Willy didn't slow down again until he came to where Cocoa was stabled. He went inside and over to where Cocoa was standing, pulling contentedly at his hay net. "Hey boy," Willy said. Cocoa raised his head and nickered. Then he reached out and nudged Willy on the shoulder with his nose. Willy was thrilled. It was the first time the horse had shown affection towards him. "Guess what!" Willy said, scratching Cocoa between his ears. "You're mine now. Or will be, soon. Isn't that great?" Cocoa snorted and bobbed his head as if agreeing with him. Willy giggled. "You're such a great boy, Cocoa. I'm so glad you came here." He smiled. "Maybe I can ride you sometime, eh? It's been a while since I've been in the saddle, but I'm sure I haven't forgotten how." Suddenly Willy seemed to become like a statue. Cocoa reached out and gently bumped him with his nose. There was no reaction. Cocoa didn't understand, but Willy was having a flashback.
Willy was back on his aunt's farm. They were in a ring together with a horse. The horse was big and dark grey in color. He was a Thoroughbred. His aunt, Aunt Lauren, was lunging him. Willy watched, fascinated, as she put the horse through his paces and turn in either direction, first with the lunge line and then without. "That's amazing, Auntie!" Willy exclaimed. For the first time since his aunt took him in he knew why his aunt loved the horses so much. He had never understood before, but now he did. She and the horse, named Stormcloud, seemed to really understand each other.
"Isn't it, though?" Aunt Lauren said. "When I first owned Stormcloud he wouldn't let me near him. A friend of mine helped me with him, though, and he started to listen to me. Now he willingly responds to my directions." She smiled and continued. "Not because he's forced to, you understand, but because he wants to. And the stronger the bond between a horse and rider gets, the harder a horse will try for their rider. No matter whether they show or just ride on trails, no matter whether the person rides or drives the horse with a cart, they'll have a real partnership. The horse will always try their hardest for the person they love. What more could a horse person want?"
Willy came back to the present with a shake of his head. He looked at Cocoa and whispered softly, responding to the memory, "Nothing, Auntie." He smiled. "I want such a relationship with Cocoa."
Just then Cocoa reached out and grabbed Willy's top hat. He galloped off, clutching the brim in his teeth.
"Hey!" Willy cried, and then vaulted over the gate and went running after Cocoa. "Give that back!"
Charlie had followed his friend and arrived just in time to see Willy, hatless, go running after Cocoa. He laughed as Cocoa, still holding Willy's hat, led Willy in a merry chase around the paddock. After a few minutes Willy came back into the stall and sat on the gate. Cocoa came up to Willy and held out his hat. Willy took it and set it back on his head.
"It may even be the perfect pairing, Willy," Charlie said through his chuckles.