Hi! Well, here's the second chapter. I made the years have months by the way, and I'm stretching out her growing up a bit. I just fell like doing that. Well, here it is. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I sadly don't own harvest Moon.

"Karen, where have you gotten to now?" asked Mark, looking around frantically. One minute, his five-year-old daughter had been waiting for him to help her plant her own garden. The next, she was nowhere to be found.

"Over here Daddy! In the stable!" Karen called.

Of course. She loved it in there. He walked in and found her stroking and gently talking to his dapple-grey horse, Jake.

"When can I learn to ride horses?" asked Karen dreamily.

"When you're a little older sweetheart. Now let's start on that new gar- uh, those crops of yours." he replied as Jake nickered in blissful pleasure.

"Yay! My crops! Bye-bye Jake! Be good, I'll see you later!" said Karen in a singsong voice as she took her father's hand and skipped out of the stable.

Flashforwardthreeyearsandacouplemonths:

"Whoa! Daddy, I'm not sure I can do this!" Karen said nervously as she held tight to Jake's reigns and wobbled slightly in the saddle.

"Don't worry sweetie. I can already see that you're a natural. And if you fall, which is very unlikely, I'll catch you." Mark assured her as he led Jake along.

A month and a half later, Karen, her father Jake, and a white horse named Stardust were racing down the path towards Vesta's farm, Karen laughing hysterically as she pulled ahead of her father.

Karen and Celia talked crops and animals, while Karen's father bought seeds from Vesta. The girls talked and Celia showed her vegetable garden.

Sixyearslater:

A 13 year old Karen delivered her first animal; a small, unsteady filly that was light brown with a messy chocolate brown mane and tail and a white splotch on her forehead.

Karen giggled with delight as the filly's skinny legs buckled under her has she tried to walk.

'Oh Daddy! She's got to be the most beautiful thing in the whole world!" Karen said, breathless with amazement as they sat in the warmth of the stable.

"Well that's probably to be expected. Her mother Ginger" (A pretty palomino mare) "is one of the best looking horses I've ever raised. And isn't Jake the best stallion we know? You delivered her all by yourself too!" Said her dad, ruffling her hair affectionately.

"Jake is the father? That makes her even more special!" Karen squealed, startling Ginger, "Sorry girl."

"Yep, she'll go for a real good price." He said, and his best beloved daughter gasped in shock.

"Daddy no! You can't! It's not like we really needthe money. Please let me keep her Daddy! I've always wanted my own horse, and she's so perfect! Please Daddy, I'm begging you!" She pleaded, "I'll train her my self! Pa-leese!"

"Well, I don't know sweetie." Said Mark.

As if on que, the little horse stumbled over, nuzzled Karen, and let her kiss her on the nose and hug her around the neck.

At that moment, Ruby walked in. She'd wanted to buy a chicken for a special dinner at the inn, and Grace had told her that they were in the stable. "Well, did you ever see a more perfect pair?" she chuckled.

"See?" Said Karen desperately.

"Well, I suppose, if you love her that much." Said her father. And as Karen hugged and thanked him profusely, Ruby smiled.

"Mark, if she wanted the whole farm, you'd give it to her in a second. All she'd need to do is put on those big, puppy dog eyes that the boys find so irresistible." She just had to say the last part.

It was true. The whole valley knew it. Karen was mark's absolute pride and joy. And she was the prettiest thing the lovesick schoolboys had ever seen. So much for wanting a boy.

In two months, the barn cat, Mary Joe, had five kittens. Karen wasn't as strong willed about keeping them because Mary Joe had had kittens before and Karen always got to keep the money they were sold for (25G each).

There was one kitten though, just an average kitten, nothing special about it, that Karen especially liked.

He was a black male with a white chest, paws, and tail tip. He just seemed different to her, and she felt that this was the cat for her. One look with the puppy dog eyes and he was hers.

"You're a good boy aren't you Socks? Such a good little kitty." She would scratch under his chin as her curled up on her bed at night.

Hi!Well,thatchapterwasalotlongerthanIthoughtitwouldbe.Butthat'sgoodright?Ihopeso.Thankssomuchtothepeoplewhoreviewed!