The Brink(ley) of Extinction

13

          Seb glanced back at the sound of a quiet chuckle, looking over in time to see Beth bump her forehead gently against her horse's neck. Her arm was over his neck, and she looked happier than he'd ever seen her. The sight did odd things to his stomach.

          "You okay there, Hamilton?" Brooks's voice startled Seb and he dropped the hand he'd unconsciously pressed to his middle. He cleared his throat and nodded.

          "Fine." He cleared his throat again. Glanced quickly at Beth.

          She was watching him with the beginnings of a sneer. Her top lip just barely pulling up. Seb had to consciously keep his free hand at his side. He stuffed it in his pocket.

          It was confusing. She could never quite seem to keep her dislike of Seb hidden. Maybe she simply chose not to hide it. She was unfailingly polite, but only just. And yet, Seb could not make himself dislike her back. His stomach had jolted when he'd stepped out of his house to see her standing at the hitch rail, comforting his missing horse. The damn horse looked like he was half in love with her.

          Sebastian led the gelding and his two guests into the barn and found an empty stall to deposit his newly returned steed. He was glad the animal wasn't hurt, but the situation raised many questions for him. He was sure that this was the horse his brother had ridden out on three months ago when he'd gone back south to fetch his brand-new bride.

          Seb knew Michael was a bit flighty and, at times, unthinking, but he didn't think his brother would purposely lose his horse. Or put it in such danger that it broke its own reins to escape.

          He shook his head to get rid of those thoughts; he had guests. They would want to see their foal.

          Beth followed Hamilton and her father into the barn at a slower pace; she wanted to see everything. The floor of the barn was wood, worn smooth with time. She glanced into each stall as they passed by. The straw was thick on the floor, and it settled Beth's stomach a little to see it. The two stalls they passed that were occupied, the horses in them stuck their heads over the doors and nickered. Beth took a few moments to pet each of them and breathe in their sweet musky scent.

          They stopped in front of the first stall on their right, and Beth peeked in.

          "What...?" She stuttered. The foal had a hide tied over its back and neck. The mare snuffled at the hide and licked the filly's face, nickering gently. The filly responded by tucking her nose under the mare's belly and latching on to a teat.

          "So, it worked." Beth breathed. The knots in Beth's middle finally unravelled and she sighed deeply with relief.

          Hamilton crooked an eyebrow at her, "Your father told you my plan?"

          "Of course," Beth countered, "If it concerns my livestock, then I hear about it."

          Brooks nodded and added, "Beth birthed them, she is responsible for them."

          Now Hamilton's eyebrows rose nearly to his hairline, "You pulled them?"

          "There's no need for you to be so surprised. Chip certainly couldn't do it. And why not me? I work the farm as hard as Papa does." She turned back to watch her filly nurse.

          "How did it go with introducing the two?" Papa asked.

          Hamilton scuffed a toe against the floor and leaned forward to brace his forearms against the stall wall. "It was a little iffy, at first. Neither of them seemed to know what to do with themselves but after the mare got a good whiff of her dead colt's hide, she didn't waste any time."

          "You've kept them inside all week?"

          "We've been putting the mare outside while we clean the stall. But the filly's stayed in."

          Beth tuned out the conversation in favour of the pair in front of her. The filly had let go of the teat and was bouncing around her adopted mother, attempting to kick her heels up.

          "What have you named her?" She spared a glance for Hamilton.

          He shrugged, "We've just called her 'filly'. We didn't figure it was our right to name her."

          "Have you noticed anything special in her personality?"

          Hamilton shook his head, "She's very quiet."

          "When are you planning to let her out for the first time?" Papa interjected.

          "Next Wednesday. She should be strong enough to keep up with Curioso by then." Hamilton pushed off the stall and moved to the latch. "Would you like to go in and pet her?"

          Beth nodded and stepped forward as he opened the door just wide enough for her to step through.

          "Curioso?" she heard Papa inquire behind her.

          "It's Spanish for 'curious', I'm told."

          "Who told you?"

          "My mother's friend, Esmeralda, came over from Spain some years ago, ended up a few towns over until her husband died. Then she moved here, met my mother and they became fast friends. Now she lives here on the ranch with my mother in a cabin over on the creek. The mare broke out of her pen not long after Esme moved in and wandered over to their cabin. Esme mentioned she was a very curioso creature, and it stuck."