Free Mistwalker by Terri Farley Page A

with Kimo to repair a watering trough that had loosened in the soggy ground, then tipped over. Jonah was riding Kona, smoothing the gelding out, Cade said, in case Ellen wanted to ride him.
    It seemed to Darby that the cowboys had left Cade behind with nothing to do except give her a hard time.
    â€œDo you want to start me and Hoku on the bronc stop?” Darby asked.
    â€œI think you should groom her instead.”
    â€œBut I want to be riding when my mom gets here. The last time she saw Hoku, she was sick and lying in a stall.”
    â€œThose early-morning showers made her feet muddy.And the end of her tail, a little,” Cade pointed out.
    â€œOkay, but the main thing is—”
    â€œShe’d enjoy the massage,” Cade said.
    â€œWhat’s going on? Why don’t you want me to ride?” Darby studied Cade’s expression, but his brown eyes gave her no hints. “Do you just want to keep your paniolo tricks to yourself?”
    â€œYou’re too pupule just now to try bronc stoppin’,” Cade said.
    â€œWhat?” Darby demanded. “I’m not crazy.”
    â€œWound up,” Cade tried again. “Kind of hyper because…you know.”
    Darby did know, and Cade was right. Her excitement would telegraph to her horse and, not knowing why Darby was jittery, Hoku might respond with agitation of her own.
    Darby sighed. She retrieved Hoku’s halter and orange-striped lead rope from the tack room and asked, “So, you think this will settle us both down?”
    â€œYes, ma’am.” Cade gave a perfect imitation of Kit’s buckaroo drawl, and Darby guessed the intensive grooming session had probably been the foreman’s idea.
    â€œAll right,” Darby conceded.
    Although grooming a horse kept on rain-washed grass wasn’t as important as a horse kept in a stall, Jonah had told Darby it was an important part of the gentling process for Hoku. After her injury, grooming had acted as a massage for the wild filly and helpedDarby keep dust and bugs away from her wounds.
    â€œCome on, my beautiful girl,” Darby told Hoku.
    Darby thought the filly was lowering her head for the halter until she realized the mustang was sniffing her pocket. Hoku had scented the sugar.
    â€œYou’ve never had this, have you?” Darby mumbled, working her fingers into her pocket. “Two left,” she said. As she withdrew the sugar, Hoku nudged her hand with loud snuffling. “One for each of us.”
    Darby popped a sugar cube into her mouth, then flattened her palm. Hoku took another loud breath, lipped at the white cube, and knocked it off Darby’s hand.
    The sugar was melting on Darby’s tongue by the time Hoku nibbled the sugar cube, raised her head, tilted it back, and crunched. For an instant, the filly’s eyes closed, and then saliva dripped from her mouth to the white star on her chest.
    â€œPretty good, huh?” Darby asked. Hoku tossed her head up and down in agreement and Darby wished she’d given her both treats.
    After Hoku was haltered, Darby led her from the corral. She concentrated on tying a quick-release knot that would please Cade’s watchful eyes and keep Hoku safe.
    She passed the rope through the ring, forming a sort of bow, and pulled the bow tight.
    â€œPut that loose end through, too,” Cade reminded her.
    Hoku flattened her ears, telling him to go away, but Darby just said, “So it can’t be undone, I know.”
    â€œUp to you,” Cade said with a shrug. “Kimo thinks she’s figuring out how to let herself go.”
    That’s just what we need, Darby thought, for Mom to arrive and find me gone on a wild horse chase . So she poked the loose end through, where it would be hard for fluttering lips to grab and teeth to jerk.
    After that, Darby felt her way down her horse’s leg, speaking gently, then picked out Hoku’s feet from heel to toe. Darby smiled at the