The New Girl

Chapter Six

   The next couple weeks were uneventful. Lessons and trail rides continued, and no one suspected that there might be something different about the black mare or her rider. However, that would soon change. It was a beautiful day, and the teens had gone out on another trail ride after their dressage lesson. This time, they had chosen a relaxing ride through the forest. Will and Jimber led the way, as they had found a meadow and wanted to share it with the others. To get there, they had to pass by a gulley. The recent storms had made the ground soft and the rocks slippery, so they would have to be careful to avoid taking an unplanned trip to the bottom. As they walked through the trees, following the palomino and blonde boy, the riders struck up a conversation. "Hey, Ella! I've been wondering. How do you and Bella work so well together? I swear, sometimes it's like you can understand each other," Bailey called out. Ella shrugged. "Bella's like a sister to me. I guess it's due to how close we are. I trust her judgement, and she trusts mine. If either of us are ever in trouble, we know that we can count on each other. As for the part about understanding her, well, I'm not quite ready to give away all my secrets," she replied, winking at the end to show that she was teasing. Bailey smiled and shook his head. The girl was a mystery, that was for sure. Bailey had done an internet search on her and, to his surprise, Ella O'Neille didn't seem to exist. He'd had his suspicions. After all, why would she lie about who she was? Will had convinced him not to tell the group, saying that she might have a good reason and they should give Ella a chance to prove that her intentions are good. Though Bailey couldn't help but wonder if Will's faith in Ella had something to do with the crush he suspected the older boy was harboring. He was drawn from his thoughts by Ella saying, "Did you guys hear that?" The riders all stopped their horses and listened. "I don't hear anything," Molly said after a bit. Ella shook her head. "It sounded like a horse calling for help. It came from over there," she insisted, steering Bella towards the gulley. Just as Bailey was ready to suggest that Ella had imagined it, he saw something that made the words die in his throat. Standing by the gulley was an entire herd of wild horses, and they were clearly upset about something. What that something was became obvious when a frantic neigh echoed up from the bottom of the gulley. One of the herd members must've slid down to the bottom and gotten trapped there. Ella started forward, only to be stopped by Will. "There's a horse stuck in that gulley, Will. I have to help them," she said impatiently. Will had a look of sympathy in his eyes. "I get it, Ella. I feel the same way. But these horses are wild, and they won't let a human near them. I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do." Ella became determined. "Maybe so, but I have to try," she stated. Will sighed, trying to think of what would convince her. Ella didn't give him the chance, however, as her eyes fell to the horse beneath him. "Step aside, Jimber." To everyone's surprise, the palomino immediately complied. Ella urged her mare forward.