at least feralâa tame animal that lived free. It must have scented her and Hoku.
She stared into the darkness, wishing for just a pinch of Cadeâs famous night vision.
She shook her head slowly, trying to figure out why the creature didnât care if she heard it. Finally, Darby guessed it was possible that the wild pigs had no predators except for humans, and maybe this animal had sized her up as no threat.
It still didnât seem right.
At last, the squelchy steps moved away. Leaves rustled, then the quiet night pressed in around her once more.
Darby longed for daylight. She wouldnât fall back asleep, and she wanted to write down her questions about the pig.
Not that it had to be a pig. She didnât really know what was out there in the dark, but sheâd figure it out on her own. Otherwise, Jonah might make her return to the ranch before her time alone with Hoku was over.
Â
E e vee. E e vee.
Darby awoke outside of her shelter. Curled up onone side, atop her sleeping bag, she yawned. Then she rolled onto her back and opened her eyes.
Nice bedroom ceiling, she thought, taking in the interlaced branches and leaves overhead.
A red bird bobbed next to a red flower in a treetop. The bird and flower matched exactly.
A wavy branch returned to the very base of the trunk instead of sprouting from a bigger branch. The branch next to it did the same thing, gliding up to point out the royal blue sky.
In April, it was as warm as summer.
Impatient hooves tapped the earth and Hoku nickered.
âIâll be right there,â she almost sang to her horse.
Darby pointed her toes and stretched her ground-cramped legs.
It was Tuesday, but she had hours of freedom with her horse. Next week at this time, sheâd be in school. Confined to a classroom.
Urgency replaced Darbyâs dreaminess. She bolted to her feet and started getting dressed.
As she slipped off her jeans and replaced them with shorts, Darby checked her skin for spider bites.
Not one! So much for Cadeâs warnings.
She slid her feet into tennis shoes and pulled the laces tight.
Her feet felt so light without boots that Darby skipped as she led Hoku to water.
Wavy marks showed where the stream had risenduring the night, then receded. It must be fed by the ocean and respond to the tides, she thought, trying not to care that pig tracks the size of her palm were imprinted on the damp dirt. Hoku sniffed them, flattened her ears, and snorted, as if blowing the scent from her nostrils.
âYouâve never smelled a pig before!â Darby realized. âIâll have to write to Sam and ask her, but Iâve never heard of wild pigs living with wild horses in Nevada.â
Darby tried to eat some granola before putting Hoku back in her corral, but the filly nudged at her hand and breathed in the smell of oats and honey.
âHey, I want to eat my breakfast, not wear it,â Darby told her horse. When Hoku pulled back, wide-eyed at the girlâs sharp tone, Darby added, âYouâre cute, but Iâll be training you to be a brat if I let you have it after youâve been so pushy.â
Fending off the fillyâs nose with her elbows, Darby ate a handful of granola before leading Hoku back to the corral.
There, she brushed Hoku all over, even her head, despite the fillyâs glare.
âI know you donât like me to touch your head,â Darby sympathized.
She still couldnât imagine a man cruel enough to whip the young horse in the face, but Samâs fax had hinted that it was likely Shan Stonerow had done just that. Jonah and Cade agreed that was the story thefillyâs head-shyness told, too.
But Hoku was less fearful now. Darby could tell the filly wasnât afraid, just annoyed because Darby wouldnât do what she wanted, so Darby dusted the soft brush along Hokuâs golden nose until the horse bared her teeth.
âDonât you do that!â she scolded the filly,
She stared into the darkness, wishing for just a pinch of Cadeâs famous night vision.
She shook her head slowly, trying to figure out why the creature didnât care if she heard it. Finally, Darby guessed it was possible that the wild pigs had no predators except for humans, and maybe this animal had sized her up as no threat.
It still didnât seem right.
At last, the squelchy steps moved away. Leaves rustled, then the quiet night pressed in around her once more.
Darby longed for daylight. She wouldnât fall back asleep, and she wanted to write down her questions about the pig.
Not that it had to be a pig. She didnât really know what was out there in the dark, but sheâd figure it out on her own. Otherwise, Jonah might make her return to the ranch before her time alone with Hoku was over.
Â
E e vee. E e vee.
Darby awoke outside of her shelter. Curled up onone side, atop her sleeping bag, she yawned. Then she rolled onto her back and opened her eyes.
Nice bedroom ceiling, she thought, taking in the interlaced branches and leaves overhead.
A red bird bobbed next to a red flower in a treetop. The bird and flower matched exactly.
A wavy branch returned to the very base of the trunk instead of sprouting from a bigger branch. The branch next to it did the same thing, gliding up to point out the royal blue sky.
In April, it was as warm as summer.
Impatient hooves tapped the earth and Hoku nickered.
âIâll be right there,â she almost sang to her horse.
Darby pointed her toes and stretched her ground-cramped legs.
It was Tuesday, but she had hours of freedom with her horse. Next week at this time, sheâd be in school. Confined to a classroom.
Urgency replaced Darbyâs dreaminess. She bolted to her feet and started getting dressed.
As she slipped off her jeans and replaced them with shorts, Darby checked her skin for spider bites.
Not one! So much for Cadeâs warnings.
She slid her feet into tennis shoes and pulled the laces tight.
Her feet felt so light without boots that Darby skipped as she led Hoku to water.
Wavy marks showed where the stream had risenduring the night, then receded. It must be fed by the ocean and respond to the tides, she thought, trying not to care that pig tracks the size of her palm were imprinted on the damp dirt. Hoku sniffed them, flattened her ears, and snorted, as if blowing the scent from her nostrils.
âYouâve never smelled a pig before!â Darby realized. âIâll have to write to Sam and ask her, but Iâve never heard of wild pigs living with wild horses in Nevada.â
Darby tried to eat some granola before putting Hoku back in her corral, but the filly nudged at her hand and breathed in the smell of oats and honey.
âHey, I want to eat my breakfast, not wear it,â Darby told her horse. When Hoku pulled back, wide-eyed at the girlâs sharp tone, Darby added, âYouâre cute, but Iâll be training you to be a brat if I let you have it after youâve been so pushy.â
Fending off the fillyâs nose with her elbows, Darby ate a handful of granola before leading Hoku back to the corral.
There, she brushed Hoku all over, even her head, despite the fillyâs glare.
âI know you donât like me to touch your head,â Darby sympathized.
She still couldnât imagine a man cruel enough to whip the young horse in the face, but Samâs fax had hinted that it was likely Shan Stonerow had done just that. Jonah and Cade agreed that was the story thefillyâs head-shyness told, too.
But Hoku was less fearful now. Darby could tell the filly wasnât afraid, just annoyed because Darby wouldnât do what she wanted, so Darby dusted the soft brush along Hokuâs golden nose until the horse bared her teeth.
âDonât you do that!â she scolded the filly,
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