The boy’s eyes closed. He was tired. He’d rest for a while, then go to his horse again. It had been a long night, and as he’d told Pitch, he hadn’t had much sleep. But it had been worth it. Now he’d just rest for a little while. He wouldn’t go to sleep, just rest. Resting was as good as sleeping, anyway. But he didn’t want to rest very long, either. There was so much to do today. No more iodine, just being with his horse. He wanted to be around him a lot so that before long Flame would take his presence very much for granted. Flame would never know why he had cleaned his wound and put the iodine on it. He’d remember only that it had stung him and he hadn’t liked it. But it had had to be done. There was plenty of time to make amends … plenty of time.

Steve’s eyes remained closed as the sun’s warmth slowly relaxed his taut muscles. He felt his face become hot, and for a moment he didn’t even think of Flame. And in that moment he fell asleep.

He didn’t know how long he had lain there when suddenly he felt something soft and wet against his face. Opening his eyes, he saw Flame standing close beside him!

The stallion’s muzzle moved about the grass, and Steve realized that was what had touched his face a few minutes before. He lay there quietly, but his eyes devoured the stallion.

Don’t rush to him, he told himself. Take it nice and easy. Take him for granted, too. Just pretend you’ve always been with him. You can sit up now, but don’t rush to him yet. Take it easy as you did last night. He likes you or he wouldn’t be here. He’s getting used to you, Steve!

Slowly Steve rose to a sitting position, talking to his horse, his eyes going to the chest wound. It was still clean, but he’d have to watch it for any infection that might develop. Shifting his gaze to the other cuts on the stallion’s body, he found that hard scabs had already formed over them. There was no sign of infection in any of them.

Flame’s head rose a few inches from the ground, his neck extended. He shook his mane and his body twitched.

Steve saw the large flies hovering above him and about his girth. Flame’s tail whipped at them like a lash. Then he sniffed the ground and moved away until he had found a slight depression in the ground. Carefully, he lowered himself down to it and rolled over on his back. Long legs thrashed the air as he grunted in pleasure. Finally he turned over on his side again before rolling over once more and driving his back into the soft earth.