Exit Pursued by a Bruised Ego

A bear hunt

At Horseshoe Overlook, Hosea asks Arthur whether he wants to go hunting. Arthur asks: "What are you hunting? An elephant?" Hosea answers that he saw a huge bear, "one of the biggest" he ever saw, "nearly a thousand pounds", up near the Dakota River. The trip may take a day or two. Arthur says he could do with a break from the camp; Hosea agrees: "It's been a rough couple of weeks."

Hosea asks whether Arthur has replaced Boadicea. Arthur says he misses her: "This one's okay but... ain't no Boadicea." Hosea wants to get rid of a big Shire he took from "some big, loud-mouthed bastard" who tried to rob him. He suggests selling it at the Valentine stable, where Arthur can buy a new horse. Arthur moves his saddle onto the Shire. Hosea calls the horse "an angel... if I'm near him".

The ride to Valentine

On the way, Hosea says his old saddle was stolen outside a saloon in Deer Creek. He remembers that day: Mac "went crazy" and threatened to kill the whole town, and Davey was so drunk they left him there; he woke up the next day and started drinking again. Arthur says he misses those boys. Hosea adds Jenny, and Arthur notes that Lenny was sweet on her. Arthur feels the gang's luck died with them; Hosea answers that they only need money to get back on their feet. He has not yet found a way to sell the Cornwall bonds: "They're still very hot."

In Valentine, Hosea goes to the general store to buy things to lure the bear out. Arthur takes the Shire into the stable. The stable owner notes that the horse has no papers, which lowers the price, but says he knows a man who has been looking for a workhorse like this. Arthur can sell the Shire or stable it, then can buy a new horse. With the papers, the stable owner gives him a grooming brush and some treats.

Into the mountains

Hosea tells Arthur they are heading for a lake called O'Creagh's Run, "up in the mountains east of Cumberland Falls". On the ride, he asks about John: "Ain't it about time you let it go now?" Arthur answers: "It was a year, Hosea. He ditched us for a goddamn year." Hosea says John knows he did wrong. Arthur answers that there is a code and that John knows it: "He ain't Trelawny. Dutch and you pretty much raised him."

They pass Moonstone Pond, which tells Hosea they are going the right way, and reach the lake. Hosea spots rabbits and suggests catching one to cook. He advises against a powerful weapon on small game, which ruins the meat: "Best thing's a bow or a .22 caliber varmint rifle." Arthur answers that he has hunted rabbits before; Hosea recalls that he "obliterated them with a shotgun".

A night at camp

As it gets late, Hosea decides to camp there and lets Arthur set up. Arthur cooks the rabbit over the fire and offers him some; Hosea declines, as he does not like eating that late. They go to sleep so as to be up at first light.

In the morning, Hosea hands Arthur a coffee and explains his plan: track the bear, and if needed lay bait to draw it out. "Bears like fish, obviously... but they also have a sweet tooth." He prefers to hunt on the ground rather than from the trees, which is more dangerous but gives a better shot and lets them chase the animal if it bolts. Arthur makes Potent Predator Bait from fish and berries, tied in a rag. When Arthur doubts him, Hosea answers: "I grew up in the mountains, Arthur... I was virtually weaned on bear meat."

Bessie

On the way to the water, Hosea says he was in this area with his wife Bessie, years ago, and that he misses her every day. Arthur asks whether they ever thought about getting out of the life. Hosea says they did, briefly, but he drifted back into it and she understood. He tells Arthur: "Truth is, there's never really any getting out, and staying in... it's hard, you know that, but Bessie and I made it work." He asks whether Arthur is thinking of getting out; Arthur denies it. Hosea adds that if Dutch's plans work and they make enough money to go somewhere new, "maybe we can all have a new start."

The trail

By the water, Hosea asks Arthur to look for tracks, dung or bones. With Eagle Eye, Arthur finds large paw prints leading into the trees, then a half-eaten fish, then fresh bear dung. Hosea reckons the bear must be close. The trail ends between two large rock formations. Hosea suggests splitting up, Arthur suggests placing the bait, and Hosea lets him choose.

The charge

If they split up, Hosea goes one way and Arthur takes the track on the other side. Soon Hosea shouts for help: "Arthur! Help! Stay back! Shoot that thing, please!" Arthur runs back and finds the bear chasing him. If they place the bait instead, the bear does not come at first; as the two men walk up to check the bait, it appears in front of them and Hosea takes cover. In both cases, Arthur shoots the bear several times with his revolver and it runs away.

The map

Arthur tells Hosea: "You're fine, old man." Hosea insists that it was "nothing at all". He says he is a little old to chase the biggest game and hands Arthur a map. A man in a bar gave it to him, he says, then corrects himself: he stole it, "but that's another story." The map shows where to find "some real big animals". Hosea says Arthur saved his life and that he is going back to camp to lick his wounds. He asks whether Arthur is coming or staying to track "that monster".

If Arthur goes back with Hosea, the two ride straight to Horseshoe Overlook. If he stays, Hosea leaves alone and Arthur can track the bear, kill it and skin it.

Hosea's opening lines

Hosea's lines at the start of the mission change depending on whether Americans at Rest or A Quiet Time has been completed.

The Shire and the new horse

• At the stable, Arthur can sell the Shire or keep it stabled. Buying a new horse is optional in the objectives.
• Hosea has different lines depending on the horse Arthur buys.
• The palomino variant of the Morgan horse can only be bought at a stable during this mission.
• The horse Hosea gives Arthur is a Raven Black Shire found nowhere else in the game.

Talking on the ride

On the ride to O'Creagh's Run, Arthur can raise Sean's capture or the scouting trip of Micah and Lenny, whom Susan sent out. What is said depends on whether The First Shall Be Last or Blessed are the Meek? has been completed. Before Sean's rescue, Arthur says he should go back to the Great Plains to see about Sean, and that the news comes from Trelawny, who has gone to look with Javier and Charles. Hosea warns that it is dangerous to go anywhere near Blackwater; Arthur answers: "if he's alive, we gotta try."

Splitting up or placing the bait

• Splitting up: Arthur searches the hill for the trail with Eagle Eye, then hears Hosea call for help. He keeps the Potent Predator Bait for later hunts.
• Placing the bait: Arthur plants it near the large stones from his satchel, waits by the rocks with Hosea, then follows him to check it when the bear does not come.
• When the bear charges, it can be killed outright with a tomahawk or improved arrows; the pelt must then be skinned and put on the horse before talking to Hosea.

Staying or going back

Going back with Hosea ends the mission at Horseshoe Overlook. Staying behind ends it at O'Creagh's Run and leaves Arthur free to hunt the Legendary Bharati Grizzly Bear without having to find it later.

Mission failure

The mission fails if the player:

• assaults, kills or abandons Hosea or his horse Silver Dollar, or aggravates Hosea;
• alerts the law;
• abandons Valentine;
• saddles any horse other than the black Shire, or kills or abandons the Shire;
• kills or abandons his new horse;
• scares away the rabbits;
• fails to search for the trails;
• dies.

• There's nothing wrong with two horses. And the stables always have the best ones.

  Hosea, when Arthur says he likes his current horse

• Don't be rude about this magnificent creature.

  Hosea, about the Shire

• Well, Lenny and Jenny could never have worked. That's like Arthur and Martha, Or Bill and Phil.

  Hosea, on the ride to Valentine

• Back into the mountains, I sure didn't figure on that.

  Arthur, when Hosea names O'Creagh's Run

• But this time we're doing the chasing...

  Hosea, when Arthur says he did not expect to head back into the mountains

• For now... a little optimism, Arthur.

  Hosea, when Arthur asks whether they have lost the bear

• This is the only time in the game that Arthur mentions his former horse, Boadicea.
• Before this mission, the only place to season meat was the scout campfire at the Horseshoe Overlook camp; the grill it adds to the inventory allows it at any campsite.
• In the subtitles of this mission, the stable owner is called "Shopkeeper", unlike in free roam.
• After the mission, Hosea is away from camp until The Spines of America is complete. Susan may tell Arthur that Hosea wants to meet him at Emerald Ranch; if Arthur rides back with Hosea, Hosea says himself that he is going there.