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The Sundown Coyote

By XP Author

Eliza set down on the bale of hay with a grunt, leaning back a little. The skinny woman could really go for a cool drink right about now. The coyote missed her mother's lemonade. She also missed her father's stern but kind guidance. She just generally missed her parents. They had died a few years back when a neighboring farm's herd of cattle started to stampede. The pair had tried to help, but ended up trampled for their troubles, instead. They had left the farm to her and her younger brother, Graham. Well... to her, at least. At the time, Graham was still in jail. The boy had run off as a teen and joined a gang of bandits. Ended up getting himself caught trying to hold up a general store in town.

Thankfully, the time behind bars seems to have done him some good. He had gotten out only a few weeks ago, and the first thing he did was come home and beg her for forgiveness. Much as she wanted to hold a grudge, she just couldn't hate her little brother. Especially since he seemed so genuinely repentant. So now, he was helping her on the farm. As much as he could, anyway. He still had a lot to learn about it. She tried to start him slow, just feeding the animals and the like. He ended up getting chased by a flock of chickens instead. At least the boy was a good cook. ...well, boy was not quite right. He was in his mid-20s now. Still acted like a teen, though. He had a lot of growing to do.

Eliza was just getting herself back to her feet when she heard the sound of hooves down the road. Turning, she saw a single figure on horseback coming. "Huh... is that Flint?" Sure enough, once the figure got closer, she saw it was Deputy Samuel Masterson, though everyone just called him Flint for reasons she never learned. She made her way towards the road to greet him, leaning on the fence while she waited.

Once the man was close, he slowed his horse to a trot. He tipped his wide hat to her. "Morning, Ms. Redfield." Somehow, when he said it, it always sounded like he was talking down to her. Like she was a child, despite only being two years his younger. Probably something to do with her pushing 30 and yet still not married. Some folks were odd about that.

Still, she put on a smile as she nodded back. "Morning, Deputy. What brings you all the way out of town so early?"

His expression went from kind to serious in an instant. "I got word your brother was out of prison. Has he come to visit you?"

"Uh... yeah. He's come home some two weeks now." She pointed to the cornfield. "Should be out in the field right now."

Flint's eyes went wide. "He's been here for weeks!?" He looked to the field she pointed to. "And you didn't tell the sheriff?"

"No? Didn't see the need, as she's is the one who escorted him here..." She gave him a hesitantly inquisitive look. "Why? What's he gone and done this time?"

The fox scowled at the information that the sheriff already knew of Graham's arrival. "Nothing... yet. Nothing I can prove, anyway. But it's only a matter of time..."

She stood up to her full, if unimpressive height, and put her hands on her hips. "Now see here, Deputy. My brother served his time! He's genuinely changed for the better! Came begging for forgiveness, tail between his legs and hat-in-hand, fully expect'n me to turn him away after all he pulled. He done nothin' but help and try to better himself since he came home!"

He sighed. "Now, Ms. Redfield..." There was that condescending tone again. "...Your brother is a dangerous criminal. He may have served his time, but a criminal is always a criminal. They can't change their ways. Somethin' wrong in the mind once they go that way. Don't be surprised if he ends up going back to a gang or getting violent. You best be careful. I wouldn't want a sweet little thing like you getting hurt." He talked as if he was explaining basic things to a 5-year-old.

She scowled up at him. "My brother is not going to be going back to his gang. If you remember, he went and turned over all he knew about them. Most are dead or in prison still. He's turned himself around!"

"Ms. Redfield..."

She interrupted him and kept going. "And for another thing, _Mr. Masterson,_I can handle myself just fine. I'm not such a fragile flower that needs a big man to protect me. Daddy taught me how to shoot, and Mama didn't raise no wallflower. I been running this farm on my own for 2 years this summer. So I would appreciate it if you wouldn't treat me like a child." She crossed her arms. "I also don't appreciate you saying my brother is touched in the head." She tilted her head. "Now, unless you done got some official business, I suggest you get off my property. Deputy or no, you are trespassing."

Flint held a breath, then let it out, deflating a little. "Fine. I'll move along..." He pulled the reigns to turn his mount around. "But when your brother proves me right, don't expect any sympathy from me while you're bleeding out." Before she could retort, he kicked the horse to start it off back towards town, leaving her standing there fuming.

* * *

The bang the front door made as it slammed shut nearly made Graham jump out of his fur. He peaked his head around the doorframe to see his sister pacing back and forth like a caged beast, arms crossed over her chest. "Everything okay, El?"

She looked up with a start, though seeing him seemed to calm her a little. "Oh. You're in here..." She sighed, the rage seeming to leave her with that breath, her whole body sagging. "Yeah. Just had a talk with Deputy Masterson. That man gets under my fur something fierce!"

He grimaced. "Oh... Flint's still got it out for me, huh?" He used to be pretty close friends with the fox when the two were children, even though they were nearly 5 years different in age. "I hadn't yet gotten up the courage to see him in person to apologize for all the trouble I caused..."

Eliza scoffed, making her way into the kitchen, only to drop into one of the seats at the table like a sack. "I wouldn't bother. He's got this crazy idea that you'll go and start robbing everyone at the drop of a hat."

He balked at the very idea. "I... what!? NO! I would never! That's not who I am no more!"

"I tried to tell him that." She waved her hand dismissively in the general direction of the door. "He wouldn't listen none to me, though." She sighed. "Why Mary Sue allowed that man to be deputy is beyond me."

Graham sat down beside his sister. "I'm sure he means well enough. He's always had a pretty strong sense of justice. Sheriff Anders prob'ly gave him the badge to keep him from going vigilante." He reached out and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Look, I'll talk to him. Try and bury the hatchet and set things right. Let him know I got no interest going back to that life. Was a stupid mistake I made as a kid and thought I got stuck. I learned my lesson."

She frowned. "I know..." She held a breath before letting it out slowly. "Yeah... I know." She squeezed his hand in return. "You been doing good on the farm." She cleared her throat. "Speakin' o' which. Thought you were out in the field... You ain't slack'n off, are you?"

He laughed softly, scratching the back of his head. "I was... In the field, I mean. But... Well, I got a mighty thirst and thought to make lemonade, like Mama used to." He pointed at the counter, a small bunch of lemons sitting upon the cutting board. "Was gonna surprise you with some, but you come in before I got started."

She smiled at him. "Well... as reasons for slack'n off go, that's a good one."

He chuckled at her. "Yeah. And proof I ain't no bandit no more. Would a criminal go making surprise lemonade for his sister?"

She sat back, as if in contemplation of his question. "Hrm... a real devious mastermind might come up with something like that. Good way to hide his true motivations..." He stared at her in disbelief for a moment. "But I know you ain't that smart. So I believe ya."

He frowned. "Aw... c'mon. I ain't THAT dumb!" Eliza started to crack up at the sad expression he gave her. A moment later, he couldn't help but join in the laughter. It was the first time in the two weeks he had been back that he got her to genuinely laugh. Even if it wasn't intentional, he would take it. He missed hearing her laugh like this.

* * *

The chickens came flocking out of the coop as the feed was tossed onto the ground. Eliza smiled as the birds all pecked at the ground to get their breakfast. "Eat up, y'all. Gonna be a good day." She turned as she heard hoofs on dirt nearby. Turning to see, she sighed. "Or maybe not..." She set the bucket of feed down and made her way over to greet her 'guest.' She adjusted her brown hair back out of her face as she walked. Even if she could not stand the man, there was no sense in looking like an unmade bed.

"Good morning, Ms. Redfield." Flint was just hitching his horse up to the fence at the edge of the road.

"Deputy Masterson." She did not hide the vitriol in her voice. "To what do I owe the... pleasure... this time? You come to accuse my brother again?"

The fox ignored her ire. "No. In fact, he asked me here. Sent me a letter asking to talk." He sniffed. "I won't lie, for a moment was surprised he could write." Before she could do more than raise hackles, he continued. "But then I remember your ma and da were big on that. Anyway, where is he?"

She still kept her frown. "He wrote you? You got this letter?"

Flint grunted, reaching into his vest to pull out a folded piece of paper. "As a matter of fact, I do. Figured you'd find it almost as hard to believe as me." He held out the paper to her, which she snatched away and opened to read.

Dear Flint,

I know we have our differences. I know you feel I betrayed you, and I freely admit that I did.

We used to be friends. I won't ask for your friendship again, but in the spirit of that old friendship, I ask you come talk to me.

I want to apologize in person. Put all this behind us and in the ground. If you could come by the farm tomorrow morning, we could talk.

Yours,

Graham Redfield.

While Eliza knew her brother could read and write, even she was surprised by how clear his penmanship was. She folded the letter back up and handed it back with a sigh. "He's back cleaning the silo to ready for the harvest." She hooked her thumb in the direction of said silo. "Go on. But don't cause no trouble. He ain't a criminal no more."

The deputy grunted again as he put the letter back in his vest. "I'll be the judge of that." He tugged on his vest to straighten it, taking an extra moment to be sure the silver star badge was prominently displayed upon it. By the way it shined, he obviously took great pride in having it. He started off in the direction of the silo, giving a tip of his hat to the woman but saying no more.

Eliza watched him go, then closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she silently hoped that the two men could talk this out so the fox could put all this behind him. Flint was the town's only official deputy, and she was sure that Mayor Wesk would appoint him sheriff once Mary Sue Anders stepped down. The pudgy raccoon mayor was known more for her love of parasols than for good choices in appointed officials. She was just lucky that Sheriff Anders was a decent folk. The way her father used to speak of the old sheriff, he was a right tyrant.

She went back to the coup, grabbing the bucket of feed to put it away. She got no more than a dozen steps away when she heard the raised voices from the silo. With the noise from the chickens, she couldn't make out what was being said, just that it was being shouted in anger. With a sigh, she shook her head. "Well, that didn't take long..." She started making her way around the house, heading in the direction of the argument. She would have to try and calm the two down... more likely she would join in the shouting. Would be good to lay into the deputy for being an ass. Hell, maybe she could get Sheriff Anders to strip him of his badge if things went too far.

Just as the silo came into range, she saw the two men. Before she could get any closer, Graham suddenly punched Flint so hard that the fox nearly toppled over. She dropped the bucket of feed in her shock. "Oh my God!" In the time it took her to start running, the two started brawling in earnest. Flint's punch knocked Graham's hat off, her brother returned with a right hook of his own. Only halfway there, the two grappled, trying to drive the other to the ground. "Stop it!" She shouted.

The shot was deafening. Like an explosion, echoing around the fields and in her ears. She felt like she was running in slow motion, every detail sharper than it should be. She heard the wind rustling the crops, and could swear she could count the individual furs on each man as she got closer. Flint staggered back a step, his back still to her. Graham stared with a look of shock and surprise. He turned to see his sister running in his direction, and she saw the look of terror on him as well.

Just as she got to the two, Graham slumped to the ground, blood soaking through his shirt from the gunshot. She fell to her knees at his side. "Graham!" She grabbed her brother's shoulders, trying to lift him up. "Graham!" He wasn't moving, and he became blurry. She realized later it was from the tears.

Flint staggered back another step, as if he was still being punched. He still held his revolver, though it shook in his grasp. He equally had a look of shock and fear. "H-He... He tried to... grab my gun..."

Eliza turned to look at him, the look of pure hatred making him step back again. "MURDERER!" She shouted, louder than she knew she could.

Her shout snapped him out of his shock, though he still was very shaken. "He... He grabbed for my gun! I was defending myself!" He pointed at Graham. "He only wanted me here so he could kill me!"

She gently cradled her brother, sobbing. "Get out!" She shouted at him, wanting to hear none of his excuses. "Get the fuck out, you murderer!"

The deputy put his gun away with a sigh. Turning, he spoke softly but clearly. "I told you he was still a criminal."

"GET OUT!" She turned to glare at him so hard he could feel it from behind. He said no more, and just walked away, leaving her to weep over the body of her brother still cradled in her arms.

* * *

"Rest now, Graham. I'm so sorry..." She sighed heavily, hanging her head. She had no more tears to shed anymore. "I know you didn't want... this. Any of this..." She closed her eyes. "And I know you would tell me not to do this, but I have to. That fucking murderer goes and accuses you of being a violent criminal, but he gets to walk free because he has a shiny pin?" She shook her head. "That ain't right. And I'm going to make it right. But you just rest..." She looked back up at the small rock that marked her brother's fresh grave. "He'll be joining you in the dirt by sunrise."

She reached over and grabbed the rifle laying on the ground beside her. It was her father's old gun, used for driving off wild varmints. It was the gun she learned to shoot with as a child. Now it would be used to kill the fox that murdered her brother. Standing up, she set the hat upon her head. Her brother's brown stetson. It fit surprisingly well. She turned and started walking, gripping the rifle hard. For a day that hard started out as almost pleasant, it had turned so violently awful so quickly. She spent almost the entirety of it digging the grave for Graham, interrupted only by bouts of uncontrollable sobbing whenever she allowed any memory of him to slip into her thoughts. She couldn't help but feel it was somehow her fault, that she failed as a big sister.

It was not long before thoughts of sorrow were replaced by thoughts of anger. Of hate for many things. Her failures, his poor choices, and most of all, the one man responsible for everything bad today: Flint. It built and grew upon itself, until she was so full of anger and sorrow, she felt none of it, replaced only by a cold numbness. The sky seemed to mirror her rage as the sun slowly set, painting everything in reds. The wind had died to an almost unnatural stillness, as if the world itself was holding its breath for what was about to happen.

The walk to the town was not a long one, as she kept her pace. She knew her destination. She knew where that bastard lived. She would kick his door in and blow him away before he could react. That part, she had planned out. Afterward, she had no idea. Flee town, probably. She would figure that out later. Right now, her only thought was vengeance. Thankfully, most of the town was either already inside or at the pub.

"Eliza?" The voice was so close, she nearly screamed. Whirling to the side, she saw Sheriff Anders, a worried look on the middle-aged horse. "Where you going with such a serious stride... and a rifle?"

She gripped the gun tighter. "This ain't none of your concern, Sheriff."

The horse held out her hand slowly, keeping her voice calm and even. "I think it just might be. This is about Flint and your brother, isn't it?"

She gripped the rifle harder, her finger toying over the trigger. "What did he tell you?"

"I told her the truth." Flint stepped out from the sheriff's office just behind the horse, striding with confident swagger. "That your brother attacked me and I defended myself." Seeing the fox step out, she saw nothing but red as her rage flared. Before she was even aware she was doing it, she had the rifle up and aimed at the deputy. His egotistical swagger melted away the instant the gun was pointed at him, replaced by fear. He still tried to mask it with his overconfidence. "Now... now Ms. Redfield..."

She felt herself panting more than was conscious of doing it. It was like someone else was controlling her body. "He didn't attack first, you did! I saw it! You swung at him first! You wanted to shoot him!" Even as she said it with such vindictive certainty, a part of her doubted her own memory. Had she seen the fox swing first, or was it Graham? It was too late to question things. The end result was still her brother dead by the deputy's gun.

He raised his hands slowly. "Ms. Redfield... Please lis-"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" She shouted with such fury, he flinched. "You wanted any excuse! He was just a criminal to you, right!? That's why it was okay to murder him!?"

"Eliza, please..." The sheriff slowly stepped between the coyote and the deputy. One hand was still out, but the other was on her gun, still in the holster for now. "Please, put the rifle down." There was a slight edge to her voice, but she kept it as even as she could. "Just put it down, and we can talk about this."

"Talk!?" Eliza grit her teeth. "Talk won't bring my brother back!"

Mary Sue nodded slowly, her voice still slow and calm, trying to be reassuring as best she could. "No... it won't. But neither will shooting the deputy..." She took a cautious step forward, not yet within reach. "But if what you say is true, then I want to hear your side of this story."

Flint flinched again. "Are you kidding? She's lost her mind with grief! You can't believe what she-"

"Shut up, Samuel!" The fox flinched as his boss used his real name. Though it was the force with which it was said that shut him up. "Now, Eliza... please. Just put the gun down... I want to listen."

Eliza tried to swallow, but her mouth felt drier than scrub brush. She knew she could trust the sheriff. Mary Sue was good people. She would listen. She could put Flint in prison. It wouldn't bring her brother back, but it would be some form of justice. The rifle started to shake in her hands, and she felt herself breathing again. She had not realized she was holding her breath until that moment.

Flint's expression suddenly turned serious. "To hell with this." In that instant, everything moved in slow motion again. She saw his hand moving down, both incredibly fast yet slow. He was reaching for his gun! Her eyes went wide! He was going to shoot her, too!

The sheriff noticed at the same time. "NO!" She dove to the side, just as Eliza pulled the trigger. The kick from the rifle was a lot more than she remembered. Or maybe something went wrong. A lot more smoke than normal came out of the chamber. She hadn't bothered to clean it properly before setting off on her revenge plot. Once the immediate cloud of smoke blew away in the wind, she saw the results. Still in slow motion, she saw Mary Sue lose her footing as blood sprayed out of a new hole in her chest, right above her hefty breast. More blood splashed out of her mouth as she fell backwards. She stumbled backwards, right into Flint, toppling him over in the process.

Suddenly the flow of time snapped back to normal. She watched both tumble to the ground, Flint pinned under the larger body of the sheriff. Mary Sue coughed, spraying more blood from her mouth. She made a horrible gurgling sound as she tried to speak, tried to breathe, but was unable from the hole in her lung. Her eyes were wide, staring up at Eliza, then losing their focus as her gaze shifted upwards to the sky. A moment later, she was slumped back limp, no longer making the gurgling sound.

Flint looked up from under the sheriff's body, seeing the blood. "Y-you... you shot her!" He tried to shift the woman off of him, but her literal dead weight kept him down. So instead, he shouted. "M-Murder!"

Eliza staggered a step back. The rifle dropped from her hands, hitting the dirt with a heavy thud. "I-I... n-no..." She stared at the lifeless face of the horse, blood still drooling from the corner of her mouth. "No... no no!" She stumbled backwards more steps, her body numb once more.

The deputy grunted, starting to shift the body off of himself slowly. "Someone help! Murder! The sheriff is dead!" Heads started to pop out of doorways, faces pressed to windows, all wanting to see. She saw eyes turn to her, scornful and hate-filled.

She backed up faster, nearly tripping over her own feet. "No! I-I didn't... mean to..." Panic gripped her and she ran. She just turned and ran as fast as she could. She did not see where she was going for the tears in her eyes. She felt her breath ripping at her chest, her heart pounding so hard it might leap out of her. She ran and ran and ran. They would be following. She heard Flint shouting. More than Flint. The whole town was shouting.

They would be coming. Coming for a murderer.

Coming for her.

* * *

Back home, Eliza grabbed everything she could and stuffed it into a suitcase. Mostly clothing and some money. She had to run as far as she could, as fast as she could. She looked around, still panting. She had no time to catch her breath. She grabbed the photo on the shelf, of her parents, herself, and her brother as kids. She stared at it. They were happy then. Happy and alive. Now she was all that was left... and if she didn't run now...

"Eliza!" She gasped as she heard Flint's voice outside. It was too late. "Come out now! Keep your hands where we can see them!" We? She heard more voices outside than just the deputy's. She dared to take a peak out the window. It looked like the whole damned town was out there. Flint was in the lead, his pistol already drawn and ready. He had also replaced the silver star on his vest with the sheriff's gold one.

"Bastard didn't even wait until she was cold?" To get here so fast... did they just leave the woman's body in the middle of the street? The woman... How could she think of Mary Sue like that? She was a friend. A friend she just killed.

Outside, Flint shouted again. "We know you are inside, Eliza!" At least he wasn't calling her 'Ms. Redfield' anymore. "The house is surrounded. You cannot escape!" She moved to the other side of the house, peeking out the window to the back. Sure enough, several people were standing and waiting, armed with everything from guns to sticks and brooms.

The new sheriff sighed when he got no response. He spoke more for himself than anyone around him. "Well, she made her choice." Turning to the two dogs at his side, he nodded to the door. "Let's go in there and drag her out then." The men grinned and nodded, moving forward quickly. One burst open the front door with a heavy kick, nearly knocking it off of its hinges.

The sudden bang made her jump and gasp. She turned to see two men suddenly burst into the room. "Hey there, sweet thing! Come out quietly now!" The man taunted, a wicked grin on his face.

The other grunted. "She done shot Mary Sue. We can rough her up a little first." He stepped forward and loomed over her. "C'mon now, killer! Let's see your goods!" He reached out and grabbed at her shirt, ripping it open before she could do more than let out a yelp. She tumbled backwards, tripping over the suitcase she had been packing and falling on her back. With her shirt ripped open, her small but perky breasts flopped about in the air. "Yeah. Let's see what else you go-"

A metallic THUNK ended the man's taunting, sending him stumbling to the side. "Clive! None of that or I'll haul you in next!" Flint stepped in, glaring down at her. "Eliza Redfield. You are under arrest for the murder of Sheriff Mary Sue Anders." He turned around, tossing a pair of cuffs to the dog he had not struck. "Bind her hands with these and bring her outside." After only one step, he added. "And don't try to get handsy with her again, or I'll do more than hit you with my gun next time."

The pair reached down and hauled her up to her feet by her arms. "S-stop! Please listen to me!" They ignored her, one yanking her hands behind her back and binding her wrists. Rather forcefully, she was shoved forward. She nearly tripped over her things again as she was led to the door and outside. They had not bothered to pull her shirt closed, so the moment she was outside, she found herself partially exposed to what was definitely the whole town. Even the mayor!

The older raccoon had made the trip on her mount, a pink parasol resting against one shoulder, despite the sun almost all the way set by now. "Well. With so many witnesses, a trial won't be necessary."

Eliza still tried to plead. "Mayor Wesk! Alicia! Please! Listen to me!"

The raccoon just grunted. "I will not." Clearing her throat, she put on her official voice. "Eliza Redfield, you are found guilty of the murder of Sheriff Mary Sue Anders." She looked to flint. "Sheriff Masterson. I will leave her punishment up to you." The fox nodded, and the raccoon turned her mount around and started back to the town. "Such a dreadful day."

Flint grunted and looked back to the coyote. "Well, there really is only one punishment fitting your crime." He pointed to a nearby tree. Several people had already set a rope from a branch, tied to a noose. "Move her over there."

She gasped, staring wide-eyed. "N-no! Please! I-I didn't mean to!" Several hands nearly dragged her over to the tree, holding her still as she tried to struggle and squirm.

Flint pulled the noose over her neck, tightening it at the back of her neck. He also set her brother's hat atop her head. "You dropped this in town." He smiled. "Oh, and one more parting gift, Ms. Redfield." He leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "I didn't come to kill your brother, but I was sure happy to do it anyway." She felt her breath catch. "Now you can join him in hell." Before she could say anything, the rope was yanked hard. She felt herself lifted up off the ground as the noose snapped tight around her neck. She was hoisted several feet off the ground, immediately kicking and flailing about in the air.

She could not see, but the end of the rope was tied down to a nearby fence post, leaving no hope someone would lose their grip while she swung. And swing she did, flailing and kicking about. She felt her chest on fire, her neck straining from the weight of her body. Her mouth opened in a silent scream, the rope crushing her throat tight. Blood rushed in her ears as her mind flooded with fog and pain. Her heart beat furiously within her chest, trying desperately to spread what little oxygen it had left around.

She stared at everyone, pleading to them with her eyes alone. She only got hateful stares back, and a few gleeful grins as she suffocated. Her vision started to cloud, spots of black growing larger and taking more and more of her sight away. Her look of pleading turned to absolute terror as she fought to keep conscious, to keep alive! Her kicks sent her swinging wildly back and forth. She yanked hard at the bindings on her wrists, only managing to make the pain in her wrists worse.

Her flailing grew more desperate as feral instinct tried to take over, making her kicks even more aimless. Soon, even that was not enough and her body started to finally accept. Her legs and tail thrashed several more times before they just started to twitch and spasm. Her mind shut off, the darkness claiming her before her body followed. Only two and a half minutes, and it was done. Eliza Redfield was dead, hung by a tree on her family farm.

Clive, one of the two dogs that had dragged her out moved over to Flint. "What you want done with her body, Dep- uh... Sheriff?"

The fox grunted. "She doesn't deserve a proper burial." He turned around and started walking to the road back to town. "Leave her up there for the crows."

Clive sighed. "Aww..." He turned to look at the dead coyote hanging from the tree, still swaying back and forth. He especially looked at her still-exposed chest and flat belly. "Shame. She was a cute thing." He shrugged and turned to follow with the new sheriff and the rest of the town. "Real shame."

* * *

The cart rolled to a stop with the creaking of wood. The front was set down gently, as if it was something fragile and precious. More the cargo was precious, at least to the cart's owner. Not that much more damage could be done to it, but that was no reason not to treat it with respect. The tall wolf that had been pulling it looked up, pushing her hood back to reveal a pretty face of black fur. She smiled sweetly. "Ah, my dear, you've had a rough time. I'm sorry I wasn't here to comfort you sooner."

Kana stepped forward, smiling up at the dangling body of Eliza. The coyote's head had lulled forward, her mouth still open in a silent scream, bloodshot eyes staring blankly at the ground. "They should know better than to leave such a precious thing like you hanging like an ornament." Even in death and the darkness of night, the Eliza's pretty features were clear to her. She turned to follow where the rope was tied. "Here. Let me get you down from there." She untied the rope, slowly and gently lowering the body back down to the ground. Once it was mostly down, she let the end of the rope go, Eliza's body slumping the rest of the way down onto her back.

The wolf moved back over, kneeling down beside her. She reached out to gently push the mouth closed. "There." She brushed the side of the woman's face. "We'll get you cleaned up and looking bright and happy in no time. Oh, and I'll be sure to get your brother, too. You two can be together properly once again." She smiled a little wider, but no less sweetly. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Yes, of course you would."

She slid her arms under the woman, one under her back, the other under her knees, and lifted her gently. Stronger than she appeared, Kana lifted the girl with ease. She brought her over to the back of the cart, gently setting her back down again. Right beside the other cargo, the body of Sheriff Anders. The horse still had a neat hole in her chest, right above her right breast. The brown and white mottled fur was still covered in blood, something Kana would need to clean off. She had already removed the shirt, since that was utterly ruined, leaving her hefty chest exposed. "Don't worry. The good sheriff here forgives you."

Kana had rolled into town the same night all the killing happened, seemingly by coincidence. Her first stop was to the undertaker. Posing as someone who studied cadavers for science, she had paid the woman to take the freshly dead off of her hands. Being a bit lazy, she did not mind having job made easier, as all she had to do was make a grave look fresh and post a marker to let folks think someone was in there. The hefty bag of silver was also a good incentive. Her next stop was to the mayor, dropping another heavy sack, this full of gold nuggets. In exchange, no questions would be asked, no record of Kana's visit made, and most importantly, no one would tell the new Sheriff. The last thing she needed was someone with a hard-on for violent 'justice' sticking their nose into things unwanted.

Of course, she was far more than any simple wandering corpse carrier or morbid scientist. She was also more than just a collector of the dead, though that was still a big part of it. She also knew exactly what had happened during the day. Kana was a necromancer, and her handy magic mirror back home had shown her everything, from the fight that killed Graham, to the showdown in the streets, to hanging of the poor farmgirl. The real trick was stepping through time to get the bodies afterwards. Quite the feat, but worth it for a trio of new additions to her collection.

Reaching out, she gently hefted one of Mary Sue's tits, giving it a squeeze. "Yes, you are quite lovely. A shame you had to hide yourself in this time. Many a woman would have loved to play with these." She let her touch drift down to brush instead against Eliza's. "Including our sweet farmgirl here. If only you two had been allowed to be open, maybe you could have fallen for each other." She shrugged, still brushing her fingers along the dead coyote's fur. "Oh well. You can be together in death, at least."

She blinked several times. "Oh! Yes!" She giggled. "I almost forgot. I must retrieve your brother." She leaned down, both to grab the shovel from the back of the cart, and also to plant a soft kiss upon Eliza's mouth. "You wait here, sweeties. I will be back in a few minutes with the dear boy." She slung the shovel over her shoulder, turning to walk to where he was buried. "Then you can all be together forever. And Mama Kana can make sure you all stay happy and safe from now on."

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