Disclaimer: this is the part of the show where I say I own nothing (which is basically true) if its new I will gladly take credit for it, (unless you don't like it (in which case I blame… ummmm the freshman yeah, blame everything on frosh) ) the familiar stuff probably belongs to Mercedes Lackey.
A/N 3rd snow day chap. Rachel POV
I had spent hours in Lexington every day since meeting Caedmon nearly a week ago looking for his precious chosen. Most of the rest of my time was spent poring over my Mercedes Lackey novels for any snippet of useful information. I needed some way to send him back once he had his chosen. The search for whom was going rather poorly so far I had referred five boys to my father's program, of the four who showed up none was the correct on and the fifth, after proving to be too old declined to come.
I was waiting for Anna to finish with some tack before she could take me to Lexington again. My cover story was that I was going on shopping expeditions. This might have been a better cover if I were given to shopping, which I generally wasn't, or if it were nearly Christmas, which it wasn't. I said there were some great sales at the bookstore and called my friends to meet me there and made up every plausible excuse to get into town.
I had spent at least three days at the Kentucky horse park, which was not out of character, but Caedmon's dreams had become clearer and revealed that his chosen would not be in a place like a museum. The search was getting to be plain tedious.
Just then Anna called me, "Rachel, I'm heading into town now, come on."
Grabbing up my wallet I ran for the clunky old farm truck and climbed in on the passenger side. Anna grinned at me and we were off.
"That Caedmon colt you're so fond of is going to for his first time-trial by the end of next week," Anna said after a moments travel in silence.
"What?" I exclaimed turning down the volume on the preset country music station to hear her better.
"I almost didn't believe it myself," Anna said, "But he's as bright as any horse I've ever seen, your dad thinks he's ready and I have to agree."
"Wow, that's got to be a new training record or something, Dad never time tries anything it's first year out."
"I know it, but that colt is like a blessing, he came out of nowhere and he's brilliant!"
We drove in silence for a bit further. The buildings of Lexington started to flash by. Anna pulled into a shopping mall parking lot and stopped by the entrance.
"There you are, I'll be back to pick you up in two hours, don't be late," Anna cautioned as she threw the car into park to let me out. I climbed out and then she pulled away.
I took a deep breath and went inside. The bustling shoppers made my search all the more difficult and I ended up retreating to a bookstore for half an hour before going to the food court to people watch. Somehow one of my friends was walked by.
"Julie?" I asked surprised that we had somehow coincidentally ended up in the same place at the same time.
"Rachel? I haven't seen you since before that camp… how'd it go?"
"It was alright," I shrugged, "What have you been up to?"
"Not much, I've mostly stayed home, except I joined one of those youth clubs."
"Which kind?" I asked dreading to hear that my best friend had a) joined up with a bunch of druggies, or b) gone all religious on me.
"Just a generic youth gathering," Julie responded reading my fears, "It's through Gary's church, but they don't try to cram their stuff down your throat, they have an awesome place to hang out. We go to movies and basically hang out. Actually I'm here to meet a couple of the other girls for a shopping trip."
"Oh, I don't want to keep you then."
"You're not keeping me, hey, you can come along, if you want to."
"Really?" I asked, Julie had never led me wrong before and I was eager to see my friend after spending most of the summer away from her.
"Sure, actually we have a trip to the ropes course planned for tomorrow. That and a trail ride. Apparently it's an annual thing through a college over in Wilmore.
"Really?"
"Yup, come on, and ask your parents about the ropes course…"
"That would be great, we got a new horse, maybe I could bring him for the trial ride?"
"Sure thing," Julie said with a shrug. I followed her through the mall until we met two girls I vaguely recognized from school, "Rachel, this is Haley and Jenna. Haley and Jenna my friend Rachel.
"Hey," Jenna said raising a hand in greeting.
"Hi Rachel," Haley said smiling, "You hanging with us today?"
I glanced at my watch, "My ride is coming for me in 45 minutes," I said ruefully.
"Oh, well the girls are all staying at my house tonight, you're welcome to come along, Jody is sick so there's an extra opening, I bet you could even come to the ropes course with us tomorrow," Jenna offered.
"I have to ask my parents…" I hedged.
"No problem," Haley said reaching into her purse, "here, use my phone to call."
"Okay," I said taking the phone and dialing the house.
My mom picked up, "Hello?"
"Hey, Mum, I met Julie at the mall and she and some of her other friends are having a sleep over, can I go?"
"Do we know the other girls?"
"Um, well no, but Julie's going…Gary hangs out with them too…"
"Gary?"
"My friend? Remember,
you liked him…"
"I'll talk to your father,
call me back in fifteen minutes."
"Kay, thanks Mum, bye," I hung up and handed the phone back to Haley.
"So?" Julie asked.
"I have to call back after she talks to Dad."
"Okay, great, in the meantime who's up for some shopping?"
There was general consent.
"How about FYE first?" Jenna suggested.
"Sure, Mercy Me has a new cd out…" Haley agreed.
I had never heard of the band but FYE was one of the few stores I enjoyed visiting so I went jovially along.
As it turned out Mother agreed to let me go if I promised to call for a ride should anything out of sorts pop up. I readily agreed and asked her about bringing Caedmon to the ropes course to show him off. I got a tentative yes. Unfortunately, my family had no way of reaching Anna in the farm truck so I still had to meet her and then prove, through a call on Haley's phone that I was indeed supposed to stay with them. The entire routine had to be performed again when Jenna's father came to pick us up.
Finally everything was sorted out and we were at Jenna's house. Gary lived nearby and he came over for an hour before dinner. Frankly it was a great afternoon of idleness. I caught up on all the news from my friends and really got to know Jenna and Haley. Wonder of wonders I actually forgot about Caedmon's plight, which had been weighing heavily on my mind since I learned of it.
The next morning we met brought Gary to the rope course with us and piled out of Jenna's dad's van to mingle with the other kids from the group. Julie introduced me to everyone and Haley and Jenna explained why I was there to their advisor who gave me a bunch of paperwork for my parents to sign before I could participate.
It was starting to look like they wouldn't be there when I saw the familiar farm truck and trailer swing off the driveway and pull up by the youth bus that had brought most of the others out here.
My dad got out and talked to the director, he took my paperwork and I joined the others who were being instructed on the use of the course. My dad came up behind me and said he was going to leave Caedmon up at the school's barn and that he would be back later to pick us both up. He also left me a strict warning not to let Caedmon get hurt. I agreed and then joined the others with the ropes.
A/N okay there it is I think that this story is going to be much shorter that than the last two….