With the fire burning hot and the pot over the flames, Abri thought he was setting up a pretty good meal! His dog inched closer every time the man turned away, but his ears suddenly perked up to a thundering noise outside.
"It's the storm, Shep," Abri said, scratching behind the dog's ears. "We've gone through a ton of these." The horses in the stable started whinnying and shaking the doors to their stalls. He was able to distinctly make out Tik'ito's neigh, as that horse was the most well behaved animal Abri had ever worked with. Unfortunately, he was also one of the strongest.
There was a sudden crash from the stables, and Abri leapt to his feet, ignoring the dinner he had started. He grabbed his long coat and staff, then ran outside with Shep right behind him. Last time there was a crash like that, the horses had gotten loose, which had taken an hour and a half to get them all relaxed again.
Shep ran outside, barking at the sudden appearance of another horse on their property. Tik'ito bolted out of the stable, bucking and rearing at what he believed was an intruder. The large horse was the clear leader of Abri's herd, towering over the incoming horse, so he took his role of protecting everyone very seriously!
"What the hell?" Abri said, just as confused at the unannounced horse on his farm. His confusion didn't go away when the horse just turned and ran off. Tik'ito stopped his performance, returning to his normal demeanor. Then, the horse came back!
That time, Abri had gotten his saddle and reins on his large stallion. He held the reins, having placed his staff on Tik'ito's saddle, and reached out towards the horse.
When he spoke, his voice was warm and calm, giving a comforting energy to animals and people alike. "Hey," he said, "it's okay. Shh, shh, shh." It took about a minute for the horse to settle. Something must've really set her off for her to act like that. As soon as he placed his hand on the mare's neck, Abri understood what she was trying to say.
I can help, he told her. He mounted Tik'ito and took hold of the reins and his staff. Two sharp whistles sent Iso galloping back towards her human with Shep at her heels. Abri chased after the horse atop his own, squinting to try to clear his vision.
It was less than a two minute ride. He saw a line of horses tethered together with a drenched young woman holding the lead. The front horse was limping, and Abri could vaguely see blood on its front leg. He dismounted quickly and approached the young woman. "My name's Abri," he said, shrugging off his coat. The thing was designed for working outside, so it was almost completely weatherproof. As soon as he removed the coat, his white shirt practically turned invisible from the rain, but he didn't care. He draped the coat around the girl's shoulders, despite her already being soaking wet. "Your horse told me you could use some help."
He brought her and the animals back to his farm, giving each of them blankets and stalls in the oversized stable. He would absolutely tend to the injured horse as soon as possible, but he knew well enough that they couldn't do anything without the proper materials. "You have my word I'm not a murderer," Abri said with a slight smile. "My house is dry and warm with some dinner, if you're hungry. Come on." He walked to his house and sighed when he opened the door, as Shep ran inside and shook his shaggy fur. "So, my house is dry and warm, as long as you don't mind the smell of burnt stew." He shrugged with a breathy chuckle. "I was never much of a cook. What happened to the horse? He was limping pretty badly."