True enough.

[ Does he know what oxen are? Probably not, but he knows every person he's ever met is stubborn in some way, so it's not a statement he's going to dispute. That he's standing here at all is enough proof of humanity's stubbornness, surely. Even without knowing the man opposite, it's hard not to miss the slight fall of humour, he can tell this must be hard for him. Not an easy decision to make, leaving behind people you care about. ]

Nah, I think leaving without saying anything would've just been the easy thing to do, not the best. Maybe it's selfish, but leaving 'em wondering and unsure would've been cruel.

[ This way, when he doesn't return, people will know at least. They might not know the exact specifics, but they won't have no answers at all. It's a sort of closure, he thinks, maybe not the most neatly tied off closure, but it has to be better than the alternative. Maccready has to believe that, for his own benefit. Likewise, he wants to believe that Edward won't simply vanish. ]

Hey, uh, I really hope you make it out of here, man.