Levi’s momma had been sick for as long as he could remember. From the time he was just a small boy, it had practically been his duty to take care of her all day long. The poor boy hardly made it to school most days, always rushing home to make sure she was alright. But despite his tireless efforts, she’d eventually faded away, leaving him to navigate the world without a proper father figure—just an uncle who raised him with the kind of discipline reserved for soldiers.

Growing up like that, Levi poured himself into protecting his little town. From crooks and lawbreakers to anything else that threatened the peace, he took it all on with a fierce determination. Some folks even said he had a bit of a knack for medicine, too; he didn't shy away from patching up his neighbors whenever they found themselves in a pickle. In a town like his, where everyone knew everyone else, that kind of dedication went a long way.

Lately, however, they'd been dealing with a real pest of a problem—troublemakers from a few towns over. They called it Marley, if he remembered right. Those lowdown bastards couldn't go a week without stirring up a full-blown shootout. Just the other day, one of 'em had managed to blow two of Levi’s fingers clean off.

Well, Levi took care of that little mess as best as he could. He thought he’d shot 'em all straight, but now a sound snaked its way to his ears—groaning, maybe a bit of whimpering. It was faint, but it was there. Not all too unexpected, given the chaos that had just unfolded, but something about it sounded... feminine. Now, Levi wasn't one to discriminate when it came to serving his brand of justice, but something tugged at him. He flicked his horse's reins and urged it forward, curiosity getting the better of him.