Saddle Up(87)

They set out early the next morning, prepared for a long, hard ride in near-freezing temps. Keith led the expedition on Little Bear, and Krista brought up the rear behind Miranda, who was thankful for reliable ol’ Sadie, who was as sure-footed as a mountain goat.

After almost three hours of riding on treacherous mountain cow paths, Keith picked up a trail of hoofprints and fresh dung. Not long after that he spotted Blue Eye and his stolen harem. Signaling the riders, Keith pulled up. “Let’s not go any closer.”

Miranda uncapped her camera, zooming in on the stallion and his mares. Blue Eye had taken notice of their presence with perked ears and flared nostrils, standing as a sentinel over his mares. “What do we do now?” Miranda asked in a low tone.

“First we’ll give the others our GPS location in the hope they can flank ’em for us. Next, we’ll need to try and get those mares moving. If I can separate the stallion, the mares just might cooperate, but I don’t think Blue Eye’s going to be too amenable to that.”

“What if you can’t separate them?” Miranda asked.

Keith and Dave exchanged a grim look.

“What are you not telling me?” she demanded.

“If we can’t do this any other way, I’ll have to shoot him,” Keith replied.

Miranda’s jaw dropped. “I can’t believe you said that! You’d actually shoot him? How can you even think it?”

“How can I not think it?” Keith argued “He’s not going to give up those mares without a fight, and I can’t afford for anyone to get hurt in the process. You already knew there was a fifty-fifty chance I’d have to do it anyway. I told you from the beginning that would be his fate if I couldn’t make him safe to be around.”

“But there’s got to be another way!” she protested.

“Look, there’s no point in getting all worked up about it,” he said. “I have a plan. It’s not guaranteed to work, but let’s just see what happens, okay?”

“What kind of plan?” Miranda asked.

“I’m going to use Little Bear to draw him away from the mares,” Keith said. “While Blue Eye’s defending his claim, the rest of you are going to push those mares back toward the ranch.”

“But what about Little Bear? Didn’t you say stallions will fight to the death? How are you going to stop that?” Miranda asked.

“Dave and I will try and rope them, but if things go bad, we’ll have to use the rifle.”

“No, Keith. You can’t! This whole thing sounds way too dangerous.”

He shrugged. “I’ve roped plenty of mustangs before. You up for it, Dave?”

“Hell yeah.” Dave grinned.

“I’m staying with you,” Miranda said.

“Fine,” Keith replied tersely. “I don’t have time to argue about this anymore. Just stay out of the way. This is dangerous, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

A moment later, Keith radioed Dirk and Janice with their position and then pulled back just close enough to keep the horses in sight, but still distant enough that Blue Eye wouldn’t feel the urge to move his band. Once the other wranglers were in position to support their effort, Keith dismounted and unsaddled his horse.

Miranda’s breath caught at Little Bear’s instant transformation. With his gaze pinned on his adversary, he raised his head and snorted, his body trembling with nervous energy, much like a warrior preparing for battle. Little Bear pranced, pawed, and jigged as Keith led him in the direction of the herd, murmuring instructions in low tones that only the horse could hear.

With their heads raised and ears pricked, the mares looked on with avid interest as Keith released his horse. Arching his crested neck and raising his tail, Little Bear galloped toward the periphery of the band. Miranda’s breath caught in apprehension as Blue Eye spun and charged to meet him. The two horses came together, roaring and rearing.

While the mares watched them engage, Dirk, Janice, and the others surreptitiously circled the band. At the same time, Keith on the ground and Dave in the saddle approached the combatants, ropes at the ready. Miranda watched with her heart in her throat, terrified for Little Bear and even more for Keith as he moved straight into the battle zone where two pairs of hooves slashed the air.

Swift and sure, Keith repeatedly dodged the danger of lashing heels and snapping jaws as he prepared to make his move. The first cast of Dave’s lasso glanced off Blue Eye’s shoulder. The second missed completely. The third finally caught Blue Eye’s neck. In a flash, Keith moved in, looping a foreleg with his rope. Blue Eye now fought on two fronts, one eye turned to Little Bear, the other to Keith, while wildly kicking, biting, and plunging.

While Tonya, Krista, and Janice led the mares away from the fray, Donny and Dirk caught Little Bear with their lassos. Using ropes, muscle, and sheer will, the four wranglers struggled to separate the battling stallions. While Keith continued the war of wills with Blue Eye, Donny and Dirk overcame Little Bear. Battered and bleeding, the older stallion disengaged and exited the theatre, wearing his battle scars with pride.

With fists clenched at her sides, Miranda watched the final battle for supremacy between Keith and Blue Eye. She was vividly reminded of the pivotal scene in The Horse Whisperer when Tom Booker used similar methods to wrangle the bellicose Pilgrim. After what felt like eternity, Keith managed to bring the belligerent Blue Eye to his knees. To her amazement, the horse suddenly quit struggling. With flanks heaving and mouth foaming, Blue Eye gave a great groan of surrender and lay down in defeat.