CHAPTER 1

Meeting

As the sun was rising over the Eastern hills, all five roosters at the ranch started strutting around and crowing to wake up the sleeping humans and animals of the Four Feathers Ranch, where everyone worked a job.

The Four Feathers Ranch is near a small town called Talking Rock in the state of Texas. The town is called Taking Rock because many years ago people claimed the huge rock in the center of town spoke and warned them of storms coming. People from all over come to see the rock and try to listen for it to speak to them.

Lil Coco woke up quickly as she heard the other farm animals speaking their good morning noises. She had learned quickly to understand it was time for her to get up and eat. She watched as her Mother Sheena, led her to grain food she was now at the age to eat.

Lil Coco is a beautiful shiny black foal with beautiful big brown eyes, a white blaze from her forehead to above her mouth. She also has one white diamond shape mark above her right rear foot, which the human family called a good luck mark.

Lil Coco looked just like her father, a famous Quarter Horse racing champion named Wind Racer who travels often for racing. She was the first baby horse born at the Four Feathers Ranch during a thunder storm one late night and a big surprise to everyone around, even the other animals.

This is an exciting day for her. Now she was ready to go out to the big pasture. All the herd of horses were waiting to meet Lil Coco, along with the cows.

Lil Coco's Father Wind Racer, the cowboys nicknamed him Popcorn. He had a few small white patches that looked like popcorn on his back.

The markings were made when he was very young. A mountain lion jumped on him and bit him in a few places on his back. The bites turned white from the hair loss. He was very brave and scared the mountain lion away by kicking him.

Lil Coco was so excited to finally go out to the big part of the ranch and meet the herd of horses her Mother has told her about. Even Sheena was getting a little restless to walk faster.

They walked past these two red birds sitting on the fence close to their barn, they were called Charlie and Chatty, the red Cardinals. Chatty flew over Lil Coco and tipped her wings to say hello. Then, Charlie did the same greeting to Lil Coco.

How nice they looked flying above them, and chattering to Sheena and then flew back to the barn, Lil Coco looked up to Sheena, and asked, "will I fly someday?" To which her Mother replied "no, horses don't fly"

The human little girl came out to give Lil Coco her morning treat, she loves the carrots the little girl, Peyton brings her. She gently pets Lil Coco and walks with them to the gate which is the biggest gate Lil Coco has ever seen which leads in to the big pasture.

Lil Coco saw the herd of horses, Sheena introduced her to the other horses showing her off to them. They all began to graze together, Lil Coco thought it was boring, seeing the little calf Betsy she decided to go over and meet her. This was the first time hearing the sound moo as she whinnied to say hello, she knew this is how cows talk.

CHAPTER 2

Cows talk

Lil Coco saw the cowboys riding around the herds to separate the cows and horses. She had seen them before in the barn. JT riding his horse Turbo, and Rusty riding his horse Rangler.

Cowboy Rusty told Lil Coco to stay with her Mother, and not to leave her side. Lil Coco walked back to her mother and watched the cows eating and saw Betsy start to walk away from her Mother. There was a lot of cows moving towards the ranch. Lil Coco didn't see Betsy again.

Lil Coco was on the way to their barn, when she saw Betsy as they entered the gate. She whinnied at her to tell her she would see her tomorrow. Betsy made that moo sound as her answer.

Lil Coco was getting tired from her first day in the big pasture. Lil Coco was happy to be back in the barn and was surprised with a new stall. The stall was hers alone, her Mother Sheena had a connecting door to check on Lil Coco, they were side by side.

Lil Coco was getting sleepy and went sound asleep, dreaming of all she saw and what she could explore tomorrow. She was going to get closer to those hills and see what else there was to explore. She thought Betsy would come with her and they would have fun together, running and jumping.

The next morning Lil Coco was tired of grazing and decided to visit with Betsy the calf. When the herd started to move to another section and Betsy started going in a different direction.

Lil Coco whinnied to her and she looked at Lil Coco and ran towards the big hills. Lil Coco ran fast to catch up with her, and she finally did get in front of Betsy to make her stop running.

Lil Coco asked her why she was running away yesterday and today. Betsy said, "the little bull, Bo was teasing her, and saying mean things, making fun of her because she was smaller than he is and had kicked her a few days ago, it hurt." Lil Coco said, "He is a bully, I will help you with him, I will teach you to stand up to him. His Mother needs to know he is doing this to you."

Betsy had tears in her eyes. Lil Coco tried to make her happy and started to walk across the stream, they walked to a path that led them to higher ground. Betsy was happy to look down to see all the herd looking so small to her. The stream was also looking smaller. They were lost.

CHAPTER 3

Mountain Lion

Lil Coco and Betsy were not paying attention on their way and couldn't remember how they walked so far up the hill.

The sky was getting darker, a storm was coming, and they needed to go home now. Lil Coco was not scared.

The trail going back seemed longer than the trail going up the mountain. They were closer now to the stream, the sounds of the water was closer.

Suddenly they both heard a loud growl from an animal in the tree above them. Lil Coco knew it was a mountain lion.

Betsy asked Lil Coco "what is that noise"? Before she could answer they saw red birds flying against the wind. They were coming closer. And Lil Coco knew they were coming to help. They were Chatty and Charlie the cardinals from their barn. Chatty started pecking the mountain lion on his head and he tried to push her away with a huge paw. Charlie started pecking the mountain lion on his back and rear. The mountain lion jumped off the tree and ran away.

The two cardinals flew over to Betsy and Lil Coco. Both birds flew low and Charlie told them, "hurry back over the stream as the storm was coming fast. The stream will get real deep in a very short time so hurry and go back across the water." They left to go back to the barn as the wind was getting harder for them to fly.

Lil Coco and Betsy went fast to the edge of the stream that was looking like a river now to them. The stream was deeper when Lil Coco put her hoof in the water. the rain was coming down in bigger rain drops.

Betsy was trying to tell Lil Coco she didn't know how swim. Lil coco looked at Betsy and asked her, "Do you know how to swim." Then Lil Coco said, "I don't know how to swim?" Betsy said "horses are easy swimmers, you have longer legs".

Lil Coco looked at the water and the stream was gone, she knew they both would make it to the other side. Betsy was shorter than Lil Coco, but she would help her.

Betsy looked around the edge of the stream and found a fallen branch. The light branch was wide and short. Betsy told Lil Coco "I am braver now, we will make it to the pasture". They looked over to the other side, all the herd were watching them as they started to cross the fast moving water in the heavy rain Coco saw Wind Racer and Sheena, then Betsy's Mother Annie showed up with some herd cows.

CHAPTER 4

Swim

Wind Racer said to the herd, "I am going for a swim". He was swimming fast thru the deep water. Betsy grabbed the wide branch, wrapped her front legs around the front of the branch and kicked her back legs.

Lil Coco was swimming next to Betsy to keep the water from pushing her away. Wind Racer met them in the middle of the now faster moving stream.

Betsy was holding the wide branch and trying to keep up with Lil Coco, Wind Racer told her "I will help by pushing Betsy's branch". Lil Coco told him "we are almost there, the herd is waiting for us". The cowboys came to see what all of the horses and herd were watching. They were all watching when Wind Racer, Lil Coco, and Betsy came safely to the shore line.

Sheena and Annie went running to their daughters, so happy to see them safe. They all had a great reunion. Both Lil Coco and Betsy were very happy to be with the herds, now they can go to their barns. The cowboys started to separate cows from horses.

The rumbling of thunder was so loud they all started to run to the barns. The cowboys were trying to calm the cows. Horses started running faster. Wind Racer ran to the front of the herd and slowed the horses down to a trot.

Sheena and Lil Coco went to the older horses that were a bit slower. They split the group into two groups of older horses and Lil Coco took the slower group.

Lightning was near to them as every strike seemed to be so much louder. They kept going faster, they were becoming afraid of the bolts of lightning. The bolts of bright gold looked so bright with the darker sky. The rumbles of thunder were louder and louder.

A bolt of lightning hit a tree in their path, half of the herd were in front of the tree. Lil Coco and the herd she was leading saw the tree hit by lightning. split in half and burning slowly. The rain put the fires out on the branches. The tree was across the path between rocks, they were trapped there.

CHAPTER 5

Dangerous tree

Lil Coco thought of an idea to get the horses across this tree. The horses were nervous and going in circles. Lil Coco had to do something fast.

The thought came to her, to stomp on the wet branches and remove them to the side to make a small trail.

The herd saw Lil Coco stomping, they all came and started stomping on the branches, because of the rain all the branches were cool and softer. They used their hooves to push and pull the tree branches to the side by the rocks.

The new path was made. Lil Coco was so happy to show the older horses the way home. The lightning stopped, the rain was slowing. They were very close to the barn.

Wind Racer asked Sheena "where is Lil Coco"? Sheena said, "Lil Coco was separated from the herd, she was helping the older horses come back." Wind Racer looked at the barn for the older horses. He saw Lil Coco and ran to her. All the older horses were with some of the cowboys that were putting them in their stalls. The horses kept thanking Lil Coco for saving them.

Wind Racer was as proud of Lil Coco as he was so amazed at all the smart ideas she has. Sheena was calling them to come to their barn. Wind Racer told Lil Coco, "You need to get dry and eat some food." He gave her a horse hug and told her "I am wondering how a foal your age is so smart and sensitive." Lil Coco showed a toothy horse smile and said, "I am this way because I am your daughter, and Sheena's, now can I go to my stall and sleep." Then showed him a horse toothy smile.

Lil Coco went to her barn and in her stall there was a nice bed of straw. The straw felt warm to her hooves. Lil Coco laid on the warm straw and rolled on her back. She put her legs in the air and rolled and kicked. All the water from the rain and swimming was finally getting dryer.

Lil Coco saw Sheena do the same rolling. She learned from her how to roll. She thought about what Wind Racer said. Then she remembered a bolt of lightning brought her there.

Lil Coco looked at her feeder and someone had put a couple of carrots on top of her feed. She knew it was Peyton. Lil Coco fell asleep, she dreamed about telling Sheena about Bo, the bully.

CHAPTER 6

Bo the bully

The roosters awakened Lil Coco, they sounded so loud to her. The sun was shining in her stall now. Lil Coco ate a big breakfast'

Lil Coco told Sheena she wanted to talk to her about yesterday. Sheena said, "We can talk now".

Lil Coco told her the bully issue and together they agreed they need to talk to Bo's Mother Annie.

They went to the big pasture, they looked for Annie and Betsy was by her side. Both were grazing. All the cow herd saw Sheena and Lil Coco walking to them, which was unusual for horses to leave their own herd.

Bo knew what this was all about and became annoyed that Betsy told someone. He would have to watch her. Sara told her son "Bo come here, now"! They were in a group now, it seems like all the herd was interested about the issue.

Sheena started to talk first, she said, "Sara, your son is a bully to Betsy and he hurt her, she is scared to be around him, she runs away, that is what caused her to run away yesterday. Thank goodness Lil Coco saw her and followed, a mountain lion was about to attack them too." Annie said "my little Betsy is so scared of him since he hurt her. This herd has never had issues like this before now, these are our children. We cannot have this happen again." All the herd was listening and making comments about how awful this is. Everyone turned their back to Sara and Bo. Sara told Bo "you tell Betsy you are sorry, and this will never happen again." Bo walked up to Betsy and said to her "I'm sorry and I promise I won't be a bully to you or anyone". Betsy spoke "I am stronger now, and I will defend myself to you if I have to, and you won't like that".

Bo walked up to Lil Coco and told her, "I made a promise, and I will keep it, I'm sorry about what happened up in the mountains". Lil Coco said, "I believe you, we can all be friends". They all three walked to the pasture together to graze the sweet grass.

CHAPTER 7

What is a skunk

Bo was by a big green bush eating, out of the corner of his eye he saw a skunk, and he thought it was a cat from the barn, his name was Leo T Boots, and was a very playful and friendly cat. This cat had a large tail and a wide white stripe down his body and head. The cat walked over to him and sprayed at him, this was an awful smell.

Bo ran to everyone, they all told him he smelled real bad. His Mother said, "Bo, you were sprayed by a skunk." The cowboys will help you. He ran up to the cowboys and they knew quickly what his problem was. Rusty told Bo to follow far behind him to the barn.

Bo could smell it, the smell was such a stinky smell, and he will remember this little animal. Bo thought, I never bullied him, I think he was scared of me. The cowboys took him by a water hose and had their noses covered with their shirts to keep the smell away, but that didn't even work.

They both rinsed him with water and lots of flower smelling soap, they rinsed him a few times, they put tomato juice all over him, because that is what cowboys did if the skunk sprayed them. The tomato juice worked real well, they rinsed him off again a few more times. At last, the smell was gone. The cowboys took him back to the herd of cows. Lil Coco told Bo, "you smell a lot better." Trying not to laugh. Betsy asked "what are the red spots on him"? He mumbled something that sounded like tomatoes. They all ran and jumped, and had fun together.

The time came so quickly for the three friends to go to their night time homes. They ran to their herds, still kind of jumping while they ran.

CHAPTER 8

Family trip

Everyone on the Four Feathers Ranch were gathering around the barn. Lil Coco saw the family and cowboys talking. Wind Racer was with the whole family outside of her side of the barn. Sheena was looking at Lil Coco as if she knew what this was about.

The whole family came in to her stall. The children were petting her and giving her some carrots. Lil Coco knew all the children's names. There was Peyton, the oldest, then the next wasAlex, andAmanda, then J.T. was the only son, and he was a cowboy with his Uncle Rusty during the summer, when school was on break.

The Uncles were Billy, he was in charge of all the transporting of the race horses and their races. Uncle Jeff was the Doctor for all the horses and cows. Uncle Chris was in charge of all the computer issues and changes for the ranch, also all security at the ranch and the racehorses.

All the family members were there, the owners of the ranch are Mr. and Mrs. Vernon. Such a large family. They brought Sheena and Lil Coco out of their stalls. They put matching red halters on their heads.

Wind Racer used red colors for his racing colors. This was the surprise. The whole family, along with Sheena and Lil Coco were going to the races with Wind Racer. Lil Coco was so surprised and happy to be going to watch her father Wind Racer, he was racing tomorrow. They all had to leave today to go with their personal horses. Everyone rode their own horses at the races if one of their own horses race.

This was so exciting to everyone. Uncle Billy had the drivers of the long race horse trailers getting ready to load the horses. The family had three long trailers that looked like houses inside. Each Uncle had their own trailer with their families, ever one packed the halters, saddles, bridles, and blankets. The feed, hay and treats for all the horses.

They looked like a big parade of trucks and trailers leaving the ranch. Lil Coco was riding with Sheena and Wind Racer in a special trailer, with the owners. Lil Coco liked the riding, but, missed the ranch. Nobody said how long they were going to be gone. This was tiring to her, so she was going to lay down on the soft straw and nap.

They all stopped at a weigh station, Wind racer told her there was a law about how much weight the truck was pulling. Lil Coco was bored and so she went back to sleep. The next stop, they were all there, at the race track. There was horses everywhere. The cowboys unloaded all the horses to new stalls at the barns that have the name Four Feathers Ranch put on each stall.

Lil Coco saw the race track, and asked Sheena if she could run there now. Sheena saw other small horses running around and

thought it would be ok. The cowboys came to take Lil Coco to the race track to give her some excersize. This was a dream for Lil Coco.

The whole family came over to the track, including Wind Racer and Sheena to watch Lil Coco run. She wasn't afraid, she was ready to go. The family kept the red halter on her and Wind Racer said to Lil Coco. "You are just like me, run like you can fly." Lil Coco always wanted to fly like Chatty and Charlie'.