Page 176 of Wind Rider

“I do!” April clung to her. “I’m just scared.”

River let her go and grinned at her. “I’m not.”

Anjo stomped and Ghost snorted, tossing his head.

“Neither are they,” April said. She drew a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, Lead Mare Rider. But if something bad happens, know that Anjo and I will go to the Mare Council and tell them everything Skye said.”

“It won’t come to that, but thank you.”

“Anything for my big sister. Now, go get ’em!”

River turned to her mare and wrapped her arms around Anjo’s neck. “I love you. Watch the Herd while I’m gone.”

Be safe, my Rider. Bring home our Herd Stallion.

“I will!”

Then River went to Ghost. She stood at his side with her hand resting on his shoulder as she gazed up into his dark eye.

“I want you to know that I am very proud to be your Rider, even if it is only for one day.”

Ghost bent his head and nuzzled her, lipping her cheek gently and causing River to laugh. She kissed his muzzle affectionately before the stallion knelt so that she could mount. Once astride, River paused Ghost with pressure from her heels and pressed her hand over the center crystal of her grandmother’s amethyst necklace. The crystal warmed instantly, sending its soothing energy washing through River and Ghost.She felt the big stallion draw a deep, calming breath and let it out slowly, in perfect time with her.

Then April held aside the tent flap and River clucked to him. The stallion moved forward. The instant he was outside the tent his demeanor changed. Gone was the affable, sleepy stallion who had waited so patiently while his mane and tail were dressed with ribbons.

Ghost’s head lifted and his golden neck arched. At their side, Anjo did the same. River could only imagine how they must look to the Herd—a magnificent silver mare, dressed in purple ribbons, beside an equally spectacular golden stallion, also wearing Magenti purple and carrying the Lead Mare Rider of their Herd.

There was a large group waiting just outside River’s tent, and as she, Ghost, and Anjo appeared a cheer lifted from them.

“Ghost and River! Ghost and River!”

River’s heart swelled with pride and pleasure. She nodded and smiled at her people, appreciating the fact that again they all wore necklaces of amethyst to show their support for her. Then she squeezed slightly with her thighs. Ghost reacted on cue by surging into a gallop, which Anjo matched, stride for stride.

They wove their way through the purple tents. All along the path to the Choosing Theater Herd Magenti cheered them, leaving their tents to run after as they chanted, “Ghost and River! Ghost and River!”

Closer to the Choosing Theater the color of the tents changed. River easily counted at least one tent from each of the other four Herds: Virides, Cinnabar, Indigo, and Jonquil. Unlike the Mare Test, stallions from any of the Herds were welcome to join the Run, and though many of the tents were filled with spectators from other Herds curious to watch the only Stallion Run wherein a horse ridden by a Lead Mare Rider competed, many stallions from other Herds had entered the Run as well.

Wow, that’s a lot of Riders,River thought as they galloped to the Choosing Theater and she got her first glimpse of the racers, who were all lined up at the start. The predominant color worn was purple, but there was also at least one stallion from each of the other Herds, creating a symphony of color and beauty.

They honor us. Many wish to be our Herd Stallion. They will learn respect for our Ghost when he defeats every one of them. Go make me proud, my beloved Rider.

“Count on it!” River told Anjo. Then she cued Ghost.

Ghost’s neck arched even more. His tail went up and he lifted his legs like he was plowing through the mud trap. Moving with incredible grace and strength, the stallion entered the Choosing Theater, sounding a neigh that declared to every Herdmember present his intent to win the Run. An answering roar went up from the spectators. River didn’t know if that greeting was for her, or for the novelty of a horse labeled a rogue stallion being ridden in the Run.

The reason does not matter,her mare’s wise voice lifted through her mind from where Anjo had taken position beside April and Deinos in the viewing stands.They will all cheer both of you when you return victorious.

Ghost snorted and tossed his head in agreement, and River bared her teeth in a fierce smile.

Before them, two stallions made room for Ghost in the middle of the line. River had time to gaze down the long line of stallion-Rider teams. She counted quickly, though she already knew a record-breaking twenty-five horses raced that day.

The first team that caught her eye was Clayton and Bard. They were only four teams to her right—and flanked by his toadies on lesser stallions. River ignored the wannabes and focused on Clayton and Bard. The jolt of shock River felt at how thin Clayton looked made her realize that this was the closest she’d been to her childhood friend since the day she’d announced she and Ghost would compete. Unlike his Rider, Bard was in peak shape, prancing in place and blowing through his nose. Against the black of his shining coat, the purple Herd Magenti ribbons looked beautiful.

I hope Bard enjoys them. Because of his Rider’s choices it will be the last time he’ll be allowed to wear the purple,River thought—and the warmth that filled her from her watching mare echoed that thought.

Clayton tried to catch River’s gaze, but she looked away, her lip liftedin a dismissive sneer. She kept scanning the line, looking for the other stallion teams she knew would be her toughest competition.

Several teams to the right of Clayton and Bard, River spotted Jonathan and his big sorrel stallion, Red. Jonathan tipped his head respectfully to her, and River returned the gesture. Red was a powerful contender, and a well-respected Herd Magenti stallion; they would be tough to beat if Red’s stamina held over the fifty miles of the race.