When a wildfire threatens the guest ranch they work on, Rey, Poe, and Finn must rush to evacuate the horses.
Come on. The fact that I haven’t written a story involving horses yet is a miracle! This one was not only inspired by the Auburn Fire which started on October 4th just north of my hometown, but includes elements of a short story I wrote way back in High School! It was the first time I was told outright by a teacher that I should be a writer.
Day 7 – Damerey Week Rated Teen
Prompts: Free Day! Favorite AU: Modern Western, Favorite Trope: Enemies to Lovers, Violet
Rey loaded the last horse into the stock trailer and Finn swung the back gate shut. She latched it and clipped it, then looked past the trailer down the road. Where was Poe? They still had ten horses to move and only a little dinky two-horse trailer here on the property; she wasn’t leaving anyone behind!
Rey had begun her job at Mystic Creek Guest Ranch only six months ago, in the spring, but she already felt a deep connection to the place and the owners, Han and Leia Solo. She had developed great friendships with her co-workers as well, especially Finn, who had become like the brother she had never had. She had long ago determined that this was where she wanted to stay, living a life surrounded by people who cared about her and the animals and mountains she loved.
But now her new home and her future were threatened. It had been an abnormally dry summer, with very few thunderstorms with the life-giving rain that usually occurred quite frequently during the summer months. Earlier today, they had been notified of a wildfire in the Tatooine Basin. In the five hours since, thanks to the tinder-dry conditions and the hot south wind, the fire had grown from a small burn to a 1000 acre conflagration. And it was heading right for Mystic Creek.
The guests had been evacuated immediately, with Leia and the two housekeeping staff members going with them. Han and his son Ben had taken all the family pets and any important documentation and left shortly afterwards. Rose and Kaydell had been tasked with taking the smaller livestock, the goats, mini-donkeys, barn cats, and chickens, to safety. This left Rey, Finn, and their foreman Poe Dameron in charge of the eighteen riding horses. Since the only two trailers kept on the property were small two-horse trailers, and one of them had been used by Rose and Kay, Poe and Finn had headed to town to borrow two stock trailers from friends of the Solo’s. While Rey prepped the horses, keeping a wary eye on the smoke plume to the northwest, Finn had arrived first. Apparently, the other trailer had had a flat tire and Poe was changing it as quickly as he could.
Eight of the horses had been loaded in the trailer Finn had brought, and Rey was ready to help Poe load eight more in his trailer once he arrived. She would take the last two in the little trailer that was already hooked to her old Chevy.
Glancing once more at the smoke plume, and noticing that it seemed much closer than before, she grumbled, “Where’s Poe?” Poe Dameron, who had been the foreman here at Mystic Creek for over five years now, was a bit of an enigma to Rey. He was friendly, open, honest, great with people and animals, and a wonderful boss…to everyone but her. From the first week of Rey’s arrival back in May he had treated her differently than the other wranglers. He wasn’t mean or nasty to her, but he seemed distantly indifferent to her for the most part. She had watched as he joked around with the others, always amicable and even affectionate toward the teens that worked part-time during the summer months; he was a great role model. But she had never felt as comfortable around him as the others did.
Occasional arguments would pop up between them, becoming more frequent as the season wore on, and Rey often worried their spats would make Leia and Han less likely to keep her on as a year-round wrangler; while the Mystic Creek stayed open all winter, the number of guests was much smaller, therefore most of the staff only worked during the summer season. Rey knew that as much as the Solo’s liked her, if it came down to her or Poe, Poe would be the one to stay; he was like a second son to them.
Despite her outward animosity toward the man who was her direct superior, she still couldn’t help but like him. Maybe a little too much. When he wasn’t picking on her because of the way she scooped horse poop or the way she backed up a trailer, he was fun to be around. He told funny stories, was a great listener to whoever else was talking, and he had a beautiful singing voice when he deigned to use it. She also thought he was drop-dead gorgeous, but she wasn’t going to admit that to anyone. Just as she refused to admit to herself that she was falling in love with him.
Right now, her annoyance wasn’t directed at him personally; she was simply worried about their situation. The fire was obviously moving closer and fast. If they didn’t get out now, they might not get out at all.
Finn’s cell phone rang and he quickly pulled it out of his pocket. Rey was relieved to know that they still had cell service. There was a tower on the property, but with the fire she knew it was possible it could soon be knocked out of commission. She watched as Finn, looking upset, talked with whoever was on the other end. Poe, she suspected. Finn pulled the phone away and turned toward Rey. “Fuck!” he exclaimed.
Dread filled Rey. Finn never swore. “What is it?”
Finn sighed and looked at her helplessly. “The firefighters won’t let him back in,” he said despondently.
“What?”
“They say the fire is too close to the road. They won’t let him past the town limits.” He shook his head. “He’s parked at Miller’s Crossing. He said to grab two and come with the small trailer.”
Rey looked back and forth between Finn’s already full stock trailer and the ten horses standing tied patiently next to the barn. She glanced down at Beebee, Poe’s red Australian Cattle Dog, who was looking up at her adoringly. Poe had only left him because he had expected to be back. She suddenly made a decision.
She turned and headed for her truck. “Go!” she told Finn. “Take the trailer and Beebee and get out of here before you can’t!”
“Wait!” Finn argued, following her. “What are you doing?”
She opened up her truck and pulled out her duffle. She shoved it into Finn’s arms, then opened the back door and pulled out her saddle. “I’m going to take these guys and herd them over the ridge. The fire hasn’t gotten that far, yet, and it’s a shorter distance to town than the road. We should have plenty of time.”
“No way!” Finn told her as he followed her over to Windsor, her favorite mount. The bay Thoroughbred perked up immediately as she threw the saddle blanket over his back, followed by her stock saddle. “You can’t herd nine horses by yourself!”
“I’ll lead Joe,” she said as she tightened the saddle cinch and breast collar, speaking of the old grey Arabian they used for the small children. “They’ll follow him and Windsor.” Horses were herd animals; their instinct would be to stay close to each other and follow their herd leaders. She went to the barn’s tack room to grab Windsor’s bridle, calling over her shoulder. “Would you let the others loose, please?”
When she came back out, Finn was still standing there looking more than a little frightened.
Rey stopped. “Finn, please,” she said softly. “I’m not leaving any of them.”
With a weary nod, he moved to remove the halters from the other eight horses; leaving the halters on would be dangerous as they moved through the forest; if they should get caught on something, the horse could panic and hurt itself. They were all freeze-branded with the ranch’s brand on their hip, so should they get away from the rest of the group and found, they could be claimed later. Rey bridled Windsor and untied Joe, then mounted up as the other horses started mingling, unsure what to do.
“Now go!” she told her friend, trying to regulate her breathing so she didn’t start panicking. Once he was gone, it was all on her. “Take Beebee!”
Finn headed for the pick-up, once more carrying Rey’s duffle, and looked back at the dog, who was still watching Rey intently. “I’m leaving him with you. He can help with the horses.”
Rey shook her head. “Poe will kill me if something happens to him!”
“And Poe will kill me if something happens to you!” Finn argued back. Rey looked at him in surprise. “Let him help you, Rey. Your odds are better with him.”
Rey looked down at the dog, then nodded. “See you on the other side, Finn!” She gave him a careless grin, hoping to ease his concern.
A worried frown still on his face, he climbed into the truck and headed down the road.
“Come on, guys,” she shouted to the horses, then turned a now prancing Windsor toward the back of the property, toward the ridgeline that separated the Mystic Creek from National Forest land and the town of Theed. A couple of the older horses started following her immediately, but the others lingered in the yard. “Bring them up, Beebee!” she shouted, and smiled as the dog jumped at the chance to do the job he had been bred to do: herd livestock. The rest of the horses immediately moved out as the dog maneuvered himself behind them and started ducking and dodging, nipping at their heels. Rey was grateful all the horses were quiet, well-mannered ‘dude’ horses that wouldn’t overreact to the dog. Windsor was the most energetic of the group and he was only used by the wranglers.
The group trotted across the pasture, heading for the back gate that took them into the forest. Rey dismounted briefly to open the gate, then she pulled herself onto Windsor’s tall back again. It was customary to ‘leave gates as you find them,’ but considering the situation she felt no qualms about leaving it open. She rode through and watched as the rest of the herd followed. Now that she was in the trees, it was much more difficult to gauge just where the fire was, so she just focused on heading straight toward the ridgeline. She knew this forest well, having ridden through it all summer. They should make the ridge within thirty minutes, then they would climb the moderately steep slope up to a bare hogback.
It would be all downhill from there.
******
“What the hell do you mean she’s riding out?”
Poe Dameron’s angry shout made several of the firefighters look over at where he and Finn were standing. Only a moment ago, Poe had felt overwhelming relief upon seeing the stock trailer come around the bend; he had been consumed with worry that the fire had already blocked the road. However, his relief had been short-lived when he realized that Rey’s truck and the other trailer were not following.
When Finn had stepped out of the pickup after parking in the lot of Miller’s Crossing, Poe had demanded to know where she was. He had not been happy with the answer.
“Come on, Poe,” Finn told him with a shake of his head. “Did you really think she’d react any different?”
“She should have let them all go and come with you,” Poe groused, knowing deep down Finn was right. He had known upon giving Finn the initial order that Rey wouldn’t like it; she loved every one of those horses as if they were hers, and even if she hadn’t, her compassion for all life was too strong for her to not do everything in her power to help them live.
Even if it was at the cost of her own life.
With his heart racing, he stepped away from Finn and stared up at the hogback. This side of the ridge was bare of trees for the most part, the result of a fire that took place here almost thirty years ago. He could see the plume of smoke from the fire, and even some flame, moving along the top of the ridge. He could imagine the area Rey and the horses would probably reach the top and felt panic as he realized the fire was inching closer and closer to that area. She wasn’t going to beat it.
Bringing his hands up to his face, he rubbed it in frustration, letting his fingers slide up into his hair and pulling it, trying to regain some calm. It wasn’t that he needed to hide his feelings from Finn; the man was his best friend and he already knew how Poe felt about Rey. In fact, everybody but Rey seemed to know how Poe felt about her. Suddenly, he became determined to ensure Rey knew as soon as he saw her again. He was done playing games with his emotions, much less hers.
He loved her.
It didn’t matter if she didn’t love him back. He needed her to know. He had started crushing on her from day one, not understanding why, after years of being happily single, he had focused on her so intently. Everything about her called to him. Her beauty. Her heart. Her bravery. Her strength. It was as if he had been waiting all this time just for her. He was not some romantic idiot, either. It just happened, and he couldn’t explain it.
Because he couldn’t explain it, he denied it. He kept her at a distance, not befriending her like he did all the other staff members. Picking on her. Pushing her away. He wanted her angry at him, because then she wouldn’t realize just how much she affected him. Too bad both Leia and Finn had him figured out. Oh, the looks Leia sometimes gave him when he pushed Rey too far. He loved her like a mother, and those looks made him feel like a little boy again, in trouble and just asking to be scolded.
He stared off at the ridge, hands now on his hips in order to keep them from shaking. “You should have made her come, Finn,” he muttered.
Finn, who was standing just behind him, answered with sigh. “And just how would I do that? That woman is as strong and as stubborn as a mule.”
Poe huffed a soft laugh, acknowledging Finn’s statement, but then images of Rey being overcome with smoke filled his mind’s eye. He envisioned her falling from her horse and being trampled by the others in their panic. He saw her own mount falling, collapsing and landing on her. He closed his eyes, and for the first time since his mother died, he prayed.
******
The horses maintained a steady trot through the trees. All of them were fairly fit as they traversed these forests and mountains with tourists on their backs year-round, but Rey knew even this sedate pace would become difficult soon thanks to the heat and the thick smoke that hindered breathing. It had to be in the mid-80s, which was unusually warm for October.
A loud cracking sound off to Rey’s right startled her and caused Windsor to spook. Several of the other horses also reacted, many stopping suddenly to look in the direction of the sound. Rey watched wide-eyed as three bull elk trotted swiftly through the trees, their noses pointed forward so their antlers lay against their backs, preventing them from catching on the trees as they ran. It was rare to see males together this time of the year unless they were fighting over a female. It was obvious these animals had more important things on their mind today, like escaping a wildfire.
As they passed, Rey realized the cracking sound she had initially heard was still persisting. It hadn’t been the elk stepping on a branch as she had first thought; it was the fire. Terror filled her as she looked up at the burning treetops. It had caught them!
Holding back a sob, she reached over and unclipped the lead rope from Joe’s halter. “Beebee! Let’s get out of here!” She made a kissing noise and Windsor jumped forward. The other horses needed no more encouragement, and all of them took off after her. She ducked her head, keeping her body low over Windsor’s neck, praying her head didn’t hit a branch as the sped through the forest. She regretted not putting on her helmet, something she usually wore when leading rides with guests, but she hadn’t been concerned about that when she had saddled up Windsor.
Suddenly, they were there. Just over a small rise, the base of the ridge loomed. Rey took a firm hold of the saddle horn and left Windsor’s reins loose as the Thoroughbred took a leap up the steep hill. He lunged upward, the impulsion of his giant hindquarters pushing Rey out of the saddle over and over. Only her solid grip on the pommel kept her on top of his back. She looked over her right shoulder, happy to see old man Joe keeping up with them, his white tail a flag behind him as he bounded up the hill. A look to her left showed Beebee was also keeping up. He didn’t need to work as hard as the horses did to get up the hill.
The trees began to thin out as they neared the top. Windsor was struggling now, his breathing hard, sweat dripping from his shoulders. She felt him stumble, but he righted himself and continued to pull his body up the hill. Finally, they reached the top. Blowing hard in and out of his extended nostrils, her mount stopped at the top of ridge. Rey looked down the other side, which was just as steep, but mostly bare of trees. She couldn’t see the bottom because the smoke was too thick. It gave off an odd violet color as the sun tried to shine through it. Glancing around at the other horses that were joining them, all sweating and breathing hard, she turned Windsor downward. Fire moved faster uphill than down, but that didn’t mean they were safe, yet!
Windsor started picking his way down the hill. Rey kept a firm hold on the reins, helping him keep his balance as he lowered his hind end. The others followed, all going at a much slower pace, for which she was grateful. This wasn’t The Man From Snowy River; she didn’t want any of them to stumble and break their neck!
Finally, they emerged from the smoke. She could see the yellow jackets of the firefighters as they worked at creating a fire line at the bottom of the hill. They had all stopped to watch her and her herd. She looked around her, doing a head count. Nine horses and one dog. They were all here!
As they neared the bottom of the ridge, she looked past the firefighters to the parking lot of Miller’s Crossing and the two stock trailers that waited for them. She couldn’t help but grin as she looked at the two men standing at the edge of the lot. Finn was jumping up and down and pumping his fist in the air. Poe was… well, Poe looked angry. Figures, she thought. She could have died and he’d still be mad she disobeyed his order.
Rey rode past one of the firefighters, who tipped his hard hat at her. “Fantastic riding, ma’am,” he said with a grin.
She nodded back and smiled.
Suddenly, Beebee raced by her and she saw Poe squat down to greet his dog. Rey felt tears form in her eyes. From relief that she was safe, she wondered? Or something else?
As she and the herd moved closer, she saw Finn hand Poe a rope and they both moved toward the horses. Finn went up to Joe, grabbing his halter and leading him toward the empty stock trailer. Poe grabbed a chestnut named Chester, throwing his rope over the gelding’s neck. Both horses jumped into the trailer without any trouble. While Rey dismounted, the two men grabbed two more horses; none of the tired equines even tried to escape them. Rey loosened the cinch on Windsor’s saddle. Looking back at the ridge, she shuddered as she saw it almost completely engulfed in flames. The fire wasn’t, however, moving downhill very fast. She would be able to walk Windsor and another horse until Rose could get the second small trailer back here from the county fairgrounds where they had taken the other animals.
Rey felt her legs tremble slightly at the thought of walking very far, but there were no other options; only eight horses would fit in the stock trailer.
Suddenly, Poe was in front of her, taking Windsor’s reins. “You drive the trailer,” he told her, his voice rough. “I’ll take him.” She realized he was holding a rope and that his own favorite mount, Tariq, was on the other end. She looked at him. His eyes were unreadable, and she was just waiting for him to start berating her for her recklessness. But he stayed silent. She handed the reins over to him, too tired to argue, then headed for the pickup. Finn ran up to her and gave her a quick hug, laughing, then handed her a bottle of water before rushing back to the other pickup. Rey drank it greedily after she climbed into the truck, then she started it up and began following Finn’s trailer. Poe was already on the road, leading the tall bay and the grey Arabian. She slowed as she passed him, thinking she could offer to take Beebee with her, but the dog seemed content walking with his master.
They had barely left the town limits when she passed Rose and the second trailer. Relieved Poe wouldn’t have to walk too far with the two remaining horses, she continued on. It was several miles to the fairgrounds, far from the fire. Kay and Ben were both waiting for them. They had gotten two large corrals ready for the incoming horses, with hay and water set out. Because the horses in Rey’s trailer did not have halters on, it took longer to unload them and get them settled, but by the time the little trailer arrived the big trailers were empty. Finn and Rey reached the small trailer and had both Windsor and Tariq out and heading for the corrals before Poe and Rose had even exited the truck.
Everyone was silent for a while as they stood at the fence watching the horses drink and eat. With the animals safe, now they began to worry about the property. The house. The barn. Rey’s truck. Would they still be there to go back to after this was over? Sure, they were replaceable, but it was still home.
After a while, Poe stepped back from the fence. “Rey, can I have a word with you?”
Shit. Here it comes, Rey thought. She glanced at the others as the they moved away. Rose, Kay, and Ben looked at her with sympathy, but Finn was glaring at Poe.
Taking a deep breath, Rey turned to face her boss.
******
Poe just looked at Rey for a moment, but she wouldn’t look at him in return. She kept her eyes on the ground, and that worried him. Rey always stood up to him, no matter how mad he got or how stupid he was. She had soot on one cheek and he itched to wipe it off. How did he tell her how relieved he was? How grateful he was that she was okay? How proud of her he was?
He opened his mouth to say something, anything, when she finally looked up.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. She licked her lips and shrugged. “I know what I did was foolish and-“
“And exactly what I would have done had I been in your position,” Poe interrupted her.
Rey’s eyes widened in shock as she finally looked at him.
Poe swallowed. “Rey, I’m not mad at you for disobeying my orders,” he said. “You did exactly what anyone who truly cared about Mystic Creek and its animals would have done. You are absolutely amazing and capable and you belong with us at Mystic Creek, and I hope you know that and never feel as if we… or I… don’t want you here.”
She blinked at him, her large expressive eyes shining with moisture. “Poe…” she started to say.
“But I am mad at you,” he continued before she could say anything else. “I’m mad because I’ve finally found the woman of my dreams and I almost lost her before I could tell her how much I love her.”
Rey’s mouth dropped open. “What?” she whispered.
Poe shook his head. “You heard me,” he told her roughly. “And you don’t have to respond,” he said. “I don’t expect you to feel the same way, especially after the way I’ve treated you. Just know that that’s going to change. I’m going to stop being an ass.” He paused a moment, then grimaced at her still stunned expression. “And I want you to stay and I know Han and Leia love you and want you to stay, so if what I’m saying is making you uncomfortable in any way, then I promise I will do my best to stay out of your way and not-“
Rey suddenly lunged forward, placing her hands on either side of his face, and kissed him.
Slowly, she backed up, looking him with tears in her eyes. She smiled. “I love you, too, you dummy.”
“Oh, thank God,” Poe groaned, bringing his arms around her. Laughing, she threw her arms around his shoulders and they held each other tight. After a moment, Poe leaned back, bringing his forehead to rest against hers. “Leia is going to be thrilled,” he told her softly.
“She likes it when her managers fall in love with members of her staff?” Rey asked teasingly.
Poe laughed. “No, but she does love it when people she loves love each other.”
Rey gave him a soft smile and he watched a tear slowly slide down her cheek. He moved in to kiss it away, then let his lips slide over to hers. She responded, opening her mouth when his tongue asked for entrance.
Suddenly, a sharp bark made them jump apart. They both looked down at Beebee, who sat at their feet, tongue lolling happily, his tail sweeping the ground.
“I think that was a ‘it’s about time, idiots,’ bark,” Poe said.
Rey giggled, then brought her hand up to his cheek and directed his face back to her. Her thumb ran along his short beard, then her lips were once more on his. He tightened his arms around her, sinking into the kiss. He had always considered himself a man of the earth. Now here, in his arms, was a woman of fire.
He was quite content to let himself burn.
THE END
This story is dedicated to the four equines that I am honored to have called mine. Three of them are no longer with me, but their memories will live forever:
Falkirk Mine (Windsor) Bay Thoroughbred Gelding. 1987-2011
Burntforks Josè (Joe) Grey Arabian Gelding. 1987-2012
CHA Imagination (Tariq) Grey Arabian Gelding. 2001-2021
Go Getta (Chester) Chestnut Thoroughbred Gelding. 2007-
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