Destiny and the Wild Horses by Stacy Gregg

Author:Stacy Gregg [Stacy Gregg]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2009-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

There was no time to lose. The horses still hadn’t seen them, but to keep the element of surprise on their side they would have to move fast.

“Over there, behind those trees!” Issie instructed Aidan. To their right was a small copse of blackthorn bushes, perfect for hiding out of the stallion’s line of sight. Issie and Aidan clucked Diablo and Paris into a canter and within a few strides the horses were behind the trees.

“What now?” Aidan asked.

“Now it’s time to get my horse back,” Issie said. She jumped down off Paris and peered through the trees, handing Aidan the reins. Then she cupped her hands around her mouth and blew—a shrill, high-pitched whistle.

Issie and Aidan waited in silence. Nothing.

“Try again,” Aidan said. But before Issie could raise her hands to her mouth, they heard the sound of hoofbeats.

“Blaze,” Issie whispered hoarsely. Her heart was thumping in her chest. She couldn’t see a thing from behind these trees. Was Blaze coming to her? She didn’t dare stick her head out to look now in case the stallion saw her and spooked again. She cupped her hands once more and gave another low whistle. There was a nicker in reply this time, and then there was Blaze! The mare popped her head tentatively around the corner of the trees and Issie couldn’t help but giggle.

“Well, hi there!” She grinned. She dug around in her backpack for a carrot as Blaze came all the way behind the trees to join them, nickering happily as she was reunited with her girl.

“Hey, Blaze, are you OK? I missed you!” Issie hugged her pony tight around the neck, feeding her the carrot and grasping on to the broken reins. She wasn’t letting go of those again in a hurry.

Issie stood back for a moment and ran her eyes over the mare. Blaze seemed fine. She ran her hands over her body. There was hardly a mark on her.

“Good girl, I’m so glad you’re OK,” Issie cooed. She led her horse back over to where Aidan was holding on to Paris and waiting for them.

Issie quickly undid Blaze’s girth and slipped off her cross-country saddle. Then, still holding Blaze’s reins with one hand, she reached over and undid Paris’ girth and slipped the saddle off the palomino. Compared to Blaze’s lightweight saddle, Paris’ saddle seemed enormous. It was a stock saddle, big and bulky enough to hold the weight of a rider hanging off the side, perfect for stunt riding. She swung the saddle up into the air, throwing it on to Blaze’s back.

“Steady, girl,” Issie said to Blaze as she did up the girth.

“Why are you swapping the saddles over?” Aidan asked as Issie yanked the girth up and checked it one last time.

“Because I need the stock saddle to do the trick of course!” Issie said matter-of-factly to Aidan. “Now I need you to stay here and hold on to Paris. You can put Blaze’s saddle on her while I’m gone. Stay hidden unless I call out for you.

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