“Might want to cut down on Katy’s grain Kid,” Buck commented as he walked the horse into the barn for his friend. “She’s getting awfully round.”

It was early October, almost six months after Katy had been bred. Kid had noticed her gain in wait, but attributed it to the lush grass available over the summer.

“I would hate to make her lose weight going into the winter Buck,” Kid replied. “You know how their ribs were showing so bad last winter.”

“I guess your right,” Buck replied. He remembered how much hay and grain the horses needed to make up for the lack of grass available. Sometimes in the winter it got really hard to keep weight on the beasts. Especially with the hard work of carrying express runs. Still, if she gained too much weight before the winter, she wouldn’t be able to make the good speed needed of an Express Pony. I guess it’s Kid’s business anyway and not mine, He decided.

Early in November, Kid had the idea that something had happened. When the grasses were less plentiful in the turn of seasons, her belly grew instead of shrinking. The thought had been in the back of his mind, but he wanted to deny it. Eventually, he came to grips with the fact that Katy was going to have a foal.

“Ike, do ya feel it?” Cody asked as the riders stood around watching Ike in a very interesting position behind Katy. Cody was met with an evil glare while Ike concentrated on where his hand was. When Kid mentioned to the others that he thought Katy was pregnant, they decided to find out for sure. The only method of this is to reach into the hind end of the mare and actually try to feel the unborn horse. The local animal doctor was out of town, so Ike was elected to do the deed, since other than Teaspoon he was the only rider who had ever done it before. So now the riders were waiting very impatiently as Ike felt around inside Katy for the foal.

“Shush Cody, this is a very delicate procedure and Ike doesn’t need you bothering him while he performs it.” Teaspoon explained to the rider. “Ya see, Ike has to feel for the baby through some other tissues, and if he breaks them it can be very bad for the mother.” Deadly, he added to himself, not wanting to scare Kid or unnerve Ike.

Cody had been the first to volunteer to feel for the foal when the idea was brought up by Teaspoon, but once he realized which hole he would have to stick his hand into, he became a little less enthusiastic.

Teaspoon knew Ike was comfortable with the job, so he added the part about having to make sure the horse has relieved herself fully before being able to get your arm in. The riders had laughed as Cody tried to talk himself out of the duties without saying he didn’t want to get his hands dirty.

And dirty hands were exactly what all eyes were on at the moment. Ike suddenly beamed with a wide grin and made a thumbs up with his free hand as he pulled the other from Katy’s hindquarters.

I could feel the head, Ike signed, and was quickly interpreted by Buck, before he wiped the grime off his arm.

“Oh wow,” Kid managed to get out as he stood glowing like a proud father.

“Could you tell if it was a colt or filly?” Cody asked.

“No you clot, he said he felt the head!” Lou replied.

The other riders laughed at Cody’s ignorance as they stared at Katy, as if unable to believe what she had inside her belly.

“When do you think she’ll have it?” Jimmy asked Teaspoon.

“Whelp, seeing as how we have no idea when she was bred its hard to tell, Jimmy. A mare usually starts to show after about five months, and the normal gestation period is a little over eleven months, so best I can figure is she should be having this foal sometime in April.” Teaspoon replied with his usual omnipotent tone. “Kid you have any clue who the lucky Sire is? I know everyone around here half a year ago was gelded.”

“Gosh, it could have been anytime Teaspoon. But I’ll try to figure it out.” Kid replied.

And he did, as he thought back on the events on that particular run that he left her at Marty’s it all fit together. The scars he attributed to the pecking order were really from the large stallion mounting his precious pony. And he suddenly became less of a proud parents, and more of a concerned father.

He talked to Teaspoon before he panicked, as he usually did. As soon as he decided who the father must have been, he ran to the old Marshal’s office to tell him the news. The joy drained from his face as his news was received with a dreary look of concern.

“Now Kid, are you sure that’s what happened?”

“Pretty sure Teaspoon, it would work out right if that’s what happened.” Kid looked at the concern at the stationmaster’s face. “You think there might be trouble?”

“Well kid, if that stallion was as big as you say, Katy might be too small to have it’s foal.”

“Oh,” Kid said as the realization of his words passed through his mind.

“I didn’t mean to alarm you Kid, its possible that everything will be just fine. We just need to keep an eye on her is all.” Not that there is much we can do about it, if it should be a problem, he added to himself.

Kid’s face drooped in sadness at thoughts of the worst.

So the riders waited. Kid rode Katy around a little, but she was relieved of the strenuous express runs. Kid didn’t enjoy riding anybody else, he had a bond with Katy. After every ride he would brush her down, or tack her up and go on a ride to town or just through the countryside.

Now April had come, and Katy stood before the anxious Kid with her enormous swollen belly. Kid had exchanged rides for the past week to be there every moment, in case she should have the foal. Earlier that week, Teaspoon had to send Jimmy and Cody to Ft. Laramie to deliver some special documents. But the foal hadn’t come yet, and the other riders weren’t going to be able to cover while short handed. If the baby didn’t come tonight, he would have to go on his run in the morning and most likely miss the birth. If something should go wrong he wanted to be there. If something should happen to Katy, he wanted to be there.

So Kid sat, with Lou by his side, and stared at his mare. Her teats were filled with milk so full that Kid had to restrain himself from the urge to relieve her of the pressure of the milk. He had tied her tail up as best he could to keep it out of the way when the foal came.

Just as kid had begun to memorize every detail of his small paint’s body, she began to pace around the stall pawing at the ground.

“Lou! Its time! Go get the others!”

“Okay!” Lou responded as she ran out of the barn. “Ike! Buck! Noah! Its time!” she yelled as she rushed into the bunkhouse. Three drowsy riders jumped out of bed and rushed to pull pants and boots over their long johns.

“I’ll go get Teaspoon.” Noah announced as he ran out the door.

The group crowded around the stall looking at the wonder in progress. As most horses will not be happy about birthing with an audience, Katy didn’t seem to mind. The anxious riders watched as she paced and pushed, her abdomen pulsating with the wonder inside.

“Boys, there aint nothing much we can do now, except for hope for the best.” Teaspoon announced.

Katy paced in her stall, her tail hanging limply tied in its knot. The riders held their breath as her sides contracted for a moment.

"Kid, why don’t you lift her tail and see if you can see that foal?” Teaspoon directed.

Kid gently opened the door to the stall and walked in with the anxious mother. She turned and looked at the visitor, but stood still for him to pull aside her limp tail and look.

“I don’t see anything Teaspoon.” He announced.

“Wait a second, she’s contracting again.” He replied.

Kid stood directly behind the mare, waiting for the sight of two little hoofs popping out, instead he got a face full of blood and goo.

“Oops, sorry Kid. I ah…. I forgot about that part.” Teaspoon mentioned while the other riders laughed at the blood soaked Kid. “Well, at least now her water’s broke.”

“I see that,” Kid responded. He was not amused at all.

Suddenly, Kid got excited.

“Teaspoon! I see hooves!”

“Well, that’s good Kid, you see both of them?”

“Yep! One’s a little behind the other though.”

“That’s okay.”

Katy grunted as she tried to push out the burden. She walked forward a step or two. Kid noticed the sweat on her shoulders and neck.

“Why don’t you reach down there and help her a little, Kid?” Teaspoon urged.

Kid leaned over and grabbed the slippery hooves. They were completely covered in the slimy package of every newborn. He gently pulled at the protrusions, but nothing came forward. Kid stepped back as Katy pushed again, as if with all her energy.

Still nothing more than feet were visible to the world.

Katy relaxed, and gently lay in the straw. Kid watched in concern as she laid her body flat without crushing the foal.

“Oh no!” he cried. “You aren’t giving up now!” Kid declared to the mare as she put her head flat against the straw.

“Kid you gotta help her, reach in and grab the head.” Teaspoon instructed.

Kid looked at the tiny hole where two tiny hooves were poking through. While he was contemplating how to reach his hands in, he was pushed aside.

“Ike! Let him …”Teaspoon started. Before he could finish the phrase, Ike had his hands on the foal, and had wiggled out a little white nose.

Kid quickly moved to Katy’s head and was rubbing her neck as she raised her head to push. Ike pulled while Katy pushed, and soon all the riders could see a little brown head.

Kid looked up at the half-born foal as Katy gave one last push. The wide shoulders passed through and a tiny slippery foal landed on top of Ike.

The riders were all silent as they stared at the newborn wonder. It was mostly brown, but had a large white spot over its back, right where the saddle would fit. Another large white spot covered the right side of its neck and the right ear.

“Well Kid, looks like you have yet another little lady in your hands now.” Teaspoon commented after looking over the young filly.

Kid looked up from where he was squatting near Katy’s head. The exhausted mother had fallen asleep on her side. All he could do was smile and blush, and he discreetly wiped away a tear.

THE END





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The Storybook The Kidnation