Everybody Huuuuuuuurts plays in the background as Eddie mopes away on Dan's porch and the bros share a heart-to-heart.

--

“You’ve got to do something about Eddie.” Kit was standing in the kitchen next to Dan as the rat sheriff brewed his morning coffee.

“What’s he done now? And why me?” Dan arched his brow as he poured two mugs for himself and his brother.

“He’s still moping.” Kit sighed. “He’s been back for a week. He’s got no job, Lupe’s kicked him out until he gets hired somewhere else. He’s been living on the back porch like some sort of wild creature.”

Dan stirred his coffee and leaned against the counter. “Maybe he just needs time. He fell pretty hard for… I forgot the merchant’s name.” he tilted his ears back awkwardly.

“Didn’t the guy rob him twice?” Kit pointed out.

“Maybe that’s why he liked him.” Dan shrugged. “Look, I’m not the person to talk to about relationships. I still don’t know how I ended up married to Kate. You should ask her or Lupe… though Lupe seems a bit annoyed at Eddie right now.”

“Well can you at least take away the damn harmonica.” Kit growled out. “If I have to hear another miserable tune on that thing I might strangle him.” he took a sip of the dark brew and shut his eyes. “He kept me up all night playing it outside my window. I threatened to clobber him and he said ‘Go ahead, I won’t feel it.’’

“I’ll talk to him.” Dan sighed. “Just try and go easy on him. He’s always jumped into things with both feet first.”

–

Eddie was slouching sideways across the rat-sized rocking chair on the back porch of Dan’s home when Dan found him. He was an unkempt mess with dark circles under his eyes and a collection of empty glass bottles formed a messy barrier around the chair. Dan walked over and sat down on the edge of the porch and lit a cigarette.

“How’s it going, Red?” he asked, switching to the nickname he had called Eddie as a kid back when they were in Roach’s gang and tried to pick their own frightening outlaw titles. Dan always called him Red Eddie, or Reddie.

Eddie groaned and slumped further in the chair. “I hate everythin’ in the world.” he muttered.

“Everything?” Dan spoke around the cigarette. “Even me?”

“Sometimes.” Eddie said stubbornly.

“Kit?” Dan said.

“Often.” Eddie muttered.

“Lupe?”

“Currently.” Eddie sat up sourly.

“What about that patch-faced fellow you chased across the territory?” Dan asked and saw Eddie’s scowl melt, only to be replaced with sadness as he slid off the chair and shoved aside some bottles to lay on his back.

“It would be a lot easier if I could just hate him.” Eddie stared at the underside of the porch roof. “Then I wouldn’t care that he was gone.”

“Why can’t you hate him?” Dan turned and blew a cloud of smoke to the side.

Eddie moaned and flopped onto his side dramatically. “Why do you care? You have a massive hole in yer head where all yer sense about romance fell out.” he scoffed. “What does it matter to you that I’m a heart-broken ludder?”

Dan smirked and shrugged. “Well, you got that right. I don’t know how you manage to fall head over heels so often. It’s as foreign to me as another language. But I care ‘cause you’re my brother and you’re hurting.” he pointed out. “And I can’t fix how you’re hurting ‘cause I don’t understand it. But I still want to help you, crazy idjit.” he added as he took another drag.

“Ach, it's not ‘idjit’ it’s ‘eejit’ if yer goin’ to both insult and mock me you could at least do it right.” Eddie frowned.

Dan smiled and twisted to see him better. “So why can’t you be mad? Is it easier to move on when you’re mad?”

“Of course!” Eddie gestured in exasperation. “When yer mad you just say to yerself ‘ach, they were horrible and yer better off without ‘em’ and you move on and talk poorly about them for fun to the next person.”

“But you’re not mad, how come?” Dan started to roll a second cigarette.

“Yer such a nosy English shite.” Eddie rolled onto his stomach with his face pressed into the wooden porch slats.

“Stubborn Irish flea.” Dan said without looking up as he licked the rolling paper closed.

“Worm-tailed dope!” Eddie turned his head towards him in annoyance.

“Love-struck fool.” Dan struck his match.

“Fine then!” Eddie sat up bristling. “I love the bastard! Is that what you want me to say!?” Eddie snapped, feeling his ears redden not from embarrassment but anger at Dan’s constant picking. They were always butting heads as teenagers, but despite their massive size difference, they were the same age and the youngest bucks in Roach’s gang when they were growing up.

“You’re awful mad for someone in love.” Dan dodged a clumsily thrown bottle. “Hey now, don’t make me put you in the iron time-out.” he warned.

Eddie set down the second bottle he had been about to throw with a scowl and sighed, he moved forward to sit on the edge of the porch near Dan.

“Yer a rotten one.” he muttered, letting his legs swing. Dan offered him a cigarette but Eddie sighed and hung his head. Dan reached around and offered him a whiskey bottle instead and Eddie accepted it but didn’t pull the stopper. Finally, he straightened up and spoke.

“He’s makin’ his way further west towards the ocean. He didn’t want to stay in any place too long, he’s runnin’ from somethin’. I mean, ain’t we all?” he grimaced a smile then looked down at the bottle as he started to pick at the cork.
“We had fun, but he left before mornin’ he didn’t want to taint the fun times with bittersweet goodbyes. He stole my stuff, but when I chased him down and got it back, he was just as pleasant as before! I mean, I’ve cozied up to marks before and robbed them blind, but he was genuine. Gave it all back, no fuss.” he scratched the back of his head.
“He’s funny. He made a game out of the fact he had robbed me. Tempted me to chase him a second time after he left in the night again. When I showed up in Adler Bend… the smile he gave me.” Eddie sighed dreamily. “I thought I could do it. I thought I could have one more fun romp with him before he left for good. Now I’ll never see him again and me heart feels like it's bein’ crushed by a giant ice block.” he set the bottle beside him with a heavy thunk.

“Why didn’t you go with him?” Dan asked.

“Why?” Eddie gave a hollow laugh. “Cause I can’t leave this little clan of ours.” he frowned.

“Why not?” Dan finished the cigarette and blinked in surprise as Eddie shot him a dirty look.

“Why not? Listen to yerself! Because unlike you I can’t just leave when it suits me! Leavin’ you lot behind would crush me! I’d be just as miserable in his arms a hundred miles away missin’ you all as I am here missin’ him!”

“Oh shut up.” Dan snapped, surprising Eddie out of his scowl. “Don’t talk to me like leaving the gang was easy for me. I’ve already told you how it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
Dan tried to roll another cigarette but tore the paper, showering his knee with dried tobacco fillings. “I was miserable. I was horribly lonely. Several times I even started to head back, I thought about begging Roach to let me be part of the family again. I knew he’d never let me. I had nothing, Eddie. Nothing before me and nothing behind me.” he said sternly. His eyes softened.
“But for you, it’s different. Just because you leave doesn’t mean I’m kicking you out of town or banning you from ever coming back. No one ever said you had to stay here forever. I just want you, Kit and Lupe to have the chance for a safer, happier life. If you all decide to go at one point or another, we’ll still be brothers. You can write to me or send a telegram here any time. You know I’d come running if it was important.”

Eddie listened in bewilderment. It had never occurred to him that Dan wasn’t fighting to keep them all penned together after the gang had disbanded. Dan just wanted them to be happy. Eddie groaned and pulled a hand down his face.

“I hate it when yer all noble and sense-talkin’.” he grumbled. “But what if we settle somewhere far away and I never see any of you again?”

“I doubt it. You always turn up again like a bad penny.” Dan smiled. “And you said ‘we’, are you gonna go find him?”

For the first time in a week Eddie felt a flutter of hope in his chest. The idea of chasing Patch down through the towns and settlements. The look on his face when he asked if he would take him for a traveling partner. The thought made his heart swell.

“I think I am.” he said slowly. “That’s what I want…” Eddie looked over at him in surprise. “I want to go after him!”

Dan smiled and put away his rolling papers and tobacco pouch. “I’m glad you know what you want.”

“I’ve got to get packed!” Eddie grinned and jumped to his feet, he wobbled uncertainty, and grabbed onto the porch post, not used to being upright after so long.

“Right now?” Dan stood up.

“Of course! He’s gettin’ farther away and I’ve got to catch up!” Eddie insisted, stumbling off the porch and hurrying towards town.

--

Eddie hadn’t even realized he hadn’t said his goodbyes to Kit and Lupe until he was hours outside of Redcliff. He had said goodbye to Dan’s wife, Kate, in their little barn and she had given him an extra blanket and lunch for the ride out. At first he thought about leaving them a letter in the next house but he was riding too fast to want to stop already. Dan could tell them for him, that’s what brothers were for anyway, he figured.

It took two days to return to Adler Bend along the river. Eddie rode in and stopped at a general store to pick up some rations and supplies as well as directions to the next town. He was so anxious to be on the road again he almost left without paying and had to sheepishly return to the counter to clear up the misunderstanding.

The next town was supposedly three days north, a mining town and trading post called Fort Hawk Kill. Eddie rode solidly through the day and most of the night to get there, cutting through several miles of rolling hills and bypassing the flat, winding road. By the time he reached the town on a dew-blurred morning he was out of food and aching for a decent rest. He rode through the wood and stone fort gate in the entrance of the town and saw a large male ground squirrel loading empty barrels into a cart outside of a shop.

“Mornin’!” he called, “Has a travelin’ merchant been through here?” he asked, tipping his hat. “In a little bowed-out wagon. White mouse with a big spot over his left eye, crooked tail, blue king quail, you could spot him for miles around. ” he pulled up on his quail’s reins.

The ground squirrel scratched his head and looked around. “Don’t believe so. Haven’t had many new visitors the past few weeks.” he shrugged.

Eddie’s heart sank and he pulled out Kit’s map and traced the route he had outlined. Fort Hawk Kill was the next town westward on the map from Adler Bend. It was a bit further north and out of the way but the next town was a week’s travel straight through a stretch of flatlands with no water in sight. Surely, Patch would have had to come out here to restock his water barrels on the wagon for himself and the birds.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“You a bounty hunter or something?” the ground squirrel arched his striped brow.

Eddie forced a laugh. “Me? Oh no, I let the daft folks who want to die stupidly chase nutters with guns through these parts.” he rolled up the map and stashed it. “No, I’m just lookin’ for the one feller.” he sighed. “Maybe he’s not here yet.”

“Damn.” The ground squirrel thumped a sizable fist on the side of one of the barrels. “I wish you were a bounty hunter. We’ve had a rash of wagon robberies up and down the west road for weeks. We sent a rider out ten days ago to ask the territory judge for help. The town can’t get supplies in or out.”

“Folk attacking wagons?” Eddie felt a chill down his spine. “Any idea who?”

“Yeah, here.” The ground squirrel walked up to the smithy porch to a bulletin board and pulled down a tacked piece of paper and brought it over. “Walter Reeves and a gang of thugs. Some mangey lowlifes that have been run out of every town they shoot up in their drunken invasions. They’ve got no way to get in the fort town and take from the honest folk anymore so they’ve started ambushing and shaking down wagons.” he flattened his ears. “I hope your uh… merchant is alright.” he added as an afterthought.

“Where are they holed up?” Eddie asked, his green eyes going hard.

“Back east down the road a piece. Did you ride between the two white cliffs heading in?”

“No.” Eddie shook his head. “I took the hill route straight. Sounds like a good place to drop down on someone though.” he glared at the ink etching on the piece of paper. Walter Reeves looked to be a mouse in his late forties running with a crew of four; a fence lizard, a shrew, and two other mice. “I’m gonna need to purchase some ammunition.” he swung down from the saddle. On level ground his head barely reached the large rodent’s waist.

“You got a death wish?” The ground squirrel folded his beefy arms. “There’s five of them and one of you.”

“Sounds fun.” Eddie smirked and something glinted in his eye that made the large ground squirrel stop squinting at him speculatively and give a huff of respect.

“Well, you’re the first one that’s offered to take them on,” he jerked his head into the smithy shop and Eddie followed him inside up to the counter. “So what do you need to get the job done? On the house.” he grunted.

Eddie rubbed his hands together like a child in a candy store and peered down into the glass topped cabinet and made his selections.