Cowgirl Thrillers

by Barbara Neville

We have been trending uphill all afternoon. Shaz, who is as always out in the lead, stops. Then she sits. Bitch sits beside her. I wonder if this is to be our camp. Wolf jogs up beside me and we move along the trail side by side to join Shaz and Bitch on the ridge.

  “Ah, ha, ha ho,” sings Wolf.

  I am awestruck. The valley spread out below us is teeming with life. I see, um…

  “What are those things over there, Wolf?” I ask, pointing.

  “Pronghorn antelope,” he says. “Common name, not really antelope.

  Then, an actual wolf trots out of a swale, spooking the pronghorn. As they run, their white rumps flash in the sun.

  “Whoa,” I say. “They got shiny white butts.”

  They turn toward the lowering sun. I look off to the south and see the buffalo.

  “Wow, look at the buff,” I say. “Must be a jillion.”

  It is a huge herd spread all along the base of some hills. I can see a wolf pack walking around the edges of the herd, looking for opportunity.

  Wolf points with his chin and says, “Bear. Grizzly bear like eat buff meat, too.”

  Shaz points also, off to the left of the main herd and says, “Unh.”

  We look and look more, not sure what she sees.

  Finally, Wolf says, “Mm-hm.”

  He turns to me and says, “Annie, look.”

  I squint and scan. I see many things but I still don’t see.

  Wolf stands behind me and puts an arm over my shoulder, pointing. I look down the length of his arm.

  “There,” he says. “In small bunch by that draw. Where green trees are tall.”

  “I don’t see any…Oh! I do.”

  “Spirit buffalo,” says Wolf, proudly.

  I am floored. We watch for a while, then Shaz stands up and starts marching. We happily follow.

  “How the hell did she do it?” I ask. “She is amazing.”

  “She is spirit,” says Wolf wonderingly.

  “Spirit girl?”

  Wolf nods.

  “We camp there,” says Wolf, pointing with his chin.

  “I thought we were following Shaz,” I say. Then I look around. “Where is Shaz?”

  Wolf looks back over his shoulder. “Headed back to Mose’ place. See?”

  “Oh. Are we supposed to follow her?”

  “Why? Spirit Buffalo ahead, not behind. She come to show us buffalo. This our quest, not hers. She only spirit guide. A true spirit human.”

  “Hm,” I say, contemplating it all.

  “Now we go see buff up close.”

  “The buffalo will leave before we get close.”

  “We will see, Annie.”

  I go back and grab Joe, put the bridle back on and ease into my comfortable saddle.

  “Ahhh,” I say. “Let the rock and roll begin.”

  Wolf chuckles at my relief and then squeezes his mount with his calves. Off down the hill we go to see the spirit buffalo up close. The comfy rhythm of my horse’s gait fills me with joy. My leg muscles may yet survive the day.

  “Yeah, it’ll be interesting to see how close we can get. Looks like a good campsite in any case,” I say. “Shaz gonna be alright alone?”

  “Bear girl? Ha ha,” says Wolf.

  We arrive at the crick just as the light is fading. It is a beautiful vale. The crick is burbling a merry tune over bright white rocks. As we pull our horses up and dismount, one of the larger rocks starts walking away.

  “Holy shit,” I whisper, “Do you see him?”

  “Mm-hm.”

  We watch silently as the white buffalo slowly walks off, stopping to graze here and there. Maybe ten minutes later he has gone almost out of sight. He is a mere light spot in the increasing darkness.

  “Damn. He was, like, right here. How awesome.”

  “This feel spiritual to Annie?”

  “Oh fuck yeah, I am out of breath, in awe and totally blown away all at the same time.”

  Wolf grins ‘til it looks like his cheeks will split, then says, “Annie good student.”

  “Oh Wolf,” I grab him for a giant bear hug and kiss. This gets our engines started.

  18 In the Buff