Bill had heard the final three gunshots and motioned to his men, leading them around to the front. The sight they saw before them surprised them all, including Bill. The three outlaws were merely standing there, digging up two graves. The bodies of the two females lay nearby. Bill gave the three a confused, yet sympathetic look. Kale looked up and locked eyes with Bill for a moment.

“Please Bill, I don’t care if you shoot us up to Hell after we’re done, but please just let us bury Kira and Jenna…” Kale asked in a pleading voice.

Bill nodded slowly, not able to deny such a natural right. It took the three dogs all of thirty minutes to dig the two graves before slowly and gently laying the two girls into them. Balto cried and Kale looked like he was on the verge of a break-down again. Even Kaltag had begun to cry slightly. Kale gently laid the pistol he’d given to Kira on her chest, climbing out and standing beside his friends.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to protect you, Kira…” Kale whispered softly, “I love you, and even death won’t stop that love…”

“Goodbye Jenna… I’m sorry… We shouldn’t have come out of hiding…” Balto said quietly, “I’ll be with you once more…”

The three outlaws then proceeded to bury their fallen allies and friends. Once they were done, Balto looked up at Bill and sighed softly.

“Well, are you gonna kill us now or arrest us?” the young wolfdog asked neutrally, “We’re all worth $500 either way, so it’s all up to you…” Bill sighed heavily and shook his head.

“I must be crazy to be doing this, but I know God would get me if I didn’t…” Bill said, looking at the three friends and outlaws, “Fellas, I’m not gonna do anything to you three… Watching how you just buried the two you cared about and then willingly giving yourselves up, I’m gonna let you go… You have a day’s head-start before I come after you guys again… Go on, get!”

Balto, Kale, and Kaltag exchanged looks before nodding to Bill. Kale gave his old friend a slight smile before they walked to their horses, untied them, and mounted up. Turning for the north exit, the three rode off into the noon light. Balto and Kale looked back one last time, tears welling up in their eyes once more as they rode off northward, not caring where they ended up.

            The trio of utterly distraught and depressed outlaws rode into the town of Meadow Lake, not bothering to lift their heads to look at the citizens they passed nor the buildings they rode by. They didn’t have the joy or life they once had, seeing as two lives they cared for had been lost the day before. They merely steered their horses up and down the dusty streets until they arrived at the saloon.

Dismounting, Balto, Kale, and Kaltag walked up the porch and were about to enter when a very familiar poster caught their eyes.

Wanted: Balto McLane, Kaltag Lorden, and Kale McGovern

Dead or Alive

$500 per dog

These dogs have committed crimes across the states of Texas and New Mexico, robbing various towns in a group. All three dogs are considered armed and dangerous.

This time however, the three didn’t bother to rip it off the wall or make witty comments to one another about it. They just walked into the sparsely occupied tavern and walked straight to the bar.

“Three beers…” Balto said blandly to the barkeeper, no trace of emotions on his face whatsoever. The dog opened three amber bottles and placed them in front of the dogs. The outlaws then took them to a circular table and sat down, staring at their drinks. They drank them slowly, reflecting on the previous day, when they’d lost pretty much everything.

“Guys, I never thought it would come to something like this…” Balto said suddenly, his brown and gold eyes showing the depth of the sorrow he was feeling.

“This is the saddest, the most upsetting, the most depressing-” Kaltag rambled on, slowly dying down after a moment and taking a long drink of his beer.

“Balto, Kaltag… I’m glad you guys came to River’s Edge when you did… I hate the situation we’re in now, but I loved the adventures…” Kale said softly, giving his friends a slight smile, “You guys gave me such thrills and skills, you guys gave me the life I wanted… Thanks to you two, I even managed to experience true love… no matter how short it was… Thanks guys… You’re true friends, even family to me…”

“Kale, it was a pleasure having you on board our little trio of outlaws…” Balto said, smiling as he pat his friend on the arm, “I couldn’t have asked for better friends that you and Kaltag… You two are great… Thanks for always being there for me…”

“These last few years have been the best of my life, all because of you two,” Kaltag said, smiling as well, “You guys are the greatest friends, the best pals, the most incredible buddies-” Balto went to hit Kaltag, who flinched, and Balto pulled back, all three of them laughing good-naturedly at one another. Balto raised up his amber bottle of beer and smiled widely to Kaltag and Kale, flashing his white teeth.

“Cheers fellas! To us, the greatest outlaws there ever were and ever will be!” Balto said, holding his bottle of alcohol above the center of the table.

“To us, the greatest friends, pals, buddies, amigos, and ‘brothers’ anyone will ever meet or know in their lifetime!” Kale said, holding his bottle up as well, returning Balto’s wide smile.

“To us, the greatest criminal trio that the history of the world will ever know!” Kaltag said, raising his beer as well, “Cheers!”

The three outlaws and best friends clinked their bottles together before downing them and slamming them against the wooden table. They laughed and stood up, feeling in much better spirits than before. While Balto and Kale still had holes where their hearts should be, they knew that moping wouldn’t get them anywhere, though they still felt like crying. Then, they all began to sing.

I’m a cowboy,
I’m wanted dead or alive
I’m a cowboy, I got the night on my side
I’m wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive!

“C’mon, we’ve got a date with a woman and her name’s the National Bank of Meadow Lake!” Balto said to them, leading them towards the swinging front doors. As the three outlaws stepped out into the bright sunlight, they heard a familiar voice ring out to the left of them.

“Balto McLane, Kaltag Landon, and Kale McGovern, stay right where you are!” came the stern voice of Bill Inago, “You three are under arrest for numerous crimes against the states of Texas and New Mexico, including theft, assault, and murder! Now come silently or you will be taken by force.”

Balto, Kale, and Kaltag looked to their left side. Standing just off the side of the porch to the saloon was Bill Inago and a couple of his deputies. Balto scoffed and shook his head in disbelief. He couldn’t believe they’d been caught so quickly.

“No…” Balto replied calmly, “No, I don’t think I will go with you…”

“That wasn’t an option. Come quietly or we’ll be forced to open fire on you three…” Bill repeated, taking a step closer, “Your call, Mr. McLane…”

“Go to Hell…” Balto snapped back coldly, looking to Kale and Kaltag, “C’mon, let’s get going…” The wolfdog went to walk off the porch and was pushed back by Bill. He gave the sheriff a cold, steely glare before scoffing again and shaking his head.

“Alright, we’ll play it your way…” Balto replied, letting his arms fall to his side. He then quickly went for his revolver, but Bill was steps ahead of him, shooting Balto in the forehead just as the outlaw was bring his pistol up. Balto dropped his gun and fell backward, dying immediately as his body hit the wooden floor.

Balto blinked several times, unsure of where he was. Every thing seemed dim and dark, light a cloud had passed in front of the sun, but the shading was everywhere! It was like a badly-lit real world. Sitting up, Balto groaned and shook his head to clear the daze, rubbing his head and looking around. He could see Kale, Kaltag, and Bill, but they all seemed monochromatic, almost ghost-like. He stood up and looked beneath him, gasping sharply as he saw his own body laying there, a bloody hole on his forehead.

“Oh God…” he muttered to himself, looking around at his friends, “I’m dead… I died… I’m dead!”

“You shot him! God damn it, you shot him!” Kaltag shouted, pulling out his pistol and diving over the railing of the side to take cover. But one again, Bill was faster and fired again, this shot hitting Kaltag right in his chest. The outlaw fell over the railing and lay on his back, slowly bleeding out as he stared up at the sky. Bill trained his aim on Kaltag’s head and pulled the trigger again, finishing the dog off.

Kaltag felt a sharp pain in his head- then nothing. Like a strange emptiness. He clenched his eyes tightly, then slowly reopened them. He saw the normal world, but everything was gray and monochromatic. He sat up and looked around, spotting only one thing in color and gasping.

“Balto?!” Kaltag asked in complete shock as he scrambled to his feet, “Where are we?” Balto looked at his friend and chuckled slightly.

“We’re dead, Kal… Look beneath you…” Balto explained, pointing to his friend’s feet. Kaltag glanced down and saw his own body.

“So this is death?” Kaltag asked again, looking around before walking up beside Balto, “It’s so bland, so colorless, so neutral-” Balto hit him on the head, then pointed to Kale.

“Only Kale’s left… Let’s see what happens now…” Balto said calmly, both dogs locking their gaze on their last living friend.

Kale simply stared blandly at Bill, showing no fear, no