Finding Tenderfoot

This is a Wyatt, the Little Backaroo Adventure. Wyatt finds his magic horsey, Tenderfoot.

Finding Tenderfoot

(A Wyatt, the Little Buckaroo Adventure)

So, Wyatt was a cowboy. At least that is what his mommy and daddy called him. They always dressed him in cowboy clothes, with a cowboy hat, and cowboy boots. Grandpa called him his little buckaroo and would give him horsey rides around the house, but when he did, they called it the range and they poked cows. He wasn't sure why cowboys poked cows; maybe it was to wake them up so they didn't fall over, because Grandpa said they slept on their feet.

Sometimes they hunted bears, or tracked wild cats. Grandpa made a good horsey, but sometimes Grandpa couldn't be there, and he would be lonely and miss their grand adventures. He told his grandpa that, so Grandpa put on one of his serious, thinking faces and came up with a plan. He was pretty good at plans and stuff, so Wyatt got excited, because he just knew it would be good and it would fix the lonelies.

"What we need," Grandpa said, "is a magic horsey."

Magic horseys can only be found deep in a lollipop forest, in their rainbow meadows. They are usually multicolored, have flowing manes, and sparkling eyes. When in danger, they can teleport away to safety, which makes them very hard to befriend. They can never be captured or owned. The only way they will let you ride them is if you are very special and befriend them.

Wyatt got super excited the more Grandpa told him about magic horses. He just knew that would be the answer to his loneliness when Grandpa wasn't around. But how do they even find a lollipop forest, let alone a rainbow meadow? He just knew if they did he would befriend one of the magic horses, because Grandpa taught him how to be the bestest rootin' tootin' cowboy there ever was.

Grandpa got down on his hands and knees and said, "Saddle up, buckaroo!"

Wyatt put on his cowboy hat and did just that. Next thing you knew, they were off at a gallop. They passed the couch in the living room, jumped the coffee table and took off down the hallway. Just as they reached the end of the hallway and were about to crash into the wall, it disappeared and big, tall trees with hugemongous lollipops appeared all around them. The lollies were all the colors Wyatt had ever dreamed of and more. The air smelled like licorice, and when you could see the sky, it was pink, with blue cotton candy clouds.

Grandpa slowed down and asked his buckaroo which direction they should go. Many times when they went on adventures, Grandpa would come up with the plan, but Wyatt had to decide which way they should go, when they should sneak, or how they could figure out the best way to do the next thing. This time he needed to decide which direction to go to find a rainbow meadow. Only he could sense the best way to get there.

After a long, hard ride through the wild forest, following the trail only Wyatt could see, they came to a meadow that had wavy grass that was almost silky, and when the breeze shifted the silky grass, it changed colors in bright vivid waves. They had made it to a rainbow meadow.

Grandpa stopped just inside the trees and told Wyatt he had to go from there on his own to find and befriend a magic horsey, because if he went with him, he might scare the horsey away. If he got scared, all he had to do was holler and Grandpa would be right there.

Grandpa handed Wyatt a shiny lasso and told him it was magic and would prevent the horsey from teleporting away, but would only work a short time. He would have to befriend the horsey really fast or he would disappear and they would have to come back another day and hopefully find another horsey.

Wyatt nodded in understanding and took the lasso and tippy-toed into the meadow, doing his best to be super sneaky. He didn't want to scare the horsey, but he also wanted to have the chance to talk to him and hopefully befriend him. If that meant he had to lasso him first, he would, but he would be extra careful not to hurt him or scare him. He just knew that would be the only way to befriend him, because he sure wouldn't want to be friends with someone who scared or hurt him.

After what seemed like hours, and just when the sun began to go down, he saw the horsey. He was white-colored but had purple polka-dots all over. His hooves were all different colors, with one blue, one green, one yellow, and the last one red. A beautiful purple mane flowed from his neck, and a matching tail swished back and forth in contentment.

Wyatt sneaked as quietly as he could toward the horsey. When he got to within a few feet, he readied the lasso and the horsey froze, then looked directly at him. The horseys sparkling blue eyes looked deep into his, making Wyatt freeze too. The eyes seemed to search his soul, causing him to think about all the adventures that he had with his grandpa. He remembered all the times Grandpa read to him or played with him, and how much fun they had together doing so many things, but most of all he felt the love he and Grandpa shared.

"Hello, Wyatt. I have been waiting for you," the horsey said without making a sound. "My name is Tenderfoot."

The voice was inside his head. It was a nice, friendly voice.

"Your grandpa and I had a lot of adventures when he was a little buckaroo, and you and I are going to have super-duper adventures now."

Wyatt was shocked that he knew his grandpa. Why hadn't Grandpa said so?

"Because you had to find me all by yourself. Grandpa can't see me anymore, and the only reason he remembers me is because he has you to help him remember. It is only with you he can just barely remember and see things on your adventures, which is why he always asks you which way to go, or when you should sneak, or what the best way to do things are."

The little buckaroo absorbed all that Tenderfoot said inside his head. Now, so much made sense. It was why Grandpa had great ideas and plans, but he always let Wyatt lead them in their adventures.

Thinking of Grandpa, Wyatt wondered if he would be missing him by now and might be worried.

"No, Wyatt, he isn't worried. To him, only seconds have passed since you tip-toed into the meadow. I must say, you are a great tip-toer, maybe even better than your grandpa, or even your dad was."

"Wait, you know my daddy?!"

Wyatt could see the magic horse shake with mirth, and felt a tickle in his head as Tenderfoot giggled. Yes, magic horseys can giggle apparently.

"Yes, I know your daddy. I even know your great-grandma. All of you have been my friends. I just need to be introduced to the next generation by one of the previous. Your daddy may have tried to get us together, but your grandpa did first, because you were lonely and asked. All of you have to ask first, then they remember enough to get us together."

Wyatt was amazed. He and his daddy had adventures too, but they differed from the ones he and Grandpa had. Grandpa always had time for adventure; Daddy only had time sometimes because he had to work and take care of him and Mommy.

"Well, Wyatt, why don't you climb on my back and let's see what we can do for our first adventure together. Don't worry about Grandpa. He will be just fine, and you will both wake up in the comfy chair after our adventure."

Wyatt stood up and brushed the trail dust off his pants. He pushed his cowboy hat more firmly on his head, and jumped as high as he could, catching Tenderfoot's mane and swinging his leg over ready to ride!

Tenderfoot reared up in excitement, never losing his rider, but ready to gallop into whatever Wyatt dreamed. His eyes glowed bright blue, his purple polka-dots flew around his body, his hooves started changing color faster and faster, then poof, they were gone from the meadow, off on their first adventure!