Oak '06: Restore
Rear position fifty paces back, deep blue sky yawn overhead, they so small below, and he was the last arrive, had never felt alone. They nosed between the others and he pulled up the reins and sat forward, eased the pressure in his knees and hips and let the movement stretch his back. Roll of shoulders and neck, everything popped, and a deep sigh then he settled into the saddle. Comfortable, familiar fit. Not the best posture, not the worst.
He glanced over, Buck half-asleep, head bowed forward body listed to the side, wet spark of drool caught in two-day stubble.
Ezra suppressed a chuckle.
Definitely not the worst.
They held fast - five waited - mounts push side to side and stagger of weight to relieve their own burdens where possible. Vin was a distance ahead, blended with sagebrush and dust, crouched low while fingers and keen eyes studied. Peso towered over his shoulder; Chris and Pony made a slow approach.
Ezra closed his eyes and was thankful for a breath that wasn't stuttered by the punished canter this ride required. He drew in another, expanded chest filled with clean odorless winter air, crisp and hard around the edges. It almost hurt to breathe, felt so good to be out here.
He'd been laid up for weeks. Last rough tumble they'd all chased after had blown his shoulder to hell - dislocated, distended, puffy and bruised. He'd used it anyway, during, had no choice. Paid the price after; Nathan had to wait days before the swelling reduced to set it again, horrid ribbons of pain lashed through him at every touch until then. It'd swooned him into several minutes of darkness directly after.
The balance that he did his part, that the seven lived to tell another day - their true determination, anymore. The long days of recuperation spent in the comfort of his room, Vin's arms, dinners below with his patient, get yourself better, at long last lifelong friends - well, that had tipped the scale.
The wind whispered, cold cold welcome. It felt so good to be out here again.
Grit under boot shift then leather groan. Ezra opened his eyes, blinked and found focus.
Vin was returned to the saddle, nodded at Chris then wheeled, surrendered point to JD for a spell. Chris tipped his hat to Ezra, bare smile, went wide of the group to circle behind them, Ezra relieved of the rear. Peso loped easy, sidestep, threaded the other riders to come alongside Chaucer.
Ezra looked over, smiled.
Vin grinned and their knees knocked when they started forward together.
End