Day 13 - Butte
Shesnenewezi Springs. Laid peacefully in the desert, 'tween rising buttes, the little settlement stood quiet. Perhaps, too quiet. There were none in the road, none milling about. The shutters were closed, the shops were shut - and yet some were brave enough to peek out. A standoff was about to heaven.
The belltower finally struck noon, and with every toll of the bell, two people stepped closer. On one hand, Harrowed, travelling wol, master swordswoman; and on the other hand, the challenger - an outlaw of the Shaaloani desert, master marksman, The Flint.
With Flint to the north, and Harrowed to the south, both of them waited impatiently for the bells to make their twelth mark. And, at last, the bells fell silent, and but a heartbeat afterwards, The Flint drew his gun.
Before one could even blink, Harrowed had drawn her sword and deflected the bullet with her shield. She flung herself closer to him, unafraid of the incoming bullets. She swung her sword to his side, but he quickly ducked - and as he ducked, he took another shot.
This one hit in her arm, but thankfully the leather armor she wore took the brunt of the shot, leaving her with but a scrape. She quickly twisted and punted him with her shield, temporarily knocking him off-balance.
Flint, however, took advantage of this and rolled on his back, drawing a second pistol. He kicked up sand to irritate Harrowed's eyes and fired twice.
Harrowed flinched from the dust, quickly withdrawing, putting her shield back up. She then attacked him, multiple times, but he kept dodging - her sword hitting the ground.
In a last-ditch attempt, emptied both magazines into Harrowed's direction. But still that was all for naught- the first shot hit her shoulder, but the rest were caught by her shield. One more shot managed to get through- Harrowed grunted but kept going, putting her sword on his neck in one quick motion.
"Stay down." Harrowed said through gritted teeth. She was bleeding from her shoulder, but she stood steady, her eyes narrowed. The Flint grunted and relented, letting go of the guns.
All of the onlookers slowly drew out, cheering, as the sheriff caught Flint and dragged him away.
Harrowed nodded to the onlookers, summoned her horse and rode off, into the sunset, looking back - only once.
