The pillars of creation

Betty bleated plaintively when she saw Jennsen, as if she feared she had been abandoned for all time. Betty's upright tail was a happy blur as Jermsen sank to one knee and hugged the goat's neck. Jennsen stood and stroked her hand along the silken ears, a touch Betty mooned over. As the horse in the next stall put her head over the rail to watch her stablemate, Betty stood on her hind legs, joyful to be reunited with her lifelong friend and eager to be closer.

Jermsen patted the wiry hair on Betty's fat middle. "There's a good girl." She urged the lovable goat down. "Glad to see you, too, Betty."

Jennsen, at ten, had been there for Betty's birth, and had named her. Betty had been Jennsen's only childhood friend, and had listened patiently to any number of worries and fears. When her short horns first began to come in, Betty had in turn rubbed and comforted her head against her faithful friend. Other than her worry of being abandoned by her lifelong companion, Betty's fears in life were few.

Jennsen groped through her pack until her fingers located a carrot for the ever-hungry goat. Betty danced about as she watched, then with her tail wagging in excitement accepted the treat. For reassurance, after the torment of an unusual separation, she rubbed the top of her head against Jermsen's thigh while chewing the carrot.

The horse in the next stall, her bright intelligent eyes watching, neighed softly and tossed her head. Jennsen smiled and gave the horse a carrot along with a rub on her white blaze.

Jermsen heard the jangle of tack as Sebastian returned, along with the stableman, both carrying saddles. Each man, in turn, laid his load over the rail of Betty's stall. Betty, still wary of Sebastian, backed a few steps.

"Sorry to lose the company of your friend, there," the man said, indicating the goat, as he came up beside Sebastian.

Jennsen scratched Betty's ears. "I appreciate her care."

"Not much care. The night isn't over." The man's gaze shifted from Sebastian to Jennsen. "Why do you two want to leave in the night, anyway? And why do you want to buy horses? Especially at this hour?"

Jennsen froze in panic. She hadn't expected to have anyone question her and so she had no answer prepared.

"It's my mother," Sebastian said in a confidential tone. He let out a convincing sigh. "We just got word that she's taken ill. They don't know if she'll last until we can get there. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't… Well, we'll just have to make it in time, that's all."

The man's suspicious expression softened with sympathy. Jennsen was surprised at how credible Sebastian sounded. She tried to imitate his look of concern.

"I understand, son. I'm sorry-I didn't realize. What can I do to help?"

"Which two horses can you sell us?" Sebastian asked.

The man scratched his whiskered chin. "You going to leave the goat?"

Sebastian said «Yes» at the same time Jennsen said "No."

The man's big dark eyes looked from one to the other.

"Betty won't slow us down," Jennsen said. "She can keep up. We'll make it to your mother just the same."

Sebastian leaned a hip against the rail. "I guess the goat will be leaving with us."

With a sigh of disappointment, the man gestured to the horse Jennsen was scratching behind the ear. "Rusty, here, gets on well with that goat of yours. I guess she'd be as good to sell as any of the others. You're a tall girl, so she would fit you well."

Jermsen nodded her agreement. Betty, as if she had understood every word, bleated hers.

"I have a strong chestnut gelding that would better carry your weight," he said to Sebastian. "Pete's down the way, there, on the right. I'd be willing to let you have him along with Rusty, here."

"Why's she called Rusty?" Jennsen asked.

"Dark as it is in here, you can't see so well, but she's a red roan, about as red as they come, all except that white blaze on her forehead."

Rusty sniffed Betty. Betty licked Rusty's muzzle. The horse snorted softly in response.

"Rusty it is," Sebastian said. "And the other, then."

The stableman scratched his stubble again and nodded to seal the agreement. "I'll go get Pete."

When they returned, Jermsen was pleased to see Pete nuzzle a greeting against Rusty's shoulder. With danger close on their heels, the last thing she wanted to have to worry about was handling bickering horses, but these two were friendly enough. The two men hurried at their work. A mother lay dying, after all.

Riding with a blanket on her lap promised to be a welcome relief from traveling on foot. A horse would help keep her warm and make the night ahead more tolerable. They had a long rope for Betty, who tended to get distracted by things along the way-edible things, especially.

Jennsen didn't know what Sebastian had to pay for the horses and tack, nor did she care. It was money that had come from her mother's killers, and would get them away. Getting away was all that mattered.