Work Text:
How do you kill a kid? Gene Autry didn't know but he assumed the processes could be considered similar to his current experience. Riding fast as all get out in a canyon valley out west with bullets whizzing on by, Gene was banking on his horse, Champion(Champ), outlastin’ these weighty fellows before they could get in a lucky shot.
Gene thought he was quite lucky, if these fellows weren't so addle-headed, Gene would have surely been in trouble. His young gangly stallion would, no doubt, be unable to outlast their towering brobdingnagian(LINK TO pronunciation what is this word😂) burly horses.
After a long and hearty race with death, Gene and Champ soon reached their checkpoint of the day, a quaint bustling town named Gorecrout. The town was lacking in its housing for travelers, but Gene made due with a fence and tarp. Gene hitched his horse to the fence post of his substandard lean-to and set out to get a lay of the land. As Gene moseyed on through the town he eyed the abandons(prostitutes) hanging around the town's brothel. He chined up, straightened his back, and sauntered up to a girl of his young age.
Gene with confidence in his voice and posture questioned the girl “How ya doin young lady? The names Gene Autry'"
The girl shyly responded “I'm doing well, how ‘bout you Mr.Autry? ”
The malnourished boy retorted “ ‘Oi I’ll have none of that respect here, makes me feel like an old man, just call me Gene. Anyways, I've been swell. It seems I haven't gotten your name have I?”
“No ya haven't Mr.Gene, my name’s Cherry Boikins, but you can call me Cherry.” said the newly named Cherry with a twinkle shining in her eyes.
Gene boastingly displayed the trophies of his hunting exploits to this friendly girl “Well that’s a nice name for a nice lady. Whad’ ya think o’ some o’ my bes’ furs?”
Cherry, after regarding the state of the mishandled and poorly cured furs, scrunched her face and told the excited boy “I think you shoulda properly tanned them skins before ya’d showed ‘em ta me. Then, I mighta thought you knew how to tan ‘em properly.”
The stunned boy stuttered out ”Are ya tellin’ me I ain't done it right?"
An enthusiastic Cherry responded to Gene with an “That's exactly what I'm sayin’. Maybe ya can roll by the outskirts of town and I can show ya the proper way to tan ‘em skins?”
Gene stumbled through his previously confident words and retorted ”Sure if yer up for it. I'm free anytime.”
Cherry happily agreed ”Course! I'll see ya round noon tomorrow, if’n ya like?”
Excitedly Gene finished the conversation “Arlight I'll be a waitin’ for ya.”
As the sun was retreating from the heat of the day, Gene skipped away from the striking young girl and headed out in search of a general store to replenish his depleted supplies. He was aiming to buy some airtights(canned food) with his hunting furs, but with what he gathered from the girl, that option was looking more and more like an improbability.
Winston Smith, the general store proprietor, was smoking some jerky outside his shop trying to tempt passersby into purchasing some of his products. His lure appeared to work as the lanky boy stalked closer, Winston hoped the kid could afford whatever he was gonna buy or else he'd have ta kick ‘em outta his shop.
It seems Gene was feeling lucky today as he stumbled upon a general store with a seemingly wide array of products. He hoped that even with Cherry's judgment of the furs that they would at least be enough to buy some jerky, fruit for Champ, and a few airtights. It was not his lucky day, Gene tried to trade some of his furs for his desired products, but his furs, as Cherry said, were in no condition to be traded. Winston was not impressed with the furs’ conditions. Dejectedly, Gene slumped away with nothing to show for his hours of hunting but the poorly cared for pelts of fur.
Gene arrived at his shoddy lean-to to find that Champ had turned the area round the fence post into a mess. Greatly disheartened and hungry Gene fed Champ half of his last rations(saving some for Champs breakfast), and remade his deficient campsite, afterwards Gene settled in for a frigid night out in the wild west of America. Though he considered it not all that bad as he waited in anticipation for the following day; he couldn't wait for his fur tanning lessons with Cherry.
Gene awoke to his teeth chattering, body aching, and stomach growling ferociously. He slowly gathered himself, fed champ the last of his rations, and set out for the outskirts of town hoping that these lessons with Cherry might provide him a steady income in the fur trading business. Once Gene reached the supposed meeting point he busied himself by making rock towers and playing indian.
As Cherry was striding towards her destination where a boy named Gene Autry was supposedly waiting for her, she pondered about her new friend. Cherry was quite glad she could help Gene out by teaching him some of the fur tanning skills she had learned from her father. She thought it was sweet of him to try and gift her those furs; he must have spent a great deal of time hunting to have that many pelts. Cherry knew that Gene would be able to improve his skills in this area of hunting through her teachings. She was quite sure Gene would instantaneously pick up on her lessons since he radiated the atmosphere of a curious and educated boy. Cherry would soon approach her destination however, so she halted her pondering and hastened her pace for she would be appalled if she had kept Gene waiting any time past noon.
Gene was bouncing with apprehension and excitement, he had glanced at the town's clock tower earlier and discovered that the time for Cherry’s and his meeting was quickly approaching. When the time was 10 minutes before their previously agreed upon time gene was stunned when he saw the illustrious figure of Cherry carrying what looked to be a handful of equipment he didn't know hide nor hair about.
The fur tanning lessons soon commenced with many entertaining moments. When they both had finished with the lessons and Gene had tried to pay, Cherry refused his payment and instead insisted they get a proper meal together as both their growling tummies demanded.
Gene and Cherry sought out a local tavern famously called “The Haven”. The distance to The Haven from their current location was quite lengthy so they made haste, resisting the many tantalizing smells along the way. Cherry was thankful for the tavern flexibility of payment for she knew that they could trade a ‘couple of them furs for sum quick grub’.
When Gene and Cherry approached The Haven they were elated to find an ongoing sale of eggs, potatoes, cornmeal, bacon, and coffee for the low low price of 5¢ an item. They quickly ordered a hefty meal-consisting of the many current on sale products-and settled into a booth adjacent to the bustling kitchen.
Casual discussion soon began about this and that. Gene went on and on about all that he had trapped while Cherry enlightened Gene with further knowledge about the goings of life. Words flowed like Adam’s ale, water, as the evening progressed and a subtle intimacy settled between the two. The budding relationship was an endearing sight for the aged and grizzled patrons of the tavern.
One of those grizzled patrons was Winston’s buddy John Wesson, the owner of the local smithy. When Gene and Cherry traded in the furs for a meal, John Wesson knew his buddy Winston would no doubt hire and train such a skilled novice in the fields of tanning and trapping as an investment for the future. So he gathered his guts and made his way over to the two love birds.
Gene was astounded by the proposition of a job, he enthusiastically inquired about the pay and was elated to find that not only would the pay be enough to support both him and Cherry but Winston would also provide housing and food for Champ with the condition that Whinston was allowed to use Champ in the delivery of his store’s products.
The newly minted couple was excited to have an opportunity for a new life.