Horse Tale by Bonnie Bryant Page A

as quiet as possible, she crawled back into the tent and felt around in the dark until she found her boots. She pulled them on and slipped out of the tent.
    Outside, she stood up and looked around, marveling at how different everything looked in the moonlight. Dude had awakened as soon as she came out. He looked up at her and seemed to grin, his tail thumping on the ground. When Stevie headed toward the corral, the dog jumped to his feet and followed.
    “Let’s just see what that crazy Stewball is doing now, huh, boy?” Stevie whispered, bending down to scratch behind Dude’s ears. As they walked past Christine’s tent and then the one Lisa and Kate were sharing, Stevie could see that the horses were milling around in the corral.
    When she got closer, Stevie realized they were playing. She sat down on a boulder near the fence to watch, hoping they wouldn’t notice her presence. She held Dude besideher, and the dog sank to his haunches, seeming to understand the need for quiet.
    Stevie could tell right away that Stewball was leading the game. The silvery moonlight made the white patches on his coat glow brightly as he raced around, dodging in and out among the other horses. Stevie couldn’t tell what he was doing, but he seemed to be having fun. After watching a little longer she decided that the horses were playing some version of tag, though she couldn’t begin to figure out the rules.
    Berry let out a nicker and chased after Stewball. But Stewball was too fast for him—he darted from side to side, changing directions so quickly Stevie could hardly believe it. Then he doubled back and dodged behind Spot, who was watching the action with his head held high. Spot tossed his head, snorted, and set out after Berry, who whirled and raced away. Chocolate joined in too, and soon all five horses were involved in the game. Stevie watched breathlessly, feeling she was witnessing something few people ever got the chance to see.
    Finally it all seemed to be over. Stewball raised his head and neighed, stomping his feet as if in triumph. Stevie grinned proudly. She wasn’t positive, but she had a hunch that whatever the game had been, Stewball had won. He led the other horses on a slow lope around the field, stopping at the far end, where he paused on a small hillock to shake his head and neigh again. The sound drifted back to Stevie through the still night air, and she shivered. For a secondthe horse poised there, framed against the dark, wild backdrop of the mountains, seemed alien from the Stewball she knew. At that moment he seemed only one small step removed from the wild herds she had seen out here—the bands of horses that roamed the rugged Western land, never knowing the feel of a saddle on their backs or the touch of a human hand. She shivered again and blinked, and then he was just Stewball again as he lowered his head and ambled off in search of a tasty patch of grass.
    As the horses settled down, Stevie got up and headed back to her tent. She wrapped her arms around herself, realizing for the first time how chilly it was. After patting Dude good night she crawled inside. Carole hadn’t moved, although Stevie was happy to notice that she had stopped snoring.
    Snuggled back inside her warm sleeping bag, Stevie closed her eyes and waited for sleep to come. But her mind was still wide awake, filled with images of the beautiful scene she had just witnessed. As if she were still there, she saw the horses frolicking in the moonlight, absorbed in a game only they could understand. They had looked so free and happy under the huge canopy of stars. And Stewball had seemed the happiest of them all as he led them in the game, obviously in his element and having the time of his life.
    It took Stevie a long time to fall back to sleep.
    * * *
    “C OME ON, YOU lazy dudes! Rise and shine!”
    Carole opened one eye and groaned. “Is it morning already?” she muttered sleepily.
    “I guess so,” Stevie said with a yawn. She sat up