--chapter 3-- (Jenn's p.o.v.)
I lay in my horse form outside. I can't believe Pa told them. He promised me not to say anything! Ugh old men can be so forgetful. Oh well. At least my brothers were nice enough to bring me food and water. I just hope I regain control over my body before to long. I don't want to stay like this over night even though it has come to that sometimes. Pa stares at me, confusion written on his face. Why is he confused? Then I realised that my horse had control over me. She wasn't happy and put pain and despair into my eyes. Great.
"Pa, what's wrong? Why won't she get up?" Joe asks.
"Something is wrong with her. She...she looks sick." Hoss stated.
"She does. I don't think she will change any time soon. Joe and Hoss, go make her a stall up. Adam, do you think you could coax her inside?" Pa redirects his attention to Adam after sending the two others to their job.
"Yeah I can." Adam says confidently.
"Alright, I'll move her food inside." Pa says and leaves me and Adam.
Adam was always there for me. He truly understood me more than Joe or Hoss. Pa has taken care of me for so long, he really is like my Pa. I know he isn't though. Adam walked over to me and he knelt down in front of me. I placed my head in his lap and breathed in his scent. He stroked my face, and kissed me between the ears.
He stood up and walked away to the barn. I sighed, my horse side getting frustrated. I decided to get up. I stood up and shook myself off, ridding my coat of the dust. I meandered into the barn and didn't see Adam. I stopped where I was and listened trying to locate Adam.
"Pa I honestly think she's safer in her horse form. I mean she's comfortable around horses, not necessarily humans. Besides you and me, she's in love with Spirit." Adam states.
"I know son. But think about what's better for her. Do you think she would enjoy being in horse form constantly?" Pa replied.
"No, but -" Adam got cut off by Pa.
"Okay then. Now go get her and bed her down for the night. "
"But Pa, its only 10 in the morning. Why so early?"Adam asked, knowing he can't win this battle.
"Because we need to go into town for a few things." Pa stated and left without another word.
Adam sighed heavily and came from where he was hiding. I nickered at him and he come over to me. He placed his hand out in front of him like he was telling me to stop. I put my nose in his and and breathed out. A smile crept onto his face and he turned around and walked towards my stall. I followed him and he motioned for me to go in.
I backed up, swiveling my ears in confusion. Why does he want me in there? I want to go with them to town.
Adam thought for a moment and went and got Spirit. He put Spirit in the stall and I followed Spirit. Before I realised what happened, Adam closed the stall door and latched it closed. I spun around and watched as Adam walked out of the barn. I screamed for him, and he hesitated for a moment before walking away.
'Hey it'll be alright. What is your name?' Spirit asked me.
'I am the human who bought you home Spirit. My name is Jenn. My horse body is named Xena.' I tell him.
'Oh wow. So you are one of those shifters?' Spirit questions.
'Yes I am. I'm angry right now, I wanted to go to town with them. I would've carried them. Ugh stupid humans.' I whine.
'Ha well I like having you as a human companion and a horse friend. You are beautiful by the way.' Spirit compliments me.
'Thanks Spirit. You are handsome, I love you color. I guess that's why I got you as a birthday gift to myself.' I chuckle.
Joe and Hoss came running into the barn, out of breath. They both walked back to my stall and opened the latch. Hoss grabbed two halters and leads. He placed one on me and one on Spirit. Spirit went first, but I refused to go. Joe was leading me and he was pulling on me. Hoss was opening up the doors to his, and Pa's horses stall doors. Hoss brought Spirit and the two others out to the tie posts and and tied them up. Joe was still inside the barn struggling with me.
If he would just stop pulling on my face then maybe I would follow him. I finally got fed up and reared. I pulled the lead out of his grasp and took off running out of the barn. I blew past Hoss and the horses he tied up. I ran for a while until eventually I arrived in town. Strange, I don't recall running that long and far. I galloped through town, and just continued running around the perimeter of town. I stepped on the lead several times, causing the lead and halter to rip off of my face. Once free I took again, galloping through town and scaring other horses and people.
My horse took over me and now she was in charge. We started circling around town again when Adam, Joe, Hoss and Pa came riding in town. Adam saw me and took off on Spirit after me. He grabbed his lasso and got it spinning. He gained a few more yards on me and he threw the lasso. It wrapped around my neck and pulled me to a stop. The rope cut into my neck, and got tighter every time I pulled against it.
"Easy, hey shh easy girl." Adam spoke to me.
'What happened Xena? Are you alright?' Spirit asked, worry clear in his tone.
'They spooked me. They kept running after me. They - they tried to shoot me. The got my hip.' I managed to say between breaths.
"What's wrong girl? What happened?" Adam asked me.
Spirit inches closer and closer to me, signalling to Adam to check my hip. Adam noticed and his face went blank.
"God dammit." He whispered.
He dismounted Spirit and walked over to me. He checked my hip, and confirmed it to be a graze. There's no bullet hole, which is good but it still hurts like hell.
Adam climbed back on Spirit and led me back into town. Claps and cheers were heard as Adam walked into town with me. People were commending Adam for catching me.
My hip eventually became numb and I started limping. Adam walked me over to Pa and Joe and Hoss. He tied Spirit up and then tied me up. He got a piece of cloth put of his saddle bags and wet it with water from his canteen. He dabbed at the dry blood around the wound.
I raised my head up, pulling against the rope, causing it to dig into my neck. that hurt. Adam continues to clean up the wound on my hip. He finishes and leaves me there standing. I relax and shift all of my weight onto all but my wounded leg. Spirit nudges my shoulder and he turns to where he is looking at me.
'Are you alright?' He asked me.
'Yeah I am fine.' I reply trying to hide the pain.
'No you aren't. You are still in pain, no?' He questions.
'Yeah...it hurts so freaking bad.' I say whimpering in pain.
'I know, can you stand until they return?' He asks.
'I hope so.' I say quietly.
Several hours later, they return. Adam checks on my hip and then he unties me. He hops up on Spirit and we head back to the Ponderosa. By the time we get back,it's almost dark and the temperature has dropped tremendously. Adam untacks Spirit and puts him in his stall. He cools me off and places me next to Spirit's stall. I go in reluctantly this time. Adam kisses me on my nose, and pats Spirit on the head. He blows out the lantern and closes the barn up tight. I'm left in over night and I can't fall asleep.
A/N::::: here is chapter 3. Got a little p.o.v. from Xena, how exciting. Ch 4 will be out soon!
