4 year old Jake Ely walked out to the barn with his brothers and father. Jake's Dad's mare was starting to foal.
Luke started talking to his seven sons, "Quinn, you got her last foal because it seemed to like you best. So who ever this foal likes the most gets it if they want it. If it seems to like you but you don't want it you get to chose who gets it. Okay?"
Six of the seven boys nodded "What if it likes me though? Do I get it?" Quinn asked his father.
"No!" All of his brothers yelled.
"Fine." Quinn mumbled.
20 minutes later an all black filly was born. The dam of the filly started cleaning her filly. Luke motioned for his sons to come closer. "When she's down cleaning her you can all go in one at a time and find out whom she likes the most."
Kit being the oldest, at 7, got to go in the stall first the little filly looked curious. Kit held out his hand. The filly looked at it then started to sniff it before biting it. "You little monster!" Kit said looking at the filly. The filly looked at him mischievously. The other Elys in the barn snickered.
Kit left the stall as Nate went in because he was the 2nd oldest at 6. He was three minutes older than Adam and seven minutes older than Seth.
Nate started petting the filly's neck. He smiled at his brothers and father and said "I think she likes me." Just then the filly got another mischievous look in her eye before she stomped on Nate's foot. "You butthead!" Nate said as he limped out of the stall.
Luke was starting to worry this filly was dangerous.
Adam looked at the little filly from outside the stall. "Do you think she'll be fast and a good working horse when she's trained Dad?"
"Well, her dam and sire are and her brother seems to be." Luke answered.
"Okay." Adam went into the stall. The filly looked at Adam before she walked toward him and rubbed her head on Adam. Adam started patting the filly's head. The mischievous twinkle came back into the filly's eyes again. The next thing anyone knew Adam was on the floor of the stall. Adam quickly crawled out of the stall calling the filly a "Brat."
Seth looked at the filly "I don't want her. I want a little colored gelding." Seth said before he joined his brothers who'd been rejected be the filly. They were all bleeding or bruising.
"You're just to chicken." Quinn said.
"No, he's just smart." Luke said to Quinn.
"Besides you don't have to go in there." Kit said defending the youngest triplet.
"I'll go in when she decides who she likes." Quinn said confidently. All the other Elys just shook their heads at the smuggest Ely of the family.
"Bryan it's your turn."
Bryan walked into the stall the filly snapped at Bryan. Bryan turned around and said, "I don't want her.
Jake looked at the filly. His older brothers and father all held their breath. No one wanted to see the youngest Ely get hurt although they'd never admit or show it he was their entire favorite. Because he never did anything wrong he was always quiet. And most of all he was too young to fight with them.
"Jake, I don't know if you should go in there." Seth said to his youngest brother. Everyone else nodded their agreement except Luke.
"If you want to you can." Luke said.
Jake went into the stall and walked over to the filly's dam completely ignoring the filly. The filly looked at him as if to say "What the heck are you blind you idiot!" Everyone outside the stall snickered at the filly's expression.
The black filly walked over and nudged Jake's hand with her nose. He continued ignoring the filly for another minute and the filly kept trying to get his attention.
Young Jake walked out of the stall without looking at the filly. The outraged filly stamped her foot and nickered after the boy who had just been in her stall.
Jake smiled and turned around and looked at the filly before entering the stall again. The filly nickered a greeting. Jake stretched out his hand to the filly. the filly looked at and licked it!
Jake chuckled at the filly. He bent down and petted the filly. The filly looked him in the eyes before she stepped toward him. She then licked his face. Everyone started laughing at this. The filly got scared at the sound of the laughing and ducked behind her mother.
Jake stretched out his hand again. The filly came forward. Jake patted the filly one more time before leaving the stall.
Jake looked at his brothers who wore astonished looks on their faces. Luke had a proud look on his face. "Good job son!" Luke said picking up his son laughing.
"Quinn you get to go in." Bryan said looking at his twin.
"Fine." Quinn walked into the stall and walked towards the filly. The filly wheeled around and kicked Quinn in the groin. Quinn doubled over. Then the filly darted behind Quinn and bit him in the butt. Quinn howled in pain. The filly then saw an opportunity and bit him in the groin to before she trotted over toward the stall door and looked at Jake a happy twinkle in her eyes.
Luke had put Jake down and ran into the stall to grab his youngest twin. 5 year old Quinn had tears rolling down his cheeks. "She's. A. Witch." Quinn said in between sobs.
Luke took Quinn into the house then came back. "Your mom is gonna take care of him. Jake she seems to like you the most so she's yours, but control her."
Jake walk toward the filly and blew into her nose so she'd always know his scent. Then he started thinking of names. Maybe, Monster? Na. Butthead? Nope, that was mean. Brat? No, that was Sam's name. Witch? That could work.
"Witch?" he said the filly looked at him ears pricked then she nickered. "Okay. Her name is Witch." Jake told his dad.
"Fitting." Luke chuckled.
Now for a secret name."Bellissimo cavallo nero." It meant beautiful black horse in Italian. Jake's mom, Maxine, being Italian taught Jake some Italian but gave up when he showed no interest probably because he was four!
Jake whispered into Witch's ears the name he'd chosen for her. She nickered. Then Jake walked into his house a smile on his face.
