A/N: Hey guys! I've been wanting to write this part for forever. I've finally posted it. Whoopee!
Chapter 6, Horseback Riding Lessons
"Ow, Morgan! Did ye' have to slice my arm open like that?" Will asked her, disgruntled. She merely smiled at him. Unfortunately, the outcome of the fight hadn't turned out very well for Will; Morgan had not only cut him, she had also humiliated the hellfire out of him! 'Jack's never gonna let me live that one down,' Will thought to himself. "By the way, Will, I wasn't really serious about the whole 'woman inferior to men' thing…I was just goading you into a fight." "You were what?" Morgan winked. Will shook his head and stomped off, muttering darkly. Morgan chuckled and went to sit by Jade and Jack, the latter of the two whom was laughing his head off. "Well," said Jade. "Looks like the men just can't hang with us when it comes to swordplay!" That shut Jack up. "Whaddayamean by that, luv?" Jade gazed at him for a second, then said, "Never-mind." Will walked back up to them and sat down next to Morgan. Jack put his arm around Jade's shoulders. Will watched him silently. He was longing to, he would…no, he couldn't; 'What about Elizabeth?' 'Elizabeth isn't here right now, just do it…' 'No, I…' 'Do it!' 'No, it's not gentleman-like…' 'You're not a gentleman, you're a pirate, now do it. Just do it!' 'No.' 'Yes.' 'NO.' 'YES!!' 'N…..' Will lifted his arm and placed it gingerly around Morgan's waist. She didn't object. Will breathed a sigh. 'There, I did it!' The opposing voice in Will's head stopped, and as he relaxed Morgan snuggled up closer. Will smiled contentedly. Jack, who had been watching the two of them out of the corner of his eye, shook his head slightly and decided it was about time to do the pair a favor and change the subject. "Well, he said, breaking the comfortable silence. He got up and pranced over to stand in front of Morgan. She raised an eyebrow. "I say it's been a great rest and all…" He flipped one of his braids over his shoulder. "But methinks it's time to do something else. What say you?" Jade and Morgan slowly got up. Will, looking faintly disappointed, followed suit. "I reckon yer right, Jack," said Jade. "What do you want to do, Morgan?" Morgan gazed around and her eyes fell upon her three horses, which were grazing outside the yard, and her face lit up. "Well, we could always go for a ride!" Jade brightened. "Yeah, great idea! Let's go." "Ummm, hold up a minute," said Will. "You mean, ride a horse?" Jade gave him a funny look. "Yeah, why?" Will and Jack both shrugged their shoulders and Jack shifted his weight uneasily. "Well ummmmmmmmm, actually…" Jack really didn't want Jade to know this… "You've never ridden a horse, have you," Morgan stated. They shook their heads. Jade and Morgan glanced at each other.
"So, you boys got all that?" Morgan asked. Jack and Will nodded nervously. They were mounted on two horses named Pepper and Bo. Pepper was a short bay horse with a white star on his forehead. Bo was a sorrel. They were both exceedingly gentle natured, but at the moment the horses were wearing expressions of utmost doubtfulness about their newest charges. The girls had just given the pirates a crash course on the basics of horseback riding, and they were now ready to try to ride on their own. "So," said Jade. "Whenever you're ready, cluck to go, say 'whoa' to stop, and pull gently on the reins to go left or right." Jack nodded and clucked uncertainly. Bo shook his head and burst into a brisk trot. Jack flew backwards at the sudden impulsion, but he quickly regained his balance. Will clucked softly and Pepper eased into a slow jog. At first the men were all over the place; bouncing, losing their balance, dropping the reins, and speeding up and slowing down, but eventually they were trotting smoothly along the fence of Morgan's arena. Jade continued to coach them as they rode, then Morgan set up some cones and instructed them to ride a serpentine pattern through them. It took a few tries for Will to get it. Jack was particularly smug about the fact that he had picked up the maneuver faster than Will. He called out happily as he successfully completed the pattern. "Hey, eunuch, I did it! Look!" He turned Bo around and clucked a little too vigorously. Bo burst into a lope and gave a frisky buck. Jack scrambled, trying to hold onto the saddle horn; but the power was too strong for him, and he tumbled forward over the horse's shoulder. THUNK! Morgan and Jade gasped and ran over to help him. He got up, swaying and looking disgruntled. Bo was standing just a little behind them, grazing. Jade went to retrieve him as Will rode up. He was chuckling silently. "You alright, Jack?" asked Morgan. "Captain Jack Sparrow is always alright!" he replied indignantly. He took the reins from Jade and mounted, then resumed riding around the arena, though Morgan, Jade and Will could all tell the he was trying hard not to favor his rear. They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Pepper bobbed his head and whinnied. That made them laugh even harder.
A/N: For those of you who aren't horse people (as I know a lot of you aren't!) here are a few terms. BAY: a dark brown horse with a black mane and tail. SORREL: a medium brown colored horse. SADDLE HORN: part of a western stock saddle used as a handle and other miscellaneous stuff. LOPE: a smooth, three-beat way of movement for a horse. SERPENTINE: now should I really have to explain that?
A/Q: (Author's question) Are there any guys on FanFiction or is it only us crazed girls? See y'all later!