The Curse

Chapter 1 Adoption

(Dark Shadow)

*Life at the orphanage is a fair life. We aren't a really close orphanage we live more out of the way. We are all fine with that tho. Occasionally we get some people that pass by us. All of the older kids have either been adopted or moved out to start their own family. One day while I was doing my chores and had come back from them I walked into the nuns office to ask her a question as soon as I did two men suddenly said.*

"Well take her."

*I had no idea what to make of this situation.The nun passed the paperwork forward and they signed then brought me outside to two
geldings and a black ebony three year old stallion.*

"So what's your name?"

"Ivy....so would you be my parents now,.... or brothers?"

*The two looked at each other then back at me.*

"More like body guards. You do know how to ride right?"

*The two had now mounted the two geldings leaving only the stallion.*

"Theoretically yes, otherwise no."

"Well you will learn fast."

"Shouldn't I be riding a more broken horse for the first time?"

" It's better to learn to ride more wild horse that way you will want to ride them more."

* I am going to die! I looked at the stallion and he looked at me. I walked up to it cautiously and started to pet it.*

"So what's his name?"

"Well that is going to be your horse now so you can decide what to call him."

"Dark Shadow....how do I get on him?"

*One of my adopters that wore a patch over his eye came and lifted me onto him. The stallion didn't move to my relief.*

"You will learn exactly how to stop him and make him go on your own."

*The two started to walk off with a cluck and a kick. I tried doing the same thing but Dark Shadow wouldn't move. I tried to kick him harder still nothing. I relaxed my body giving up on him moving then he sprung to life and started to gallop off.*

"Help!!!"

"There you go you got it!"

*I am going to die! Dark Shadow was starting to get farther and farther away from my adopters which I have yet to get their names. I was flying every which way on Dark Shadow and bouncing up and down. Finally I got use to his rythem and I was able to turn him around. I was way out of control with him. Thankfully my companions stayed close enough to see me but far enough not to get in my way. Once I had gotten into his rhythm not even a eighth of the way to our destination I had figured out how to get him to turn and slow down I had also learned his jog is horrendous but his gallop is flawless and he is super fast. My companions were now drawing up closer to me now that I had more control over Dark Shadow and I slowed him to a walk.*

"Good job you didn't fall off."

"Can I ask you your names now that I almost lost my lunch?"

"Sure,you will be traveling with us for awhile. Our names are Kyle and Taz."

*I was already sore from riding but apparently we had a lot longer of a journey to continue on. I slumped over on Dark Shadow as I sat in the saddle that was far too big for me and fell asleep hugging onto and burying my hands in his mane. I would feel myself falling off of Dark Shadow or Shade for short and I would jerk awake before I fell off.I had learned quiqly how to stay on and not fall off. Kyle,Taz and I made camp under the stares I was so sore and tired I could hardly stay awake.*

"Ok Ivy,just this once will we untack your horse, but tomorrow you tack and untack him."

*I nodded absentmindedly. I felt like I had just gone to sleep when I was being shaken awake. It wasn't even daylight yet!!*

"Come on its time to get up. Trouble is coming and it's going to take you a bit to figure out how to tack your horse."

*Taz was the one who was talking to me. He was the one with an eyepatch a bit older than Kyle which had green eyes and blond hair, in contrast to Taz's black hair and blue eyes. I walked groggily up to Shade and threw on a saddle blanket. It was crookied so Taz help to straighten it since I couldn't  reach so high to a eighteen hand horse.Itried to pick up the saddle but it was really heavy and I couldn't reach so high.I felt Taz's hands grab my waist as I held the saddle and I threw it on Shade.*

"Thanks."

*I went around and unhooked the girth and pulled out the straps and started to synch Shade up. Taz made sure it was secure and went behind me and got he tightened the bit I couldn't tighten. I saw Kyle coming in the distance with
some people chasing behind him.I had thankfully gotten the bit in Shades mouth so I pulled and tightened the throat latch Taz tossed me up on Shade and he mounted his grey Arabian racer as Kyle approached on his buckskin Arabian racer we took off Shade was slow at first but he sped up quiqly from the people dressed in black.*