Leona Walden

Nicknames: Lee, Leo
Hometown: Outside Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Occupation: Hunter, Tracker
Age: 29 (as of February 1874)
Gender: Female
Relationship Status: Widow (husband died in 1872)

Lee dresses practically and has little patience for women's fashion. She typically wears men's trousers, boots, and cotton shirts with a woman's vest. She keeps her brown hair cut to shoulder length for practicality, typically tied back or under a wide-brimmed hat. While her attire is masculine, her features are distinctly feminine – high cheekbones, expressive hazel eyes, and a determined set to her jaw that resembles her brother Dave's. Years of outdoor work have weathered her skin, and she has a small scar along her jawline from a hunting accident.

(Face claim: Elena Saurel)

Resourceful – Growing up poor taught Lee to make do with what she has. She can track, hunt, and survive in harsh conditions.
Pragmatic – Unlike her brothers' dreams of wealth, Lee has a practical approach to life and survival. She values independence and personal freedom, preferring action over endless discussion.
Quick-tempered – She has a flash-fire temper that burns hot but doesn't last long.
Perceptive – Lee notices details others miss, making her excellent at tracking both animals and people.
Private – She keeps her thoughts and feelings close, sharing them only with those she trusts completely.
Soft Spot for Animals - She will go out of her way (and budget) to help an injured animal.

• To reunite with her brothers Dave and Charlie
• To publish a her 'Illustrated Guide to Frontier Survival' (Once it's finished)

• She slept with the Sheriff in the little Wyoming town to get him to tell her where her brothers had gone.
• She believes Nature favors her, giving her signs and omens, but also worries that others might see this as Witchcraft.

• Whippoorwills - The call of a whippoorwill near a home foretells death.
• Witchcraft - she carries a silver coin at all times to ward against it.

1844 - Born May 11. The third of five children to the Goller family, after brothers Scott and Alex, and before Charlie and Dave. The family were mostly subsistence farmers, who grew a bit of hemp to sell for extra cash. They've always been "dirt floor poor".
1861-65 - During the war, Lee took on increasing responsibility at the family farm while her older brothers were away. She learned to hunt, track, and defend the homestead.
1866 - Married Ellis Walden, a returned Union soldier who settled near Harrodsburg. When Dave and Charlie left for Texas, Lee tried to convince them to stay, causing a rift between her and Dave.
1867-70 - Lee and Ellis struggled to make their small farm profitable. She occasionally supplemented their income by hunting and selling game to local establishments.
1871 - Received sporadic letters from Charlie (rarely from Dave) about their travels. Began to hear troubling rumors about her brothers' activities.
1872 - Ellis died from pneumonia after falling through ice during a harsh winter. Left with few options and mounting debts, Lee sold what little they had.
1873 - After learning her parents had passed away and with no word from Scott or Alex, Lee decided to track down her remaining brothers. She's spent the last year following their trail through Wyoming and down to Kansas. She's occasionally taken bounty hunting jobs to fund her search, though she avoids taking particularly dangerous assignments.
February 1874 - Lee arrives at the CRC work camp, following a lead that suggested her brothers may have spent time at the camp. She's heard conflicting reports about whether Charlie and Dave are dead or alive, but doesn't believe they're dead. She refuses to give up until she knows the truth.