Taste of The Wild: Life Through the Eyes of a Wild Mustang

Chapter 14

       There I stood in the large round pen. Legs braced, sweat working up a lather on my neck. My sides heaved with every breath, not out of tiredness, but of stress. October was in full swing, the school had started, and Edward was fully recovered. The aspen was at its peak, elk bugled, and Ivy and I were getting our winter coats.

        There he stood, black cowboy hat making a brim over his gray eyes. Edward. It was like a western show-off. My ears flicked back against my head. Edward made his move. Swinging his rope at my shoulder, I reluctantly trotted around the pen. My jaw was clenched and my eyes showed white.

      Suddenly, I stopped. Edward charged at me and swung his rope. Legs scrambling, I lopped around. I decided to change direction, but he cut me off. I looked at Edward as I lopped around. There wasn't sternness, but it wasn't exactly love. He knew what he was doing, and that agitated me. Edward stopped me.

     We had been at this for a long time. I had always avoided listening to Edward, not stopping when he wanted me to, and not changing direction on command. Only now did I listen.
    
     I snorted as I looked at him, and he looked at me. Let others into your herd. Father's echoed through my head. Let them in?? What?! No!! He's a human!!

     "Ready to join up fella?" Edward asked, and turned his back on me. I stood there, on the rail, thinking. Did I want to let him into my herd?? I knew that if I did, he would be the boss. I would join his herd. Did I what that??

     Finally, I took one step in his direction. Father and Mother would want this. I thought as took a whole stride towards him. Two more steps and I'd be joined up.

     A wind came up and rustled the turning trees. I could almost hear the winnies of my herd and others. This was my favorite time of year to be in the wild. Horses would be feeling frisky, stallions fighting, and the perfect temperature to be a horse. Foals with patchy coats as they lost their slick coats and turned to mini woolly mammoths.

      The wind blew my mane as if calling me back. A leaf fell from the tree. That leaf wouldn't go back onto the tree. Ever. I can't go back. I thought sorrowfully as I took two steps toward Edward. No turning back.

     I was joined up. I had to accept the fact that I wasn't back in the wild. Desperate, I placed my chin on Edward's shoulder.

     "Looks like I was wrong about you bud. You have a soft heart. I thought I wasn't ever gonna get to it. You proved me wrong," Edward said and turned toward me. He placed his hand on my neck and scratched, sending millions of dark gray hairs everywhere. Some got in my nose, and I sneezed. Edward laughed joyously, and his eyes sparkled.

*****
 

   The next day, Madison was talking to Edward as he filed our hay nets. "Come on!! You just got to his soft spot!! You can't sell him now!!" Madison said and placed a hand on Ivy's nose. She shoved it, and Madison scratched Ivy's checks.

     "I know that, but I made a deal with this buyer months ago. She's already paid." Edward said and ran water into the water buckets. "Look, the buyer is an experienced mustang trainer. I haven't trained a mustang in years. It's better this way."

     "Is it??" Madison said, not convinced.

     "I have work to do, and you have school to get to," Edward replied and chased the squealing Madison out of the barn with the hose. The spray was very close to my stall, and I stretched out my neck to play with it. Ivy joined in, and by the time we were done, my face with soaked with water. 

     Edward walked us out to the pasture, and I soon as I was in, I rolled in the little dirt there was. There was tall juicy grass everywhere in the pasture, and though I wasn't complaining, I would've appreciated a spot of dirt. As I shook myself off, I heard Madison running across the yard. She was yelling, terror in her voice, "Dad!! Dad!! Mom fainted!!!"