Finally Home to Yellowstone: Yellowstone Ranch Series

2

I slipped on my work clothes and walked quietly down stairs. It was 3:30am. No one would be up for another hour or so.

The air was cold outside. I pulled my bandana over my nose to keep my face warm.

I made my way down to the barns. I looked down the where the colts are. The ones that needs to be broke. And the other barn where the ones are ready to ride. Then there was the bunkhouse. It was silent. No one would be awake until 6 here. I glanced up on the hill. Rips cabin porch light flipped on. He was must be awake.

I smiled then walked over to start feeding the horses. When I was finished I cleaned saddles. Then I pulled a horse out of the stall and slung a saddle on him.

"You ready?" I pet his mane and jumped into the saddle.

I held the reins with my gloved hands and off we went.

I took a short ride and was back when the sun was still down. Rip was walking into the barn when I lead Conway in. I checked my watch. 4:45.

He glanced in my direction and nodded.

I pulled my bandanna down to around my neck. "Horses are already feed." I spoke up and let the horse into his stall.

"I don't feed anymore." He grunted and grabbed his saddle.

I dusted my hands off onto my jeans,"Then why are you up so early?" I closed the stable door and latched it.

He slung the saddle onto an older horse, Breaker.

"I heard wolves." He strapped the saddle in.

"At five in the morning?" I questioned and leaned against one of the stall doors.

He didn't say anything and just shoved past me.

Later that day we were checking fences. Ryan, Colby, and I found a break in the fence around pasture 9. We stopped when we found them.

Colby jumped off his horse and inspected the fence.

"It's been cut." He said.

"Cut?" Ryan questioned and jumped off his horse too. I did the same and went to looked at as well.

Sure enough, it was snapped in half.

I looked around the fence. No other cuts. Just this one. But something caught my eye. A pile of stringy brown grain.

"Is that alfalfa?" I mumbled.

"Huh?" Ryan asked.

I pointed the other said the fence, right across from the break. Then we heard a groan. I squinted and saw a glimpse of black laying down. Colby apparently saw it too.

"Oh shit." Colby started to jog to it. "Grab the bag!" He hollered.

I grabbed the medic bag from my saddle while Ryan had already been running Colbys way. A momma cow was laid over by the alfalfa. Groaning and crying. She was so swollen. I dug through the bag to find the knife. I felt the cold blade of my hand.

I froze for a second.

The sound of screaming filled my ears and the smell of burning flesh filled my nose. I felt my pistol in my hand. Felt my back against a door. A hot door with flames behind it.

A man in white robes now brown and red with blood and dirt busted through a window in front of me. I aimed and pulled the trigger multiple times. The bullet pierced him but he kept coming. I emptied my clip and didn't have time to change it. I reached in my vest and felt my knife. Cold against my hand. I pulled it out as he started to fall onto him to attack-