"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted September 24, 2019 / Henry Guyer
The smell of the giant beast, even in death stirred the mounts, nostrils flared as they moved about restlessly, several entangled with others keeping them agitated. The Sharps freed, Speed moved to the nearest of the horses and began attempting to calm them down as he worked to untangle the reins, though they were moving they were settling down. It was as if they understood what he was doing.
“Who’s down?” He called to Addy, hearing shouts, but uncertain as to the name, what with all the other noise around him. Hopefully whomever was injured it was none to serious. Although, considering the crazed behavior of the Grizzly and the savagery with which he fought anything was a possibility.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted September 25, 2019 / Storyteller
It was quickly determined that Shade would need medical attention. There was also the bear's carcass to deal with, and the horses needed rounded up. Since it was late in the day, it was decided to set up camp for the night upwind of the bear. It was risky, but starting back down the mountain with Shade barely able to sit his horse did not make any sense.
The next morning, Shade was still groggy and in pain. Fortunately, since Quentin had carefully cleaned the wounds, the infection had not yet set in. The hunting party quickly saw to a small, quick breakfast and the feeding and watering of their mounts. Quentin would leave out ahead of the rest with Shade's horse on a lead line. The others would follow once the bear's hide and the carcass had been divided up. The night had been good and cold, so the bear meat would not have had time to spoil. However, the animal was very old. It might be that all they got out of it was the hide, grease, teeth, and claws. Addy would at least have souvenirs and the bounty that Lost Lake was paying. They were also paying wages to those that had accompanied them on the hunt.
Quentin arrived at the ranch well ahead of everyone else with Shade's horse in tow. One of the hands was immediately dispatched to ride for the doctor. It was near dark when everyone else arrived. More hands came to admire the bear bits and help unload. With it being nearly dark and Kalispell a good twenty miles from the ranch house, accommodations were found for everyone.
Finally, the great Kodiak bear that had terrorized the region for so long was dead. Soon, his rampages would become campfire tales. The woman that had killed Old Satan would be immortalized in story and song, no doubt with a great deal of embellishment. In the end, except for the souvenirs that Miss Chappel kept for herself, all that was left of the animal was jars of Old Satan Bear Grease that sold for nearly two dollars each.