Northwind Ranch: Book 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

~Chris~

Chris had been up since 4:00 AM feeding the horses and mucking out the stalls. Now he waited with Styx for the people who were supposed to arrive at 10. He watched as Apollo ran around a horse field with the horses that were sent ahead for the people. Chris was worried about the people disturbing the peace at the ranch. He watched as he saw a car full of 3 people and a driver pull up.

~America~

America sighed and looked around at her companions. "So this is it " she said to them. She looked out the window and saw a boy waiting for them. He smiled and waved at the car when they pulled up.

~Alexa~

Alexa hopped out of the car and wasted no time racing behind to where the truck and horse trailer were. She immediately opened up the doors and was greeted with a whinny from Legend. "It's okay boy," she soothed, untying him.

~Jake~

Jake sighed and got out, slowly walking over to the stable hand. He was so not going to enjoy this little farm adventure.

~America~

America hoped out of the car. She made a face at the smell. She noticed a dog out of the corner of her eye bounding towards her. "Ick." She said.

America went to the back of the truck to grab her suitcase. She was disgusted by the farm and all of the animals. She was especially disgusted that Chris seemed to enjoy animals.

~Chris~

Chris smiled as Jake walked up to him. He held out his hand. "Hi! I'm Chris, the stable hand." He said enthusiastically. "If you ever need anything I am the guy to come to." He added.

Jake shook his hand and forced a smile, "Thanks." At least Chris was nice.

~Alexa~

Alexa led her shiny black stallion out of the trailer and opened up the backseat of the truck for Nanook to hop out. She then led Legend towards the others and stopped where Chris was. "What stall should I put him in?" Alexa asked him, sighing.

"Stall 27," Chris said. "I can take him there if you want." Chris bent down to pet Nanook.

Nanook snapped at Chris, not intending to make contact but just giving a warning.

"I'll take him myself," Alexa said defiantly, and led her horse past Chris, Nanook following and letting out a low growl.

Jake sighed and asked Chris, "Where am I going to stay?"

Chris turned to Jake. "You'll be taking my room." He said. Chris was going to sleep in the hayloft and had moved his posters, guitar, books, and clothes up there. He turned to America. "You and Alexa will have rooms next to each other." He said. He took Alexa's bag out of the truck and motioned for America and Jake to follow him.

America trotted after, dragging her bag as she went. She was already not having fun.

Jake readjusted his bag on his shoulder and followed Chris silently, glancing over at America.

~Alexa~

Alexa put Legend in his stall and stroked his nose, "You'll be okay." She closed the latch behind her after taking off his halter and smiled. She hadn't see Legend since she had snuck back to see him a year ago. He seemed to enjoy the fact that she had returned, as both horse and rider were very close. Alexa secretly missed the days when she would showjump him. She turned away to go follow Chris, Nanook still at her side. Legend cried out a deep, sorrowful wail and Alexa ignored the Arabian.

~Chris~

Chris started telling them where the horses where and which ones they were going to use. "Jake, you have Merida. She is a sweet horse. America, you have whisper. He is a bit headstrong, so be careful with him." He said. He saw that Alexa had caught up to him. "And of course you will use Legend since he is yours."

Alexa smiled and snatched her bag from Chris, "If I can take train a headstrong Arabian stallion with attitude I can handle a bag." She gave him a glare.

Jake glanced over at Alexa and chuckled at her. Sounds like her horse wasn't the only one with attitude.

~America~

America had a fire in her eyes filled with hatred of the stupid farm and her stupid parents and the stupid cops. She wondered if prison would have been better. She saw Jake looking at her out of the corner of her eye. She rolled her eyes and kept walking.

Chris smiled and shook his head. They arrived at the ranch house they would be staying in. Chris politely opened the door for everyone. "Jake, your room is the one all the way down the hall to your left, America, yours is all the way down to the left, and Alexa, yours is next to America's." He pointed at each door as he said them.

America walked briskly past Chris and towards her room. She slammed the door behind her without a single word.

~Alexa~

Alexa strode into her room, ignoring America's behavior, and threw her bag on her bed, heading back outside. "I need to get my tack," she said as she whizzed by Chris and heading back into the outdoors.

Jake nodded and walked down the hall, closing the door softly to his room and began unpacking slowly and lazily.

Chris closed the door to the ranch house and followed Alexa toward the stales. He stopped and whistled to call Apollo who bounded over. He then kept walking.

Alexa grabbed her English showjumping tack from the back of the truck and sighed. They didn't bring her western tack. Oh well. She preferred to ride Legend English anyway. She carried the tack over to the stables, rested her saddle and pad on a rack and hung up her bridle and girth.

Chris walked into the stables and headed for the stairs that led to the hayloft, his new room. He started to walk up the stairs when he saw a commotion coming from Styx's stall. Styx had been spooked by something and reared up. Probably a squirrel or barn cat, he thought to himself.

Alexa grabbed her jewel studded leather halter and walked over to Legend, whom was neighing like crazy. She slipped it over his head and led him out of his stall, walking over to where Chris was trying to soothe some spooked horse.

Chris was so involved with calming down Styx that he didn't even notice her coming towards him. He started to speak softly to Styx. Styx stopped rearing put was pacing nervously. Chris walked into his stall and started to pet him. He started to try to calm him down by singing softly, which almost always worked on the horses.

Legend's hooves clicked against the floor as Alexa led him over and stopped outside Styx's stall. "Yo horse whispering guy, where's the round pen around here? I need to lunge Legend."

Chris looked up and saw Alexa. "Right out by the front paddock." He replied. Styx was calming down so Chris took his water bucket and to filled it up to the brim. He patted Styx's side as he drank deeply. Chris looked to Alexa and sighed to himself. This was going to be an interesting week.