TIOA Sns9 eps 52" Abby went forward with her horses and her sons, they followed the stream on the north side, the others always seemed to be on the south. She led the horses near the water and watched, and finally saw stone good for the horses feet. She led them down into the water, and knew it was ice cold and brought them up on the south side for a few minutes and then back into the water.
She led the in the water for a little while longer and went back to the north to let the horses feet out of the water, she had them move on the north side of the creek, moving slow; watching her way. She finally stopped the horses. "Get down Theo and get on with Pallab." Theo heard and got down, he knew his mom was right and listened. Pallab pulled Theo up and they looked at her. "What mom?"
"I want you to go forward, like the last time I told you. Go forward near the stream." Latrell and Pallab heard her and pulled the horses away from her. Abby turned around, she had Runner go back down the stream, and had him enter the water again. The horse followed her command but the water was cold and she knew it, he followed and she could feel his feet different; she saw the tracks left behind.
"Just a little longer Runner." Runner went in the water a little more his feet freezing, Abby pulled him up out of the water and got down. "Rest Runner rest." she went down and rubbed his legs and feet, she went up and rubbed his chest and neck. "Good boy, rest; and get warm." Abby knelt down and rubbed his legs and feet again. Runner let her, she was drawing away the water and adding heat.
"Okay Runner." Abby got back on the horse and before the other prints were shown by some 40 feet she led him north to another set of trees. "Go." Runner waited a minute and picked up his pace the sun in his face, it felt warm and he finally went. The marks in the snow and dirt easy to spot. "Go Runner go!" Abby went down low and felt as Runner was cold and felt her warmth, he began to trot faster and faster. He went into a full run.
The snow and ground gave them away and she let him run less than full speed forward, Runners heartbeat and breath could be felt and seen, she let him slow, and into the trees. Runners breath still shown in the air, the cold air showing his moisture of breath. Abby had him come close to another stream of water, she could feel his heartbeat.
"Runner, please trust me." said Abby, Runner heard her and his head nodded no, "Please, Runner for Theo and my children." Runner did not want to but let Abby led him into the water and they went back. The water was lower and just over Runners hooves, but still cold. Abby rubbed his neck and back as fast as she could to add heat. Runner went forward and stopped, he turned to the right; the water too cold.
"Stop Runner." Abby got down and used her clothes to wash down the water, she grabbed some grass and let him eat it and went down again to rub his feet, she moved up and down his legs, to bring warmth. Runner waited and let her do so, he breathed over the top of her and smelled her as she was so near his legs and feet. Runner stood his head up and felt better in time, he moved back away from Abby.
"Are you ready?" asked Abby Runner stood at attention and one leg kicked the dirt. Abby got back up. "You know the direction we need to go Runner." Runner heard her and stood. "You know where we need to go Runner, don't you?" Runner stomped the ground some more and went forward into the water. He did not want to, it was cold and the distance back a long time. Runner watched the ground below, Abby let him do so.
Runner went slow back down the small creak and watched the rocks staying in the water, He looked down and heard another sound and brought his neck and head back up again. He saw the major water and got out. Abby did not stop him as Runner went at an angle to the other side, like he knew. It would take them a day or two to follow and Runner was free from the water, his feet cold. He went forward faster to the bigger body of water.
Abby held on he was getting faster, the horse moved forward; the snow below his feet. He crossed the field faster and went to the other body of water. Abby was not so sure but could not control him, she looked up as a strong wind came their way. She noticed that loose snow was blowing over them, and as she looked back filling the hoof marks of Runner. She looked and felt at more ease as Runner came to the next set of trees.
Runner slowed and went down to the water, less snow and followed the direction he knew where her boys where and the other horses. Abby sat on top as the sun went down, the air getting much colder. Finally the night was on them and Abby was tired and knew Runner was, she stopped him and gathered a lot of wood and started a fire, she tied Runner to the tree close and let the fire get higher, the wind coming in close and harsh, there may have been new snow.
Abby grabbed the bear skin off Runner and put it near the ground after she cleared a space. She went to Runner and brought him closer to the fire and added more wood to the fire. Runner finally pulled away he could feel the heat, and she let loose his rope and let him free. "Drink, eat; but watch Runner." Abby got the skin and went to the fire, she added a few more logs and watched the flames dance.
Abby awoke the next day the embers were low, and Runner was near her and the fire, he was near enough that Abby had come to him. She got up and moved the skin over Runner, he was awake and watching her. "Stay down Runner, stay down; good boy." Runner stayed on the ground next to the embers. Abby got more wood and made the fire grow. Runner finally stood the heat getting to be too much.
Abby saw it and let him move away, she knelt toward the fire and let herself get more warm. She stood and went back towards Runner to a satchel and took out some of the older deer meat, and ate it; it was no more than jerky now. She went back to the fire and ate some more and watched the flamed dance, she scooped some snow and ate it for water, and then let her hands back to the fire.
Runner waited for her, and she knelt at the fire, and then kicked a lot of snow at it; she was putting it out and it made a lot of smoke on her and she moved out of the wind and kicked more, the fire smoldering, finally out and she kicked more, the fire out and kicked more, to not give them away. She got on him and they began forward, Runner let her he was warm and felt good.
