"I don't think my thighs have ever hurt this bad." I think to myself looking over my shoulder back at you, seeing you trying to handle the six year old steed. Leaning forward to stroke my beautiful mare's mane.
"We are nearing the top," I holler back to you, the distance between us growing further, as the path gets narrow. "Be careful Love, the path up gets really narrow here."
"Oh my ass hurts, why did I let you make me believe this would be a good idea? I've barely ridden a horse before, and now one wrong step and I will paint the side of this canyon." You holler back at me.
"I promise Love, we are almost there.
Woah, Marley, easy now." Feeling the mustangs powerful sudden rearing. "Easy girl, what's got you spooked? Easy, now!" Suddenly my eye catches the slither a few feet from Marley, it's a Garter snake about two feet long.
"Stay back Love, don't come any closer."
"What's wrong? Baby? What's wrong?" You yell with a petrified voice as you halt your horse.
"It's just a Garter, don't worry I will take care of it."
"No, leave it. What if you get bitten?"
"I can't leave it Love, it already has Marley spooked. It's ok it isn't poisonous, I'm not afraid; JUST stay back. We can't pass if I don't move it." Blowing you a kiss as I hop off Marley, approaching the snake very slowly from behind. With one quick movement I grab the snake by its head and also by its tapered tail.
Hearing you Gasp as I pick the snake up. Scanning quickly for a safe place to release the snake, I see a huge rock about ten feet off the trail, setting the snake down slowly, jumping back quick as it snaps at my hand, narrowly missing me.
"It won't bother us again." Looking up at you still sitting on your horse. "Don't look at me like that, I was perfectly safe. It wasn't poisonous."
"It doesn't matter, don't you ever do that to me again. That was dangerous, God woman you almost gave me a heart attack."
"My Love, you are so damn cute when you are angry. I swear, I was fine. Are you a bit jealous I wasn't handling your snake?" Asking as I lean against your thigh, reaching up to stroke your snug fitting jeans.
"No, I'm NOT; okay maybe a little." You say smiling down at my face stroking my cheek. "You just scared me, I don't like my woman saving my ass, should be the other way around."
"Aww, Love you can be manly all you want when we reach the top. We need to get moving or we sleep in dirt tonight. We've only got a few hours of light left, and these beasts need to be fed and watered soon." I grab your tee shirt, pulling you down to kiss your lips before walking back to Marley.
"Come now girl, let's get moving." I say, giving Marley a gentle heel to her hind leg. "That snake is long gone by now." Stroking her beautiful mane once more, reassuring her the danger is passed. Looking over my shoulder seeing you trailing close behind.
•••
A half of an hour passing as we reach the summit of the majestic canyon ridge.
"Holy Fuck, my ass hurts." I say swinging a sore thigh over Marley and climbing down from the saddle. Starting to unpack the gear from her back. Removing the saddle and woolen blanket setting them on the nearest rock. Walking over to you.
"How you doing, Love?"
"I'm dandy though I can't feel my balls any longer," You say, throwing your arms around me and pulling me into your chest. "How you feeling, Baby?"
"Ugh my ass hurts so bad, but it's worth it, don't ya think? " I say, feeling your hands rub my butt softly, looking out across vast distance of the canyon. "There will be plenty of time for that soon." I say, taking your face to my hands; pressing my lips hard to yours and wrapping my arms around your neck.
"There is a lot to be done, yet Love. Will you untie those pails and fetch some water for Marley and Hawk? If you go about ten minutes in that direction on the otherside of the tree line you'll see a reservoir, well it's actually a crater left from a meteor collision, but with all the rain this season it will be full up. See if you can find us some wood too, we should get a fire going as soon as possible."
"Yes, Ma'am; right away Ma'am!" You say laughing as you start untying the pails from Hawk, then heading off.
"Oh Love, I shout, do watch out for snakes. I wouldn't want anything to happen to that fine ass of yours."
You turn around and give me a mock salute, blowing me a kiss before heading to the trees. Smiling as I watch you walk off into the distance. Unpacking the rest of our supplies from Hawk, pulling his saddle off placing it next to Marley's, filling the pails with food and putting it down in front of the horses, giving their coats a quick brush; pulling up their quarters and checking their shoes for stones and the like. Content the horses are fine, I start to set up camp. Getting the tent mostly pitched as you come strolling back, with a sloshing pail and an arm full of sticks.
"Any trouble finding it Love?"
"No, but I did almost step on a snake and he struck, snapping me on the thigh."
"What?! Are you ok? Let me see that wound, what kind of snake was it, quickly describe it to me; rattlers live up here." I question as I reach to undo your pants.
You start laughing under your breath, grabbing my hands and pulling them around you. "You are so beautiful." Pushing a stray lock behind my ear, kissing me. "I didn't get bit, in fact I didn't even see a snake. I was teasing, that was for scaring the crap out of me earlier."
Before I can get a word out your tongue dives into my mouth. Closing my eyes as I slap your chest once kind of rough, feeling closer to heaven then ever before, I lose myself to your lips for what seems an eternity. Forgetting everything around us and why I was even a little mad at you, pulling my lips from yours with a soft sigh.
"As much as I love you and your lips, we have less than an hour of day light left. If we don't get that fire going we won't even be able to see our hands in front of our faces. I will finish up with the tent, could you please take care of that fire? There is a little folding shovel in that pack right there, for digging the pit. And don't you ever joke about being bitten by a snake. Up here there are ones that could kill you in less than two minutes if their venom hits your heart."
