It was like a whirlwind meeting the two women. They were so different and meeting them in such short succession nearly gave the young hybrid whiplash. Nova was all sparkle and motion and color, like she’d ridden straight out of a festival and onto the range. Marcus thought thhe pinks and rhinestones should’ve felt out of place, but somehow they didn’t. They suited her energy. Colt, by contrast, moved with a quiet efficiency that Marcus respected instantly. No wasted words, no fuss—just a woman who knew the land, the animals, and the work that needed doing, and did it.
As they rode out, sweat traced slow paths down his spine, darkening his shirt, and he knew Taco felt it too, with her skin twitching beneath him, impatience coiled tight in her shoulders. The paint danced beneath him with a smooth but quick prancing trot, and despite how Marcus tried to maneuver her around to be in the middle the paint stuck her nose out and resisted the bit, carrying them promptly to the front.
When the first gate came into view, and the other hands prompted him, Marcus didn't hesitate. He swung down as soon as they reached it, boots hitting the dirt with a dull thud, and pushed the gate open wide. Taco tossed her head, snorted, sidestepped, ears flicking back toward him annoyed. His mouth was a tight line as his hand slid along her neck in a brief, grounding stroke before stepping aside to let the others pass through. Taco snorted and tossed her head. Yep, she was Zuriel.
As soon as the last rider cleared, Marcus hauled the gate shut and latched it fast. Taco was already surging forward the moment he swung back into the saddle, launching into a brisk trot that jackhammered him agains the saddle without his other foot in the stirrup to keep his balance.
Marcus struggles with Taco.
As they rode out, sweat traced slow paths down his spine, darkening his shirt, and he knew Taco felt it too, with her skin twitching beneath him, impatience coiled tight in her shoulders. The paint danced beneath him with a smooth but quick prancing trot, and despite how Marcus tried to maneuver her around to be in the middle the paint stuck her nose out and resisted the bit, carrying them promptly to the front.
When the first gate came into view, and the other hands prompted him, Marcus didn't hesitate. He swung down as soon as they reached it, boots hitting the dirt with a dull thud, and pushed the gate open wide. Taco tossed her head, snorted, sidestepped, ears flicking back toward him annoyed. His mouth was a tight line as his hand slid along her neck in a brief, grounding stroke before stepping aside to let the others pass through. Taco snorted and tossed her head. Yep, she was Zuriel.
As soon as the last rider cleared, Marcus hauled the gate shut and latched it fast. Taco was already surging forward the moment he swung back into the saddle, launching into a brisk trot that jackhammered him agains the saddle without his other foot in the stirrup to keep his balance.
Marcus struggles with Taco.
marcus
a song for a scribbled out name
