You wake up from sleeping a bit sore from the bed. Grey Wolf you find the nature to be pretty peaceful around the town. Nothing happens outside of the normal animal howls which wake you in the middle of the night but only briefly.

When you start walking around you find that a few people are already in line for breakfast. The bartender tells you it's on the house being nice to you being your first time in town. He seems to be feed what looks like most of the town with a decent amount of biscuits and some sausage he has cooked up.

As you start to look around town you notice that right in the middle of the town, the sheriff is apparently gathering for a speech. It appears a large amount of people are gathering in front already waiting with to her what the sheriff has to stay.

Patrick got up and stretched his aching back. It wasn't as young as it used to be and that bed had done it no favors last night. It had almost felt like the owner had put sheets on a concrete slab. Sleeping on the ground might just be more comfortable. He wasn't too sure about it though and not eager to do a comparison to soon either. He used the wash basin in the room to wash his hands and face, getting the sleep out of his eyes before getting dressed and heading down to see if he could find something to put in his belly.

Once downstairs, he was pleased to see that the bartender had complimentary sausage and biscuits for breakfast and once the ladies had gotten theirs, his ma had taught him manners after all, he got himself a plate and sat down at a table to eat. Turns out the bartender was a decent cook, as the biscuits and sausage were good. Almost good enough for seconds, but Patrick figured with the crowd trying to get some that seconds probably wouldn't be had.

After eating his breakfast, Patrick headed out of the saloon intending to head to the sheriff's station to ask him some questions but he saw the crowd forming in the middle of town and being the curious sort he went to find out why. Once he gets close enough he spots the badge on the chest of the man that looks to be about to make a speech and stands there to listen to what he's got to say.

Katy woke, sore as... a word her mother would have washed her mouth out with soap for. The stories about Crazy Kate, Trapper Bess, and Dove-Eye hadn't mentioned anything about lumpy beds.

To get the worst of the kinks out, she ran through some of the Swedish exercises she'd been taught, before washing and dressing. The biscuits and sausage were tasty: Katy wasn't normally a big eater at breakfast, but she was sorely tempted to go for seconds before her curiosity got the better of her. She wanted to hear what the sheriff had to say.

Outside, she politely made her way through the crowd until it grew thick enough that she'd have had to employ elbows to go any further, and she didn't want to do that. Yet.

Grey Wolf breaks camp after morning duties are done and a light washing to remove sleep from his eyes.  The brisk cold water was refreshing and shocking but helped to make him fully awake.

Riding his Indian paint to town, he ate some dried berries and jerky to break his fast and paused at the edge of the crowd noticing the local power broker was about to speak.  Looking about for Alabama, Grey moved to his side and waited for the Sherif to speak.

Jessica washed the sleep from her face and dressed in some loose fitting clothes more appropriate for the day than an evening at the tables.

She noted the que for food and decided to call in at the general store to pick up whatever fruit might be on sale, an apple or even a carrot and the like not being one for a heavy breakfast. She'd look to having a morning tea and cake later but for now a simple meal would do.

The she noticed the gathering and walked over to the gathering towns people to hear what the sheriff had to say

Alabama sat down to eat his breakfast. No-one would ever make biscuits as good as his grandmother made back home, though eating them did make him reminisce about being so far from home.

Looking around, he noticed several others that were there last night, and were all likely here for the same purpose. Though why did they all want to find the professor?

Washing it down with some coffee, Alabama grabbed his things and went out to find the Sheriff.

Outside, seeing the growing crowd awaiting some sort of announcement, Alabama looks about to see Grey Wolf make his way beside him.

"Unless this Sheriff is running for mayor, rounding up the town like this can't be good." He murmurs aloud.

In reply to Alabama Hammer (msg # 6):

Grey Wolf turns to look at his new friend and nods, turning back to look over the crowd and the man they call Sheriff.  Looking about, Grey Wolf checks if there are any spotters or scouts on the rooftops or windows of nearby buildings.  If there was something amiss or something they needed to be leery of, such scouts might indicate they should be ready to bolt if something happened.

"How many men work for Sheriff?" Grey Wolf whispers in reply to Alabama's comment, "Other than the Dearmen gang ..  Grey wasn't entirely sure of the Sheriff and Dearman gang's working relationship, but in his thoughts, they were closely aligned, so not to be trusted till more information could be discovered.  Best to reveal little and be mistaken than reveal too much and be a fool.

If Grey Wolf spots any possible danger, people in the buildings, the Indian whispers his warning to Alabama, then fades back a bit to an ally or building shadow, trying to fade away out of notice.

OOC:
Skill roll:  Notice:  3,2 using D6,D6.
Stealth:  2,1 using D6,D6.  - if needed.   

Grey Wolf tries to fade out of sight but it seems from every corner of the town people are coming to listen to the sheriff. The man has a few of what appears to be constables around him.

"Listen folks. I am going to make this short as I can be without wasting your time. I reckon a lot of you have come here to find the professor. Man touched a lot of lives with his technological advancements. Some of you are after glory, you want to find him. Others are here to steal his secrets. I am telling you right now, whatever took the poor professor isn't something you want to tangle with. I have my constables searching the town high and low and the number of "travelers" coming to our aid is mighty generous but we have the situation under control. Rest assure we will find the good professor alive and well but we need time to do our job."

The mostly heavy set sheriff shifts his gaze a bit from the current topic. You see his mind start looking for the right words as his heavy beard worn from the weather opens.

"We are looking for a set of people who can do a certain task. I need volunteers. It's not a major task but it involves traveling to the next city to deliver a message to a town close by about two days travel. Terrain is pretty flat and I reckon you could be back here before night fall on the second day. Do I have any takers? I'll proved horse and wagon for this task as you will be bringing back some supplies."

Patrick frowned as he heard what the sheriff said about finding the professor. It's not that he didn't believe him, he just wanted to find the professor and being told not to look for the man is grating on Patrick's nerves a bit. He was about to speak up in protest of this decree when the sheriff asked for volunteers for another task. A delivery and pickup job it sounded like. Figuring he might as well since he wouldn't be allowed to search for the professor anyway, he raised his hand and shouted so that the sheriff could hear him. "I'll go sheriff!"

Grey Wolf silently listened to the Sheriff and grunts wondering how people would want an overweight man protecting them. Fat men lacked many of the physical abilities needed to be a good warrior.

When he asked for volunteers, Gey Wolf glances at Alabama, volunteering if he did.

Katy didn't think the sheriff looked up to the task of keeping the Dearmen gang in line. Maybe that was what the message was about, a plea for help. Or just a way of getting newcomers out of town.

"I'll go," she called out, startled by her own audacity at speaking out in a crowd.

Seeing the others volunteer, Alabama looks at Grey Wolf, who didn't blend into the rest of the town as much as he had happened, and gave him a shrug of 'why not'.

Raising his hand, Alabama called out "I'll go."

"count me in... Perhaps when I get back the tables will be kinder to me" offered up Jessie

Grey Wolf also raised his hand volunteering for the job, sticking close to Alabama so he’d hear any updates.

The sheriff lifts his hand to the folks who reply, "Thank ya for your service. One of my constables will get with you after this to get you setup. For the rest of you I would appreciate your help staying out of the business of the law to find the good professor. We have people on the task and I will ask you kindly for your cooperation."

One of the men next to the sheriff heads down and moves through the crowd towards the back. He calls the people over to him as the crowd clears and the sheriff finishes his speech. As you gather around him he introduces himself as Jeff.

He lets you know that a wagon with supplies for the trip will be on the side of the sheriffs office located on the other side of town. They have a map that will guide you through the next town. The person you are looking for is named Clyde Cobbs, he is the sheriff of the town you are heading towards and will give you supplies that are needed. You are to pick up the two cases and bring them back to the sheriff.

Any questions ask them now?

Patrick follows the man and gathers around him with the others that volunteered. Listening to the man explain the mission, Patrick nods along to show that he understands what they're being asked to do. Glad to be able to help out in even a small way, he waits to see if anyone has any questions about what they're supposed to do. He himself didn't have any questions for Jeff.

Grey Wolf looks toward Alabama for a second, then asks a question, “Any known dangers we should watch for?  What we bring back?  It dangerous or need more care?”

OOC
I assume there are horses attached to the wagon?  It has all tack and harness needed and grain and water barrels on the wagon?

Jeff looks at Grey Wolf over hearing him speak, "No. Trail is pretty open. You shouldn't have much of an issue other than the local varmints that live out in the hills such as coyotes and wolves. I doubt that they will pose a threat. Town should be pretty friendly and welcome to you. Like I said that gentleman should be waiting patiently for ya'll to Mose into town."

OOC: If no one has any questions. I'll move the story along to the trail itself.

That afternoon you find yourself back by the sheriff's office with a set of horses and a wagon. On the wagon itself is a pretty large chest that you can see on loaded on the wagon itself that will require the two horses to pull. The wagon itself sits at least 4 people and one up front.

Jeff is there to lend you a hand. He hands over the map to whoever is going to take control of the wagon itself.

The wagon is loaded and ready to go. Who wants to take lead with the wagon?

Katy was much changed when she returned to the wagon. She'd been shopping, and has swapped her fancy clothes for a more practical work-shirt and trousers, both clearly new. An equally new Stetson replaced her bonnet. She couldn't help grinning with excitement, she really felt like one of her dime-novel heroines now. Even if her new trousers were a bit stiff and uncomfortable.

She hesitated to take the lead, though, and looked around for someone else to drive the wagon.

Patrick walks up to the wagon as he looks around at the others. "If none of y'all wanna drive, I'll take the reins. Just say the word if you want the reins instead tho. I can be pretty easy going if'n I have a mind to. So it ain't gonna bother me none." Having said that, Patrick put action to his words and climbed up into the drivers seat where he picked up the reins for the team pulling the wagon. "Git yourselves up in here, we got to go. We're burnin daylight."

Katy climbed on board the cart and tucked her bag away, then made herself as comfortable as she could.

"Do you think we're just being got rid of? Pushed out to avoid learning what happened to the professor?"