Disclaimer I do not own any characters by Terri Farley or any places mentioned in this story.

I stared into his eyes and he stared back at me. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Cade leaned in and my eyes fluttered shut then our lips met. When we pulled back he stared into my eyes searching my face for any hints of anger and I did the same to his.

"I'm glad you did that" I whispered

"Me too" he whispered back. I stepped back hesitantly.

"Do you think you could help me with Hoku" I asked

"Sure thing" He smiled down at me. We walked over to the tack room and grabbed Hoku and Jokers groom kits. After we groomed the horses Cade tacked Joker and I turned Hoku's halter and lead shank into a bridle by attaching another lead shank to her halter and knotted the two of them together.

"Ready to go" Asked Cade. I jumped not realizing he had snuck up behind me and turned around. Cade placed his hands on my waist then he leaned down and we kissed again. When we pulled apart we were both smiling.

"So where should we take Hoku and Joker" I asked, highly aware we were still standing very close together.

"Its up to you" Cade whispered his voice deep.

"How bout we just ride and see where we end up" I smiled

"I like that idea" Cade smiled as well.

"Lets go" Cade linked his hands together and made a little step for me to mount Hoku. I smiled and stepped into his hand then swung my leg over Hoku's back and got settled on her back while Cade swung up onto Jokers back.

"Lead the way" Cade smiled and swept his arm in a after you motion. I smiled and clucked to Hoku encouraging her to walk on. As we walked towards the woods I let Hoku move into a trot and heard Joker quicken his pace. As we trotted along the twisty path that led into the forest I let my mind wonder. Why did I like it when Cade kissed me, does he like me that way? Wait.. Do I like him that way?! Oh crap this is going to be complicated. Hoku snorted brining me back to the real world. Then I stopped Hoku.
"Why did you stop" Cade asked me. I put my hand up silencing him then pointed to a large clump of trees that were bigger than the rest. I could see a darker clump inside it.

"Someone or something is in there" I whispered. Then I dismounted and walked over to the trees and peered inside. What I saw took my breath away. Black Lava and his herd were right in front of my eyes. He was the wildest horse around and he was standing still as a statue right in front of me. I walked slowly towards him with my hand out stretched and kept walking until my hand was right under his nose. That's when Black Lava pushed his nose into my hand and I put my other hand on his neck. And that's when he did something that surprised me even more, he leaned into my touch.

"SNAP!" I whipped my head around causing Black Lava throw his head up and back away from me. A second later he and his herd disappeared into the trees. I walked back to Cade and the horses and Cade apologized.

"Sorry I was worried something had happened to you because you were taking so long" He looked sheepish.

I smiled at him. "Its ok I have a feeling it wont be the last time". Cade grinned at me.

"Well come on Hoku and Joker want to run" He nodded at Hoku who was prancing around now.

"Lets go" I jumped up and swung onto her back. Then we set off. Now we were cantering along the trail and we came to a fork.

"Which way should we go" I turned around to look at Cade.

"Lets take the left path" he said. I nodded and heeled Hoku into a canter, Cade doing the same with Joker. Pretty soon we ended up in Crimson Vale.

"Last one to the stream is a rotten egg!" I hollered and Hoku broke into a gallop.

"No fair!" Cade yelled heeling Joker into a gallop.

"Whoo!" I let out a cowgirl yell as Hoku went faster. All I could hear was the wind in my ears and Hoku's hooves pounding the ground. As we neared the stream Hoku had no intentions of slowing down, I could feel her gather her muscles and knew what she intended to do. She intended to jump and I was going to let her. The closer we got to the stream the faster Hoku went then when we were inches from the water she rose into the air and I gripped her sides with my knees and rose off her back just a little. When we landed I knew we had cleared the stream with inches to spare. I turned Hoku around to face the stream just as Cade pulled Joker to a stop on the opposite creek bed.

"Wow you guys cleared that by at least a foot" Cade exclaimed.

"I had no idea she had it in her" I told him, "good girl" I patted Hoku's neck and leaned down to give her a big hug.

"Come on the suns starting to set so we'd better head back" Cade turned Joker around and Hoku and I plunged into the water crossing to the other side. Once we reached solid ground Hoku broke into a canter and quickly over took Cade and Joker.

"I guess your the rotten egg!" I yelled as we swept past them. The words were never spoken but this was a race. Hoku and I were a length ahead the entire way home. When we swept into the ranch yard Cade and Joker had closed the gap and were by Hoku's flank but couldn't catch us in time.

"Whoa Whoa guys where's the fire" My grandfather Jonah had just come out of the house and was walking across the yard when we had come racing up.

"That wasn't fair you had a head start!" Cade panted

"But you have a bigger horse!" I pointed out. Cade considered that for a moment, and I knew I had him at that.

"Whatever" Cade mumbled. Jonah and I laughed. Cade just rolled his eyes.

"Come on we need to cool these guys out" Cade turned Joker around and started towards the hitching post and Hoku and I followed. Jonah disappeared into the house again and Cade had already started to pull the tack off Joker. I swung to the ground and was swept into Cades arms. I turned around to face him. "Hey" I breathed

"Hey" Cade whispered.

"I won fair and square" I backed away crossed my arms and cocked a hip sassily.

"Whatever you say" Cade grabbed Jokers tack and walked into the tack shed. I untied the two lead ropes and unclipped the one from Hoku's halter. I walked into the tack shed and hung up the lead line on Hoku's hook just inside the door.

"Grab Hoku and we can take them for a walk to cool them down" Cade untied Jokers line and walked towards the corral. I followed with Hoku.

"Do you ever miss California?" Cade asked me

"Not really, I loved California I really did but I've fallen in love with Wild Horse Island and I can't even imagine leaving" I played with Hoku's mane. Cade just nodded.

"Why do ask" I looked at him out of the corner of my eye.

"Just wondering if you wanted to go back" he stopped and fussed with Jokers halter.

"Well maybe someday for a visit but not to live," I paused "actually I'm trying to convince my mom to move back here". I looked at Cade to see his reaction.

"Well I hope she will" Cade smiled at me and lead Joker forward.

"Me too" I followed with Hoku. We put Hoku and Joker in the paddock with Judge, Navigator, and a few other horses. As soon as I took off her halter Hoku took off across the paddock bucking and jumping like she was a yearling again.

"She may be a domestic horse but she's a wild filly at heart" Cade grinned

"That's where your wrong" I told him, "She could leave if she wanted to but she chooses to stay here" I felt my heart leap while I watched Hoku leap.

"Right now I think she looks like a ballet dancer leaping through the sky" I looked Cade to see what he thought. But he was smiling down at me.

"What?" I asked

"That's what I like about you" he said

"What" I asked again

"Your imagination, you can come up with things like Hoku looks like a ballet dancer leaping through the sky" he paused "you sound like a poet" Cade commented.

"Really" I was taken aback.

"Yeah" Cade smiled

"Wow" I whispered. Now it was Cades turn to ask what

"What" he looked at me.

"I've never been told something like that before," I smiled at him "thanks for telling me that".

"Your welcome" Cade looked back to the horses. Then back at me. We shared a smile then looked back at the horses. Watching them graze as the sun set behind them.