Peppermint Winter

Chapter 3

The mustang spooks at the roar coming from the mountain. She runs around the clearing, not knowing where to go because she Doesn't know where the noise came from.
I do. General does. I run to him and jump on him barebacked-there's no time to tack up. I kick him and he takes off at a gallop towards home.
wait-the mustang! I wheel him back around towards the clearing and jump off General. The wild horse is frantically trying to figure out where to go, and I take off General's halter trying to put it on her. she just rears at me and takes off. in the wrong direction! She's headed straight for the mountain, but I don't have the time to deal with her. I can only hope she makes it.
I jump back on General and throw the halter, tightly gripping his mane. I dig my heels into Him as hard as I can.
I look back, and can no longer see the mustang. above the clearing, the mountain looms high, and a deep rumble emanates from it. snow is rushing, tumbling down the mountain side In a never ending river.
before I know it, we're back on the Main trail headed for home.

"Mom! Mom!" I shout, running into the house.
My mother, Christina, came out of the kitchen with a worried look on her face.
"Lexi! Where have you been!?!? I have been worried sick about you! Why didn't you call?"
"Mom, there was an avalanche, and a mustang, and- and the mustang, I have to find her!"
"Wait-what?!?! An avalanche!" She hugs me closely.
"Mom, I'm okay. I'm fine. but the mustang, I need to go back out there."
"What? No, absolutely not! You are NOT going out there again, are you crazy?"
"No, I'm not crazy, but I do need to go find that horse. and I am going. sorry mom, I just... have to. How about if dad and Tanner come, would that make you happy?"
"Well... that would be better... go ask your father first," she finally gives in.
"Thanks, mom, you're the best." I grin and run into the workshop to find my dad, David, polishing some tools.
"Lexi! Your home! You're mother told me you weren't in bed this morning, and we were so worried!
Where did you go?" He asks with a concerned look on his face.
"It's a very long story, but I'll tell you only the important parts. So me and General went for a ride and I saw this wild mustang, and There was an avalanche. Me and General got away but the Mustang didn't know where to go, and it just ran towards the mountain. I need to go back and find her," I look at him with pleading eyes.
He sighs and looks me in the eyes, "Lexi, if that horse went to the mountain, there are very slim chances she survived."
"I know dad, but... can we at least go look? Please?"
"Okay, fine. we' ll go tomorrow morning. But make sure it's okay with your mother first." he replies, having given in too.
"I asked her first. she told me to ask you." I grin and skip out of the workshop.

It is the next morning, and Me, Tanner, and Dad, are all mounted up about to go.
Dad is on Snowflake, his white Percheron mare, and Tanner is on his black Missouri Fox Trotter Stallion, Dart. Of course I'm on General.
"Alright, we better get going." Dad says, and Starts down the trail, with me and Tanner following closely behind.

"Okay, this is where I camped." We're all stopped at the little clearing, but it Doesn't look like it did when I left it. It is completely swallowed in heavily packed snow.
"Lexi, which direction did the mustang go?" Dad asks me,
I point towards the mountain, but a little bit to the right. I squint and look closely, and I see something... a... cave? No, not a cave. A canyon!
"Dad, look! That's exactly where she went, do you think the avalanche could have missed the canyon?"
"It looks like it. huh, I guess that horse was smarter than we thought." we all ride around he snow damage and towards the canyon.