The days would pass slowly. Owen would every night, slip into Blue's round pen and try and work with her. the mare was now letting him put a hand to her nose. slowly, but surely, Owen was getting some where with her.

it was a hot Sunday, when Owen was working Echo in the large round pen, when a blue and red truck rolled up the old road. dust kicked up in its wake, leaving a smoking trail.

Barry, who sat on a rail, let out a loud sigh.
I see they called...Him in again.."

Owen looked up and raised an eyebrow " him? who's him?" Barry just sighed as the truck stopped, and shut off. a fat man jumped out, some what blading and wherein some old dusty jeans and shirt. the boss, walked out see the truck pull up, and came over.

lucky for Owen and Barry they where close, and could hear them talking.
"sire, you got that mare I've been after?"
"yes, we have her. She is locked in her own round pen. please, come look."

Owen watched as they walked closer to blue's round pen. "come on. Walk past her. Walk past her." he breathed seeing them get closer, and closer to Blue's round pen.

and...they stopped, right at Blues. Owen let out a small growl, as he walked the boss and the man get closer, leaning on the rails and pointing to Blue.
the mare was snorting, kicking at her pen, and letting out loud whinny's. even from where he was Owen could see her ears where back, black blue main and tail swishing as she stumped the ground.

"hey umm Barry, hold Echo for me. would ya. I-i think I left some thing, like a brush, by the blue roans round pen."

he didn't give Barry time to say any thing as he jumped out of large round pen, and in a some what fast gated walk, moved closer to Blue's pen.

he didn't really lie, there was a brush over there, that he maybe needed. but his real worry was that the guy was after Blue.
Owen slowly slipped around the round pen, and got the brush in hand. then, slowly, he made his way closer.

Blue scented him, and let out a loud shrill whinny, turning her head, and looking behind her, where Owen was hiding some what.

"you sure you want her Mr. Hoskins ? she acts very tame now."
"ya I'll take her, if you can't get her saddled in about two weeks. she's do great for a bronco horse."

so that's what this guy was here for. He wanted Blue for a bronco rider. Blue needed to be under saddle in two weeks. she needed to be able to ride and herd other horses.. Owen was about to go, when the sharp voice of Hoskins rang out.
"so I hear that old white Death made his way down here the other day.."

the sound of the boss stiffing was heard.
"yes, two of my ranch hands saw him out on a ride. he is hiding up in the canyons again." Hoskins laughed lightly. "you know, if you let me out at him, I could get him. just like I all most got tha-"
"that is nice to know, Hoskins, but I do not hunt down horses like you do. I believe in herding them down safely. not going after them with dogs and guns. Like you."

Hoskins let out a loud sigh." ok. fine by me.. I'll be back for that mare." and they walked away.
Owen popped his head up a little, looking over at them and Blue.
they where shipping out Blue? for a rodeo mare. he had been told story's of Hoskins rodeos. the man was said to ride the horses and bulls down tell there was nothing left.

there was nothing wrong with rodeos, but if a man miss treated an animal that much, tell it was bucked tell it couldn't walk, then sent off to a meat buyer, well. that just wasn't right.

worry started to set in to Owen's mind. what if Blue won't let him tame her down? let him saddle her, and she was sent to the rodeo of Death...

the rest of the day, Owen worked in quite. his mind was set on how to work Blue, and get her to trust him faster. but, Owen didn't have a clue. not yet..

he know that Blue had to trust him, to take a bite, and let him place a saddle on her back, let alone sit on her back.
but he had to do it. Owen knew, he just had to. Blue was his bond, his girl. he couldn't let her go to a rodeo where the owner would just kill her off in the end.

at last, dusk came, and people started to head in for the night. and like before, Owen wanted for twilight to come and turn to night. then, when it was dark, Owen called for Blue.

the mare snorted, and started to trot closer to Owen, as he jumped into her round pen. the mare stopped about three feet from Owen, and dipped her head with a snort.
she pawed the earth and picked her ears up, keen eyes watching Owen.

"hey Blue girl. you been good? huh? I know, they where talking about you weren't they? don't worry. your not going with them. Ever.."
Owen cooed all this to the mare, as he walked closer, in one hand, he led a lead rope. the other was held out, slowly, to let the mare see him.

he planed on letting Blue get use to the lead rope on her neck, see if she would put up with it, then hopefully move on from there. he would lay it on her back, and her face if he could. the Owen would try and work on a saddle.

all this by night. he just didn't feel like any one should be around them. "what are we doing Blue? hmm? its like some chesses girly-girl horse movie, I'm trying to play out. but then again.." he chuckled.

the man moved closer to Blue, who snorted and back up just a little."hey,shh, its ok girl. your fine."
slowly, ever so slowly, Owen placed the lead rope over Blue neck, at first the mare's eyes rolled back in fear, and she started to back up, pulling Owen with her, but after a minute, of seeing nothing was hurting her, Blue clamed down.

"see easy girl." Owen said half dusting him self off from Blue's rapid back slid. slowly, Owen worked his hands over the mare's neck, showing her he was safe. some days with Blue where good, she would let him stroke her muzzle, and other days, Owen couldn't get ten feet by her.

slowly, Owen worked the night away with Blue. he was able to put the rope on her like a halter, but not lead her. only when Blue would stand for him and not jump, did Owen go into the bunk house. he hopped no one was up, to see him there.

as he put his cowboy boots in the boot holder, and slip slowly to the room he shared with Barry and two other men ,did he know what being tired felt like. he was about to open the door, when a voice made him jump.

"so your going to bed at last?" Owen kind of cringed, and pulled his shoulders up closer to his ears.
"did think you would be up Barry.. I was just. Taking a walk..you know...fresh air.." he turned to see his friend standing by a door,arms crossed.

he didn't look to please."Owen, what where you doing."
his voice held that note of, I already know so don't lie. Owen cringed on the inside and smiled lightly." like I said I was taking a little walk. that's all. couldn't sleep." still Owen didn't want Barry, his good friend, to know he was working with Blue.

"Owen."

there was a loud sigh." ok, just. Don't tell any one, for now. Got it?" Barry nodded to Owen, and with a little reluctant huff Owen walked the man out side, they stopped some feet from Blue's round pen. the mare, seeing Owen was back whinnied and snorted, tossing her head as she slowly trotted loser.

"you have been with the roan?"
Owen didn't answer Barry at first, he just slowly put a hand past the rails for Blue to sniff. "ya. I call her Blue. she's-she's doing really well, letting me work with a lead rope on her neck, well at lest tonight she did. I've been working with her for the past two weeks at night."

slowly, Barry joined Owen, at this Blue let out a loud squeal and turned sharply to trot off. the mare stopped, under the low moon light, and pawed the earth ,again tossing her head and snorting.
"she likes you. This is good." Barry's voice was soft, as not to spook Blue.

it was true, Blue did like Owen, or so Owen hopped. he just wanted what was best for her.
"when that Hoskins man came in, and started talking about her, I know I had to start with leading her. she's to spirited to be a bronco mare. look at her."

Owen waved a hand to Blue, who snorted and started to trot about her cage. giving the men a wide breath. "it is true, that Blue would not make a rodeo mare. but unless you can show them this, she will be sent away."

Owen nodded along to what Barry said. its true, he needed to get Blue under saddle. but how?
"any idea on, you know, how I could you know, ride her?"

Barry chuckled at Owen. "well you could just jump on and hold on to her for dear life. or you could work her slowly, getting her ready for it. less bucking."

both kind of appealed to Owen's wild side. "what one do you think?" he asked, feeling a little trill of hope, and joy shooting into him. he looked away from Blue at last, as she rested a little, and to Barry. hope shone in Owen's blue eyes.
"I think you should start slowly, work her into it. you do not want Blue spooking at you."
sounded good. Owen was about to say something, but as he opened his mouth a loud yawn came lose.

I can see you are tired. come, we have to work when the sun comes up." Owen nodded with another loud yawning sound ,and walked with Barry back to the bunk house, and the small single bed he had. as his head hit the pillow, his mind replayed working with Blue. the mare was coming along fine. as long as he could work her out, and show every one that she was fine, he would then show the boss that she was trained, and a working mare, and Blue would be safe.

But Owen's mind was tainted with rolling nightmare's.

in his dreams, Owen was riding Echo, Blue racing in front of them, her ears pined back, and a sharp whinny cutting from her , her blue and black main and tail where ripped in the wind.
Owen could feel Echo's side's heaving as she bolted full out after the roan.

the sound of hooves where heavy in the air, as both mares raced out in the tall grass the grass soon turned into dust and dirt, as they moved into a canyon land.
as they raced on, Owen holding on for dear life, started to hear the sound of hounds baying behind them.

then more hooves rumbling after them. what was after them? what made Blue and Echo race on in fear?
they raced on, but the hounds got closer and closer. Owen looked back, to see nothing but canyon rock, turning his head back, he yelped as Echo stopped out of no where.
they where at a dead end.

think canyon walls ringed them. The hounds got closer, then the hooves got louder. above them, on the lip of the canyon wall, rearing high, and letting out a loud Scream of challenge, red eyes flashing as lighting frocked and thunder rolled, was Death. pale white coat littered with the battle scars, and ear pined back.

his hooves flashed and shone as he reared, the Scream still erupting from his barrel chest.
Owen mouth feel open, as he watched both Blue and Echo rear back in fear, he started to fall from Echo, a Scream of his own, coming from the man.

he fell, as the baying hound closed in, and the stallion reared. it was all black.

Owen shot up in his bed. chest heaving as sweat ran trails down his forehead. the blanket lay next to him, his under half old from lack of shirts.

still breathing deeply, Owen lay back down, shacking from his dream.
"it was just a dream, it was just a dream.." he told him self, feeling like he was still falling.

"it..was..just a dream."

but the baying was still there, as was the stallion's Scream's.