Page 10 of Wilde Ride

Pointing to the door, I asked, “May I?”

“Yep,” Caden replied. “Please do.”

Walking into the stall, I spoke in a soft voice. It didn’t take long for Aurora to give me her full attention. She was a sweet horse, and she nickered a few more times.

“She is vocal.”

“Told you.”

“She’s eaten today?”

“Yes.”

I moved around her and took a good look from all sides. “She’s dropped, and her sides are sinking in a bit.” I moved to the back and attempted to lift her tail, to which she protested slightly. “Her tendons are getting looser, that’s a good sign.”

Glancing under the horse, I took a look at her udders. I glanced at Caden and asked, “Do you have cameras in the stalls?”

He frowned. “No, I honestly haven’t thought about adding any. I’ll have to talk to Emeline about it. She runs the equine part of the ranch, as she mentioned, so she knows the budget best, along with my mother.”

“How many months have you known she’s been pregnant?”

“Eleven months.”

I nodded. “I know you know this, but once her water breaks, if she doesn’t birth the foal within twenty minutes, you need to give me a call. First-time moms may not exhibit any signs of labor, so I highly recommend using a camera. Also, I suggest getting the horse and foal in the next stall out. If Aurora is agitated by the noise from next door, she’ll hold off on her labor.”

About two minutes later, Emeline walked up with Marshall. “Sorry to interrupt. We’re going to take Kamaria and Lynx out to give Aurora some privacy. She’s easily distracted, and I don’t want their presence to hinder her labor.”

Caden smirked. “There’s a reason she’s in charge over here.”

I chuckled. “Who names these horses?”

Caden pointed in the direction of Emeline. “That would be my sister.”

She glanced back and smiled. “Do you have an issue with Kamaria and Lynx’s names?”

I held up my hands in surrender. “Not at all. They’re…unique.”

Emeline brought the foal out first and started in the opposite direction from Aurora’s stall. “They’re all named after stars or constellations,” she stated, as she pointed up. “This is Kamaria.”

“And Lynx?” I asked. “That’s a star?”

“It’s a constellation. Mom named her.”

I looked at Caden, who shrugged. “I’ve learned not to question or argue with my mother and sisters. They have a strange way of doing things, but it always works.”

Marshall walked out with Lynx. “I like her name,” he said with a smile.

“I’m sure you do, Marshall!” Caden laughed. He turned to me. “The princess now has her privacy.”

I turned back and ran my hands down the mare’s neck. “There you go, girl. You have this whole side of the barn to yourself. Let that little one come out so you can get to feeling like your old self again.”

Leaving the stall, I softly shut the door. Caden started walking in the direction Emeline had gone. “You’ve got to see this filly. She’s nuts.”

“Aren’t they all?”

We walked out to the indoor arena, where Emeline was just letting the filly off her lead.

The young horse took off running around its mother with utter happiness. Lynx kept a close eye on Kamaria, and at one point, I swore she rolled her eyes. She was obviously a very protective mother, and she made it known to her foal that she wasn’t happy with her carefree behavior.