[THIS IS JUST A PART OF MY RODEO AU AND I WILL ADD MORE CHAPTERS IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED]
Little Jeff watched in wonder of the riders and centaurs in the arena in their small town. He looked up at his dad who looked unsure and worried, he didn't like this kind of sport.
"Pa I wanna be in a rodeo like those centaurs over there!" He said and his father turned down to look at him. He was only around 7 years old.
"Oh no son, it's way too dangerous you can get hurt or worse." He said "Let's get on home but first I need to pick up a few things." He said trotting to town.
'Guess it wouldn't hurt to sign up' Jeff thought to himself as he saw the sign up stand for kids his age. So the little kid did just that and his first rodeo was set to be tomorrow at noon.
"I'm going to go out now 'k pa." Jeff said halfway out the door with his tiny hat in his hands.
"Well where are you going all dressed up nicely?" His father said while washing the dishes.
"Uh, church?" Said Jeff he hoped his father wouldn't follow him, also it was Tuesday.
His father stared at him a bit "Alrighty then." He said shrugging and continuing to wash dishes. A flow of relief went threw Jeff as he had actually gotten away with it. 'I should sneak off to rodeos more often' He thought as he happily trotted over to either his doom or his lifelong destiny.
The sun was hot and all but he wasn't gonna let that stop him from going. He got all giddy because he would finally be in a rodeo instead of watching and if he came home with a big blue ribbon then his father would be proud of him and maybe let him keep competing.
A little bit of panic mixed with excitement went through him as the pair of kids before him just finished their round and he was up next. He heard his name announced through the speakers and he went over with a steady pace to the starting corral where inside they fitted him up.
So many kids had come from all around to compete in this beginner's competition he just hoped that he would actually beat them all. He didn't know who they were going pair him up with but he hoped it wasn't someone experienced, heavy, or mean.
He heard his rider's name announced through the speaker, a kid from another town and experienced too, Jane Arkensaw.
They shut the door to his corral which made him feel like his stomach had dropped. He was nervous that they said she was experienced so he just had to hope she wasn't mean or heavy too.
The crowd cheered as she came out and walked along the bleachers over to him.
She tied her long curly raven hair up as she walked over to him. She was wearing a white hat and a black shirt and was around the same age as Jeff and she had a look of determination on her. People went over to her to help her get ready and on him but she ignored them and jumped over the fence landing on Jeff's back.
The force made him almost lose his balance and he swayed to the side. He fixed himself up in a short mad stagger, she wasn't too heavy but he knew that he would have to throw her weight off him in the arena.
All round people started whooping and hollering and banging on the doors which made him more pressured. He heard the announcer count down from 3 and he felt it get harder to breath with every number. The announcer yelled go and the doors swung open.
But Jeff stood there paralyzed in fear.
His eyes searched around why couldn't he move? Jane bent over to face him "You alright there partner?" She asked and he jolted forward both of them never knowing he would do that.
"Oh you thought that you could get me off guard did ya?!" Jane said furiously while Jeff started to lightly buck now that he calmed down from the outburst. He thought he shouldn't say anything because he might bite his tongue.
"Then you got another thin-I BIT MY TONGUE!" She yelled though it sounded like she said ' I bit my young'. He realized that his bucking wasn't going to get her off so he ran and swerved making sharp turns to try to get her off.
He felt his saddle shift side to side so he knew that she wouldn't last long. He felt her move behind him and the crowd was cheering and laughing. He turned and saw her standing on him. 'What how?!' He thought staring at her completely confused. She put a boot to his human back and forcefully pushed making Jeff crash face first on the ground.
He turned back to look at her and she brushed blood off her lip from the tongue bite with her sleeve. The crowed cheered, his first rodeo and he had lost.
She walked away and he picked himself up and went for the nearest exit. He brushed the dust off himself but ran into something, or someone actually, his father.
He looked down at him arms crossed. Jeff looked down not being able to look at his father in the eyes. They walked in silence, Jeff walking a little bit behind.