Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books

HOME BY TWILIGHT

Chapter 7

Bella, Connie and Esme had the supplies ready in record time. Edward, Jacob, Tony and Bill had everything loaded on the truck shortly after. Rosalie and Alice made sure the girls were ready for the day.

"I'm staying here at the house," Jacob announced. " I want to make sure that no one tampers with anything, while you're all gone."

"Good idea," Edward said. "Do you want Emmett to come back?"

"No. He'll want to keep watch over all of you. Especially with me here," Jacob gave Edward a look and thought to him, "Emmett was pretty angry about the horses, and the blood got to him, but not in a … feeding way."

Edward told Jacob, "Several of us were raised in the era of the horse. Cars or 'horseless carriages' were just becoming common. To see such waste, such...unnecessary carnage, is difficult for any one to bare. But for us, ... these are not food animals for us, they are..."

"Things of beauty," Rosalie interrupted Edward. "I was turned much later, but there were still a lot of horses in use around town." Rose paused and smiled sadly, "I always had a carrot for the milk cart horse." For a long moment she shook her head sadly. Then she gazed up at the map on the wall.

"Emmett looks at the map a lot," Alice chimed in. "what do you think he's looking for?"

"I don't know what he's looking for." and Rosalie ended that line of questioning. "Are we ready?"

Renesmee, in the truck bed, placed her hand on Jacobs cheek, and sent him her own good-bye, while the others ran, or rode along with the vehicles. This time they stayed together, only traveling as fast as the truck could go. Once again Alice was in the cab of the truck next to Tony. Bill, the driver of the Jeep, had Jenna in the passenger seat. Jasper ran point, making sure there were no surprises. Esme rode in the back of the pick-up with Renesmee. Bella ran along the driver's side of the Jeep, and Rosalie ran along the driver's side of the truck. Edward brought up the rear, making sure that nothing tried to creep up on the small caravan.

It took more time, but they finally reached the canyon. Edward stopped at the top of the cliff to talk to Emmett, and bring him up to date. Jenna, Bella and Esme found out how the night had gone, medically, from Carlile. Jasper and the rest of the crew unloaded the truck and set up a work station near the mouth of the canyon.
"It's time you learn a little," Jenna took Bella by the hand and led her to the nearest horse. "Place your hands here and here," and she pulled Bella's right hand up to the horses neck, and her left on the horses cheek bone. "She'll drop her head and you place your forehead against her face," and Bella complied.

"Do you feel it?" Jenna asked quietly.

"I feel her heartbeat, the blood rushing..." Bella was puzzled. "What should I be feeling?"

"You have to drop your shield. Envelop her in it with you," Jenna's voice was enticing, willing Bella to follow her instructions. For the first time in her life, Bella felt as though she were being glammered. Bella worked to comply with her mother's wishes.

"I feel … OH MY GOD!" Tears flowed from Bella's eyes. "The pain! I feel her pain … I feel it here," and her mind went to the closest wound on the trembling mare. "I see it … I can …," and Bella began to heal the wound from the inside out. When the wound was completely healed, Bella found another, then another, until the mare was completely healed. When she was done she dropped to the ground, exhausted. Edward and Carlile were at her side before anyone else could see what had happened.

Edward reached for Bella's face. He touched the tear that was slowly flowing down her cheek. He examined it on his fingertip, then turned on Jenna.

"What have you done to her?" Edward demanded through clenched teeth. He had not wanted to attack a human like this, since the first day he met Bella. This time though, it was out of anger. "We don't cry! We have no tears!" He was slowly backing Jenna away from Bella.

"You forget, VAMPIRE, she is MY daughter. She has abilities you can only dream of," and Jenna began to back Edward toward Bella, until she was able to reach out and grasp his hand.

"It's OK, Edward," Bella whispered, as the mare galloped away to the spring and the bucket of oats and corn that Tony and Bill were offering each horse. "I'm OK. Really."

Edward knelt down next to Bella. He studied her for a moment, then picked her up in his arms and carried her to the truck. He studied her again. The tears had stopped and she seemed to be alright.

"Really, Edward," Bella began, "It was the most miraculous thing I have ever felt." Bella put her arms around Edward's neck and opened up her shield again. She shared with him, the feeling of the horse, and the healing. When she was done, Edward was shaken and stumbled back. It took him a moment to regain his equilibrium. When he did, all he could do was stare, wide-eyed, at Bella.

"You did that?" Edward collected himself enough to ask her.

"I did that." Bella was proud of herself for the healing she had done, and was anxious to do it again.

"Is there anything she should know about this ability?" Edward asked Jenna, over his shoulder.

"She needs to go slowly, until she gains more control," Jenna informed the two, as she approached. "All wounds do not have to be healed completely, for the animal to be able to function. As a vampire, she will regain her energy faster, but it will still drain her to some extent," Jenna now stood next to Edward. "You will have to hunt tonight. To replenish your reserves." She couldn't help but grin at Bella, "but for your first time, you did an amazing job." And they all watched as the mare Bella had healed, raced with the new herd stallion, down the canyon.

"I did that," Bella whispered almost silently, but Edward still heard her.

"Still a lot of work to do," Jenna yelled for all to hear. "Let's get with it"

Edward held his hand out for Bella. "I'll be keeping my eye on you," he informed her

"Not a bad idea," Jenna smiled at the two. And they went in different directions and began to check, heal and feed the mustangs.

The humans took a break to eat lunch at about noon. Renesmee and Nita helped Connie set out the sandwiches, then Nita watched the coffee and soup at the fire while Renesmee got out the plastic bowls and spoons. Lunch went fast, and everyone was soon back to work. The girls cleaned up the lunch supplies and packed everything back into the truck. When they were done, they found they had some free time to themselves.

"Jacob sure is cute," Nita told Renesmee.
"When I'm older, we're going to get married," Renesmee replied matter-of-factly.

Nita giggled at her, "Isn't he a little old?"

Renesmee stopped and looked down at the ground. "I won't age the same as you," she told Nita.

"I heard something about that," Nita replied, "but it didn't make any sense."

"I'm two years old," Renesmee told her friend. "In September I'll be three."

"But you look and act like you're close to my age!" Nita was incredulous. "Next year you won't be my friend, will you?" Nita looked at the ground and kicked away a stone with her boot.

"I will always be your friend," Renesmee told her friend. "I'll just he older than you, instead of younger," but she was looking down at the ground as well. "But," Renesmee looked up with a big smile on her face, "we still got this year."

Nita looked up at her friend's smile and grinned herself. "You bet," and she took off running across the canyon. "Want to meet Drifter?" Nita called to Renesmee, who was pretending to have trouble keeping up.

"You bet," she yelled back, and ran to catch up with her friend.

Rosalie was helping Carlile, and watching the girls. She was proud of the way that Renesmee took her role as a friend. She even felt a twinge of jealously as the two girls climbed up on the back of the stallion, and rode bareback around the canyon. She smiled a genuinely large smile as the girls waved their arms and howled at the joy of riding the big horse.

Emmett, from his post at the top of the cliff, watched Rosalie and felt his chest swell, as his wife took joy in the antics of the two girls. He had never seen Rose so happy. He would do anything it took, to make sure nothing interfered with her happiness. Emmett thought about it for a minute. The horses should be good to go, as of tonight. He would have to talk to Carlile about him and Rosalie getting some time away tonight. Emmett smiled and gave his thigh a mild slap. Rosalie looked up at the familiar sound. It had been too many years since they had all enjoyed themselves out in the sun like this. The feeling of joy and freedom was becoming contagious. Soon all the Cullens were laughing and smiling while they worked.

They were finished before they realized it. All the horses were healed and headed out to better grazing lands. The truck had been reloaded and they were all ready to head back to the house. Jenna was pleased to see that they would make it back to the house by twilight, and gave the order to fire up the convoy. Once out of the canyon, Rose and Emmett split off the main group and headed west, smiling and laughing as they ran. Bella and Edward waited until they were in view of the house, and Edward could hear Jacob and was assured that there had been no problems. He and Bella said their good-byes and headed north for the mountain lion problem.

It was a quiet night at home, for Jenna and her guests. Jasper and Alice had planned to hunt, when Edward and Bella returned. No one expected to see Rose or Emmett, at least until morning. Esme and Carlile would hunt after Jasper and Alice returned. Jasper had already worked out a patrol schedule. Every one hoped for a quiet night. Jenna discussed the plans to have Carlile examine the DNA of the werewolf in captivity. They agreed to begin in the morning, once everyone was back.