Cowboy Mine

Beau worked his way along the wide crevice as he listened to the sound of a cow's painful bellowing. It wasn't long before he found her and dismounted. The area where she had fallen was at least ten feet deep. He tied his rope to the saddle horn and threw the rest down the crevice. It was painstaking work to make his way to the bottom of the ravine. A full grown female cow lay on her side. He knelt down beside the injured animal and stoked her neck. "Easy, girl. Ya really landed yourself in a mess this time." Her eyes were wide with fear and pain. He began to examine her closely and sighed with resignation when he found the badly broken leg. Considering the conditions There was nothing he could do other than end her suffering. He stood and cleaned his hands and began looking for the calf. A soft "mmmoooo" caught his attention. Hidden under a ledge was the newborn calf. He was amazed to find the calf snuggled up to a tiny wolf pup. The pup whined and whimpered with cold and fear as he knelt before the baby animals. The tiny canine looked half starved and terrified. Beau lay out flat and held his hand out to the pup. "Easy, litle one." Her eyes widened and she bared tiny teeth as she pushed herself closer to the calf and whimpered. Beau let her smell his hand then gently picked her up. He could feel her ribs beneath the thickly matted fur. "Aren't you the little lady." He smiled and slipped her into his heavy coat, then turned back to the calf. "Ok, baby. Let's get ya outta here." He worked her out of the little cave and carried her and the pup back to the rope. This would take some thinking. Beau tied the rope around his waist and let out a singsong whistle. Kitt nodded his head with a nicker and began slowly backing up as commanded. As the stallion pulled, Beau worked his way slowly up the steep incline, holding the calf, pup and lariat. He had to feel his way, and slipped twice. The pup snuggled in closer to his warm chest and shivered. Her body was cold and sent chills through his entire body. * * * Beau leaned over the calf as he rode Kitt North East. He had opened his heavy coat to share his body heat with both the calf and the pup. His hair, sweater and jeans were soaked. Chills raked his body. He had developed a hard cough that sent pain through his chest. The cowboy lifted his eyes and tried to get his bearings. He couldn't see his hand in front of his face, let alone make out land marks. Another gust of wind sent ice down his back. The pup whimpered as the calf moaned for her mother. Both of which broke his heart. He coughed once more and grimaced at the pain that gripped his chest. He had to find the cabin, he and the animals were dead if he didn't. * * * Drina was glad for once that the stable was empty of hands. She saddled and snatched Cricket, the mare that Beau had designated for her use. She had been out in the storm for nearly two hours and was freezing. Beau was out in this, possibly lost because of the severe conditions, even hurt. If he had found the cow and the calf was alive he would try to take it with him somehow. She knew he wouldn't have left them to make it easier on himself. She couldn't begin to imagine how cold and wet he was. "Please Lord, help me to find him. Show me the way." Just then, a puff of wind made the snow whirl into the air and Beau simply appeared out of the storm, hunched over....his saddle...why? Why was his coat open? "Beau!" She yelled, giddy with relief but astounded that his coat was open. She made her way to him and realized his coat was wrapped around a calf and something else. "Beau!" He looked up at the sound of her voice and rasped, "What in thunder are you doing out here?" And began coughing.