Maddie was out working with Bel when a silver truck came up the drive, Colton emerging from the vehicle after a moment. 'Afternoon Maddie.'

She smiled, brushing down her mare with one of her new brushes as he walked over to the yard. 'Afternoon Colton.'

'Mind if I come in?'

'Not at all. I need to do more training with this girl being around other people anyway.' She replied. 'There's some licorice in a container by the gate, bring a couple pieces in with you. The way to any horse's heart is through their stomach.'

He chuckled, grabbing a couple pieces like she had suggested before he walked in. Bel's head lifted as he approached, the mare snorting softly and Maddie calmed her before he came closer. 'Hey Bel. Remember me?' He held out the licorice towards her. 'Look what I've got. Yummy yummy.'

Maddie giggled softly.

'What?' He questioned her. 'Don't tell me you don't talk to her like that?'

'Of course I do, just not when other people are around.' She replied as Bel eagerly took the treat he offered her. 'So, what brings you by this afternoon?'

'A couple things actually. My folks and I are going to be out of town for a couple weeks and we've got no one to go look after the horses and goat while we're gone-'

'And you're wondering if I might be interested?'

He nodded. 'Would you be? If you can't, we understand but we haven't had any luck finding anyone else. Haven't exactly made any friends around her just yet.'

'I'd be happy to do it.' Maddie started brushing down the mustang's legs. 'It's no trouble at all.'

'Grandma would be happy to pay you for it-'

'Oh that's not needed.' She assured him. 'Just tell her one batch of those chocolate chip cookies of hers and we'll be square.'

'You sure?'

'Yep.'

'That's a load off my mind then. They'll be well looked after while we're gone if you're checking in on them.'

'How are they going? I've been so busy around here I haven't had a chance to come by and see them.'

'Good, really good.' Colton pushed an inquisitive mare's nose away from his pocket. 'Rocky's wound is completely healed up now and without any scars. The farrier was out last week and we've got him and Biscuit booked in to have their teeth done after Christmas.'

'Oh that's great news.'

'What about you though? How's Bel coming along?'

'We're doing well, aren't we girl?' She questioned, giving her mare a scratch on the wither. 'Still taking things slow, that's the only way to train a horse though. I'm thinking she'll be ready for me to start putting weight on her soon but we're still working up to that of course.' After exchanging her brush for a comb she turned back to Colton. 'What else did you come by for?'

'Bel's a Spanish Mustang, right?'

She raised an eyebrow. 'Yes… Why?'

'There's an article in the newspaper about Spanish Mustangs, thought you might be interested.'

'Okay… Sounds interesting.'

'I'll just go grab it from the truck.'

Colton headed out of the yard and while she waited for him to return she kept combing through the mare's mane.

'Here it is.' He exclaimed on his return. 'Maybe Bel came from the same lot?'

A smile crept across her lips as she read the article he'd pulled from the newspaper and when she got to the part of 'Mustang Maddie', she began to laugh. 'I told Jane I didn't want a fuss to be made.'

Colton frowned. 'I don't understand.'

'Alright…' She took a deep breath as she turned to him. 'So, when Cordell and I were up at that auction, the meat man who brought Bel brought a bunch of other horses. When I found out she was listed as a Spanish Mustang, I contacted the rescue to see if there was anything they could do to help. My tip-off led to them being able to rescue that herd from the slaughterhouse. They could have kept my name out of the article though, I didn't want anyone to know about it.'

'Why not?' He questioned as he folded the article up and placed it in his pocket.

'I just prefer to not be the center of attention.' She replied simply. 'At the end of the day, the horses were all rescued and that's what matters though 'Mustang Maddie' does have a nice ring to it-' Her phone began to vibrate in her pocket and she frowned when she saw the caller id. 'Would you mind holding Bel for a moment, I need to take this call.'

'Sure.'

Handing him the lead rope she accepted the call and stepped away to speak with the lady. When the call was finished she returned to Colton and Bel, a thoughtful expression on her face.

'What is it Maddie?'

She turned to him with a shy smile. 'I've been invited to compete in next year's Mustang Makeover.'

Maddie could hardly believe it. She'd been invited to compete in the Extreme Mustang Makeover competition held in Fort Worth next year. Just the invitation to compete excited her and especially since if she competed, she'd be the youngest trainer they had accepted for the competition.

Jane Johnson, while being the owner of the mustang rescue, Wild N Free, was also on the board of the Mustang Heritage Foundation who ran the competition. Apparently she had been following her progress with Bel through her Facebook page and felt she was good enough to extend the invitation to compete too.

The thought of competing was both exciting and terrifying at the same time.

As she helped to prepare dinner, it was all she could do to stop herself from blurting her news out then and there. Abeline too noticed she was more excitable than usual and had commented, Maddie promising they'd all find out soon enough. Finally, they were all seated at the table for the evening meal, and after Bonham had said the blessing, Abeline spoke up that Maddie had something to say.

'Alright, so…' She helped herself to some mashed potato as the bowl was passed around the table. 'I've got some news to share with you all. I had a phone call today-' She handed the bowl to August. 'And I've been invited to compete in next year's Mustang Makeover.'

'Mustang Makeover?' Stella questioned. 'What's that?'

'Trainers are given a hundred and fifty days to train a wild mustang, then at the end are judged on things like how the horse looks, how it performs in the handling and the ridden classes. The top ten competitors then get to put on a freestyle show and that's how the winners are chosen.'

'And-and you've been invited to compete?' Cordell questioned.

Maddie nodded. 'The call came from one of the board members who runs the competition. She's been following Bel's journey on Facebook. I guess she must like what she's been seeing to have invited me. If I was to enter, I'd be the youngest trainer that's been invited to participate.'

'That's awesome Maddie.' Liam said, cutting up his steak 'Do you think you'll accept?'

'That's the thing, I don't know.'

'Why not Maddie?' August questioned. 'You'd get the chance to show more people how you train. I think it'd be great.'

'The finals will be held at Equitana up in Fort Worth for one.' She replied. 'And that's not all. I'll need permission to compete, a representative will need to come inspect the yards-'

'Maddie girl.' Bonham interrupted with a chuckle. 'Maddie, if you want to compete, if you think you can do it, you've got my permission to use the yards and such. Cordell-' He looked over at his son. 'What do you think?'

'I-I think it's a great idea.' He replied with a nod. 'I say go for it Maddie, you've got my permission.'

Maddie looked over at Abeline. 'What do you think Abby?'

'I say choose what you feel comfortable with,' She said, 'either way, whatever you choose to do, you'll have our support.'

Four points here I want to bring up.

1.
Personally, I like Stella with Todd better then Colton. I don't know why, I just do, so, I think I'm going to keep the two of them as an item 😉 I also have plans for Colton but they don't include the original Walker girl lol.

2.
Damn! Search And Rescue is a brilliant episode! However, if a person falls from a cliff at that height, I'd be worried about a neck or spinal injury (there's my first aid course, and common sense talking there) and they should have put Colton on a stretcher. Other then that, it was a great episode.

3.
Okay, little secret here.
I've always liked Dan. Unpopular opinion probably but I have. The way he dives to save August was brilliant and him offering to help the Walker's get their land back has defiantly given him points in my book. Denise on the other hand...

4.

Please comment! Your feedback really helps me to keep writing. :)