The Stallion Saviour

Chapter 8

Wilbur showed up with the vet before noon and greeted me with a warm smile. I climbed down my porch steps and greeted him with a friendly hug.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven for yesterday?" Wilbur asked hopefully as he hugged me back tightly. I rolled my eyes in annoyance and shook my head. If only he could apologize for what he did all those years ago.

"Hell no, you're gonna have to do a lot more to get my forgiveness. And you're paying the vet bills since you brought her here." I stated as I looked over to the vet. She gave me a sincere smile and introduced herself.

"Hello, I'm doctor Lilly Hedson, Wilbur here told me that a lone stallion showed up on your ranch yesterday?" She said as she came around the truck to shake my hand. She was young and definitely new to this town, probably not much older than me.

"It's nice to meet you, the stallion is in that pasture over there." I said as I pointed to the pasture. The horse was by the gate and nickered when he saw me turn his way.

"Well he's quite a beauty, you really don't know anything about him?" The vet asked as she walked over to the stallion. The horse gave her a a wide eyed stare and then started moving around with unease. When the vet reached out to touch him, a scream like sound escaped him and he reared back in fright.

I had no idea why he acted like that, but he certainly didn't want the vet near him. As he trotted uneasily back and forth his eyes kept flickering back at me and then to the vet.

"Macey, why's he acting like that?" Wilbur asked as he watched the stallion move with unease. I looked at Wilbur and shrugged uncertainly.

"I don't know, he was fine this morning when I fed him some carrots. He even allowed me to pet his head." I said dumbfound. Wilbur frowned and walked over to the vet. As he came closer, the stallion started shrieking and pinning his ears back. Now he was angry and I could see the fury burning in the stallions dark brown eyes. The horse reared and snapped his mouth at Wilbur, bearing his teeth and throwing his head around.

I quickly ran towards Wilbur and the vet, hoping that the horse will calm down a little before he got hurt or hurt anyone else. As I approached, the stallion looked at me and made a sound that almost sounded like a whimper or a whine. He stopped rearing and bearing his teeth, but still had a slight uneasy look in his eyes.

"Calm down boy, we won't hurt you, I promise." I cooed calmly at the frightened horse. He lowered his head and slowly started moving towards me, still keeping a close eye on Wilbur and the vet.

I entered the pasture and slowly stroked his neck. He calmed down enough for me to slowly lead him towards Wilbur and the vet. A few inches away from them he stopped and refused to take another step forward.

"Maybe you can take the chip reader and run it over his body, since he only trusts you." The vet said as she took a small electronic device out of her bag. I took the device from her and listened to her instructions as I ran the chip reader over the horses body.

It didn't take long for the chip reader to start peeping and show a number on the screen. I took it over to the vet and she smiled in relief.

"Well I'll just call the owner and find out the story. I'll be right back." She said as she took out her phone and started dialing the number.

"If the owner wants him back, what are you gonna do?" Wilbur asked me as he gestured towards the horse. The horse pulled his ears back and snorted, but didn't react as violently as before.

"I'll give him back of coarse. I can't take care of a horse yet. There's too much stuff to be done around here and there's no one to do it, but me. Taking care of a horse will only take up my time and I barely have that." I declared as a tired sigh escaped my lips. I was so tired that I could fall asleep right there and not worry about the ants that will be walking over me.

"And if the owner doesn't want him back?" Wilbur asked as he stared down at me with concern in his eyes. I looked up at him and shook my head, hoping that the owner will take the horse back.

"He has to take him back. Why wouldn't he want the horse back?" I asked frustratingly. Just then the vet came back. There was a slightly worried look in her eyes as she flicked her gaze from mine to Wilbur and then back to me.

"Well the owner told me quite an interesting story. Apparently the horse, Thundercloud, was hand raised by his daughter when his mother rejected him. They used him as a stud on their farm, but he was deeply fond of the daughter. Unfortunately the daughter died of cancer last year and since then Thundercloud hasn't been the same. The owner says that he used to be a very sweet and kind stallion, and he never acted out, but since the death of the girl, he changed into a killing machine. The owner was about to take him to the slaughter house, before he broke out of the paddock and ran away." The vet declared as she looked at us. I stared at her with wide, shocked eyes.

This can't be true.

"What are we going to do with him now?" I asked them worriedly. Wilbur and the vet shared a look, before looking back at me.

"You'll have to keep him and take care of him. Or I can call the owner again and he'll come pick him up and take him to the slaughter house. I can't take him to the station, no one will buy him. So there, you have your choices, feel free to pick one." The vet said as she glanced at the horse and then back at me.

I couldn't let him be slaughtered only because no one wants him. I glanced worriedly at Wilbur and begged him to help me.

"He clearly likes and trusts you Macey, maybe you should keep him. You have enough feed around here and I wouldn't mind him breeding with a few of my mares, I'll pay you." Wilbur declared as he stared at the horse, who was busy flinging his head around and trying to catch my attention.

"You said his name is Thundercloud right?" I asked the vet. She smiled and nodded her head in agreement.

"Well it definitely suites him. I guess it won't hurt to keep him around." I finally decided and I looked at the beautiful, strong horse who was reaching his head out to me. His long neck, rippling with the strain.

I walked over to him and gently stroked his soft forelock.

"I'll take care of you, Thundercloud." I declared and smiled when he softly whinnied and licked my cheek.

"I'll give you the owners number so you can talk about his papers and passport, the breeding documents and all the rest."The vet stated as she scribbled the number on a piece of note paper and handed it to me. I shakily took the paper and thanked her for the help. They both said a quick goodbye and left me standing in the pasture with my new horse.