A/N Okay, another short chapter, I'm sorry! They do get longer later, really! Also, there's more of book characters coming up, like chapter 4 or 5. So, please bear with me, and review please please! I see that there are people reading, so please just leave me a little review. One sentence, what you liked or what I could improve. I would really appreciate it!
I shrugged my shoulder to try to get the travel pack to rest more comfortably on my shoulder. Sarah also had her pack, and together we were following Halt out the door into what was definitely a summer evening. I could hear the sounds of a multitude of night animals moving about in the forest, which completely encircled the clearing that the cabin was placed in. In the middle of that clearing were four gorgeous horses, standing proudly beside Will. Two of them were recognisable from their descriptions in the books, but there were two others, one jet black, the other one chestnut-brown. Halt went over to claim his, and both he and Will mounted. However, that still left us with a fifty percent chance of choosing incorrectly.
Halt turned back to us. "Well? What are you waiting for? Don't tell me you've forgotten how to ride a horse!"
I glanced over at Sarah, smiling nervously as she met my gaze. Though we had both been to a summer horse camp for several years, and were fairly good at riding, we weren't sure just how good we were 'supposed' to be. And of course, there was the whole whose-horse-is-who's issue.
"Um, Halt, which..." I began, but trailed off as his eyes burned into my head. I could do without being told once again that I was crazy, and so I decided to take that fifty percent chance. Not bothering to tie the pack on, mostly because I wasn't quite sure how, I swung up into the saddle of the brown horse, and in settling myself, accidentally gave the horse's sides a gentle nudge. Sarah did the same, her bag smacking against the horse's side.
"Wait-!" Will started, but he didn't get to finish. Each respective horse leaped straight up into the air, twisting their front one direction, and their hind quarters another, shifting the saddle enough to send us toppling off in a heap. The horse came back to the exact same position as before, twisting it's neck around to take a good look at me. I swear, it was laughing at me. And I think Halt might have been doing so as well, at least on the inside, as he swung back out of the saddle to come over to me.
"Will, they don't even remember which horse is which. Yes, we do have problems."
I sat up and look over at Sarah, whom Will was kneeling over. She sat up as well, and looked at me. Then, as one, we burst out laughing. We didn't try to say anything to each other, or try to explain what was so funny, but it was, undeniably, funny. At least, it was since neither of us had been hurt. Halt and Will looked at each other, a mixture of concern and mild fright pasted across their features. This only made us laugh harder.
When we finally managed to regain our composure, we shakily gained our feet. I looked over at the Rangers and gave them a sheepish grin. "Hehe, wrong one." Sarah and I hastened to move over to the correct horse, and swung up into our proper saddles. Halt and Will did the same, and when all were ready, Sarah and I confidently gave our horse's sides a good squeeze.
To our surprise, the horses once again twisted and bucked, this time bucking me backwards while Sarah shot forwards. We were both severely winded, except this time, it was a heck of a lot less funny.
Halt once again came over and knelt beside me, but this time there was a mixture of concern and confusion on his face. "You know, I think the horses know that you're crazy. They really don't want you riding them." He offered me a hand as he stood. I took it, and he heaved me to my feet.
"So what's up with them?" I asked, and Halt gave me a look. I realized with a pang of sorrow that slang hadn't been invented yet. "Why are they acting that way?"
Halt continued to look at me quizzically for a moment, before saying, "I honestly don't know. They seem to think you're someone other than who you are. I guess you'll have to ask their permission again."
These horses are good! I think. If a full-fledged ranger can't tell the difference between me and his apprentice, what does it say about the horse that can? I walked to the black horse again and gently stroked the mane, wary. It gave me a baleful look, as if asking me why on earth I would do that?
"So, um, what's the password?" I asked.
Halt walked over, before leaning in slightly and saying soft enough that no one else would hear, "Puedo montar?."
Can I ride in Spanish? Seriously? I attempted to raise one eyebrow, even though I was perfectly aware that I was not capable of it. Halt raised one of his.
"You didn't do it right before and you still can't do it now. Now get on with it."
I murmured the password to my horse and swung up into the saddle, more cautiously this time, ready to bail at a moments notice. I saw out of the corner of my eye that Sarah was doing the same, her short brown hair gleaming in the moon light. The ADHD part of my brain wondered if my light caramel hair was doing the same. Then, I was jerked back to the present as the two rangers swung up into their own saddles.
"Now if all that foolishness is done, why don't we be on our way." Halt said, before gently nudging Abelard's sides and moving him into a slow cantering lope. Will followed afterwards, and then, a little more reluctantly, Sarah and I did the same.
Now here's a little shocker. Being in England we rode... English saddle! And guess what? I'd never ridden English saddle! Oh goody! As I followed up behind Halt and Will, with Sarah coming up beside me, and we came to the first bend in the road, I tried to neck rein him to the left, to follow Halt and Will. But, never having learned neck reigning, he kept on going straight, into the forest. Confused, I pulled him to a stop, pleased that at least I didn't have to yank on his reigns to stop him. I twist around, and see, much to my annoyance, that Sarah managed the turn with no issue. "Sarah!" I call, annoyed.
"English reign, genius!" She yells to me, making me scowl, partially at her, and partially at my own stupidity. Taking a reign in each of my hands, and shortening it up, I lean forward and give his sides a nudge, also clicking with my tongue. Apparently, all those signals combined, along with the negative vibes radiating off me at the moment get across to the horse that I want to go fast. He executes the turn I request with expert precision, and then races through the trees at a full gallop, which I had never even used in western saddle, untill we reach the others. Then, without me even having to ask, he slows to the same cantering pace as the others. Never having galloped before, during the actual event I was a bit scared, but when we had slowed back to a comfortable canter, my annoyed or angry vibes had evaporated into a poorly concealed giddy smile.
"Dream or insanity, I think I'm starting to like it here." I say softly to Sarah, who looks over at me with one eyebrow raised. I roll my eyes. "Am I the only person who can't do that?!"
