Since John was a little boy he hated thunder and lightning. A single rainstorm would cause him to quake in fear. He would hide under his covers until his brother came to his rescue. This always came with a little teasing but it was worth it to feel safe from nature's wrath.
But as John and Tonto rode through the rain, it felt as if those days were in another lifetime. Rain dripped from his white hat as a bright flash of lightning lit up the dark sky. The water muddied the ground and the once dry desert became a flood zone. John couldn't recall being more miserable.
"The wind seem to die down." Tonto commented looking around as the rain splashed on his face.
"How can you be so calm?" John called as he shivered against the cold. They had been riding for hours in the rain and the ranger was completely soaked. Tonto only nodded looking over at his partner.
"It is only water, Kemosabe."
"Yeah but its cold and wet and lightning could strike you dead. Why don't we stop and find shelter? Rest for the night." John scanned his surrounding but the heavy down pour made it impossible to see ten feet in front of them.
"It best to ride through it. Horses don't complain and they do all the work." Tonto chided patting his horse, Scout, on the neck. "You whine more than a young colt." At this Silver whinnied, shaking his head.
"I thought you were on my side." John said despairingly to his horse. "Besides, I don't like storms. Horses were built for such conditions, but me, its not natural."
"It natural for man to go through storm just as it is for horse, Kemosabe. Just need to find peace from storm." Tonto said calmly, keeping his eyes forward.
"But you said we should ride through the storm, not find shelter."
"I said find peace, Kemosabe. Not shelter." Tonto corrected.
"Well what's the difference?"
"Peace," Tonto said stopping, looking over at John, his face dripping from the rain. Strangely enough it didn't affect him. Tonto didn't look bothered, he looked oddly happy, "Peace is found inside. Find peace and you find calm from storm." Tonto gave him a smile before tutting his horse forward into the rain.
John paused processing the new information. He thought back to the days as a young boy. When his mother had wrapped him up in thick, warm quilts, starting up a fire just to warm him and his brother up after getting caught up in a storm. He couldn't have been more than six years old at the time. She had wiped the tears from his face, kissed his head, and sang to him. Never had he heard a more calming and beautiful voice. Mixed with the cackle of the small fire, the song became its own soothing lullaby. It had been so warm and safe that he had fallen asleep in his mother's arms. It was an old memory but it was one of the few he had of his mother.
John looked up from under the brim of his hat, a small smile on his face. As he rode on he didn't even notice the cold rain any more.