Hello there! Just here with chap #26! Sorry it took me awhile to update, five days of horse camp, three days of guitar lessons, and two days of working on a cover image for a story really drains your energy. And did I mention a rodeo? Anyways, enough about that, responding to Ninja Pony's review, I didn't actually see that until you pointed it out. Good eye, let me know if you see that in the future! Do you love horses and ponies? If so, behold, because this one's got lots of 'em! ENJOY THY CHAPTER
The alarm clock Zane had set within his internal one went off, rousing him from his sleep. He threw the covers off of him and and check the clock beside the bed. 7:30 am, sharp. The sun had not yet risen and it was still dark outside.
Zane quickly changed before quietly slipping out of his doorway. He cast quick glance into Samuel's room. The door was open and he saw him peacefully asleep and snoring. Silence from upstairs told him that Hailey was also sleeping still.
'Good.' Zane thought. 'That gives me time.'
Zane quietly tiptoed into the kitchen. Juneau followed him in.
"Shhhh." He told him. He flicked on the light and turned it down low.
Juneau yawned and lay down on the floor, head on his paws. He watched Zane as he opened the refrigerator. Zane was somewhat uncomfortable in doing this because he didn't think Samuel and Hailey would exactly be pleased to wake up and see him digging through their food.
Zane rummaged around in the fridge until he found what he was looking for: a package of bacon and a carton of eggs. Zane took the items out and shut the fridge, placing them on the counter. Then he started looking through the cabinets. He was never told where what was kept where, so he had to search. He finally found what he was looking for and put it on the stove-
Suddenly the sound of scrabbling made Zane freeze. He glanced at Juneau, who was now actually asleep on the floor. Again the scrabbling was heard, followed by a flurry of tiny wingbeats.
When Zane saw Beibeis flutter down the stairs and land on the rail post, he breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought it was Hailey at first. Especially after the incident when he had accidentally scared her and Samuel thought it was a robbery.
"Oh." He said quietly. "It's just you."
Coo!
"Ssshhh."
Beibeis preened her tail feathers before flying across the room and landed on Zane's shoulder. Zane let the dove stay there. Beibeis seemed to be peering at what he was doing. It reminded him of his falcon. He reached a hand up to pet Beibeis. Again he felt a wave of guilt and wondered how his brothers were faring without him. If only there was any way shape or form he could tell them he was doing well.
Beibeis made a pleasant cooing noise and Zane found her favorite spot to be petted: the soft feathers where her collar marking was. Zane walked over to the sink and started washing his hands.
"I apologize, Beibeis." He said while scrubbing. "But I simply can't have an animal in the workspace while I'm cooking. It's very unsanitary."
Beibeis cooed before flying up to one of the rafters of the ceiling. She eyed him from above.
Zane dried his hands off with a towel and got to work.
(Time skip)
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"Alright." Hailey yawned. She turned over on her bed and slammed a fist on her alarm clock. "Up with the sun."
Hailey got up, slipped on a pair of jeans and a shirt before opening her door, but she was stopped as she opened the door from the heavenly smell of something cooking wafting up the stairs. Hailey sniffed the air.
"What's that?" She whispered to herself as she went downstairs to investigate.
Zane turned around at the sound of footsteps as he was transferring some eggs to a plate. He saw Hailey appear at the bottom of the stairs.
"Whoa." Hailey said. She took a another whiff. "It smells amazing in here!"
"What do you mean it smells amazing? I can't smell a thi…oh wait a minute!"
Zane heard Samuel throw the covers off of him in a very vigorous manner before he appeared in the hall. Hailey joined him.
"Zane?" She said. She looked at the counter, where what appeared to be breakfast was sitting, fresh and warm. She looked dazzled. "Did you make all this?"
(Time skip)
"Holy blazes!" Hailey said. "Uncle Sam, quit bolting! This is meant to be savored, not inhaled!"
Zane looked up from his plate and saw Samuel wolfing down his scrambled eggs and bacon like there was no tomorrow.
When he gave no sign that he had heard Hailey, she reached over the table and pulled the plate away.
Samuel made a muffled cry of surprise.
"Hey!" He cried. He tried to grab it back but Hailey didn't give it to him and held up a finger.
"Hay is for horses," Hailey began. "And you've been eating so fast I'm thoroughly amazed you haven't choked yet!"
"Okay I'll eat slower. It's just so good." Samuel mumbled. He tried reaching for the plate again. "Now gimme!"
"Ah-ah-ah." Hailey tsked. "Like you always tell me, don't talk with your mouth full, eat slowly, and actually chew. Look at you. Practice what you preach!"
Samuel rolled his eyes. Hailey gave his plate back once he finished chewing. She went back to her bacon, which she seemed to be savoring every bite.
"I gotta admit, Zane." She said. "This is so freaking good. Where did you learn how to cook? Seriously!"
Zane shrugged. "I am a nindroid." He replied. "It is programmed into my mainframe."
"I'll shay."
Hailey looked across the table, saw Samuel again eating quickly, and pulled his plate away for the second time.
"Seriously! Relax with the food!" She scolded.
"HMMPH!" Complained Samuel through a mouthful of pancake.
After negotiating, Hailey gave his plate back before getting up and putting her own in the sink.
"Thanks for the breakfast, Zane," Hailey said. "You really didn't have to do that."
"Nonsense," Zane said. "I enjoy cooking. Besides, after everything you and Samuel have done for me, it's the least I could do."
Hailey pointed a thumb at the door. "I have to go feed. Want to come? You seem to like being with the horses a lot."
Zane nodded and grinned. Hailey wasn't wrong, he loved the two horses since he saw them. He didn't understand why, but the beasts just seemed to fascinate him.
Hailey saw his smile. "I'll take that as a yes?"
Together Hailey and Zane did the same as the night before, filling up the two pans with feed and carrying them out to the pasture. Ranger and Gunsmoke came running up to them as they saw their evening meal had arrived.
Once the horses had finished their breakfast, Hailey went back to the shed and returned with a halter and lead rope. She put the halter on Ranger before snapping on the lead rope. Hailey began walking with Ranger to the gate. Zane followed.
"Where are we going?" He asked.
"Ah, just to give Ranger a little TLC." She told him. "I brush him every morning if I have the time."
"I see." Zane said as Hailey opened the paddock gate and they walked through, closing it behind them. Zane watched as Ranger stopped with nothing more than a slight tug of Hailey's hand, amazed that a nearly two thousand pound animal was so quiet and calm.
"So," Zane asked. "What is your routine of caring for Ranger?"
"Well, let's see here," Hailey said as she led him over to a pair of empty crossties and clipped the ties to his halter. "They need to be fed, watered, cleaning out their stalls and paddocks, exercised, groomed on a regular basis, so as you can tell, quite a bit. But it ain't nothing I can't handle."
"You mind watching Ranger for me while I get some things? Just make sure he doesn't spook and hurt himself."
"Of course not," Zane said. Hailey turned and walked back to the tack shed.
Zane looked up at Ranger, who looked down and pricked his ears forward. The horse leaned out and sniffed Zane's head, the warm breaths from his nose tussling his hair. Zane smiled.
"Hello, friend," Zane said. He held up his hand, letting Ranger smell his hand before stroking his nose, which he was delighted to find that it was velvety soft.
Soon Hailey returned, carrying a saddle, blanket, bridle, breast collar, and a box full of brushes. She set it down in the empty crosstie next to Ranger.
Zane looked at the pile with interest. "What is all this?"
"It's his tack," Hailey answered. "It's things we use to ride and care for them. See," she pointed at the box of brushes. "This here is Ranger's brushes I use to groom him," Hailey explained. "Certain ones have certain jobs. This, for example…." She paused to pick up a red rubber comb that had circles with teeth. "Is called a curry comb. It's used to dislodge any loose hair, dust, and dirt. When you use it, you comb in circular motions against the hair, like this, although be gentle on the bony parts of the body…"
Hailey started brushing clockwise all over Ranger's side, starting from Ranger's neck and ending at his rump. Zane saw how much dirt and hair came loose. Hailey did the same for Ranger's other side before picking up a wire brush.
"We use this one to get all the dirt that's been loosened by the curry comb. It's called a dandy brush. You have to use short flicking motions."
Hailey did Ranger's left.
"Can I try?" Zane asked.
"Of course you can!" Hailey said. She gave Zane the brush. "Just do what I did."
Zane brushed Ranger, watching as the dirt and dust became free of his coat and revealed shiny black hair. It filled him with pride that he was caring for such a majestic and graceful animal.
Hailey watched, nodding in approval. "You're good at this already." She told him already.
Zane was brushing Ranger's backside when he noticed something on his thigh. Even though Ranger's coat was black, stunted white hair grew in the shape of an "R" and backward "F" connected together.
"Hailey, what is this?" He asked her, pointing at the marking.
Hailey stepped over and looked over Zane's shoulder.
"Oh, that?" She said. "It's a brand."
"What is a brand? I'm assuming it's not related to the context of products."
"No, it's not. When it comes to livestock, a brand is a means of identification. In the case of lost or stolen animals, brands can tell us what animals they are and who they belong to. To identify livestock the most common ways are ear tags and brands, but anyone can cut an ear tag with a knife or it can get ripped out accidentally. Branding is more reliable. It's permanent and can't be altered." Hailey explained.
Zane nodded. "I see..."
"That symbol there, what does it mean?"
"It's the brand of my family's ranch." She said. "Its name is Flint River Cattle Co., or Flint River Ranch, either or. But the brand on my horse is a combination of the "F" and "R" of the ranch's name. So if Ranger were to escape the ranch and someone found him elsewhere, they can call the brand inspector and they can identify him by his brand and return him to me."
"Now, how does the branding process cause his hair to grow white?"
"Wow, you're full of questions, aren't you?"
Zane looked away. "Sorry, but this is all new to me." He said. "It's in my nature to find out as much as I can about an unfamiliar subject."
"No, it's okay!" Hailey told him, feeling bad. "I just never had someone so interested in this before. The reason why the hair grows white is that in the process of freeze branding the iron is so cold it removes the pigment from the hair, or in lighter colored horses, the hair itself. To brand animals, you can use a hot or cold iron. In hot branding, you heat up the iron to a certain temperature and it scars the skin so hair doesn't grow back."
Zane took in all this information. "Very interesting indeed. And ingenious too."
Suddenly Hailey's phone rang. She took it out of her pocket and answered it.
"Hello? Oh, good morning Mrs. Vandleburg...I'm doing fine, thanks, yourself? Oh, that's great...You need someone to feed Frodo today?... Okay, yes I can see to it...Of course, you're welcome. Alright, talk to you later!"
Hailey put her phone back in her pocket.
"One of our neighbors asked if I could care for their horse today since they're coming back from vacation a day late." She told him. "I'll go grab a few things before I head out to the stables."
Hailey left and returned a few minutes later wearing a leather holster with a gun around her waist and a cream-colored wide-brimmed hat on her head. Zane gawked.
"What is that?" He asked her. Hailey rested a hand on her hat.
"This? It's a cowboy hat. But it's not just for looks. The wide brim helps keep the sun and rain out of your eyes and off your back."
Zane nodded. "I understand. This is all new for me."
"I'll bet," Hailey said, picking up the blanket and setting it on Ranger's back. "You have a ways to go."
Zane looked at her quizzically. "What? What do you mean?"
"I mean if you want to get back to Ninjago, you're gonna have to avoid arousing suspicion so you won't get caught by the authorities. If your cover is blown, I don't know what they'll do to you."
Zane thought about this. What if he was caught? What would happen to him? What would happen to Hailey and Samuel? What about his brothers and Ninjago?
"How do I ensure that I am not discovered?" Zane asked her.
Hailey paused in picking up Ranger's saddle off the ground. "You're gonna have to become one of us until we get can get you back."
"I'm sorry, become one of you? But I can't, I'm from Ninjago-"
"SHHHH!" Hailey hissed. "I know! But you have to. If you don't you'll stick out like a sore thumb and we'll never get you home."
Zane sighed as she realized she was right. But he loved his homeland. Would he be forced to shed what he was familiar with for the sake of blending in? What if he wasn't able to fit in with this culture? Or, what if Mt. Horn became so embedded in him that when he finally returned to Ninjago he had lost his ties with it forever?
"Zane, I know you're worried," Hailey told him as she swung the saddle on Ranger's back and tightened his cinch strap. "But it's the only way. And you're not going to be alone. Uncle Sam and I will be here every step of the way to show y'all the ropes."
"Okay..." Zane said hesitantly. "So...how does it work?"
"How does what work?"
"Being a Mt. Horn. What's there to it?"
Hailey finished bridling her horse. She struggled over what to say for a moment.
"It's something better shown than said." She said finally. "Words don't describe everything. You have to experience it to really understand."
"I see..." Zane said. "So...when do we start?" The sooner he learned, the sooner he could leave.
A wide smile came over Hailey's face as she walked Ranger out from the crossties. "We can start right now if you'd like! Horses are a huge part of our culture, and you'll get to see some today."
"But what do such animals like horses have to associate with your day-to-day life, much more for the purpose of me blending in?"
"Here. I'll tell you a little somethin'. Horses are the heart and soul of this here land. They were a gift given to us by our superiors to use and to help us. They helped us plant food, clear land, fight in wars, explore places, but even more, be a friend to someone who needs it most. Our history revolves around these animals, and without them," Hailey paused a moment to pat Ranger on the neck. "We just simply wouldn't survive."
Zane nodded slowly in understanding. These horses had more meaning to these people than he had ever thought before.
"I see." He said.
"So there." Hailey concluded. "That's why horses are something special. We owe 'em." She scratched Ranger's chin. She looked at Zane and a confused look came on her face.
"Although I'm not sure what we're gonna do about that..."
"About what?"
"Zane, you're silver."
Zane looked down at himself. "Oh, yes, I forgot my appearance is peculiar. Here," He rolled up the sleeve of his borrowed shirt and pressed a button on his arm panel. Hailey watched in awe as Zane's titanium skin flickered and suddenly he was a fair skin human with platinum blonde hair, even though his blue eyes still remained.
"Is this acceptable?" He asked her, the robotic echo also gone from his voice.
Hailey's jaw was on the floor. "How..."
"I just recently discovered I could do this. It's a hologram."
"That's cool!" She said. "I mean yeah, I can't even tell you're a nindroid."
"Then shall we get started?"
"Yup!" Hailey said. She put a foot in the stirrup and swung her leg over to sit in the saddle. She held out her hand. "Want a lift?"
Zane took her hand and she helped Zane into the saddle. Once he was settled, they rode down a long street that went down a hill through some trees before coming to an intersection. Beyond, the town of Elkhorn sprawled. The houses were mainly cabins with big yards and fenced pastures.
"This is where you live?" Zane asked, looking around at the town. Hailey nodded.
"Yup! This is Elkhorn. Not very big as you can tell, but it has all we need!"
As they rode and turned down some streets and roads, Zane took in the town. They began following a road that was well worn. They followed a driveway and clearing came into view. Hailey, Ranger, and Zane all came into it.
Upon first sight, the was a barn. It was painted a creamy yellow with a double slanted tin roof and the floor was paved with pavers. It open end to end and in some of the stalls horses were sticking their heads or noses out. Above the entrance was the Mt. Horn flag.
A few yards away was the crossties, where some horses were tied, and people either bathing, brushing or saddling them. There was a small pen where a bay horse was running around, tossing its head and occasionally bucking. Behind the barn was a large, roofed pen with high fences and sand for the floor. Back on the opposite side of the barn was a large shed with no front wall, giving the full view of all the hay bales and broken up straw stored in there, with an ATV hitched to a small trailer was parked, being filled with hay by a man throwing several bales into it. Next to that was a grain silo, where a larger trailer was. Through a row of redwoods, several large horse trailers were parked.
Past more pines behind the barn, Zane could see another barn and some sand-covered pens. Down the hill behind that were some pipe and covered pipe pens. Nearby was a house. The whole place was distributed among clumps of evergreens. The neighing and whinnies of horses, clinking of crosstie buckles, clopping hooves, a passing ATV carrying hay, a leaf blower, and various conversations filled the air.
Ranger pranced up to the front of the barn before Hailey slid off.
"Dandy place, huh?" She asked Zane. He nodded.
"Follow me." Hailey said. She took Ranger by the bit and led him to one of the empty crossties, shaded by a massive redwood tree. There she clipped the ropes to his bit.
Then the two walked into the barn. Stalls lined either end, some horses poking their heads out to watch them go by.
"Hey, John!" Hailey said.
A bearded man who was carrying hay from the ATV trailer and a reddish-brown block that stained his hands looked up. He was wearing work boots, dusty camo pants, a plain grey shirt that was soaked with sweat, a backward Raiders cap, and a red bandana.
"Hey there, Hailey! Haven't seen you around for a while." He replied. Then he noticed Zane. "Say, who's your friend there?"
"This is Zane," Hailey said. "A friend of mine. I brought him down here today. He used to live in the Silverton area, but he moved down here. Never had much contact with horses until now."
Hailey turned around and winked.
"Huh." John huffed. He dusted off his hands, took off his hat, and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his bandana. He held a hand out to Zane. "The name's John. If you need directions or anything of that sort, just ask."
"Nice to meet you, John," Zane said, accepting John's hand.
"How's Ranger?" He steered the conversation to Hailey. "I heard he got a sprained hock a few months ago, but I never got a chance to talk with you about it."
While Hailey and John got lost in their chat, Zane took the opportunity to take in more of the barn.
At the side of each stall that was used for horses, there was a sheet of paper encased in plastic. Zane went over to the nearest one, occupied by a red and white splotched horse with a black mane and tail. The name on the whiteboard sheet written in red expo marker read 'NAVAJO'. Below it were "Hay, Pellets, Supplements" on top of each other with "Morning, Lunch, Night" across the top, like a multiplication table divided into squares. In the squares were written the numbers "2" under "Morning" and "1" under "Night". Below it was a space for notes where the words "NO JUMPING" were written.
Posted on the walls were various charts and lists, such as horses listed for farrier service, veterinarian care, horses used for a list under 'Camp' (Zane wondered what that meant. A day camp, maybe?) feeding and supplement lists, medications, sign-ups, a board for things people were selling, and training schedules.
HONK!
"Ah!" Zane jumped. He looked at the front entrance of the barn.
There, walking through the doorway, was a goose!
HONK! It said. HONK!
Zane could only stare at the goose as it walked closer. Was it supposed to be there?
Zane looked over his shoulder to see either Hailey or John took notice, but they were still talking like nothing happened.
"Uh-" Zane began. He tugged on Hailey's sleeve.
"What?" She asked, turning around.
Zane pointed to the goose. "Do you have an explanation for that?"
Hailey cleared her throat.
"Ahem. Yes. That African Goose there is the pet of Sophia, one of the people who live on the property. His name is Rex."
HONK! Rex cried. Then he spread his wings, ran over, and hissed at Zane!
Zane scuttled back. Hailey laughed.
"You're scared of a goose?" John asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Rex!" A voice from outside the barn called. "Rex! Where'd you go?"
HONK! Rex called before flying out of the barn, spooking a couple of horses as he went by.
"The name sure is fitting for that waterfowl," Zane said, catching his breath after the scare.
"That's for sure." Hailey agreed.
"Hm-mm. That goose don't like nobody except for Sophia!"
"Avian animals tend to enjoy my company."
"All except for one."
"So what brought you down today?" John asked. "Your normal barrel racing training doesn't start until next month. And you've been away for a long time."
"The Vandleburgs need someone to take care of Frodo while they're on vacation. They called me up half an hour ago."
"And you brought him for?"
"Expand his horizons. Horse 101. As I said, he comes from Silverton, so he doesn't know much. But he wants to learn, so why not?" Hailey shrugged.
"Well then. But he has to wear a helmet if he's never been around a horse." John pointed to one of the three revised stalls where there was a fridge, a soda machine with an 'OUT OF ORDER" sign taped to it, and hooks, where helmets hung. These were either black or mostly dark-colored, and had a slight visor.
"Come on." Hailey said. She gestured Zane to follow. "Bye John. See you around."
John waved before hopping on the ATV and driving away.
Zane and Hailey found a fitting helmet before heading down to the lower barn. Zane watched a couple of people jumping in the arena as they walked by.
"Ugh, there's Magic," Hailey said, her eyes fixed on a big black horse trotting around the ring while being ridden by an older man. "Looking beautiful as always."
Zane and Hailey followed a path that lead down below.
"It's quieter down here," Hailey said. "Some horses become stressed when they're subjected to loud noises, so people pay more money to keep them here."
Zane nodded and looked around. Here, it was basically silent and free of the normal ruckus of the upper barn. The only thing heard were the trees, birds, and the nickers of the horses in the stall and the pasture next to it. A couple of horses were sticking their noses out to see the newcomers.
Hailey peered into a stall, which was unoccupied.
"Uh oh." She said. "That ain't good."
"What isn't good?"
"Little Trouble must've got out again," Hailey answered. She shook her head. "She does it all the time. That Shetland's the best escape artist I've ever seen."
Zane was about to ask what a Shetland was until he felt a slight bump on his leg. He looked down-
"Hailey?" Zane said.
"Yes?" She replied, still looking in the stall. "I don't know how she got out this time…"
"Is Little Trouble, say, almost a miniature horse?"
"Why yes." Hailey said. "They're ponies. Basically miniature hor-"
Hailey turned around and she gawked.
"What the-?!"
A dark brown pony with a shaggy brown mane and tail with white stubby legs and a white stripe blazing down its face was rubbing its head on Zane's leg!
"Aaaaaww." Hailey said, her heart melting. A big goofy grin passed over her face, replacing her gape. "She likes you!"
Zane was shocked. This was something he was NOT expecting.
"This is too cute! I wish I had my phone."
Zane looked down at the pony. He had to admit, it was rather adorable. He bent down onto one knee.
"May I pet the miniature horse?" Zane asked.
"No, go ahead," Hailey said. She came over and scratched Little Trouble on the neck. "She's really sweet and begs for attention. Not to mention that she's adorable!"
Zane petted the other side of Little Trouble's neck, underneath her thick mane.
"Alright," Hailey said. She took a halter from the empty crossties. "I think you've had enough petting for one day."
Little Trouble snorted, almost in disagreement. No! She seemed to say.
Hailey slipped the halter over Little Trouble's head and held one loop before leading the Shetland pony into her stall.
"Now that that's done," Hailey paused to shut the door and brush off her hands. "Back to business."
Zane followed Hailey to the far end of the barn.
"Can you get Frodo's halter and a lead rope for me?" She asked.
"Sure. How do I identify a halter as Frodo's?"
"There's a little brass plate on the strap with a name engraved into it. Just look for the one with his name on it."
Zane nodded and came back with the halter and lead rope. The halter was huge, much bigger compared to Little Trouble's.
"Thanks." Hailey said. "Stand back. Frodo's a little skittish around new people."
Zane stepped back as Hailey as she unlatched the door and walked in. What came out made Zane gasp.
A massive bay horse standing at least seven feet came out of the stall. It was broad-shouldered, barrel-chested, and had massive quarters. Its muscles rippled and quivered under the gleaming brown coat as it moved. The neck of the horse was thick and arched, which ran smoothly and joined flawlessly with its beautiful head, which carried neat ears, a white blaze down its face, and huge, alert eyes. The massive black legs covered in white silky hair that covered its hooves came thudding down each step.
"Wow," Zane whispered in awe.
Hailey saw Zane's face and grinned.
"Yup." She said. She patted the horse's shoulder. "Frodo's a big boy."
"Big would be an understatement," Zane replied. "This animal-Frodo, as you call him, must be at the very least five feet tall."
"He's 17.7 hands, to be exact," Hailey says.
"And how can you handle that big of a horse? One of that size must surely be difficult to control!" He added the last sentence a little loudly.
"Ssh. Not so loud." Hailey warned. "Frodo's a little spooky (skittish), remember?"
"Sorry." Zane apologized quietly. "But how do you manage a horse that size?"
"Frodo has a really good disposition, it's in their nature," Hailey answered. She led Frodo to the crossties and clipped the ropes to the halter.
"Alright," Zane said. "Does this horse have a particular use? He is considerably larger than Ranger or Gunsmoke, and you use them for transportation. Frodo is too big to fit a saddle on, by my calculations."
"We use Gunsmoke and Ranger when we go on some of our hunting trips." Hailey replied. "Gunsmoke is Uncle Sam's mount in the Mountain Guard, but he's been honorably discharged now. And Ranger is the horse I use for ranch work and competitions. But yes, Frodo's a draft horse."
"A draft horse?"
"Yup. A draft horse is a horse that pulls big carts and carriages and does heavy farm work." Hailey explained "The Vandleburgs put Frodo in weight pulling competitions at farm shows. Shires are considered to be the biggest draft of them all."
"And exactly how many breeds of horses are there of what colors?" Zane asked. He walked over to Hailey and Frodo.
"Listen Zane," Hailey said. She let Frodo nibble her fingers with his lips. "Horses come in all shapes and sizes, different breeds bred for different uses, and as far as the colors go, the possibilities are endless. Chestnut, brown, black, gray, I can go on and on, not to mention there's various face and leg markings and patterns for a coat. New horse breeds are constantly being developed for new jobs."
It took a moment for Zane's processer to take in everything she just said.
"Watch out behind you." She said. "Here comes Hermit. He ain't exactly the horse you'd want to be around."
Zane looked over and saw a fat, old looking horse being led by a young woman in a vest. The horse was fat in the stomach but bony in the legs, grey around his muzzle, squinty eyes, and a basically overall disgusted look. The horse's coat was black and had a brown-black mane and tail.
Hermit saw Frodo, raised his head, pinned his ears back, and bared his teeth.
"Quit!" His handler said, yanking on the lead to bring his head back down. "Sorry about that." She said to Hailey and Zane. "He's not the happiest horse in the barn."
"It's alright," Hailey said.
The girl kept Hermit two crossties away, but he still evil-eyed Frodo from a distance before walking away.
"That seems to be a rather ornery horse," Zane said. As if answering, Hermit stomped on the ground and seemed to shoot Zane a look.
"A hoss is the correct term for a horse like Hermit."
"Define hoss."
"A hoss is a word we use to describe a bad-tempered or wild horse. Stating again, not the nicest to be around."
Zane eyed Hermit cautiously, who in turn pawed a hoof and let a breath from his nose and bared his teeth.
"I know," Hailey said. "He don't like no one."
She tapped Zane on the shoulder. He turned around.
"What is it?"
"Can you watch Frodo for me? I have to get his grooming box."
Zane nodded. Hailey walked away to leave him alone with Frodo.
Frodo held his head particularly high, so Zane had to look up to see the horse's face.
"Hello there, Frodo," Zane said. He held up a hand. Frodo bent down and smelled it. Then he lightly nosed his hand. Zane took this as a sign of acceptance and stroked his nose. "May I say how incredible you look today."
Frodo nickered before bending down to scratch his face on his leg.
"Let me get that for you," Zane said and scratched what he thought where the itchy spot was. Frodo nickered in appreciation.
"You are quite a massive horse," Zane said. Frodo nickered, almost in agreement.
Frodo stuck his nose out, and at first, Zane thought he could bite, but instead the Shire nudged as his chest.
Zane chuckled and rubbed the white blaze on his face.
"Aren't you a friendly one?"
Frodo again nuzzled Zane.
'Yes'. Zane thought. 'He is quite the personality.'
Frodo turned his head to the side to get a full view of Zane. Strangely enough, the nindroid found himself staring deep into the horse's eye.
It was a deep, chocolate brown and by far the largest Zane had seen. There was a spark in it, a spark of liveliness and spirit.
He also noticed his own reflection in the eye. Then he wondered: what did the horse see? How did it see him? Do horses judge? Can they judge? How did this horse view him as-
Suddenly there was an explosive snort from Frodo's nose, which sent horse snot and slobber flying everywhere and all over Zane!
"Gah!" Zane yipped as mucus sprayed onto the just-cleaned collared shirt that Samuel had given him.
That thought coming to mind, Zane looked down and was dismayed to see it spattered with green.
"Samuel will not be at all ecstatic about this…" He muttered. He shook his head and looked at Frodo.
One ear back, the other forward, Frodo seemed absolutely calm and unashamed.
"Do you have a sinus problem?" He asked the horse. He petted Frodo's velvety nose. "You have your nasal phlegm painted on my shirt." He gestured to it.
Frodo seemed to crane his head, see the damage, and fold both ears back with a regrettable expression. He snorted softly. "Oops." He seemed to say.
Zane saw this and laughed.
"It's alright." He said, scratching Frodo's chin. "Accidents happen."
Suddenly and angry snort made both of them look up.
Hermit was again baring his teeth and stomping his hoof, glaring death at Zane and Frodo.
A glimpse of red caught Zane's eye. Hermit swished his tail, turned around, and glared at a red ribbon in his tail and tried to pull it out, with no avail.
Zane stopped petting Frodo, thinking and watching as Hermit went between glaring at Zane and angrily trying to yank the ribbon out, which was clearly bothering him.
The red ribbon in his tail appears to be agitating Hermit. He thought.
Hermit again tried to pull the ribbon out, but it slipped from his teeth, making him pin his ears, stomp a hoof, throw his head into the air, and neigh in frustration.
Maybe taking the ribbon out would give him a better day…
Zane stepped away from Frodo, walking around and to the crossties' backside.
Frodo made a worried snort as Zane walked behind him. The nindroid took no heed. He came behind the cranky old horse, who was still throwing a fit. Zane grabbed Hermit's swishing tail.
"Let me get this out for you…" Zane said.
Hermit froze at the feeling of his tail being grabbed. He lowered his head, bared his teeth, and turned around to see Zane behind him. He tried to swish his tail.
"Hold still," Zane said, keeping a firm grip on it. "Allow me to get this knot."
Hermit pinned his ears and snorted, pawing. He hated it when people handled his tail. It was time to teach this person a lesson.
Hermit cocked his back leg.
It was at this moment Hailey returned with the grooming box.
"So after this," she started to say, yet to notice Zane was with Hermit. "We put Frodo-"
Hailey stopped, confused when she saw Frodo alone.
Hailey looked around, gasped, and dropped the grooming box, her eyes tripling in size. Panic seized her throat.
"ZANE NO-" She started.
But it was too late because at that exact moment Hermit brought up both back hooves and kicked an unsuspecting Zane full-force in the upper stomach.
CLANG!
That was the sound of iron-shod hooves striking a titanium exoskeleton with about two thousand pounds per square inch behind it.
Hailey watched as Zane flew clear off the ground before crashing into the dirt.
"Oh my god!" Hailey said before running to see if Zane was alright. "Zane!"
She ran up to Zane and dragged him out of the way of the horse's hooves.
"Zane, are you okay?!" Hailey cried, setting him down.
Thankfully, Zane was fully conscious but he was clutching his chest area and his face was contorted with pain.
"Yes…" Zane gasped. "Hermit just kicked me."
"I saw that," Hailey said quickly. She started making a mental checklist. This had happened to both her and Samuel before. "Is there anything broken?"
"I don't know…" Zane said. "Let me run a system check…"
Zane was quiet for a few moments before he came up with the results.
"A couple of my wires are knocked out of place," Zane paused to heave a deep breath. "But everything else appears fully functional."
"Are those wires vital?" Hailey asked, worried. Spending more time with him, Hailey had learned that wires to Zane are what veins and arteries are to humans and various systems were internal organs. And one of those were damaged, bad thing were bound to happen.
Zane shook his head.
"No…" He said through gritted teeth. "They just go to my funny and battering ram switches in my arm…my self-repair system will fix that by tomorrow afternoon, by my calculations…"
Hailey breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good." She said. "Where did Hermit kick you?"
"Chest area..." Zane replied.
Hailey was about to take his shirt off to see how bad it was, but if anyone came down and saw Zane bleeding, they would see the silver blood.
"Shit. Never mind that," Hailey said. "Zane, I need you to cooperate with me on this one."
"What?"
I can't see how bad it is, so I'll have to feel around. I'm warnin' you right now, it's gonna hurt like hell. But I need to do it."
Zane nodded. "Do it."
Zane felt Hailey press near his neck.
"Is it here?" She asked.
"No." Zane croaked.
Hailey went farther down to his right side of his middle chest.
"Here?"
Zane shook his head.
"Here?"
"Too high…"
Hailey went lower.
"Right here?"
"A little to the left…"
"Right here, right?"
Hailey pressed on the sweet spot of where Zane was kicked, a crack in his exoskeleton where Hermit's horseshoe had dug into it.
Zane gasped in pain and tried to squirm away, but Hailey kept him in place with a surprisingly iron grip.
"Hold still," Hailey said. "Lemme get an idea on the damage…"
Hailey felt around the kick "wound", feeling the bumps and dents, all the while Zane trying to bear with it. The slightest touch of a finger sent a stabbing pain through his whole body, so with Hailey prodding it, it wasn't the best feeling in the world.
"Oh damn. Zane, don't panic, but I think you're bleeding…"
Zane nodded curtly.
"I know.." He said.
"I can only feel a couple of wet spots, so it's not gushing," Hailey said. "Here. Put this on your bleeding areas." She took off her bandana and handed it to Zane, who took it with a shaky hand. "You think you can walk?"
Zane stood up with Hailey's help. He was okay enough to walk. She sat him down in the shade of the pine he was standing under not long ago.
As it turns out, Hailey wasn't the only one to hear the ringing noise of Hermit striking out.
(At the arena)
Richard was riding Magic, his Friesan, preparing him for a hunter show later that week.
"Excellent." He said when Magic changed from a trot to a canter without missing a beat. "Moves like a charm."
Richard patted Magic's neck and brought him to a walk. They were about to do a flying lead change-
CLANG!
Magic sprang ten feet into the air and would've bolted, had it not been for Richard's quick thinking to jump off and calm him down. Magic fought against his hold but Richard kept a firm hand.
"Ho, Magic!" Richard said to the spooked horse. "Easy now!"
Magic stopped fighting and came back down to earth, but he was still quivering with fear. Richard patted his neck.
"Good boy." He said. "That's my good Magic."
What was that sound? Richard thought as he petted Magic's nose.
(At the top crossties)
CLANG!
A farrier trimming Scarlet's hooves jumped and looked at the van.
"Gilan!" The farrier said. His friend stuck his head out. "Was that you?"
"No." Gilan replied. "Did you hear that?"
(Down in the field below)
CLANG!
"Sugar honey ice tea!" John cursed as he dropped a bucket full of water, drenching his pants. "Butterfingers!"
As John picked the bucket and throwing it in the trailer hitched to the ATV, he could've sworn he heard Dakota, the big bay horse in the pen, sniggering.
(At the driveway)
CLANG!
"Cloudy!" Cassidy scolded. "Quit that!"
The flea-bitten pony being loaded into a trailer looked at her quizzically.
'But I didn't kick this time!' Cloudy mentally complained. He voiced his sass with a loud snort.
...
"Owowowowowow," Zane said as he was helped onto the couch by Samuel. "Ow!"
"Sorry." Samuel apologized.
"It's not your fault," Zane replied. He tried to shift his position. "It just-ow-just hurts a little."
"Well, here, just lay down and relax for a little bit. Then we'll see from there." Samuel said, handing him a bag of ice that Hailey had just handed to him. "Put this on your chest. It'll help."
Zane took the ice and set on his abdomen, who winced as the slight sting of the cold biting the dent and crack.
After he got kicked, Zane sat under the tree until Hailey went to the barn office and called for Samuel to pick them up. He rode in the truck bed and Hailey rode beside them back to the house, where they helped him inside, cleaned and dressed his crack, and settled him onto the couch.
"Are you alright?" Samuel asked. Zane nodded.
"Yes." He said. "I am okay. I will be completely repaired by tomorrow. No more walking behind horses for me."
Samuel nodded. "Good." He then turned to Hailey.
"Follow me. You need a talking-to, young lady." He said, voice turning stern and hard as a rock.
Zane heard Hailey gulp before following her uncle upstairs.
There was the click of a door shutting. The sound of voices came down the stairs, but they were mostly indistinguishable, so Zane gave up on trying to hear what they were talking about.
The sound of scrabbling paws alerted Zane of Juneau's arrival, and a few seconds later there was a wet nose sniffing Zane's hand.
"Hello, Juneau," Zane said. He scratched behind his ear.
Juneau wagged his tail and licked Zane's face. Zane chuckled.
Coo!
Beibeis came gliding in, sitting on the foot end of the couch.
Zane held out a hand and Beibeis fluttered onto it. He pet the place where Beibeis liked it most before she flew up onto the rafters.
Eventually, Juneau left to sleep on his dog bed, which was under the window in the corner, which left Zane basically alone. Then he heard the sound of a door opening from upstairs and Hailey and Samuel coming back down. Zane craned his neck and saw that the serious look he would presume to be on Samuel's face based on his tone was gone, but traces of a frown still remained. Hailey seemed a little more solemn than usual and was keeping a little more distance from him than usual, so Zane assumed she got a harsh lecture.
"Feeling any better?" Samuel asked, coming up to the couch. Hailey slipped outside, not uttering a word.
Zane nodded. "The ice is very effective."
"Great." Samuel sighed. He looked out the window, where Hailey was hauling her saddle back to the tack shed. "Scolded her like there was no tomorrow. I'm really sorry that happened, she should've never left you alone like that, especially a horse as big as Frodo or as ornery as Hermit."
"No," Zane said, shaking his head. "It's okay. She told me to stay and watch Frodo, and I should've asked her before I went over to undo the ribbon."
"It's not okay. People die from getting kicked. That horse would've made you bite the ground if it struck you in the right spot. That dent, it could've been a gaping hole or a whole lot worse."
Zane nodded his understanding. Just then the door opened back up again and Hailey came inside. Beibeis flew over and landed on the rail post.
Hailey slipped her boots off before heading upstairs, stroking Beibeis as she went by. She didn't make any eye contact with either of them.
"But despite all those dangerous factors," Zane started. "There is something I would like to learn."
Hailey paused her ascent up the stairs to listen. Samuel raised an eyebrow.
"And that would be?" He asked.
"I would like to learn how to ride a horse."
Hailey and Samuel looked at each other. They were clearly shocked.
"Zane," Hailey began. "Being a Mt. Horn isn't just about riding horses, I mean, some people who can't afford them have ATVs instead since they're street legal and all here."
"Are you sure about that?" Samuel asked. "Riding a horse isn't as easy as it seems, you aren't just sitting there."
"Yup," Hailey said. "The horse don't think for you. You have to tell it where to go."
"I am positive." Zane declared. "If I am to blend in with you, I must learn your ways."
Samuel Hailey both looked at each other again and shrugged.
Weeeellll, things just got a little more interesting. Ladies and gents, from this point on, Zane learns how to be like a Mt. Horn, from riding a horse to a grand adventure (No spoilers!), it's where the fun really begins. Now for a really important question: What do you want to see for the next chapter? Zane's riding lessons? What about a chapter visiting Morro and his ghastly allies? Or maybe a chapter completey in Samuel's P.O.V? I kinda feel like I've been neglecting him a little as to describing his personality and as a character in general. Answer me in a review, and do it quick, because I will NOT start writing until I get a decent amount! And I'm off on a road trip soon so be quick! No pressure :)