Embittered Competitor: Day 7

Word Count: 42,003

Summary of Events:
Chapter 13:
Steele was back home for a bit and went through his mail before going outside and doing a little work with his horses. He ended up seeing Riverbed's mother and her latest foal, and then, for the first time, saw Riverbed's father, the stallion whose herd Riverbed's mother was a part of. That night Steele competed at the rodeo and Riverbed acted up on him again, she refused to be caught after he roped the calf and even bit his arm causing bloodshed. Terri's parents, who had been watching the rodeo, came shortly afterwards to see if Steele was alright.
Chapter 14:
Terri's parents invited Steele over for dinner the next day and Steele met their newest foster kid, a Cree girl named Rider. After lunch she asked him a lot of questions, including if he could ride horses without a saddle. Steele rode Terri's mare Fancy — who pastured at her parents' place — without saddle or bridle, awing not only Rider, but all Terri's nieces and nephews, even though Fancy wasn't trained as much as Riverbed and Prairie were. Rider then asked Steele if she could get riding lessons from him and Steele wondered how it was going to work.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Suddenly Riverbed raised her head, turning it west — toward the mountains — and uttered a deep, rumbling, vehicle impersonating nicker. Steele instantly sought out a black form in the trees. He felt excited.
A nicker rumbled in return and Prairie raised his head, whinnying. Finally the horse came forward. She was paler than she'd once been, but still a lot closer to black than her daughter. Her bald face brightly illuminated her head.
Gingerly she trotted forward and exchanged greetings with her daughter and Prairie over the fence. Slowly — as much as he wanted to run — Steele made his way through the fence into where Prairie and Riverbed were, and then out the other side, so that he was twenty feet from her.
She turned and looked at him. Steele didn't move. She looked so elegant. Her coat glistened in the sunlight — for the most part — her long mane hung thick and tangle, she looked to be alright for food, and her belly showed no sign of another foal.
Steele turned — as did she — at the sound of a little nicker. She nickered in reply and a little black foal — less than a quarter of a year in age — came out of the trees. One hoof was white on the foal, but nothing else was.
Honestly, Steele was surprised that she hadn't been concerned when her foal hadn't followed her, unless it'd been napping nearby. The foal turned around and began to nurse at its mother's side. After the foal had nursed Steele gazed its mother in the eye.
"Riverside," he whispered.
She stepped forward and inhaled his scent. Then she nickered deeply. With calm and gentle slowness Steele stroked her neck. Slowly he worked his way down until he was able to get his arms around her neck in an embrace.
Releasing her, Steele then extended a hand to the foal. The foal sniffed his hand inquisitively before trying to taste it. Steele moved his hand away and stroked the foal's cheek, then down its neck, its sides, and its rump.
He reached both hands over the side of the foal and just like a calf — except with longer legs — Steele laid it down on its side. Riverside watched with curiosity. Carefully Steele raised the top hind leg and looked. It was a filly.
Gently he stroked the foal as she lay. She looked so small, but within a year she would be halfway to being a full-blown horse. A year later she would be one, but not a mature one. It would take two more years before she was mature enough to have foals of her own.
Steele wondered for a moment. Should he try and tame the filly? Once she was old enough should he try keeping her? She was roughly about three months now. Rodeo season would be winding down by the time she was old enough. Steele thought about it."