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Authors: D. W. Ulsterman
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down at Brando’s grinning snarl.
“Well I’ll be damned…”
Bear’s heavy footed approach could be heard making its way down from the front porch. He came to within ten feet of the horses and remained there, his arms folded across his chest and his eyes conveying more than a fair amount of suspicion at the idea of riding atop the back of an animal.
“So you really don’t think we could just use an ATV or something? Seems like it would be a hell of a lot faster.”
Cooper stepped from behind the largest of the horses and looked at Bear silently for several seconds before responding.
“First off, I told you that anything mechanical gets the attention of the drones. That’s why I had you walk all the way here. That’s why we can’t be firing up some machine and crossing the border. I’ve made the trip hundreds of times already. It’s my way or no way, big man. Besides, I’ve got you sitting on Ben here. He’s a big old fella. You two were made for each other. Trust him to get you there and that’s what he’ll do.”
Bear glanced at the large, solid brown-colored horse before glaring back at Cooper.
“It’s gonna take us forever on these things.”
Cooper turned back to the horses as he responded to Bear’s dissatisfaction.
“Not really, and we can get places on a horse we never could riding some machine. Trust me, Bear, once you get the hang of it, you’ll understand. It might take you a bit, but you’ll get there. And this horse, Ben, he’ll prove himself to you. He’s the hardest worker you’ll ever find, and he likes to please. Just tell him where to go and he’ll do it.”
Mac stepped next to Bear and gave him pat on the back.
“I’m pretty sure between the two of you, that horse is getting the worse of the deal, Bear.”
Bear’s still constant glare now turned toward Mac.
“This ain’t funny, Mac. I don’t like those things. I’ve never been on a horse in my life.”
Mac laughed.
“I think it’s just a matter of you not liking to be next to something that’s bigger than you. And you grew up in Texas, right? How in the hell have you not ever been on a horse?”
Bear set his jaw, his words barely escaping between his clenched teeth.
“I don’t do things I don’t want to and I never wanted to get on a horse. I told you – this isn’t funny. I don’t like horses.”
Mac’s demeanor quickly turned from friendly to fierce as he placed himself directly in front of Bear and looked up into his face, pointing at the large man as he made clear his frustration at Bear’s negativity.
“You can either get yourself on that horse when it’s time, or walk your ass back to Juneau. It’s gonna be one or the other, Bear. And I don’t want to hear another goddamn word about it.”
Bear’s eyes flashed dangerously down at Mac.
“Get that finger out of my face, Mac, or I will break it off.”
Before Mac could respond to Bear’s threat, Brando did so first. The large Doberman lunged toward Bear while unleashing three loud warning barks. Bear took several steps backwards as Brando placed himself between Bear and Mac, the hair on the dog’s neck beginning to stand up as his eyes locked onto Bear’s slightest movement.
“That dog takes another step toward me and I’ll kill it.”
Bear’s voice made clear he meant it.
The unmistakable sound of a revolver hammer being clicked into place was the first thing to answer Bear’s threat as Cooper Wyse emerged from among the horses with a classic Colt Frontier Six Shooter pointed in the big man’s direction.
“Oh…I don’t think so, Bear. My dog is just protecting Mac. No need to be making those kinds of threats. We’re all supposed to be on the same team here, right? Now I get you’re afraid of getting on a horse. It’s actually a common fear plenty of people
“Well I’ll be damned…”
Bear’s heavy footed approach could be heard making its way down from the front porch. He came to within ten feet of the horses and remained there, his arms folded across his chest and his eyes conveying more than a fair amount of suspicion at the idea of riding atop the back of an animal.
“So you really don’t think we could just use an ATV or something? Seems like it would be a hell of a lot faster.”
Cooper stepped from behind the largest of the horses and looked at Bear silently for several seconds before responding.
“First off, I told you that anything mechanical gets the attention of the drones. That’s why I had you walk all the way here. That’s why we can’t be firing up some machine and crossing the border. I’ve made the trip hundreds of times already. It’s my way or no way, big man. Besides, I’ve got you sitting on Ben here. He’s a big old fella. You two were made for each other. Trust him to get you there and that’s what he’ll do.”
Bear glanced at the large, solid brown-colored horse before glaring back at Cooper.
“It’s gonna take us forever on these things.”
Cooper turned back to the horses as he responded to Bear’s dissatisfaction.
“Not really, and we can get places on a horse we never could riding some machine. Trust me, Bear, once you get the hang of it, you’ll understand. It might take you a bit, but you’ll get there. And this horse, Ben, he’ll prove himself to you. He’s the hardest worker you’ll ever find, and he likes to please. Just tell him where to go and he’ll do it.”
Mac stepped next to Bear and gave him pat on the back.
“I’m pretty sure between the two of you, that horse is getting the worse of the deal, Bear.”
Bear’s still constant glare now turned toward Mac.
“This ain’t funny, Mac. I don’t like those things. I’ve never been on a horse in my life.”
Mac laughed.
“I think it’s just a matter of you not liking to be next to something that’s bigger than you. And you grew up in Texas, right? How in the hell have you not ever been on a horse?”
Bear set his jaw, his words barely escaping between his clenched teeth.
“I don’t do things I don’t want to and I never wanted to get on a horse. I told you – this isn’t funny. I don’t like horses.”
Mac’s demeanor quickly turned from friendly to fierce as he placed himself directly in front of Bear and looked up into his face, pointing at the large man as he made clear his frustration at Bear’s negativity.
“You can either get yourself on that horse when it’s time, or walk your ass back to Juneau. It’s gonna be one or the other, Bear. And I don’t want to hear another goddamn word about it.”
Bear’s eyes flashed dangerously down at Mac.
“Get that finger out of my face, Mac, or I will break it off.”
Before Mac could respond to Bear’s threat, Brando did so first. The large Doberman lunged toward Bear while unleashing three loud warning barks. Bear took several steps backwards as Brando placed himself between Bear and Mac, the hair on the dog’s neck beginning to stand up as his eyes locked onto Bear’s slightest movement.
“That dog takes another step toward me and I’ll kill it.”
Bear’s voice made clear he meant it.
The unmistakable sound of a revolver hammer being clicked into place was the first thing to answer Bear’s threat as Cooper Wyse emerged from among the horses with a classic Colt Frontier Six Shooter pointed in the big man’s direction.
“Oh…I don’t think so, Bear. My dog is just protecting Mac. No need to be making those kinds of threats. We’re all supposed to be on the same team here, right? Now I get you’re afraid of getting on a horse. It’s actually a common fear plenty of people
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