Montana Sky Page #2

out in the snow.

Like hell, you flat-chested,

knock-kneed little b*tch.

If you think I'm gonna take orders

from some pie-faced cowgirl...

...you're more stupid than you look.

Willa, what's going on?

Adam, could you please take Lily

for a walk?

And the rest of us

will re-fix breakfast.

I'm ashamed enough for both of you.

I knew both your mamas,

and they expected better.

Look, here's the deal, tough girl.

You think it's easy for me to leave

my friends, my career for a year?

Well, it's not, but I'm not giving up

what's mine either.

- Yours, my ass.

- I'm as much his daughter as you are.

I didn't grow up here because he tossed

me and my mom out, thank God.

But I'm staying for the year.

End of story.

Do you ride?

- Ride what?

- Figures.

Probably don't know the difference

between a hen and a cock.

Believe me, I know the difference.

Hey, those bruises on Lily's neck.

Did she say anything about them?

Not to me.

She'll tell Adam.

Sooner or later,

everyone tells Adam what hurts.

You know, Hollywood,

you should do yourself a favor.

Get yourself some long underwear.

You're gonna need it.

Usually Charlie only likes cows,

but he likes you.

I guess I didn't say that right.

Until he turns against me.

How big is the ranch?

Twenty-five thousand acres.

Across those fields

and over White Stone Peak.

Stay here a year,

you'll never see all of it.

It's big enough to get lost in?

Is that what you're looking to do?

I saw the bruises.

I have an ex-husband.

It was his going-away present.

My mom was a Blackfoot.

She lived on the res.

My dad would beat her pretty bad.

Then she escaped to this ranch.

Jack Mercy took us in.

He wasn't all bad.

My ex-husband, Jesse,

he's back in Virginia on parole, but...

A couple of days before I got

the news about my dad...

...he surprised me in a parking lot.

I couldn't report him,

he'd just hurt me worse.

So I just ran.

That's what I'm always doing,

running away from him.

At least he can't leave Virginia.

I wasn't stupid, Adam.

I was only married six months.

I tried to get out of it, but...

No one's listening except the hills.

Come here, Charlie.

Come here, boy.

Come on, Charlie, come on.

He likes me, huh?

Let me show you

the rest of the horses.

Oh, I could help you with that.

I don't need your help, McKinnon,

with my leg or my ranch.

Suit yourself.

Generally, though,

you gonna be riding a horse...

...you might wanna keep

your pants on.

I was wearing pants.

Coyote jumped up and I was gonna

shoot the damn thing.

And then Charlie started barking

like a lunatic and it spooked Moon.

And I don't need your supervision

to get her.

I'm sorry about your pa, Willa.

I didn't ask him to make me overseer,

but I am gonna honor his request.

So we can do this peaceable

or we can lock horns.

Either way, I'm doing it.

Your sisters as pretty as you are?

Bet they're friendlier.

I'm gonna come calling, find out.

We can discuss plans for the ranch.

I will be telling you the plans,

Ben McKinnon.

We're not gonna be "discussing"

anything.

And if you even think for...

What is the matter with that dog?

Isn't this the old cow camp?

We used to park here, you used to

show me the midnight gopher dances.

You showed me the dances,

and you were a liar even then.

Charlie.

Something's dead.

What?

Something's dead.

Do you smell that?

Nope, it's the Indian in you.

Cougar?

Cats don't kill

and leave the meat like that.

A coyote couldn't have done that.

He's mutilated, he's butchered.

There's only one predator

that did that.

A man.

I'm getting my herd down

off the mountain.

Yeah, I reckon I better do the same.

Willa.

You watch out, okay?

Yeah.

You're killing that steak.

You said well done.

I'd like to tell the difference

between it and a rock.

When did you become

a connoisseur?

Ketchup on it, you'd eat that sock.

Yeah, well, cook this up.

It's bound to be an improvement.

Lookie here, Ham.

We got company for dinner.

- Try not to ruin her health.

- No, I'm not hungry.

We start rounding up cattle

tomorrow.

What? Why? They're getting as fat

as toads up there.

I want them down now.

- Well, they're your cattle.

- Yes, they are.

And one of them's been butchered

just outside of 3 Rocks Land.

Butchered? Cougar?

Not unless cats carry knives

these days.

Somebody hacked it up

into pieces and just left it.

Balls.

We lost a couple to a big cat,

all right?

Jim and I tracked it there yesterday.

It must have circled around

and got one more cow, that's it.

I know the difference between claws

and a knife, Pickles.

Hey, have any of you guys

seen anything?

Campers, hunters, anything,

anyone?

No. We came

across a campsite yesterday...

...when we were tracking that cat.

But it was cold,

two or three days cold.

Yeah, they left beer cans all over

like it was their backyard.

They ought to be shot for it too.

I still don't understand what that's got

to do with bringing the herd down.

Ham, you're the head man,

what do you say?

Mercy Ranch runs the way

it always has.

Old man's in the ground,

I'm operator now.

You'll take orders from me.

All due respect, well,

we were just sort of wondering...

...how you're planning to keep

the others, your sisters, on the ranch.

Well, they'll take orders from me too.

Well, the one with the bod,

I'm sure she'll fall right in line.

Sorry. She's your sister.

We ride at first light.

Willa?

Yeah?

About the hands...

You might wanna tread a little easy.

What do you mean?

It's your first time in deciding

on how things go around here.

They don't like to be bossed

by a woman.

Especially one as, well,

young as you.

They don't or you don't?

It is what it is.

Ham, I'm sorry.

My father should have left you

what you were owed.

I got no problem with it.

That was Jack.

Yeah.

Hey, hey, hey!

Let's go!

So much space.

Space is money.

White man's usually figuring a way

to profit from nature.

Charlie!

Get back here, Charlie.

Charlie!

I'll remember that next time, Charlie,

when you want a bone.

You got yourself a friend there

for life.

Pickles, pick up that stray

over there.

Yeah, I got him.

That takes care of Brush Creek.

All that leaves is the strays

up on north mesa.

Where does she think this is, Vegas?

All she needs now

is a damn umbrella in her drink.

I get the feeling there's no anchor

in that one.

Maybe you could give her

something constructive to do.

She'd screw it up. It'd cost us.

Look, we got most of the herd down.

Me and the boys can handle

the strays over in the mesa.

She's your kin, Willa.

You can always trust your own.

Okay. This is called a curry comb.

No, it is not an eating utensil.

Softer brushes,

and Moon's over here.

So stinky.

So you can put the feed

right in that bucket right there.

And this is Moon.

Okay, let's do this.

Come here, girl.

There you go. Good girl.

Here we go.

Okay, so when you're combing,

you're gonna go right along the grain...

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