by Mars
Disclaimer: The characters and
situations of the TV program "Big Valley" are the creations of Four
Star/Republic Pictures and have been used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended by the
author. The ideas expressed in this
story are copyrighted to the author.
The three of them were relaxing by the corral. It was a
nice sunny spring day, and they sure could enjoy the sun for a while. Work...
well, there was always something to do on this ranch, and a few minutes wait wasn't
going to ruin the family.
"Hey, look at that filly. Not bad lookin', hey?"
He turned his head while talking, following the object of his attention by the
corral's opposite fence.
"You better calm down. If that pretty thing's for
someone, that sure will be for me. I reckon you forget your old age,"
replied the second one, laughing.
"You better watch your tongue, boy! I might be older
than you, that doesn't mean I'm old!!!"
"And I heard of places where they take ones like you,
for a well deserved retirement..."
"Retirement!! I can beat you anytime, you hear me?
ANYTIME!"
"... then I could be alone with this nice lookin'
filly..." continued the younger one, snorting in delight for having teased
his companion.
But before the older one could reply, silhouettes emerged
from the stable. Soon, Nick's spurs could be distinctively heard in the
distance. Tensing, the old one eyed his partner.
"I'll show you what an *old* one can do!" he
nagged.
********
Heath waited outside of the stable for his brother Nick.
Another long day ahead by the North Pasture.
"Going to the North Pasture, Heath?"
Heath jumped and turned around. He hadn't heard his
brother Jarrod walking behind him. "Yep. Wanna join us?" he asked,
winking.
"Actually, I think that would be a good idea,"
he answered. "And before you ask, no, I do not really plan on working on
fences. Just riding there and back."
"Well, well. Isn't it Pappy?! Did I hear you talkin'
about comin' with us?" teased Nick as he walked out of the stable.
"Indeed, brother Nick. Let me get Jingo and we're on
our way."
It took only a few minutes for Jarrod to get back and
mount Jingo then join his brothers who were waiting for him by the corral.
*********
"Hey, boy. Here comes one you can beat easily!"
laughed the old one.
"Oh gosh, are we to ride with him all the way? He's
no fun," whined the young one.
"And I bet we'll have to stop for him to rest!"
On that they both snorted in laughter as Jarrod rode by.
*********
The three brothers rode for long minutes, until the house
was lost in the distance. The day wasn't hot yet, the weather was actually
still cool and pleasant.
"So Jarrod, what d'you wanna do? Fix fences or give a
hand at the round up? Or are you just makin' sure you didn't forget how to
ride?" Nick teased his older brother.
"No, brother Nick, I only plan to make sure you work
all day long and not go frolic in the pound," Jarrod teased back.
"And for riding, I trust Jingo to be in such a great shape to beat you and
Coco anytime."
Heath stayed quiet, keeping his mind on Charger who acted
rather reckless today. Besides, it wasn't often that the youngest brother could
ride with his two brothers and hear them teasing each other.
Nick made Coco come to an halt and he leaned forward over
his saddle, starring at Jarrod. "Is that a fact?! You've got money to back
your bet?"
"As a matter of fact, I do," answered Jarrod, a
huge grin crossing his face. He felt so well there, in the pasture, with his
two brothers. He realized now how bad he missed these moments, all busy he
usually was with his practice.
***********
"Ah ah! That's my boss! No one nags him, not even his
big brother!" snorted the old one.
"Yeah, sure. He's bettin' against that..."
Charger winked at Jingo. "...that city slicker. Even a cow would run
faster."
Jingo ignored the other horses' nagging.
"I bet your master is afraid he'd loose against me
and my man, so he takes on the easiest," Charger continued.
Coco snorted and kicked the dust with his hoof, "Come
again?!!"
"What d'you say, you couldn't even get back home by
yourself!"
"Don't you forget, boy. I know this land way better
than you do!!"
"Yeah, but I know my legs better than you seem to
know yours!" snorted back the young one.
They both threw dark looks at the third one, who had kept silent
all the way. That one was always too quiet, it made them feel quite uneasy. No
surprise, since he never worked or played around.
**********
"All right! The first to the pound!" shouted
Nick happily. "Comin' with us, Heath?"
"I won't miss a chance to beat you, Nick,"
laughed Heath.
Nick opened his mouth to reply, but Jarrod cut in.
"Yes, and that's a fact!"
"GO!"
**********
"I won!"
"I reckon I did!"
"I won, and that's a fact!"
They pushed on each other, snorting loudly, before the
third one cut in the banter.
"You two, calm down. There is no valid reason to
fight for. It was just a nice race, and who won or lost doesn't really count.
Lets keep the day happy, shall we?"
Coco laughed, his head tossed to the side, he whispered to
the youngest, "Hey, I wonder..."
"What?" asked Charger.
"Y'know, if I didn't know better, I'd say Jingo
turned into a geldin'!"
**********
"So let's call it a draw," suggested Jarrod.
"I don't plan on listening to you two argue for hours about who's the
winner."
"Charger has been reckless since we left. I'll let
him rest a few minutes," announced Heath as he dismounted by the pound. He
lead his mount to the water, wondering what was the matter with Charger.
"Well, a few minutes break won't hurt," agreed
Nick, a bit concerned himself about Coco, who was snorting
uncharacteristically. He too lead him to the water.
Only Jingo stayed calm and quiet.
*********
"I don't know how you make it," snorted the
young one, shaking his head in dismay. Enjoying the cool water and the shade
under the tree, the teasing soon resumed.
"Do what, boy?"
"I would not ride an inch long if I had to feel these
nasty spurs on my belly," answered Charger.
"Ah, well, maybe only the best can bear that,"
snorted Coco.
"Don't you both start it again," Jingo snorted,
shaking his head. "Thanks to you, what was supposed to be a pleasant ride
turned into a race. And I can go without that. How can I ride in town so
dusty?"
Coco joined Charger in snorting laughter, making fun of
Jingo.
"Jingo, did anyone ever told you that you're a
whiner?" groaned Coco.
"A whiner geldin'," Charger corrected.
Jingo ignored Charger's remark. "Whiner, me? Well,
excuse ME, mister. Because my master doesn't wear nasty spurs doesn't mean I
have no reason to complain!"
"I reckon you aren't shoot at almost everyday, as I
am," cut in Charger, suddenly remembering all the adventures he had seen
with his master.
"Yeah, and your master doesn't act as if tries to
break you anew everyday!" added Coco.
"Besides being shot at on a daily basis, mine even
forgot me once in Strawberry!"
"And mine wants to..." Coco snorted. "To
get a younger horse for him! You hear that? After all those years been yanked
from side to side with these spurs rackin' my sides.... he talks of retirement
for me!" Coco trashed at the mention of this eventuality.
"And YOU say I'm a whiner? Listen to you boys!"
snorted Jingo.
"What do YOU have to complain about, Jingo? Being
always clean, riding into town everyday? I'm not sure you ever carried an extra
human on your back!" groaned Charger.
Coco laughed, "You can barely carry your
master!"
"Oh, you only see what you want to see. I barely got
to ride a few feet. My master doesn't usually like to race, so I have no real
exercise. And you know what, guys?" asked Jingo secretively.
Coco and Charger moved closer to hear the confidence.
"I do HATE to wait in town all day long while YOU
guys are having fun out there chasing cows. And most of all... I never get to
ride at night!"
Charger nodded. "True, you're always bedded when we
come back late."
"Well, I didn't think you hated that life,
Jingo," commented old Coco. "You never said so before."
Jingo snorted an almost inaudible comment, "Such
master, such mount..."
********
The three brothers stood and walked back to their horses.
"Ah, spurs, did I miss you!" laughed Charger,
teasing Coco.
"Yeah, have a good shooting game today, boy!"
snorted back Coco.
"And I, for myself, will ride.. or more likely, trot
to town and will be sleeping when you two get back to the stable. Have a nice
ride. Take care of our boys," concluded Jingo as Jarrod mounted him and
had him turn away.