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“Let’s go. William will catch up.” He said as we turned the horses and headed down to the next paddock.
Wyatt whistled at Digger and Blue who rushed ahead, knowing their destination. Thunder rumbled in the sky, the vibration rolling through my chest, and Callie whinnied, tossing her head.
“Shhh, it’s okay girl. We’ve got this.” I said as I stroked her neck. Wyatt got the gate open for me and I pushed her through, seeing William cantering towards us.
A flash of lightning overhead had the horses jumping and I knew we didn’t have much time before all chaos broke loose.
“Okay. We need to move quickly. We don’t have time to take them to a separate paddock so we take them up through this one and to the paddock with the cattle. Ready?” I nodded as Wyatt did too and let Callie have her head as I urged her into a canter to the back of the sheep.
The dogs were already yapping at them, making them jumpy and skittish. Another bolt of lightning lit up the grey sky directly above us, the forks suspended for a moment before they vanished again.
It was stunning to watch, though being out in the open paddock had me a little wary. We had plenty of gum trees throughout the paddocks and it wouldn’t take much to start a fire in this dry heat.
The rain was coming, but fires spread quickly on dry land. The sheep ran all over the place, scattering at first before the dogs and Wyatt worked them back together.
I pulled up the rear, making sure no one broke away. It was going smoother than I thought as we funneled them through the first gate and then the thunder cracked overhead.
The sound was so loud you could feel it in your bones and the flash of lightning that followed spooked the sheep and Callie who reared up.
I barely stayed on her as I watched three sheep take off together down the hill with two lambs in tow.
“FUCK!” I yelled as I tried to calm Callie enough to go after them. The sheep ran like they were being chased by wolves and I had to gallop after them.
“ANYA!” I heard William shout before another hit of thunder rolled over the land.
I followed the sheep, intent on making sure we didn’t loose one. I had to prove to myself that I could still do this, that I was worthy of taking the land that Austin left me.
A bolt of lightning struck the tree in front of me, the crack of the tree as it split echoed in the air and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end, the electricity charging the air around me.
Callie screamed, rearing before she fell backward. My head cracked onto the ground, my teeth sinking into my tongue with the impact as she rolled on me, the wind knocked from my lungs.
Somewhere in my brain, it registered as she rolled back off me that I had to check my foot and make sure it was free of the stirrup.
As Callie got to her knees, I quickly pulled my foot free, watching as she took off back towards home.
I lay there for a minute, my head spinning, my body thrumming with pain and adrenaline, and the taste of metallic blood in my mouth.
I rolled over to my side, moving each limb as I checked to make sure nothing felt broken before I tried to get my bearings.
The thunder continued to roll overhead as the rain began to come down in earnest, and my clothes instantly soaked in the heavy downpour.
I heard the call of a sheep behind me and I turned, noticing movement in the shrubs. I hurried over, the rain and wind making everything slower. When I parted the shrubs I found one of the lambs and almost sobbed at the sight. I grabbed it quickly before it could run away, grunting at its weight and turned to head back up the paddock.
That was when I saw Wyatt galloping towards us, Callie’s reins in one of his hands as he hauled her along with him.
“ANYA!” He shouted as he slid from Sundance.
“Are you okay?” He said as he looked at me, the reins for both horses still in his hand as they shifted about.
“I’m okay. Callie fell and I came off too. I have the lamb…” I said and Wyatt swore under his breath as he took it from me.
“Get on the horse, Anya.” He snarled and I hurried to climb onto Callie, glaring at her for leaving me.
I grunted as the muscles pulled around my chest and ribs, knowing I would be bruised to high hell already.
“Fuck. You aren’t alright.” Wyatt said as he shifted the lamb into the arm he held the reins and helped push me into the saddle.
“Can you hold on until we get back?” He asked and I nodded, gesturing at the lamb.
