Disciplines Of War

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Author's Note: This was just meant as a short story so this is the last chapter for those of you interested in learning more about dressage there is always your local library and the internet between the two you ought to find something. Thanks for all the reviews they were greatly appreciated. Ramica.

Part Six

Leo and Mike entered the meadow Mike whistled as he caught sight of Jessica riding the black horse.

" Impressive Leo and the horse ain't bad looking either."

" Behave yourself Mike" Leo scolded his brother gently " Hi Jessica this here is my brother Mike he wanted to come and see you do some dressage."

Jessica had overheard Mike's playful comment and was laughing at it " Oh he does, does he? Anything special you wanted to see Mike?"

" Yeah I want to see him skip" Mike grinned.

 Jessica gave him a perplexed look " Skip?"

" You did it in the kurr video" Mike told her very sure of himself on that part.

" Wait I…Oh I think I know what you mean now. The flying change performed at every stride. Here I'll demonstrate it and you tell me if that is what you are talking about." Jessica urged Ninja into a canter the horse leading off with his left leg after a few strides he suddenly started switching his front legs back and forth making it seem as if he was skipping along.

" That's it" Mike yelled.

Jessica swung Ninja back towards them and piaffed in front of the two ninja turtles " That my friends is a flying change called that because when in the canter you ask the horse to switch the leg he leads with during the moment of suspension and the rider can decide at how many strides to go before switching they can do it every stride up to every six or eight stride switch.

Now Ninja and I will put on a little performance for you both." Jessica moved Ninja off.

Mike couldn't tear his eyes off the horse and the rider " He looks so happy to be doing that stuff" he chortled, " I bet he is real fun to ride."

Jessica caught Mike subtle hint " That he is but I can't let you ride him on your own. He is highly trained after all and if you know nothing of riding you could wreck his training very quickly by doing the wrong thing."
 " Oh" Mike sighed looking suddenly crestfallen he hadn't realized that he might damage the horse.

" However I can let you ride him if you want to sit behind me that way I'm still in control and Ninja won't be confused by someone who is inexperienced after all I have given Leo a few rides but he doesn't seem too keen on it."

" I much prefer watching it from the ground. Riding horseback is hard on the shell," Leo muttered in reply.

Mike wasn't about to let Jessica go back on that offer hardly had she said the words and Mike was ready to jump on Ninja's back. Jessica waited until he was settled before putting Ninja through a few transitions and then going from passage into piaffe before going off over a few of the jumps before steering him back toward Leo and halting.

Mike slid off and stroked the sleek soft neck, while Ninja dropped his head over Mike's shoulder.

Leo made a low snorting noise as he shook his head trust Mike to make friends with the horse. He recalled a little grudgingly about all the trouble he had with Ninja his first time.

Then again Mike did have a certain way with animals they all seemed to trust him.

As if Mike knew what he was thinking he turned and smiled at his brother " Leo you might enjoy it only for the war movements it once was and the art that it has become. You relate it to what we do but for me I think it is just plain beautiful for what it is alone.

I mean Jessica is taking this huge powerful animal and making him dance in such a way that it can take your breath away. It's poetry it's beauty alone." Mike seemed to consider for a moment then spoke " Let this cavalcade of grace now stand.

He speaks in silence

His story is legend

Where in this world can man find

Nobility without pride

Friendship without envy

Beauty without vanity.

Here where grace is laced with muscle

And strength by gentleness confined.

He has served without servility

Fought without enmity.

There is nothing so powerful

Nothing less violent

Nothing so quick

Nothing so patient.

The hope of a nation

Has been born on his back

Our success is his industry

We are his heirs

He our inheritance. (A/N this part comes from a video I own called Big Ben a Glance at Greatness. For those who don't know Big Ben he was a Canadian show jumping horse owned by Ian Miller. Ben won over 40 grand prix show jumping events, over 1.5 Million dollars in winnings. Won gold in the Pan Am Games in 1987 and the only horse to compete in three separate Olympic games. This is only some of his impressive record. This great Equine athlete died in 1999. I thought the poem was appropriate for any equine athlete but it really suited Ben.)

" Where did you learn that Mike?"

" I don't know I think I read it somewhere" Mike gave an indifferent shrug looking slightly embarrassed.

Leo smiled at Jessica " I was wondering with the kurrs do you just go out and do whatever you want with them?"

" I wish it was that easy Leo it takes a lot of work for something that only last a few minutes in the ring.

First you have to pick the music that suits your horse because the hoof beats should be in time with the music. Then you need to do the choreography and planning I start trot here when I reach this point I must be ready to do shoulder in to this point and so on. Every move the horse does has to be plotted ahead and then you practice until it looks effortless.

It is suppose to look like it was just done with ease all impulse and fun but a lot of planning has to go into it first.

Kurrs are hard work but I enjoy them."

Mike chuckled " In Leo speak a kurr is an involved kata then."

" Don't make me regret bringing you here Mike" Leo replied a little testily.

Jessica tried to hide her smile because Leo sounded like she sometimes did around her younger brothers.

" Jessica I hate to say this but we have to go home tomorrow something came up and we are leaving earlier then planned on so we won't see you here for probably a long time" Leo explained grimacing slightly.

Jessica was stunned to hear the news she had sort of liked Leo and visiting with him and now coming to the meadow knowing Leo wouldn't be there would just feel so strange to her.

" I'm glad I brought this for you then Leo" she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a picture of her and Ninja doing the levade and a blue ribbon. " Keep these as mementos of the two of us." She offered them to Leo fighting back tears as she did so.

" Thanks. Jessica if I give you an address where you can reach us will you write to me and let me know where you and him are in reaching your goals and how you're doing. I promise I'll write back."

" Sure Leo I'd like that" Jessica smiled at least she wasn't going be losing all contact with her new friend.

" This is a friends address but she will see to it that I get the mail" Leo hastily wrote April's address down on some paper " Here take this with you maybe it will bring Ninja luck." He passed her a shuriken.

" Thanks Leo" Jessica suddenly leaned down and gave Leo a quick kiss on the cheek.

" Hey where's mine?" Mike demanded.

 Jessica nudged Ninja over towards Mike " Kiss Ninja"

" I'm not kissing a horse!" Mike protested.

Ninja however reached out and lipped at Mike's cheek.

Mike sputtered, " After seeing you two perform I know you are going get gold" he confirmed.

Leo sighed wistfully and a little regretfully " Come on Mike we better get back there is still things we have to care for tonight. Good by Jessica take care of yourself and best of luck to both of you."

" By Leo" Jessica watched the two Ninja turtles depart vanishing quickly into the shadows of the trees.

Leo paused for a moment the farm and it's surroundings had always been special to them he had found something more there and now he was loathed to leave it behind.

He looked back into the meadow and thought he saw a black silhouette, against the setting sun, the image of horse and rider in a perfect levade as if to salute their fellow warriors on the battlefield.

Leo felt a sudden spark of hope at that brief fleeting image and he knew he'd never forget the Ninja he met here.

The End.