Author's Note: Credit goes to GreenWiggle2018 for the name Sarah gives the coyote.
One evening, Sarah was riding in her limo back home after a long day at Horseland.
"Today was a pretty nice day", Sarah said, "but it seems like nothing interesting happened."
Then, she noticed an animal lying on the side of the road.
"Driver, stop the car, please", Sarah said, "there's something outside that I need to check out."
The limo stopped, and Sarah got out and approached the animal.
"That's some dog", Sarah said, "better shine some light on it."
She took out her phone, turned on the flashlight, and shined it on the animal, and found that it wasn't a dog, but really a coyote.
"Oh my gosh", Sarah said, "it's a coyote!"
She cautiously approached the coyote, and saw that its paw was injured.
"Poor thing", Sarah said, "I'll take you home and fix that paw of yours."
Sarah carried the Coyote into her limo, and the driver drove away.
"So what was it you needed to check out, Miss Sarah", the driver asked.
"It was nothing", Sarah said.
When Sarah got home, she secretly took the coyote into a shed, and wrapped a bandage around his injured paw.
"There you go, all better", Sarah said.
The coyote sat down and panted happily.
"Don't worry", Sarah said, "I'll take good care of you."
She led the coyote into the trailer Scarlett is usually carried in, and he went to sleep.
"I think I'll introduce him to the others tomorrow", Sarah said, "they'd love to meet him."
The next day, Sarah was dropped off at Horseland, and took out a dog crate covered with a blanket that had the coyote inside it.
"There we go", Sarah said, "I'm not sure Mom and Dad would approve of you, so this will be your home."
She let the coyote out and led it to the stables, where the others were grooming their horses.
"Morning, everyone", Sarah said.
But when they saw the coyote, they all panicked.
"There's a coyote in the barn", Molly shouted.
"Run", Alma shouted.
The horses panicked, and the coyote began barking viciously, but Shep leaped in and began fighting him.
"Good boy, Shep", Bailey said.
Then, Will grabbed a lasso, and lassoed the coyote's mouth shut.
"That ought take care of him", Will said.
As Will tied the rope to a post, Sarah walked over to him.
"Please be careful with him", Sarah said.
"After what just happened", Will asked, "don't count on it."
"But he's harmless", Sarah said, "I rescued him last night, and..."
The others were surprised to hear this.
"You took him home", Alma asked.
"Yes", Sarah said, "his paw was hurt."
"Sarah", Will said, "you can't just take a wild animal to your house and keep it as a pet."
"He's right", Bailey said, "it can be dangerous."
"But he could've died", Sarah said, "I had to do something."
"Well now that you have, you need to take him back", Will said.
"But he's really nice", Sarah said, "if we give him a chance, maybe he'd make a good pet."
"I'm sorry Sarah, but the answer is no", Will said.
"Please", Sarah said.
Sarah made some puppy dog eyes, which Will tried to resist, but just couldn't.
"Fine", Will said, "he can stay."
Sarah squealed and hugged Will.
"Thank you, Will", Sarah said, "you won't regret this."
"But if I do, he has to go", Will said.
"Don't worry", Sarah said, "he'll be a good boy."
As everyone left the stables with their horses, Shep angrily spoke to the coyote.
"Now don't you try anything funny", Shep said, "as long as I live on this farm, you're not going to get away with anything."
"We'll see about that", the coyote said.
Later, during practice, the coyote was tied to a post in the ground and surrounded by a chain-link fence.
"What's that for", Sarah asked.
"It's Shep's old exercise pen", Will said, "so if the coyote breaks free from the post, this'll keep him from going anywhere."
"Okay", Sarah said.
As the others walked away, Shep walked over to the coyote with Teeny and Angora.
"So", Angora said, "this is the coyote who's going to be staying with us?"
"I'm confident he won't be staying for long", Shep said, "this animal is nothing but a ravenous monster."
"Agreed", Angora said.
Teeny then approached the pen.
"Hi", Teeny said, "my name's Teeny, what's yours?"
The coyote ran over to her, but his rope kept him from getting close to the fence.
"See", Shep said, "he's a savage!"
The coyote stood up.
"Surrender your bacon, and I might spare you two", the coyote said.
"Never", Shep said, "we're family, we stick together."
The coyote just grumbled and laid down, and Chili and Pepper talked about the coyote.
"Carnivores are such jerks", Pepper said.
"I know, right", Chili asked.
Then, Will rode out on Jimber.
"Okay, everyone", Will said, "let's practice what we learned yesterday about jumping."
"I'll go first", Alma said.
"Excellent", Will said.
As Alma rode onto the course on Button, the coyote eyed them with a hungry look.
"Looks like I've found meat for the winter", the coyote said.
He began running, but his rope prevented him from going any further, much to Shep's amusement.
"You stupid wild animal", Shep said, "you just won't learn, will you?"
Then, the coyote chewed apart his rope, and howled loudly, alerting the others.
"Oh no", Bailey said, "the coyote got loose from its rope!"
"Don't worry", Will said, "it'll have to get through the fence before it can go anywhere."
But the coyote dug under the fence and crawled through, where he proceeded to run.
"Alma, look out", Will shouted.
The coyote ran in front of Button, frightening her and causing Alma to fall off and land on her back.
"Help", Alma shouted, "someone do something!"
The coyote grabbed Alma by her leg with his teeth and began dragging her around, when he suddenly stopped, feeling a strange feeling.
"Goodnight, everybody", the coyote said.
Then, he fell to the ground, revealing a tranquilizer dart in the back of his head.
"Nice shot, Dad", Bailey shouted.
The others ran into the course and looked at Alma.
"Are you okay", Molly asked.
"Let me see that leg", Will said.
Will inspected her leg, which was bleeding from where the coyote had bitten her.
"This is not good", Will said, "Bailey, help Alma inside and call an ambulance."
"You got it, cousin", Bailey said.
Bailey carried Alma inside, and Will saw Sarah looking at the coyote.
"Sarah", Will said, "get away from that thing!"
"Is Clint going to be okay", Sarah asked.
"Who's Clint", Will asked.
"That's what I decided to name the coyote", Sarah said.
Sarah's words had left Will feeling frustrated.
"You named it", Will asked.
"Yes", Sarah said, "so what?"
"When you name something, it means you've gotten attached to it", Will said, "that is not a good thing!"
"He's me pet", Sarah said.
"No it's not", Will said, "this thing is a vicious, carnivorous, monster!"
"He can change", Sarah said, "just give him a chance."
"After that stunt, it's not getting any more chances", Will said.
"He'll adjust", Sarah said.
Will was becoming agitated with Sarah defending the coyote.
"How can you be defending it after what it just did", Will asked.
"He doesn't know any better", Sarah said.
"That's no excuse", Will said, "because of that scavenger, Alma is seriously hurt, and you didn't even run over to see if she was okay."
At last, Sarah, with tears in her eyes, lost her patience.
"Well maybe I do care about Clint more than her", Sarah said, "he's an innocent creature that I'm trying to care for, and you all just want nothing more than to see his fur hanging on the wall!"
Sarah ran away crying, and Will spoke to the coyote, who was still asleep because of the dart.
"It's nothing personal", Will said, "you're a wild animal, you need to be in the wild, not attached to a leash."
At the Whitney household, Sarah's mother, Rose, walked over to her and found her sadly looking outside.
"Sarah", Rose said, "is everything alright?"
"Sure, I guess", Sarah said.
But Rose could tell that was not the case.
"No, it's not", Rose said, "something's bothering you."
Sarah decided to tell Rose about the coyote, but in an indirect manner.
"Well", Sarah said, "I heard someone in town found a wild animal, and wants to keep it as a pet."
"Is that so", Rose asked.
"Yes", Sarah said, "but other people don't want it around, but she loves it so much and wants to keep it."
Rose sat down next to Sarah.
"Sarah", Rose said, "there's only one thing that has to be done."
"What", Sarah asked.
"If you love something, set it free", Rose said, "if it comes back to you, then it's yours, if it doesn't, it never was."
"Really", Sarah asked.
"Yes", Rose said.
The two hugged.
"Thanks, Mom", Sarah said, "you're the greatest."
"Anything for you", Rose said.
The next day, Sarah walked into the stables, and found the coyote in a cage.
"It's still alive", Sarah said.
Then, Will walked over to her.
"Hey, Will", Sarah said.
"Hey", Will said.
"Listen", Sarah said, "I didn't mean most of the things I said yesterday, it was just the heat of the moment."
"It's alright", Will said, "but you better apologize to Alma, since she won't be riding for the rest of the month."
"Don't worry, I will", Sarah said.
Then, she noticed Will picking up the coyote's cage.
"Where are you taking Clint", Sarah asked.
"The forest, where he belongs", Will said.
"Well, can I come", Sarah asked.
Will was surprised at this.
"You want to come", Will asked.
"Sure", Sarah said, "I figured I might as well see him off."
"Well, alright", Will said, "let's head on out."
"Alright", Sarah said.
Will and Sarah rode out on Scarlett and Jimber respectively, and walked over to a clearing.
"Well, I guess this it goodbye", Sarah said, "it was nice having you around, Clint."
"You're right where you need to be", Will said.
Will released the coyote, and he ran into the woods.
"Come on, Sarah", Will said, "let's get back to the farm."
Then, they heard him howl.
"What's he howling for", Sarah asked.
"I don't know", Will said.
They looked at a clearing, and saw a female and baby coyote walk over to him, and as the baby coyote chased a butterfly, the coyote nuzzled the female.
"He has a family", Sarah whispered.
"See", Will whispered, "by keeping him as a pet, you would be keeping him away from his family."
"You're right", Sarah whispered, "releasing him was the right thing to do after all."
As the two walked over to Scarlett and Jimber, the two horses spoke about the coyote and his family.
"I can't believe it", Jimber said, "I guess even predators have families."
"I guess he isn't so heartless after all", Scarlett said.
And with that, Sarah and Will rode back to Horseland, with Sarah feeling happy about what she had done.