Quenching the Fire

“Chad! Mitch!” Andi screamed joyously to the approaching riders. Two young men dismounted and Andi threw herself into her nearest brother's arms.

Chad grinned and wound his arms tightly around her, while Mitch stood waiting impatiently for his turn. “It's good to see you better!” he murmured with feeling.

Andi smiled into his sparkling blue eyes and broke away to give Mitch the same token of love. She turned back to Chad. Her memory was fully restored and she was bubbling over about a certain promise. “Can we start on Whirlwind tomorrow?” she blurted.

Chad's face fell. “I'm not sure you're ready for that yet,” he answered slowly.

“But Dr. Weaver says I'm fully recovered!” She was not going to let Chad weasel out of this one, no sirree! Andi caught a quick nodded from Mother affirming her words. I got him! she thought excitedly.

“Tomorrow then,” he asserted with an accompanying wink.

“YIPPEE!”

*****

Morning gold fell on Andi's face, pulling her into the beginnings of a fresh day. She slowly sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes. A sudden recollection struck her, causing energy to surge threw her body.

“Whirlwind!” Andi threw back her bed covers and squirmed into a well-worn pair of overalls. She passed a brush carelessly threw her hair and began weaving it into a tight braid when a knock sounded at the door. She tied off her braid and threw open the door.

“I should have known I would not have to wake you up today.” Chad greeted good humoredly.

Andi smiled. “That's right! I want to get an early start on that stallion.”

“Andi,” Chad's tone changed, “I want you to help break Whirlwind to halter, but I don't want you to ride him yet.”

Andi's heart sank. “But Chad!”

“Andi,” The unusual tenderness in his voice calmed her objections. He sounded like Justin. “I don't want you to get hurt. Gentling a wild stallion is a dangerous business,” He paused thoughtfully. “After we break him to halter, and fit him with a saddle, we'll see how much fire he still has in him, but I want you to know you are not riding that horse until he is safe.”

Chad's firm voice was softened by gentle notes of concern that were unusual to detect in him. Andi felt loved and nodded her head submissively. “I understand,” she replied in a low, disappointed tone. I'll still get to ride him, she reassured herself, I just have to wait until he calms down.

Summons to breakfast interrupted her thoughts, but she kept them tuck away in a quiet corner of her mind for further inspection.

*****

Loose ends of Andi's braid stuck to her sweat soaked face and she lifted a dirty sleeve in a weak attempt to clear her brow. She broke her gaze from the wild ashen stallion to study her older brother leaning against the corral gate. Anger and frustration where plastered to his face and the blistering afternoon sun did nothing for his mood.

Andi crept closer, hoping he was not as irritated as he looked.

“Well Andi,” he addressed her, trying unusually hard to hide his temper, “this is rough going. That beast was doing so well!” He slammed his hand against the gate, mildly giving vent to his troubles. “He broke to halter in good time, and he barely objected to a saddle, but that crazy critter won't have anything to do with any weight on his back!” Chad pushed his sweat soaked hat back from his forehead.

Andi again stared wide-eyed at the gorgeous stead trampling an unseen enemy and imagined trying to climb on his back. That horse has spirit alright! She was secretly glad Chad forbade her to mount him. Two ranch hands were laid up in the bunk house as a result of that experiment and Chad was walking with a limp.

The heavy summer sun was now hid behind a thick cover of clouds and the low growl of thunder suggested rain. Andi felt a few drops splash on her nose, but Chad seemed oblivious to the coming storm. He was clearly lost in thought.

Finally he heaved a discouraged sign. “A whip and some spurs might quench his fire, but I'd hate to ruin such a good piece of horse flesh,” he spoke more to himself that to anyone else.

Andi started. That was never Chad's way of gentling a horse, he must be desperate! “No! How could you even think of doing that to him?” Andi cried boldly.

Chad eyed her as if he just realized she was there. He was at his wits end and she could see he was just as broke up about it as her.

“I guess some wild things are just not meant to be tamed,” Andi muttered to herself as her eyes wondered back to Whirlwind.

A crack of thunder and a torrent of rain brought them both back from their thoughts. Chad started walking up to the ranch house, assuming Andi followed, but a sudden faraway memory tugged at her mind and bade her stay. She examined a deep ditch not far from the corral, then lifted her face radiantly to the sky, allowing pouring rain to clear the grime away. “Chad! Chad!” she called ecstatically as she chased after him.

Chad closed the last three strides to the porch and waited, somewhat bewildered, for Andi to join him.

“Chad,” Andi heaved slightly out of breath, “I think I know a way we can gentle Whirlwind tomorrow.”

Chad raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Uh-huh,” Andi nodded her head, hoping Chad would listen, “Let me ride him.” She could see his reply etched on his face, but there was more and he just had to hear her out.

*****

“Whoa there fella, whoa boy,” Andi cooed soothingly as she led Whirlwind around the corral. Chad agreed. Today she would ride. “Andi, mind what I told you, be careful,” Chad warned.

On a sudden impulse Andi threw her arms around his waist and squeezed. “Thanks for trusting me Chad,” she whispered. Andi approached the previously inspected ditch, which after a night of heavy rain, became a temporary pond. She threw her head over her shoulder to meet her big brother's eyes. A smile split his face and her courage rose. She moved in front of the quieted stead and began pulling him into the makeshift pond. She continued until the water rose just barley over his back.

Andi sucked in a quick breath. This was it. She pulled herself into the saddle and straightened her back. Whirlwind jumped and bucked as best he could, but the water and mud hinder him so his attempts where very mild. Slowly he accepted Andi's light weight and calmed down.

So far so good, Andi silently calculated. But now the real test began. Will he be so calm without the hindrance of water? Andi softy pressed her heels into Whirlwind's side, urging him out of the murky pond.

The magnificent “white” stallion obeyed immediately, with no resistance. Horse and rider fully emerged, and Whirlwind still held a gentle temperament.

Last step. Andi again pressed her heels into his side and he broke into a slow trot. Chad and a number of hands sat on the corral gate breathlessly waiting. After a few rounds around the enclosed space the hands opened the gate. Whirlwind's spirited trot had lost all its furry and became soft and smooth even in the face of freedom.

Andi's smile reached from ear to ear as she dismounted the conquered stead.

“Andrea Carter, that was splendid!” Chad praised in a tone slightly checked so as not to spur Whirlwind into a rage, but the horse was completely subdued.

“Where did the little missy learn a trick like that?” an experienced ranch hand asked in awe.

Andi giggled. “It was a long time ago, I remember watching an Indian boy tame a stallion that way when Justin took me to visit my friend, Choo-nook, up in the hills. But I didn't think much of it until yesterday!”

Chad beamed with pride at his little sister and Mitch threw his hat in the air with a triumphant shout. “You did it, Andi, you gentled Whirlwind!”

Andi rubbed Whirlwind's nose. “I guess all the fire in you could be quenched after all,” she whispered.