Author's Note 2

First and foremost, I would like to say thank you. When I first started this project, it was just something fun for me to do on the side after work to further build the roleplay aspect that Red Dead Online allows. I'm a zookeeper by trade, and really the only writing experience I have is in scientific writing. Creative writing is uncharted territory, but I'm learning more as I continue and look to other RDO and period-appropriate stories for guidance.

I posted the first chapter thinking only 2 or 3 people might read it. I was wrong. While I'm certainly no best-selling author, more people have read my story than I ever anticipated and for that I thank you! Thank you for the support, the likes, retweets, and shares. It truly means a lot to me that people enjoy following Runs with the Wind's story. I've got plenty more ideas in store to really bring Runs with the Wind to light so please stay tuned!

Secondly, I'd like to address Runs with the Wind's cultural background. Runs with the Wind is Native American, but I am not. In fact, being a white woman living in the midwestern U.S. I'm far from it! When I created the character, I wanted to play someone different. There's plenty of cowboys and cowgirls out there but it's not every day I come across another Native character. I decided to go this route because I've always been interested in Native cultures (my home town was once home to the great Shawnee chief Tecumseh) and have admired their love and respect for animals and nature that I decided this would be the perfect route to take in the game.

I chose to base his background and tribe around the Lakota, since that seemed the most fitting given the location of the game. I aim to try and bring as much of the Lakota culture as I can into the story. However, since I am not Lakota and do not know anyone who is, I have based everything around only what I can read/watch/research through the internet, books, and movies. I have spent countless hours researching everything I can about the Lakota people and their beliefs, traditions, and language to make Runs with the Wind as accurate as I can. I originally wanted to incorporate more of the Lakota language into the story, but since Lakota has mostly been a spoken language and has a wide variety of spelling for different words, I have found it difficult to research enough to use the language comfortably in the story. Instead, everything will be in English with the exception of a few Lakota words here and there.

Because I am basing this story off of only what I can find with resources available to me, if anyone reading this story finds anything I have written to be inaccurate, misinformed, or offensive, PLEASE do not hesitate to contact me so a revision can be made!

Lastly, the rest of the story from here on out will take place in the present setting of the game. Since Rockstar has given the ambiguous “1898” setting of the game, I will most likely be keeping the timeline ambiguous as well.

Once again, thank you all for the support! The Red Dead community has been so kind and I am fortunate to have found such a place to share our love for the game! As always, if anyone has any feedback or suggestions, feel free to share with me!

Thank you all, RaigeGames

“When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies within yourself.”

— Tecumseh