An Unstable Relationship

Chapter Four

      Alyss felt her heart leap and felt a swell of pride rushing through her.  She had convinced the man.  Though, she felt that she took more pride in her diplomatic skills than in the fact that she was getting a horse. 

     She and Will followed Bob as he led the way behind the house.  The old trainer took them past paddocks filled with stocky ponies.  He stopped at a smaller one. 

      "I have a possibility in here."  Bob told them.  A single horse caught the girl's eye.  Graceful and quick footed, a lone mare ran across the ground of the pen.  She easily outstripped the other horses. 

      Bob let out a shrill whistle, and the horse cantered toward them.

      "She's one of my favorites."  He muttered fondly.  Will observed the mare shrewdly. 

      "She's of a different build than the others."  The ranger commented.  Alyss too had noticed this; the mare was a little bit taller, a little bit more trim, a little less shaggy than all the rest of the horses. 

       "Her sire was an Arridan stallion."  Bob enlightened them both.  "Beautiful horse, fast as the wind, really.  His daughter inherited some of his traits, she's gorgeous too, in her own way."

    Will nodded, the mare was good looking.  Alyss inclined her head as well, taking in all the details of the horse's appearance.

        The mare had a dark, chocolate brown coat.  Sprinkled throughout the hair, were tiny, white ticks of fur, barely noticeable if you did not look for them.  Her mane and tail carried light hues of red, and her whole body was flooded in gold if she entered the sunlight. 

        "What is her name?"  Alyss inquired.  Bob gave a little chuckle. 

        "Now, don't be jumping on me for breaking my one word naming rule, but I felt this mare needed a slightly longer name.  Her name is Fox Sparrow." 

        "Like the bird?"  Will asked confusedly.  Alyss rolled her eyes, what other animal could the trainer have meant, she thought. 

        "Yes,  I had wanted to name her after a bird, -because when she jumps it feels like she's flying- and I came upon the name Fox Sparrow.  I thought it fit her, she's as clever as a fox.  All ranger horses are, really." 

       "I like it."  Alyss voiced her opinion.  "It does fit her, you put thought into it."  Will agreed. 

      "You want to try her?"  Bob asked Alyss. 

      "Sure."  She replied, and in a flash the man was gone.  He scuttled to the barn and bustled back with a saddle, blanket, and bridle.  In short minutes, Bob had the mare tacked up and waiting for Alyss.  She stepped toward the horse. 

       "Hello Fox, I'm Alyss."  She told the waiting pony playfully.  She received no answer. 

      "So, I can just get on?"  Alyss asked the boys. 

      "Of course you can."  Bob said cheerfully.  But, she noticed the both of them hardly able to conceal grins.  It struck her as suspicious. 

       "What're you smirking at?"  She questioned them.  "Is there something I need to know?"

       "Oh nothing."  They both said at once, still struggling to hide their expressions.  But, Alyss was no fool.  She narrowed her eyes, and searched her memory.  Something tickled the back of her mind.  What was it?

       Oh, a thought popped into her head.  The first year of all the ward's apprenticeships, they had all gone to a festival together.  Horace and Will had still been fighting each other, and Will had challenged the arrogant boy to ride Tug.  Horace had accepted, of course, and had promptly been throw off of the little, seemingly placid horse.  What was it that Will had said after the incident?  You don't have the code?

        "You want be to be thrown off."  The courier blurted, pleased that she had figured it out.  "I need a code or something to be able to ride her." 

       Both men's jaws dropped in amazement and a little disappointment.  Bob sputtered for a moment before breaking into a hearty laugh. 

       "You did a good job marrying this one, Will!"  The old man chortled.  "All my life I've never seen a ranger figure that out.  All my life!"  He hooted again.  "You know what, Miss Alyss?  I'm going to give you the pass phrase without any struggle, you must be the cleverest youngling I've ever had come through here."

       Will grinned at her, and Alyss offered a warm smile back. 

      "Your pass phrase is 'permìtame'"  Bob whispered to her secretively.

      "Permìtame?"  Alyss asked, just to be sure. 

      Will and the trainer broke down chuckling once more. 
      "Don't say it to me," they shouted in unison.  "Say it to the horse!" 

       Alyss found herself laughing along with them and she turned the Fox Sparrow.  Cupping her hands, she softly spoke into the mare's ear. 

      "Permìtame."  Fox jerked her head up and down in an understanding gesture.  Alyss took this as a good sign and swung gracefully atop the mare's back. 

      She settled comfortably into the saddle and asked the horse to move forward.  Alyss found herself marveling at the responsiveness of Fox Sparrow.  She barely had to touch her heels to the mare's side before they were off and trotting.  Another tap, and the pair was cantering away from the Bob's house and into the woods.  Alyss sent Fox even faster and her horse willingly obliged. 

      Fox Sparrow's neck stretched out in front of her as she swept over the ground, barely touching it.  Before Alyss could react, she saw a log directly in front of them, she tried to pull up, but it was too late.  She knew that a fall was coming, it was inevitable.  Yet, at the last possible minute, Fox gave a powerful shove with her hind legs, and they soared over the hurdle.  Alyss felt tears streaming from her eyes, both from the speed and from the excitement. 

      She drew her mare to a stop and caught her breath. 

      'Surpised?'  Fox said. 

Alyss paused.  Her first thought; damnit, Will was right. 

      "Well, I suppose I am."  Alyss responded, well aware that she was talking to a horse.  "So, I guess the rangers were right all this time, what with their talk of conversations with horses." 

      Fox nodded her elegant head in agreement and turned back the way they had come, Alyss just a still passenger on her back.

                                                           ~◇~

A/N

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- Minx