and kneeled to splash his face. Even with the sun starting to sink behind the mountains, the land was still hot. Tugging off his bandana from around his neck, he soaked it in the cool river and dabbed it over his tired face. While wringing it out to put it back on, Nathan gulped as he noticed the shadow looming over him. The person's reflection barely visible in the water.

Getting slowly to his feet, he turned around to meet the stony expression of Chief Bear-Claw. He was a tall burly man with long white hair that was braided down his broad shoulders. He wore a tan leather long sleeved shirt that had fringe hanging from the arms and along the sides of his matching pants. His head was adorned with a brown bear head headdress that had large bright feathers and bone beads hanging from it like attached earrings. Chief Bear-Claw wore a bone beaded necklace that hung over his torso and from it hung thick black bear claws. There was even a red painted claw under the Chief's right eye. The Chief straightened up to his full proud height, crossing his arms over his chest in a firm stance of respect and power. Removing his hat, Nathan bowed deeply to him and lowered his eyes to the dirt. The Chief exhaled heavily, stating out a bit bitterly. "When I set out on my hunt this morning... I did not expect to return and find you, Shadow-Rider." Nathan said nothing and stayed still. The Chief started to walk around him slowly, adding defensively. "I've heard tales of you across the plain. You worry me, Shadow-Rider. For this beast you choose to feed... It cannot be sated. And if you do not take care... it will consume you and everyone around you."

Nathan risked taking a small breath in order to lightly reply. "I know. I'm sorry. I just... I didn't know where else to go. They others were hurt too badly to ride the long distance. It's only temporary until we reach the next town." The Chief stopped back in front of him, stating out in a lighter voice. "I should kill you for the blood my people have shed over your actions. For the disgrace you've brought upon my son." Nathan sank to his knees at his feet, keeping his head bowed to him. The Chief unsheathed a deer antler knife from his belt, sliding the blade carefully under Nathan's jaw. Nathan closed his eyes as the cold flat of the blade touched the underside of his jaw before forcing him to look up. When he opened his eyes, he met the Chief's dark brown eyes, but found the Chief's expression to be calm. The blade remained steady, when the Chief told him in a strong serene tone. "Yet, even as I hold this blade to you... I cannot bring myself to do so. Which makes me wonder what the Great Spirit has waiting for you." Lowering his blade, the Chief's voice softened more when he said aloud. "I trust in the Great Spirit, Shadow-Rider. Your time will come... but it will not be by my hand it seems." The Chief rose from his crouch, starting to walk away when he stopped to say over his shoulder. "Shadow-Rider?"

Nathan lifted his chin to look at him, allowing the Chief to continue coolly. "If you weren't a half-breed, I'd think you were destined to walk the path of a Spirit Warrior. But since you are... I don't know what path the Great Spirit has chosen for you, and I won't shame myself to ask. So, you must find it on your own." Nathan flinched like a knife had been plunged into his heart but nodded to the Chief. The rest of the tribe looked on from between teepees, watching how their Chief was handling his presence. As the Chief slipped into the crowd of his people, they relaxed and greeted his return with warm smiles. While the rest of the hunting party brought in what was to be dinner tonight on horseback. Nathan slowly put his hat back on to hide his hurt expression. He hated feeling left out. He was an outcast among his father's tribe and rejected by his mother's people. It was a wound that never healed no matter how much time passed. Getting to his feet, he dusted off his black chaps and glanced up to see Wade and Bob staring at him from the teepee. Seeing their stares was too much for him. Pulling the brim of his hat down, he stormed off to go for a walk.

Finding a nice rock, he sat down and started to skin the Coral Snake like his father had shown him. He could hear the tribe starting to play music as they danced around the large bonfire, but it was faint from where he sat. Upon inhaling deeply, he smirked and called out flatly. "Shouldn't you be with your tribe?" Hawk-Claw jumped up onto the rock with him without a sound, taking a seat next to him as he said snarkily. "Technically, I am with my tribe." Nathan's smile fell away and he returned his focus on skinning. Exhaling deeply, Hawk-Claw asked him sweetly to change the subject. "How is your mom?" Nate laid out the snakeskin over his leg, answering a bit sadly. "She's gone. Has been for a long time now." Hawk-Claw tensed, wrapping his arms around his legs when he asked in a gentle voice. "What? You told me...?" Nathan sighed, setting down his knife. He didn't feel like keeping the lie up with Hawk-Claw anymore. He was hurting too much already. What was a little more? Swallowing down the pain, Nathan told him without looking at him. "After dad died and your dad kicked us out of the tribe. We went to Fenton. The only job she could get was a whore at the brothel."

Sniffling, Nathan tore at the snake meat to try and fight the pain that was boiling over as he continued. "Most of the guys were nice to her... until the church was built. One night these religious protestors show up. Screaming about cleansing the world of sin... Next thing I know, the Sheriff and his deputies are boarding up the place with 'the devil's whores' inside... My mother broke her arm busting open a window to get me out. I can still hear the screaming... and those religious assholes singing as the place burned. She told me to run. I didn't. Some man grabbed me and tried to drown me in the horse trough. The sheriff saved my life... only because he knew that I'm a Korean and a Native American half-breed. The perfect slave. He sold me to work in a gold mine... I worked there until a bunch of outlaws robbed the place. James Abner snatched me up because I disarmed one of his men to shoot the foreman and the Sheriff that sold me from a hundred yards out. He thought that might be useful to him..." With the snake meat in shredded pieces, Nate cursed as a tear rolled down his cheek and his voice broke when he added reluctantly. "I tell people she's alive because she doesn't feel dead to me. I refuse to believe that they took her from me."

Frustrated that his eyes were blurring up with tears, he flung his knife into the dirt with a bitter curse. Hawk-Claw reached out to touch him, but Nathan swatted his hands away and snapped out. "I'm fine!" Hawk-Claw recoiled to let Nate settle, then eased closer to him. Nathan thought about moving away from him, but his body wouldn't move. Hawk-Claw removed Nate's hat, holding it up to block the view of the camp. Then reaching out with his free hand, he brushed the tears off his cheeks and whispered to him. "Oh, Nate... You should have told us... You should have told me." Nathan wiped his nose on his bandana, uttering out in a pained voice. "What difference would it have made? I'm impure. I'm not accepted anywhere. And what's worse... I tainted you and destroyed any hope you had to marry." Hawk-Claw scoffed, putting a finger under Nathan's chin as he leaned in closer. Giving him a warm inviting smile, Hawk-Claw whispered over his lips. "I've liked you since we were kids. I don't believe the Great Spirit shuns half-breeds or anyone. Otherwise, how can the mustang... a mixed blooded animal, be so beloved by our people? With all this war, we have forgotten to look beyond the surface. We look but we don't see... I believe that YOU will help my father open his eyes. And if not him... Then maybe this is MY path to help them see from all sides of life."

Nathan reached out to trace the red paint on Hawk-Claw's chest. Like his father, Hawk-Claw had the painted symbol of a hawk's claw on his left breast. It was painted just under an old scar from when a large hawk had attacked him as an infant. Thus, giving him the name. Hawk-Claw smiled, pressing his lips to his in a passionate kiss that drained the sorrow from Nathan's heart. When Hawk-Claw eased from the kiss, Nathan breathlessly told him. "You are going to make a great chief one day..." Hawk-Claw rolled his eyes, playfully putting Nathan's hat over Nate's face as he muttered out through a chuckle. "Not if you keep getting me into trouble." Fixing his hat on his head, Nate chuckled back lightly. "Then stop making me feel so safe with you." Hawk-Claw snorted, carefully taking the snakeskin as he said openly. "Not a chance. It's how I keep you coming back around whenever you sneak off in the night." Nathan winced a little, leaning back on the rock. Holding up the skin, Hawk-Claw asked with a smile. "This is quite a find. What are you making with this?"

Smirking, Nathan honestly told him. "It's not for me. It's for this lucky kid. The snake saved his life. So... as you taught me. I'm making the kid a necklace. Something to protect him. He's going to need all the luck he can get." Hawk-Claw narrowed his eyes a moment, then handed him back the skin, saying a bit distractedly. "That reminds me. I wanted to show you this. A group of guys gave this to my father when he was coming back from the hunt." Removing a piece of folded paper from a leather pouch on his belt, he handed it off to him. Unfolding it, Nathan held it up to the distant light and read the bold print aloud to himself. "Wanted dead or alive. The Lawless Marksmen Gang. Consisting of Deadeye Nate, Lucky Jack, Blazing Bob, Wild Wade, and Lawless Mark himself. Wanted for Assault, Train Robbery, and Murder. Last seen around the town of Iron Hills. Pinkertons offering a reward of... five hundred dollars a head! For any information on them..." Lowering the paper, Nate sat up and huffed out in shock. "Oh, boy... I was hoping they wouldn't send Pinkertons after us... This is bad. Real bad..."

Hawk-Claw leaned back on his hands, lightly chuckling out. "Now you see why my father was so worried. If Pinkertons are on your ass... Being with us isn't going to save you. They'll be hunting you from here to hell as you put it. I hope you have a plan." Nathan folded the paper back up, mumbling out softly. "I have to tell the others..." Getting up, Nathan retrieved his stuff and started to head back, when Hawk-Claw asked him curiously. "Do I get a reward, Cowboy?" Smirking, Nathan backed up and beckoned Hawk-Claw closer. When he leaned in for a kiss, Nathan whispered to him in a deep buttery voice. "Come by my tent later and I'll reward you good and proper." Hawk-Claw giggled a little, giving him a brief kiss before whispering. "I'll let you keep your boots on this time." Blushing, Nathan quickly strolled away before he could change his mind about informing the others. Crossing the camp, Nathan approached the teepee and slowed to a stop with concern. Bob and Wade were standing outside and watching the Native Americans dance around a large bonfire while others sung or watched them.

The moment Wade noticed him approaching, he gestured to the bonfire and nervously asked. "What are they doing? They aren't planning to go to war, are they?" Nathan looked to the bonfire where two men were dressed up as wolves and circling a young girl that was dressed more traditionally in nice leathers with feathers in her braids. Shaking his head, he informed them confidently. "No. They are telling a story to the kids." Bob shot him a curious look now, asking lightly. "About... what? Being eaten by wolves?" Sighing, Nathan pointed to them in turn, regaling what he remembered. "No. The wolves there symbolize the good and evil in oneself. The story goes that the wolves are in consistent battle within you... and depending on which one you feed the most... determines if you become a good person... or a bad one. The girl in the story is learning how her personality changes depending on her actions of feeding the white wolf who is joy, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, and truth. Over the black wolf who is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, inferiority, lies, and ego." Wade blinked, slipping in then. "You know this story?" Inhaling deeply, Nate mumbled out. "I've heard it once or twice."

Changing the subject, he raised the folded paper and asked them curtly. "Is Mark up? I have something I need to show you guys." Bob and Wade shared a look, before Bob said defensively. "They are eating. Why? What's wrong?" Wade reached out to try snatching the paper, but Nathan avoided his grabby hand and slipped into the teepee. Mark and Sean stopped their conversation about pleasant dreams to stare up at Nate. Unfolding the paper, Nathan tossed it between the two of them and told him bluntly as Bob and Wade filed in behind him. "Word has gotten out a lot faster than I anticipated. Someone hired Pinkertons to hunt us down. Seems we made an impression. Your gang is worth a lot, Lawless Mark." The teepee fell into silence as Mark picked up the paper and read it aloud for the others. Their faces turning paler with every written word. To Be Continued...