Wildfire Summer

F-I-R-E x2

For the second time in our lives, we were running from fire. The dry grasses and brush mixed with a numerous dead trees due to beetles were the perfect fuel. I constantly looked back, not only to see how fast the fire was coming at us but also to make sure Zora was still with me. We had a good head start on the fire but my hopes of escaping this one were fading fast. Soon we reached a fork in the road. I veer to the right only to look back and see Zora go left. "ZORA!", I whinny after her but she doesn't hear me.

I couldn't lose Zora. She was so young, So unexposed to nature and the dangers it held, but then again so was I. Sure my girl had taken me camping several times, and we had a few close encounters, but I didn't have her here to protect me or Zora. I would have to be the one doing the protecting now. Zora was speedy but she was no match for my quarter horse bloodlines as I quickly caught up to her. I give her a nudge and she gives another burst of speed. We kept out heads as low as we dared to carry them at such speeds. The smoke wasn't near as thick closer to the ground.

Suddenly I had an idea. I nipped Zora's flank to catch her attention and then veered off the road. Maybe if we crossed the water we could get an extra head start on the fire. we stopped long enough to take in a few gulps of the water before splashing through it and taking off up the mountainside. We level out about halfway up the mountain and keep pushing forward. While crossing the river gave us a little head start we were still being gained on by the fire. This was turning into a hopeless situation. Soon the smoke would get the better of us. It would seize up our lungs and we would choke to death....and then burn. There would be nothing left of us for our owners to have closure.

I check behind me again to look for Zora in the thickening smoke. To my dismay she is not just right behind me anymore. She is fading into the smoke. I must go back for her. Fighting every instinct in my body I turn into the smoke and gallop back to Zora who has given up. She stands favoring her right front hoof. I want to ask her what happened but there is no time. I nudge her forward again and again. Step by slow step she reluctantly obeys. Whatever it was it had to have hurt her real bad for her to be willing to just give up like that.

Relief came in the form of helicopters and planes. The choppers brought buckets of water down drowning out the smoke and wetting the ground ahead of the fire. We got drenched by a couple buckets. Then the planes swooped low and opened up their bellies spilling a powdery blood everywhere. It too must help with containing the fire. About that time the wind shifted directions. The plane dropping the powdery blood released another load and with the wind change it came directly onto Zora and I. Already wet from the water, the red powder clung onto our pelts. I couldn't help but chuckle. Zora was no longer a red roan pinto but a solid red chestnut in color, and as for me I seemed to turn a darkish murky red from it.

The wind shift was a blessing. It turned the fire back onto itself. We were out of danger once again. Hopefully there would be no more dangers. I didn't know how much more running from fires we could take. I stop Zora who looks at me with relief. " What happened?", I ask her. "I stepped on something sharp in the road....", She lifts her right front and I can see the blood dripping from it. It doesn't look good. We walk slowly back down the mountain and down to some marshy flats by the river. The willows were thick and the grass lush. After a long drink Zora gingerly walked over underneath a willow and lay down. She closed her eyes, relief flooding her face. I can only imagine how great it feels for her to be off her injured hoof.
      Night arrives and I stand watch over Zora. Frequently I'd catch myself dozing off and have to go dunk my head in the river. I must stay awake for Zora's sake, just in case any danger came. The fire could come back... or maybe there were still predators lurking looking for easy prey off injured wildlife, or in this case an injured filly. She was such an easy target at the moment. I'd lost everything else so I wasn't going to lose my dear sweet Zora too. She had too much life to live. I could only hope her injury didn't affect her for life.
        Two days later and Zora's hoof was getting worse. It had abscessed and she could barely even walk on it. She'd stand long enough to hobble to the water and get a drink and graze for a few moments before she would sink back to the ground. Each time changing sides to give the other a break from all her time on the ground. I hadn't slept in those two days. I was exhausted. Surely it couldn't hurt to just close my eyes for a couple minutes right?
     I awoke to a downright bone chilling howl of a wolf. My eyes shot open and located Zora who was making her way towards me. It was dusk, daylight would soon be gone. "I'm scared," Zora cozies right up to my side. I nuzzle her in reassurance. " Nothing is going to happen to you for as long as I am here to protect you. I promise." " what if we never make it home?" " Hush now Z. We will go home. We will see our people again. And if not, then this will be home. The mountains. We will adapt... Maybe find some other horses who have lost their families from the fires and depend on each other for safety. Like wild horses." I say to her as my ears swivel ever which direction, listening for the slightest sound.
     We never did hear the wolf again, or see him. I thought I caught a quick whiff of him but played it off as my imagination for Zora's sake. Morning came and my ears picked up a different sound entirely. A vehicle. People! Zora hears them too and tries to stand but falls right back down. Her hoof is too bad now. With renewed hope I trot over to the road and eagerly await the people who I now see and I know they see me. They slow and pull over. One woman and a man slowly get out of the vehicle and I nicker in greeting before trotting back to Zora. Sure enough, the people follow. I nuzzle Zora's injured leg causing her to let out a painful squeal of a whinny. "Oh honey, the little one is hurt! Can we help her?" The lady spoke as she approached. Her husband kneels down and examines the abscess. "I have an Idea."
       The man uses a pocket knife to break open the abscess and pry out the culprit of all Zora's pain, a piece of glass. He then proceeds to take a towel and wraps it around her hoof before duct taping it on. "That should keep it from infection... Until she walks it off", he says as he walks back to their vehicle. " We can't leave them!" His wife pleas. " Honey, we have no trailer. We need to get out of here, it's still a fire danger zone. That filly doesn't seem to motivated to leave. We will mark their location on the GPS and report them to BLM."
      I sure as heck didn't understand a word they had said but I was forever grateful they fixed up my dear Zora. I was saddened to see them leave, but also knew they couldn't stay. Neither could we. " Rest up Zora dear, tomorrow we move on."