Sandy would have likely overslept if it wasn't for her brother continually nudging her with his foot as the rest of the family awoke right before sunrise and started to dress up. By the time Sandy pulled herself out of bed everyone else was mostly fully dressed and her father looked down at her with disappointment. Lucky for her the lone lantern made the light in the tent was faint, so no one was able to make out the scuffs she had earned on her face from just a few hours prior.

"Hurry up, darling!" Dean called to her. "We don't want ta be late on our first day." He gave her a stern look before tying the laces of his boots.

"Yes, Pa." She responded as she jumped up and scrambled to prep herself for their day of labor. Considering she had over slept she decided to just make due with the clothing she fell asleep in. The barn would hide any odor coming off of her due to not being able to wash up properly this morning. Sandy threw some water over her face, and then swished a mouth full in her mouth for a moment before spitting it a waste bucket. She then quickly brushed the fur on the top of her head before scrambling to throw on her boot and stumble outside with the rest of her family right before they started to make their way to their new way of life. The Cheeks family was grateful that the work was pretty much the same as they'd all be raised with. Only now they were dealing with more valuable mounts.

Sandy started in moving some hay around in the barn with her brother before going on and feeding the elite Chocobos'. After feeding the animals then they started to brush them down, but were soon called to stop by their father as their morning meal had finally been brought to them. Sandy smiled as the day so far had gone very well, and she was looking forward to have a hearty meal after such an intense workup to the day. That was until her family looked at her with worry as she approached to join them at table located in the back corner of the barn.

"What?" Sandy question completely forgetting the wounds she had taken on the night before.

"What happened ta you?!" Her mother almost sobbed as she sat her plate down and ran up to her daughter and touched her face.

Sandy now recalled the fight from the night before. "Oh, it's nothing, Ma!" She laughed as she gently pushed her mother away. "I just needed some air later in the night and ended up tripping over my own feet." She looked down and faked a blush as her mother took her hand and lead her to the table.

"Sugar cube, ya can't be going out after sundown!" Her father warned her. "They like ta keep track of all of us workers easy like. Ya didn't run inta any trouble did ya?" He asked her with worry.

"Nah. Some tall, angry, cactus yelled at me ta go back ta bed and I did, and right after that I tripped." Sandy now pulled up her overflowing plate of food so it was sitting right in front of her and smiled at finally finding something to be happy about here. "He seemed happy with himself just by yelling at me, so no worries. I won't cause no more trouble." Sandy promised her family, despite knowing that everyone knew full well her promise was bullshit.

The squirrel family continued to eat with one another. They'd talked about the new job, and the excitement of their new sleeping arrangements. Sandy tried to stay in the conversation with her family, but found herself thinking back to the night before. She hated that man, and the idea of seeing him again made her fury starting to flare up. Still…. She was shocked no one had come to punish her yet. Maybe he really was chastised by her easily defeating him. It was odd. The fact she got the better of him she'd figure he'd blame her for something else. Maybe the angry hedgehog was smart enough to keep his shameful defeats unknown. If that were the cause Sandy would keep laughing about it, but at the same time, admire him for not throwing her to rabid beasts by spewing lies in an effort just to seek revenge.

After they were all done eating the younger family members picked up the dirty dishes and placed them in the covered trays, they arrived in. The twins picked up one tray each and made their way back to mess hall so they could be washed. Randy started singing a classic country tune about halfway into their trek causing Sandy to smile. The sun had been up about an hour and now shinning brightly and they were settling in nice to their current stable assignment. Her good mood stayed around until the siblings started to make their way back to the main barn. That's when she saw him. The hedgehog was leaning against a fence post watching her walk back to her assigned place.

Randy seemed to notice her mood falling, as he looked at her and then towards the direction her line of sight seemed to peer off to. "I'm guessing dat's the prickly cactus you mentioned." Randy spoke as he now glared at the tall man that stood many yards away.

"Yeah." Sandy breathed heavily in irritation.

"Want me ta kick his ass?" Randy questioned causing her to look at him irritated only to find a cocky smile on his face.

"When I said I wasn't gonna get in anymore trouble I didn't mean I was going ta push ya inta trouble... where ya'd get yer ass beat." Sandy whispered the last part under her breath.

"I'm just offering ta defend yer honor." Randy laughed.

"How is you getting yer ass beat and thrown in a cell defending my honor? Randy... as soon as you figure out how to get a pint, around here, yer going ta come inta enough trouble on yer own. No need fer me ta encouraging you ta do anything else stupid." Sandy shook her head in disapproval while looking away from the man that she encountered the night before and instead looked on to the main barn the two were heading to.

"Ouch." Randy grumbled seeming to know his sister was speaking the truth.

"Hey, girl!" Sandy stopped right before the two squirrels entered the gated area around the main stable.

The two-sibling stopped and both looked back at the dark hedgehog approaching them. His demeaning seemed angry and foul. The twins looked at one another with question before tensing up their bodies and looking back to the private lawman as he walked up and stopped in front of them.

"I need something of you." He looked at her harshly before giving an demanding glare to her brother, as if he was telling him to piss off with just a look as he wasn't worth his words.

Randy looked at his sister with worry but then took his leave back into the gated area after Sandy nodded her head in approval. "What?" She finally managed and then looked up at him with more anger in her eyes, and she had really been hoping to not cross paths with him again so soon.

"I need my mount for a patrol. Rune. Prep him for me." He now stated as plainly as a man with his voice could. He then walked past her to the other barn to wait for her to fulfill his command.

"Asshole." Sandy mumbled as she followed behind him.