Return to Wild Horses Chapter Forty-Six



Wild Horses
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN: CHANCE

Author: WillowFever
Rating: PG to R
Feedback: Please leave feedback on the Wild Horses thread on the Kitten Board.
Disclaimer: I don't own Willow and Tara, if I did I would set them free...


Tara let out a tiny yelp as Willow quickly ran by and pinched her on the butt. Blue eyes watched as a blur of red hair disappeared around the front of her truck. <Oh... she wants to play...>

Two sets of determined eyes stared through dusty glass. The blonde smirked as she slowly started walking around the front of the truck.

"I don't think you really want to start this, do you?"

Willow maneuvered her way around the back of the four wheel drive in an effort to keep a safe distance from the blonde. She gave Tara an I-can't-believe-you-just-said-that look as they continued the cat and mouse game.

"Me start something... are you serious? This is just me trying to get even for your vixeny attempt at distraction..."

Tara grinned as she watched her lover walk slowly around the Chevy. Willow felt her heart thudding in her chest. She was playing with fire and she knew it.

"I only meant to help calm you down... I know the horsies make you nervous."

Willow stopped in her tracks as she regarded the blonde.

"Calm me down... calm me down... are you hearing yourself?"

"Oh yes... loud and clear..."

Willow swallowed hard as she watched the blonde close the distance between them. She tried to get away, but Tara was just too fast. Warm arms captured Willow from behind and somehow the need to escape no longer seemed like a good idea.

"Gotcha now..."

The blonde smiled as she felt her lover give in and stop struggling to get away. She had to admit the chase had been fun, but now she had two arms full of Willow and there was no way she would let go.

Willow closed her eyes and smiled as the blonde's arms tightened around her. Slowly, the red head reached back and slid her hand up between the blonde's thighs. She heard Tara gasp as her hand pressed hard against the blonde's sex. Willow spun around and pinned her lover against the door of the truck.

She watched as Tara's eyes darkened with desire. It was a sight the red head would never grow tired of. Willow slowly pressed her fingers into the blonde as an evil grin spread across her face.

"Hmmmm... who's got who?"

The blonde tried to retaliate by reaching out and capturing a warm breast, but that only seemed to fuel Willow's efforts.

"You know... this seems more like a win-win situation to me..."

Tara simply nodded her head as Willow leaned into her.

"Let's go take care of the horses... then we can finish this..."

Willow's hand rubbed harder against the blonde.

"a little later..."

"Oh yes..."

Willow grinned as she released her captive and spun on her heal headed toward the barn. She stopped and looked back over her shoulder, mimicking her lover from earlier.

"Coming?"

Tara let out a deep breath as she pushed herself off the truck.

<Almost...>

She nodded and watched as Willow walked away from her. She followed her lover on wobbly knees and grinned as her mind filled will all kinds of possibilities.

<Hmmm...maybe we can play in the hay...>


Willow held the door open and waited for Tara. The blonde smiled as she stepped over the threshold.

"Why thank you kind gentlewoman..."

Willow gave a quick little bow as she motioned her lover in.

"After you m'lady..."

The door closed behind them and Willow set out to gather the items she would need. Tending the horses had become their evening routine. It was time spent together and they both enjoyed that.

Tara would go and check the horses while Willow rounded up the brushes. It just seemed to give the red head a little more time to adjust to the closed in area and the sound of the horses.

Willow held the curry combs and brushes in her arms. Her green eyes spotted the lead rope and she decided to grab that too in case Tara wanted to take one of the horses out. She had just arranged her arm full of cargo when she heard her lovers voice.

"Oh my god... Willow..."

The red head drop everything and ran to the stall where Tara stood. She knew that the horses weren't in perfect health and she silently wished that Tara hadn't found one dead.

"Baby... what is it... what's the matter..."

Willow looked but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. The horse was standing... it was certainly breathing... and it seemed to be sweating... a lot.

"Will... she's in labor... I've got to call the vet... it's too soon..."

Willow swallowed hard as Tara ran to get the phone. She just stood there watching the small horse, it's brown eyes seemed to be pleading for... something, but Willow didn't know what. She had never been around a pregnant horse before... did it need assistance... pain medicine... ice chips...?

The red head stepped closer and whispered soft reassurances to the horse. However, she didn't know if it was for the horse's well being or hers.

"It's ok girl... everything is gonna be all right... you'll see....."

Willow reached out and rubbed the horses nose. The animal sighed and Willow stepped closer.

<Maybe she just needs to be rubbed...>

As soon as the red head was close enough, the horse rested its head on Willow's shoulder.

<Then again maybe she's hungry and wants to bite my head off...>

"Vet's on her way."

Willow heard her lover's voice behind her which quickly dispersed the fear of being horse supper. She watched as the blonde began rubbing down the soon to be mom. The look of concern and worry on Tara's face pulled at Willow's heart.

"Is she gonna be ok?"

Tara looked up and gave a weak smile.

"I hope so... it just seems too soon... ya know...?"

Willow only nodded. She didn't know, but she wasn't about to ask for details on horse delivery.

"Oh my god Willow...."

The horse whinnied and began to paw at the ground.

"Her water just broke..."

A look of sheer terror crossed Willow's face.

"What..."

Tara tried to calm the horse, but she knew there was little she could do. Right now, the best thing to do was to just be ready and let mother nature take its course. Tara ran her hand down the mother's side. She was weak and the blonde hoped she would make it through the delivery.

"Come on mama... you can make it..."

Willow stepped back as the horse began pawing the ground. She felt rather fond of her toes and had high hopes of keeping them her entire life. She watched her lover try and soothe the mama to be.

<She's beautiful...>

The horse groaned and Tara felt its weight shifting. Slowly, the horse made its way to the ground. The blonde felt uneasy about it, but considered how weak the horse was and knelt down beside her. Blue eyes sparkled as she looked up at her lover.

"I see the head..."

Willow grinned from ear to ear. It felt crazy to be so excited, but she just couldn't help it. Here she stood...watching for the first time as the world awaited the arrival of it's newest four-legged occupant.

"I'm here..."

A voice from the doorway made Willow turn around. The vet had made it just in time. The red head stepped out of the way and watched as the doctor went to work. Tara remained in the stall to assist the vet in any way possible.

The vet checked the mother's heart rate and didn't like what she found.

"Tara... I..."

The vet took a deep breath.

"The mother's not gonna make it... and we'll be lucky to deliver the foal."

Willow's heart broke as she listened to the vet. Her eyes were focused on the blonde and the tears she could no longer hold back.

"We can‘t just give up..."

The doctor knew how Tara loved these horses and the pleading in the blonde's voice made her want to deliver this foal.

"I'll need your help..."

Tara quickly nodded as she wiped her tear stained cheeks.

"You need to pull the baby out... I'm gonna push on the mom's belly..."

Tara moved behind the horse and gently grabbed the foals neck.

"Are you ready?"

"yes..."

Willow watched in awe as the two women tried desperately to deliver the foal. The mother tried to help, but she was just too weak to push.

"Pull Tara... pull...."

Tara tried but it was no use. She just couldn't pull the foal free. Tears rolled down her cheek as she continued to pull.

"I can't..."

Her voice echoed in the barn as she yelled in frustration. The vet pushed on the mothers stomach, but the foal still refused to come out. Tara's face disappeared from Willow's site as the blonde hung her head.

Willow's heart pounded in her chest and before she realized it, the red head found herself kneeling beside her lover.

"We can do this..."

Tara's head snapped up as Willow's voice registered in her head. She watched as the red head grabbed hold of the foals neck.

"On three..."

Both Willow and Tara nodded towards the vet and waited for the count.

"1... 2... 3"

The vet pushed the mother's belly one last time and watched in amazement as the foal slipped effortlessly from its mother. Tara cried harder as the foal slid into her lover's arms. Willow smiled through her own tears.

"We did it..."

The blonde leaned over and hugged the red head, showering her with tears and kisses.

"Yeah we did..."

As the two women celebrated the birth of the tiny foal, the vet quickly inserted the needle that would bring an end to the mothers suffering. There was just no way that the mother would survive and she knew this was the most humane thing to do. In her heart, she knew that it would be a miracle if the baby survived.

Willow looked down into two very big brown eyes that were staring up at her.

"It's so tiny..."

Tara looked to the vet.

"How's mama?"

The vet just shook her head and the blonde closed her eyes. Willow reached out and took her lover's hand.

"I'm sorry Tara..."

The doctor dreaded this next part, but she knew if it needed to be done now was the time.

"Tara... there's a good chance that the foal won't make it."

The doctor was momentarily stunned at the intensity of two sets of eyes staring at her. She took a deep breath and continued.

"At this point... I think it would even be a stretch to say that she has a 50/50 chance."

Willow looked down at the small animal in her arms. Tears filled her eyes as she looked back at the vet.

"But there is a hope... right... even a small chance is better than none..."

The doctor nodded her head.

"It's slim... and would require a lot of dedication from both of you... but you must realize that the odds are stacked against it already..."

Tara smiled as Willow's voice rang loud and clear.

"We'll beat the odds..."


Both women watched as the vet disappeared out the barn door. She had left feeding instructions and three days supply of milk supplement and arrangements had been made for the mother to be picked up later that night The youngster had been moved to a clean stall and Tara now stood quietly, watching as Willow fed the foal it's first drop of milk.

Tara surmised that even though Willow didn't know it yet, she was a natural with the new born.

"So... I think you like motherhood..."

Willow grinned as the blonde stepped into the stall and sat down close to her. The young foal eyed the newcomer, but never quit feeding on the sweet milk.

"I think it's going to be quite nice actually..."

Willow felt Tara's arm go around her and she rested her head against the blonde's shoulder. Tara could feel the red head's body shaking and soon she heard the faintest sound of a giggle.

"What's so funny....?"

Willow snuggled closer as she tried to speak softly.

"Oh... I was just imagining the look on Buffy's face if she could see me now..."

Tara let out a soft chuckle.

"I think she'd be impressed..."

"Either that or she'd think I had finally lost it."

Tara watched as the foal emptied the bottle of its contents. It tried to stand on its wobbly legs but still had a hard time doing so. Willow reached out and tried to help steady the young foal before it quickly fell back down... content to have landed so close to it's red headed mama.

Tara leaned over and whispered into the cutest freckled ear she‘d ever seen.

"So... have you thought of a name yet?"

Willow rubbed her fingers down the white blaze on the baby's forehead and watched as it closed its brown eyes and drifted to sleep.

"Actually... I have..."

"Oh... what is it?"

Willow smiled as she thought about the name she had given the foal.

"Chance..."

Tara grinned as she placed a kiss on her lover's head.

"I think that is a great name..."

"Thanks... me too.."

Willow leaned against the blonde as she closed her eyes. Everyone deserved a chance and this little gal was no different.

"Goodnight Tar..."

"g'night Willow..."

Tara felt the red head snuggle even closer.

"I love you..."

"Love you too..."

The blonde held onto her lover and slowly she closed her eyes. Just as she was ready to fall asleep she heard Willow's sleepy voice whispering softly.

"Good night Chance... love you too..."



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