I am at Home on the Range.
Chapter 21.
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Author's note at the bottom
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I own nothing but the plot and my own characters.
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Chapter Twenty One - Missing horses and a Screaming girl.
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Sam groaned in annoyance. That little chestnut Houdini had escaped! He could be anywhere by now! Sam knew this was a bad idea, from the start. And if it wasn't as bad as he had escaped, she had to build his trust even more, to get a saddle on him, ride him and train him, then compete with him in the space of slightly more than a week. It was crazy. She turned to her aunt and looked at her, expectantly.
"What do we do?" She asked. " I can't work 'miracles' on a horse that isn't here.""Were just going to have to find him," Amanda said. " Tack up Charcoal, Minstrel and America and meet me out here in five minutes," The three teens ran into the barn, coming out five minutes later with three neatly tacked up horses. Sam went to stick her foot in Charcoal's stirrup iron, only to be stopped by Amanda. " Hold on one moment, Carly? I need you to ride America up north, by the lake and the light house, if he isn't up there, work your way down. If you see Apollo, ring Sam. Sam, I need you a Freddie to ride down the main track, across the meadow, search all the trails up in that area. Just double up on Minstrel and ride Apollo home bare back if you find him, take a bridle with you." Sam, Freddie and Carly nodded. " I'll ride down to the Havenfield border on Charcoal, see if any of the neighbours have spotted him."
"Okay," With that, they all parted separate ways, Carly mounted America and took a steady walk out of the premises. Amanda did the same. Sam and Freddie however, had to be different. Freddie mounted up, pulling Sam up behind him, letting her settle behind the seat of the saddle.
"Comfy?"
"Perfect," She smiled, nestling her face into the back of his pale blue shirt, it smelled just like him, so clean and fresh. "We going then or what?" Freddie gathered his reins up and before he knew what was happening, he felt Minstrel's pace quicken. Sam had kicked his sides to get him to move. He was now trotting, heading for the fence. She wasn't serious! He pulled Minstrel to a stop, much to Sam's dismay.
"Were not jumping him over the fence as long as I'm riding."
"Fine then, get off, I'll ride."
"Huh?"
"You can sit behind me."
"Please tell me this is some sort of joke,"
"No joke, get off." Freddie did as he was told and mounted up behind Sam who had now shifted forward into the saddle and gather her reins. He wrapped his arms tightly around her thin waist, hoping he wouldn't die. She smirked, giggling. "Chill out Freddie, no need to hold so tight."
"Sorry, just hoping you won't kill me."
"You want to feel what I feel though? When I jump?"
"Of corse, that would be amazing."
"Okay then, keep your legs still, don't kick and hold on to me." Freddie nodded and Sam gave Minstrel a small kick, getting him to walk in a circle so she'd get better aim on the fence. This particular fence was not small, it was more than one metre high. Freddie smiled, this would be awesome. Sam suddenly kicked him on, making Minstrel's gate change almost instantly from a walk to canter. "Hold on Freddo, when I lean forward, do it too. It will relive some pressure off of Minstrel's back."
"Okay." He nodded and noticed the fence was looming. He gasped sharply.
"Ready? One, Two, Three…. Lean!" The pair leaned as Minstrel took off over the jump, bringing his part chestnut, part white legs over the top bar of the fence, landing safely on the other side. Freddie was still gripping onto Sam like his life depended on it. Sam giggled again, pulling Minstrel to a stop and giving him a pat, before turning her attention back to her boyfriend. "You do know you can leave go now Freddie?" He opened his tightly shut eyes and grinned.
"That was amazing, such a thrill."
"Tell me about it," Sam laughed back. "Why do you think I do it."
"I guess so."
"Now, we have a horse to find." Sam suddenly removed Freddie's arms from her waist and jumped off of Minstrel. She looked up to see Freddie giving her a confused look.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting off, this is your ride, I'll ride at the back. I just wanted you to know how jumping felt." Freddie grinned at her, moving himself forward. Sam stuck her foot in the stirrup iron and swung herself up so she landed ever so gently by the back of the saddle, sitting on nothing but the skewbald's bare back. Freddie put his feet back into the stirrups and gave Minstrel a soft kick walking him on.
"You okay to trot? It could be a bit bumpy for you."
"Freddie, I ride bareback, I'm fine." Suddenly Freddie spotted the a trail to the left.
"Hey? We've never gone up that trail before, what's up there." Freddie pointed to the trail and Sam looked over and instantly gulped. It was the freaky trail she had went down yesterday.
"Uhmm, a bit of grassland, I went down there yesterday."
"Maybe Apollo's down there." Sam groaned lightly, She knew when Freddie set his mind on something, there was no changing it. She sighed.
"Come on them, what are we waiting for." She looked down seeing Freddie's legs tap Minstrel's side gently getting him to walk. Sam couldn't help but notice that when the neared the trail, Minstrel shielded away from it, just like Charcoal had yesterday. She shook her head, not understanding it. She clicked her tongue and watched as the skewbald's ears swivelled, listening to her. "It's okay boy, There's nothing scary." Freddie smiled, looking over his shoulder at her. He gave Minstrel a soft kick and this time, the large horse responded easier, obliging to Freddie's orders. The skewbald warily stepped onto the dark track and began to walk steadily through the trees. Sam looked up noticing Freddie was still looking over his shoulder at her. "What?"
"Your so good with horses, I'm just amazed, I really never expected this vacation to be so life changing." She giggled adjusting her wrapped arms that were still around his firm waist. She rested her cheek against the flannel feel of his shirt, and felt like she could just fall asleep. "You okay back there?" Sam smiled as the darkness of the trail took over them, making Sam shake. She didn't like this trail one bit. She just felt safer with Freddie.
"I'm perfectly fine." She grinned, squeezing him. He chuckled.
"Good." He put a hand over Sam's, still steering Minstrel with one hand, which the horse seemed perfectly fine about. Sam smiled to herself, she loved how she could be herself completely around Freddie.
"Love you," She said barley above a whisper making him grin lightly.
"I love you too Sam,"
"Now, do you think we could move maybe a little faster?" She asks him nervously, her eyes casting around in all directions, searching through the thick mass of trees, hoping she wouldn't see anything she didn't want too. This made him chuckle.
"Why? You scared?"
"No!" She fought back. What a solid lie.
"riiight…" He smirked sarcastically.
"I swear down Fredward, you might be my boyfriend now but that won't stop me plummeting you to death."
"You wouldn't, you love me too much." His smirk never left his face. Sam rolls her eyes, she can't see his face anymore but she recons his smirks changed to his infamous grin.
"Yeah, your right. I do love you to much." Sam squeezes her arms tighter and rests her head on his shoulder, looking straight on. The entrance to the meadow is just up ahead. She breaths out, suddenly glad. "Just come on, stop teasing and get moving. This trail is freaking me out." He smirks and she instantly closes her eyes tight. Her big mouth!
"So you are scared?"
"Uhh! Fair enough! It's creepy okay?"
"It's cool Sam, I just wanted you to admit it." She socks him in the shoulder and he gasps in pain.
"I did warn you." She smirks and he rolls his eyes.
"Sorry dear." He says sarcastically earning a playful glare from Sam.
"Would you just get Minstrel moving!" She snaps at him and he chuckles.
"Keep your hair on." With that, he kicks the gelding on into a rather fast trot and out of the dark trail. She breaths out a sign of relief as she realises she's in the sun. She looks up, realising it's not as bad as yesterdays sun. She feels immediately thankful and glad. Her eyes scan around the meadow, the fluffy green grass at its 'ripest'. Still no sign of Apollo though. Sam sighed.
"Where the hell has that horse got too?"
"No idea," Freddie shrugged, looking around. "Maybe we should go up further, after all, your aunt's covering down by the farm and by the border of Havenfield, Carls is up by the lighthouse and then heading down, you never know, Carly could go all cowboy on us and round Apollo up straight to us." This made Sam chuckle.
"Sure thing. Come on." Sam grinned as Freddie pushed Minstrel into a rather bouncy trot.
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Fifteen minutes later.
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Freddie and Sam had successfully circled the full of the meadow and down by the creek. Still no Apollo.
"Maybe we should head up further? See if we can see Carly?" Freddie suggested. " She might have found him by now."
"Sure come on." Minstrel stomped his foot in boredom, clearly wanting a run, making Sam giggle. "Chill out Boy, were going." She then decided to talk to Freddie. "Maybe we should go for a canter up, it might relive some of Minstrel's tension.""
Sure, hold on." She held onto his waist tighter as Freddie gave Minstrel a small kick, into a trot. He waited until his seating was right and Sam was comfortable before giving one more aid, making Minstrel shoot forward into a steady canter. Sam sighed, letting the cool midday breeze hit her cheeks. She held onto Freddie tighter, which made him chuckle. "You do know that I'm going to lose circulation if you keep on holding me this tightly?" He grinned. She laughed lightly.
"Sorry, you just make me want to cuddle you," Suddenly, a girlish scream was heard up ahead, making Sam gasp sharply. Freddie pulled Minstrel to a sharp stop and turned to look back at Sam who was deep in thought.
"What was that?" He asked her.
"I don't know, but it sounded like…"
"Carly." They said together, looking at each other in panic.
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Go on, guess whats up with Carly?
I know, since the chapters are already written xD
But yeah, guess!
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Chapter 22 will be posted as soon as i get some reviews. At the moment i'm writing Chapter 24 for you guys ;)
The action is heating up..
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