The Brink(ley) of Extinction

4

          Sebastian rode next to Brooks Brinkley, while his newest hire, Mark Kennedy, drove the wagon they would bring Brinkley's filly back in. He wondered if the man's idea would work. The few times Seb had tried to graft a foal onto a nurse-mare had ended in grief. But he was willing to try Brinkley's idea of rubbing his nurse-mare's dead foal's hide over Brinkley's foal. He didn't really have much hope that it would work; but he had nothing to lose in this venture, so he went along with Brinkley's request to repay a long-standing debt.

          During the forty-minute ride to Brinkley's farm, Sebastian listened to the man rave about his daughters' various skills. Especially Blythe's artwork and Beth's cooking. He didn't really pay attention until they arrived and found the elder daughter sitting in the barn, just outside the stall that presumably held the foals and their dam. She looked up from her painting when the men entered and smiled. But when her eyes turned to him, her smile wavered, and she dropped her chin just a fraction of an inch.

          "Hello, Flower." Brinkley greeted her, "Would you ride out and get your sister? I expect she's still out with the herd."

          Blythe quickly packed up her tools, moved the easel into an empty stall and kissed her father's cheek. "Of course, Papa. Can I take Cherokee?"

          Brinkley nodded and Blythe's face lit up with a pretty smile. She rushed past him, then seconds later ran by again, bridle in hand.

          Brinkley turned to Seb and Kennedy. "You'll want to see this." He said, grinning. 

          He led the way out the rear doors of the barn. "I shipped him in from Kentucky. He sired my twins." Brinkley motioned to a great big dappled grey stallion.

          A great big stallion that his daughter was running straight for.

          Sebastian watched in awestruck horror as the stallion raised his head, then charged.

          Blythe, the stupid girl, just kept running toward him.

          "What the...?" Kennedy whispered beside him, taking a step forward. The two shared a grim glance, almost certain Brinkley was watching his daughter run to her death. Seb glanced at Brinkley. The lunatic was grinning! He turned his attention back to the scene unfolding in front of him.

          Blythe had stopped and stood watching the stallion race across the earth toward her. Time slowed as Sebastian watched, knowing that if the horse didn't stop or turn away, Blythe would be hurt. Probably fatally.

          When he was a stride away, the huge horse leapt to the side, barely missing the girl. He loped in a circle around her, coming to a bouncing stop in front of her.

          Seb vaguely noticed Kennedy reaching for the wall behind him. He allowed himself to sigh in relief when he spotted Cherokee tuck his face into Blythe's hands.

          Brinkley laughed in delight, "My Beth trained him from a two-year-old."

          Sebastian, now intrigued, watched the girl and the stallion more closely. Blythe held out her hand and the horse rested his muzzle in her palm. Then she drew the bridle's reins around his neck. She took her time bridling him, though the horse looked like he took the bit willingly. Blythe moved around to the far side of the horse, shielding her from Seb's view. A moment later, Cherokee... bowed?

          Seb squinted, wondering if the sun had finally gotten to him. But no. The stallion went down on one knee, stretching the other leg out in front of his body. Blythe slid onto his back, and the horse rose up again. Cherokee, seemingly of his own accord, wheeled and loped in the opposite direction, away from the barn and their dumbfounded spectators.

          Brinkley chuckled again, turning to Seb and Kennedy, "Yep, my girls can ride, alright." Then he continued back into the barn. Seb followed.