I don't know how long I slept, but when I woke up, the daughter was peaking her head into the stall. Her mother prepared breakfast and they were waiting for me.

Half asleep still, I was sitting with them at their table eating breakfast while they asked me what I'll do next. Like, if I'll go home or things like this. They were surprised when I told them that I'm basically like Thunderhoof. A vagabond, travelling across the country, going with the wind.
When asking about my leave, I told them that I'll leave around evening, since I was still tired because about the events the day before. But I'll stay in town to make some purchases before moving on.
Then, the father surprised me by saying that he arranged an appointment at the towns farrier for me because my horseshoes were very worn out, and my hooves looked like they needed to be trimmed again.
And to be fair, when I was looking at them, he was right. I probably would've forgotten about that.
So after breakfast, I dressed up and was about to head out when the daughter approached me and asked if she could join me.
All three of us were against it, but she kept insisting. In the end, she climbed on my back, and the two of us took off towards the town.

Upon arriving at the town, we head straight to the farrier. I told him that there should be an appointment under my name. After confirming that, he went to work on my hooves.
During the session, the girl asked him various questions about his job, and the two of them went into a conversation.
Also, during the session, the sheriff of the town suddenly approached me. He got told about the fight last night. My immediate thought was that there were innocents upon the victims and that I got myself in trouble.
But no. instead, he revealed that, while inspecting the crime site, they found a survivor. Badly wounded but alive. Turns out, it was the head of a known slavers gang. And that he was a wanted criminal in that area. With slavery being one of his many crimes.
And since I technically delievered him alive to the authorities, the sherrif came to me to hand me the bounty of $750. Something I did not expect at all. He thanked me one last time before he turned and left.
A few minutes later, the farrier announced that he's finished. When I asked him how much I owe him, he said that the session has been paid in advance already by the ranch owner.
I felt kinda spoiled in that moment, but I took it.
With that, the daughter and I left and headed into the city to the purchases of mine like getting provisions or giving my guns a professional maintenance.

With us being done with the shopping and the sun starting to go down, we decided to return to the ranch.
While on our way back, the girl on my back fell asleep. So I had to make sure that she didn't fall off.

Upon arriving back at the ranch, I did not expect to see Thunderhoof standing there with the rest of the family. While the father took his sleeping daughter into the house, Thunderhoof came up to me.
He wanted to say goodbye personally while also offering me a special parting gift. The blood brotherhood.
This day truly threw one surprise after another at me. I had to think about it, as this was something big.
But with him, I felt being on the safe side. So I accepted.
Once brothers in arms, now brothers in bloods.
After the simple ritual, we all shared one last goodbye before I left the ranch and started running towards the sunset, towards my next adventure.


First: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/52338696/

B&W: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/52344064/