Young Writers Society

Chapter 1: Where's Your Cow, Boy?

The sky was clear.

It had been a dry summer, and the month of Sael had passed with no rain, leaving the rolling, grassy plains a pattern of yellow and brown. The last time he saw green was down by the river, before they'd moved inland with the herd, slowly leading the cattle to their resting place before the next season and some of them were sold off.

James sat atop his horse, looking down the sloping hill at the herd down below. Faintly, he could hear the cows braying, happy to be grazing on a new patch of grass. Beyond the herd, he could see the other ranch hands, Kenneth and Percy, riding behind their boss, Gregor.

The air was still, and the sun was dipping down towards the horizon. Beyond the cities, out on the rolling plains, the only constants were the four of them, the cows, and the sun beating down on them. Every once in a while there was breeze, but that was a lot to hope for, and hope was something James measured sparingly these days.

With a flick of his reins, he rode along the top of the hill.

"Come on, Elliot," James muttered softly to his steed. "Let's count these cows and then finally get some rest."

Elliot bobbed his head as if in agreement, though James knew Elliot only ever did that as an affectionate response to the sound of his voice. Perhaps Elliot did understand the sentiment, but that was something he would never know.

Meticulously, James began to count the cows head by head. He scanned the herd, trying to pick out each individual cow from the next as they drew closer together. Squinting, he found himself struggling to make them out clearly, as their brown and black forms blurred into one big mass.

Gregor didn't know (and would never know) that he was near-sighted, but it made the task of scouting at the end of the day all the more difficult. In resignation, James was committed to seeing it through even if it meant he had to count ten times over to make sure he had it right. Though Gregor only ever saw it as James being thorough, Percy took it as a license for teasing, leaving him with the nickname "cowpoke." Considering all the things he could be called in comparison, James didn't let it get under his skin, even though he and Percy were never that friendly in the first place.

His first run-through, James counted twenty. The second, third, and fourth time - still twenty.

He glanced down at Elliot, even though Elliot was blissfully unaware a cow had gone missing. It couldn't have wandered far, seeing as the only things surrounding them were hills and grass.

With a sigh, he glanced over at Gregor and the others. They had begun to settle down to camp for the night. Kenneth was digging out a pit for a fire, and Percy was tying up the horses while Gregor was off with one of the cows. Petting it, maybe. James couldn't really tell from such a distance.

He clicked his tongue, and Elliot started forward again, taking them down the hill. He rode around the cows and up to Gregor, who, now that he was closer, looked like he was checking one of the cow's legs.

"Everything alright?" James asked as he rode up behind him.

"It's all right," Gregor said. "She'd just gotten a little rock in her hoof, but we got that out for her and she's all right now, ain't ya, 'ol girl?"

He patted the cow's side with a smile, and the cow dipped her head down to start nibbling at the grass below. Putting his hands on his hips, Gregor turned to James with a smile.

Sitting atop his horse and looking down, Gregor seemed even smaller than he did on foot. He was a short, wiry man with thinning black hair, normally swept back under an old cowboy hat. His brown skin was dark from years of working under the sun, and his plaid shirt, leather boots, and dusty jeans were well-worn.

Gregor was the type of man who looked like he'd worked hard every day of his life and enjoyed every minute of it, but he had the personality of someone who had all the time in the world to rest. Overall, he was enjoyable. He never pried too hard and was kind and supportive, even when it was undeserved. It was a rare thing to find, and also the deciding factor that led James to work for him in the first place. It was the only thing keeping him there, too. At least, for now.

"I think one of the cows wandered off," James said.

Gregor's smile faded, and his eyes flashed worry.

"Is that so?"

James nodded.

"Well," Gregor said slowly, looking out at the other 20, then fixing his eyes back on him. "Matt, would you mind looking for her? Can't have gone too far."

Again, he nodded.

"Of course," James said, and already, he started to ride past him.

"Oh, and Matt?" Gregor called out.

James brought Elliot to a stop and looked back. Months ago, he'd introduced himself as Matt. By now, James had grown accustomed to responding to the false name.

"If you're quick about it," Gregor said. "Dinner should be warm and ready when you get back."

James knew it was a well-meaning incentive and merely smiled and dipped his head, tipping the brim of his hat ever so slightly.

"I'll do my best," he said, and then turned back around, passing the cows on his left and Kenneth and Percy on his right. The two of them seemed to pause around the now-lit fire to look up at him as he went, but he offered them no explanation. Gregor would do so for him, and besides - they could stand some getting used to his sudden departures. One day he'd leave for good, and he'd rather no one question it.

Percy narrowed his eyes at him, but it looked less like suspicion and more like minor disdain. He was a broad, stocky, fellow, and his dark eyes often regarded James with some level of annoyance or condescension. Being the latest hire and the least experienced, James understood why, even if it was unnecessary.

James offered Kenneth a small nod, acknowledging him instead. Kenneth, at least, was a decent man and had been working for Gregor the longest. So much could be seen in his sun-bleached red hair and how his naturally pale skin was freckled all over.

Kenneth offered James a nod in return, and James finally began to hurry over the hill.