"Easy Nyko," Lexa soothed the big stallion she was on as he snorted at rustling in the trees outside the arena. Squeezing her claves she urged the horse into a slow, collected trot.
"Get his hindend in gear Lexa! This is dressage, not HUS!" Anya, Lexa's friend and trainer shouted from the center of the ring.
In response Lexa moved into an extended trot while pushing Nyko up into the bridle to get him working off his hindend.
"George Morris approves, although he didn't tell you to extend," Anya says dryly.
"Perhaps the Almighty Anya should be more specific then, on how exactly, I should get him engaged"
"First you start by finding a pretty girl horse, then.."
"That's not what I meant and you know it," Lexa interrupted as she brought Nyko down from the extended trot into a relaxed walk.
"Are you sure? You weren't very specific," Anya joked as Lexa brought Nyko to the center of the arena and halted next to her.
Unable to hide her grin, Lexa dismounted while shaking her head at her friend's antics. "I'm going to put Nyko up in his stall, Lincoln still has to fix the electric in his pasture and a few mares are in heat."
"Good call," Anya responded as they began to walk to the gate. "Mr. Blake called me earlier, Octavia is bringing a few friends over later. He wants me to make sure they don't cause a problem, but I have a date, so I am passing those duties onto you." Anya ended by spinning around and pointing at a glaring Lexa.
"No. It's not my responsibility to watch out for a bunch of teenagers."
"They aren't teenagers, they're the same age as you."
"Anya-" Lexa was unable to finish because Anya had walked out of the arena and was already halfway to her car. Grumbling, she brought her horse into the main stable and proceeded to take off his bridle before putting his halter on and attaching the cross ties. "Looks like it's just me and you Nyko," she said as she undid the stallion's girth. After she rolled up her stirrups she took the saddle and pads off and brought them into the tack room. After putting her saddle on the rack she grabbed her groom box, which was sitting on the floor beneath it. Once back with her horse, she put the box on the floor and after grabbing a treat from the small bag she turned around and went to Nyko's face. "You deserve this for being such a great friend," she told him as she gave him the treat, smiling as he licked her hand even after he finished the treat. Taking her hand back from the big horse the smile didn't leave her face as she brushed the dark bay's coat. Once she finished she returned the groom box to the tack room, then led Nyko into his stall. Taking his halter off, she gave him a kiss on the nose before she exited the stall and latched the door behind her, not forgetting the rope which had to be used, or else Nyko would open the door himself and wander the barn isle until someone noticed he had escaped. Before she had gotten more than a few steps away she heard the unmistakable rumple of Octavia Blake's truck coming up the stable's drive way.
...
"I still don't see why we had to come with you today O," Raven complained from her position on Octavia's couch, with her feet thrown across Clarke's lap, who was seated at the other end of the couch.
"Because I never have anyone to take pictures of me on Regal," Octavia shouted back from where she was in her room changing into riding attire.
"But Princess over here could just do that, I don't see why I specifically have to come," Raven smirked as Clarke tossed the darker skinned girls feet off her lap.
"Because you have a weakness, and it must be exploited," Clarke joked, which resulted in a smack from Raven, but before the blonde could retaliate Octavia emerged from her room.
"You are coming, Reyes, because I am going to get you onto the back of a horse if it's the last thing I do."
Choosing to ignore that statement, Raven instead focused on what the brunette was wearing. "I thought you were changing into riding clothes. Not jean that look like a glitter factory exploded on them."
"Yeah O, that seems a bit excessive." Clarke couldn't help but grimace as the jeans shimmered in the light while Octavia proceeded to strike a pose.
"They are my favorite pair, and my clothes, therefore my business," she ended with a pointed glance at them both.
"Alright, you win, but don't expect me to wear anything like that when I ever get on a horse," Clarke said, gesturing vaguely in Octavia's direction.
"And don't expect me to ever get on a horse," Raven contributed, causing Clarke to burst into laughter while Octavia frowned.
After a bit more bickering all the girls left Octavia's house, got into her pickup truck and headed towards the Blake owned horse stables.
"Why is it called 'The Ark'? Wouldn't a more appropriate name be 'The Barn'?" Raven wondered from her spot in the backseat of the black vehicle.
"It's called The Ark, Raven, because all disciplines of riding are accepted and taught there. We don't just focus on one style of riding like many stables do," Octavia explained for close to the hundredth time.
"Also because The Barn is a stupid name," Clarke piped up from the passenger seat.
"Well your face is a stupid name," Raven snarked back, earning a glare from Octavia.
"Ok guys, this is the drive way leading to the barn-"
"Oh really? I never would have guessed, what with the giant sign declaring 'The Ark: Boarding & Lessons'," Raven said dryly.
"-so you need to be on your best behavior from now on," Octavia finished, with a pointed glance to Raven, who put on her most innocent face.
"Are you sure your age isn't backwards Raven? Because I'm pretty sure you're 12"
"Ha ha, very funny Clarke, but no, I'm of the legal drinking age, and proud of it. I just have a sense of humor, unlike some other people in this truck," she finished by mouthing the word Octavia and pointing in the direction of the brunette.
Grumbling about their immaturity, Octavia parked the truck, and after she turned it off she got out of the vehicle. As soon as her door was closed, Clarke and Raven burst into laughter, only to have to stop when Raven's door was opened by a stone faced Octavia.
"Are you coming Reyes, or are you going to hide in the truck all day?"
Grinning to herself, Clarke got out of the truck on her own, while Raven needed to be dragged out by Octavia.
"I'm serious guys, you need to be on your best behavior. Anya should be waiting in the main barn," Octavia explained, pointing at a 20 stall barn 20 yards away. "Go see her, she'll show you around, explain all the rules, that sort of stuff. She seems tough, but she's cool once you get to know her. I'm going to go grab Regal, ok?"
"Aye, aye captain," Clarke joked, fake saluting as Octavia turned around and flipped them off while walking in the direction of the horse paddocks.
"And you say I'm the 12 year old," Raven grumbled, but she was unable to hide her smile for long when Clarke held her hand up for a high five, which the darker skinned girl was unable to refuse.
"Come on, let's go meet this Anya person," Clarke said, gesturing towards the barn.
"Orrr we could just leave," Raven countered.
"How would we do that? Octavia has the keys," Clarke pointed out.
"Oh ye of little faith. You are forgetting one very important fact. I know how to hot wire," Raven practically crowed with a smug smile.
"While I'm as happy about being here as you are, I think it would be rude to just up and leave with Octavia's truck, which I'm sure is worth more than the two of us put together. We really should go and at least wait for Octavia in the barn," Clarke said the last part over her shoulder as she began to walk to the barn.
"Hold up, don't leave the cripple, what if a horse gets out or something," Raven practically yelled, doing her best to jog to catch up.
Slowing her pace, but not stopping, Clarke let Raven catch up to her. "Then we get to put it back wherever it came from," the blonde answered.
"Oh no, I'm not doing anything. You could do that while I stay a safe distance away."
"Well, since I doubt any horses will randomly be running around, I'd say you don't have to worry about it." By now both girls were in the entrance to the barn, and both of them stopped in open mouthed shock. The barn had a cement floor, with 10 stalls going down each side, along with a door on each side at each end, along with open stalls on each end as well as in the middle for grooming. But Clarke wasn't staring at the barn. No, she was staring at the girl in the barn. With piercing green eyes and dark hair done up in braids, Clarke couldn't tear her eyes away. That is until the brunette looked back.
Thankfully she as saved from having to do anything by Raven's big mouth. "Are you Anya? You're much hotter than Octavia made you sound."
"Raven!" the blonde shrieked in shock as the mystery girl blushed and lowered her head.
"What? It's the truth."
"No, I'm a student of Anya's, she had…prior engagements. My name is Lexa, and I'm assuming you are Octavia's friends?" Lexa finished sounding more unsure than when she started.
"Yes, I'm Clarke and this is Raven," Clarke rushed to say before Raven could say anything else embarrassing.