Healing the Forest Ranger

by Leigh Bale

  After a time, Brutus settled down, lulled by the nearness of his mares. But not Beeswax. He continued to pace the outskirts of the trap, head held high, mane and tail flying in the wind as he trotted back and forth.

  Then the sorting began. Shaking sticks with white plastic bags taped to the end, the wranglers shied the horses into separate pens. The men moved the mustangs with the aid of a veterinarian. Brutus in one pen, dry mares in another, and mares with foals in a third. The vet “mouthed” each horse, lifting their upper lips to check their teeth and determine the age of each animal. Though Cade knew the wranglers had a cattle prod handy in case of a serious emergency, it was never used. Not even on Brutus.

  “Time for us to go.” Radio in hand, Lyn tapped her booted heels against Apple’s sides.

  The horse hurried into a gallop toward the winded mare left behind by the rest of the herd. Cade rode beside Lyn, his hands sheathed with leather gloves as he clutched a lasso tightly with his fingers. Grandfather had taught him to tag a calf. As they neared the wild mare, he whipped the rope high in a wide arc.

  The mare saw them coming and snorted. With wild eyes, she turned and tried to run, stumbled and stopped. The rope whizzed overhead. Cade threw the lasso. It slid over the mustang’s ears, and he tightened it around her damp neck before wrapping one end around the saddle horn. She jerked back, but didn’t flee. Too exhausted to run. Caught.

  “She has a club foot,” Lyn observed.

  “She sure does, but not too deformed. It’s a wonder she was able to keep up with the rest of the herd for so long.” He drew in the length of rope, leading the limping mare at a tranquil pace back to the trap. Listening to her whooshing breath and seeing her head down as she plodded along in submission tore at Cade’s heart. Because of her bad hoof, the vets might decide to euthanize her.

  Unless Cade intervened. And right then and there, he decided to adopt the horse. With a club foot, she couldn’t be ridden much, except on calm walks around the corrals back at Sunrise Ranch. But the horse would bring Kristen a lot of joy. The girl had a tender heart and would love and care for the mare. Of that, Cade had no doubt.

  “She’s got fire, but I doubt she’ll be of much use for riding,” Lyn said.

  Cade disagreed. “Not for lots of running, but she’ll do fine for walking. I’m gonna buy her.”

  Lyn snapped her head around and stared at him. “Why would you do that?”

  “She’s lame, just like Kristen and Matt, but her life doesn’t have to be over with. She’s young and can’t be ridden fast, but she’ll be a good, calm horse for walking young amputee kids around my corral.”

  She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing beneath the brim of her hat. “What are you suggesting?”

  “Nothing, yet. We’ll see.”

  But he couldn’t stop thinking about the multitude of papers he’d sent in several weeks ago to see about a possible grant to start up an equine camp for amputee kids. Lyn had put the idea into his head. Nothing might come of it, but he wanted to try.

  Back at the trap, Cade helped Lyn with the sorting. The transport trailer backed its wheels into two trenches they’d dug down about one foot so the horses wouldn’t need to step up into the confines of the enclosure.

  As they worked, the helicopter flew off to find more mustangs. By late afternoon they’d gathered a total of thirty-seven horses, and the chopper came in for basic maintenance and refueling. Not bad for a day of hard work. Over the next few weeks, they’d repeat this process until they’d rounded up enough horses to satisfy the grazing needs for this area.

  The mustangs were loaded into the transport trailer, ready to go. Cade lifted his gaze to the horizon where Beeswax continued to circle the perimeter. With not a single member of his herd left behind, he was still agitated.

  All alone.

  Cade didn’t want to feel sentimental over a wild mustang, but he thought about what he’d do if Lyn and Kristen were taken from him. He’d search for them as long as it took. He’d never give up. Never quit.

  “Wait!” Lyn called as the men lifted the gate to close up the transport.

  They paused, their eyes filled with irritation at this delay. They’d all worked hard and wanted to get home to evening supper.

  “Let’s turn one of those young mares loose,” she said.

  Frank Whitcomb, the man in charge from the BLM, squinted with curiosity. “What for?”

  She gestured toward Beeswax. “You’re taking his entire family. Give him one of the mares so he won’t be out here all alone.”

  Cade stared at her, along with everyone else. Again, her empathy stunned him. He’d felt bad for Beeswax, but it never occurred to him to free one of the mares. Lyn’s compassion touched Cade’s heart like nothing else could.

  “But we just caught these horses,” one wrangler argued.

  “Releasing one mare won’t hurt anything,” she insisted.

  Frank hesitated, and Cade thought he might refuse Lyn. Which wouldn’t be a wise choice. Lyn’s jaw hardened like granite, her brown eyes darkening and becoming as sharp as flinty chips of steel. As the forest ranger and the only woman on this roundup, she’d worked as hard as the men and had earned their respect.

  “You’re right.” Frank waved a hand for one of the men to free a horse.

  A wrangler separated out a healthy mare and shooed her past the tailgate. The horse’s unshod hooves pounded against the trailer floor as she backed out onto solid ground. The wranglers moved away, and the mare stood eyeing them in confusion for several moments. Then, realizing she was free, she kicked up clods of dirt and raced straight for Beeswax. The stallion called a greeting and galloped out to meet her. The two animals snorted, nudged noses and breathed each other in.

  The sweetest family reunion Cade ever saw.

  The transport started down the road, leaving several of the wranglers behind to clean up the trap area. It didn’t take long. While Lyn helped gather up the burlap fencing, Cade rode out to retrieve several white-flag markers. Moving Flash at a slow lope, Cade rode over a low hill. His stomach rumbled with hunger. Maybe he’d invite Lyn over for a warm, home-cooked meal at his place. Dal had promised to barbecue rib-eye steaks with potatoes and salad.

  Cade’s mouth watered at the thought. He wasn’t paying attention.

  A barbed wire fence cut across the side of the embankment. Out of his peripheral vision, Cade caught a flurry of movement and jerked his head around. A rattlesnake lay half-coiled as he sunned himself on a flat stone.

  Flash swerved sharply to avoid crashing over the reptile. The unexpected jostling took Cade unaware. The reins jerked from his fingers. He clutched at empty air, falling backward over the horse’s rump. The ground slammed up to meet him. Pain sliced through him as his back landed on the barbed wire. Caught in the stirrup, his right leg jerked hard, then snapped. A bolt of pain shot through him. The sickening sound of his bone breaking brought a flash of bright stars across his eyes and he blinked.

  Flash screamed in fear. Bowing his head, the horse humped his back and bucked. Once. Twice— Wrenching a piercing scream from Cade’s throat each time.

  Then all went still.

  A black void clawed at Cade’s mind, but he fought it off. Semiconscious, he knew his foot was still caught in the stirrup. He had to get it loose. If Flash took off at a run, he’d be dragged to his death.

  He reached out a hand toward his leg, then lay there for several moments, dazed and hurting. Gasping for breath. Trying to get his bearings. Trying to stay awake.

  A faint hissing sounded to his left and behind him. The sound ebbed and faded as the snake slithered away into the shadowed underbrush.

  Cade couldn’t pass out. He couldn’t die. Lyn and Kristen needed him, whether Lyn realized it or not. As much as he needed them. He couldn’t lose them. Not now. Not like this.

&n
bsp; So he prayed.

  * * *

  Lyn closed the corral gate and secured the latch. Releasing a sigh, she leaned against the iron panels for several moments, her arms and legs weighted by fatigue. She’d earned her weariness today. They’d had a successful roundup with no losses or injured horses. That pleased her immensely.

  Turning, she surveyed the empty valley. Where was Cade? He should be back by now.

  Dust sifted over the dirt road, heralding the passing of the transport trailer and other trucks. She and Cade were the last to leave. Since she’d picked him and Flash up early that morning, she knew he wouldn’t have left with someone else. Not without telling her.

  Would he?

  Taking hold of the reins, she stepped up onto Apple. The leather saddle creaked as she set her feet in the stirrups. She clicked her heels against the horse’s sides and loped into the valley, heading in the direction where she’d last seen Cade. Anticipating his friendly smile, she was tempted to invite him over for dinner with her and Kristen tomorrow night.

  What could it hurt?

  Funny how comfortable she’d become with him. How he settled her nerves without saying a single word. Just being near Cade brought her peace.

  As she reached the sloping hills, she gazed down into the canyon. Nothing. No sign of him or his horse—

  Wait! Flash stood several hundred feet away, his reins trailing on the ground. But where was Cade?

  Riding in that direction, Lyn caught a sound. Subtle at first, then more plaintive. A croaking cry for help.

  “Haw!” She urged Apple into a run.

  A movement lower to the ground caught her eye. Cade! Strung up in the barbed wire, his right leg held at an odd angle, his foot still caught in the stirrup.

  Broken. Lyn had no doubt.

  Several yards away, she slowed Apple to a walk, endeavoring not to spook Flash into running. Her gaze took in Cade’s predicament. Both arms were wrapped around barbed wire. His chambray shirt was tattered and bloodied, and his leather gloves provided little protection against the slicing barbs. But that wasn’t what alarmed her. Cade lay with his head tilted back, his corded throat exposed to a sharp length of barbed wire. If Flash bolted, the man’s throat would be sliced open.

  “Whoa,” she said gently to Flash, sliding off Apple in a slow movement.

  Flash stomped one hoof and waved his head. His tail swished at a fly, but he didn’t move. Thank goodness he knew Lyn well and didn’t shy away.

  She walked to the horse, extending an arm. She clasped the drooping reins, then held tight.

  “Cade, can you hear me?”

  No response, but his head rolled to the side. His eyes were closed, his dark lashes stark against his pale face.

  Lyn turned Flash and tied the horse to a fence post, then gently disengaged Cade’s foot from the stirrup. As she set his leg on the ground, a cry of pain wrenched from his throat.

  Reaching for her radio, she called Frank, hoping he wasn’t too far out of range. Praying she could get help.

  “This is Frank.” A burst of static followed.

  “Frank, we’ve got an emergency. Cade’s down, badly injured. Need help now.”

  Static squawked through the air. “Affirmative. We’re on our way back. See you in twenty minutes.”

  Relieved to have someone coming to assist in getting Cade to a hospital, she reached into her saddlebags and pulled out a bottle of water and a bandanna. She knelt beside him, her hands trembling. She fought off the shock and fear, doing what needed to be done right now. She could fall to pieces later on, once Cade was safe.

  Wetting the linen cloth, she pressed it against his lips and then his forehead. His eyes flickered open, and he gave her a weak smile.

  “I knew you’d come.”

  His words turned her heart into soft mush. How had they come to depend on each other? To care so deeply?

  “I think you have a broken leg, but I don’t know how bad it is,” she said. “Frank and his men are on their way back to help us get you out of here.”

  He gave a weak nod, swallowing hard. “Good. I feared you might have to put me down like we did that lame mare.”

  She inhaled a sharp breath. “That’s not funny.”

  “I know. Thank goodness you found me in time.”

  Yes, thank the Lord.

  “How do you feel?” she asked.

  “Like a herd of wild mustangs just trampled over me.”

  She didn’t laugh.

  “Don’t you leave me, you hear?” she ordered, praying he didn’t have internal injuries. Praying he’d be okay.

  “Not ever. Not if I can help it.”

  She plumped her jacket beneath his head and washed the blood from his face and throat, making him as comfortable as possible. She was jittery with impatience as she waited for help to arrive. Sitting in the dirt beside Cade, she glared at the horizon, desperate for a cloud of dust or any other sign along the dirt road to show that Frank and his men were near.

  “You saved my life,” Cade said.

  She hesitated, thinking over his words. “And you saved mine.”

  He blinked his lack of understanding.

  “With Kristen. You brought her back to me,” she explained.

  He shook his head, a small movement that caused him to grimace. “No, you did that yourself, with the Lord’s help.”

  “But you showed me the way. Did I tell you my husband was a marine before we got married? He served in the Gulf War.”

  Cade swallowed, his Adam’s apple moving briefly. “Yeah, you told me.”

  “Well, he taught me to never leave a fallen man behind. So you stay with me, okay?”

  A tentative smile curved his handsome lips. “Don’t worry. I’m not gonna die. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

  She hoped not.

  “I’m sorry your husband died,” he said after a moment.

  “Yeah, me, too. I just wish I could tell him...” Her mind stumbled over the words she longed to say.

  “What?”

  “Oh, so many things.”

  “Such as?”

  Why did Cade always push her out of her comfort zone? This time, she didn’t mind as much, but he always seemed to know when she needed to talk. “Such as how sorry I am. The accident was my fault, Cade. All my fault.”

  “I thought it was a drunk driver’s fault,” he said.

  “It was, but I was driving our car that night. We were laughing, and I wasn’t paying attention to the road. I might have avoided the accident otherwise. If only I could go back in time—a few seconds is all I need to bring Rob back safely. I could give Kristen her leg back and everything would be okay—”

  Tears burned her eyes and clogged her throat. She hadn’t meant to confide in Cade. He was the only person she’d ever told her secret to. He’d become her best friend, and she loved him. She knew that now. It did no good to deny it.

  He released a deep breath and reached for her hand, twining his fingers with hers. She didn’t resist. She couldn’t fight him anymore. Not now when she’d almost lost him for good. Life had become so precious to her. She didn’t want to waste any more time on fear and regrets.

  “The accident wasn’t your fault, Lyn. You shouldn’t blame yourself any more than Kristen should blame herself.”

  “I wish it were so easy.”

  “I know. But I’ve learned obstacles are meant to strengthen us, not defeat us. God wants us to have joy. Don’t you think it’s time to let go of your guilt?”

  Lyn knew what he said was true, but for some reason forgiveness and joy were for other people, not her.

  Until now. Until she found herself wanting to believe Cade’s words. Longing to be happy again.

  She would have said somet
hing more, but the whir of a helicopter reached her ears. Within minutes, the aircraft landed a short distance away, along with a smattering of dirt and gravel. Several men helped splint Cade’s leg. Then they loaded him inside. He gritted his teeth against the pain, but didn’t make a sound.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll stay and help Lyn with your horses,” Frank told Cade.

  Cade nodded, his strong fingers folded around Lyn’s, sending shock waves of electricity tingling up her arm. She hated to let him go. Hated to be parted from him for even a moment.

  An anxious feeling blanketed her, but she didn’t feel afraid. Nor did she understand the emotions bubbling up inside of her. As though she’d just come home, safe and sound after being stranded alone in a thunderstorm.

  The feelings of eternal love.

  “Thank you.” He held on tight, as if he didn’t want to let go of her, either. But maybe that was just wishful thinking on Lyn’s part.

  “I’ll take care of Flash and get him home safe,” she promised.

  “Dal’s at the ranch. He’ll help you. And I’ll see you soon?” he asked.

  A question, not a statement. Surely she didn’t imagine the hopeful tint to his words.

  “Of course. I’ll bring Kristen, and we’ll visit you as soon as we can.”

  Stepping back, she continued to gaze into his eyes. Their hands pulled apart, fingertips skimming, then dropping away. The door to the chopper slid closed, and still she stood there. Until her long ponytail whipped around her face as the aircraft lifted off.

  Closing her eyes against the wind and grit, Lyn felt strangely tranquil. For the first time in a year, she actually felt free of resentment and hurt. Loving Cade didn’t mean she had to stop loving Rob. It just meant she was ready to move on with her life and be happy.

  Even though Kristen had the amputated leg, Lyn’s anger and fear had proven to be the greater handicap. Finally, because of Cade, she had the courage to let it all go. Because Cade had brought her back to the Lord.