{"id":7250,"date":"2012-01-02T20:13:08","date_gmt":"2012-01-03T01:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7250"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:25:05","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:25:05","slug":"the-lineshack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7250","title":{"rendered":"The Lineshack (by slaine89)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/span>My response entry for the\u00a0Chaps and Spurs Mega Challenge. The three Cartwright boys lose their horses and have to seek shelter in a shack. \u00a0Rated:<\/span>\u00a0K (6,265 words)
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Lineshack<\/strong><\/p>\n

Author’s Notes:<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

Words for January: wolf, oak, ice, doorway, stove.<\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The biting wind squeezed through cracks in the walls of the old line shack<\/strong> and rattled around the room as the three men huddled closer to the old tin stove. They were wrapped in coats and blankets, but they still stretched their hands out to the stove\u2019s warmth only to pull them back as the icy air caught their arms and chests. Outside the wind was even more violent, sweeping the ground bare in some places only to pile the snow in drifts in others.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d swear there was a wolf outside with all the howling that wind\u2019s doing.\u201d The largest of the three muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh please, Hoss. There\u2019s nothing out on a night like this.\u201d The young man pushed his hands so close to the stove that they felt like they were on fire then he clenched them to his stomach. They felt like a pair of coals pressing up against his skin.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing but our horses.\u201d The third one said.<\/p>\n

They all looked away.<\/p>\n

\u201cThink they\u2019ll make it back to the ranch?\u201d the youngest finally broke the wind-filled silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better hope so.\u201d The third man said. \u201cPa won\u2019t be too thrilled if we lost three horses, not to mention the money in the saddlebags.\u201d He sent a pointed look at the young man on his right.<\/p>\n

\u201cEase up, Adam.\u201d Hoss said. \u201cYou didn\u2019t see the ice either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in the back. Joe was the one\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh shove it.\u201d Joe snapped. He wasn\u2019t in the mood to argue. Yes, he\u2019d been in front for the specific purpose of keeping an eye out for ice or any other hazards buried under the snow, and yes, he hadn\u2019t seen the patch of ice that sent all three of their horses sliding sideways. But Adam didn\u2019t need to harp on it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just saying\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what you\u2019re saying. You\u2019ve already said it about four times now.\u201d Joe hunched closer to the stove. \u201cThe horses will go home and we\u2019ll walk the rest of the way tomorrow. There\u2019s that dead oak out back, so we won\u2019t run out of firewood and freeze. I know you were looking forward to sleeping in bed after on the trail all day, but I\u2019m sorry, you\u2019ll just have to spend a miserable night in the cold.\u201d He spat out the words and then sat glowering like the coals at the bottom of the stove. He was only partially irritated at Adam. The other part was mad at himself and their bad luck for having to weather the night here as well as worrying about his horse. Cooch had sprung right up and dashed away quickly enough for Joe to see that he wasn\u2019t injured, but it was a cold night, and the Ponderosa was a ways away.<\/p>\n

Adam glanced at him. The anger slipped out of his eyes, and then a small smile twitched the edge of his mouth. He wasn\u2019t as mad at Joe as he was pretending to be, only annoyed at the prospect of a dismal night. \u201cI\u2019m not worried about the cold so much as I am about Hoss\u2019 snoring.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d Hoss demanded incredulously.<\/p>\n

Joe looked up, a grin tugging at his own mouth, his grumpiness already forgotten. He faked a moan. \u201cI forgot about that. Maybe I\u2019ll risk the cold and start walking. Hoss sounds like a grizzly bear with a head cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do not!\u201d Hoss crossed his arms and straightened up haughtily, but a blast of cold wind made him shiver and lean back toward the stove. His eyes snapped at Joe and Adam. \u201cYou two are just looking for things to complain about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, you\u2019ve snored since the day you were born.\u201d Adam said. \u201cThere wasn\u2019t a night crossing the territories that I didn\u2019t go to sleep thinking that it was a good thing we were on the plains because there was no way we\u2019d be able to tell the difference between you and a potential avalanche.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe laughed so hard he nearly fell off the bucket he was sitting on onto the scratched and scarred wood floor. Hoss glared from one brother to the other.<\/p>\n

But Adam wasn\u2019t done. Grinning, he glanced at his younger brother. \u201cHey Joe, did Pa ever tell you about how Hoss sleepwalked when he was little?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd about the night we couldn\u2019t find him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Joe, and even Hoss, looked at him curiously.<\/p>\n

Adam leaned forward, glad for the distraction from the cold as he began the story. \u201cWell usually when he sleepwalked he went either to the kitchen or to the barn and curled up with this old hound we used to have. But one night we couldn\u2019t find him.\u201d Adam glanced at Hoss who was looking interested in spite of himself. \u201cHe came in and woke me up, and we looked all around the house and the barn and the woods nearby. Nothing. We didn\u2019t have a whole lot of hands back then, but the ones we had were looking everywhere, and we still couldn\u2019t find him, so Pa sent the hands out of the yard and farther away from the house. He even sent a few down to the lake. And without all the people hollering and clambering around, we could hear it, a low noise coming from upstairs that sounded like someone sawing through gravel. We followed the sound to Pa\u2019s room, and there he was \u2013 curled up under the bed. No one had thought to look there.\u201d Adam chuckled at the memory.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember that.\u201d Hoss blurted out.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were only four.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr you\u2019re making it up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust admit it and be done with it, Hoss.\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

Joe opened his mouth to say something, and then grimaced as the door was suddenly wrenched free of the doorway by a sudden burst of wind. Instantly the three men clenched their coats tighter and flinched closer to the stove. Adam sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a long night.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Author’s Notes:<\/b><\/p>\n

Words for the month of February: Lunatic, Interval, Pining, Moonshine, Secondary.<\/p>\n

Chapter 2<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

They managed to wrestle the door upright again<\/strong> and tie it off with some old rope that had been stashed in a corner of the shack. After adding one final knot to the intricate series of loops and ties, Joe stepped back to admire their work.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell if that doesn\u2019t hold it, I don\u2019t know what will.\u201d He said, crossing his arms in satisfaction. Being up and moving had definitely warmed him up, and he wasn\u2019t feeling so bad about spending the night in the shack. After all, he\u2019d been in worse places.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember when you and I were locked in Widow Gower\u2019s cellar for almost two days?\u201d he said to Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Adam whirled to face his brothers as Hoss nodded knowingly.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever met anyone crazier than that woman.\u201d He said. \u201cAnd all we wanted was to help her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLongest two day interval of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen was this?\u201d Adam demanded. \u201cAnd why didn\u2019t I hear about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe rubbed the back of his neck. Maybe he shouldn\u2019t have brought it up. But Hoss was already chuckling.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe didn\u2019t want Pa to know he was sneaking over to see Ellie Miller. Not after the way her pa tore into him in front of the whole church on Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now it was Adam\u2019s turn to smile. That had definitely been one of the more eventful church services. Couple it with a sermon about honoring your father and mother, and there was no way Joe would have a shot with Ellie. But he should have known that wouldn\u2019t stop his little brother from trying.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe man\u2019s a lunatic.\u201d Joe muttered. \u201cJust because he had to use a mail order to get a wife he thinks any man who actually has allure is going to run around breaking girls\u2019 hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell don\u2019t you?\u201d Adam asked with a grin. Joe glared at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell Joe\u2019d been pining away for her for a couple of weeks when we went on a hunting trip where he got a big old buck, right on the second day. And just like our little brother, any time he does anything he thinks is impressive, the first thing he wants to do is tell a girl about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not true!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe squirmed under their looks. \u201cIt\u2019s not completely true.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s more true than not.\u201d Hoss said. \u201cAnd it was especially true that day. All I heard the entire way down the mountain was you complaining and going on about how it wouldn\u2019t take too long to swing by the Miller place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re going to tell the story stop exaggerating; that wasn\u2019t all I talked about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all I heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell maybe you oughta get the wax out of your ears.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell maybe you oughta get it out of your head.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright!\u201d Adam interrupted. \u201cSo I\u2019m assuming Joe finally got his wish and you took a detour on the way home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh boy did we take a detour.\u201d Joe muttered. \u201cWe were going past the Gower farm when Hoss smelled smoke. So we swung over, and sure enough, there was smoke blowing out the window. The stove had caught fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere was Widow Gower?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot inside. We went in and put the fire out; it wasn\u2019t that big. Then we turned around and nearly jumped out of our skins when we saw her standing outside the door just watching us.\u201d Joe leaned forward on his seat. \u201cHave you ever noticed how spooky her smile is?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Adam pictured Widow Gower\u2019s old leathery face, framed by stringy gray hair. \u201cActually I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever even seen her smile.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe smiled then. Gave me a shiver right down my back. But of course Hoss was oblivious as always.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean, as \u2018always\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t even notice anything strange; you just went right down into the cellar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe said she had a pie down there that she\u2019d give us for putting out the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you just went right down. Thinking with your stomach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell it\u2019s better than what you think with.\u201d Hoss muttered.<\/p>\n

Adam sighed. \u201cSo she lured you into the cellar with pie. Was there a reason for that, or was she just plain crazy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh she\u2019s crazy.\u201d Joe assured him. \u201cBut there was a reason \u2013 at least in her mind. Last thing she said before slamming the door on us was that she wasn\u2019t born yesterday and she knows thieves when she\u2019s sees them. And then Hoss started thinking with his head again and realized that maybe we were in trouble and that going down into a crazy woman\u2019s cellar after the promise of pie wasn\u2019t the best idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss snorted. \u201cWell if you hadn\u2019t been mooning after Ellie Miller after Pa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t the one who said we should play the Good Samaritan to every\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said we ought to check on her!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou smelled the smoke!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m assuming you two are simply reenacting the argument that ensued after the cellar door was locked on you.\u201d Adam interjected.<\/p>\n

Joe shrugged. \u201cMore or less.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe figured she\u2019d go get Roy, and he\u2019d come back and straighten out the whole mess. Joe was squirming something fierce because now Pa would find out he\u2019d been off to see Ellie. Not very good company.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell neither were you. All you did was moan about how there at least should have been a pie here because your stomach was as empty as a barrel of moonshine after a roundup.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were hungry too! And if you weren\u2019t so worried about Pa taking the skin off you, you might have realized it sooner and we wouldn\u2019t have spent two days there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe didn\u2019t go for the sheriff?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe didn\u2019t go for the sheriff.\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWaiting for Roy was our first choice.\u201d Joe explained. \u201cWhen it became clear that he wasn\u2019t coming, we went with our secondary choice: breaking out. And it was harder than it sounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe waited until what we assumed was night. It was kind of hard to tell since it was always dark in there, but we could smell her cooking supper. She was grilling up rabbit with some onions and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss.\u201d Joe said. \u201cI\u2019m already hungry enough as it is.\u201d He turned back to Adam. \u201cOur strategy was simple: break down the door and then run like the devil and hope to find our horses on the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like a plan.\u201d Adam said. \u201cSo what went wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes you think something went wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can tell by the way you and Hoss are glancing at each other that there\u2019s more to the story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d Joe shifted slightly. \u201cWe didn\u2019t know she slept with a shotgun next to her bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut at least our horses were where we left them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood thing too. I don\u2019t know how many more of those bullets I could have dodged.\u201d He could still see it in his head: Widow Gower screaming and hollering enough to wake the dead and sending off shot after shot that somehow whizzed by him instead of finding their mark. He shuddered. \u201cNever in a million years will I ever go near that place again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell at least Ellie\u2019s father won\u2019t have to worry.\u201d Adam said. \u201cBut I remember that trip; you two brought home some game.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went back up the mountain and shot the first skinny little thing that crossed our path.\u201d Joe said. \u201cHoss was ready to eat his saddle, and we\u2019d both had enough of adventures for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do always manage to find trouble.\u201d Adam agreed. \u201cI should have known better than to come with you on this trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh come on, Adam. At least we keep things interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced around. \u201cYes.\u201d He acknowledged. \u201cYou certainly manage to do that.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter 3<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam added some more wood to the rusty old stove,<\/strong> and the three scooted forward on their seats until they were hunched around it, listening to the wind rattle like old bones against the sides of the shack.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I\u2019m sitting inside a rusty old tin can.\u201d Hoss muttered. \u201cGood chance we\u2019ll be too snowed in tomorrow to even be able to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not like there\u2019s any rush anyway.\u201d Joe muttered. He pressed his leg against the stove for a brief second of warmth before pulling away from the searing heat. \u201cWhen a storm like this hits you know Pa will have us tinkering around the barn in the cold all day instead of letting us take it easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other two nodded, acknowledging the truth in Joe\u2019s words. There weren\u2019t many excuses for skipping out on a day\u2019s work around Ben Cartwright.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way things are now is nothing.\u201d Adam said. \u201cYou two weren\u2019t around when we were trying to build a ranch out of nothing but spit and pure orneriness. Back then Pa even had us working Sunday afternoons. There was never an end of things to do, and it seemed like once you got one thing crossed off the list, there would be another twelve in its place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was around for some of that.\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome maybe. But once Pa married Marie he mellowed out a bit, slowed down, and that\u2019s when he really changed. Sure he\u2019s still bull headed and stubborn, but it\u2019s nothing compared to before her.\u201d He glanced sideways at Joe. \u201cNot that you\u2019d know it from how her son turned out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t answer; his mind was lost on his mother, adding a new layer to his mental image of her as he always did when he learned something new about her. Adam decided to leave him be for the moment and turned to Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember the incident of the coon in the kitchen? He\u2019d have stripped the skin off my backside for that, but Marie talked him out of punishing you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss half grinned and half cringed as he remembered the event. \u201cI didn\u2019t know that. I thought I was in for a tanning for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was Adam\u2019s fault.\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow hold on\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you say a word, big brother, not one word. You and I both know that the whole madness wouldn\u2019t have happened if you hadn\u2019t asked me to stand guard for you while you tried to sweet talk Elizabeth Billson.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d Joe asked before Adam could spit out his protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe came with her Pa to look at some horses Pa wanted to sell. He was a big man trying to start a messenger relay service between some army outposts, and Pa wanted to impress him so that maybe he\u2019d consider buying solely from us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe knew where he could get his hands on a dozen or so good horses.\u201d Adam added. \u201cSo he invited Billson out to the ranch, and like Hoss said, his daughter Lizzy came with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas she pretty?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was enough for Adam.\u201d Hoss laughed. \u201cThe only girl around, it didn\u2019t matter what she looked like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was good looking.\u201d Adam protested. \u201cI do have standards.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut his standards don\u2019t include lying to make an eighteen year old girl think he was older than fourteen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stared at his brother in disbelief. \u201cAnd she believed you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust because you look five years younger than your age doesn\u2019t mean it runs in the family.\u201d Adam said icily. Joe flashed him a saucy grin and looked back at Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo he asked you to stand guard\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 while he showed her his horse. At least that was the excuse to go into the barn. Pa had taken Billson for a ride around the ranch. I was just walking by, minding my own business\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 with a baby coon he\u2019d found in the woods.\u201d Adam finished for him. \u201cAnother thing you missed, Little Joe, was Hoss\u2019 penchant for trying to keep all sorts of animals as pets, from frogs, to spiders, to squirrels, to snakes. He even brought a wild hare home once and tried to keep it in Marie\u2019s garden. Thankfully by the time you reached the age where you had a fascination for critters, he\u2019d outgrown trying to bring home wild animals.\u201d Adam cocked his head. \u201cActually I think the coon incident may have had something to do with that. That and the threat of never being able to sit down again from Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Joe asked, impatient with his brothers getting ahead of the story.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike I said, I was walking by the barn with the coon when Adam poked his head out and told me to keep an eye out and knock on the door when Pa came back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he didn\u2019t notice you holding a raccoon?\u201d Joe asked incredulously.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you she was good looking, didn\u2019t I?\u201d Adam said archly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I told you he was desperate, didn\u2019t I?\u201d Hoss retorted. \u201cBut I couldn\u2019t very well stand in front of the barn trying keep a grip on a coon who was getting a little tired of being held, so I stuffed him inside a basket around the corner. It was empty; I didn\u2019t know why it was there. Just seemed like a convenient place. Pa came back with Billson, I signaled to Adam, and we went inside to eat supper. I figured after supper it would be easier for me to hide him in the barn.\u201d Hoss turned to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thought that a baby coon might not like to sit in a basket all afternoon didn\u2019t occur to him.\u201d Adam put in drily.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know Adam, I think I deserve a little more gratitude from you. Not only did I do a good job as a lookout, I didn\u2019t even tell Pa about you and Lizzie, even when I was afraid he was gonna tan the living daylights out of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got you there.\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, if you\u2019d just used your common sense\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow was I supposed to know she would take the basket into the kitchen?\u201d Hoss demanded. Joe winced.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the coon wasn\u2019t happy to just stay put?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was not.\u201d Adam said. \u201cMarie really was a plucky woman, but you can\u2019t blame her for screaming when she went into the kitchen and saw a baby raccoon tearing away at her chicken dinner. And you can\u2019t blame the baby raccoon for trying to find the quickest way out, or Billson for sitting right in its path as it leaped through the air on its way out. But you can blame Hoss for putting it in the basket.\u201d Adam added the last part with a decisive look at his brother, as if daring him to argue.<\/p>\n

\u201cOr you can blame Adam for sneaking around with a girl behind Pa\u2019s back.\u201d Hoss said with his own sharp look. \u201cA girl who thought that watching us try to catch a coon as it flew around the house like a mad bat was the funniest thing she\u2019d ever seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure it did look funny.\u201d Adam said. \u201cIt was also funny watching Hoss look sicker and sicker. I thought for sure he was going to throw up before we got the coon out. Once we finally did, we got Mr. Billson picked up off the floor and tried to get on with supper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did. I was sent to my room to sweat it out and wonder how long I would be flinching every time I sat down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI still can\u2019t believe he didn\u2019t tan you.\u201d Joe said. He could only imagine Pa\u2019s reaction if it had been him.<\/p>\n

\u201cBillson still signed a contract, and Marie managed to talk Pa out of it, though he did tell Hoss that if he ever brought home another wild animal as a pet, he\u2019d wish he would have gone flying out the door with that coon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head. \u201cShe must have had him wrapped around her finger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat she did, Joe.\u201d Adam said softly. He listened to the wind shrieking through cracks and holes and thought about the hole that she\u2019d left when she had died. Granted, he and Marie had bumped heads a lot, and he\u2019d been a lot more attached to Hoss\u2019 mother and the memory of his own, but she\u2019d been good for Pa, there was no denying that, and to Hoss as well. And she\u2019d given them Little Joe. It didn\u2019t seem fair that she\u2019d only been with them for such a short time, especially since it had only taken that small amount of time for it to seem like she\u2019d always been a part of the Ponderosa. It had taken a long while for Adam to get used to life without her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to get some more wood.\u201d He said suddenly, standing. They really did need more wood if they were going to sit here all night, but besides that, he needed to clear his head. Somehow the mention of Marie conjured up thoughts of the other mothers he had lost and then the other women, and then just people in general who had left earth too soon. A lot of times it didn\u2019t bear thinking about; you couldn\u2019t spend your life in the past after all, but sometimes instead of clearing his throat and pulling a stiff lip he liked to let the faces and names slip through his mind one by one. After all, if he didn\u2019t remember, who would? And they deserved to be remembered. So instead of answering Hoss\u2019 and Joe\u2019s questioning looks, Adam untied the door and slipped outside into the swirling frenzy of white.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Words for April: Barkin’ at a knot (wasting time), Hair in the butter (a delicate situation), Hobble your lip (shut up), Pull a kite (make a face), Scarce as hen’s teeth (rare).<\/p>\n

Chapter 4<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s gonna wind up lost or with a broken ankle in all that snow.\u201d<\/strong> Hoss muttered as Adam propped the door shut behind him. Joe stood to secure it against the wind.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow mad do you think he\u2019d be if we locked him out?\u201d He asked with a smirk. Hoss shook his head but shared the grin just the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh probably about as mad as that time we loosened his girth after church. Remember that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s laugh echoed against the low roof. \u201cRight after he\u2019d spent weeks sweet talking Mary Blount, and he\u2019d finally asked her to a dance. Boy did he\u00a0pull a kite<\/strong>\u00a0after hitting the dirt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was\u00a0barking at a knot\u00a0<\/strong>anyway; she only wanted to make Johnny Miller jealous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, well that didn\u2019t make him hit me any easier.\u201d Joe muttered. \u201cAnd it wasn\u2019t even my idea.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but slipping Pa\u2019s brandy in his coffee when Ellie Lawrence was over was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shrugged, but his grin persisted. It had been a memorable night; that was for sure.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a tough one to get drunk.\u201d He said.<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded. They had had to make the coffee strong enough to keep him from noticing the brandy and then it had taken three cups before he was drunk enough for them to start adding more brandy and less coffee, all while keeping him from being suspicious and making sure Pa didn\u2019t notice a thing. But the results had been worth it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he pulled out the guitar and tried to play\u2026\u201d Hoss shook his head. \u201cAnd then he forgot half the words to Clementine and tried to make them up. What was it he came up with?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Light she was, just like the sun that shimmers in your herring box eyes\u2019, and that was one of his better lines. No wonder he never got married with us around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWomen worth anything are\u00a0scarcer than hen\u2019s teeth<\/strong>\u00a0\u2018round here, and a woman worth Adam\u2019s time are even scarcer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wasn\u2019t serious about her anyway. Just wanted to prove he could catch her.\u201d Joe said, remembering the good old days when it had been easy to lure Adam into anything. Back when he\u2019d been the arrogant older brother that had to be right about everything. And while usually Joe appreciated the less overbearing Adam, there were times when he missed the days of knocking his older brother off his high horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsed to be our favorite game.\u201d He mused.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeeing how many notches we could take him down in one swoop.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd his favorite game was seeing how many days we were limping after Pa caught us.\u201d Hoss reflected that if they\u2019d been caught every time they\u2019d given Adam\u2019s chain a good yank, he and Joe would still be having trouble sitting. Then again, there had been the few times when Hoss thought that Pa had let his younger sons teach his eldest a lesson while he\u2019d\u00a0hobbled his lip<\/strong>\u00a0and turned a blind eye. It was a fine line he\u2019d walked, he thought, with a lot of\u00a0hair in the butter<\/strong>, to raise three sons practically alone. There had been plenty of times Hoss had thought that one or more of them would be strangled before they even made it to adulthood.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2019s lucky none of us killed each other.\u201d He decided, not even realizing he was speaking out loud.<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm?\u201d Joe looked up at Hoss. He\u2019d been looking at the door with his head cocked sideways, as if he was listening for something.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs the snow getting any less?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWorse I think.\u201d Joe tilted his head again. \u201cI was actually listening for Adam. With the door tied shut, he\u2019ll have to knock to get in. And I thought I heard him earlier, but I think it was just a branch scratching against the wall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been gone a while.\u201d Hoss didn\u2019t know how long he and Joe had sat in silence musing on the past, but the fire was burnt almost to coals. He watched the darkening shadows ripple over his little brother\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe just like him to make us go out after him.\u201d Joe muttered, but his eyes flashed worry.<\/p>\n

Hoss stood and crossed the room to untie the door. He propped it open a crack and looked out into the night. The wind bit against his face, and blew snow into his ear and eyes, making him squint as much as the darkness did, but all he could see was an endless wall of swirling white.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Author’s Notes:<\/b><\/p>\n

Words for the month of May: Simon, Butter, Leap, Cradle, Blind<\/p>\n

Chapter 5<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

It was easy enough to gather more wood,<\/strong> or would have been anyway if it hadn\u2019t been for the dark night lit only by swirling white snowflakes buffeted into Adam\u2019s nose and mouth by the wind. He squinted his watering eyes and fumbled around\u00a0blindly<\/strong>\u00a0in the trees that crowded around the shack. At least they were close by.<\/p>\n

\u201cShould\u2019ve made Joe do this.\u201d he muttered to his armful of branches. A smile flickered over his face as he remembered the day a young Little Joe had declared that he was too old for filling the wood box to be his permanent chore.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a man now.\u201d he had said, his chin sticking out of his round face making him look anything but. \u201cI should have manly chores.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d Their pa\u2019s face had been an almost unreadable mixture of sternness and disbelief, but Adam had seen a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. Joe hadn\u2019t though, and his head had dropped slightly as he shuffled his boots against the floor. They were barely worn out and already almost too small; he was growing that fast.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Pa. Fetching wood, getting the eggs, helping Hop Sing churn\u00a0butter<\/strong>, it\u2019s all stuff kids do. I\u2019m not a kid anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d The twinkle turned soft, almost sad. \u201cNo, you\u2019re not. Alright then, I\u2019ll find some manly chores for you to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe had let out a decidedly unmanly whoop and had dashed off to tell Hoss. Adam caught sight of him\u00a0leap<\/strong>\u00a0off the porch before the front door clattered shut.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe last one to kick the\u00a0cradle<\/strong>\u00a0over.\u201d Ben had murmured more to himself than to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you knew it was coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActually I\u2019m surprised he waited this long.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat will you have him do?\u201d<\/p>\n

The twinkle returned, and this time Ben had let it spread over his entire face. \u201cOh, I have a few ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now in the cold Adam let out a chuckle that evaporated as mist in the air in front of him. Joe had been about as tired as a person could be the following week. He had done everything from fixing fences to stacking hay to helping the foreman\u00a0Simon<\/strong>\u00a0break a couple of new stud colts they had recently purchased. But he hadn\u2019t complained, at least not to Pa or Adam. Hoss had probably gotten quite a few earfuls.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least he\u2019s stubborn.\u201d Pa had said then. Adam repeated it to himself now. Stubborn, hardheaded \u2013 in more ways than one \u2013 and more full of mischief than a rabbit in springtime. Well maybe Adam had been too hard on him about the ice. After all, it could have happened to anyone.<\/p>\n

Just as he had decided to go in and apologize to Joe, his feet slipped out from beneath him. The wood went flying, and Adam\u2019s body collided with the ground. The snow helped to cushion his fall, but for a moment the ice beneath it knocked the wind out of him. He caught his breath and then caught it again as a flare of pain raced up his ankle. He bit his lip and rolled it and then gasped for breath. Was it broken, or just sprained? He pulled himself to his feet, using a tree for balance and took half a step forward. This time he slipped sideways instead of back, and his arms flailed out to catch his fall. The back of his head cracked against the tree, and he fell senseless into the snow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Author’s Notes:<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

Words for the month of June: Babe, Legend, Lumberjack, Logging, Giant<\/em><\/p>\n

Chapter 6<\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The voice came from a long ways away. Then suddenly it boomed in his ear as if from a\u00a0giant<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam jerked upright and then fell backwards, clutching his ankle. Hoss helped him up.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you\u2019re about as dumb as a mule.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve said that before.\u201d He couldn\u2019t feel too bad with his brother\u2019s weight to support him.<\/p>\n

Hoss snorted and raised his pistol to send off a shot. Almost instantly there was a responding one. They followed the sound back to the shack where Hoss gently settled Adam down on the floor next to the stove. Nearby Joe hovered like an anxious moth.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it broken?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Adam growled and swatted Hoss\u2019 hand away. \u201cIt\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust you let me be the judge of that. Joe get some snow to pack it with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m cold enough without you wrapping me up in snow.\u201d He knew Hoss wouldn\u2019t listen anyway, and his ankle really did hurt. Already he could feel it swelling against his leather boot. He hissed through his teeth as Hoss pulled it off and sent another wave of pain up his leg and then back down to settle as a throb in his ankle. He looked down and winced, which Hoss and Joe were already doing. The foot was puffy and looked almost like a stuffed pillow under his sock.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot too much snow, Joe.\u201d Hoss reached for the snow. \u201cDon\u2019t want him to get frostbite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate it.\u201d Adam scooted closer to the stove and leaned back on his hands as he tried to ignore the pain in his ankle and the tingling of his toes from both the ankle and the snow. How long was it until sunrise? Several hours still. And then how was he supposed to get back to the ranch? He shook his head to clear it. Worrying wasn\u2019t helping.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow does your foot feel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout the same as when that mule stepped on it down at the\u00a0logging<\/strong>\u00a0camp. What was her name?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 lips twitched. \u201cBabe<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBabe?\u201d Joe nearly coughed on his question.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe\u00a0lumberjacks<\/strong>\u00a0were lonely.\u201d Adam supplied. \u201cSo they named their mule Babe and the stray coon that hung around Sweetheart. A few even kissed Babe when they got drunk enough. Of course then Hoss raised the bar the night he got drunk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Hoss glared.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothin\u2019.\u201d His glare could have cut glass. \u201cJust something Adam promised never to say a word about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, I forgot. Must have been the bump on my head I took out there. And my ankle. It\u2019s hard to think clearly when there\u2019s nothing to focus on except a shooting pain running up and down your leg.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss remained silent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould a story take your mind off things, Adam?\u201d Joe asked helpfully. Adam could have sworn he saw him wink.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t want to break my word to my brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss glared for a full minute. Then he exhaled. \u201cAlready broke the glass, might as well smash it. Tell him the story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe leaned forward, eyes rapt. Adam settled back and tried to remember the entire story. It had been a while.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were at the logging camp to check on some things and drive a load of lumber back. We were having some bad luck though. Between trees falling the wrong way \u2013 against all the laws of physics \u2013 and me getting my foot stepped on, and wagons breaking, and horses going lame, we ended up staying the night. And we were both feeling lousy enough to drink more than we should have. A little anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much was a little?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot.\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

Joe grinned. \u201cAnd you holler at me for getting drunk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll see why. Like I said, once someone passed a certain line, people would start taunting him to kiss Babe. And Hoss was no exception. But he wouldn\u2019t just kiss the mule, no, that wasn\u2019t good enough for rough riding Hoss Cartwright. He said he would take Babe over the hill to the next town over and bring back a girl \u2013 any girl \u2013 who would be willing to kiss whichever man was drunkest when he got back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stared at Hoss. \u201cDid you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe made it to the town. But the only girl he came back with was the one he left on. His lips were a little redder though, his nose too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss rubbed his nose. \u201cTurns out those girls can pack a wallop when they want to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut no one was sober enough to remember what happened and when they found Hoss passed out next to Babe the next morning they hauled him to his feet, gave him a coffee, and tried to put together the pieces of what had happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich they did with the help of a certain someone.\u201d Hoss glared at Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you became a\u00a0legend<\/strong>. I merely helped.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss tossed some wood on the fire. \u201cJust you remember who will be hauling your blabbering butt back to the Ponderosa tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Disclaimer:\u00a0All 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.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0My response entry for the\u00a0Chaps and Spurs Mega Challenge. The three Cartwright boys lose their horses and have to seek shelter in a shack. \u00a0Rated:\u00a0K (6,265 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":216,"featured_media":1778,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[39,23,40],"tags":[14,17,16],"class_list":["post-7250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chaps-spurs","category-drama","category-challenges","tag-adam-cartwright","tag-hoss","tag-joe","wpcat-39-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-40-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1487,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/joe-adam-and-hoss.jpg?fit=120%2C96&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4460,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=4460","url_meta":{"origin":7250,"position":0},"title":"The Gift (by JoeC)","author":"JoeC","date":"April 28, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Joe get's a special birthday present Rating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 (553 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Chaps and Spurs"","block_context":{"text":"Chaps and Spurs","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=39"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/joe-chaps-21.jpg?fit=314%2C547&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2979,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2979","url_meta":{"origin":7250,"position":1},"title":"Captain Joe (by frasrgrl)","author":"frasrgrl","date":"November 24, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 \u00a0This story is in response to November's Chaps and Spurs Challenge. Joe on the high seas.\u00a0 Word Count: 546\u00a0\u00a0Rated: K","rel":"","context":"In "Chaps and Spurs"","block_context":{"text":"Chaps and Spurs","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=39"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ponderosa-lj.jpg?fit=640%2C475&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ponderosa-lj.jpg?fit=640%2C475&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ponderosa-lj.jpg?fit=640%2C475&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2983,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2983","url_meta":{"origin":7250,"position":2},"title":"After the Dragon (by frasrgrl)","author":"frasrgrl","date":"April 24, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0\u00a0This is a WHN for Day of the Dragon. It's my entry for the March Chaps and Spurs challenge along with the Pinecone Trifecta. Word Count: 1,063\u00a0\u00a0Rated: K","rel":"","context":"In "Chaps and Spurs"","block_context":{"text":"Chaps and Spurs","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=39"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/dotd.jpg?fit=476%2C338&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5391,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5391","url_meta":{"origin":7250,"position":3},"title":"The End of a War (by BnzaGal)","author":"BnzaGal","date":"June 30, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Written using the five words (Bachelor, Medieval, Commence, Culmination, and Tassel) from the Chaps & Spurs Challenge, June 2011. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K+ (1,110 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Alternate Universe"","block_context":{"text":"Alternate Universe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Calamity-over-the-Comstock-8.jpg?fit=634%2C563&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Calamity-over-the-Comstock-8.jpg?fit=634%2C563&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Calamity-over-the-Comstock-8.jpg?fit=634%2C563&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":19782,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=19782","url_meta":{"origin":7250,"position":4},"title":"A Brother Lost (by AC1830)","author":"AC1830","date":"January 27, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: One brother has gone astray and the other two brothers have come to take him home.\u00a0 Rating - G, Word Count - 1015","rel":"","context":"In "Chaps and Spurs"","block_context":{"text":"Chaps and Spurs","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=39"},"img":{"alt_text":"joe","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/First-Born.png?fit=840%2C678&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/First-Born.png?fit=840%2C678&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/First-Born.png?fit=840%2C678&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/First-Born.png?fit=840%2C678&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6204,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6204","url_meta":{"origin":7250,"position":5},"title":"Scars on the Inside (by Annie K Cowgirl)","author":"Annie K Cowgirl","date":"September 3, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0In memory of the beloved episode My Brother's Keeper. It's been five years since the accident and Adam still hasn't forgiven himself for shooting Joe. Rated:\u00a0K+ (935 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Chaps and Spurs"","block_context":{"text":"Chaps and Spurs","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=39"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Pdvd_007.jpg?fit=720%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Pdvd_007.jpg?fit=720%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Pdvd_007.jpg?fit=720%2C576&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Pdvd_007.jpg?fit=720%2C576&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/216"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7250"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7250\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1778"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}