16
Quinn rode out across the plain to where his dad and Matt were repairing a fence on the eastern side of the ranch. The morning was crisp and cold, his breath leaving misty pools of vapor in the air.
The top of the mountains was thick with snow, and it was just a matter of time before they’d be hit with the first blizzard of the season. The cattle had been brought down into the paddocks nearest to the house a few days ago, ensuring they’d be secure through winter. But the previous night, a couple of bulls had managed to find their way through a broken string of wiring and headed back up the range, hence the need for repairs this late in the season.
“Mornin’ son,” John called when he approached. “How’d the trip into town go?”
Quinn nodded, dismounting and gathering the reins in one ha
