Headstall

... on Lucas's side... refers to the line where he falls asleep on the mattress in the cabin. Sleeping On Lucas's side of the bed gave him peace as he breathed in the man's scent. It also refers to where Jubal is during this whole chapter... on Lucas's side, doing all he can to make the man's return home easier. Peace is about the inner peace he found at long last, as well as what Lucas's farm gives him... and yes, the relief that Lucas will be okay gives him the most peace of all. He was a man on a mission, until exhaustion finally made him quit. The wildings, for all the positive progress, are still an unknown, and doesn't that mirror Jubal's progression as well? Perspective changes everything... and I like how you say as happy as he will let himself be. That is so true. Nothing else matters other than Lucas's recovery. What can I say... Jubal loves the man. They didn't even know what cholesterol was back then, but they knew what it was like not to have fuel. Fact was, many diets back then were protein based... lots of meat... which was probably not healthy. Of course, beans were a staple too, so fibre would have been good for them. The branch was one more thing to be done... Thanks, my lovely and kind friend who worries for me. Appreciate hearing your always valid thoughts and insights.

Glad you liked the title. Titles are very important to me... and this one seemed like the one to go with. Jubal finally found some inner peace, but even more so, there is peace to be had everywhere he looks. When you are connected to a piece of property, it becomes a part of your soul, in my opinion. Jubal is feeling that, and in a world he has learned to distrust, that is a big deal. I liked that whole scene as dawn approached when we travelled along with Jubal's thoughts, and the peace he felt both inside and outside. Thank you. I totally accept the blame for the angst of waiting, my friend.

Ramble away, buddy. No one rambles more than I do. Focusing on the positives is something Jubal can do now. Lucas is on the mend. What I find most amazing about Jubal, is that he expects nothing from Lucas. It is enough for him for Lucas to be happy. He's even content with only admitting his love to himself, thinking himself unworthy of more. That just shows how awful his life has been since Vincent. Yeah, it is not about what he can get from it. I get your point that Jubal is laying a foundation--not at all calculated--for things to become more permanent. I doubt he would even think about it, but we all know human nature will most always prevail. Like anyone else, he wants a home, and someone to share it with. You are not the only one who saw how the skittishness of the wildings correlated with what is near the surface with Jubal, and that pleases me. Jubal is very much like a wild horse, afraid to trust, and living much of the time on instincts to protect himself. We talk about Jubal, and his lack of expectations, but is Lucas expecting anything? I guess we'll have some sort of answer down the road. I agree that he will indeed be happy just for Jubal to stick around. Reid and Billy are unknowns, but they were a good lead in when Jubal starting comparing them to him and Lucas. We'll maybe see if there is anything there, or f it is just a passing thought or unsure observation. There is a future available here... we all see that... but what kind of future will it be? Will Jubal revert to the guy found on the side of the road, or will he take chances? Right now, it would seem unlikely he could get there. Thanks, my dear friend.

I agree, Mags. Jubal wore himself out in the bast way possible. He needed a place for his joy to play out, and for his relief to be turned into something positive. We need remember he almost passed out in front of Reid hours earlier, so he has been stretched to the limit already, but this kind of effort was good for him... what he needed to calm himself down. I loved that dawn scene, after he collapsed with the door open and his boots on, smelled a spot on the mattress where he thinks he can smell Lucas's scent. That kind of chokes me up, but in a good way. It's what needed to happen. He needed to sleep in a way he hasn't done since the day of Calamity. I love, love, love how you see the doors opening. It is a progression, and Jubal is turning everything over in his head. Yes, he is cautious and hesitant again, and maybe even spooked to a degree, but you can't face fears you don't acknowledge. And like you say, whether he knows it or not, he is tying himself to this place where Lucas resides. Life could be good here... unless something tells him it is time to go. The branch was a little moment, but in my writer's eye, it was symbolic of something else. Glad you mentioned it in the way you did. All of these things he did contributed to that inner peace he so needs... an inner peace he may not have had since Vincent... the last time he had love in his heart. Thank you, my dear friend. I love how engaged you and others are.

Thanks, Craig!

Hello, my friend. We have learned a lot about Vincent, but yeah, there is more we need to know. Jubal's father is a whole other story. He sounds like a petty, mean, bitter man who uses religion like a cudgel. Jubal is such an unselfish person, and it really hurt to write that he didn't believe Vincent was right about him deserving love. That is so sad. If anyone deserves someone who loves him, it is Jubal. He proves that in all the things he does for Lucas. I'm happy you could feel his pride and his joy and his satisfaction. I really wanted that to come through. This chapter just reinforces what we already knew about him. Those insecurities are deeply ingrained... and now that Lucas is going to be okay, Jubal's walls are starting to go back up. What a shame that would be. There's quite a bit left... and you can count on some good for sure. Appreciate you sharing your, as usual, wonderful thoughts, mayday.

Yeah, he really is a perfectionist, isn't he? He wants every thing to be perfect for Lucas, even to the point he made maple caps for the posts. That is a whole other level of caring. The wildings are getting comfortable in that upper pen, so hopefully they'll be back soon. It is Lucas and Jubal's dream, something they both can share in. Reid is proving to be that friend you mention. I think he genuinely likes Jubal, and probably knows he is a man who likes men. Jubal could use more friends. So glad you hear you say such kind stuff about this chapter. Writing a chapter that is all narration takes a lot of care to try not to make it boring. Dialogue allows for showing more than telling, so these kind of chapters make me fret. Thanks, my dear friend.

The whole world looks different when there is joy in our hearts. And yeah, that can translate into energy... I know it does for me. Jubal is definitely creating a home, and as much as it is for Lucas, he can see himself there... even to thinking about hanging coats and such on the new posts, and putting chests on the landing and under the stairs. There is love in all these things he thinks of. We are fools to get comfortable with how things are now, but you're right that it was much worse back then. The level of lawlessness that existed back then meant people could disappear easily, a la Matthew Sheppard. Thanks for the kind words, buddy... and waiting a week just makes you appreciate me more.

Thank you so much for sharing this, yarameb! I have come to love this story and its characters, and I'm so pleased with the reaction Bearpaw has received. Cheers... Gary....

Jubal was a very determined man when he got back to the farm. He had all this joy in him, and he had to find away to let it loose, so he did what he enjoys... making Lucas happy. Once bitten, twice shy certainly applies to Jubal, except we might wonder how many times he's been bitten, as you allude to with the 'rattlesnakes'. I have a little bit of fun mentioning snakes(staring with Sidewinder) in all my westerns. This story is layered, and while I don't expect readers to get them all, it is wonderful when they do. The wildings trusting, but then taking off is kind of a metaphor for Jubal and what he does. You're right, Doc... he is more flighty than those wildings. Is there a cure for that? Thanks, my friend.

Replenished? Yeah, Kris... good word for what Jubal did in this chapter. He burnt himself out doing so, but he finally found some moments of absolute peace when he woke. It was such a beautiful thing to experience when I wrote this one. He does have his dreams, but he keeps them tightly in check. He expects nothing for what he does... for what he does out of love... and that is beautiful too. I'm so pleased you loved this chapter. It was entirely narration with no dialogue, and those are the hardest for me to try and get right. Cheers and thanks, my friend.

Hey, all! The new chapter of Bearpaw has just been posted...

Peace The loft—and how to reach it—was a challenge, but the kind Jubal truly enjoyed, and he’d been working on it for a good spell. He’d paid attention to what Lucas said, and did his best to figure out the best plan for giving him what he wanted. Some of the newly-milled two-and-a-half-inch thick pine boards with their different widths were perfect for building the staircase, but fact was it be tricky to position it to fit and work well. He’d warned Lucas it could be tig

Was it his magic fingers?

Hey, all!

Yes.

Also known as Stumpy.

You wish.

Yes, except the opposite.

Hey, all! Thanks for the birthday wishes. I have reached the age of a sex act.

Thanks, spikeman.

Thanks, froggie.

Thanks, Craig.