The night before the trip, Pilar went out to the barn, where she’d decided to spend the night. She was too excited about the coming race to sleep, and thought that she’d be best served with Prince, so that they could go over what was about to happen. She checked her gear, including saddle and bridle, and then went through the bag she’d packed to make sure she had the clothes she’d need. Then she went to sit with the horse, and began telling him one of her favorite stories.
“This is a story about a young girl who grew up on a farm. Each of the animals helped her with her chores, because she was always so kind to them,” she said. “And at the end of the day, when all the chores were done, she would get on the horse and lead a parade of farm animal down the road to the lake. There, they would all sit and have their lunch, and she would sing them songs,” she continued.
“The frogs would join the party, and the fish would bob their heads in and out of the water. Birds of all types would come down and land in nearby trees. Deer would come from the forest to watch all the excitement. When all the food was gone and the singing ended, the girl and the animals would fall asleep. Large cats would watch over them as they slept, making certain that nothing happened to them. Eagles and hawks would fly overhead, watching over them.”
She smiled, suddenly, for this was her favorite part. “And in the morning, the girl would wake up in her own bed, and realize that she’d had the most magnificent dream. She’d run to the bedroom window and see the animals outside, with the birds flying in the sky and the horses in the fields, just waiting for her to start another day.”
She felt her own eyes growing heavy, and laid down on the blanket she’d brought with her. “I am so tired. Please wake me up in the morning,” she told Prince.
He nuzzled her head gently and she closed her eyes, knowing that her friend would be standing guard over her all night.
******************
Early the next morning, before sunrise, Prince did indeed wake her, and Pilar ran outside to see that all the wagons were packed, and the horses hitched. The ranch hands who were coming with them were saying goodbye to their families, and Jorge shouted that they had only been waiting on Pilar and Prince to awake.
Laughing, Pilar ran back to the barn, saddled Prince, threw her own bag over his back, and led him to the mounting block. As soon as she was on his back, she shouted back to Jorge.
“I am ready! Let’s ride!”
The ride took all day, and into the night, and Pilar took turns riding Prince and then riding in one of the wagons with her mother, who had chosen to hitch her own horse to the team and play passenger during the journey. They passed through acre after acre of corn, wheat, and even pumpkin vines, and always the sky was clear and blue overhead.
“No rain,” Pilar observed quietly.
Her mother looked at her strangely, and asked what she meant.
“The track will be hard, and dry,” she answered, grinning. “Better for racing. Safer.”
Her mother laughed at that, and drew Pilar to her for a hug. “And did Jorge teach you that?” she asked, still laughing.
Pilar nodded, then leaned up against her mother and closed her eyes. She had a lot of work to do in the coming days, and for now, thought she’d better sleep while she could.
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