The Yard.

Chapter 2 - The Stranger

I don't know why I bolted like that, it didn't seem right, it couldn't have been right, I felt soooo stupid right now for just bolting like that, I wasn't the type who ran away from silly little things like that. luckily for me Keano knew where he was going so I was able to let the reins hang loose whilst I zoned out, I replayed the whole day so far, replaying what happened to try and find out what I had missed ... being reunited with him... joking with him... him helping me... nothing made sense, I was so angry with myself for not noticing anything, by the time I paid attention to where I was and what I was doing, Keano was already slowing to a stop, I gazed around at the Grazing Fields around me hesitant to dismount just yet whilst I was debating whether to dismount and looking around I could feel myself slowly relaxing more and more. I hadn't noticed that I had been keeping myself so tense whilst riding.

I could hear the regular beat of another horse cantering down the track behind me and I naturally tensed back up again, I twisted around in the saddle to see Blue coming down the track riding Red and as no surprise with no saddle or bridle. Typical. She was closing in fast but she managed to slow Red down, I could see that her face was plastered with worry as to my sudden take off, sometimes she knew me too well, yes she felt like a sister to me now but thankfully she doesn't know everything about me. She pulled Red up beside me.

"What happened back there Kyra?" her voice was ragged from riding but was still audible through all the short sharp breaths.

"What areee you on about?” I tried to play innocent as-if nothing interesting had happened

"Hmmm let me thinkkkk, your sudden take off with no explanation what so ever?" I knew what she meant but I wasn't going to let on to anything

"Ahhhhh that sudden take off... well I thought that you might have guessed that I was testing Keano’s reaction to a quick mount and takeoff." I smiled at her as-if to finish my point, but I knew I looked shifty but as I tried to hide it, it made it more obvious so she left the subject for a while, Blue relaxed and laid back on Red whilst I started to pace around her on the back of Keano, I heard a small giggle from the direction of where Blue was I looked over at her with a confused gaze

"What you giggling at Blue?"

"Your riding technique" I looked at her with the expression of you must be joking

"What are you on about, what's wrong with my riding technique?"

"You need to sit up and straighter more than you already are, it will improve your balance for you and your horse and also improve your control"

"Right... and this is coming from someone who rides with no saddle or bridle and is giving me advice on posture when she is currently LAYED on her horse..." she took the point and was hesitant on her response

"Yeeeaaahhh... but...YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!"  I didn't respond to it as I couldn't be asked to, I dismounted Keano and continued to walk aimlessly into the field to our left, I let go of Keano's reins and plonked myself under the tree, I watched as Blue slide off Red and came to join me. We watched as the horses watched us then with a grunt started chomping on the grass. Typical boys, food on the brain.

After a few minutes of just lazying around and teasing Blue about this and that, she challenged me to a race through the woods and into the next clearing, I wasn't in the mood to race her so I let her pull ahead bit by bit with her competitive side I don’t think she really noticed that I had dropped back, as I saw the woods closing in I thought about going around them but before I had a chance to decide, Keano had made it for me. Straight through. Yes it was a short trip but with all the ducks and dives I had to do with all the fricking trees it made it seem longer than it was.