HEAD 'EM UP! MOVE 'EM OUT! - Chapter Three.

Kid watched in horror. He knew he was too far away to help Heyes. All he could imagine was the inevitable, that he was going to be witness to his partner's death and there was nothing he could do to prevent it.

xxxxxxxxxx

Pete had returned after scouting out the intended route. He had returned with his horse at a flat out run, before pulling it to an abrupt stop. He was frantically pointing north to the first group of drovers.

Worried eyes looked northward, as a once clear sky gave way to dark ominous clouds in the distance.

"Storm coming in fast. Too fast. This water is going to turn into a fast moving river. Got to get the herd out of the water or they'll drown."

He spotted Favor and raced over to him, frantically waving towards the north.

"Boss we got to try and split the herd. Storm coming in from the north. If we don't get them out of the water we're going to lose them"

Favor spurred his horse up and down the line calling out to the drovers to try and keep half the herd from crossing the water and pushing the others across as fast as possible without panicking them.

"DON'T PINCH THEM OFF! JUST LET THEM CROSS!" Favor yelled out to the drovers waiting for the cattle on the opposite bank. The drovers backed off allowing the herd to go in whatever direction they wanted as long as they were out of the water and safe.

Heyes was on the bank with half of the other drovers trying to keep the cattle from entering the water, but it was becoming quickly evident that this was futile. The herd instinct was too strong as the cows pushed between the drovers and followed the other cattle into the water. Once on the perimeter of the herd, Heyes suddenly found himself trapped on both sides by the surging animals; their momentum pushing him and his horse into the water.

The wind had already begun to pick up, adding to the animals' anxiety before the rain started. For a split second it was nothing more than a drizzle before the sky opened up soaking the men and animals in mere seconds. They hadn't even had time to pull their rain slickers free from their saddles.

Heyes' horse gave a hard push, lifting himself out of the water as he scrambled up the slippery embankment. As the horse struggled to gain his footing his hindquarters slipped momentarily before he regained his balance, but Heyes had already been thrown half way out of his saddle hanging on desperately to the saddle horn as he frantically tried to regain his seat in the slick saddle. If he fell off, it would be certain death.

Heyes quickly looked down as he struggled to pull himself upright in the saddle. His leg was pinned against the fender of his saddle by a cow, making it impossible to right himself. The more the cow bumped up against him, the more Heyes felt himself start to slip downward. He tried to free his leg enough to kick the cow away, but there was no room to maneuver.

Suddenly, Heyes felt the pressure release off his leg and with all his strength he righted himself with the help of a strong push from a hand.

It was Rowdy.

Rowdy had used the rowel from his spur to drive it into the sensitive nose of the cow and quirted him across the face, allowing the startled animal to back enough for Heyes to free himself. He was immediately struck by the determination and calmness in the young drover's face. Heyes heart was pounding so hard in his chest he could hardly breathe. Rowdy stayed by Heyes' side as they allowed their horses to be pushed by the frantic herd. There was no controlling them. The most important thing was to get them out of the water as quickly as possible and worry about getting them contained later.

Heyes' horse could feel the surge of the panicked cattle behind him. Heyes loosened his reins and allowed it to find its own way through the cattle. The other drovers had gathered behind a wall of rocks, offering some shelter from the fast moving storm. Their horses instinctively turned their butts to the wind as the drovers watched helplessly as the cattle, once free of the water, scattered in separate groups running in different directions. There was nothing they could do until the storm passed and the panicked cattle had run themselves to near exhaustion.

Kid pulled his horse to an abrupt stop next to his partner. He leaned across to Heyes and laid a gloved hand on his partner's shoulder and looked into Heyes' still pale face. He closed his eyes and reopened them, giving Heyes a nod and a squeeze on his shoulder silently convening his relief that his cousin didn't lay dead under the hooves of tons of beef. He could feel Heyes shaking; not knowing if it was from being drenched with rain, fear or both.

Kid quickly dismounted and untied Heyes' slicker from the back of his saddle,. He slung it over the front of his saddle before he remounted as he tried to control it from flapping in the wind. He leaned across to his partner, draping it across his shoulders as Heyes stuck his arms through the sleeves, giving Kid a grateful nod.

Rain continued to cascade off the brims of their hats. The stampede strings on their hats were pulled so tight, they felt like they were going to choke them, as the wind continued to blow. Kid moved his horse closer, so his leg rested against Heyes'. He needed to touch him, reassure himself Heyes was still alive. The unbelievable scene played over and over again in Kid's head. If it hadn't been for Rowdy he would have been burying his partner in a lonely grave out in the middle of nowhere. He owed Rowdy, not only for Heyes' life but his own. Heyes had been right...Rowdy was nothing like Danny and he needed to make it right.

xxxxxxxxxx