AVALON

Chapter 51 - Boys are moronic

A/N - Hey guys... sorry about the delay in the update. I've decided to halve this chapter because I put in a bonus bit (the dressage part). I've noted on my copy that this chapter has to be reworked, I just put it up without going back so I'm sure its missing a billion things and is probably not great... so my apologies. Noah's pov especailyl proabbly needs to be redone to show hte crap thats hes going through. Anyway... on with the show...

Thank you for the lovely cover cheerypop12 - I finally got to put it in its place :)

(Avalon)

Hoofbeats thunder around the corner, you're not supposed to canter outside the arenas so the sound makes me look up from saddling up Amber.

Tina's face looks flushed as she almost falls to the ground trying to dismount. There goes my rebel call.

"I got it for you Av!" she cries holding out a sheet of paper and not bothering to dust the dirt from the knees of her joddies. "I got it!"

"What've you got there Miss pony express?" I chuckle at her floundering. Something has got her super excited. Sam steps back out of her way in alarm.

"The dressage test you're riding!" Her face falls for a second. "You are gonna ride aren't you?"

Taking the offered paper I nod with a smile. Then it's my turn for my face to fall. I've never seen a dressage test before. The names of the moves are familiar but... "What's with all the letters?"

"You don't know that?" Tina squeals in horror. "Oh shit Av!"

She turns and grabs Seth shaking him like a maniac, "She doesn't know the letters!" she repeats like a maniac. Seth slowly unlatches her and moves back a safe distance to stand by a highly amused Sam.

"Nope," I say stepping back from her suddenly flailing arms now octopussing in front of me.

"Someone," she looks around and focuses on Sam, jabbing a finger in his direction. "You did this, you get me a pen and paper now!"

She doesn't even watch to see if he will comply. Here's something new, the bossy side of Tina. Harry hands him the program and pen from his pocket which Sam gratefully accepts.

"What the hell are you putting on Amber?" Tina shrieks. She is on the edge making me crack up.

"Don't laugh Av! Sam has entered you in an Intermediate test! They won't let you ride in a stock saddle! Arrrghhh!" Tina rips at her hair reminding me of mothers on the perimeter watching their kids compete in the arena away from their all fixing hands and nagging mouths.

"I'll go find you one!" She rushes off slides to a stop and dashes back grabbing the sheet of paper waving it in my face. "Do you know how to do everything on here?"

"If I could see it I might," I drawl trying not to smile. Shaking her head she pushes the sheet back to me. Most of it makes sense bar the letter and the word 'volte'. There's no piaffes or passage in this one thank god. They don't really come up much in mustering. Mostly I practise the moves to drive Nathan mad because he can't do them plus Amber looks awesome doing them after we have got a stray cow in, like she is god's gift to the world.

"Funnily enough I still don't know the letters and the word volte is one I've never seen before," I frown wondering if volte sounds like vault when you say it out loud and whether it has the same meaning?

"Argh Sam! Where are –" Tina cuts off as Sam hands the pen and paper with a deadpan expression. She scrawls a rough rectangle and places letters around the perimeter and inside as well. I think I have seen that before in one of the books I have at home. I have a go at memorizing it while she's writing.