~By the Lion's Mane: The Call~

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

I crawled back over to peek over the top of the stall, but when I did, he was right there. I mean, right there.

I gasped and jumped back, and Anduril scrambled to his feet. The boy's eyes widened in surprise, and he crossed his arms.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my papa's barn?" he demanded of me, dark blue eyes narrowed in suspicion.

My mouth opened and closed a few times, before I finally managed to make words come out. "I-I'm Rose. I wasn't going to steal anything; I was just trying to get out of the rain last night."

He raised one eyebrow. He had shaggy brown hair that fell in his eyes. A few freckles sprinkled across his nose and cheeks, and his arms were tan and muscular from working in the sunny fields.

"I-I'll leave now. I was going to leave before dawn, I promise, but I overslept."

He nodded. I bent down and picked up my things, and, even though he would follow me, I tied a rope to the worn halter that Andy now wore. People would think it was strange if I rode him with no bridle or way of controlling him. I pretended to lead him and we went through the open barn door, out into the sunlight.

The farm boy followed me. I started down the dirt road, avoiding the muddiest spots and puddles, but he called out to me.

"Wait," he called.

I turned back around to look at him in surprise.

"Why don't you at least stay for breakfast?" he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

I stared at him, pausing. It sounded so good, and my stomach growled, deciding for me. It been forever since I'd had a hot, home-cooked meal.

"Well... All right. But I'll leave right after."

He nodded, giving me a half smile. "You can put your horse back in the stall, and I'll fork him some hay. He looks like he could use it."

Once Andy was happily munching away, the boy led me up to the farm house. It was a two-story gray brick building with blue shutters. There were flowers planted around the base and a small vegetable garden around the side. I saw a well out back.

"I'm Benjamin by the way, but you can call me Ben." He stuck out his hand, and I shook it, introducing myself as Rose.

He kicked off his muddy boots on the back porch, and I did the same. Then he pushed open the door and called, "Mother! Set out another place! We have a guest!"

My face flushed. Ben led me into the kitchen, where a plump middle-aged woman was bustling about, frying eggs and bacon and buttering toast. My mouth started watering at the wonderful smell. She looked up at me and raised her eyebrows.

"And who is this?" she asked.

Her hair was also brown like Ben's, but had a few streaks of gray in it now. She had kind gray eyes lined with crow's feet, and her faces had a few wrinkles around her mouth. I could tell she liked to smile, and relaxed a bit.

Ben spoke up. "This is Rose. I found her sleeping in Joey's old stall. She has a horse."

At that moment, Ben's father strode into the kitchen. He was a giant bear of a man, with a black beard and graying hair.

"Sleeping in the horse stall, was she?" he boomed. The skin around his eyes crinkled in crow's feet as he grinned. My face burned a deeper shade of red.

Ben's mother spoke next. "Look how thin you are! Poor dear, you're skin and bones! But we'll fatten you up soon enough!" She heaped eggs and bacon and toast onto a plate and sent me to the table. "Wash first!" she exclaimed to us all.