InsaneJournal

Freeman’s Valley, Aerilon
He rattled the gate on the trailer with his hand to make sure that it was closed and locked, which caused the horses inside to grumble and huff frosty breath. “Yeah, yeah, I know you don’t like it when I do that,” he said to them as he confirmed the gate was good and locked.

“Collin its fraking cold out here,” said one of the younger ranch laborers wearing a thick winter coat and a soft brimmed hat.

“It’s called early winter get use to it, Hank” he replied. It was true the highlands had received an early dusting of snow. The sooner they got themselves to the down to the valley the sooner they would be able get out of the mist and then warm up under the clear sky sun.

Collin walked over to the driver’s side of the heavy crew cab pick-up that was attached to the goose neck horse trailer. The diesel engine had been kept running overnight to prevent it from freezing while they slept in the small laborer’s cabin which they stay during the week to gather the herd of horses. He was taking the last trailer load out before big winter snow storm made the valley inaccessible in a few weeks.

He was joined by Hank who was warming up his hands next to the heater vents. “The first freeze is a bitch.”

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Collin shifted the truck into gear, and they pulled out of the round-up camp.