Scene 1 - And the gunslingers followed...

Mattie heads down the gentle slope towards the farmstead, while Bertie walks with her - sometimes rushing ahead, sometimes racing back, looking around at them all, but especially at Oscar.

Henry follows them, his beast of a weapon glinting in the sun behind her, with Rose and Oscar pulling up the rear.

The rude farmstead is maybe half a mile away from them.

Once they've closed about half that distance, they can all spot the moment when the two figures spot them. The figures stop to stare up at them - one shorter, stouter, wearing a shall over their head, the other taller, thinner, and with a head or face that seems strangely indistinct.

After a moment's consideration, both figures move swiftly into one of the buildings and emerge a minute later carrying shapes which look like they could be weapons. They are also joined by an animal - four legs, low to the ground, fairly small, but with somehow, hm, waving extensions moving above its back?

If they were weapons they brought out, they haven't raised them to point at the ka-tet - however they are standing still, the two human figures and the dog, watching up at you.

Seeing Henry's gestures, hearing Henry's words, the human figures and the small animal visibly relax their postures. You can all see this, despite being still 200 yards or so distant from them.

The figure with the shawl-covered head raises their hand in a mirrored greeting and calls out, in a gruff weathered - yet loud and penetrating - voice.

"Prithee, pilgrims, you are welcome here with us. We will sit in palaver, share our table together, and hear your news of the outside world. We expect, in these rotten days, to hear more sorrows than triumphs"

As you come closer you realise that the second figure isn't wearing a hat, or obscuring it's face. Rather, the figure has the head of fennec - broad high pointed desert ears dynamic, twitching.

And the low animal. It's a dog. You can even recognise it to be a corgi. Although that'd be a corgi with a set of four octopus-like tentacles waving out of its back. The corgi is sitting looking at you, tongue lolling.

At Oscar's words, the figure in the head-shrouded shawl nods at him.

"Thankee-Sai. Ol' Podge here don't get himself too many treats these days, I'm'a sure he'll take what you got there for him."

And with that, the tentacled corgi - apparently "Podge" - makes his way out towards the treat thrown by Oscar, reaches out with one of his tentacles, delicately picks up the treat, and passes it to his mouth. Couple of chews, a swallow, and down it goes. Podge looks hopefully up at Oscar, his tail wagging fairly vigorously.

Now Oscar is closer, he sees that the dog holds two wicked-looking knives, one each in a tentacle. Podge isn't menacing them at the ka-tet, or pointing them in their direction. It's just, you know, he happens to be carrying a couple of knives with him. Just in case.

Oscar also sees now, more closely, the weapon-looking object being held by the shawled figure - it's weapon-looking because it's an AR-15. And the fox-headed figure next to them is holding a hefty revolver in one hand. Again, as for Podge, their weapons aren't raised - and you get a sense that both figures are relaxed now about the party moving towards them. But they haven't put their weapons down on the ground because, well, you don't want them getting dirty, do you?

The shawled figure, the fennec-headed figure, and the corgi Podge pay close attention to Henry as he introduces the ka-tet. Once he's finished, all three respond in kind, putting a fist to their forehead (Podge bunches up the end of one of his tentacles and taps it between his eyes).

"May we be well-met, you guests and travellers." intones the figure in the shawl.

"I am Beretta, mistress of this here humble farmstead."

"And I am Spline, master of what little we have here to call our own." says the fennec-headed figure. His voice is high-pitched, almost like he is barking - but his words remain clear.

Podge looks between the members of the ka-tet. Then lets out a couple of yips. And indulges in some vigorous tail-wagging.

"The world moved on a good while ago, but it seems to be moving even further on, even faster, than it used to. And that even-faster-moving-on world, that seems to be bringing even fewer vistors to our simple home than the few there once were."

Beretta looks awkwardly up at Spline and makes eye contact with him. He acknowledges this, and nods.

"Ah, yes, you be right there, Beretta - having said that, it's not so long ago, now I think of it, that we did have a guest here, someone to break bread and more with."

Beretta speaks up and says

"If I may ask... Seeing by your company, by the colour and presentation of your iron, by that force of will I seem to sense just a'radiating off of y'all... Could it be that you are true Oathtakers? Gunslingers? Followers of the Way of the Gun?"

Beretta looks over at Mattie, and narrows her eyes.

"Well, young lady, yes, all things do serve the Spoke, if that's what you be a'meaning. It ain't for nothing that this here farmstead came with the name 'Armadillos Rest'"

"As for putting away our guns - well, I ain't dropping this here sweetheart down into the dirt for no body. This damned desert dust gets all over everywhere, if you know what I mean. And by the look of your there clothing, I think you do know what I mean. Been out in plenty of that dust yourselves."

"I don't say I like all your manners - standing there in front of me, trying to threaten me with your outstretched arms, as you walk here towards MY home..."

"But Podge, and I, and Spline here - despite this young lady's, I think the name was Mattie? - rough manners, we get a good feeling about y'all - and are happy to offer what meagre hospitality we have. Mayhap it's enough 'hospitality' for you if we just all turn around now and head in for a sit-down, a meal, a chit-chat together inside out of the sun. I trust you enough not to shoot us in the back."

With that Beretta beckons you towards the largest of the buildings on the farmstead - a wooden-planked structure, with a corrugated metal roof. A simple door with a fly screen faces towards you, and on the left side of the building a set of concrete steps descend, presumably towards a cellar.

She, Spline, and Podge then ostentatiously turn their backs to you and walk towards the building, a low throaty chuckle and a shake of the head coming from Beretta. You have a feeling that she's seen a lot in her time, and ain't gonna be put out by a couple of rough-mannered guests.