Carolina Valdez Twilight (pdf)

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* * *
They were leaning on the corral fence, shoulders touching as
they watched Wild Heart run, his tail up and mane flying. When
Cade had opened the gate earlier to bring him in so Lee could
examine him, he d nickered and raced over to Cade to nuzzle him.
He d come without being called or coaxed. The sight of the big
man was enough.
Lee had watched the wonderful connection between the two
and smiled. Now he watched as the horse cavorted in the yard.
My gosh, look at that Paso-like gait. Did you teach him that?
Cade laughed. Wonderful, isn t it? No, I didn t train him in it.
The Pryor Mountain horses have it naturally.
So interesting. You know, Cassie s son was in the office this
morning. Brought in one of the new dogs for a distemper shot.
You re his hero. You really impressed him with how you broke
Wild Heart.
He s a great kid. Cassie and her husband can be proud of him.
He has a special knack for understanding horses that he wants to
develop. I m thinking of opening a training school using my
methods to break horses without pain. He ll be ahead of all the
other students after his time with Wild Heart.
A school for horse whisperers. Lee let his words echo in his
mind. The students would have the perfect teacher. It s a
wonderful idea.
By now, Lee had examined and ridden Wild Heart. The
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TWILIGHT
mustang s a real beauty. His gait s as smooth as a Thoroughbred s.
He s also sound and healthy. I m sure I ll find parasites because
most wild horses have them, but I ll be careful in clearing them up
so the medicines don t make him sick.
Lee turned and looked into Cade s green eyes, the color of light
jade, so unexpected in a Native American. They were filled with
pleasure as they watched the frisky stallion. Lee dropped his voice
low so none of the other stable hands could hear. Have I told you
what sexy eyes you have? They re one of the things that fascinated
me when I first saw you. Wild Heart s are dark brown, as they
should be, but I m thinking you must not be pure Sioux or yours
would be black.
Cade laughed. According to the elders, every generation in my
clan, some have had eyes this color, but no one knows why. Maybe
some day scientists will figure it out, but don t tell anyone else in
my family we aren t pure Lakota Native or you ll have a fight on
your hands. It s a matter of pride.
And with you? Is it a matter of pride?
Cade was a long time answering, then he gazed out at Wild
Heart and said, Yeah, it is. But there was a time when I hated the
color of my skin and my straight black hair. Hated the color of my
eyes because I was Native and yet, because they weren t black, not
considered by some as pure Lakota. I hated being called Indian
because of this country s history with its first peoples. It s why the
Lakota call themselves Natives instead of Indians. It s as if we re
throwing off a name that has a history of degradation.
But the Sioux have a history of great warriors Sitting Bull,
Red Cloud, Black Elk. Crazy Horse and his warriors killed
Custer.
But in the end they each failed against the white man, didn t
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they? Some say the death of Custer and his soldiers at what whites
call the Battle of the Little Big Horn turned the mood of
Washington against us, making them determined to annihilate us.
Did you know, the Lakota rarely use the word Sioux among
themselves because it s a French corruption of the Ojibwa word for
treacherous snakes ? We prefer Lakota because it means Alliance
of Friends. That s much nicer.
Lee smiled. That fits your personality exactly.
It didn t until I left the reservation and came here to the Lazy
M. I was bitter and angry, but here I figured out who I really am
and what I can do. I think my uncle knew this when he asked me to
run the ranch. So now, yes, it s a matter of pride for me. Green
eyes or not, I m full blood Lakota Native.
Lee nodded. He understood.
* * *
Over the next several weeks, they resumed their occasional
rides, Cade usually on Wild Heart and Lee on Night Fox. On one
ride, Cade said, Come spring we can bring tents and bedrolls and
sleep out. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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