Disrupted: Day 9

Word Count: 54,033

Summary of Events:

Ezra and his fellow hands learned there were thirty head of cattle missing, and not all of them were steers — which were the most valuable. Gwendolen had taken over consoling Sarah while Mrs. Lloyd made supper, and Mrs. Harder arrived wanting to know where Gwendolen was. Ezra sat around the fire with his fellow hands in silence for a bit before finally going to bed and hoping that Sarah had settled down. Gwendolen — who'd stayed overnight at the Lloyds' to help — got up and talked with Mrs. Lloyd a little bit about her family before going and tending to Sarah when she woke up crying. Ezra and the hands were riding through a somewhat wide open grassy area, following the trail of the rustled cattle . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"Ezra asked Lachlan to trot ahead, as there was a bit of a bend in the trees that could well be obstructing a good view.

Before Ezra could catch the subtle change Lachlan was at a much smoother canter, and he could tell a gallop was coming on.

Sitting deeply in the saddle, Ezra glanced over his shoulder and saw Judson cantering up after them. Ezra sighed. One could take a racehorse out of the track, but they couldn't take the track out of a racehorse.

Slowly Ezra increased the pressure on the reins, but Lachlan tossed his head and Ezra could tell Lachlan had the bit in his teeth as he accelerated into a gallop.

Ezra felt the jerk of the string around his throat that held his hat onto his head and somewhat grudgingly leaned over Lachlan's withers as he flew down the open grass.

As he leaned forward, Ezra slowly reached up Lachlan's neck along the right rein until his arm was as far forward as he could reach, which was nearly at Lachlan's mouth. Closing his hand over the rein, Ezra then sat back, deep in his saddle, and pulled the rein, bringing Lachlan's head around and forcing him to circle, which dropped his speed dramatically.

Once he finally got Lachlan to a stop Ezra reset his hat on his head and turned Lachlan to face the way they'd come as Judson galloped up to him.

"What was that for?" Judson asked.

"You can't take the track out of a racehorse," Ezra replied.

"Oh, he thought we were racing him," Judson said, chuckling.

Ezra nodded before circling Lachlan to bring him down gently and keep him from cramping up. He felt a slight hop and swore under his breath.

"That's why I don't want you to gallop," he muttered. "Your leg can't take it."

He rode Lachlan over to the snow that still remained where the sun never fully lit on the grass and dismounted. He filled a kerchief with snow and tied it around Lachlan's leg while Lachlan reached down and ate some snow.

Ezra startled at the sound of a shriek. It sounded like a woman uttering a bloodcurdling scream, but he knew better than that. Turning, he saw Judson had his rifle out of his scabbard and waiting.

Lachlan's ears were pricked to the southeast, which Ezra presumed was where the cougar was hiding, but being as he wasn't panicking Ezra presumed the cougar was far enough away not to be a threat.

But it didn't bring him any ease, the cattle — including six young calves — were ahead of them. In all likelihood that was what the cougar was following, waiting for a moment to pounce and devour some delectable beef."