Thunderstorms

         Over the dry sagebrush plains they come. Cowboys cracking their whips as the cattle rumble their way across the lonely hills. The whips reverberate across the land, echoing until the dry landscape seems to shake. The many hooves stir up the dust until the horizon is filled with black angry clouds that pile one on top of the other, pushing until the suns glinting rays can barely be seen. The cattle's horns threaten the riders as they draw near with cracking whips to urge them forward. The diminishing rays of sun glance off the mighty polished horns and twist through the air, snaking into the far distance. With their goal ever in mind the riders continue to drive their charges onward to their destination. The prairie stretches before them, mile by lonely mile they trudge. The cattle's mighty heads began to hang and the horses feet lose their once happy skip.

         Slowly a cool breeze begins to swirl across the parched hills, bringing the scent of water to the thirsty creatures. Their tired feet begin to fly as they pick up speed across the dusty ground. Closer and closer they come to where each traveler is longing. The men shout as they drive the cattle into the river, rest awaits on the bank beyond. No longer is dust flying but water droplets, turning the once choking dust on the animals backs into harmless mud. The calves, wary of the water, freeze with fear until the men crack their whips. Lunging into the water, they finally face their fear and swim across to while their mothers look on in worry. After the last calf has crossed, the men swim beside their horses to the opposite bank. Camp is quickly made and the next priority is food. Supper calls with hunger pains and crackling fires can soon be seen dotting the dusky landscape. Darkness soon settles over the tired travelers and as the men recline with stomachs full, a fiddle softly begins to play. A harmonica joins in mid song adding to the lullaby. The soft, mournful tune lulls the men into pleasant slumber as the coals from the fire mirror the sparkling stars up above.