Never Doubt

I whisper soothing words,
Hush his fears,
He feels my fright,
I run my hand down his weakened muscle,
Feel it contract under my fingertips,
I mutter countless apologies.

He looks back at me,
Asking where his food is,
I giggle softly,
Oh,
He knows me all too well,
I hand him a cookie,
The crunch of his munch echoes in the empty isle.
He nickers softly,
Telling me that it's okay,
That he understands.

I hug his face,
Holding it close to my chest,
Squeezing my eyes shut,
Trying not to let the tears fall,
He puts his body closer to mine.
He knows my emotions,
Better than I ever will.
He nudges me,
I let go of his face,
He stares at me in the eye,
He reads my soul,
Takes all the worries out of me,
Then places his face against my chest.

Silent words,
“I love you,”
How could I forget that?
I can't.
I can feel it,
Every time we touch,
Every time I see him,
Every time we connect,
Every time we hold each other in silent love,
We feel each other,
Not just by touching,
Not by connecting,
But through a silver lining bond,
That will never be broken.

He is no longer a horse,
But a companion,
For a lifetime and longer.