The New World

Chapter Twenty-Two

Thanks for all the love guys :3

"Check everything off."

"Blanket: check. Shoes: check. Balance: check. Skill: check," I listed off.

"You are forgetting something very important," Tecumseh said. His arms were crossed over his chest and stared at me intensly.

I thought for a moment... Shoes, blanket, skill, balance... "Coordination!" I jumped up and down.

He nodded, "Good. Now what?"

"I put the blanket on," I said dully. We had gone over this part many times.

"Okay, can you do it?"

I scowled at him, "Of course I can."

I walked over to Kateri and placed the blanket over his back. I shifted it around to make sure it was perfectly in place. Tecumseh walked over. He scanned the stallions back and nodded in approval.

"Next?"

"Find something or someone to step on," I said proudly.

"Why?"

"There are no stirrups to give me a lift."

He nodded and crossed his arms again, "Correct. What will you use?"

I pointed at his nose, "You."

He crossed his eyes and looked at the tip of my finger. He uncrossed them, "I am not here. What will you use?"

I huffed, "You are here! Now give me a lift," I demanded.

He shook his head, "I am not here. What will you use?"

I groaned, "I'll use a rock or a tree stump or something. Now give me a lift, dammit."

He shook his head, "No, I think you should practice fetching something to use."

I rubbed my temple, "I get it, I will need to find something to use if you are not here. But right now, you are here. Now-- give me a lift-- onto-- the horse!"

He began to laugh, "Alice, you couldn't scare a mouse with that voice. Now come on, place your foot on my hands."

I did what I was told, "I could. Mice have tiny ears. My voice would be extremely loud. They would be terrified," I informed him.

He shook his head and continued to laugh, "No, they still wouldn't run."

He lifted me up on the horse and I settled onto Kateri's back. Tecumseh grabbed the reigns and handed them to me. I gave a little sneer at him, making him chuckle. I lifted my heels slightly, about to give a nudge to make Kateri go, Tecumseh stopped me, "Ah-ah-ah. Sit up higher. You'll be uncomfortable and make Kateri nauseated."

  I sighed, but did what I was told. He nodded in approval. I then nudged 'go' and Kateri started to walk. I rode him around in a circled with Tecumseh in the middle. We rode in a little grassed area in the middle of the forest where no one could see us. Tecumseh showed me many ways to ride a horse. We were out there all day.

"Tecumseh, I'm hungry," I whined. I pulled the reigns.

"I am, as well. Come, we'll have fruit for dinner," he raised his hand, asking for the reigns.

Kateri walked over to him and I handed them over. I swung my leg over and began to slide down. I felt Tecumseh's uncertain hands brush my sides.

"No, no. I can do it," I said. I slowly lowered my self to the ground as I slid off his rounded side. Then I plopped down and stumbled.