[INTRO — HARD FRONTIER 3/4 ~94 BPM | DREADNOUGHT | lazy snare | TELECASTER: 1–♭3–4–5 / 6→5] [FEMALE ALTO — controlled, observant] Verse 1 — Through the Lines Getting through the lines was easy. Hardly lines at all. Lester columns chasing Winter men, Scattered east and west. One rode hard toward Granite. Two were headed south. Sarah watched their dust trails separate, Counting in her head. Five thousand men together Could sweep the North away. Five groups of one thousand— [PAUSE] Could be beaten one by one. [TELECASTER — SARAH MOTIF] Refrain No general. That's the trouble. Plenty rifles. Plenty men. Everybody fights his battle. Nobody asks where or when. Rob is dead. The North is bleeding. Every captain has a plan. What we need is a general. Verse 2 — Something She Notices Forty Winters held a creek bed, Captain said, “We're nearly done. Lesters everywhere around us. We can't fight them all at once.” Sarah pointed toward the dust. “They're not together.” “What?” “Nothing.” She pulled her hat down. “Just something I noticed.” [TELECASTER — 1–♭3–4–5 / 6→5] And rode north. Verse 3 — Home Winter roofs broke through the timber Late the following day. Sarah laughed and started crying When she saw them through the haze. Then the broken fences showed. Burned-out sheds. A shattered wall. Men replacing window glass. Bandages on half of them. She galloped through the gateway. A hammer hit the ground. “Miss Sarah?” She jumped down. “Where's Brayden?” [ALL THIN] Nobody spoke. Verse 4 — Frye's Raid [DREADNOUGHT HEAVIER] “Fryes hit us before daylight. Drove us past the eastern creek. Had the house and barns surrounded. Thought we were finally beat. Then Granite riders reinforced us. We came back from either side. By sundown Frye was running. Winter held.” Sarah: “Brayden?” [PAUSE] “Horace took him north.” Verse 5 — Three Missing “Took supplies and your father's pistol. Got the boy away in time. Elena Vale went with them.” Sarah: “Who?” “Woman from the northern country. Wandered in near dead last year. Her and Horace got real close. When Frye came— They disappeared.” “You followed?” “Twelve days. Rain took the tracks. We lost them seven miles north.” “Found the wagon?” “Yes.” “And after?” [PAUSE] “Nothing.” Instrumental — Seven Miles [SPARSE 3/4 | TELECASTER Sarah motif stops unresolved] [FAINT RESONATOR — ♭2→1] Verse 6 — Search Sarah sent them out next morning. Every rider she could spare. Creek beds, trails and timber country. Nothing anywhere. Three days. Five. Then seven. No smoke. No tracks. No grave. No word. No sign. Sarah stood over the map. “Horace knows how to be found.” Old ranch hand nodded. “Yes.” She looked north. “Then he doesn't want to be.” [RESONATOR — ♭2→1] Bridge — Last Winter Standing [FREE TIME | DREADNOUGHT ONLY] Father gone. Mother gone. Rob beneath Frye ground. Mara probably dead somewhere. Jack can't now be found. Brayden vanished northward. Sarah walked her childhood hall. Rob's hat still hung beside the door. Brayden's boots against the wall. [PAUSE] She touched them once. Then turned away. Verse 7 — The Map [RETURN FIRM 3/4] Outside three captains argued Over who should give commands. Sarah walked between them. Dropped a map onto their hands. “Food first. Count the horses. Powder. Cartridges. Every man. Mark every Lester column. Every Frye position that you can.” Captain frowned. “Begging pardon, Miss— Who's giving these commands?” Sarah looked at him. [PAUSE] “I just did.” [TELECASTER — FULL SARAH MOTIF] Final Refrain No general. That's the trouble. Plenty rifles. Plenty men. Lesters scattered chasing Winters. Fryes believe our house is dead. Sarah moved three markers southward. Moved another west instead. Captain stared down at the map. Then slowly understood. “We could take them separately.” Sarah: [small pause] “We could.” Outro [DRUMS DROP | DREADNOUGHT + TELECASTER] A rider came through after midnight. Mud from stirrup up to hat. Sarah stood before he spoke. “Brayden?” He shook his head. “Nothing.” She closed her eyes. One breath. Then: “Get some sleep.” “What about the search?” Sarah looked north. [FAINT RESONATOR — ♭2→1] “Bring them home.” [PAUSE] She turns back to the map. “Now— show me where the Lesters are.” [TELECASTER — 1–♭3–4–5 / 6→5] [CUT]
