Red Feather Filly (14 page)

“Sure?” he shouted.

“We're fine!” Sam reined Ace next to Jake and Ryan. Star and Roman were trotting together as if they'd been schooled to do it. “Just watch out for the buffalo.”

Dad touched his hat brim in a sort of salute, then
he and Brynna galloped on.

“You can still do it,” Jen said, slipping down from Ace.

“What?” Sam asked.

Jen bolted toward Ryan, and stood near him.

They looked fine, Sam thought. Her heart pounded hard in her chest and Ace stood tall.

“Yes,” Ryan said, “thanks, but we'll take it slow from here. You might as well go on.”

Ryan's gratitude was all they needed to set Star and Ace into a last bolt for the finish line.

Low on the filly's neck, Jake's black hair mixed with her mane, and the scarlet feather might have been his.

Sam leaned further forward, cheek pressed to Ace's neck. Wind whipped tears into her eyes, but she was smiling.

Honking horns and shouts came from the finish line as the Sterlings won. Brynna and Dad were right behind them, a certain second.

Third place wasn't so bad, Sam thought, especially when the horses didn't know they hadn't won.

Ace pranced beside Star and the filly tossed her head, wide-mouthed with excitement as they rode past Linc Slocum who was having a serious conversation next to a Darton County sheriff's squad car.

Jake's family stood with Gram, Brynna, and Dad. The Ely brothers had gathered together and began talking excitedly as Sam and Jake approached.

“Buffalo hunt, man,” Bryan shouted to Jake.
“Slocum's in trouble for failure to keep track of his buffalo.”

Mrs. Ely tried to shush him, but Quinn took over.

“Only seven escaped, but we get to ride after 'em! Is that cool, or what?”

Nate had borrowed three horses. At a hammering trot, he returned riding one and leading two.

He passed Ryan leading Roman and walking with Jen, who was mounted again on Sky. Sam grinned at the way her bedraggled friend was lecturing Sky and ordering him to behave.

Bryan swung into the saddle of a rose-gray Arab. Quinn mounted Jeepers-Creepers and the Appaloosa tossed his head, still ready to run.

“Let's go, man, let's go!” Bryan yelled.

Before he joined them, though, Jake turned to Ryan.

He rubbed the back of his neck and, for the first time all day, Star sidestepped and tossed her head.

She felt her rider's nerves, Sam thought. What was Jake about to say to Ryan?

“Your mustang did great,” Jake said.

“Thank you,” Ryan replied in astonishment. “Really, thank you very much.”

Mac watched with quiet satisfaction, nodding.

Jake rode a little closer and Star rubbed her neck against Ace's. The gelding blew through his lips, stamped, and lowered his head.

Sam met Jake's eyes. She wanted to go on the buffalo hunt. Jake wouldn't mind, but Ace was tired.

“Jake!” Nate shouted.

A hundred yards away, all three Ely brothers were circling on rocking, rambunctious horses. Only Jake was still here.

They should go together and she should stay.

“What are you waiting for?” Sam asked.

Jake smiled, gave Star a touch with his heels, and the filly swung around. Seeing the other running horses, she leaped with all four feet off the ground, then set off at a gallop.

As Sam dismounted slowly, watching them go, Dad walked up, leading Nike.

“I'm proud of you, honey.” He hugged her with one arm.

Brynna jogged up on foot.

“I just heard the buffalo have been sighted, clumped in a herd, and heading for the river.”

“I think they heard, too,” Sam said, laughing.

Jake and his brothers were yelling, riding full out in a noisy band.

“Do you know,” Mac confided to Dad, “I thought I'd be long, long passed over before I saw all my boys grown up and on a buffalo raid. But there it is, right before my eyes.”

They all watched as Star bolted ahead, carrying Jake.

With the wind in his hair and sun on his back, he looked like a part of the filly.

Sam watched them out of sight. Even when they'd vanished, she couldn't stop smiling.

Cover art © 2004 by Greg Call

Cover © 2004 by HarperCollins Publishers Inc.