Runaway horse

[Carrie/Taylor/Olivia]

Carrie

Storm ahd been acting restless today in the stall, so naturally, I decided to take her out. A wild snort escaped her as we trotted over the land now, every now and then, I'd allow for her to break into a quick canter. It was funny, when I had been told that I was coming here, I thought I was going to be on lockdown 24.7, but that's clearly not the case, plus, Free Hearts had a lot of land to explore, bigger than my dad's ranch, I'd almost say. Half way through our ride though, Storm suddenly stopped, staring at something and I glanced at her, "What is it, girl?" I asked, nudging her slightly and her ears merely flickered and a hoof stamped the ground in defiance. A sigh escaped me, I really didn't want this now, "Come on, Storm," I said now, nudging her again and my little black mare took a few steps forward when I saw it: a rattle snake. It shot forward without much of a warning and Storm quickly reared up. I hadn't been expecting it at all, so when the arch of her neck hit me flat in the face, I was pratically a goner. I hit the ground with a loud thump, pratically knocking the wind out of me as Storm rushed past the snake now, leaving me behind in the dust, although, that really wasn't what worried me right now, but the snake staring straight at me, "Is anybody out there?!" I yelled.

[Natalie "Envy" Adams]

Tobias

I had decided to take Esca, my pony, out on a trail today. After all, we hadn't been here for too long and it seemed like a good idea to know the lands surrounding free hearts. Never know when such knowledge might come in handy. Besides, I could tell that Esca enjoyed escaping the stalls and the paddocks and was able to exlpore the real world. It must have been interesting for him, being out in the wilderness again, something I'm sure he hadn't done for a while. A snort escaped him as he tried to speed up a little, but I held him back. No sense in letting him getting away with what he wanted and letting it result in getting dumped.

After all, I may trust him with a lot of things, but I would never forget that he was a pony, and they tended to have minds of their own. When he haulted on a hill, his ears twitched, staring out. I too, could not help bu to take in the scenery as well as feel the cool breeze on my face. My thoughts of peace and quiet were not there for long though as Esca let out a shrill whinny, staring off somewhere. It did not take me long to figure out at what though. Out of no where, I saw a black horse jetting across the fields now, standing out against the green. I might have thought it was wild if it were not for the western tack upon it

"Is anybody out there?!" came a voice now, slightly faint, but I could sense the worry in the voice. A girl's voice. Clicking my tounge, I nudged my little pony and he quickly shuffled off, happy to move now. We ran down the hill with speed I didn't know he pocessed as we headed towards the voice now. Up a head, I caught sight of a girl now on the ground, and before her, a snake. Already, Esca's ears pinned back, but it seemed that he showed no signs of stopping. I pulled back slightly, and he slowed down, pulling at the reins just as we were on top of hte snake now.

Arching his neck, he stomped the ground, kicking at the snake as I hoped down and with one swift motion of my boot, launched the snake away. It almost seem to fly before it hit the ground, slithering a way. Besides me, Esca let out a gleeful whinny at our team work, "Well, that was exiciting," I commented now with a grin to my pony before glancing over at the girl now and walked over, crouching down, "Are you okay?"

[Carrie/Taylor/Olivia]

Carrie

I felt like I was staring down that snake, scooting back slightly as it flickered it's tounge out at me. Honestly, it was like staring death in the face almost. No wonder Storm hadn't wanted to move, she had sensed the snake. I really needed to pay attention more to my surroundings. I bit my lip, thinking about how I was now horseless and stuck out in the middle of nowhere,a nd even though I had screamed for help, the reality of somebody acutally being out here was slim to none. It moved forward now, closer, and I could hear it's rattler going. Maybe this would be the end of my life as I know it. Of course, no sooner than those thoughts flashed before me, I caught sight of a horse and rider coming towards me. The horse was small, maybe it was a pony instead though, and it was quick to leap upon the snake, stomping it's hooves around before it's ridier got off and kicked away the snake. The moment it happened, a sigh of relief escaped me as the rider came over now. A boy. He crouched down, "Are you okay?" he asked me. I nodded my head now, "Yeah. I am. Thanks," and of course, my horse came back into my thouhgts, "Although, my horse ran off....did you see a black horse anywhere?"

[Natalie "Envy" Adams]

Tobias

She looked in a daze almost, and for two seconds, I thought that she might nto be alright. Of course, I'm sure coming face to face with a rattle snake could be a rather traumatizing thing for people. Thankfully though, she did finally answer me before asking about her horse afterwards. My mind wandered back to the black horse that Esca and I had seen cutting cross the land, western tack and all. That must have been her horse, "Yeah, I did see a black horse. I think it was cutting back towards Free Hearts, at least in that direction."

I glanced back over at Esca now for a moment, who was merely pulling up grass roots with his strong teeth. Obviousally, some sort of reward for his bravery, at least, that's what I was assuming what was going through his mind. Of course, I was thinking about something else, but after a moment, I came to the conclusion that he probably could very well support two riders, "But we can't get your horse with you still sitting on the ground like that, now can we?" I helped pull the girl up to her feet now before whisling slightly.

My gray pony quickly picked up his head now and glanced over, ears twitching at the sound before walking over now. He nudged me with his head and I merely rolled his eyes, "So, this is my pony. We're going to ride together so we can get your horse. Anyways, I know my saddle is a little different...but that's okay, since I'll be doing most of the riding." After all, half the time, people kinda of just stare at my saddle like it came from Mars rather than Australia. A snort escaped my pony now, "Right, manners. I'm Tobias, this is Esca," I siad now, smiling.

After all, strangers offering rides always seemed a little odd. Best give her my name anyways. I hoped onto my pony now and then scootted forward in the saddle now, allowing her room to get on, "Well? Hop on."

[Carrie/Taylor/Olivia]

Carrie

"Yeah, I did see a blac horse. I think it was cutting back towards free Hearts, at least in taht direction," he replied now. Thank god, at least she was some what safe. Storm had enough intitution to stay out of trouble most of the time. I could only hope that she didn't end up running into a wild herd or into those rustlers that Cody ahd been telling me about earlier, "But we can't get your horse with you still sitting on teh ground like that, now can we?" He asked me now, helping me up to my feet. My head spinned for a moment, and I reached up to feel my forehead as if that would solve everything, "No, I guess we can't," I said with a grin now. My eyes glanced over towards the gray pony now who walked over to stand by his owner, "So, this is my pony. We're going to ride together so we can get your horse. Anyways, I know my saddle is a little different...but that's okay, sinc I'll be doing most o the riding....right, manners. I'm Tobias, this is Esca," the boy told me. My eyes glanced over at the saddle, it looked like a cross between an english and western saddle. Sorta odd looking, but I suppose it would do. Tobias was quickly into his saddle now, "Well? Hop on." he said now. I merely stared at the pony for a moment ,"Uh...can he really support our weight?" Although, I guess I should jsut get on anyways. Sitting my foot in the stirrup, I swung myself up on the saddle, "Oh, and I'm Carrie by the way."

[Natalie "Envy" Adams]

Tobias

Esca glanced over at the girl now, his ears twitching slightly as he stomped the ground impaitentally, "Now, now," I murmuered, patting his shoulder as Carrie asked about weight. Laughter escaped me, "He can. He's a good little guy, it takes a lot to slow him down." After a moment, she finally stuck her foot in the stirup and hopped on now and also introduced herself, "Well Carrie, might want to hold on...it is a pleasure to meet you though," I said with a grin.

With that, I nudged Esca in his sides and he quickly took off into a canter now as we headed back in the direction in which we came from. He was quick to pick up his feet up high over uncharted ground to which he did not know well. To say we were a blur though was a rather overexageration, "Do you think your hrose would just return to free hearts? I feel like that's the one place where she would know very well by now."

[Carrie/Taylor/Olivia]

Carrie

"He can. He's a good little guy, it takes a lot to slow him down," Tobias replied, clearly thinking that I asked silly questions. I almost felt like I was getting chastized by an adult, "Well Carrie, might want to hold on..it is a pelasure to meet you though," he replied with a grin. I just stared at him for a moment. Hold on? Where? I glanced around but of course, his toroso was his only option. I rolled my eyes, this was stupid. Before I could even say anything htough, the gray pony took off and I quickly grasp hold of Tobias's torso before Esca could run out from under me. I glanced around, keeping a look out for my black horse to stand out against the greens, "Do you think your horse would just return to free hearts? I feel that would be the one place where she would know very well by now." I bit my lip, thining, "I hope so," I replied, after all, it was my only shot, "The wild herds dont' come this close to the town anyways, do they?"

[Natalie "Envy" Adams]

Tobias

I simply shrugged at her words, "I wouldn't think so. If anything, I would think that all the human action would keep the wild herds at bey anyways. The horses probably don't consider them important anyways." I replied now, "What's all of this coern with wild horses anyways? I thought we were looking for your horse," after all, at least, I thought that had been the main concern.

Occ: writer's block. Sorry!

[Carrie/Taylor/Olivia]

Carrie

I saw his shoulders shrug for a moment as we continued to ride across the lands, "I wouldn't think so. If anyting, I would think that all the human action would keep the wild herds at bey anyways. The horses probably don't consider them important anyways," he said. There was a pause before he continued on, "What's all of ths concern with wild horses anwyays? I htought we were looking for your horse." It was true, we were looking for Storm. A sigh escaped me, "She used to be wild. I always have these nightmares that she'll leave me for the wild again to be free."

[Natalie "Envy" Adams]

Tobias

For a moment, I almost didn't think that she was going to answer me. There was this heavy silence that seemd to hang in the air, the only thing breaking it was the hoof beats coming from underneath us and the occasional snort escaping my pony. Finally though, Carrie answered it. I bit my lip, thinking for a moment as I pulled back on Esca's reins, slowing him back down to a walk. Turning in my saddle now, I glanced back over my shoulder at her, "I'm sure you have a strong bond with your horse, and wild horses or not, nothing would break that bond for her."