Chapter 22
He started to climb down, feeling the pain from the bite he had received from the stallion. Jake held his breath, biting his lip as he jumped to the ground. The pain in his leg almost made him shout as he dropped.
Jake bent over trying to catch his breath and get control over the pain. He knew he had to look at it and assess the damage. Hopefully the horse didn't break the skin.
He unbuckled his belt and then unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, pulling them down to get a look at the bite. It was a bad one. The horse had broken through the skin. It was red and angry looking, the blood dripping down his leg.
Well there wasn't anything he could do about it now except get home and let his parents get it cleaned up. Jake started walking towards Three Ponies. He checked the position of the sun in the sky and knew he wouldn't make it home before dark. Jake knew his parents would be worried when he didn't show up for dinner.
Hours later, Jake thought he heard someone calling his name. His breathing had become so loud as he walked, he stopped to listen.
"Jakey!" it sounded like Adam.
"Here!" Jake shouted as loudly as he could.
"Jake!" he heard again.
Jake let out a piercing whistle which was answered immediately by the same. He decided to stay where he was and let those looking for him come to him. It would be easier to find each other that way.
Jake heard another whistle which he answered. A few minutes later, he could hear the hooves of a horse as they got close.
"Jake?" Adam's voice was nearby.
"Here," Jake responded.
"You okay, little man?" Adam asked as he pulled up in front of Jake.
"Yeah," Jake answered.
"Anything broken?"
"Nah," Jake replied.
Adam held out his hand and Jake took it while Adam pulled him up to sit behind his big brother. They started for home.
"So, what happened?" Adam asked.
"I'm not as fast as I thought I was and got caught by a stallion," Jake told him.
"What?" Adam yelped.
Jake told him what had happened.
"Are you bleeding?"
"Yeah," Jake nodded.
"You're going to need a shot," Adam predicted.
"Why?"
"Tetanus," Adam informed him. "Horses carry it."
"Shoot," Jake grumbled.
"They burn like a son of a gun too," Adam said.
"Gee, thanks for telling me that," Jake muttered. Adam chuckled.
"Mom freaked when your horse came home without you," Adam told him.
"Great," Jake groaned. "Dad mad?"
"Nah, though he mentioned that the horse came in bridleless," Adam laughed.
"There goes my allowance for the next ten years," Jake said, frowning behind Adam.
They heard another whistle and Adam's piercing whistle cut through the air.
"Sounds like Quinn," Adam said.
"Terrific," Jake complained. "Not only will my allowance be gone for the next ten years, I'll hear about this from him too."
"Undoubtedly," Adam told him with a chuckle.
"Hey, little man," Quinn's voice reached him. "Lose anything?"
Adam laughed at Jake's low groan.