Chapter 1: Training
"Mornin Brat." Jake said as Sam jogged into the barn.
"Hi Jake. Sorry I'm late." Sam said. She couldn't believe she was late. Today they were going to start introducing Tempest to her early training.
"Ain't nothing new." Jake smirked beneath his Stetson.
"Ha-ha. Now that you've had your laugh, can we get started?" Sam mumbled. She grabbed Tempest's halter, and opened the stall door.
The black filly snorted and reared when Sam entered. Jake leaned on the stall door, and watched as Sam chased Tempest around the stall, before finally getting the halter on the filly.
"Your no help at all." Sam huffed, glaring at Jake as she buckled the halter.
"She likes you better." Jake grinned, opening the stall door as Sam lead a fired up Tempest through.
Tempest saw the open barn door, and dragged Sam halfway down the aisle. Sam jerked Tempest's head around to face her. Tempest gave an angry snort, and struck out with a front leg, catching Sam in the knee. Jake quickly grabbed Tempest, and backed her into an empty stall. She snorted, and bucked around the unfamiliar stall, as Jake closed the door. He strided over to Sam, who was sitting on a hay bale, gingerly rolling up her pant leg.
"You okay?" Jake asked kneeling in front of her.
"Why don't you ask that after I check." Sam hissed through clenched teeth.
"Take it easy." Jake mumbled, pulling her hands away from her jeans. He finished rolling up her pant leg slowly. There was a bruise around her kneecap, and it was already swelling.
"Come on." Jake said standing, and helping Sam to her feet. He balanced her, and they slowly made it to the house. Jake opened the door, and balanced Sam. As they stepped into the kitchen Gram who was sitting at the kitchen table sipping coffee, jumped up to help Jake get Sam into a seat.
"What happened?" Gram asked. Only after she got Sam some ice, and a drink did Sam speak.
"It's no big deal. Tempest got excited, and kicked me. That's all." Sam smiled weakly.
"It's not alright. That filly's gotta learn some manners soon, or she's gonna be dangerous. Heck she's already dangerous!" Jake snapped slamming his hand down on the table, making all of them jump.
"Sorry." He mumbled as Gram glared at him.
"Now Sam. You know that's not okay. Tempest needs to learn some manners, but she's young she doesn't really know any better." Gram said looking from Sam to Jake, who were glaring at each other.
"I know. I was going to teach her. She beat me to the punch." Sam smiled again.
"I'm going to work with her. You rest." Jake snipped standing, and walking out the door, making sure it didn't slam shut.
"Damn him." Sam swore under her breath, but Gram heard her.
"Now Samantha. You know he's only looking out for you." Gram smiled, and stood, walking over to the stove, and turning it on so that she could start cooking lunch.
"I know." Sam agreed. "Where's everyone?" She just noticed that the house seemed quiet. Usually Brynna was typing at her computer, and Cody was crying.
"Brynna took Cody into town. She was going to the mall, and decided to go buy him some clothes. Wyatt's out on the range." Gram smiled thinking of how Brynna spoiled Cody.
"Oh I see." Sam wiggled her leg. The swelling was going down, and it had stopped throbbing a few minutes earlier. "Gram can I go out, and watch Jake train Tempest?" Sam asked. She stood gingerly. Her leg still hurt, but she figured it was going to be hurting for awhile.
"As long as your careful." Gram said sternly. She knew Sam would sometimes over work.
"I will be." Sam smiled, and limped for the door. She limped down the steps, and towards the round pen, where she heard hooves beating. She walked up, and peeked through the rails. Jake was making Tempest canter circles around him. As Tempest passed Sam, she caught her scent, and slowed. She spun to the fence, and stuck her muzzle through.
"Hi sweetie. Yes, I forgive you, but I don't think Jake's gonna forgive me for interrupting." Sam whispered to the filly as she saw Jake stalking towards them, with an irritated look on his face.
"Listen Samantha Anne, you should be resting, not making sweet talk with your stubborn filly." Jake's irritated look changed to slightly amused as he watched Sam peek between the boards, behind Tempest.
"I know that Jacob." Sam's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Now don't go back talking me Brat. I know where you live." Jake snapped right back. He reached out, and grabbed Tempest's halter.
"Same to you." Sam smirked, and limped into the barn. She went over to Ace, who was looking over a stall door.
"I guess Jake put you in here." Sam gave her small bay mustang a pat. Usually Ace and Tempest shared the round pen.
Ace snorted and lipped Sam's hair.
"Come on sweetie, let's give you some pampering." Sam grabbed a tack box from the hay bale it was seated on, and walked into Ace's stall. She started brushing him, and after she finished, she sat in the stall, and leaned back against the door.
"Ace. We can't go for a ride today. Sorry buddy. But maybe Jake will take you." Sam said. Ace put his head down, and Sam stroked his muzzle as she thought of the Phantom.
"We can't go see him today. Maybe tomorrow." Sam said to Ace, who looked at her with his big brown eyes. Sam used her fingers to untangle his forelock. Then she stroked the star on his forehead. Ace suddenly raised his head, and peeked over the door.
Sam heard Tempest's hooves prancing down the aisle, and heard Jake's calm voice sooth the agitated filly.
"Easy girl." Jake said quietly, as he let Tempest go in her stall. He looked around the barn, wondering where Sam was. He knew she came in here. He walked over to Ace's stall, and stroked the geldings face, as he wondered where Sam was. Suddenly a noise came from below Ace, making Jake look down.
"Sam?" He spoke. "What are you doing?" Jake rolled his eyes beneath his Stetson as Sam started giggling.
"Nothin'." Sam spoke in a fake western accent. She stumbled up, and opened the door. Jake walked down the aisle, and out the barn door. Sam limped as fast as she could after him.
"Where you going?" Sam asked as Jake grabbed Witch's saddle that was sitting on the hitching rail that Witch was tied to.
"Home." Jake said as he tightened the cinch.
"Oh. Well I'll see you later then." Sam said as she watched Jake mount Witch effortlessly.
"Yeah." Jake pulled his Stetson down low, and nudged Witch into a lope, and they disappeared over the bridge.
Sam rolled her eyes and limped to the house. "Gram I'm going to have a shower." Sam said as she hobbled through the kitchen.
"Okay dear. Then come down, I'll have some lunch ready." Gram said not even turning around as Sam made her way to the stairs.
"Okay." Sam said before dragging herself upstairs.
As she stood under the hot water she heard Brynna and Cody come in. Cody started crying and Sam sighed. She loved her brother, but she didn't know how many nights she had been up because of his crying.
Sam jumped out of the shower, and changed before slowly walking downstairs.
"Hi Brynna." Sam said limping into the kitchen.
"Hey Sam. I heard what happened. Are you okay?" Brynna asked her voice full of concern.
"Yeah I'm fine. How was shopping?" Sam asked sitting down in a chair across from Brynna who was rocking Cody gently.
"Good. I bought Cody some cute outfits. Oh, and I got this." Brynna said leaning down and pulling out a dark blue tee that said 'You can have my best friend, but don't touch my horse'. Brynna handed it to Sam.
"Oh wow. Thanks Brynna." Sam smiled taking the tee. It had a picture of a girl hugging a bay horse. "It looks like Ace." Sam giggled.
"That's why I got it. There was one that said boyfriend instead of best friend, but the boyfriend one had a black horse on it." Brynna smiled. She was glad Sam liked it.
"I like this one." Sam held it up to herself. "I think I'll wear it tomorrow." She folded the shirt, and set it on the chair beside her.
"Now Gram, is the food ready yet?"