The continuation of Patch and Eddie's meeting...

--
“Where have you been!” Lupe’s bark nearly made Eddie jump out of his pelt as he was packing a few essentials from their bedroom into his saddle bags and knapsack.

“When?” Eddie asked.

“All yesterday and all night, you lost your job. Your quail never left its stall. What, did you go piss away your lack of funds in the Golden House all day?”

“Of course not! I just… fancied a short run across the country.” Eddie grinned at Lupe’s sour face.

“You what?” Lupe growled.

“I’m makin’ a quick trip out to Adler Bend, might be gone a few days.”

“You have a job!” Lupe pointed out.

“Ah, not anymore! They finally fired me!” Eddie dashed around Lupe and ran down the stairs.

–

It took Eddie the better part of the day to get down the worn dirt path westward. He passed the campsite where they had stayed the night before and continued to push on until the sky started to darken in the evening. He steered his masked bobwhite, Blarney, off the main road and up a hillside towards a tumble of finger-like boulders jutting from the crest. He could vaguely remember seeing this place from further away in some other hideout and scanned it carefully for signs of life before dismounting and setting up camp between the two pillars of stone. He found the remains of an old campfire from long ago, but he managed to scrounge up enough charcoal lumps to amuse himself by scrawling dirty words on the rocks.

“O’Shea was here.” he smiled in the moonlight, admiring his handiwork before settling against his quail’s wing and drawing a blanket up to his chin. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Patch’s face in town tomorrow when he strolled up. He gave a mischievous chuckle and fell asleep.

–

Adler Bend was a small town built along the sharp curve of the stream that wound into a small canyon at the edge of the hills before flattening out once more into open scrubland and patches of pine woods. The town butted up right against a sheer rock face and many of the houses were fashioned out of river clay bricks right against the stone wall. The long main street sloped down to the riverbank where a small fleet of fishing boats bobbed alongside the floating docks.

Eddie had never been to Adler Bend, and without the map he had swiped from Kit’s saddle bag he doubted he would have noticed if he rode past it. Nonetheless, he made his way down the street on his quail until his ears caught the familiar call of Patch selling his wares down by the river. He slid off the saddle and hitched his bird before pushing through the crowd.
By the time he finally caught sight of him he could see he was merrily chatting to a pretty doe rat about a set of sparkling silver earrings. He waited until he caught his eye and smirked, folding his arms. Patch grinned back and reached into his chest pocket, fishing out the tied bandana and giving it a cheeky twirl around his finger.

–

“That note didn’t count as a goodbye.” Eddie huffed a few hours later as they both walked along the edge of the river bank. The large rock wall was half in cool shadow while the orange rock on top blazed in the fiery colors of the sunset beyond.

“I know.” Patch kicked a pebble into the water. “But I hate goodbyes. They feel too final.”

“Well yer Irish Goodbye-in’ me just fine.” Eddie picked up a stone and flicked it expertly, sending it skipping in arcs across the river surface. “Even though you could just slow your trip a few days here and there for us both to enjoy ourselves.”

Patch picked up a rock and tried to skip it but it sank with a hollow plunking sound. “It hasn’t worked out well in the past.” he tried to explain. “If I don’t make myself scarce, even if we seem to be hitting it off just fine, it just leads to a big mess.”

“So?” Eddie picked up another rock and sent it skittering across the surface. “Let it be messy. It's not like you can’t just up and ride off. You already do that, you might as well give it a decent try beforehand. You might actually find the real thing.” He made a face. “Ugh, I’m startin’ to sound like my brothers.”

Patch gave a snort and tried to skip another rock but it sank even faster than the first try. He sighed and shook his head. “I did have the real thing once. ..At least I thought I did. Obviously it didn’t work out.” he explained, stooping to try and find a better rock as Eddie picked up another two rocks and started to juggle them loosely. “Show off.” he twitched his whiskers in amusement.

“So it didn’t work out, do you have any idea how often I’ve been turned down?” Eddie juggled the stones higher, wavering in place as he tried to keep his eyes on them.

“Well, you seem to handle rejection pretty well.” Patch mused.

“How so? Are you rejection’ me?” Eddie flung stone after stone across the water, skipping them in three directions.

“I guess not.” Patch admitted. He looked down at the flat pebble he had managed to find and flipped it around in his hand a few times but didn’t cast it. “I don’t really know why I tried to get you to follow me again, now you’ve just got even further to ride back.”

Eddie dusted off his hands and walked over. “Yer overthinkin’ it.” he gestured to the rock. “Don’t lob it, snap it. Like this.” he rested a hand on his shoulder and helped steady his wrist. “Follow through then stop right here and let go.”

Patch smiled and tried to do as he was instructed. The rock skipped twice clumsily then sank with a burble. “Ah, terrible.” he snorted.

“Hey! Two more than last time.” Eddie grinned. He stopped and looked up at the sky as the sunlight left the bright canyon wall and started to recede. “Well, I suppose it's gettin’ dark. I only have a few hours left with you before you leave me high ‘n dry again.”

Patch rubbed the back of his neck self consciously. “That didn’t feel like a very long visit.”

“It wasn’t.” Eddie shrugged. “But you’ve got your theivin’ to do. Can’t always match up with a gold mine like myself.”

Patch gave a swish of his tail. “Well, let's have dinner while you’re here. If you want, that is.”

“Ach, you finally invite me to eat!” Eddie moaned. “I been standin’ here wasting away, belly howlin’ like a banshee this whole time!” he clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Go on, lead the way, world traveler.”

They managed to find a place in town to have a hot meal. Eddie gorged himself on a trout dinner while Patch subsided on what greens were available.
Eddie spun yarns of being an outlaw in Roach’s gang and how his brother had left it to become a sheriff and eventually gotten the rest of his gang brothers honest work in town. He omitted the fact that he had been fired from the Macmurray stable job.
Patch listened intently, looking startled when Eddie would roll up a sleeve to show him a scar from a knife fight or a bullet graze on his side mostly hidden by thick fur. Eventually they both headed back down the dark street back towards the boarding house where Eddie had stabled his quail.

“I managed to get a room in this town.” Patch said quietly as they made their way up the dim stairs, trying not to wake the host zebra lizard asleep in the armchair near the fireplace in the parlor. “You want to stay the night?”

“Of course.” Eddie beamed. “That wasn’t my intention for chasin’ you across the desert at all.” he added cheekily, getting a playful swat on the shoulder as Patch unlocked the door and beckoned him inside. He closed the door softly after him and locked it from within.

–

“I supposed I’m wastin’ my breath askin’ you not to run off in the mornin’ again?” Eddie mumbled late into the night. He had his arms wrapped around Patch’s chest from behind where the pair of them were spooning in the small bed meant for one. The moonlight showed through the window in a bright blue square across the plaid quilt that covered them both.

Patch didn’t answer right away. “I can’t expect you to follow me forever.” he answered after several minutes. “I suppose I really will have to say goodbye soon. …I just don’t want to.” he let out a sigh and Eddie gave him a squeeze, resting his muzzle on his shoulder.

Eddie tried to fight the pit of sadness in his chest at the idea of never seeing Patch again. “Just don’t go runnin’ off without sayin’ goodbye. If you have to leave early I still want to hear it. Can’t you do that much for me?”

Patch shifted in bed and twisted around to face Eddie. “Do I have to say it now?”

“Nah.” Eddie touched his nose to his. “Just tell me when you go.” he smiled as Patch nestled himself against his chest and closed his eyes. As tired as he was, Eddie vowed not to fall asleep. As much as he liked Patch, he didn’t trust that he wouldn’t just run off again. He wouldn’t stop him from going, as much as he wanted to. He could hear that Patch had fallen asleep and glanced out the window at the brightness of the moon, ready to keep his solo vigil up for as long as he needed.

Eddie felt Patch shifting away from him in the small hours of the morning. He closed his eyes and feigned sleep as Patch slid pain painstakingly slowly from under his arms and left the bed. He heard him getting dressed and opening and closing a few drawers. He chanced a sneaky peek as he heard the door handle turn and saw Patch standing in the dark open doorway, staring down at the floor. He stood there for what felt like minutes before he stepped back inside the room and closed the door quietly. He turned and headed back to the bed. Eddie shut his eyes again and felt Patch sit down on the edge of the bed. For a long time there was no movement and only silence. Eddie felt himself actually starting to drift off to sleep but willed himself to stay awake. He heard a heavy sigh and the sounds of removed shoes hitting the floor and there was a rustle as Patch slipped back under the covers. Eddie stretched stiffly and blinked his eyes open.

“Goin’ somewhere?” he mumbled sleepily. Patch nestled down close beside him and tucked his head under Eddie’s chin.

“Not yet.” he murmured tiredly into Eddie’s fur. Eddie smiled and wrapped his arms snugly around him, holding him fast as he finally let himself fall asleep.

The sun was fully up by the time both bucks woke again. Eddie yawned and sat up, combing out bent whiskers and trying to fix his unruly headfur. Patch stayed under the covers, awake but not moving until Eddie got up and freshened up in the basin. He opened the window and splashed the used water into the street below then refilled the basin with the pitcher for Patch.

“Not such an early riser when yer not tryin’ to escape, are you?” Eddie sat down heavily on the edge of the bed.

“Just savoring the time I’ve got left.” Patch smiled but it looked a little forced as he sat up and wrapped his arms loosely around his knees.

“None of that!” Eddie flopped sideways on the bed next to him and smiled up at him playfully. “No sad regrets. Can’t have you showin’ up at the next town with a grief-stricken face.”

Patch chuckled softly. “Ok.” he shrugged. He settled back down next to him and they lazed away the rest of the morning before both finally got up and dressed for the day. They had breakfast in the parlor and walked through the town afterwards.

By the time the sun had risen above the canyon walls Eddie was helping Patch hitch up the two blue king quail to the tongue of the little pot-bellied wagon and bring it around to the front of the stables.

“Alright Louie, Charles,” Eddie instructed the two birds. “You take good care of him.” he fed them each a sweet seed treat and ruffled their heads then circled back as Patch jumped down from the wagon seat.

“All ready to go?” Eddie asked.

“Yeah, everything’s good to go.” Patch nodded. “And you? You’re heading back to Redcliff?”

“I should probably tell my brothers where I’ve been hidin’.” Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Chasing trees?” Patch mused.

“Nah, chasing the best tree.” Eddie assured him, leaning closer as Patch muscled down a laugh. “A theivin’ rascal of a tree.”

“I don’t know about the best. Definitely the closest tree nearby.” he shrugged. “But I’ve had fun… I’ll miss you.” he added sincerely, and lowered his gaze to the ground.

“Aye, and I’ll miss you.” Eddie rested a finger under Patch’s chin to drag his gaze up to meet his. “You know where to find me if you ever get tired of runnin’ ragged, alright?”

“Yeah,” Patch blinked a few times and looked away.

“One for the road?” Eddie stepped back and held his arms open. He didn’t expect Patch to embrace him as quickly as did. The white buck kissed him passionately and held him tight. Eddie hugged him back and touched his forehead against Patch’s, resting his hand on the back of his head for as long as Patch allowed. He let go as Patch stepped back.

“Goodbye, Eddie.” Patch said, then turned quickly and climbed up into the front seat and gave the reins a snap. The wagon lurched forward and rumbled up the hill out of town. Eddie saw him brushing a hand across his eyes before he stared determinedly ahead.

Eddie straightened his collar and watched him go. His stomach sank and he felt the back of his throat burning. He let out a sigh that shuddered involuntarily as the wagon rounded the bend and out of sight.

“Goodbye, Patch.” he said softly under his breath.