Moon Shadow (15 page)

She finished up in the tack room and prepared to go home for the day. She'd ask her parents about entering the show. If they said yes, then maybe she'd get up the nerve to ask Jill for a copy of the entry form.

There was no one around but José when Callie left. She said good-bye, then picked up her bike and pedaled down the road to her house.

She felt pretty proud of herself for making the decision to gather her courage and step into the show ring with Moon Shadow. But just as she got herself pumped up, she was hit by another thought: the twenty-dollar entry fee for the show. Even if she could overcome that obstacle, she had neither a show halter nor special show clothes.

Callie frowned in frustration. A show halter with all of its fancy silver trim and the elegant outfits that competitors wore would cost way more than she could afford.

She pulled into the driveway of her house, propped her bike against the porch steps, and headed straight to the barn to feed Moon Shadow. She filled the milk bucket and took it out to the paddock where the filly was sleeping next to the fence in the shadow cast by the draft mare. The mustang woke with a start and scrambled to her feet, nickering greedily for her lunch. Callie smiled when she saw Moon Shadow's strong, steady walk. The little mustang was still smaller than most horses her age, but she'd come a long way from the weak little foal that had stumbled out of the horse trailer just a few short months ago.

Callie ran her fingers through the filly's black mane while the little one slurped noisily at the milk. “We almost got a chance to prove ourselves to all those people who doubted us,” she told her, feeling tears spring up behind her eyes. “But I guess we'll have to wait until next summer. Maybe by then I'll be able to save enough to buy me a decent show outfit and you the best show halter I can find.”

Moon Shadow had made so much progress in such a short period of time, Callie thought. It was a shame that she wouldn't be able to show off the results of all of their hard work this summer. For now, she'd have to content herself with showing off in her own pasture for Billie and Justin.

Fifteen

Just before sunset Callie went out to put Moon Shadow in her stall. “Susan says we can wean you off all the milk in another week,” she said as she tossed a flake of grass hay into the feeder her father had installed a few weeks ago. Moon Shadow grabbed a big bite of hay and blew through her lips.

Callie laughed. “I guess that means you don't think too much of that idea,” she said, taking off her watch and pouring some water into the milk bucket to wash it out. She was just getting ready to go back in the house when she heard a noise at the barn door. She almost fell over with surprise when Luke Thompson removed his hat and stepped into the barn.

“So this is the famous mustang,” he said.

“What do you want, Luke?” Callie crossed her arms and watched him saunter across the barn to Moon Shadow's stall.

“I just wanted to come by and take a look at this horse you've been jaw-jacking about all summer.” He picked up a stem of hay and put it between his teeth, then leaned on the stall door.

“This is Moon Shadow,” Callie said proudly. “She might not have come from a long fancy line of registered horses like your colt, but I love her anyway.”

“She's pretty nice for a mustang,” Luke admitted as he opened her stall door and let himself in uninvited.

Callie watched Luke walk around the stall, inspecting her filly in the waning light.

“Not bad.” He stood there with his hands in his pockets, watching Moon Shadow eat.

“What is it you want?” Callie said again.

Luke put his hands in the air. “Come on, Callie, I didn't do anything to make you so huffy. Why do you always act so prickly when I'm around? Can't we agree to a truce?”

Callie sighed. Outside of showing up uninvited, he hadn't really done anything wrong. “Come on out of the stall,” she said, walking toward the barn door. “It's getting late, and I'm sure you want to get home before dark.” She led the way back out to the driveway. “Okay, Luke,” she added, attempting a smile. “I'll try not to be so grouchy when you're around.”

Luke plopped his hat back on his head and grinned. “That's better. You know, you're a whole lot prettier when you smile, Callie McLean.”

Great
, Callie thought.
That was all I needed
—
Luke Thompson thinking I'm pretty.
The compliment would go a whole lot further if it came from Justin.

Her cheeks immediately grew warm. Why had she thought of something crazy like that?

Luke pulled something out of his back pocket and handed it to her.

“What's this?” Callie asked.

“Jill said to bring it to you, but I don't know what you'd want with a show entry.” He saw the irritated look on Callie's face and backed up a step. “Oops, sorry. I forgot about our truce.” He headed down the driveway and climbed on his ATV. “Jill said to give that to you, and I did. So I'm out of here.” With that he started the engine and drove off in a cloud of dust.

Callie shook her head. She'd never understand boys if she lived to be a hundred. She looked down at the entry form in her hands. It was nice of Jill to think of her, but there was no way she'd be able to use the entry form this year.

A soft breeze blew the smoky aroma of barbequed hamburgers from the back porch. It was almost dinnertime. She looked at her wrist and remembered that she'd left her watch by Moon Shadow's stall. Callie stuck the entry form in her back pocket as she walked toward the barn. She expected the usually friendly nicker when she flipped on the barn light, but instead she was greeted by silence.

“Hey, girl, are you lying down already?” Callie said, approaching the stall. But she stopped dead at the sight of the unlatched stall door. “No!” Callie cried. She ran to the stall, not believing her eyes. Why hadn't she checked the latch when Luke left the stall? Mr. Thompson had said his son was careless about locking gates and stall doors.

She turned in a frantic circle, hoping that Moon Shadow had only wandered to a corner of the barn, but the filly was nowhere in sight.

Callie grabbed the blue halter and lead rope and ran out the door. “Shadow!” she hollered as she ran around to Celah's corral to see if the filly was there. Celah was prancing up and down the fence line and snorting. “Where is she, girl?” Callie wailed.

Celah stared off into the desert and called to the runaway filly, her sides shaking with the force of her neigh.

Callie's parents came running. “What's going on here?” her mother asked.

Callie felt a sob rising in her throat. “Moon Shadow got loose.” The full moon was coming up and she strained to see in the gathering darkness.

“How did this happen?” Mr. McLean asked.

Callie brushed angrily at a tear that slipped down her cheek. “Luke came to deliver something and he went into the stall with Moon Shadow,” she explained. “And I was in such a hurry to get rid of him that I forgot to check the lock.” She balled her fists at her sides. “I was so stupid! I should have checked the lock.”

“Okay, honey,” her mother said. “Now is not the time to lay blame. First we have to find your horse. Let's split up. You stay close to the house, Callie, in case she comes back. Your father and I will go looking for her.”

Callie pointed toward the hills to the east where the full moon was rising. “Celah was staring in that direction. I'm sure that's where Moon Shadow went.”

“I'll go that way,” said Mr. McLean. He picked up a coil of rope and an extra halter. “Sara, you head in the opposite direction, and Callie, stay here,” he said. “I don't want you getting lost, too.” He took off at a jog, heading into the hills.

How can they expect me to just wait at home? Callie wondered as she paced behind the barn, straining to hear anything that would indicate that Moon Shadow was out there. The full moon was rising higher and she could see the outline of the sagebrush and a scattering of trees on the distant hills.

Celah whinnied again and Callie thought she heard an answering call. She held perfectly still, refusing to breathe as she listened to the sounds of the night.

There! She heard it again—the sound of a scared whinny in the distance. Callie couldn't stand it anymore. She knew her parents would probably ground her, but she had to disobey them in this case. Moon Shadow was in danger!

She picked up the halter where she'd tossed it on the ground and took off in the direction of Moon Shadow's last call. Callie ran as fast as she could. When she reached the open desert, she stopped to get her bearings. She knew these trails. She'd ridden them hundreds of times in the last couple of years. She chose the trail that led to the spot where she'd witnessed the mustang battle at the beginning of the summer. If she didn't find her filly before she reached the outcrop, at least she'd be able to stand on the high rocks and look out over the entire area.

“Shadow!” Callie called. “Here, girl.” She walked for another ten minutes, listening to the night sounds of the desert. A chill went up her spine when a coyote howled in the distance. Several more coyotes joined in the cry, and Callie quickened her pace. She had to find Moon Shadow—and fast.

Callie picked her way among the desert brush. She stumbled several times when she wandered off the trail and tripped over a low-lying branch or a partially buried rock. A loud snap sounded to her right and Callie stopped in her tracks, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end.

“Moon Shadow?” she called softly into the night. “Mom, Dad?” How far away were those coyotes? Callie wondered. She racked her brain, trying to remember if she'd ever heard of a coyote attacking a human. “Is…is someone there?” Her voice shook and she rubbed her arms to rid herself of the goose bumps that had popped up there.

There was a sudden snapping of branches and Callie's heart dropped into her shoes. She opened her mouth to scream, but the loud snort of a horse stopped her. Then a dark shape materialized out of the darkness.

“Moon Shadow!” Callie hollered as the little buckskin raced toward her, her golden coat shimmering in the light of the moon.

Moon Shadow cocked her tail over her back and raced past Callie, her head held high as she enjoyed her freedom.

Callie sucked in her breath, marveling at the beauty of the mustang foal as she galloped down the trail with her mane and tail flying, jumping the sage and bitterbrush that got in her way.

“Shadow, come here, girl,” she called as the filly turned and made another pass. Callie put out her hand and beckoned to her. Moon Shadow made several more wild canters to and fro, then pulled down to a high-stepping trot. The filly circled Callie as she stood with her hand outstretched.

Moon Shadow halted and raised her head high, blowing loudly through her nose in a powerful snort.

“Now you're just being a show-off,” Callie scolded. She approached slowly and buckled the halter over the filly's head. Moon Shadow nuzzled her shoulder and Callie threw her arms around her neck, breathing a huge sigh of relief. “I thought you were gone,” she whispered into the mustang's sweat-dampened coat.

Moon Shadow blew through her lips and tossed her head.

“Are you ready to go back to your stall?” Callie led the way back down the trail and Moon Shadow followed eagerly.

When they reached the barn, both of her parents were waiting anxiously with all of the outdoor lights turned on. “Callie?” her mother's voice cut through the night.

“I'm here, Mom and Dad,” Callie called out. “I found Moon Shadow.” She stepped into the circle of light. Her father took the filly from her while her mother folded her in a big embrace.

“If I wasn't so happy to see the two of you, I'd ground you for the rest of your life!” Mrs. McLean said. “I thought we told you to stick near the house.”

Callie hung her head. “I'm really sorry, Mom. I just couldn't stand the thought of Moon Shadow being out there all by herself—especially when I heard the coyotes howling.”

“Coyotes? Well, how do you think we felt about
you
being out there all alone?” her father said sternly.

Callie nodded. She was in big trouble.

“You're going to have to do some extra time in the garden for disobeying,” Mrs. McLean said. “And you can spend the rest of the evening in your room. Your father and I will take care of Moon Shadow tonight. Get going,” she said as she shooed Callie toward the house.

Callie slowly made her way to her bedroom. Moon Shadow was safe. That was all that mattered. She'd gladly accept any punishment her parents gave her.

Sixteen

Callie slept soundly knowing that Moon Shadow was safely tucked away in her stall and her parents were watching over her. When the sun came up the next morning, she bounded out of bed and quickly changed her clothes. She had forty-five minutes to do her chores and check in on Moon Shadow before she left for the ranch. As she pulled on her boots, she noticed that her parents had already moved her filly out front to the paddock next to Celah's.

“Good morning,” her mother said as she rounded the corner of the barn. “Moon Shadow has already been fed, but you can finish her stall before you leave for the Thompsons'.”

Callie quickly completed her chores, then picked up a soft brush and spent a few extra minutes grooming her filly and Celah. Star nickered from her pen and Callie slipped the mare a piece of carrot. “Your mom will be here this afternoon,” she said as she rubbed the chestnut's neck. “I'm almost out of time. You'll have to wait for Billie to brush you.”

She finished with Celah and moved on to Moon Shadow. She groomed the filly until the dapples stood out on her shining coat. It really was too bad that she couldn't enter her filly in that end-of-year show. But next show season she'd be ready for sure.