There is a storm rolling in. He can't see the clouds yet, but the heat is building on waves of humidity and the joints in his arms have doubled their aches. All he wants to do is find a chilled stream to soak his underbelly in or even just a tree to stand under to hide from the sun, until the sweet relief of rain washes away the oppressive heat. The humans have other plans for him.
He didn't ask where they were going and the hand hadn't volunteered the information. He assumed one of the yards, they'd been very particular about making sure he got up to a full gallop at least once a day since discovering how fast he was. Probably planned on sending him to the centaur races like they'd been doing with Shiro. He is starting to have doubts he'll escape before that happens.
He'd never seen Shiro look so tired and defeated as he had yesterday, so convinced that existing for human entertainment was the best he could hope for. Shiro may have always had a dark sense of humor, but he'd been an optimist at heart. Encouraging Keith to try harder, do better, because he believed sincerely that they could do anything they set their minds to. Now Shiro couldn't even listen to Keith say that they could find a way around his lost arm. How was he supposed to talk him into trying to escape, when he had no hope?
"Well look at that, NumbSkull can behave." The words jerk Keith from his thoughts. He's been walked into one of the enclosed yards without realizing it. There are more ranch hands around than usual, all vaguely familiar in that disturbing way all the humans on the ranch are becoming almost distinguishable, but one of them he knows he hasn't seen before.
He's a big human, heavy set and almost tall enough to look Keith in the eye. The cloth he wears is different than the other humans, cleaner and more solidly colored. Making him stand out even more than his size. What really makes him certain that they've never met before is the human's right eye. It's bright, shiny, in a color he's never seen in nature, and very clearly not something he was born with. It looks cursed. Like an evil token to cast dark spells with. Keith barely contains the urge to back away.
"So this is the taur that outran Champion? Doesn't look like much." The human stalks around him, looking him over, clearly unimpressed with his size, "You sure he didn't take a dive? He's been awfully concerned with this one's fate." The human stops his circling and moves forward, reaching for Keith. This time he does jerk away, trying to get away from what all his instincts are telling him is danger. The human narrows his eyes and grabs Keith's lead. Yanks it hard, physically hauling Keith forward with one big muscular arm. His arms scream at the treatment, white spots scattering across his eyes, as he lets out a cry of pain, "I can see why, not very smart this one. No wonder the boys named him NumbSkull."
The human grabs his face in one big hand turning it from side to side. He doesn't know what the human wants from him, but he wants to be on the opposite side of the yard from him right now. His forehooves dance in aborted attempts to rear up, but between the hand on his face and the painfully tight hold on his lead, he can't get away, "I thought you said he was tame. Does this look tame to you?" The human lets go of his face and thrust his lead at the ranch hand who led him here.
Keith doesn't waste time getting as far away as the rope will let him, "He's high strung, but the small ones always are. He hasn't kicked or bit anyone since we put him in a yard with Champion." He doesn't know the ranch hand that's speaking, and with the blood rushing in his ears what little differentiating features they have are all blurring together. Anger starts to rear its head among his panic. Who are these humans to talk about him like this? To act like they know something about him just because they managed to get a rope around him.
The big human looks over at him, staring closely with his evil eye, considering. Keith freezes where he stands, only his heaving chest giving away he isn't in fact a statue, "This ones a bolter if I ever saw one." The human turns to the ranch hand beside him, Keith feels likes he's escaped Medusa's stare, "Leave him on lead, but take him off for the stall. If he gives you any trouble go back to full time. Come back to talk to me when he's actually tame."
"Yes sir,"
End Note:
Yes, that is exactly who you think it is.
Also, if you ever behave this way around a horse, you will be introduced to the wrong end of their hooves. Behavior you can get away with around a centaur won't fly for a horse.