Homecoming (Sequel)

II. Blue Jeans in Bighorn

Hiya!

Sadly, I have returned to school, so my three-month  vacation has been officially terminated. Two years of higher eduction at  my High School on the horizon...What did I get myself into? *Sighs* But  I will try to upload frequently. This sequel is going to be so fun for  me to write, since Iʼve been a horse person ever since I was born :)

Hope you like it! 

Xo Dionne Maria

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The  company of three men rode in front of Napoleon and I, babbling like  baboons and galavanting forward as if they were baby deers in Spring  while we crossed the vast expanse of our ranch. I wasnʼt yet in the mood  for conversing, or pretend like I was happy to be on this muster. In  all honesty, I wanted to turn Napoleon around and be on my way towards  the old homestead. I would rather be with my bubbly son than baby-sit  fifty head of pregnant cattle. But, being the kill-joy didnʼt sit right  with me either. To them, this was work and a fun break away from the  usual routine. It was true. I mean, a two day drove up to Sheridan  County was not something I did on a weekly basis. John Haleyʼs land,  Absaroka Ranch, was about dayʼs ride away from Owl Creek, all the way up  to the Montana-Wyoming border. Being away from home and living in the  saddle for at least ten hours each day was exhausting. 

As we  rode, the view didnʼt really change. It was miles upon miles of  untouched plains with the occasional skipping bunny. But it was a  beautiful scenery. We followed the Owl Creek, all the way out of Hot Springs County. Galloping, trotting, walking, our horses carried us  further and further up north, along the banks of the Big Horn River.  Though late today, or maybe tomorrow, the Big Horn National Forest would  be laying at our horsesʼ hooves. Vast stretches of unchecked trees and  bushes, all carrying that forest smell that I loved. 

I gently  tightened my legs around Napoleonʼs flanks and he leaped into a fluent  trot, excitedly extending his legs as if he were a show pony. I steered  him towards Willow greeted him with a high-pitched whinny and Joe amicably nodded his head at me.

"Heya, Luciano." 

"Hiya." I smiled at the bronzed lad, who couldʼve been my twin if Iʼd still had been sporting my off-black tresses.

His forest green eyes sized me up knowingly. He was a soul reader. "Are you  okay? You donʼt seem like youʼre living on cloud nine at the moment..." 

"Wey-aye," I sighed. "Itʼs just hard, ya know?"

"I know." He nodded. "But itʼs gonna be alright. Heʼs got the two best nannies catering on every last one of his royal needs."

"Little Prince Domenico." He was a demanding baby, despite of being bubbly and sweet. I could already picture him holding a scepter and wearing a crown, being crowned as King of whatever country he forced himself onto.  

"And in the meanwhile, Mommy is going to have fun with her two best guy pals. From which,  of course, sheʼs most likely gonna enjoy her best friend Joe the most.  Because cʼmon, I donʼt have the intelligence of a shell fish."

Nate turned around in his saddle. "Shut up, Young."

"I wasnʼt even talking about you, calm your titties..." He winked at me. 

The  blonde boy scoffed in annoyance before he turned back around, giving  Joe the cold shoulder. Joe looked at me, with that friendly smile  playing in his lips that I had always found very comforting. 

"But  as I was saying...You love mustering, you love camping. Cʼmon, look at  this land." He gestured around with his hand. The cobbling river, the golden grass, the bright sun. "Most people would kill to be able to say this land is their heritage."