by astrophile. » Mon Jan 28, 2019 12:45 pm
ryan king
already, ryan could feel the adrenaline pulse through him, making his heart race as he strapped on his jingling spurs to the heels of his boots, staring out into the empty arena and out into the stands, where a few early arrivals were now finding their seats. he felt a prickle of excitement at the snorts of the bucking horses as they stormed into the ring, hoof beats thundering as they were sorted by two men on horseback. and yet the rodeo wasn't scheduled to begin for another half hour. he zipped up his vest and cracked his knuckles, blowing out a breath. damn, he had missed this. the excitement, the rush, the energy, it was something one couldn't get behind the wheel of a tractor trailer, hauling cattle halfway across the country, or working the storage room at the feed store. the last six weeks had been spent at home, moping around and watching old tapes, driving himself and everyone else crazy while his ribs healed- compliments of a bronc somewhere in colorado. the son of a buck had stepped right on his chest, sending him to the hospital and cutting the last season short. it sure felt good to be home, back where he belonged. in the ring. he was feeling much better now, still a little sore but nothing the twenty-one-year-old cowboy couldn't handle. he had drawn a nice horse, not the best, but enough to win him some points and a check and start off this season the right way. taking a seat on the rail and jumping into a relaxed conversation with some of the other bronc riders, he couldn't hide the ear to ear grin when the announcer's voice came through, cutting off the music mid song and reminding everyone that we were now twenty minutes away from showtime.
asher hawkins
the sky was clear, the air was cool, a perfect night for rodeo. the brown-haired cowboy steered his roan draft cross over to the other side of the arena, wrapped his jacket closer around himself and rested his elbow on the saddle horn, blue eyes scanning the crowd. despite the chilly air, the stands were packed, filled with what he guessed to be every soul within a five mile radius of the small panhandle town, all in western hats and cowboy boots. a mixture of city-slickers and ranch workers all squished together like sardines in a can, all lured in and ready to get western. asher wasn't even sure if half of them could tell the difference between a bull and a heifer, but what did it matter, they were all here to cut loose and have a good time, and judging by the lineup, they would not be disappointed. ranger's breath came in visible white puffs, reminding asher of a dragon. to his left his father sat atop his massive quarter gelding pete. both men were equipped with ropes and chaps to shield them from any possible kicks that were sure to come with the task of getting the cowboy safely on the ground and the horse out of the arena. the unsung heroes of the rodeo. the stock were all ready, everything was in place, they were ready to rock and roll. and yet asher couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.
because something was missing, more specifically someone. this would be their first event without joe. the hawkins family was still reeling from the loss of their beloved long-time bull fighter, mauled just a month prior while doing what he did best. joe had been apart of the hawkins team for almost as long as asher had been alive, and had for many years been considered a part of the family. the death of the usually quick-footed and talented clown had come as a shock, a blow the ranch was still recovering from. he had since been replaced and there was no denying the new kid's talent, but it wasn't the same. he let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. no use living in the past, as his mother had repeated several times since that fateful cloudy day. yes, joe would be missed but life goes on, and he had more important things to do, especially when once again the announcer 's voice rang out now that there was only ten minutes until the rodeo would start.
Last edited by
astrophile. on Tue Jan 29, 2019 9:36 am, edited 1 time in total.