12. ‘Ash’
TWELVE
I hate calling for help. For fuck’s sake, I’ve been ranching my entire life so why does this have to be so hard? Horses give birth all the time. I’ve watched and helped when needed, but this one we’re gonna lose if I don’t put in a call. Goddamn it, not what I want to do. Mom seems a bit out of it, so don’t want to bother her if I don’t have to. I texted Reed to see if he could come give me a hand but got nothing back. So, reaching for my phone again, I look up the number to Blue Sky Sanctuary. Well, it’s Ollie’s cell so I hit dial and wait. It doesn’t take him long, wonder why he’s not asleep.
“Ash, what ya need at this time of night? If it can wait, I’d appreciate it.”
“Wish it could, Ollie. I need Paisley here, got a horse in distress and I can’t seem to help her. I even put a call out to the doctor in our family but he’s not getting back to me. From what I can tell the foal is breach and I can’t turn it, though I’ve tried a few times. Mom’s breathing is getting a bit rough so before I lose them both, if at all possible, do you think Paisley can come on by to give me a hand?”
I don’t hear anything for a second or two then I hear him let out a huge breath. Oh shit, maybe he’s involved with something himself. I didn’t even think of that. That sanctuary takes in not only ex-military who need help physically, mentally, and emotionally but also animals who are either abused or abandoned. Damn, I’m sure he’s got his hands full.
“Ollie, forget it, you sound like you have your hands full. Let me put out a call to my brothers, someone should be able to give me a hand. Sorry to bother ya.”
Before I can hang up, I hear him yelling not to hang up so I don’t.
“Fuck, Ash, it’s not you. We’re at Brenna’s because Bray ran away from Alder’s tonight and showed up here. Then she went into Brenna’s bathroom and slit her wrists. Now she’s on suicide watch and will be staying with the Devil’s Handmaidens at the ranch so there are eyes on her all the time. Just another long night, brother, that’s all. Let me see if Phantom or one of the other folks can drive Paisley to the ranch. Which barn are you set up in so I can let her know? Probably gonna have to give her around forty-five minutes before she can get there. Well, unless it’s Phantom driving then she’ll be there quicker. Does that work for ya?”
Grateful as fuck, I tell him yes just as the horse starts to have another contraction. I let Ollie know I need to get off the phone, throw it on the railing of the stall, and get back down with her, trying to keep her calm. I pray to Christ we have forty-five minutes to an hour before Paisley gets here. Otherwise, tonight I’m gonna lose not only a good quarter horse but also the foal.
Fuck, I’m tired of all this shit. It never ends and that’s only half of it. Those jagoffs with my old man are amping up and trying to intimidate all of us. It ain’t gonna work. If it gets too bad, I’ll have Mom move either with Momma Diane or maybe even Maggie. She’s got tons of room and that club seems to know what they’re doing. I can’t let anything happen to our mom because if it does, I’ll personally drag my old man away from his demented friends and put a bullet right between his eyes.
Getting my head outta my own ass, I clean up the straw that’s been messed up from the mare and her last two contractions. She let loose some soft manure so I grab a wheelbarrow and fill it up with clean straw so I can spread it around the horse’s back end. Gotta try to keep it as clean as possible because don’t want anything to get the little one sick before it gets some of momma’s colostrum. That shit is rich in antibodies and is a must for any newborn animal on our ranch.
So deep in my own head, I just about jump outta my skin when someone clears their throat from behind me. When I turn, I let out a screech at what I see. Not sure how or why but Shadow, Panther, and Avalanche are standing in the barn watching me. Of course, Shadow has a smirk on her face while Panther comes up to me, pats me on the shoulder, then goes to the mare right away. Avalanche follows him. Immediately, they both start to, I don’t know, chant or sing… maybe hum, can’t figure it out. The sound seems to relax the mare as she lets out a huge breath, then another. Panther is speaking in his native language, I’m assuming, when Avalanche stands, gives me a chin lift, then walks outta the barn going who the fuck knows where. I feel like I’m watching a tennis match back and forth.
“Avalanche just went to the truck to bring some of their equipment they use when a horse starts foaling. Don’t worry, Ash, they know what they’re doing.”
“How did you even know what was going on? I mean, you didn’t just stop by, I’m sure.”
She looks at me with her sky-blue eyes, with something in them I can’t read. She leans and looks at what Panther is doing then looks back at me.
“Well, it’s like this. Believe me or not, Ash, but Panther had a feeling all day something was going to happen tonight. So we’ve been ready and waiting on a call. Not sure who from and why, but when either Panther or Avalanche have a feeling, we now know to be ready. When Ollie called, Panther, Avalanche, and I packed the truck. We knew what the feeling was about so we headed here. Ollie just didn’t want you by yourself with the mare in trouble.”
Hearing the horse making some pretty loud noises of pain, I turn to see Panther is up to his shoulders inside the horse, still chanting to her. When Avalanche comes back in and sees Panther, he literally throws the shit in his arms down and runs, sliding in the hay to get next to the horse. He’s speaking to Panther in that language so I have no idea what pissed him off. I watch as Avalanche starts pushing and manipulating the horse’s stomach, while Panther tries to reach a leg or something.
“I’ve seen them do this before, it’s like a choreographed dance. Damn, they are good, will say that. Don’t panic, Ash, they got this and Paisley should be here shortly. Phantom was driving so I’m surprised they aren’t showing up in a helicopter, for Christ’s sake.”
Then I hear it and, holy shit, Shadow is right, that’s how they are getting here. Great, just what I need, those Thunder Cloud Knuckle Brotherhood assholes to hear and see a helicopter landing. And for sure this is going to wake up Mom and Rowan. Goddamn it, nothing ever goes right.
Feeling a small hand on my upper arm, I look down to see Shadow watching me. She leans in closer and gets up on her tippy-toes.
“You got this, Ash. Don’t worry about those assholes in the woods. If they come down here, they are in for a big surprise. We didn’t come alone, Panther brought three of his men, all ex-military special forces. And I’m sure Phantom has at least one other person with him. I hope the brotherhood makes an appearance because, personally, I’ll take down as many as possible, swear to God. I’m sick and tired of their fucking shenanigans.”
I can’t help but smile at her words. The more I’m around her it makes me realize she puts up a front for most folks. Like she’s that tattoo on her face. When in all reality she’s got a heart bigger than Texas. She must see something in my face ’cause she puts her hands on her hips, throwing one out. Oh, that’s not a good sign. Gotta stop her before she lets loose.
“Shadow, your secret is safe with me as long as you don’t lose your cool right now. Too much is at stake, so please take a breath or a walk but don’t throw a temper tantrum right now. I’m sure in the next minute or two my mom and little brother are gonna be out here, and I don’t want them to witness anything that you might be doing.”
Right before she can reply, I hear my mom screaming my name and Rowan screaming for her. She literally runs into the barn, still in her pajamas, with a coat on and her gun in her hand. She’s waving it all over and when Shadow sees that, she walks right up to her and grabs the gun before Mom can even try to understand what’s going on. Rowan sees Shadow approaching Mom and he goes to get between them. I don’t have time to warn him, but Panther must have looked up because he screams to her from the stall.
“Nizhoni! Rowan is just protecting his mom. Don’t do it, Zoey.”
She stops immediately, just as Rowan is standing right in front of her. I don’t know when it appeared, but she was holding a huge Bowie hunting knife in one hand and Mom’s gun in the other. Mom looks down, sees the knife, and grabs Rowan, pulling him back and behind her. Then she looks at Shadow with fear on her face, but Mom has never taken the easy way out and she doesn’t now.
“You plan on using that hunting knife, young lady? ’Cause if your plan is to use it on my boy, then we have a problem. I come out to my barn to see what in the ever-lovin’ heck is going on and you attack me. Why? I wasn’t going to shoot anyone, just needed to check that Ash was okay. Those jerks in the trees have had helicopters come and land, so I wanted to make sure if they had bad intentions or had come to start some stuff.”
The barn is quiet for maybe ten seconds then I hear a whoop from Avalanche.
“Damn, brother, you did it. How the hell did you flip that foal without the mother losing her shit? I saw the entire body do a flip. The momma horse let out an actual cry then she seemed to relax. I bet she’s not in half the pain she was. She’s breathing easier too. Great job, Panther.”
Panther is still chanting and has all but blanked us out. He speaks in a low voice to Avalanche then takes up the chanting again. I walk to the stall and when I get close, Panther looks up at me.
“As far as I can tell, everything is back to normal. Don’t think anything happened to the foal, and this mare is actually a lot more relaxed since we flipped that big old foal in her. You might want to see if she’ll eat or drink. Oh wait, look, her water just broke, it should move pretty quick now. Ash, might want to lay down an old blanket or something so when the foal comes out, we can place it on the blanket. That way if momma needs help, we can wipe her baby down. Remember the one-two-three rule of birthing for horses.”
I look at him like he’s a fucking loon. He’s calm as can be and asking me, a rancher, if I know the rule of foaling. Fuck, I don’t need this shit.
“Panther, first hour the foal should stand. The second hour it should nurse, and third hour the mare should pass the placenta.”
He grins at me and it hits me he was just messing with me, trying to calm me down. I went in the opposite direction because I’m so thin-skinned lately, as Mom has told me.
Panther whistles and everyone walks to the stall, just as we see two hooves pushing out of the mare. This right here is a miracle few ever get to witness. I never get sick of it, even though tonight was a bit rough. People are whispering and Avalanche is back in the stall with Panther. I walk around everyone and into the stall. I head to the mare’s head, kneel down, and start to stroke her, softly talking to her. Telling her it’s gonna be okay and she’s getting ready to be a momma. She neighs at me. I’m sure she knows we only want to help her. Animals aren’t stupid.
When I raise my eyes, Panther is watching me with those green eyes of his. Something happens because all of my anxiety seems to vanish and I don’t feel as wiped as I did just a minute or two ago. Hearing someone let a loud breath out, I look to see it’s Panther. Avalanche leans into him, touching his shoulder, and for a second they just remain like that, connected by Avalanche’s hand on Panther’s shoulder as they chant. Looking around I can see everyone is enamored with the two men. Something about them pulls you to them and I know, not sure how, but it was Panther who made me feel better. When Shadow comes in and kneels next to me, I wait because I know she’s got a reason for being here.
“Ash, you know what an empath is? Or in the native culture it might be called a shaman. Well, you are looking at two of the best from the Navajo tribe. It’s fucking eerie they know what I’m thinking at times before I even have a moment to process my thoughts. So just be warned, if you are thinking negative or bad things about either, try and control it because they’ll get into your head.”
Just as she finishes, I glance down and see the foal is almost all the way out. Panther reaches for some kind of, I don’t know, a bunch of weeds. Avalanche passes him an abalone shell and a lighter. Wait, is he gonna set shit on fire in a barn filled with straw and hay? Though before I say a word, Panther stands and walks out of the stall, down the middle of the barn, and out the doors. That’s when he lights the shit. What did Shadow say it was…yeah, sage, and starts singing and waving the sage around. Not sure why but we all stand there and watch while listening. Whatever it is he’s singing, it’s beautiful and peaceful. When he comes back in, he takes the bundle and slowly swings it by the stall door, and when he blows on the sage, he goes from left to right. Avalanche is up on his feet and he’s drawing in the smoke and almost giving the foal a smoke bath. Then he directs some of the smoke to the mare. By this time Panther is back outside, and as I walk toward him, I can see he’s putting out the bundle. Shadow is right behind me, probably to check and make sure I don’t do anything stupid.
I walk directly to Panther, grab his hand, shaking it with my own.
“Panther, my God, thank you so much. This would have ended up in a bad way if you guys hadn’t shown up. Appreciate the help, seriously. Between you and Paisley, damn, I’m just glad both the mare and foal are okay. Gotta get back in there, but I truly mean it, thanks a lot, man.”
When I go back into the stable, Paisley is checking the foal out. She looks at me with a smile.
“You have a colt, Ash. And a big one at that. I’m going to give him some time but think he’ll be up way before the hour. Mom seems infatuated with her baby already. She’s licking and cleaning him, which is a good sign. All’s good that ends well, right?”
And with that she goes back to checking the foal out as Mom rushes into my arms. Rowan stands to my side but says nothing. He’s a quiet kid and a people watcher. Hugging Mom to me, I lift my head and say a quick prayer of thanks that the evening didn’t end up down the shitter. I just hope everything that is happening at Brenna’s turns out okay too.