Free Wonder Light by R. R. Russell Page B

there was some more poo for her to scoop up, another wheelbarrow to dump.
    Twig nodded every now and then as Mrs. Murley demonstrated how to saddle Rain Cloud. She followed dutifully as she led the pony out to the stable yard.
    And then Mrs. Murley said, “Now just put your toe in the stirrup and hold on there.”
    Twig considered refusing. Didn’t ponies bite? How far back could Rain Cloud’s mouth reach? Regina was smirking at her. But Rain Cloud seemed tame enough, and she didn’t want to look like a total wuss. Twig grabbed the pommel and put her slippery-soled, pointy toe in the stirrup and hauled herself up. She peeked at the ground. Not too far. Thank God Keely had gotten her into a pony ranch and not that horse ranch in Texas that Twig had seen when she pulled up Keely’s Internet search history.
    With Rain Cloud’s lead in hand, Mrs. Murley said something to the pony and started to walk them slowly around the yard. Rain Cloud trotted forward. Twig squeezed her thighs and tried not to flinch. Falling wouldn’t be so bad, as long as she didn’t get trampled. Mrs. Murley was saying something about the reins, but Twig was busy planning how she’d ninja roll to safety if it came to that.
    â€œTwig, honey, just relax your legs and hold the reins nice and gentle. When you squeeze, he thinks you want him to go faster.”
    Twig stopped squeezing. The last thing she wanted was for Rain Cloud to go faster.

Chapter 17
    Are you ready, Twig?” Mr. Murley said.
    Twig took a deep breath. She wasn’t, not really, but Wild Light needed her. At first, Mr. Murley had taken care of Wild Light, but he’d let Twig bottle-feed her, and though she’d figured Mr. Murley would want the filly for himself since Caper was gone, he’d stepped aside, quietly and gradually letting Twig take on the responsibility for Wild Light.
    Twig had worried that Wild Light’s horn would pop up like Pinocchio’s nose and give her away, but there had been no sign of it since the day she was born. What if she wasn’t caring for her right and it wasn’t growing at all? What would she tell Ben when he came back for her—if he came back for her? There hadn’t been a glimpse of him since the day after Wild Light was born, since he’d introduced her to Indy.
    The filly was just two weeks old, but she was already bouncing off her stall walls—sometimes literally. She could spring up in the air nearly to the height of Twig’s shoulders without a running start. Today, they were going to turn her out for the first time, and that meant introducing her to the ponies. Twig willed her hand not to tremble as she held Wild Light’s halter. What if they didn’t like her? She was so different.
    Mr. Murley said, “Remember, girls, we have to watch very closely. Wild Light doesn’t know how to behave in a herd, and she doesn’t have a mare to protect her. I think she’s sure enough on her feet to get out of the way if there’s trouble, but…if she does something one of the others doesn’t want to tolerate, she could get hurt.”
    â€œI’ll keep hold of Sparkler,” Mandy offered. “She is the alpha mare. She’s not gonna like this.”
    Janessa rolled her eyes at Mandy, but followed her out to the pasture to wait with the ponies for Wild Light’s entrance.
    Wild Light skipped along the aisle toward the sunlight and open air, eager and carefree. Though Twig had her by the halter, it was clear she wasn’t in the lead.
    â€œCeleste!”
    Twig turned at Regina’s cry. Celeste was charging right at Wild Light—until Rain Cloud intercepted her. Celeste hesitated as Rain Cloud blocked her path, but the determination to run Wild Light off was still in her eyes. And then Sparkler intervened. All it took was a look from the alpha mare, and Celeste retreated.
    â€œNo, Celeste!” Regina took hold of her pony.