InsaneJournal

Title: Little Twink on the Prairie

Author’s notes: This is a QAF/Little House on the Prairie books crossover, which is so v. v. wrong that it had to be done. Based on a plot bunny from some seriously demented people, this story begins where “By the Shores of Silver Lake” ended and where QAF began. Really.

Warnings: This is fic is not yet rated, nor beta’ed.

Characters:

The Taylors:

Craig: the fiddle-playing patriarch whose wanderlust has resulted in his long-suffering wife being dragged from pillar to post for the entirety of their marriage

Jennifer: the long-suffering wife

Justin: The Taylors’ son, who was born so premature in a little house in the Big Woods that he had to be put on the woodstove to be kept warm and alive. The unfortunate circumstances of his birth resulted in his being small for his age and leading his Pa to call him a “little half pint of cider half-drunk up” or “half-pint” for short (pun intended).

Molly: Justin’s little sister, an adorable strawberry blonde who may have to go blind for plot purposes

The Kinneys:

Jack: the town drunk

Joan: his god-fearing wife

Claire: a widower with two young hellions for sons; she bitterly serves as the town seamstress.

Brian “Manly” Kinney, a hardworking homesteader and horseman

Mel Marcus Kinney, a foundling taken in by the Kinneys to help with the work, Mel has a deep secret, kind of like that one Pony Express Rider on “The Young Riders”, but not quite the same, just sorta.

The Novotnys:

Vic: The cook and co-owner of the local hotel and restaurant “The Liberty House”

Debbie: His sister and the other co-owner

Michael: Debbie’s son and the best friend of “Manly” Kinney since they were both 14.

The Townsfolk:

Mr. Honeycutt: a wildcat from Mississippi, beloved for the time he saved Christmas for the Taylor kids, back when they were all living in Indian Country.

Miss Peterson: The old maid schoolmarm

The Oleson twins (NO not those twins!) Nellie and Willie, the bane of the Taylor children’s’ existence. Their parents own the local dry goods store.

Ben Bruckner: The town’s blacksmith and confirmed bachelor

Carl Horvath: The sheriff with an eye for the red-head slinging steaks and advice at the Liberty House.

Reverend Butterfield: Like everyone in his flock, he has a secret…

Other canon characters as needed.

DeSmet, Dakota Territory, Late Spring, 1887

His blond hair shining in the bright prairie sunshine, Justin helped Pa load the last of the lumber and tar paper for their shanty into the wagon. Ma and Molly sat on the wagon seat, faces hidden deep in their bonnets. Justin leapt on top of the load while Pa climbed up next to Molly, picked up the reins, and clucked at the horses.

 As they headed out of town, young Justin used the opportunity to take a look around. Suddenly, he spied two beautiful chestnut horses hitched to a wagon in front of the feed store.

“Pa,” he exclaimed excitedly. “Look at those fine horses!”

“Those are the Kinney boys’ horses, half-pint. That older Kinney boy is supposed to be quite the horsemen and a real stud himself.”

“Craig!” Ma said, shocked.

As they headed out to the homestead site, Justin stared at the horses, even more intrigued.

To be continued…