#You may be asking: Arthur what about her Lasso of Rage

[souperfam]

My toxic Wonderfam fan opinion is that I fully truly believe that Cassie should’ve been the one to be given the Lasso of Submission, not Artemis

[saxonspud]

Outlaw - Born and Bred Chapter 2

Posting this for @arthursgirl because she likes Micah, and he always gets killed off in most fanfictions (especially mine) but for a change, he kinda turns into the good guy in this one.

Casie quietly crept to the tent flap and opened it to peek out. The sun was only just rising, it looked pretty quiet. She crept across the camp to where the horses were hitched. Being careful not to spook them. She looked down the path, she couldn't see a guard. It was now or never. She looked at all the horses. That white one was nice, it would fetch a good price, even if it had no papers, she reckoned she might be able to get twenty dollars for it. That would get her a gun, some bullets and probably a hot meal. She crept over to it and stroked its neck. She had one last check, coast was clear. She unhitched it jumped on its back and kicked it on. It went almost from a halt to a gallop. This was a fine horse she thought. The horse hadn’t gone more than about 20 yards when she heard a shrill whistle. The horse immediately reared up and turned sending her flying as she landed on her back with a thud.

She lay there for only a second, “Crap” she said under her breath. Casie scuttled to her feet, but not fast enough as she heard the whoosh of a lasso then it tightened round her, sending her flying back to floor with another thud. Without a moment to think, she was already being tied up “Fuck off you mother fucking cow-son-of-a-bitch” she screamed. “Fucking perverts, let me go”. Arthur picked her up and held her by the arms, she turned her head and tried to bite his arm, but not quick enough as he quickly move his other are around her neck to put her in a headlock. “Let me go you cock sucking pervert” she screamed and tried to kick him. He carried her back to the tent in the centre of the compound. Dutch Van Der Linde walked out of tent and stood in front of her. “So you thought you would steal my horse, that's a mighty fine way to reward our hospitality isn’t it?” He said. “Let me go you mother fucking son of a whore” She screamed. The man who she had kicked in the balls the previous night walked up “I like her he said, she’s got spunk”. Arthur looked at Micah, not releasing his grip “Shut up, Micah”. Dutch laughed, “now then boys, lets not encourage her”. “Arthur” he said “let her go, I’m not sure I can stand much more of the foul language coming from her mouth”. Arthur threw her on the floor, releasing the ropes as he did. As she landed Dutch put his foot on her arm, applying just enough pressure stop her from getting up. Casie turned to look at him with rage in her eyes. “Get off my arm you...” He glared down at her, “Don’t you dare let another cuss come out of your mouth” he growled. “Least of all directed at me”.  He pressed a little harder with his foot. “Get off, you’re hurting me!” She screamed. “Yes I am” he replied calmly. “And I will until you start behaving like a human being and less like a feral cat!”.

Casie lay on the floor still raging, trying to calm her rage, she knew this law-man wouldn’t let her up and till she did. Dutch released some of the pressure and offered her a hand “Don’t even think about biting me either” he said, softening his look just slightly. She took the offer of his hand, and he released his foot. Once she was on her feet she snatched her hand away.

She straightened her clothes and glared at him. “I want my Pa’s gun, then I’ll go”.

Dutch looked at the girl, Micah was right, she had a helluva lot of spunk. But he thought that may well be her undoing.

He walked back into his tent and came out with the gun. He doubted that it would fire. Dutch handed Casie the gun, she took it and shoved it in her trousers. “Here, take this” he offered her a ten dollar bill. She gave him a filthy look “Keep ya money, Law-man, I ain’t no charity case” she said, and walked down the path out of the camp.

Arthur looked at Dutch and shook his head “That kid is gonna come to a sticky end, if she ain’t careful” he said.

Dutch looked as the small form disappeared out of view. “Not if I have anything to do with it” He said.

Dutch asked Hosea if he would head into town to see if he could find out any more information on the kid. So after a short while he headed into Valentine. He made a few discreet enquiries and returned back to to camp.

“Well that was an interesting conversation” he said to Dutch as he sat down. “She was right about the Sheriff” he said “He really doesn't like her.” Dutch looked at Hosea “What did you find out?”. He asked. Hosea began. “Her fathers name was Jessie Mallard. Name didn't ring any bells with me. He was hung as a horse thief”, Dutch laughed “Figures, she just tried to steal The Count” Hosea raised his eyebrow “I bet that didn't end well” “At least we know she has a good eye for horses” he laughed. Go on then, what else? Hosea continued “she’s 12 years old...” “Only 12” exclaimed Dutch “Where the hell did she learn the language that came out of her mouth this morning” Hosea raised his eyebrows “Anyway, they couldn’t pin the horse theft on her as well, so much to the sheriffs annoyance she walked. Couple of days after her father hanged, she was picked up trying to steal food from the general store. Chucked her in jail for a couple of days, gave her a good beating then kicked her out. Which is when she tried rob us.” “Well after it all kicked off here this morning she asked for her fathers gun, I offered her ten dollars, which she refused and she marched off.” Dutch said. He continued, “she's got a gun, that probably wont fire, and no money. I’d wager, give it a couple of days and she’ll end up back in Valentine jail. I’ll have the boys keep an eye open in Valentine, just in case.”.

Dutch’s prediction wasn’t far off. Three days after she walked out of the camp, Micah and Javier were in Valentine in the Saloon when they heard it kick off in the street.

The store owner grabbed Casie and chucked her out the door. "Get out of here you little thief" he yelled. Unluckily for Casie, the sheriff was standing right outside. Sheriff Curtis Malloy glared at her “You again”. “I ain’t done nothing wrong, I got money” she screamed. “No Doubt, he yelled “but I can guarantee you stole it off someone else”. Casie tried to run but the sheriff landed a boot in her ribs. The kick lifted her enough for her to land on her back with a thud. She lay there gasping for breath for what seem like an eternity as her chest felt like it had burst into flames.  “Leave me alone, you son-of-a-bitch”. She croaked. The sheriff grabbed her by the shirt collar and lifted her so that her feet were about a foot of the ground. He hit her 3 times round the face with his fist. “You’re coming with me you little shit” he growled. He dumped her back on the ground, face down and grabbed her wrists as he tied them together. “I warned you he said.” The deputy gave her another kick in the ribs for good measure. She heard a crack as it broke her rib. This time the pain was too much and for Casie and the whole world went black.

Micah and Javier watched the scene unfold. Javier looked at Micah, “ouch, that was a bit harsh” Micah felt a bit sorry for the kid, he’d been in similar situations, but not when he was 12. Javier looked at Micah. “You gonna go tell Dutch” He said. Micah laughed. “Gonna handle this one myself, that kid reminds me of me, so Uncle Micah is gonna retrieve his niece”.

The sheriff dragged the unconscious Casie to the jail house and chucked her in a cell. He sat down in his chair and looked at the kid. This time he thought, she’s gonna hang.

Casey was cold then she realised. She wasn’t cold, it was the stone floor of the jail cell that was cold. Apart from her chest, that was on fire. She wondered if this is what hell felt like. For the first time in ages Casie just wanted to cry. Everywhere hurt, she daren’t move, this pain hurt something fierce. For the first time in her life Casie was scared but like her Pa always told her, never show ‘em your scared even though you are. When she watched him hang, he just smiled at her, even though she thought he must have been scared. That was until his tongue lolled out his mouth and his eyeballs nearly popped out their sockets.

The pain took hold again and everything went black.

Micah walked into the jail house, and bent over the sheriffs desk. “I’m here for the kid.” He said. The sheriff didn't look up. “Kids not going anywhere, except to the end of a hangman's rope” he replied. Micah sighed “Don’t know what I'm gonna tell her family then” This grabbed the sheriffs attention “Family?” “Yeah” said Micah “Father ran off with the kid a few years ago, been looking for her ever since, heard he’d been hanged so guessed here was a good place to look”. The sheriff glanced over at the kid laying on the floor in the cell. He looked back at Micah “Twenty Dollars and you can take her off my hands” Micah reached into his pocket and chucked the money on the desk. The sheriff tossed him the keys “Go on” he said. “Before I change my mind”

Micah walked out the jail house carrying the kid. Javier had already bought the horses over, just in case they needed to beat a hasty retreat. Micah laid the kid over the front of his saddle. Javier looked at the kid, “is she alive” he said “Only just” he replied “lets get her back to Dutch”

It didn’t take long to reach the camp at a flat out gallop. Micah figured that Dutch wouldn’t be best pleased if he handed over a dead kid. If she was gonna die, it was best that she did it on someone elses watch.

He picked her off the horse walked over to Dutch’s tent Here ya go Dutch” he said. “Present for ya”. “Micah” he exclaimed “What the hell...” “Bought her off the sheriff for twenty dollars, she’s pretty beat up” he said. Micah wasn't wrong. Dutch beckoned to Micah to put her in the tent, where she had slept a few nights before. “Miss Grimshaw” he called “Can you look after her please.” Susan Grimshaw took one look “Mr Bell” she said “please put her on the bed, I’ll take it from here.”