A while later, dressed in a white shirt rolled up to her sleeves and
buckskins Joey couldn't help
but grin at the reactions to her clothes. True she did have another dress in her bag but she preferred the
simple boy clothes. She sighed as Zee placed a bowl of broth in front of her and a plate of biscuits. She said
"let's see how your stomach handles this, okay?" before turning and heading back to the kitchen. It had
taken Joey a good hour to convince them that she was fine and if anything just a bit achy. Jesse had finally
relented under the agreement that they wouldn't let her leave the ranch, Cole had only agreed if they
wouldn't let her leave the house. Joey sighed and made quick work of the meal before her. She wasn't
hungry but didn't want to get into any more arguments. Besides the food had helped with the nausea and
the pounding in her head was residing to a dull throb. Joey didn't even know these people and they were
bossing her around. Listening for any approaching footsteps she went to the window and quietly slipped
out. Whistling cheerfully she walked away from the house and was promptly bumped into. "Sorry" the boy
apologized and then did a double take. "Your that girl" he said as if it was the answer to every question in
the world. "Yeah I'm Joey" she sized the boy up for a moment, her guess was he was a year or two younger
than her, more likely the former. She was right. Fourteen year old James 'Jim' Younger regarded the girl for a
moment. Cole had said she was sick and was staying inside to recover. 'She doesn't look sick to me' he
thought and made a quick decision. "Listen you want to see the new stallion they brought in?" he started to
walk at a quickened pace and was pleased to see Joey joining him. "Everyone's at lunch so we shouldn't be
bothered, I swear I'm gonna be the one to tame that horse." He said it so vehemently that Joey couldn't
bring herself to deny it and smiled instead.
Joey laughed a loud as Jim attempted to near the stallion only to have it prance away at the last
moment. Sitting atop one of the wooden logs that made the circular fence Spitfire was kept in, she swung
her legs back and forth and commented on Jim's actions. "Maybe you should just sit next to me and jump
on him when he isn't looking" Jim scowled in her direction and walked towards the horse again. "He's just
being stubborn. Come here Spitfire" he coaxed holding out a sugar cube. "You really think a piece of sugar
is going to let you ride him" she asked, "I don't see you offering any useful suggestions." Jim replied and
was rewarded with Joey sticking her tongue out at him. Approaching the stallion Jim grinned in triumph as
he placed a saddle blanket atop it's back. Deciding to forgo the saddle he carefully slipped a bit into the
horse's mouth and pulled it towards Joey. Placing his left foot on a middle rung of the fence, he put all his
weight on that foot. Then standing upright and swinging his right leg over the horses back he gently eased
himself down until he was sitting on Spitfire's back. He smirked at Joey "and you said I couldn't do it!" Jim
had but a second to enjoy his victory before the horse started rearing up. Jumping to her feet Joey grabbed
the reins and tried to calm the horse. Pulling against the restraining reins in Joey's hand the horse reared
again and Jim slipped from his back. Curling into a ball, Jim tried to avoid flailing hooves and wondered why
he couldn't just listen for once.
but grin at the reactions to her clothes. True she did have another dress in her bag but she preferred the
simple boy clothes. She sighed as Zee placed a bowl of broth in front of her and a plate of biscuits. She said
"let's see how your stomach handles this, okay?" before turning and heading back to the kitchen. It had
taken Joey a good hour to convince them that she was fine and if anything just a bit achy. Jesse had finally
relented under the agreement that they wouldn't let her leave the ranch, Cole had only agreed if they
wouldn't let her leave the house. Joey sighed and made quick work of the meal before her. She wasn't
hungry but didn't want to get into any more arguments. Besides the food had helped with the nausea and
the pounding in her head was residing to a dull throb. Joey didn't even know these people and they were
bossing her around. Listening for any approaching footsteps she went to the window and quietly slipped
out. Whistling cheerfully she walked away from the house and was promptly bumped into. "Sorry" the boy
apologized and then did a double take. "Your that girl" he said as if it was the answer to every question in
the world. "Yeah I'm Joey" she sized the boy up for a moment, her guess was he was a year or two younger
than her, more likely the former. She was right. Fourteen year old James 'Jim' Younger regarded the girl for a
moment. Cole had said she was sick and was staying inside to recover. 'She doesn't look sick to me' he
thought and made a quick decision. "Listen you want to see the new stallion they brought in?" he started to
walk at a quickened pace and was pleased to see Joey joining him. "Everyone's at lunch so we shouldn't be
bothered, I swear I'm gonna be the one to tame that horse." He said it so vehemently that Joey couldn't
bring herself to deny it and smiled instead.
Joey laughed a loud as Jim attempted to near the stallion only to have it prance away at the last
moment. Sitting atop one of the wooden logs that made the circular fence Spitfire was kept in, she swung
her legs back and forth and commented on Jim's actions. "Maybe you should just sit next to me and jump
on him when he isn't looking" Jim scowled in her direction and walked towards the horse again. "He's just
being stubborn. Come here Spitfire" he coaxed holding out a sugar cube. "You really think a piece of sugar
is going to let you ride him" she asked, "I don't see you offering any useful suggestions." Jim replied and
was rewarded with Joey sticking her tongue out at him. Approaching the stallion Jim grinned in triumph as
he placed a saddle blanket atop it's back. Deciding to forgo the saddle he carefully slipped a bit into the
horse's mouth and pulled it towards Joey. Placing his left foot on a middle rung of the fence, he put all his
weight on that foot. Then standing upright and swinging his right leg over the horses back he gently eased
himself down until he was sitting on Spitfire's back. He smirked at Joey "and you said I couldn't do it!" Jim
had but a second to enjoy his victory before the horse started rearing up. Jumping to her feet Joey grabbed
the reins and tried to calm the horse. Pulling against the restraining reins in Joey's hand the horse reared
again and Jim slipped from his back. Curling into a ball, Jim tried to avoid flailing hooves and wondered why
he couldn't just listen for once.