by Kat Quinn
Kieran and Monty both light up at her voice, the former practically tackling the woman while the latter pauses to reach into the cabin of our truck before joining. I follow, but much less… violently.
“Ooooh, now let me get a look at you boys!” The woman says while grabbing Kieran by the beard and turning his head left and right, tutting all the while. She steps back and gives both men a thorough look over, “Y’all forget how to eat right out there in the big city?” She admonishes. “Gonna have to fatten ya up while I got you here, y’all’re skin and bones!”
One eyebrow raised high, I look back and forth between Kieran and Monty, both of whom I’d describe as toned and bulky, Kieran quadruply so. They’ve got the biggest smiles plastered across their faces at what I have a feeling is somehow an insult? What the heck’s she talking about?
“And who’s this pretty little thing you’ve brought with you?” She asks, waving me over. “Come on over here, honey, I don’t bite too hard.”
Awkwardly, I pop one hand up into a quick wave, the other tucked behind my back tightly.
“Naw, none of that, now.” The woman steps forward and grips me like a friendly anaconda in a full-body hug. Except warm, and without the threat of gettin’ squirted out like a tube of toothpaste. “Welcome, welcome, glad to have you here, honey, call me Molly.” She lets me go, cheeks full and bright with happiness.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am, I’m Dizzy. Their… uh… friend?” I shrug. Not really sure how to go about explaining to a stranger.
Kieran huffs out a rough laugh. “Think we’re a bit more than that, Fireball.”
“Hmmm. A bit,” I say innocently, shrugging while gazing skyward. Aria’s perched herself on top of the porch, fluffy tail fluttering in the breeze as she sniffs lightly at the air. There’s a small pile of pebbles at her feet. “Anyway! Thanks for letting us come out here?” I supply, not fully sure if we even asked permission in the first place.
“Oh, it ain’t no trouble, these two here are certified family! Y’all are always welcome,” she says pointedly, giving a meaningful look to the men.
“Maybe you’ll find it in your heart to forgive us for not keeping in touch?” Monty says, holding out a bow-wrapped box to Molly. She rubs her hands together excitedly before taking it, making quick work of the bow.
“Oooh! I knew I liked you best, Montgomery Henderson. You can apologize to me any time you like,” she exclaims through a mouthful of cookie.
“Hey!” Kieran interjects.
“Oh, don’t worry, honey,” she says, another eager bite, “I’ll love you even without the bribe.” Molly pats Kieran’s cheek lightly. He beams at her, clearly happy for such a fond welcome. “Now, if y’all hurry you might be able to catch Albert out in the stable, just happens he went to check on a filly and her momma. Don’t think he’d mind you givin’ them a look over while you’re here, if it suits you.”
“Of course,” Monty nods like he’s tipping his nonexistent hat. “Always happy to help.”
What the heck did we just agree to?
32. Monty
“Now, now, there, sweet girl, hold still for me a moment?” The deep chocolate filly, overflowing with the boundless energy of a newborn, is irritated with my attempts to corral her and take a full reading. Luckily, this isn’t my first time; not even my hundred and first time. “You just want to have a bit of fun, eh? Well how about this, I’ll take you out for a little romp, how’s that sound? All you’ve got to give me is just a tiny bit of time to check you out and make sure you and your momma are doing okay.” She shakes her head like clearing a sneeze, but shuffles her hooves in place rather than the erratic sideways prancing I’d been challenged by before.
Gliding both hands along the sides of her glossy muzzle, I send a small, steady stream of magic through her, easing the newborn horse into the unfamiliar sensation of my power. Her ears perk to attention, but gradually soften as I rub gentle circles into her cheeks. Slowly, slowly, I increase the flow, letting her adjust to the warmth of my magic seeking out her condition. “That’s a good girl, just a bit more.” My source courses through her, pumping in each vein, sending tendrils out into her muscles, slipping through the pores of her bones. It lights a path through the excitable filly’s system, circling back and delivering the all clear.
Just as gently as I eased her into the feeling, I shut the tap off in tiny increments, rather than pulling the rug out suddenly. All the while, I gently smooth my hands over her soft hair, whispering reassurances. Even after the last of my power returns home, I still give her a couple more compliments for being so patient and good for me. She replies by giving an excited whinny and a few happy prances, ready for me to make good on my promise.
“Well, Al, looks like you’ve got yourself a nice, healthy, new member of the family!” I turn my head to address the slightly paunchy man in denim overalls, observing from outside the stall. Over his shoulder, I see Aria on the opposite wall, balanced on the ledge of another horse’s stall, little hands scrabbling at the wood.
“I ain’t been worried ‘bout the babe so much as the mare, anyway. She ain’t been eatin’ right since the birth couple nights back.” Albert sweeps a gesture at the chestnut-colored mare keeping watch nearby, forelegs tucked under her chest as she rests in the corner. “Birth was normal, or I’d’ve gotten your pops to come ‘round and give her a look. But, seeing as you’re here already, won’t do no harm to get her checked now, would it?”
“It’s no trouble at all for me, Al.” Squatting down, I scuttle over to the weary mare, hand extended for her to sniff at. “You remember me, girl? Been a while.” She presses her nose up against my hand, it’s rough to the touch. Too cold for just a couple days of dehydration if she hasn’t been drinking since the birth. Much like I did for her foal, I use the contact to send my senses branching through her.
“Yeah, it has been a while,” Kieran says, both arms slung lazily over the stall door. “We’re a couple of jackasses for not stopping by sooner after how good you’ve been to both of us. Sorry, Albert.”
“Now don’t you go talkin’ ‘bout two of my favorite farmhands like that. You know me and Molly want the best for y’all, and if that ain’t with us here, then so be it. Y’all don’t owe us nothin’, we’re family, son, and family looks out for each other.”
“All the same,” I say, “we really should do a better job of keeping in touch. It’s easy to lose track of time, and a year is too long.”
Frowning, I release a concentrated burst of magic through the horse in front of me, not all of the power circling back; a blockage in the system. Carefully, with more focus, I trace the line–zipping along her being, stuttering through increasing turbulence in her blood stream until my consciousness reaches halfway down her belly. Infection. A massive one, lodged deep in her uterus.
“You said the birth was normal?” I ask Albert, my eyes shut tight as I test the edges of her infection; thick and strongly resistant, bundled tight and deep inside the mare.
“Mm-hmm,” Albert confirms. “Smooth and steady, far as births go. What’d you find, Monty?”
“Infection,” I reply. “A big one. Probably retained some of the fetal membrane. Easy to miss if it doesn’t seem like there’s anything worth looking for at first.” With caution, I bury myself into the mare’s illness, clawing and biting away at it to eat it all up. A small bead of sweat trickles down the side of my face as I push harder, trying to get deeper into the core of the problem. “You’re a strong one, aren’t you, girl?” I whisper to the horse who’s been living for days with the pain and weakness. “Making it this long on your own? Still taking care of your baby? I’ve got you now, girl, no need to fight alone.”
One large burst, followed by another, and another, doing the best I can to hack away at the problem inside her. Chunks of it are dislodged and I have to chase them down one-by-one to ensure they don’t take root and start their trouble up again in a different location. Trying to contain and obliterate as serious a th
reat as this in such a large creature on my own can be dangerous, not just for the patient but also for myself. In extreme circumstances, healers have been known to lose their lives in the process, either willingly because they believed in the need, or unwillingly because they were overwhelmed by the task. It’s easy to slip up in times of panic and drain your own life to save another’s; we’re all taught never to lose control unless we want to lose our lives.
The space inside my chest stretches, feeling taut as I’m pulled deeper and deeper, spread further across the mare’s system. I’m still in control, but if I don’t finish up soon she won’t be the only one with problems.
Steady, steady, just a few more pieces…..
Like a pathetic whimper, what’s left of my power crawls back feebly into my source, collapsing in place and curling up for a well-deserved rest. With the back of my hand, I wipe a thick sheen of sweat from my brow. “Phew, that was a close one!” Straw dust puffs up in a cloud around me as I sit hard on the ground. “A day or two later and she wouldn’t have made it.” Flopping back, I peer upside-down at my audience, Albert still on the other side of the stall. Dizzy’s replaced Kieran at the door, though, as he seems preoccupied with swatting Aria away from his face. She’s hovering right in front of him, black wings flapping while yipping angrily and extending both little hands towards the irritated man. Whatever she’s offering, he finally snatches it from her grasp and tucks it into one of the pockets of his kilt. Satisfied, Aria flits over to Dizzy and settles on her shoulder, the wide-eyed woman unconsciously reaching up to pet her furry friend while staring at me.
“Monty, you don’t look so good. You okay?” Dizzy asks.
Lazily, I flap a hand at her before giving a thumbs-up. “Yup. Just… give me a sec.”
Dizzy flips up the latch to the stall door and starts to barge in, but then glares suspiciously at the two horses, clearly minding their own business. “Either one of you bites me and I’ll… I’ll… Bite you back!” She threatens, pointing two fingers at her own eyes before shooting them towards the uninterested beasts. Now standing, the chestnut mare blows a huff of air from her mouth, lip billowing as if she finds the whole idea preposterous. The filly, however, clomps forward and nudges my leg lightly with her nose, ready for her promised reward.
Dizzy squeaks and scurries back out through the door, slamming it shut behind her; completely and utterly defeated by the threat of a harmless newborn horse.
My chest rumbles as a deep chuckles builds from it, exploding into a full-blown laugh too large and impossible to hide.
“Shut up!” She shrieks, “Or I’ll leave those terrors to eat you alive!”
Instantly, I’m howling; fighting against the stitch growing in my side from uncontrolled laughter. I can barely catch a breath! At this rate, I will die in this stall, but not from fearsome horse attack, that’s for sure.
Kieran says something to Dizzy and I hear them jibing back and forth, but I’m completely consumed by the idea that this woman, who’s jumped straight into danger more times than any of us know, is deathly afraid of a newborn baby foal. It takes way longer than is reasonable to no longer be held hostage by this hilarity and regain control of my composure, only occasionally interrupted by a stray chuckle.
Clutching at my spasming side, I gracelessly clamber to a standing position. Grinning while shambling over to the stall wall, It’ll take more than a pause to catch my breath.
I lean heavily on the ledge of the half door, resting my cheek on one fist while turning to address Albert. “How do you feel about naming the little one ‘Terror?’”
“After the scare she gave your lady friend?” Albert replies, “Seems fitting.” He claps me on the shoulder, “Thanks for your help here, son. We make do nowadays, but it ain’t been the same since y’all left. Nobody’s as good with the animals as y’all were.” Squeezing my shoulder, Albert pauses. “You been missed, is what I’m sayin’.”
My heart warms at his fondness. “Thanks, Al. I’ve missed being here; missed you and Molly, too. Some of my best memories are out here on this farm,” I shrug, shooting a quick glance towards Kieran, currently teasing Dizzy. “But you know it was for the best we kept some distance. Besides, life’s been plenty exciting since we moved to the city.”
Albert nods, “Sure, I know. But y’all are always welcome to stop by, however long you’d like. Especially if you’re up to being put to work.” He winks, “Now, y’all stickin’ around for supper? Molly’ll fix us up a mean roast with all the trimmin’s if you do. Wouldn’t want to break her heart and skip out on her accommodatin’, now would you?”
Shaking my head with a smile, my stomach begs to be reunited with the delicious memories it recalls. “You old dog, fighting dirty. We’d love to, mind if we roam around until then?”
Relaxed, Albert’s face is warm and open. “Y’all’ve got free rein, you know that. Just don’t keep us waiting too long–Molly’s usually got supper ready right after dark.”
The latch makes a soft, metallic click as I lift it up, hinges creaking as I swing the door open slowly, turning to beckon our fearsome Terror to the exit. “Looking forward to it.”
33. Dizzy
They may have the boys fooled, but I’m not so easy to trick. “She’s just a baby,” they say, “She won’t bite,” they say, “Seriously, Diz, even if she tried real hard she could barely hurt you,” they say. Pft. Yeah, right. I see the murder in their big, soulless, black eyes. Those hooves look awfully sharp and angular. And the teeth? Sure, they’re basically flat, but they’re enormous and stick out too far and I’m pretty sure there’s about a thousand of them! Bet horses bite through cans just for the fun of it. Bones wouldn’t stand half a chance! Maybe 1/16th of a chance at BEST, and that’s being generous.
Monty tugs on the reign around the “small” horse (As if something that’s two feet tall at birth could ever actually be small.) to coax it closer to me. This is about showing dominance, not fear. I must become bigger; make it know I’m the alpha predator before it gives up this ruse of innocent curiosity and wobbly knees.
Taking a risk, I break eye contact briefly, flipping my head down and letting my loose locks dangle, digging my fingers into the roots to puff it up to maximum volume. Not wanting to stay in such a vulnerable position for too long, I spring back up, spreading my arms out like a buff wrestling boy greased up and ready to lay the smack down in his spandex underpants. Just imagine you’re in this pen with your can opener in hand, ready to open a whole tin of whoop ass if this demon pony comes at you.
Kieran and Monty laugh, but they’ll be the first to get trampled and eaten in the impending horse uprising. Too long, these enormous beasts have been enslaved by their puny human captors, too long! If I wasn’t so certain of their nefarious truth, I may even be inclined to burn the reins and lead their rebellion. Of course, a true arbiter of the cause would know that they didn’t deserve to be spared and would need to be sacrificed in the end, and I like being alive too much to risk horse death. I glance sideways at the secret, four-legged, clippity-clop demon’s teeth and shudder. Yes, definitely not a fan of horse death.
“You’d be no match for me, beast!” I roar. “So don’t even try it!”
Gasping through cackles, Kieran nudges me forward with a broad hand, the villain! He’s been their inside man all along! Does he not know about the sacrificial demands? “Come on Fireball, thought you were going to show me how brave you are and how wimpy I am?”
Pointing to the enormous purple explosion on top of my head, “Um, pretty sure this should be proof enough. Or poof enough? Either way, job done! I can see you’re having a really hard time being here, so I won’t make you stick around any longer. Come on, Monty, let’s pack it all up! Don’t want Kieran to poop his pants in fear!” I grab Kieran’s arm with both hands, tugging hard to drag him away. The dude weighs like forty thousand pounds though, so now gravity’s in on the horse conspiracy and I’m stuck here only moving dust.
And Monty? Well,
Monty’s still creeping ever forward with the demon in tow, lips pursed tightly together to try and stifle his persistent laughter. Strategically, I smoothly sidle behind Kieran’s bulk, an effort thwarted by him using my grip against me and blatantly push-dragging me closer to Monty. A smart woman would have just let go of Kieran’s arm and climbed over the enclosure without much trouble, possibly displaying incredible parkour skills and making an Olympics-worthy gymnastic landing.
I forgot to be a smart woman today. Blame it on Terror.
Instead, all I can think to do is get higher, so I scrabble like mad to climb Kieran, figuring his imposing frame might offer some form of safety, despite obvious evidence that he’s a traitor. “Don’t want! Danger! Emergency exit!” I howl, no longer worried about whether the boys may have an inkling that I’m the one afraid. Up until now, I’m pretty sure I’d been playing it cool.
Monty’s barely inches away, and I’m clinging to Kieran’s shoulders; perched like a very nervous gargoyle. Kieran, the fool, reaches out and runs a hand along the side of the sinister beast’s muscular neck, risking actual limb if he displeases it and the creature decides to take its payment in flesh.
“Aria, help me out here!” Finally, a rational ally! In all her black, furry glory, Aria glides from her perch atop a fence post, swooping down to the ground and skimming millimeters above the dirt. She may be small, but Aria’s always been mighty. Fierce. Scrappy?
And another goddamned traitor.
Aria arcs her path upwards and lands easily on the deep brown horse’s head, sitting up on her back legs like it’s just another tea party. Am I the only one who hasn’t gone absolutely mad down here?! Time to call in Alice.
