"Here, let me help you up." Lo held out one hand for Win to take.

He sat up, grimaced and rubbed the small of his back. He took the hand offered, "Not too fast."

Lo studied him for a moment and nodded. "It looked like you hit hard."

He finally made it to a standing position, nodded. "Slid kind of slow, but the ground comes up fast."

He moved his arms experimentally, felt his back pop in several places and made a face. The horse stood with the saddle hanging from his side, rubbed his head on Win's shoulder, wanting the bridle taken off.

"You're sure you're alright?" Lo asked, looking from his roommate to the horse, one hand still on the birdle of his own horse.

He moved to the side of his horse and hefted the saddle back to where it should sit, setting his jaw at the pull he felt in his shoulder.

"I'll be alright, going to feel it tomorrow though." He began walking back to the stalls, horse trailing behind.

"And the day after that, and the day after that."

The grin had hardly dropped from George's face the entire time.

He glanced at the older student as he passed, speaking as if nothing had happened he hid his wounded pride. "Enjoying yourself George?"

Lo looked at George for a moment before following Win back in the direction of the barn. He didn't say anything.

Just then, John Buford came back outside from the dorms and walked over, heading to the barn.

George watched them go and shook his head slightly. What with all the trouble those two had been in so far, he supposed he might need to keep an eye on them. He grinned, recalling his first days at the Point.

Gene grabbed a lead rope and clipped it onto the Roan mare Chica-the horse he'd been assigned-'s halter, and opened the door. she stared at him for a moment and tried to bite his hand, but he jerked it back and gave her a slap on the hindquarters.

"Don't do that, girl.", he murmured as he led her intot he arena to work.

John turned and walked into the barn, coming out a few minutes later with his own horse. He wanted to get him outside and into the fresh air and figured that he'd ride some as well as help Gene with his horse. As he walked out, he noticed the other two younger students going into the barn and saw George as well, nodded briefly in his direction. They'd had some classes together in the past.

George nodded to John as well. "What goes?" he asked.

"Going to ride for a bit," John replied with a shrug.

"Heya." Gene turned and waved to George. In the short time of distraction Chica snorted and began to rear, and with quick jerk on the lead he brought her down to some degree.

George nodded again. "Have you met those two young cadets that were here earlier?" he asked. "One of them seems to think himself a regular Lothario." He smirked at his own wit.

John glanced in the direction of the barn and nodded. "I saw them in the halls earlier, haven't really talked to them though."

George nodded. "I suppose I'll speak to them sooner or later, then. They seem to be quite the pair."

"Did they know each other from outside the point?" John asked. Usually it took people longer then a day to appear to be as close as it seemed the two new Cadets were growing.

George frowned slightly. "I don't believe I've asked."

He shrugged and looked out over the grounds, running a casual hand through his horses mane. "How was your summer George?"

George smiled. "As well as can be. It's good not to have to worry about somebody always staring down their noses at you, like here."

"I guess." John shrugged. He wasn't really bothered by all the teachers and instructors, spent must of his free time down at the stables with the horses and in class he just kept his head down and did the work. He blended in with all the other students and none of the teachers really payed much attention to him.

Gene sighed as the mare moved forward to bite him again and snatched up her lead rope, deciding to see how she was under saddle. He turned to Geirge: "..Hey, I'm Gene." This time he kept his focus on Chica as he spoke.

George turned, nodding a greeting. "Hello."

"When's breakfast?", He asked, tightening the girth.

George glanced upwards. "Oh, should be very soon. Most likely about... now."

He nodded as he mounted, "That's good."

Chica started to rear again and he tried to bring the mare back down. She moved to the side, head above the bit, and stopped in her tracks. Gene sighed and dug his heels into her side, but she wasn't planning on going anywhere. Instead she whipped her head around and bit the front of his leg. He cursed under his breath and spurred her again.

George raised an eyebrow. "Having trouble?"

Gene grinned and nodded again. "Yup. But she'll cave. We dealt with problem horses back on the ranch all the time." He shrugged and spurred her again, this time combining it with a slap on the hindquarters that brought her forward. the mare moved out a few steps at a trot before he brought her to a stop, knowing she would have stopped anyway.

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