The Brink(ley) of Extinction

2

          Beth dug deep and found her second wind. She yanked her hands out from under her fathers and wrapped them around the foal's legs above his. They shared a glance and nodded, then together, they pulled and pulled and pulled until Beth's arms burned and ached.

          Finally, finally, the foal slid toward them in a gush of fluids. Papa and Beth stumbled backward and only just managed to stay on their feet. Bailey laid her head down on the straw-covered floor and groaned tiredly. The foal lay still for only a moment before it started kicking its legs and struggling. The mare heaved a sigh and lunged to her hooves. She turned around and started licking her colt's face, clearing his nostrils and one eye in a single swipe of her big tongue. The other side of his face with the next.

          Beth glanced at Papa. His eyes were glistening, his chest puffed out, beaming. It was quite similar to his expression when Chip had been born, she noted with mixed feelings. She rose to stand beside him and tucked herself under his arm. Papa's hand rested on her shoulder. He looked about to say something when the staccato of hoofbeats permeated the otherwise quiet afternoon. Papa's attention snapped to the barn doorway and he hurried out, leaving Beth to watch over the mare and colt.

          The dark-haired little colt was almost all cleaned up now and already trying to stand. He was the spitting image of his dam. Dark bay with a small white diamond on his forehead. Beth smiled at the handsome baby. She couldn't wait to bring Chip out to meet him.

          Suddenly the mare's legs buckled underneath her and she sank heavily to the floor. Her breath came out in a groan and her hind legs stiffened. Fear seized Beth's heart.

          "Papa!" She cried and immediately heard 3 sets of feet running. Beth moved to pull the colt away lest he get hurt. Dr. Graham stepped into the stall, Papa followed. A moment later he let out a laugh. Papa sighed deeply and grinned. 

          "Come see, Kitten."

          Beth moved over, next to the men and sighed in relief as well. Then she laughed and bounced on her toes in delight. She would've jumped for joy, but she didn't want to scare the colt and his mama... and his twin sister. The tiny filly was slower to rise and took more encouragement from the mare. She did start to try to get up, but wasn't nearly so spirited as her larger brother. He was already up and nosing at Bailey's teats.

          Papa nodded at the sight, and Beth took that as her cue. She turned to go get a halter, only to have it shoved into her hands by Blythe, standing just on the other side of the stall door. They shared a grin. Beth slipped the halter over Bailey's head and held her while Doc Graham checked over all three patients.

          With a clean bill of health, but instructions to watch the filly carefully, Doc left. Blythe and Beth wandered up to the house. Caroline Brinkley met them at the door, a wooden spoon in hand. She peered past her daughters into the yard.

          "And? How are they, then?

          "Just fine, Mama." Blythe stepped around her into the foyer of the large farmhouse. She glanced again, at Beth, grinning. "Though there is a small surprise."

          "Oh?" Caroline moved back to the kitchen, affecting a completely uninterested air. "Is it that my potatoes and carrots have magically appeared on the counter?"

          Beth's jaw dropped as her mother checked the roast in the oven. "Ma you cannot possibly think—" she trailed off when Blythe snorted a laugh. Only then did she notice the teasing twinkle in her mother's eyes. Beth sighed, then released a begrudging chuckle.

          "Where's Chip?" Blythe asked when the moment had passed.

          "Out back with the dogs. Would you get him please?" Mama stirred a pot.

          Blythe disappeared out the kitchen door, and Beth headed for the stairs. Halfway up she realized that her entire left arm and right forearm were covered in straw and various birthing fluids, so she shuffled back out to the well.

          When she came back down, arms scrubbed clean, wearing a clean dress, Papa was sitting at the table, laughing at something Mama said. Watching them, hearing her parents laugh together, reminded Beth of how fortunate she was to have a mother and father who loved her dearly. After more than twenty years of marriage, they were still best friends and more in love than ever. Beth's best friend's home wasn't nearly so happy. She offered up a quick prayer of thanks that her family was so good.

          "So," Papa began once they were all seated around the table, "what are we all thankful for tonight?"

          "Baby horses!" Chip piped up right away.

          "They're called foals, Chip." Beth corrected, then she turned to her parents, sitting side-by-side at the head of the table. "I'm thankful for Mama and Papa... and the foals." She grinned.

          The others took their turns, then Papa prayed a short, sweet blessing over the meal and everyone dug in.