Shouldn't

"Yeah, I can lead Bonzai, no problem - he's a good follower and he and Hawk get along." Those were two pluses right there. If only that were the most difficult decision. Jeff sets his hands on his hips and looks between them and the horses then back again. 

No... he shouldn't help with Hunter at all. He wasn't supposed to lift over five pounds for another four weeks at least, and he'd even asked for help getting saddled up earlier. But there was no way he could let Katie try and support the weight of a grown man on her own. He'd just have to pray that this incident wouldn't have a negative affect on his own health. 

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He gives his daughter a reassuring nod, hiding his apprehension. "Okay, Hunter... we're gonna have to get you in the saddle again." 

Hunter just groans. He didn't want to be difficult, but right about now, a saddle sounded like the worst idea in the world. 

"I know... but we gotta do it." Though Jeff's coaxing tone was calm, he wanted to get Hunter back to the ranch as soon as possible. There could be more injuries than just his knee, and even though it appeared the shock was wearing off, there were still many possible dangers that might not be detected until Angel looked him over. 

Kneeling, he looks to Katie for help getting Hunter to first sit up. 

As Hunter rights himself with their aid, his leg bends, causing more shooting pain. Muffling his own cry, he bites his lower lip hard enough that it starts to bleed. Hanging on to both Katie and Jeff as he's pulled up from the ground, he puts no weight on his injured leg - afraid to even try, and knowing that he probably shouldn't anyway. 

"Alrighty..." Jeff was breathing heavily by now as beads of sweat formed on his brow. He slings Hunter's arm over his shoulders and waits for Katie to do the same before starting forward slowly.

Hunter was not a small man and it took some doing just to get him as far as the horses, but Jeff and Katie manage. Once to Katie's horse, Hunter leans against the saddle, hiding his face and his contorted expression of pain. 

Catching his breath, Jeff gives his daughter another nod. "Okay... Grab hold of his belt with me and we're gonna give him a boost so he can get his right foot in the stirrup." He was mounting up from the wrong side, but thankfully Katie's mount didn't care. "Hunter - you still with us?" He pats his arm. "Come on - you can do this." 

Hunter nods numbly, having heard the plan. Grabbing hold of the saddle, he waits until the other two are ready before springing up. It works better than he thought it would - until he has to swing his left leg over the saddle and he bumps it as he goes. Choking on his own breath, his hand grip the saddle horn until his knuckles were white, and he was afraid he might pass out right there. 

"Easy does it," Jeff prompts. "Take a deep breath. The hard part's over." It wasn't really true, but it's all the reassurance he had. Hanging onto the reins, he lets Katie mount up behind Hunter before giving the reins back to her. Returning to Hawk and retrieving Bonzai as well, he mounts up too, ready to go. Sweat had soaked his shirt and his pulse was racing, but he ignored himself for now. He didn't have time to worry about any of that yet. "Okay, Katie... you take the lead." He knew he didn't need to tell her to take it easy. 

Starting forward, the movement was almost too much for Hunter to bear. Hunching forward, he tries to keep breathing as his eyes water from the pain. It had taken them several hours to get here... it was going to be an even longer ride back.