Rocky Raccoon

He was almost to the porch when he leveled the shotgun. "Hello, asshole."

Reggie's eyes went wide, and he started to turn for his gun. He'd opened the door in his long johns, pulling everything off in anticipation of raping the woman again. Rocky was so angry he had forgotten to allow for the elevation of the porch, so when the shotgun roared it literally blew his cock and balls off. Reggie screamed, in a surprisingly high voice, as the charge lifted him off his feet and threw him back into the ranch house. Rocky had the derringer in his hand, but one look at Reggie made him put it away. He had landed against the back wall in a sitting position, and was desperately trying to stop the blood from his ruined crotch.

Rocky looked at him once, hoped he lived for a little longer in great pain, and turned to the woman. She was tied naked to the couch, a rag in her mouth. Her eyes flew wide as Rocky grabbed a butcher knife off the kitchen table and started towards her. "Lady, I ain't here to harm you. I'm gonna cut you loose and back off. I'll leave the knife beside you, it might give you some comfort."

He cut one hand and foot loose and handed her the knife. She grabbed the rag out of her mouth, then cut her other limbs free. She looked at the knife in her hand, Reggie moaning against the wall, and flew across the room, sliding into the kitchen in front of Reggie. "Bastard!," she screamed as she stabbed him in the thigh. "Asshole!" accompanied the sight of her burying the blade in his stomach. "LOW LIFE MOTHERFUCKING RAPIST SON OF A BITCH!"

She pulled the knife upward with all her strength, gutting Reggie, his insides falling all over the kitchen floor. She grabbed his long hair, smiling in his face. "How you like this, boy? Feel good?"

Rocky was kind of sickened as he saw her plunging the knife into his asshole, sawing it in and out, laughing hysterically as Reggie screamed out his last. When she was sure he was dead she stuck the knife in his mouth penning him to the wall, and slumped beside him, the adrenalin wearing off as she passed out.

Not knowing what to do, he picked her up, carried her to the couch, and covered her with an afghan from the floor. Then he dragged what was left of Reggie out to the tackroom, beside Jim. He grinned as he looked down. "Good night, boys. Don't run off now, you hear? See you in the morning, even if you can't see me."

He came in, noticing the woman gone. She came out of a bedroom fully clothed, holding Reggie's pistol. Rocky put up his hands and spoke in a reasonable voice. "Hold on now. I told you I meant you no harm, cut you loose, even covered you when you fainted. Those men robbed me of everything, including my clothes, and left me to die of exposure. If I hadn't come along you'd still be tied to the furniture. You'll be all right now. I just need to get my clothes and gear and I'll leave you in peace. I'll even sleep in the barn tonight."

She looked at him, noticing how he was dressed, and giggled. Then the mirth was gone. "I'll never be all right again! Those bastards took my honor, no decent man will ever want me now. I'm ruined!"

Rocky sensed she was right on the edge, so he spoke softly and gently. "Nobody but you, me, and the dead assholes know what happened here, and they ain't talking. I would never speak out of turn about the honor of a lady. If you don't tell, no one will ever know."

Here eyes flicked back and forth as she thought, and finally she lowered the pistol. "You're right stranger. This is one secret I'll be taking to my grave. Now, I still have my husband's clothes, and you look about the same size. They're old, but clean and in good shape. I'll fetch them." She stopped, listening to his stomach growl.

"How long since you had a meal?"

"In the last five days I've had two rabbits and a squirrel, including nothing for the last forty-eight hours. I could stand to eat, ma'am."

"You poor man! I'll fetch the clothes if you'll drag the tub in off the back porch. I think we both need baths tonight. We'll put it in front of the fireplace to warm while I fix some supper."

By the time Rocky got back with the tub she was in the kitchen, frying eggs and ham. "I'll feed you better later, right now you something quick and easy. Sit down."

She ladled about half a dozen eggs and almost a pound of ham onto his plate, adding two big chunks of bread that she had buttered liberally. Rocky, thinking of his mother, refused to eat until she fixed her plate, even rising to hold her chair as she sat. She bowed her head.

"Father, bless this meal and those who consume it to do your work. Thank you for bringing this man to me in my hour of need, and bless him in his future endeavors. Amen."

Rocky ate slowly, knowing that if he wolfed it down it would probably come back. Still, he managed to clean the plate. She put the plates in a sink when they were done, and poured hot water from the stove reservior into it, making short work of cleaning up.

Rocky helped her gather things up before she shooed him away, telling him to see if the tub was warm. He checked, and the side closest to the fire was too hot to touch, and the four inches of water he'd poured into it was lukewarm. She had a big cast iron kettle bubbling in the fire place, and he poured it into the tub, replacing the water from a barrel in the kitchen.

"Bath's ready, Ma'am."

She seemed surprised Rocky wanted her to go first.

"No, you go on ahead."

"Ma'am, ain't a thing wrong with me a little water and soap can't fix, but you been beat pretty fierce. I think you should go first, get those cuts washed out as soon as you can. I'll wait right here in the kitchen, have a cup of coffee or two. Go on now."

She wanted to resist, but the wisdom of his words were evident. Reggie had beat her back from her neck to her knees with a quirt, and some of the blows were deep enough to bleed. She suspected one or two may have become infected.

So with a grateful glance, she went into the main room, stripped, and eased into the water, sighing. The bath felt like heaven, and the ability to clean her female parts helped her peace of mind. She looked down at the bruises on her stomach, legs, and her breasts, wondering how long it would take them to heal.

Then she slid down, wanting the water to cover her back and help her heal. When the still warm water hit her infected cuts, the pain was so intense she screamed.

The door flew open, and Rocky rushed in with his Dragoon in hand. Seeing her alone he started stuttering and backing out. She actually laughed.

"Don't be embarrassed. You've seen all of me anyway, so while you're here will you look at my back? It aches something awful."

Rocky was soon kneeling beside her as she leaned forward, showing him her back. Rocky looked at the two infected cuts and another deep one that must have been recent, because it was still oozing blood.

"Ma'am, you got any medical supplies? Something I can doctor with? You got two infected wounds that need to be cleaned, treated, and bound, and another one that looks pretty fresh. It could probably stand a couple of stitches."

"My name is Vivian, sir. I believe we are past the stage of being unnamed. And if you will go into the parlor, you'll see my sewing basket. In the sideboard you will find the little medical supplies we keep, and plenty of liquor. Grab a bottle to use as a cleanser."

He rose to his feet, smiling. "I'll be right back, Miss Vivian. And you can call me Rocky."

Rocky found everything he needed, staring at the rows of liquor bottles. Her husband had been either a tippler of fine spirits or a raging drunk.

Viv, as she told him she preferred over Vivian, was still soaking. She leaned forward, compliant, while Rocky cleaned and bandaged her infected wounds, and didn't even grunt when he put five stitches in the worst. She did hiss when the alcohol hit them, but knew it was necessary. She commented on his sewing ability.

"My mother taught me. She said there may be a time in my life when I didn't have a woman to do it for me, so it would be handy to know."

"Your mother was a smart woman, Rocky. Now, will you help me up and into my bedroom? I'll be all right from there."

She rose unashamed from the bath, and even though he knew it was impolite, he couldn't help admiring her body. She told him later she was twenty nine, but because she had never bourne children, was as firm and taut as any teen. He was particularly impressed by her breasts, sitting high and firm on her chest.

She knew he looked, and even after the ordeal she had been through, she was pleased at his obvious appreciation. He helped her into her room, then went back for his own bath, washing five days of grime off.

Her husband had been just a bit larger, so everything fit him very comfortably. He put on a pair of winter long johns, stoked the fires in the living room, parlor, and kitchen, and slipped beneath two large comforters.

He woke in the night to the bed shifting, and reached for his pistol. "Easy, Rocky. It's me."

"Vivian? You need something?"

"Yes," she said, as she slid into the bed beside him. "I need you to hold me for awhile. I promise I'll go back in a bit, but right now I need to feel arms around me that mean me no harm. Please, Rocky."

So he cuddled her as she wept in his arms, until the weeping went to snuffles, and the snuffles went to deep, regular breathing. He held her gently as she spooned to him, careful not to get close enough to rub her raw back, and drifted off again.

He woke in the morning, alone, to the smell of coffee and bacon. Rocky found Vivian in the kitchen, bustling around, humming. She saw him and smiled.

"Good morning! Let me thank you for last night, it did me a world of good knowing there were still decent men in the world. Now, get a cup of coffee and sit. I hope you like buckwheat pancakes and honey, with bacon on the side."

He confessed it was one of his favorite meals, and showed his appreciation by doing in two stacks of six and half a pound of bacon. She ate with him, talking of her ranch.

"Three sections, with good water and sheltered by the hills. We ran about five hundred head on average, and Bob had just sold off all but a hundred and fifty heifers and five bulls this fall. Sold at the right time, to the Army. They even offered him a contract. He didn't take it, saying he wanted to talk to me first.

He was a good man, but he loved his drink. He would work hard all day, and be passed out by eight. I think the fact that he was hungover most of the time contributed to his death. He was half asleep in his saddle when the mare he was riding walked up on a rattler. She went straight up, then tumbled over backwards down the trail, landing right on top of him, then dragging him half a mile home. His head was pretty much mush. I buried him two months ago, and decided to hang on until the spring, gather up what we had left and sell them, along with the ranch.

Then four days ago those animals showed up. The ordeal makes me even more determined to sell, take the money, maybe open some kind of shop in a good sized town. I go half crazy ever winter with just Bob to talk to, when he was sober enough to talk."

Rocky told her of his life, and what he wanted to do. "I'm not sure exactly what it'll be. I figure I'll work a year or two on the railroad, maybe take some of that government land that's coming up."

It was still snowing. Not the white out it was last night, but steady. Viv got him to help her string a rope from the house to the barn, for when it got really bad, then took two of her horses, using Reggie's saddle for Rocky, and they traveled for thirty minutes before coming to a larger barn.

They stomped off the snow and entered the barn, to find a dozen horses, some of the finest Rocky had ever seen. Viv grinned.

"Bob was always good with horses. We kept these hid and only kept a few head at the house. They got shelter, plenty of hay, and a good source of water, but I check on them everyday, give them some grain now and then, rotate a couple of head back every few days, so they don't forget their training."

She let her horse go, saddled another, and they rode back. She went into the barn, avoiding the stall with the remains of her rapists, fed the chickens and gathered eggs, while Rocky chopped wood. By then it was snowing hard again.

"It will probably snow for another day or so, then the sun will come out and almost blind you. A day or two of that will melt most of it, and you will be able to travel. The closest town is most of a day's ride from here. I'll go with you, there are some things I'd like to pick up, maybe find an older hand to help me until spring. That is, unless you want to stay?"

Rocky smiled and shook his head. "I would probably enjoy it, but that's not where my desire lies. I want to see more of the world, you know?"

Vivian smiled sadly. "I thought as much. You know, we need to take the bodies into town with us, tell what happened. You came by while they were trying to rob me, and you defended me, killing both the brigands. That will satisfy most people."

Rocky agreed, and while she prepared supper he went out and retrieved the saddlebags, wanting to find his money belt. They ate, a hearty stew with plenty of bread, and a dried apple pie for dessert. He complimented her cooking, and she seemed to appreciate it.

"I'm fair to middlin', if I do say so myself. I usually fix a big pot and it lasts me three days. I'm just thankful I have someone to share meals with. It's worlds better than eating alone."

The meal over, the dishes done, they lay the saddlebags of the two men on the table, and opened the first one. They found his money belt, the cash still inside. They found another money belt in the other side, and both stared wide eyed at the contents. Vivian got out a pencil and paper, and recorded it. Eighty twenty dollar gold pieces, nine hundred dollars in bills, and a little over a hundred in loose silver coins. A small fortune for the time.

They got another surprise when they opened the other one, not finding a money belt but loose coins in four bags. Fourteen hundred dollars worth. They stared at each other in shock.

"You know they didn't come by this honest, Viv. What should we do about it?"

"Nothing," she said. as she divided the money evenly. "We have no idea where it came from, or how to return it. If we give it to the sheriff it'll just lay around until the county decides to keep it. You take half, and I'll take half. Another secret I'll take to my grave."

It took her another day, but finally he agreed. It would go a long way towards buying his own spread. Besides the money, there were both pistols, a '66 Yellowboy Winchester, and an old Henry, still in good shape. She took the Winchester, saying it would be easier for her to handle. He took the Henry and one of the pistols, an almost new Remington that took metal shells, in .38 caliber. Besides the shells in the belt, he found two more boxes in the saddlebags. He took his hunting knife back, as well as another he wore in the back of his belt, out of sight.

His sheepskin was hanging up, and had no blood on it, as well as his boots. They were too big for either outlaw, and he was sure they took them to narrow his chances of survival. He confessed he felt a little odd about taking everything.

Viv set him straight. "Out here, a man tries to do you harm and you kill him first, everything he has becomes yours, unless he has a family, and it's still up to you to keep it or give it back. Another thing, you know as well as I all that money was stolen. We need to cart them into town, run them by the local sheriff. They may have papers on them, and we may be due a reward."

That night, just as Rocky was drifting off, she came into his room, slipping under the covers. He was shocked to feel her naked skin touch his.

She felt his unease and soothed him. "Calm down, honey. We're going into town tomorrow, and after that I'll probably never see you again. I want us to make love tonight, I want a good memory to replace the ones I have now. I'm not putting any claims on you, consider it a reward for your good deeds."

He fumbled around for a bit before he admitted something. "Viv, I have to tell you something. I probably won't do you much good, because I've never done this before."

"Oh my God! You're a virgin? Don't fret, honey, let me cure you of that."

For most of the night, she kept him up, making love three times. Viv was pleased he was fairly large, larger than her husband or both outlaws, and once he figured out how to use it, it was very satisfying for her. They did everything but missionary, because of her injured back. She rode him like a bucking bull, then got on her hands and knees for him. They ended the session in the spoon position, him gently pumping while she sighed and cooed.

The biggest surprise was him waking to his cock in her mouth. He started, and she rose up. "Calm now, Rocky. This is my gift to you. I know most think only whores do something like this, but most women I talk to admit they sometimes do it to please their men. Some men even return the favor, but we don't have time for that lesson. So lay back and enjoy, honey."

She went back down, and the sensations he felt were like nothing he'd ever experienced before. He decided pretty quick he liked it, very much. The biggest surprise was when he warned her he couldn't hold out much longer, and she kept going, draining him dry. He didn't think he had the energy to move ever again.

She bounced up from under the covers, wiping her mouth and smiling. She slapped his thigh, making him flinch, telling him to see to the horses while she fixed breakfast.

He hitched up her buckboard, and tied the dun behind. Rocky would be keeping it, to speed his travels. She came out dressed nicely, in a heavy coat, with a thick quilt to spread over them as they traveled. She sat beside him on the seat, arranging the quilt, and sighed. Then she turned and gave him a kiss that started out soft and tender but turned forceful and lust driven. She pulled back panting, considering taking him back inside before she changed her mind. She fought the urge, and brushed his cheek.

"That was our goodbye kiss, honey. It wouldn't do for me to do it in front of the townspeople. I just want to thank you for saving me, in more ways that one. Drive, Rocky."

He looked at her as he drove, remembering her naked. She was a tall brunette, and her hair was quite long. She kept it in a braid during the day, shaking it loose at night and brushing it until it would shine in the lantern light. Though no expert, he suspected her breasts were larger than the average woman. He recalled the soft hair at the top of her legs, thick and shining. Rocky knew he would remember his time with her as long as he lived.

She snuggled and held his hand until they hit a traveled road, then put a little distance between them. Viv had him drive directly to the county sheriff's office. He came out on the porch to greet her, staring at Rocky in surprise.

Viv made the introductions. "Sheriff, this is Rocky McGill. Can we come in and talk?"

He invited her in, gave them coffee, and listened spellbound as she described her husband's death, her time alone, her ordeal with the outlaws, and Rocky showing up and saving her. She then shocked him by telling him the bodies were on the back of the buckboard, and gave him a letter addressed to Reggie. The sheriff went out and looked them over, the severed spinal cord from the pitchfork, and the ruined mess that was Reggie. He took in Reggie's wounds, and smart old lawman that he was, read between the lines.

He went back in and shuffled some wanted posters until he found what he was looking for. "Here it is! Ma'am, the one that got shot is worth four hundred dollars, and his sidekick is worth a hundred. I'll write up the vouchers for you, you can run over to the courthouse and they'll give you a letter for the bank. You can have the money by this afternoon."