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A few days ago, while I was eating at the camp, Hosea mentioned he’d seen a massive bear near the Dakota River. He wanted me to join him on the hunt, but I had to deal with something in Valentine first. The sheriff had asked me to help investigate a murder that had taken place inside a room at the saloon. He wanted me to track down the killer, just like I’d helped with bounty hunts before. I told Hosea I’d join him once I was done.

When I got to Valentine, I started questioning people, and one man told me he’d met a woman near the saloon last night. She was really shaken up and asked him to help her dispose of a body, offering to pay for it. I agreed to help her, but when I saw the dead body, it was clear that the man hadn’t been killed in self-defence. I told the woman I couldn’t get involved, but she blackmailed me, saying I had no choice but to help or she’d tell everyone I was the killer. It was obvious she was the one who’d done it. I shoved her out of my way and left, not sure what happened after that.

When I asked the man if he’d told anyone about it, he shook his head. I told him not to worry. I knew the sheriff, and I’d tell him everything without revealing his identity. He thanked me, and I went to the sheriff’s office to report the incident.

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Back at camp, Hosea was waiting for me. He was sitting on a rock, cleaning his rifle, as calm as could be. I walked over and nodded to him. He looked up and asked if I wanted to go hunting. Hosea said it might take a day or two, and I was fine with that. Things had been tough lately, and I needed the time away.

We started walking to the hitching posts. Hosea mentioned he was trying to get rid of a big shire horse, so I decided to give it a go. He suggested we head to Valentine to sell the horse and maybe buy a new one. On the way out, Hosea reminded me not to get into any bar fights. I told him I’d do my best.

As we rode out of Horseshoe Overlook, he mentioned the stables in Valentine, talking about their good tack and saddles. I asked if he had figured out what to do with those Cornwall bonds (from train robbery), but he said it was still too risky. He had a few leads, though.

Once we got to the stables in Valentine, Hosea stayed back, saying he needed to pick up a few things at the general store for the bear hunt. He told me to meet him back there later.

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When I finished at the stables, Hosea was waiting for me just outside. He was ready to head out. We mounted up and set off, leaving the town behind. The air grew cooler as we rode further from Valentine, and the sun began climbing higher in the sky.

Curious about the hunt, I asked Hosea where exactly we were heading. He mentioned a place up by the mountains east of Cumberland Falls.

We rode in silence for a while, making our way deeper into the Cumberland Forest. The terrain got rougher, and after a while, we passed a road sign. Hosea turned his horse, and we continued on, heading toward familiar ground. Soon enough, we reached Moonstone Pond, and Hosea said we were on the right path.

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Hosea pointed out some rabbits running through the brush. I figured I’d try my hand at catching one. I got off my horse, stalking them carefully. Hosea had some advice, telling me not to use anything too powerful like rifle for instance, so I grabbed my bow.

I didn’t need his reminding, but I didn’t argue. A few moments later, I’d bagged one.

We set up camp, and I cooked the rabbit over the fire. It wasn’t much, but it was good enough. I offered Hosea some, but he turned it down. Said he didn’t like eating too late. I didn’t press it. We’d be up early for the hunt.

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Morning came faster than I wanted. Hosea was already making coffee, and I dragged myself out of bed. He handed me a cup, strong as hell, and we talked about the plan. He wanted to track the bear, maybe use some bait to bring him out. I didn’t mind it. Anything that kept me moving was fine by me.

We packed up and headed toward the lake. We dismounted near the water and started looking for tracks. I spotted some big paw prints and we started following the trail. The trail was fresh, but it didn’t last long. Hosea kept his optimism, told me not to give up.

We decided to split up and look for bear.

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Then, I heard a roar, loud and close. I ran toward the sound, and there it was, charging straight at Hosea. I pulled my gun and fired. It didn’t go down, but it hesitated long enough for Hosea to scramble out of the way. Hosea ducked behind some rocks while the bear took off.

Hosea was up a moment later, brushing himself off. He looked fine, like it was just another day.

He was getting old for this kind of work, but he handed me a map. Said it was from a guy at the bar (or rather, a guy he’d stolen it from). It had markings for big game hunting. I took it, thanked him, and tucked it into my satchel.

Hosea said he was heading back to camp, and I could see he’d had enough for one day. I thought about tracking the bear some more, but I was just as ready to head back.

We made our way to camp, the quiet of the ride settling in after the rush of the hunt.

When we got back at the camp, we tied up our horses, and Hosea told me he’d be heading out to Emerald Ranch soon. I nodded.

Another day behind us, and no closer to escaping this damn life.

(to be continued...)

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Disclaimer

^{Arthur Morgan and the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 might be fictional creations by Rockstar Games, but my love for this game? 100% real. This is a new kind of adventure I wanted to bring to Steemit. I’m narrating the story of RDR2 from the perspective of its protagonist, Arthur Morgan, offering a fresh and immersive take on his journey. Rather than directly copying the game’s dialogues, I’m weaving Arthur’s emotions and experiences into a creative and fictional retelling. You can also experience this story in a cinematic way. I play the game, record my gameplay, edit the footage in the best possible way, and upload it to my YouTube channel. This way, after reading each story episode, you can watch it unfold like a movie.}

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