StarPower

Chapter Eleven. Disaster on the Farm

  Fire lit the little clearing that Tithen and Will were in. They had been there for three hours sharing stories back and forth. They were with the sheep that night. Wolves had been spotted in the area and were most likely to go after the sheep. The border collie Tylai paced around them and occasionally did a loop around the sheep herd.

  "So when did you break your arm, again?" Tithen asked.

  "I'd have to say around a year ago ma'am." Will replied setting his hand on his knee.

  Tylai padded up and sat down. The wind had picked up, and was now rather hard.

  "Well this is a bad storm that just rolled in on top of us." Tithen commented.

  Will looked unsettled as he shifted his position. He noticed Tithen's concerned face and explained. "We don't normally get bad storms this part of the year."

  Lightning suddenly flashed over head, sending the sheep scattering across the field. Will and Tithen were on their feet. Tylai had shot off after the sheep trying to get them under control. The horses began to buck and rear.

  Will ran over too his horse, and swung on to it while it was rearing. Then he turned to Tithen,"we have to get the sheep to the barn then we need to get to the other animals." He called over the, now howling, wind.

  Tithen climbed on to her horse, and she and Will took off after the sheep and Tylai.

  Rain began to pour on them, more lightning flashed, and thunder rolled though the sky. Tithen was having a hard time keeping her own panic down.

  Lightning suddenly struck the ground across the field, but it was raining so hard that whatever fire had started was already out.

  Will sent his horse into a gallop after the sheep. He pulled his whip out, and let it snap next to his horse.

  Tithen let her horse into a gallop after Will. It was raining so hard that Tithen, and her horse were now soaked and dripping. Lightning lit up Will, who was a long ways ahead of them, as he was rounding up the sheep with Tylai.

  Thunder shook the sky and rain came down harder. Tithen soon realized that it wasn't just raining anymore. It was hailing.

  Melia suddenly stopped and reared. Tithen, who was actually a skilled rider, let herself slide back in the saddle, twisted her hands in the reigns, put her heals down, and let her upper half lean out a little. This kept her from being flung off.

  When Melia went down again Tithen untwisted her hands shifted herself forward again. Then she kicked Melia in the sides encouraging her to move forward.

  After Melia started to gallop again Tithen let go of the reigns and turned backwards. This made it easier for her to get into her saddlebags. She pulled two flashlights out, and flipped back around.

   Then she flicked one of the flashlights, she took the reigns by one hand using the flashlight to guide Melia. Lightning stuck the ground again.

  Tithen met up with the front of the sheep herd. She veered to the side and kept the sheep from scattering again.

  Wind whipped Tithen's hair in her face, and temporarily blinded her. Somewhere to her right she heard Will snap his whip.

  They made it to the barn and slowed to a stop. Tylai kept the sheep in a tight circle. He was working overtime and was panting heavily. Will had dismounted and was opening the barn. Tylai herded the sheep in as soon as the door was open.

   Will was dripping wet, and he looked tired. Tithen was just realizing just how tired she was. Melia was shivering either from being cold or tired, probably cold.