ᎢᎻᎬ ᎠᎡᏆᏙᎬ

Memories (UNEDITED)

War Hawk's mother—the black and white paint—died about a year ago when Jackie's Pa had to shoot her after a rabid dog bit her and gave her hydrophobia. It was his Pa's horse, and I don't know what he thought about having to put her down, but he seemed sad.

After putting her down, though, they sold most of their horses to passing travelers, traders, and fur trappers that needed new ones because of various reasons, like their horses died or are too weak to continue, or just because they didn't have one to begin.

It seems that after my Pa's death, our town hit a period of depression. Everything went wrong, people were leaving, others were dying, and people just wouldn't get along through their sadness. It lasted for about a year until we finally moved on and started to like each other again.

I tugged the reigns to the left as we hit our destination—Jackie's house. The path to his house was narrow and long, with shrubbery and woods thick on both sides of the pathway.

I absolutely hated traveling through there alone. It brings hair up on your neck and keeps you on high alert, every little sound making you jump and halt your horse. I'm not the only one that feels that way, though, War Hawk always gets uneasy going through there too.

I finally entered the open and sunlight again and sighed. I took Hawk to the fence post outside their house, dismounted, and tied him up. I knew exactly where Jack was, because, well, we're best friends.

Before we go to hang out, he is always in his barn waiting for me to come looking for him, just so he can jump out and scare me. I usually fake a scream, just to make him feel better, but after the fifth time getting scared, it really doesn't phase me.

I approached the open barn, and walked in, my breath held the whole time.

Five, four, three, two, one...

"RAAAAAAHHHHH"

Right on cue.

I pretended to let out a small scream, and he just laughed. That seems to be all he knows how to do. I gave him about thirty seconds to cool down, then spoke.

"You really got me that time Jackie. I was just shakin' in my leather boots I was so scared."

He was hinted of my sarcasm and smirked.

"Oh I know I did! That time I really heard you scream! Just like when I walked in front of you and ol' War Hawk travelin' at 90 miles an hour, huh?"

I rolled my eyes and changed the subject to what we were doing today. I tend to do that often when I'm around him. Rolling eyes and changing the subject of the conversation is my specialty. Especially when I'm around Jack L. Baker.

"So what're we doin' today?"

He just stared. I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Don't 'what' me! I came all the way here because you wanted me to yesterday, and you don't even know what we're doin'!"

"You know, Dan, you say 'all the way here' like you walked 24 miles to get here. Walked."

"Jackie, I'm gonna go home right now if you don't come up with somethin' in that head of yours! I don't have time for this! I can be practicing wranglin' or out ridin' right about now!"

It was his turn to roll his eyes now.

"Oh don't be dramatic, I know what we can do."

"And what might that be?"