The Greenhorn [ ONGOING ]

Chapter 1

"It's going to be a good day..." said Nate taking a long drag on his smoke then flicking it away.

He sat on the bottom step of the porch like he did every morning to watch the sunrise.

His trusted canine companion Red lay at his feet. She was a small, well-tempered, and confident Redbone Coon Hound, whose coat was bright copper from nose to tail, apart from a large patch of white on her chest. Although Nate had not wanted a dog, his wife, Lucy, insisted on it. She had told him that a dog would make her feel safe.

As a puppy Red was as wild as the wind and loved rioting the horses as she ran back and forth through the corral. At first Nate could not stand her, but as the years passed, they became inseparable and Red remains loyal to a fault.

Nate sat with Red contemplating what the day would bring. he could have bet it would be like any other day on the ranch, but he could not shake the feeling that that would not be the case.

Red nudged his foot and he lent over to scratch her ear, "another day of work 'ey girl?"

Red gave a grunt and tucked her nose between the step and the back of Nates foot as if in protest. He let out a hearty laugh, and she snapped her head up to look at him.

"Don't worry girl it's going to be a good day," He said, more for his own birthday reassurance than Red's, he gave her another scratch before leaning back.

The Campbell ranch was 160 acres of green land with their house at the heart. It was a big wooden house, though only one storey it was a grand sight dressed in white paint with a neat picket fence around the border which Nate had redone just last summer. To the north of the house stood the barn where they kept their dairy cow and stored the feed. To the east was the stables, horse corral, the cabin for the ranch hands and beyond that were grazing fields.

The stables were huge with enough room to house over twenty horses, the cabin, on the other hand, was small and grubby. It consisted of two rooms separated by a dog trot. The left-hand room was used for cooking and the right housed several cots thought the only person to use them was Lucy's nomadic brother Arthur who came and went as he pleased.

The front door swung open with a loud groan, Nate shifted in his seat to look around and Red pricked her ears up and sniffed the air.

"Da, Da!" squealed the little girl as she burst through the doorway.

"My Darlin' Clem" howled Nate in response. "Come here little one, sit with papa."

He flung his arms open and Clem's eye lit up, she hurried to the top of the steps, positioned her feet right on the edge, then bending her little legs flung herself at her father. Nate caught her in a big embrace, and they cackled and laughed together.

"How is my little lady on this fine morning, did you sleep well?"

Clem gave an affirmative nod and buried herself deeper into his arms.

"That's my girl." Nate grinned.

"Oh, I do wish you would be more careful with her Nate, she is only small."

"now Lucy, she is fine, look at her she enjoys it we are just having fun."

Lucy stood in the doorway arms folded, her scowl gave way to a gentle smile "I know, I just worry."

She moved gracefully across the porch, every step so soft and careful she might as well be floating. Lucy was the very vision of beauty, with red hair that hung in loose flowing curls and shone like the first dawn in the early morning light. her fair skin blemish-free save for the freckles on her nose and cheekbones.