GUNS, KNIVES & CLAWS ( part 2 )
By Diane
Inspired by Rawhide

August 21, 1866. The late afternoon stage coach pulled into the Arizona town depot. The grizzled old driver climbed down from his seat and hurried to open the coach door. Extending his hand, I gathered my lavender dress about me took his hand and stepped down onto the dirty dusty street. I adjusted my matching small lavender hat and opened my parasol against the blistering sun. “I know who you are” he said smiling a toothless grin. “Really” I replied. “yes saree bob” he smiled doing a sort of dance jig. “Your Diamond Diane”. I smiled back, “You remember that far back” “Ah shucks” he added, “twerent that long ago. Why I remember you and Sultry Sue use to beat the tarnishing’s out of each other while everyone cheered. Right over there.” He moved to the front of the coach and pointed across and down the street. I walked with him and stopped as my eyes caught sight of something I couldn’t believe. The sign over the saloon said, “CARLY’S. he saw me staring and said, “yep, that use to be Sultry Sue’s place but now Miss Carly owns it. “really” I replied still staring at the sign. There was throng of people at the swinging doors both men and ladies all either craning their necks to see in or jostling a way inside. “what’s going on there” I asked. “Well” he stammered, “its Friday night. Miss Carly has what she calls Friday catfights. That’s where any ladies have a problem with each other they can arrange with Miss Carly to fight on Friday nights. Winner is the winner of whatever disagreement they have.” “Really” I said still staring at the sign. “and what does your sheriff think of that.” “Oh he’s all for it. Saves him from getting involved in too many lady’s complaints. The only problem he has is sometimes one of them women may get kilt. They fight each other or sometimes there are lots all fighting each other.” I was still staring at the sign and he said looking at me, “Really. Right now its Mrs. Beecher fighting with some Indian squaw she caught stealing her corn. Rather the shoot the young girl she brought her to Carly’s and they explained to her, “you win fight you go free”. “Really.” I said, and added can you have my bags taken to the hotel please. “Sure enough Diamond. Glad to have you back in town”. I had long white gloves that came up to my forearms and I pulled them up and started across the street. At the swinging doors I heard the ruckus coming from inside that could only be that of a catfight. “Pull her hair” “yeah that’s it strip her clothes off” “Come on Mrs. B. you can take her” “Fight you injun”. I managed to make my way thru the crowd only it parted and I heard some whispers…” Diamond Diane…..Diamond……Diamond Diane”. I got to the edge of the bar in front of everyone and saw the battling women. Well one was a woman. Mrs. Beecher. Big and fat with gray hair that looked like it was related to a tumble weed wearing a dull gray dress and apron. Her sleeves pushed up her brawny arms and her dressed ripped down one of the sleeves. The Indian girl was maybe just out of her teens. Thin, but having a great body. Long legs, large breasts which were exposed do to her buckskin top hanging down around her waist. The short buckskin bottom just barely reached the bottom of her butt. She had long black hair which I assume had been in two braids but now one was loose letting that long hair a tempt for Mrs. B. The girl was leaning back against the bar. Blood ran from her nose and split lips and she could barely keep herself upright. Mrs. B moved to her and grabbing the long loose hair punched the girl in the face. The girl tried to grab those beefy arms but was almost out on her feet. Another punch and the girl went down on the saw dust covered floor face down at my feet. Mrs. B reacting to the crowds cheering grabbed a bottle off the bar. Holding it by the neck she smashed it on the bar and advanced on the girl with the jagged broken end. She dropped down on the girls back and grabbing all that loose black hair yanking the girls head back she was about to cut her ear to ear when my derringer pressed against her forehead. The room went suddenly quiet but then I heard the distinct click of a colt hammer being drawn back, then another and then a third. From the back of the saloon a red head, hair on top of her head red boa wrapped around her shoulders, wearing a long green revealing dress walked seductively forward. In the crowd now more hushes whispers, “Diamond Diane…” “Well, well look who we have here.” in that southern drawl. “Honey you pull that trigger and you’ll be dead before Mrs. Beecher hits the floor.” I looked to the left and saw a saloon girl scantily dressed in black and red. Exposed huge breasts dark hair hanging in her face and a beak of a nose. She pointed a colt at my head. I knew there were at least two more off to my right and behind me. “Diamond Diane Ferrote. I should have known and I should have killed you back there in those woods during the war. Should have choked you with that rope we were tied together with.” I turned the derringer up and slowly put it back in my purse. “Carly Ashford. The rebel spy.” I goaded her. I saw her frown not liked being called a rebel. “I’m as much of a yank as you are dear”. “Hook. Take Mrs. B in the back and give her something to calm her down. The saloon girl with the big nose obviously why she was called hook turned her colt up reset the hammer and tucked it in her waist. She pushed by me and helped Mrs. B up who just continued to stare at me probably realizing how close she came to having a third eye in the middle of her forehead. “Jimmy Bob, you and Dan drag that scum injun out of here and toss her in the street. Two men form the crowd came forward and grabbed the girl under her arms and dragged her thru the crowd to the swinging doors. “I see your still at the bottom of things” I said to Carly. Carly smiled, “Would you care to start at the top” she unwound the boa and tossed it on the bar. I smiled back at her, and handed my purse to the sheriff leaning against the bar, “would you be a gentleman and hold this for me” “Sure will Diamond” he replied knowing what was coming. I leaned my parasol against the bar and unpinned my lavender hat placing it on the bar. Then I pulled off the long white gloves and laid them on top of it. I took the pins out of my hair and shook it loose. It falls down over my shoulders as I moved more towards the middle of the room. The whispers now became voices and I could hear bets being wagered. Carly let her red hair down and moved towards me. We circled one another slowly keeping eyes on each other and hands semi out in front of us clawed. We both knew what to expect from each other and that would be plenty of hair pulling. As if on a signal we sprang at each other like two cougars, hands burying in each other’s hair. Carly got a hand around the back of my head grabbing my long hair and one hand on top of my head grabbing a handful. I ran my fingers along the side of her head and grabbed that long red hair just above her ears. The place erupted in cheers as we yanked and tugged each other around by the hair. “Get her Diamond….whew…..” “Rip it out Carly get her down”. Our feet kicked up the sawdust covered floor. We twisted each other this way and that bending as far as we could before straighten up again. “oh you bitch you” “you cows ass, I still owe you for Chase.” We crashed into a table rolling across it and onto the chairs with two men sitting in them. All of us tumbled to the floor with louder cheers. The men scrambled away as Carly and I got up swinging fists. THUD…THUD…THUD punches connected on faces and heads. I ran into her and hug her. She wrapped arms around me and we fell to the floor. Her green dress ripped up the side. Over and over we wrestled each other holding tight. Legs trying to get entwined. Carly grabbed the back of my dress and yanked ripping it down the back to my waist. “yeah they cheered tear it off her Carly” I grabbed the front of her dress tearing it open exposing her chest. “all right Diamond strip the rebel bitch”. We dug hands back into each other’s hair and rolled thru the crowd some tripping and falling trying to get out of the way others falling over us. Our long hair in knots and tangles now and bits and pieces of sawdust in it. Our dresses coming apart more and more as we fought. WE got to our feet and tried landing a few more punches but had to settle for hair pulling. I kicked at her shins and she kicked me back. We moved about the saloon grunting and groaning, both of us breathing hard now. I wrestled her against the bar trying to force her onto it. Getting a hand under her chin and pushing. Carly groaned loudly her hand searching for my face. When she got my face I twisted my head and bit her wrist. She let out a yell and beat me on the back. Then she swung me around and against the bar. Her red hair hanging down over her face she got her hands on my throat choking me. I grabbed her wrists then her forearms then on her throat. We struggled against the bar choking each other. “Christ their kill one another maybe you better break them up sheriff.” “What and ruin this No way” “You cows ass” Carly choked through my fingers. I could only cough back at her. My hand fell on a bottle and I brought it up and smashed it on the side of her head. A thin stream of blood trickled down over her ear but she let me go and staggered back. I dropped the bottle and rushed her grabbing her in a perfect tackle and we went backwards onto a large card table. The men around it jumped up cheering us on. Our hair hung down in both our faces, that is the hair that wasn’t being pulled. Carly got her booted feet up between us and shoved me backwards. I careened arms pin wheeling back into the crowd who caught me and shoved me at her. “Whoaaaa…..go get her Diamond”. WE crashed together again and spun round and round ripping clothes, pulling hair, punching slapping and scratching. We spun through the swinging doors and out to the porch then stumbled down the steps tripping and going down in the dust covered street. The crowd once pushing and shoving to get inside now reversed their position trying desperately to get outside not to miss anything. Carly and I turned each other over and over in the dirt and dust kicking up a storm. It covered our dresses and exposed body parts and our hair. The grunting, groaning and squealing was just a bit louder than the sound of fabric ripping as we tore at each other’s dresses. We were both soon topless. Our huge breasts doing their own fighting which made the crowd even the women in it cheer louder. “Look at those utters” “Come on Carly milk that bitch” Hands grabbed and pulled at tits. Twisting hard nipples this way and that while pulling hair, slapping and punching. We rolled across the street and then started back. My head was on fire. My face stung like hell. Carly fought like a cougar protecting her cubs. She got me down both of us sweating and panting and pinned my wrists down. Trying to breathe, she huffed out, “You give up bitch? I’ll let you live as long as you come and work for me” “Ha” I spit at her. “ I’d rather die”. “Then you will” she spat back. “Knife…give me a knife.”. No one moved and it got a bit quiet. “I said give me a fucking knife” Carly shouted never taking her eyes from mine. I glared right back at her as I bucked and tried to get her off me. Suddenly a large hunting knife appeared on the ground next to us. She had to let go of my wrist to get it and when she did I grabbed her knife hand and wrestled her over. She had my other wrist and we rolled over again. The crowd now close to 50 or more cheered. “Cut her Carly, cut her good”. It seems Carly had become the new favorite in town. “Come on Diamond get her down. Take that tooth pick away from her”. The sheriff leaning against a post watching the fight was asked by someone, “You going to stop it now”. “Nope” He said, “No one’s gotten kilt yet?” Carly and I struggled and fought each other over the large knife. I held tight to her wrist and she held tight to my other wrist. We rolled back and forth groaning. She got me down and let go of my wrists putting both hands on the large knife and trying to force it into my chest. “I’ll cut your tits off bitch.” I held tight with both my hands while squirming under her. The blade came down with in an inch of my bare breast. I tried holding my breath to keep my tit from moving. Suddenly there was a THUNK and Carly slumped over me. I pushed her off me and rolled away. The Indian girl stood there with a piece of lumber in her hands that she hit Carly in the head with. The crowd had gone quiet again. A few of Carly’s lil birds started moving towards her and I but the sheriff stepped down off the porch. “Alllll…right” He said. “It’s over” “Taint’t over sheriff. That injun cow ganged up on Carly so we’re going to gang up on her.” He could deal with one person getting killed but not a few. “I said its over” his hand went to his peace maker. The saloon girls stopped. “Now you girls take Carly there inside and tend to her head. I’LL take care of out here. Go on now like I said” The girls picked up the unconscious red head and half dragged her back into the saloon. The crowd began to disperse going back into the saloon or on to their chores or errands. The sheriff approached me as I covered up my breasts. My face covered in dirt and dust along with my arms and what part of my legs showed. My hair a tangle of knots and dirt. “He gave a short laugh” Just like old times huh Diane”. “that woman’s a witch Sheriff. She killed my fiancé’” “That happened during the war Diamond. There’s nothing I can do to her about that now”. “Maybe you can’t but I will”. He gave another laugh. “ I kinda thought you will” and then moved back in side. The girl was still standing there holding the piece of wood. She was still unsteady on her feet and when I approached she held the wood up at me. She was covered in dried blood down her face and arms. Her buckskin clothes torn open showing huge breasts for an Indian, especially one as young as her. IK assured her that I wasn’t going to hurt her and wanted to help her. To my surprise she spoke, and it was English.” I heard them call you Diamond Diane. You know my mother.” I found her name to be Light Feather, I assume because of her stature. I helped her to my hotel and into my room. “that must have been some fight between you and Carly” the manager told me, “you look like you could use a nice hot bath and change of clothes, I’ll get the misses to heat up some water.” After a nice soothing bath to ease my aches and pains I dressed in a light colored split skirt and a dark gray button front long sleeve blouse. I tied my hair back loosely. “Where can I get a wagon”. I asked the manager. “down at the blacksmiths” he told me “he can lend you one, where you tended to go to Diamond”, “I’m going to take the girl back to her tribe” I told him. I went to see the blacksmith and he offered me a small wagon. “Why your Diamond Diane Ferrote.” He smiled. “Nice to have you back in town”. “it’s nice to be here, I think” I told him. He went around back to hitch up the team while I waited in the barn. I heard a noise and turned to see what it was. Hook, the saloon girl with the beaked nose came out of the shadows with a pitch fork aimed at me. I twisted to the side just in time but took one of the tines in the shirt ripping it open at my ribs and cutting me. Hook spun around and faced me waving the pitch fork back and forth in front of her. “You think you’re a real tough girlie don’t you Miss Diamond Diane. Well I’m gonna stab you full of holes with this here fork”. She came at me and I grabbed her arm as she went by me. She stopped dead in her tracks and spun around. I landed a punch square in her face which staggered her back. I charged at her and grabbed the pitch fork between her hands. She pushed it forward into me and I struggled back with her. We went against the barn wall and she pushed the handle under my chest and started sliding it up. Her intent was to roll it over my tits. I strained to keep it low and we leaned into each other groaning. I kicked her in the shins several times and on the last kick she fell backwards pulling me with her. Hook went down on her back and fell on top of her. I pushed the clutched pitch fork up over her head and pinned it to the ground. We were in a stalemate. I couldn’t let go or she would bring it back up in my face. She couldn’t roll me over and hold onto the fork. Her only option was to let it go. Our lower bodies squirmed and struggled. Breast to breast, hips to hips and legs kicking. Finally, she decided to let go of it and grabbed my hair. I got her hair and we started rolling across the dirt barn floor. Over and over we churned fighting. Hook got me down and moved her hands to my throat. I gasped at her choking and clawed at her bare arms. Grabbing a handful of dirt and straw I shoved it in her face. With a sputtering she fell of me and rolled away. She sprang up and started towards me but heard a noise and chose to flee instead. I started after her but the blacksmith who had just come in and saw the end of the struggle stopped me. “Wait” he yelled. “She might be leading you into a trap”. I stopped at the door panting watching her run up the street. Brushing myself off I went back to him. “Thanks. She came out of nowhere with that pitch fork.” I touched my side where my shirt was ripped open. Just a slight scratch. He helped my climb up into the wagon with a team of two horse and I went back to the hotel to get Light Feather. Helping her in we headed out of town with her directions on where to go. A few hours later we rolled down a trail and into a valley. I saw the teepees lining a river side. We drew a crowd as we rolled up. Curiosity seekers who stared at the white woman with the Indian girl who looked like she had been beaten. I stopped the wagon and the crowd gathered. I saw and heard some of the older Indians both men and woman pointing at me and mumbling. I distinctly heard my name mentioned, Diamond Diane. From the middle of the crowd a striking Indian woman appeared with some braves. As she approached I remembered her well. Tawny. They came up to the wagon. Tawny took a look at me and said, “Diane”. I just nodded but some of the other older Indians re cognized the name and nodded or spoke among themselves. Tawny looked at the condition of her daughter and faced me. “I see your still at old games. But now you have picked on the wrong child.” From her belt she pulled a large hunting knife and began climbing the wagon. I stood to meet her but then Little Feather sprang from her seat onto her mother. The two women went backwards and down in the dirt. Little feather grabbed her mother’s wrist with the knife and rolled her over. Tawny fought back and rolled them over again. Dust kicked up as mother and daughter battled on the ground. I started down but one of the elders who recognized me stopped me. ‘let them go. They need to get it out of their souls.”. “but the knife” I protested. “daughter will not harm mother nor will mother harm daughter. They are frustrated. Let them fight” And fight they did. They rolled over and over in the dirt creating a small dust storm. Little Feather had a tight grip on her mother’s wrist her other hand once around Tawny’s shoulders now grabbed the long free black hair and yanked. Tawny gritted her teeth against the pain. She grabbed her daughters braids and pulled. Although Indian women don’t usually fight like this, Tawny knew form experience with me and Little Feather form being in town that hair pulling in a woman’s fight was a good weapon. The younger girl got astride her mother despite Tawny pulling both her braids. She let go of Tawny’s long black hair and grabbed her wrist with both hands picking it up and banging it on the ground. Once, twice. Tawny finally let go and dropped the knife, but she flung her daughter off her and dove on top of her. Again the two, mother and daughter grabbed each other’s hair and yanked and rolled in the dirt. Little Feathers clothes were already torn apart from her fight with Mrs. Beecher in the saloon. Tawny still young wore a slightly longer buckskin skirt version then her daughter and a buckskin top that barely covered her large breasts that were still perky from what I remembered. The two were grunting and groaning. The other tribes people both men and women let them fight. It was their way for one but they had seen Tawny catfight before and found it arousing even if this was her own daughter. Getting to their feet I thought maybe it was over but they circled each other crouched. Once again one of Little Feathers braids had come out and her hair hung free on the one side. Tawny lunged at it and grabbed the flowing black hair. Little Feather grabbed her mother’s long silky black hair and they pulled each other around till falling down and rolling. Over and over they went again till they came to the campfire. Stopping there, Tawny on top she stretched her daughters arm towards the fire. Little Feather tried to pull back but her was to tired. She let out a yell when the heat began to redden her arm. Tawny jumped up from her ready but her daughter didn’t get up laying in the dirt holding her arm. Tawny went to her and helped her up looking at the burn. She said, “Now you learn” and smacked Little Feathers face. She turned to some women and said something and they led her daughter away. Dusty, dirty, sweating and bare chested she approached me. I had her knife and held it out towards her. She stopped. Then I flipped it around and handed it to her hilt first. “Diane, what brings you back? Sultry Sue is long gone”. “I know” I said. “I just wanted to come back.” I told her about Chase and Carly Ashford and the saloon and my vindeda. As good friends she offered any help I needed. When I left their camp and headed back to town I had a plan to run Carly out of town. I got back and inquired about a saloon down the street from Carly’s. A run down place that lost all its patrons to Carly’s. I wired General Bedford telling him that I found Carly and wanted revenge for Chase and what I wanted to do and he agreed to front me the money. I bought the saloon. I named it the Red Dog Saloon. It took a while but I got the place up and running. It was hard to get any women to work for me all the prostitutes worked for Carly. I knew she was seething but there wasn’t much she could do. I offered lower prices than she did and more winnings then she did. Slowly the patrons came back to the Red Dog from Carly’s. It was late one afternoon when a woman came running in the front door of the Red Dog telling me to come quick. I followed her down to the blacksmith’s where I found Little Feather quite beaten up. She told me it was Hook that jumped her in the corral. I told the woman to bring Little Feather to the Red Dog then I went to Carly’s. I pushed open the batwing doors and stood there looking around. There weren’t very many people in the place. From the top of the curving staircase came a voice, “you looking for me Diane” It was Carly she came down the stairs slowly like the provocative slut she is. Then from the backside of the bar came, “No I think she is looking for me”. It was Hook. She came around the far end of the bar. “Stay out of this Carly” Hook said. Then rushed at me. I rushed at her and we collided with such a force it knocked us both off our feet. We hit the saw dust covered floor and started to wrestle digging our hands into each other’s long mane’s. The few patrons jumped up from their chairs to watch and cheer. One of them ran out the door. Hook and I rolled each other over on the floor kicking and clawing. She tore at my dress and the sound of ripping fabric echoed around the nearly empty bar. I tore at her skimpy prostitute’s dress which wasn’t much to it. We rolled towards the bat wing doors pulling hair. I got one hand free and put it over her big nose and mouth trying to smother her. Hook twisted her head back and forth and grabbed my wrist. I noticed Carly at the bar sipping a whiskey. I couldn’t discount her from jumping in. We got to our feet and Hook gave me a punch sending me backwards onto a table. I grabbed a bottle and threw it at her. She ducked and jumped on me and we went back onto the table breaking it and crashing to the floor. I picked her up by her hair and swung my fist hitting her in the jaw, then swung my other fist hitting her on the other side of her jaw. Hook staggered back. I grabbed her by the shoulders and rammed her against the wall. Then brought my knee up aiming for her crotch, but I got pulled away from her. Carly spun me around and shoved me back against Hook. “Hold her up Hook” she said. Hook wrapped her arms around me form behind pinning my arms to my sides. Carly walked up and slugged me. I staggered a bit but kept upright. Then she hit me again and again. My lip was bleeding and I was a little groggy. I saw her coming and so did Hook but she couldn’t warn Carly in time. Tawny hit the red head on the run driving her sideways and onto another table shattering it and sending them both to the floor. Carly grabbed onto the long flowing jet black hair and yanked. Tawny likewise grabbed the long red mane of Carly and pulled. They rolled each other over. Carly in a long lite blue dress and Tawny in ha short buckskin skirt and tight skimpy buckskin top. By the time they had rolled 3 times Tawny was topless and tearing open the front of Carly’s dress. I rammed my elbow back as Hook had been taken surprised by Tawny’s tackle on Carly. My thrust caught her in the tit and she let go of me. I turned around grabbed what was left of her skimpy top and flung her towards the bar. She slammed hard against the bar just as a man came in thru the bat doors. “Hook Where’s Carly” then he caught sight of Tawny and Carly on the floor in a cat ball. He looked at me and put 2 and 2 together. “Hook, “He said, “there are a bunch of women coming from the Red Dog and they look like they mean business. “Can’t you see I’m busy” Hook said nodding towards me. “get the girls and stand out front”. He stepped between us then hurried past stepping around Carly and Tawny still wrestling on the floor locked tight together. “Your friends coming to help you Diane” she sneered. I didn’t’ know what was going on out there but I rushed Hook just as she picked up a bottle off the bar. I caught her wrist with both my hands and we struggled over the bottle. Bringing her hands down on the bar the bottle smashed but left a jagged piece in her hand. We rolled along the bar fighting over it. Carly’s little birds began coming from the rooms upstairs. Most scantily clad some topless. Down the stairs they came 10 in all some stopping to grab Tawny’s hair and pull her off Carly. Others coming for me. “out front.” Hook yelled still fighting with me. “all of you out front”. Carly freed from Tawny looked at me and Hook and started for us her dress hanging down in tatters where Tawny ripped it part. The Indian woman got up. Her huge chest bared she went after the red head tackling her from behind down on the floor. Outside the Lil Birds glanced down the street at the group coming up the middle of it. Out in front was Little Feather, ripped and torn and bloodied but leading the few girls form the Red Dog and a couple of Indian squaws. 7 of them marched towards Carly’s. “Hold on” one of the Lil Birds said “wait” the Red Dog group got to Carly’s lining the middle of the street. “Ok girls, let’s get them” The Lil birds rushed down off the steps and the Red Dog women rushed to meet them. The two groups clashed together in a woman to woman brawl. Some were 1 on 1 fights. Some were 2 on 1 fights. The screaming and cussing brought almost the whole town out to see. Dress ripped apart and hair was yanked out and tossed aside. Girls went down in the street wrestling or stood toe to toe fists swinging. Little Feather and a blonde Lil Bird were embraced in a tight clinch trying to get each other down. One of the other Birds trying grabbing Little Feather from behind. “I got her” the blonde said as her hair was pulled, “go help the others.” Back inside Tawny and Carly continued their wrestling on the sawdust covered floor. Carly’s dress in taters ripped almost totally off her showing her white bloomers. Tawny bare chested her skimpy buckskin skirt almost falling off her. Thatches of black pubic hair showing around the edges of it. Hook and I continued our fight against the bar. Hook took me to the floor hard. She quickly got on top of me and began choking me. We rolled several times but she came back out on top. Her strong arms bearing down on my throat. I kicked and thrashed about under her trying to get her off and clawing at her arms. Tawny and Carly had broken apart from their wrestling and Tawny having had Carly down and banging her head on the floor got off her and went outside to check on her daughter in the brawl. “Hook’ Carly ‘s voice rang out. “Leave her and get your ass outside we are losing”. It was true a few of the Lil Birds lay dazed and uncounisous on the street which now gave my girls a more 2 on 1 advantage. Hook joined the fight. I got up slowly and saw Carly heading out the batwing doors and I staggered after her. Outside the street fighting had just about stopped. Women lay all over the street some still going at it. Ripped and torn clothes lay scattered around the street. Most of the women bare chested, a few completely naked. Carly stood on the steps as I came up behind her and gave her a hard shove down the steps and down in the street. I followed after her. She got to her feet and faced me in just her bloomers. The rest of the fighting stopped as they all turned their attention to Carly and I. “Ok bitch” I said, “just you and I now. Winner gets the others hotel; loser gets her hair cut off. Agreed.” Carly was silent till one of the onlookers yelled, “come on Carly you can take her”, “Go for it Carly”. “get her Diane. Rip that red hair out”. Finally, Carly agreed. Although most of her long red hair had come out and hung down she undid the rest shaking it out. My long dark hair had already been pulled apart during the fight inside. I was topless with just my split skirt on which had rips and tears in it. Carly and I advanced on each other. We met and went right into each other’s hair. Yanking and pulling one another around and around. The on lookers and groups of fighters surrounded us cheering their respective woman on. It looked as if this was going to be strictly a hair pulling battle until we tripped over the walkway across the street and went down on the boards wrestling. Our long hair with hands in it getting tangled around our bodies as we rolled one another over. Our legs tangled and kicked. Hands never letting loose of the others hair we got up on our feet and I slugged the redhead sending her crashing into the window of a store. She only got minor cuts and I climbed thru the broken window after her. The crowd moved to the front of the store only a few being able to see what was going on inside the others only hearing crashes and cussing. “you whore of a cow”, “I’ll twist your head off bitch”, then suddenly we came crashing out another window to the wooden sidewalk. Again only receiving minor cuts. Rolling out into the street both Carly and I were tiring. We separated and got up breathing hard both covered in dirt, grime and sweat. Long knotted tangled hair hanging down over our faces. Getting our breath back as quick as possible. We were about to rush each other when someone from the crowd tossed a large hunting knife between us. We both looked at it then both went for it. Carly’s hand closed on it and I got her wrist. We stood up and I wrapped an arm tight around her neck opining down that long red hair. Carly wrapped her arm around my neck doing the same to my long dark hair. We waltzed about the street struggling over the knife. “Cut her good Diane”. “Stick it in her Carly” We tripped each other and went down in the dirt rolling over and over and over. I held the knife hand above our heads as we rolled. Side by side we laid kicking and straining. I finally got on top of her. I let go of her neck and pried her arm form around mine. Carly started to panic and kicked and squirmed under me. “You got her Diane” “Carly, get up. Get her off you”. I turned her knife hand back towards her and began pressing down. Carly fought back but the knife kept getting lower and lower. “Bitch…..” she yelled, “I’ll slice you open” I paid no attention to her ranting and pressed down on her wrist and knife. Finally, it touched her left breast. I gave her a look and she stopped struggling briefly but then started again. I pushed and the blade went into her breast slightly. Carly cried out and let go of the knife. I pulled it free and climbed off her panting hard. Everyone waited to see if the fight would continue but Carly didn’t get up. She held her breast as blood sipped thru her fingers. It wasn’t a bad cut but enough to make her quit the fight. Lil Birds flew to her and pressed torn clothing to her chest. They turned on me and the brawl was about to begin again but the sheriff stepped forward. “all right all right, that’s it. An agreement was made and we all heard it” he turned to the crowd to which most everyone nodded. “Diane gets Carly’s saloon and………” he drew it out. “Carly loses her hair. Are you going to take this fairly Carly or are we going to have to hold you down”? Carly got to her feet holding a blood soaked rag over her left tit. “get on with it bitch” she said to me. I walked up behind her and with the large knife began to saw thru the long red hair pulling hard on it when I could and whispering to her, “You’re getting off easy bitch” Each hand full I sawed off I held up to cheers from the crowd before tossing it on to the dirty dusty street. When I had most of her hair cut off in a lopsided chop and the ground around us littered with the long red strands. My girls came running over and brought me over to the steps of the saloon. I stood there and said, “take that sign down. This is now Diamond Diane’s” Cheers went up from everyone even those supporters of Carly. It was the next day I came out on the steps of the new Diamond Diane to find a covered wagon sitting there. Carly in the driver’s seat her short red hair now trimmed in a more stylish bob, and Hook beside her. Most of the Lil Birds were hanging out the sides and back although some chose to stay on with me. “taint over bitch” Carly said. “I know” I told her, “you still have to answer for Chase”. She slapped the straps on the backs of the team and the wagon rolled away.
THE END