Summary:  Written for the April Chaps and Spurs Challenge. While on a cattle drive headed east, Hoss becomes involved in the war between the North and South.

Rated: K  WC  625

HOSS, NORTH AND SOUTH

Hoss sat quietly on his horse, listening. He could hear the fighting in the distance and remembered his father’s caution not to get involved in the conflict. Pa wouldn’t even call it a war, but men were dying north and south. After all, that’s why he was on this cattle drive and not Adam or Joe. His brothers had ties north and south, but Hoss wasn’t supposed to have either. This was one of the few occasions when Pa was wrong, dead wrong.

He slowly slid out of the saddle and led Chub into the trees. The trees were much smaller than back home and they didn’t provide much cover for the large man. As he walked he listened to the sound of the evening breeze. It was easy for him to tell the difference between the sound of the wind through the trees and the sound of someone crawling slowly through the leaves. Hoss was following a blood trail. It would have been difficult for anyone else to follow, but not him. He was an expert at this and certainly more expert than the one he followed. He walked slow and steadily and eventually came across a body in the underbrush. He carefully moved away the branches. It looked as though the young man had tried to hide himself, but he couldn’t hide from Hoss. It wasn’t anything to be ashamed of, most men couldn’t hide from the large man.

The man rolled over slowly and pulled out a gun. Hoss heard the fatal click of the hammer, but there was no bullet. The gun was as empty as the eyes of the man who was holding it. Those eyes rolled closed as Hoss lifted him up.

“Steady now,” he said half to the young man and also to the dark bay horse. He could hear the sounds of others approaching, but his conscience wouldn’t let him abandon the wounded young man. The wounded man must have heard the soldiers approaching as well, because he shifted his weight and stood straight. It was a matter of honor with him. He wouldn’t let the enemy see him weak. He’d face the end straight on, just as his father and his brothers before him had.  He thought himself big enough to handle his end, but that’s not what Hoss saw. Hoss saw a wounded boy not even Joe’s age wearing scraps of what was once a uniform, bleeding from his wounds and barely able to stand. Hoss shifted his weight and turned to face the approaching men.

All the soldiers saw was the large cowboy stalwart in both intent and demeanor blocking their way.

“You go on now,” he said, “this boy ain’t gonna be fightin’ any more.

“Out of the way.” Ordered the sergeant.

“I said there wasn’t gonna be any more fightin’.” Hoss repeated.

And there wasn’t. Ben and several of the hands rode up behind the soldiers. Ben Cartwright got down off his horse walked into the trees and addressed the sergeant,

“Sergeant, you want to kill that boy or do you want your men to eat beef for dinner?”

That wasn’t a difficult choice for a group of soldiers that had been going without rations or pay for the latter part of the war.

“I guess we’d rather eat, sir.”

“So would I.” Said Hoss.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.