An urgent jingling noise announced the appearance of a jogging giant priest and a shaman riding a blindfolded and partially shaved reindeer.

*hmh!*

Sky Dog halted when his steed objected to the wash of blood and slid into a dismount that favoured his left leg, approaching the victim's head with his brutally coarse blade in one hand, riding-pole in the other. "You have captured the spirit, Hawthorn?" he asked as he caught her words, crouching, only half-expecting to be heeded. "Is it an animal?"

The tin piika on his shirt caught a white burst of sparks, bloody. Sky Dog put his knife away and used his sleeve to lift the head by the hair without touching it.

"Korr!" Korpi called out, hearing her brother's voice. Sky Dog looked up at once, searching for a black-on-black shape as he joined the group. Igor stood, blindfolded and nervous but not daring to bolt, content as much as he could be to hear the shaman nearby.

Randolph puts his weapons away. A queasiness washes over him as he realizes that he had figured it out, but hadn't persisted in his conviction. That allowed at least two more butcheries to take place. Bowing his head, he presses his hand to his eyes, refusing to shed tears here.

"Looks like you folks have things under control here," he says quietly, looking up again, "I better go make some apologies."

Turning to go, he says quietly to Cora: "Good work, Miss Hawthorne, thank you."

Then he turns his steps toward Dr. Smith's place.

Morgan looked at Mansfield, feeling a sudden, sharp pang of empathy for the man.

Addressing Gabby, Daniel, and Sky Dog, Morgan said, "Mr. Mansfield was in possession of a scalpel. A gift from one of his medical instructors in the Carolinas. Apparently, whenever he handled it, it would transform him into a killer. A very capable one."

He paused, considering his words carefully. "During the fight he...lost his grip on the scalpel. The moment he did, he went from being a tall, insanely fast madman to this." He gestured to the weeping physician.

"Miss Hawthorne secured the scalpel so that no one can touch it. Now we just need to find a way to destroy the thing."

Morgan opened his Peacemaker as he talked, replacing the spent bullets.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:09, Thu 27 June 2013.

"The thing was, though, Miss, I couldn't put it down. I couldn't let go of it. I don't know how I could explain. I could try to let it go, but I couldn't. I could think about tapping the table with it, and do that, but if I thought about setting it down on the table, my hand would grip it tight - outta my control. There was something else in my head, and I had to constantly fight it."

Slowly, he took off his coat, and showed them a bloody spot on his arm. "Most of the time, I kept it buried in myself, my own skin...my own blood. That would satisfy it's thirst for a time, but eventually...if it didn't kill for long enough..." He shuddered.

Sky Dog dipped his head to the explanation. "The iron had become vampire. They are the strongest kind...the work of a blacksmith will always be stronger than any medicine man's. Even a shamán's, most times." He glanced at Cora, then the drunkard.

Still unusually grim, Sky Dog held up the head. "Do you know this one, Wyitterp?"

Gabby frowns at Caleb's story.

"Possessed cutlery?" He says. "Well, then how in God's sweet and holy name did he manage to create them monsters Danny and I fought? A gaggle o' the things, formed from the heads, hands, and feet of the people he killed. Don't tell me some knife compelled him to do that."

Clementine starts backing at Cora, loudly. Or, more accurately, at her purse.

"Oh, it did sir, believe me. I don't think anybody would understand really, what it is to have somethin' crawl into your mind and just...play, while you're forced to watch. That's what it felt like," he said.

"Cutting off arms and legs and hands, and heads, and carrying them around in a sack, and then putting them together, using my knowledge as a surgeon. I used to think that only God could give life, but that thing...it gave life to them."

"Only way I could try to forget was to drink till I could hardly see straight or think right."

Sky Dog tensed. "The alcohol, it will have made this worse," he said, low but carrying. "They are kin, these...corruptions."

He made to scratch his cheek against his riding staff, then realised he would disturb the fresh scab there and scratched the back of his head against it instead. "It will call to him, Hawthorn. Maybe you will be wary to be far from him, yes?"

Gabby frowns, but he supposed it made sense...he didn't know a thing about possessing spirits, but if it were using the doc's preexisting skills to make them, then animating them on it's own...

Gabby sighed. "I don't reckon Jake Simpkins is gonna be satisfied that it was the knife that done killed his brother."

"I suppose we could always try letting him hold the blade. See if he believes it then," he said bitterly.

Morgan returned his pistol to its holster. "You bring up a good point though, Gabby. Simpkins will have to handled carefully. Otherwise, he and the Wilderness Riders will start all kinds of mayhem."

He frowned. "I reckon we need to put Mansfield somewhere safe."

Wyatt Earp considered the situation before him carefully, looking at Clayton, and then up to Coraline over to Caleb.

"I thought I'd seen some strange things before tonight. I know I have. But I think this is just different strange. More than I would have expected," he said, passing a brief but meaningful glance at Coraline.

"We can find a safe place for Mansfield; that's the easy part. We're the only ones who know he's had anything to do with it. I saw that transformation myself, which is good enough for me. But people know there's been a killer about, and I reckon they'll be gettin' scared if they haven't been already. We're gonna need to tell them somethin'. Can't just let everyone thinkin' there's still a killer on the loose. Any ideas?"

"Tell them that deputies caught the killer in the act, but they were unsuccessful in arresting him. In the attempt to capture him, the murderer was wounded and fled on horseback, headed south. The deputies were able to give a good description of the man, which you've passed on to the Texas Rangers."

Paler yet than he had been, Sky Dog spoke briefly to his sister and moved back towards the priest, pausing and leaning on the staff to speak quietly to Mansfield when Clemya paused for breath: "If ever you are wishing to be killed safely, I am Sky Dog," he told the man.

"Do you know where we might find knowledge of this one's kin?" The shaman showed Father Iglesias the head, coming level and leaning the stick against Igor to soothe and stroke the reindeer.

Coraline gave Randolph a nod as he slipped away, thinking better of following him.  He did have apologies to give, and while she wanted to hear them in person, she didn't want to embarrass him.  She threw Sky Dog a glance, only understanding about half of what he was saying, but getting the basic gist.  Parting the drunken man from the demonic tool of death was an excellent idea.  Following Caleb's suggestion to find someone to destroy it was even better.

As she turned, she did her best to ignore the significant look from Earp, thankful for the darkness that hid the blush in her cheeks.  Holding her purse tightly in one hand, she eyed Gabby's dog.  "Mister Clarke, if you would rein in your mutt, I would be exceedingly grateful." 

"Well, I think it best that we all get a move on.  Take Mister Mansfield some place safe and have the doctor's men collect... that."  She eyed the corpse on the ground.  "I somehow doubt that the local blacksmith has his forge burning at this hour during a holiday celebration, but I will go check nonetheless."

"I'll accompany you, Miss Hawthorne," Morgan offered. He could feel a gnawing pain from the wounds he'd taken to the arm and chest, but as best he could tell, the cuts were shallow. He figured with some makeshift bandages, they would keep until Doc Smith could look him over in the morning. For now, the scalpel was what mattered. He wanted to see it destroyed, to be certain there would be no more monstrous killers roaming Dodge's streets who could shrug off bullets like bee stings.

Turning to Earp, he asked, "Deputy Marshal, do you know a smith here in town who wouldn't get too angry over being roused at this time of night?"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:19, Fri 28 June 2013.

"I reckon that won't be good enough for Simpkins." Gabby says. "Better to say he done got killed. Means no one is gonna be afeared o' him comin' back. We got no shortages o' heads back at the dog Eye if'n we need to produce evidence to satisfy the curious."

Gabby glares at Coraline. "You know, I don't think I will. Your gratitude ain't somethin' I treasure over much, especially when it comes with a side of insults heaped on the parentage of my dog." His eyes narrow. "Unlike some bitches I've met, Clementine has good breeding."

Clementine, meanwhile, ignores the verbal sparring. Her attention is focused solely on the evil thing wrapped within the purse. It needs to go. It needs to go somewhere deep, dark, and far away.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:45, Fri 28 June 2013.

"How is it an insult if it is true?  A mutt is a mixed breed.  I somehow doubt she has a traceable pedigree.  You need to stop finding insult where no insult was given, Gabby Clarke!  If you were within reach, I would have slapped you just now for your insinuations."  Coraline was growing increasingly irritated with the barking dog.  "Now will you please shut up your dog!"

"Go!  Shoo!" She waved at Clementine with the hand holding the purse.  Her other arm hung limply at her side and wasn't doing much of anything.  "Go on.  Get!"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:10, Fri 28 June 2013.

Daniel looked around at the scene as they arrived and leaned his head to the side a bit so Korpi could leave his shoulder if she wanted. He listened to the back and forth and frowned at the discussion surrounding evil tools. "We left a lotta blood in the doc's room. If we tell Simpkins ta take a look up there, he might be convinced a killer died up there. Course we prolly wanna either get rid of the bits of body that might be important ta him, or provide them ta him so he can bury it proper."

Daniel narrowed his eyes at the interplay between Coraline and Clementine. Clementine was a great dog and Daniel liked her a lot. He had learned to pay attention when she thought something was wrong. Perhaps it was possessed scalpel?
This message was last edited by the player at 23:40, Sat 29 June 2013.

In reply to Coraline Hawthorne (msg # 48):

Clementine does not get. In fact, she leaps at the purse full of wrong being waved at her, attempting to grab it in her jaws.

Korpi rubbed her head against Daniel's jaw. "Spath'ba." She broke off and finally looked up, tense, at a snarling pause in the barking, bird-sharp vision tracking every movement in the gloom. She saw the shift of skirts as Hawthorne prepared a kick and launched herself from Daniel's shoulder to drive the witch away.

For Cora, the night became textured with rushing air and beating wings.
"KAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWW."

Igor startled and sidestepped heavily into the priest. *Ukh!*

Wyatt Earp looked like he was about to lose his patience with the scene before him.

"If you two can't keep your pets under control, someone is going to have to do it for you," he said, taking a step to interpose himself between the animals and the woman.

"Mr. Clarke, you ought to know better than to conduct yourself as you've been. Sky Dog, you can't keep using being from off as an excuse for all your antics. Don't take your example from Mr. Clarke here. Setting your animal on people isn't a civilized way to behave."

Sky Dog looked round from calming his reindeer several paces away and held up his wrist until Korpi joined him. A brief discussion followed, Sky Dog taking the raven's croaks, bobs and scraps of Evenki as seriously as anything the lawman might say.

"She did believe the witch Hawthorn meant to damage Clemya - in Siberia, a dog that is injured will be soon eaten by wolves. So. I have told her the American wolves are very little, and very frightened, yes?" He grinned, but it was an odd grin, flat, more a show of teeth than a smile.

"Please, if you do need us for your law, it is well to forgive us two customs: Korpi, she will not watch a friend struck; myself, I cannot lie to the people. I will be silent. If you are much displeased for this, I shall return your law and you may keep your dollars." He watched Earp for reaction. "For the rest, I will be well...civilised."

He cast the head back near its body like a lump of firewood. "Lay so," he told it, then looked up at nothing and shook his head, frowning, to some unheard question. He drove his riding-pole hard against the ground with a word, rattling the various charms and amulets tied to the top. Apparently satisfied for now, Sky Dog returned to his reindeer and mounted up, Korpi fluttering to sit on Igor's head.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:03, Sat 29 June 2013.

Gabby shrugs. "I didn't set Clementine on her...girl smells something foul, I reckon. I can't fault her for wanting to get at it and be rid of it." He looks over at the lav, who is seeking a way to get around Wyatt and snap at the purse again.

"Clementine! Heel!" He says. The lab whines, but backs down. "Come on over her, girl." he says. The dog sidles up to the old-timer who kneels to pet her and comfort her. "That's a good girl." he says. "That's a good girl. You didn't do no wrong, least not in my eyes. Just tryin' to protect us from the evil people-possessin' knife, is all."

He looks up at Cora. "As for things not bein' insultin' if they're true, well, I'll just keep that in mind, witch." He gives her a brittle grin.

Sky Dog looked confused at Gabby's words, then over at Cora. "This is a wrong word?"

The question appeared quite genuine: in fact, the shaman's general air of passive hostility towards Deputy Hawthorne seemed greatly lessened after having witnessed her feat of magic from down the street. "You would say 'sorcerer', or 'hexcraft', maybe? Apologies, if there is insult."

Igor seemed discontent with all the blood-scent around, shaking his head and neck as though the smell could be thrown off like water. Dislodged, Korpi rejoined Sky Dog and perched on his shoulder.