Chapter Three

After only twenty minutes, Ashen was pacing in the midday sun. She itched to ride and to run; to do anything active. Her hair was braided down her back and swung lightly as she took steps. The boys looked at her as she walked around, talking to some of the few remaining men. They were all older than her by about ten years, but it didn't change the fact that they stared after her with dark eyes as she walked off to other people.

"So what do you think of her?" Hawk asked everyone. The boys thought for a second before breaking out into contagious grins. "I like her. She's nice. Not bad looking either…" Levi leant back a little bit to catch a look at Ashen, but she had ducked into a group of men of about forty. She giggled at them and hugged one of them; showing obvious familiarity to him.

"Can't complain. She doesn't look like a fighter though." Codee said and most nodded. "She does, however, look like an obvious rider. Have you seen the way her horse is with her?" Taro imputed and once again the group of boys followed the purplish black haired girl with their eyes. The massive stallion followed her like a lost puppy; always by her side and extremely possessive of his woman.

"I'm kind of surprised she doesn't have a little white pony. That horse is huge." Reid told the group and his twin piped up. "Yeah, I remember that horse. He was vicious towards everyone at the stables. Dad was going to buy him but he started to throw himself around in his stall like he was possessed. It scared the hell out of Mum." Reid looked at Finn. "So that's why that horse looks so familiar! He was lead out into the arena and he was feral. I overheard that they were going to put him down."

Chance looked at Zen; who had once again wrapped himself around Ashen as she stood to talk. He was a towering pack of lean muscle and an untamed wildness. He could see the way the sun glinted off the horse's cherry coloured coat and shook his head. "Who would want to put that down? Look at him; he could easily outrun each of our horses and even Shayd's." The group nodded and sat up straighter as Ashen came jogging back over to the group.

As she neared, Zenith looped his neck around her mid stride, and amazingly, Ashen flipped up onto the massive horse with practiced ease. The boys stared as she lay back on her horse as he trotted circles around the area. After completing a circuit, Chance watched at the horse lunged into a graceful canter and saw Ashen stand on his back. The horse continued on his circuit with her balanced perfectly on his back. Codee stared at her with awe written all over his face. "I want to be able to do that! That is so cool!"

The group watched as Ashen sat back down and he galloped with a loping stride from one side of the cleared area to where they stood. An abrupt stop right in front of the group had flinching away from the girl and her horse. She started laughing and flipped off her horse like a gymnast would a beam. "You guys should have seen your faces! When Zen stopped you guys nearly jumped about a foot in the air! He wouldn't have run you over, you know. Otherwise he'd have to go through me. Isn't that right Zen?" Throwing his cherry coloured head up and down confirmed Ashen's statement.

"So, Ashen-" Codee was cut off. "Just call me Ash. It's a lot less formal." Codee nodded and started again. "So Ash – he was rewarded with a nod and smile – how did you do that? With your horse I mean. Those tricks were really cool. It must have taken ages to be able to do it." Ashen giggled at Codee and ruffled his hair. "I'll tell you know, if I didn't have an ability with animals, I would not be able to do any of what I just did with this stubborn thing. – Codee nodded and snuck a glance at Chance from the corner of his eyes. Chance had sat up straighter and looked Ashen up and down – And the other thing; lots and lots of practice."

Codee nodded and went back to check Chiron's saddle. Hawk did the same to Venn and Taro went to check that Giver's bridle was tight enough with Finn and his Savour. Levi and Reid checked Laurie and Farrow's feet and Chance stood petting Blade's light gold nose.

"Hawk! You can move out in five minutes! Don't get lost and be back before six. And you bring her back unharmed or I'm going to have all of your heads." Hawk nodded at Shayd's commands. Shayd walked up to Ashen and embraced her quickly. "Don't take their sh- attitude. If you need to, knock them out and have the horses follow you back. Please be careful." Ashen nodded and walked back to Zenith. "Ash!" She sighed and turned around and faced her brother again. "What?!" She half shouted at him. You're keeping me from my riding group, she thought. He smirked at her and walked over to his own stallion.

"Have fun, Princess."

_Ω_

Exactly five minutes later, Hawk was calling out to us. "Alright guys, let's go for a ride." The boys whooped with joy and walked to their mounts except for Taro. "Do you need riding tack? Or a leg up? I can hold him if you want." Ashen smiled at him. "Thanks Taro, but I'll be okay. You might want to mount you girl though. Hawk wants to go." Taro nodded and swung up onto his black beauty; while Zenith knelt and allowed his woman to mount.

"Let's go for a run baby boy." He threw his head up and reared in anticipation. The boys looked at Ashen in surprise and worry but as he landed she started laughing. "Let's go!" She giggled and moved Zenith onwards in front of the dumbfounded group. In the end, Ashen turned around as Zen walked and called the horses to her; startling their riders and causing her to burst with fits of laughter. "I did say let's go! Now hurry up guys!"

Ashen turned back around and urged Zen into a nice trot to allow the others to catch up. After they did, it was a reasonably controlled canter. "So which one of you has the fasted horse?" Ashen asked and everyone pointed to Chance and Blade. "He isn't called Blade for nothing you know." Finn and Reid told me. Ashen turned to Chance, and with a warm and competitive grin on her face, she asked one single question.

"So Chance, want to race?"