Disclaimer- I don't own any of the 7th Heaven characters 

                                            San Francisco National Horse Finals

Ruthie Camden looked up at the star-kissed sky, and marveled at its supreme beauty. It's so big, like a cup of tea splattered on a table cloth. She was completely lost in it, wrapped up in all its glory.  It was the night before the big show, and Ruthie and the rest of the team were camping out on the show grounds. It was an experience Ruthie was not soon going to forget. This was the big time, the whole deal. Ruthie had been waiting for the time when she would saddle up her grand steed, and ride off into a grand victory filled with lots of cheering and lustrous trophies. But that vision was erased from her mind. All that she could see now were disappointed faces, and the sound of polite applause from the crowed as she and her horse walked out of the arena, accepting total defeat. Ruthie sighed and sat up in her sleeping bag. All around her, people were still walking around, making last minute adjustments to tack and riding gear. Her teammates slept silently beside her, slight smiles creasing their faces. "If only I were that calm." She said softly to herself. She slowly rose out of her bed, and walked over to Archer's stall inside the massive barn. The smell of horses and grain filled her nose and tingled her sense. She smiled, and opened up the stall door. Back in a dark corner of the stall, Ruthie could just make out the outline of Archer's head and sleek body. She walked in, her feet crunching the hay put down on the stall floor. "Archer…Archer…" she whispered into the dark, clucking her tongue. The Warmblood responded with a soft nicker, and Ruthie smiled. "Hey girl, lookie what I got for ya" she cooed, feeling her way across the stall towards her horse.  She suddenly felt Archer's soft muzzle pressing up against her hand, picking up the sugar cube. "Atta girl. Are you gonna be good for me tomorrow? Huh?" she asked, patting her soft neck. Archer shook her head slightly, and then returned to her dark corner. Ruthie slipped back to her campsite, and waited for the crack of dawn.  

  "Oook! Ruthie and Michelle, you two are going to have your classes first. Ruthie, Candice will take you out to the arena to warm up Archer. Michelle, I'll take you out to the dressage course to warm up your horse. We only have an hour before your classes start." Clover barked, her hand shielding her eyes from the blinding light. Ruthie and Michelle looked at each other nervously before they went their separate ways. Ruthie looked up at Candice, who was busy surveying the chaotic scene before them. "How long has the show been going on for?" she asked, grabbing the reins and swinging onto Archer's back. "Since seven o'clock. So for about four hours." She said, motioning for Ruthie to follow her to the arena. "Do you think Archer will spook at the jumps like she did the last time?" she asked, directing her horse in through the gate. Candice shrugged. "To be quite honest with you, I have no idea what she'll do. She's unpredictable. At a show like this, a lot of the horses here are calm and collected. But some of them are like yours, skittish and nervous. But all horses have their bad days and their good days. You never know, this could be her good day. Now, let's get started. I want you to warm up over that cross rail down there at a canter." She said, giving her an encouraging pat on the leg. Ruthie nodded, and clucked Archer forward. They headed towards the jump at an even pace. Ruthie was light with her hands, and followed Archer's movement in the saddle. They popped over the little jump like it was nothing. Ruthie gave Archer a quick pat, and then brought her back down to a trot. "You were rushing! Try to keep the pace even, and hold her underneath you." Candice called over the many voices of the other instructors in the ring. Ruthie nodded to show she understood. Horse and rider went over a few other jumps before a voice over the loudspeaker announced "class number 43, Junior Hunter Jumper Division is up next. All riders please enter the ring." 

 The course before her was one of the most challenging she would ever take in her youth as a rider. There were ten jumps in all, each decorated elaborately. There was a series of outside lines, each involving 3'9 verticals. Then, on the diagonal line, was a triple bounce. Ruthie bit her lip. She and Archer had never done one of those together before. And now was not exactly the best time for that. The bounce was a set of small, simple oxers. Then, one was to turn 180 degrees, then leap over a 3'7 scissor oxer. Take another turn, and then you were to take a Swedish oxer, then five strides later, jump a stone wall. Then came the other outside line, made up of a 4' natural jump, then a challenging 3'8 roll top. Ruthie gulped. "I'm not so sure about this, Michelle. I mean, I thought last times course was hard! Look at this one! Seriously…" she commented nervously, fiddling with a silky strand of Archer's mane. Michelle chuckled. "Oh you'll do fine. The worst that could happen is you fall off or get disqualified. But I'm positive that won't happen." She told her friend, gazing out at the course. "Oh that was helpful..." Ruthie said back, butterflies twittering in the pit of her stomach. Michelle shook her head and smiled.  

   "Next is number 188, Ruthie Camden!" the announcer called her name. Ruthie gulped, her saliva sticking to the back of her throat. She gave Archer a quick nudge and a flick of her crop. The horse responded quickly, bursting into a canter. "This is it." She muttered to herself, eyeing the fast approaching outside line. Archer's ears pricked up, her pace becoming quicker and quicker by the moment. Ruthie pulled back slightly on the reins, and whispered "easy" The horse reacted to the soothing sound of her voice, and slowed down just enough. Archer lifted up her hooves with a powerful thrust, and launched herself over the jump, then over the next right after. Ruthie remained in her two point, her arms in a crest on her neck. Her eyes searched eagerly for the next jump while she urged Archer on.  With satisfying ease, the pair flew over each jump with style and grace like it was nothing. Archer had even taken the triple bounce like it wasn't even there. But Ruthie knew that the joy ride would soon be over. The last jump, the Swedish Oxer, was coming up. Even from the sidelines, she felt fearful of the daunting jump. It was like a tiger waiting to pounce on it's pray. That, of course, is a bit of an extreme example, but that's how Ruthie felt as it loomed closer and closer. She knew Archer could sense her uneasiness, and it made her even more worried. If she was nervous, the horse would pick up her feelings and begin to act the same way. But she had no time to react. Archer's ears pricked up, her muscles quivering. Ruthie felt her back become hollow, and her pace slower, unsure. What happened next seemed to happen in slow motion. Ruthie gave Archer a nudge. The horse, acting as if it had been stung by a thousand bees's lurched forward. Ruthie, caught by surprise, was thrown back. But she recovered quickly, just in time to grab a handful of mane as her powerful horse became airborne over the massive oxer. As soon as Archer's hooves touched the ground, Ruthie let out a huge sigh of relief. 

     "So champ, what'd you say about helping us pack?" Clover teased, shoving a bridle bag in her hands. Ruthie grinned, and laughed. "I still can't believe it! I actually won the whole division!" Ruthie cried, doing a little dance. Erica snorted. "Oh please, it's nothing special. I bet I could've done even better then you if I'd done that division." She spat, glaring at Ruthie's burnished first place trophy. Michelle and Laura rolled their eyes, and then patted Ruthie on the back. "Awesome job Ruthie!" they congratulated. Ruthie smiled so hard, her face was red. Thanking them, she walked over to the trailer where the horses were tied up in the shade. Walking up to Archer, she dug into her pocket and pulled out a sugar cube. The horse let out a nicker, and put it's soft lips in the cup of her hand. "You know, I never really wanted to ride Star." She said in Archer's ear as she stroked her neck. "I always knew you had winning in you blood. In fact, you're name should be Star. That fits you better, I think. Star. My Star." 

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 Thus concludes Ruthie's Star! I hope all of you out there liked it. I want to thank my fateful readers who were with me till the end…although I think most of them went off to other stories. BUT! That is ok! If you really want me to make a sequel, please tell me! It has something to do with Ruthie owning a barn…trust me, it will be good! But only if you want one!

                                             -Camouflaged