The Phantom Stallion, Reunited

Chapter 3

Early the next morning, I switch horses, riding Tempest to give Ace a break. Jake still follows me doggedly, always watching. Jen comes with me this time, riding next to me on her horse, Silly. When given a break, the two of us race up the nearest hill, watching the herd move slowly past.

“Jake's changed,” Jen tells me, nodding down the hill to where Jake rides, hanging back nearly two miles from the herd.

“We've changed.” I yawn.

“He's watching us.” Jen whispers, leaning towards me.

“Then let's give him something to do.” I smirk, petting out a whistle. Immediately, Witch stops, Jake go w flying over her head once again. The three of us catch up to the herd a short while later, Darrel, seeing the dirt coating Jake's clothes, laughs and rides back to us.

“Where'd you learn to sit a horse?” He asks, chuckling. Jake tugs his hat down lower, embarrassed for once. He wouldn't dare admit to Darrel that his own horse had thrown him, even though Darrel had watches me teach Witch that particular trick. That night, Jake catches me alone with the horses.

“Better tie 'em to trees. 'Nother storm comin in.” He says, tying Witch to a thick branch.

“Storm comes there won't be any horses to tie.” I shrug. “Haven't had this much rain in years, not that you'd know.”

“Wyatt doesn't want you nighthawkin tonight either. Kenworthy's left, 'parently Jen's gonna have a little brat running around, too. Only one tent left.” He rubs the back of his neck, ears turning red. I whirl around at his words, my brown braid nearly hitting me in the face. Furious, I swing up onto Ace's back, riding into the darkness. I cross the river, and make it to the top of the bluff, listening to the rumbling thunder come closer. Lightning cracks above my head just as I'm about to head back, lighting up the valley below, revealing Jake and Dad as they ride across the rising river. Dad's horse Tank rears, but Dad isn't thrown, not until the next roll of thunder. Tank goes crazy, kicking and bucking, this lands Dad in the mud as rain starts to come down in buckets. Witch jumps away, tossing her head, pulling the reins from Jake's hands. He wrestles with her, trying to keep the mare in check, but his control doesn't last long. The water's rising fast, and I can only watch as the horse leaps away from it, her scream tearing into the storm. Jake hits the ground, trying to get back up before Witch's hooves hit him. He's thrown into the air, landing near the edge of the river. I dig my heels into Ace, racing down the steep slope towards them. Dad's on his feet now, pulling Jake from the water. I leap from Ace's back, helping.

“Get him up there, there's a tunnel!” I shout through the roar, pointing up the hill. Nodding silently, fury in his eyes, Dad starts up the slope. Witch stands where she'd thrown Jake, staring at him, a look in her eyes that says she blames him. Tank stands several feet away. I hold my hands out, waiting for them to come to me before leading them after the men. Ace follows willingly. The mud makes it hard going up the hill, but eventually, we make it under the rocky outcropping, finding shelter from the storm in the tunnel. Dad lays Jake against the rock wall, I take the small box of matches from my saddlebag, venturing deeper into the cave.

“Samantha, get back here. It's too dangerous.” Dad yells after me.

“It's not, Dad. I've been here before.” I insist, going father into the cave. After awhile, I can see light at the other end, sunlight. Horses graze in the valley below, the Phantom circling his herd. Nodding silently, I go back to the men, and the storm.

“Well?” Dad asks angrily.

“We'll have to be quiet, but it'll be dry.” I pull Jake up, he's still unconscious, and we nearly have to drag him through the tunnel.