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Chapter 8

She leads me about half a mile from the creek then suddenly stops, I move aside a tree branch in my path and look at the stunning place she has led me to. In front of me sits a hidden cave, the trees surrounding it hid it from anyone who wasn’t intently looking for it. The wolf looks straight into my eyes then darts back into the woods after a rabbit. 
I walk up to the caves entrance and drag away a fallen branch, the ground is soft and sandy, the walls are domed and at the highest point it's about seven feet. There are a few rocks that sit on the side of the walls and two or three just in the open. I sit on the sandy floor and rest my back against a rock. With the silence my mind once again goes on its own journey. 
In some ways the sudden turn my life has taken is enjoyable, I’m free, the beatings have ended, and I have many new friends. But there are still things I miss, my mate especially, the ability to really run, and my fur, gosh I miss my fur! I rise from my resting place to slowly make my way back to the village. 
The next morning Listens to Horses takes me back to the herd to continue training Little River. We begin in the water but do the majority of the work on hills and eventually make our way onto the flat ground. Every morning for the next few days we continue working with Little River until he is able to be ridden anywhere and at any speed. 
 Listens to Horses holds Little River’s lead as I vault onto his back, “You have done very good with him, I wish to give him to you as a gift and a reminder of our friendship and the progress you have made here.” A broad smile spreads across my face as happiness fills my soul. 
I ride across the stream and over the gentle hill which leads to the herd of horses. With momentum and adrenaline surging through our veins we run into the grazing herd , their heads lift as we rush towards them. Mud and grass are thrown into the air by fleeing hooves as they are at first spooked but quickly end up following us across the rolling hills. 
The next few months we work with the other young horses in the herd, using the same method we did with Little River. I enjoy the work though it is dangerous at times, Listens to Horses has become a good friend of mine. He grew up working horses with his father who was killed in a hunting accident a few years back. 
We are about the same age and he helps me navigate throughout the village, the people have come to accept me and my inability to speak doesn’t seem to push anyone away, they are a kind people.  
Listens to Horses is going to take me to a few horse ranches, they breed, raise, and break horses then sell them to the farms nearby. He has been going and working at different places for awhile now and feels like I am ready to meet new people and see new places. 
The flash of a tail darting through the brush brings me out of my thoughts, I gather up my reins from Little Rivers back and nudge him in the direction of the moving wolf. We weave our way between trees and bushes. We are following the same wolf that showed me the cave. 
This time she walks to a clearing with a low stream running in the middle of it. She stops to drink, her intense eyes capture mine as they sparkle and threaten at the same time. I slide off Little River’s back then walk up stream of her. She lays down and watches as I wet my face and lips. Once finished I stay crouched down to be at her eye level. 
She stands and stretches then walks into the trees, occasionally looking back to make sure I am following her. A short distance from the creek tucked away under some rocks is a den holding half a dozen pups. They yip and bound out of their covered home as they see their mother. I crouch down and watch the beautiful display of love between them. I go to walk towards them but am stopped short by the mother’s growls. 
Knowing she trusts me I question her actions but then remember I smell of man and that is a smell she has learned to distrust. So instead of advancing I watch them for a couple of minutes and return to my mount. Little River is waiting for me grazing by the creek. We make our way back to the village.
That night I do not sleep as I think of my mate and our pups she was carrying, the wolf that I have befriended reminds me of her in many ways. My heart aches as my mind races through the memories we made. The next morning I start working before the sun has fully woken. By the time Listens to Horses makes his way to the herd I have worked five of the six young horses, with no sleep helping me make calculated moves I have messed up many times and my patience is running thin with the confused beasts I am trying to work with.