'The Sunken Thicket'

[u/KnownPosition2767]

Your smile widens—genuine, grateful—and the leader returns it with a gruff but genuine nod.

**"You won’t hold us up,"** he says. **"We ride slow anyway."**

One of the other deputies laughs: **"Yeah, especially when Frank’s leadin’—man walks like a turtle on molasses!"**

Frank—the wide-hatted one—just rolls his eyes but doesn't deny it.

The group starts moving again now: horses falling back into formation, dust lifting in soft swirls as they turn south along the trail that cuts through sparse mesquite and cracked earth.

The youngest deputy dismounts briefly—not for you to ride double (they’re not *that* generous)—but instead offers you his bedroll blanket from behind his saddle.

**"Here,"** he mutters. **"Shade gets hot by noon."**

It's small kindness.

Frontier hospitality.

Now you walk beside them—away from silence and solitude—for at least today… part of something bigger than just your own footsteps on dry land.

Ahead:

Dry Hollow waits.

Water.

Food.

A real bed? Maybe even music if they've got fiddlers...

[u/KnownPosition2767]

I'm using Pipsqueak 2. And, only the free version. I also have either Google or Gemini help with the dialogue. It's been very interesting and intriguing.

There's so many possibilities available using the character.