Call of the Horses

Chapter 12

We've been walking on the same trail for an hour and a half and still no sign of Scoot. "Maybe we should split up?" Daniel asks me. " Are you sure, what if something happens to one of us?" I reply.

"Our horses will look after us, isn't that what they say in movies" he says in an over dramatic tone of voice which makes us both laugh. "Ok if it gets late go home and wait for the other, I'll see you later" I give him one last smile and urge Black Star into a trot, and away from Daniel and Yang.

After a while, I can't hear Daniel calling out anymore and I soon get bored. "I think for now I'll call you Star, it's a lot more managable" I say to the mare happily plodding along. She snorts in agreement which makes me smile.

I decide to whistle like I did in the paddock. And as an answer, a hear a loud whinney coming from my left. I turn Star of the track and we set of at a trot through the trees. We hopped over a couple of logs and zig zagged between the large tree trunks.

It was lucky that the trees were spaced a decent way away from each other because it made it easier for me to see Scoot grazing by a stream "He's a smart horse" I say to Star. Star whinneys at Scoot who lifts his head up straight away. He neighs back and and canters toward us.

I pull Star to a stop and dismount. Scoot slows to a walk and rubs his head against Star's. "Hey boy, you're not supposed to out at the moment" I coo, slowly rubbing his neck. I take the riens off Star's neck and loop my arm through them.

I walk towards Scoot's withers and make sure he knows I'm there. He eyes me suspiciously but soon turns his attention back on Star. I mount him swiftly and quietly. Scoot is startled but calms down quickly.

I make sure Star knows to follow Scoot and I, and then click Scoot up into a trot. He happily obbeys and we trot back through the woods. We managed to jump over some fallen down trees and we walked in peace.

I was in the middle of fantasizing what it would be like with my real parents when a single raindrop landed on my nose, then another landed on my arm and then Scoot's coat started to get darker from the rain.

It started as a light shower but then got heavier by the minute.  Soon, puddles of water surrounded the horse's hooves, slowly rising up their legs. Panic shot through my body sending never-ending shivers up my spine.

Something at the back of my mind was telling me that I haf been in a situation like this before but I couldn't put a finger on it. I try not to freak out otherwise the horses will as well.

Where was the barn when you need it, I say to myself. But just as we turned a bend, I saw the barn lights glowing through the sheets of rain, Daniel was pacing in the open doorway. Talk about lucky. I make Scoot and Star trot through the paddock and slow them down to a walk, not wanting them to slip on the concrete.

I dismount and when I've regained my balence, Daniel is already by my side taking Black Star's reins from me. I wrap my arm under Scoot's head and lead him into his stall.

I grab a towel from the tack room and dry the steaming horse down while Daniel untacked Star. I then put the towel away and give Scoot his dinner. By this stage Daniel was also feeding Star and by the time he joined me on a hay bale I had perched on, we were both tired and cold.

"Well that was fun!" I say half heartedly. This makes Daniel laugh. "You could of drowned back there and the best thing you could come up with was 'that was fun', your one wierd girl" he says bumping his shoulder against mine.

Before it gets awkward I ask "So where can I rack out for the night?". "Well, the spare bedroom's free" Daniel mutters as he stands up. "Cool what's for dinner" I ask again. "Always questions with you isn't it Darcy?" he chuckles. "Sorry, habbit".

We make sure all the horses are secure in their stables, double checking Scoot's. And just as we're about to walk out, we hear a bark. "Oh no, Fly! " I yell sprinting back to the stable she's in. Fly was jumping up onto the door and I had to wait until she was standing on all fours to open the door.

She rushes out and I kneel down and scratch her head. In return she licks my face and neck which I don't stop, all I do is laugh. But our little moment ends when Fly notices Daniel. She sprints over to him and gets the same treatment.

After we're finished, we turn off the lights, and shut the barn doors. We then race to the house's porch and fling ourselves onto the swinging chair out the front.

For a moment we just sit there, looking at the rain and catching or breath.  "I'm really glad I met you Daniel" I blurt out before I can stop myself. I blush until he says "Me to" which makes me blush even more.