Re: Wadin' Deep Waters (Re-posted, Please Reply. Mature/Experienced.)

[• Echo]

Some of the quieter hands, like Slim, Lee, and himself, sat down at a table in the corner away from all the others, hardly talking as they ate. They didn’t really care about the others’ lives or what was going on with each other; they didn’t ask, they didn’t tell. The silence wasn’t even awkward; none of them were real talkers, and they weren’t going to press each other for answers. At one point, Lee pulled out a pack of cards and they started a game of cards with one another, until the Boss walked into the room and gathered up the hands who were going to be riding.
“I want all of you to git all them hoses together, I’ll make an announcement to be at the barn by ten,” he drawled thickly, acquiring a quiet chorus of mumbles consisting of ‘yes sirs’ and nods, before the hands scattered, filing out of the ranch house and making their way in different directions all over the yard.
A small group set out towards the barn, where some began arguing about who (what horses) were going and what dudes were going to ride them. Eventually, it was settled, and they all grabbed halters and leads, setting off throughout the barn and towards the pastures. The barn soon came alive with the sound of horses calling to one another, gates sliding open, and hoof beats ringing out in the air. The horses were led to the hitching rails in front of the barn, tied up side-by-side. Not long after, some of the “riders” began making their way out to the barn, not helping or offering it, just getting in the way, mostly.




Bleh, there’s something wrong with me today… Or maybe, I just need food…

[LoveOnHerArms]

Kendra wasn't sure how long she stayed in that little room, hat over her eyes fighting with herself to get on a freakin horse. But when the barn came back to life she jumped a little snapping out of it and let out a breath "Just shut up and do it" Getting to her feet she let out a breath and moved her hat off her eyes blew her bangs out of her face and forced her legs to move out of the safety of the little room. Walking out she was nearly run over by a cowboy with his arms full of a saddle. "Oh sorry!" She scrambled out of the way, fallowing him to a horse he was tacking up. It was a beautiful chestnut gelding, he wasn't super tall but he was around 15 hands reminded the girl of one of her first horses.
Swallowing she looked at the cowboy. "I'll...I'll tack him up for you, I know how.." She smiled weakly at the man, who looked her over and rolled his eyes "Alright fine, he'll be your mount then. His names Ace" With that the cowboy was gone. Letting out a breath Kendra looked at the horse "Well hi Ace, I haven't done this in a while so be nice" Picking up the saddle with a soft grunt Kendra laid it on his back and started fastening and tightening things.
It took her around fifteen minuets to tack him up, that happened to be her longest time ever. "Oh well you tacked the horse up thats all that matters" "Come on boy" She patted his neck and led him out of the barn to where people where waiting with horses. She didn't spot Joey yet and she frowned slightly, what was that about? She barley knew the guy, what did she expect for him to hang out with her? Not really. Looking up at Ace she let out a breath and smiled weakly "You do look like Rex, but maybe a little taller and you have a blaze, he didn't" She leaned down a little and blew gently into his nose trying to ease her nerves and get the horse to trust her a little.
Well she hadn't started crying or really freaking out yet.....That was a good thing right? Sighing she patted his neck and played with his main chewing on her bottom lip.

[• Echo]

Joey’s fingers were starting cramp as he repeatedly curried, brushed, and tacked up horses in the same routine again and again. Stepping back from the mini-sized bay before him, he opened and closed his hands several times in an attempt to work out any kinks. Sighing, he placed a hand gently on the horse’s withers and leaned down to finish currying his stomach and girth free of mud. Wasn’t the point of this supposed to be to get people to learn about horses? And yet none of them helped. Typically. Straightening back up, he switched brushes and did one more once-over the horse’s coat before lifting the saddle to his back, over the withers. He slid it back slightly into space before dropping the cinch and doing up the girth and breast collar. Looking around briefly at the group of “riders”, he pointed at one of the girls.
“You,” he said, waiting to get her attention before nodding and motioning her over. Ignoring the sultry look she was giving him, he all but threw her into the saddle and began adjusting the straps to fit her legs, before he dropped them again and let her climb down.
“His name’s Jean,” he told her absently, slipping the bit into the horse’s mouth and fixing the crown over his ears, over his halter. The leads would be needed over the ride, especially at night or in the mornings. The girl seemed to be pouting at the fact that he wasn’t talking to her any more than necessary, but he ignored her as he looped the reins over the horse’s head and over the pommel of the saddle, handing her the lead rope.
“The rest of the group’s over there,” he motioned, and she walked off. Looking back at the others, seeing there were no horses who weren’t already being taken care of and the hitching rail was emptying, he walked back into the barn, grabbing a halter with an engraved name on a plaque on it on the way. He made his way to Roy’s stall down the aisle, slipping inside slowly. The horse’s ears pinned momentarily before they pricked forward again, and he walked forward to greet his rider. Slipping the halter over his ears, Joey slowly led him out, wondering if he should ride another horse or not, as Roy had never exactly been the friendliest. Oh well, he should be fine if he kept him far enough away from the others.
“You’re actually riding that Diablo?” a Hispanic voice called out to him, and he turned to see Pedro tightening the girth on a palomino gelding. He just flashed a grin.
“He’s not that bad,” he said, and Pedro shook his head in disbelief.
“Yeah, right! I still have a scar on my shoulder where he bit me!” he exclaimed, and Joey just shrugged as he led Roy to the hitching rail, his dark, blood red bay coat shining in the sun light.
It took a little longer for Joey to get Roy ready, as the tall horse was constantly jumping around and shifting away from him, flaring his nostrils like a foal.
“Just stand still…” he muttered, tightening the girth to the final notch and securing it, before moving to do the breast collar. Roy lowered his head like he was going to bite him but swerved, tossing his thick skull into the air. Finally done, Joey took the lead and tied it around the horse’s neck loosely, looping it so it wouldn’t interfere with his movements, before swinging up into the saddle, intent on warming him up a little so he wasn’t quite so jumpy. Scanning the crowd, he saw Kendra waiting in the group, standing beside Ace, the chestnut.

[LoveOnHerArms]

Why did this seem to take forever? It was hell for Kendra having to wait for all the other riders to get mounts, it was hard not to run and hide again keeping her feet planted to the ground holding the rains loosely in one hand. Letting out a breath she led the horse away from everyone else and looked at him. "This is crazy, I haven't ridden in almost two years, and for good reason...Or it's not a real good reason but still Im scared about riding again. Last time I got on a horse it tried to kill me...I just..." She trailed off and groaned resting her forehead against his shoulder.
Ace didn't seem to mind her rambling on and nickered softly nuzzling her hat and neck, that got a soft giggle from her. "Thanks boy" Her papa's voice went off in her head again You can do this kid, just get back in the saddle and everything will fall into place Letting out a breath she straightened up and looked around the yard. Spotting Joey on Roy she smiled a little, seeing how he looked great on a horse, hell from what Kendra had seen he was comfortable in his own skin.
Alright boy, lets get this over with" Everyone else was starting to mount up, putting the rains loosely around the saddle horn Kendra let out a breath and looked down at her knee "Now work right" Her stomach tightened more and rolled threatening to bring up her breakfast. Swallowing hard she placed a hand on the horn and hoisted herself up, only her knee protested and pain shot through her, gritting her teeth Kendra refused to stop and hoisted herself up into the saddle again this time she made it and let out a breath settling into the saddle.
"I did it" She breathed out smiling a little proud of herself. "Good boy" She leaned down patting Ace's neck and gathered the rains in one hand. Her muscles seemed to remember as she sat in the saddle and Kendra couldn't help but grin more under her hat as she gently urged Ace to move forward Atta girl kiddo Letting out a breath the nightmare seemed to back off and the shirk whinny of the bronc didn't echo through her mind for once in a long time. Ace was just walked around lazily but for Kendra it felt like a piece of herself was coming back into place.

[• Echo]

Roy continued throwing his head up high, trying to get the bit between his teeth so he could bolt. Reining him back in, Joey sat back into the saddle, his hands light yet firm in controlling the horse. Roy chomped on the bit a few more times before responding to him again, flicking his ears back to listen to his voice. He snorted as if he was no longer content with the way things were rolling. Joey just rolled his eyes and nudged him forward gently with his calves. Roy exhaled loudly before complying, moving forward at a long, easy pace. A moment later Joey loosened the reins so Roy could trot, extending his legs a bit more and moving in a large circle. As they jogged past, Joey glanced up to see Kendra slowly pulling herself into the saddle. He debated going over and helping, but then she seemed to get it, rubbing Ace's neck.
A moment later, Joey cut across his circle and started Roy in the other direction to warm up his other side, before repeating the process at a canter. Once Roy had run himself out, Joey reined him back in to a walk, cooling both his body down and his energy so he wasn't bouncing off the walls like usual. Just when the gelding was starting to relax, one of the other hands called out that they would be leaving in a few. Sighing, Joey turned Roy towards the group, looking for Kendra before he angled to walk Roy towards her, keeping him at a slight distance from the other horses.



Bleh >.<

[LoveOnHerArms]

Kendra had Ace walk around a little more getting used to everything again smiling a little to herself. "Alright boy lets see if I've still got it" She patted his neck then nudged him into a trot staying away from the others and Joey and Roy. Letting out a breath the girl smiled more finding the rhythm of his smooth trot, getting more of her confidence back Kendra would have nudged him into a canter or run but there wasn't enough room.
With a smile she sopped him "Thats a good boy" Relaxing in the saddle she just watched Joey work with Roy until a cowboy called that they would be moving out soon. "Finely.." She mumbled.
Spotting Joey she smiled over at him and gave a small wave, beaming under her hat, once he was close enough she held the rains loose in one hand. "Hey your great with him" She commented looking at Roy then back up at Joey's face and smiled brightly again "I got on a horse after two years and my knee doesn't hurt as bad as I thought it would"
A cowboy started telling everyone what was going on and what the rules were but Kendra knew all of that already.
Finely that started moving and she tapped Ace into a walk blew her bangs out of her eyes and looked over at Joey again thinking before catching herself and looking in front of her. "Ever been on a trail ride before?"


Its fine

[• Echo]

Joey flashed Kendra a small smile, rubbing Roy’s neck slightly. He shook his head back and forth and tried to drop his head to graze, but Joey kept a firm grip on the reins and wouldn’t let him. He shrugged slightly. “I raised him since he was a foal, it’d be awful sad if I couldn’t get him to listen to me by now,” he drawled. “You’re not too bad, yourself.” She actually looked really natural sitting astride the calm ranch horse. The cowboys at the head of the group called out to get moving, and Joey naturally dropped back to bring up the rear. Roy was always better if there weren’t any horses crowding behind him, and Joey kept him far enough back that he couldn’t suddenly lunge forward and attack someone else. Kendra fell into place to his side and a tad bit in front, and Joey kept an eye on Roy, though he seemed to be pretty calm and laid-back at this point. I wonder how long this will last, Joey thought dryly to himself.

Kendra glanced back at him, and Joey offered a lopsided smile before she looked away. Listening to her, he chuckled softly. “Only all the time. Though lately, the ranch has been a bit too busy for me to get out much,” he admitted. Roy never did too well with arena work; he was the most impatient, stubborn horse Joey had ever ridden, but if he was being honest, the horse was closer to him than anyone else. Which was pretty ironic what with him being in a gang. Or rather, used to be in a gang. Hopefully that part of his life was over, though it continuously came back to haunt him.

“Do you ride often?” Joey asked suddenly, watching her. She sat on the horse with an air of confidence and ease, her grip light yet firm on the reins, giving all the right cues at all the right times.

[LoveOnHerArms]

Smiling Kendra looked over at him with a laugh "True, that would be" Blowing her bangs out of her face still smiling she shrugged "Thank, it's been a while since I've been on a horse. But thanks" Patting Ace's neck she looked over at the cowboy that lead the way, she staid in the back with Joey, only a tad in front of him as Ace walked on. She looked over at Joey thinking, once she realized that she blushed and turned away but not before he caught her and gave her a lopsided smile. Nibbling on her bottom lip Kendra looked around them, the rein's loose in one hand, her muscles seemed to remember what it was like to sit on a horse because she was relaxed more. Glancing over at him she tipped her hat back so she could see him better and nodded " Ah I see"

It was slow moving at first as the cowboy's lead the riders out onto a well worn trail, but Kendra didn't mind she was just trilled with herself to be on the horse after so long and was taking everything in, everything seemed different when you were on a horse, the same views turned into breath taking views, or thats how it was for her. It seemed different yet the same from the mountains back home in Montana. Looking back at Joey still smiling brightly " Hmm? Oh before the accident my parents said I grew up on a horse, moms got some pictures of me when I was seven of me still in my pajamas cowgirl boots on and sitting on granddad's horse. Patch Work was a beautiful paint, I used to sneak out climb the fence and jump onto his back grab a handful of main and ride him around the pasture. Not that he would ever run with just me on his back, the most he did was a smooth canter" Kendra smiled remembering. "But since the accident this is the first time I've been on a horse and honestly Im still a little scared about it" Kendra hadn't meant to share that part but it just slipped out, and she still was a little scared about riding again. But she was still on a horse going on a twp week trail. Feeling proud of herself.

"How about you?" She asked looking over at Joey, bangs still trying to fall into her eyes, hat tipped back so she could look at him better.

[• Echo]

Joey smiled slightly at Kendra’s short story about the paint mare Patch Work. It was kind of cute. Which was strange for him to think so. He really must be going soft, which was ironic considering he was a “big bad cowboy”, as one of the wannabes on the trail ride today had told him while attempting to seduce him just the other night. Which, come to think of it, half of them had, and all had been rejected, giving him the title “heart-breaker” from the other hands. How could grown men and women act so much like high schoolers when they were thrown together again? He would never be able to figure it out.

“Sounds like a good little life,” he said, wondering what it must have been like to grow up on a happy little family ranch. He’d never had that life; he’d never really wanted it though, either. Heck, he had been running drugs for the local gang when he was nine, that had been his happy little childhood life.

“Don’t be; Ace is one of the easiest-going horses we’ve got here,” he reassured her in his deep southern drawl. “He’s nothin’ like Roy,” he continued, shaking his head slightly, his voice slightly scolding as he rubbed the gelding’s neck affectionately. Looking up at her, he met her gaze with his and frowned slightly. What was he supposed to say to that? Make up some kind of lie? No, that didn’t really feel right… But what else could he do?

“I’ve been riding since I was a boy,” he said simply, the same story he had told all the others since he had gotten here, and it wasn’t too far from the truth. “My ma was single, worked two jobs, so I never really had a horse of my own, but I cleaned stalls for the stable down the road, and I got to ride. When no one was looking, at least,” he said with a lopsided smile.

[LoveOnHerArms]

Kendra laughed rolling her eyes at his comment "Yeah it was" And honestly Kendra did have a good childhood, her parents loved her, her older brother acted like well a old brother but they were close and would get into all sorts of trouble with Molly and Jake, all in all she did have a good life.
Blushing lightly she looked over at him and let out a breath shrugging one shoulder " I hadn't meant to say that part out loud but thanks" He was trying to make her feel better and most the time it annoyed the girl but it was different with Joey, he didn't feel sorry for her just listened to her tell her story about almost dying and went on with life telling her he was sorry but not fussing over her. She really hated it when people did that. Smiling she looked at Roy but said nothing them met Joey's gaze again still smiling. She caught the slight frown but said nothing waiting for a answer.
Listening she laughed lightly "Some how I can see you sneaking out on a horse to go for a ride" She teased lightly smiling and rolling her eyes at the lopsided smile he had, it looked bad boyish, cocky and like he knew something no one else did and he wasn't giving the secret up. Looking around again Kendra let out a breath " Man I wish I brought my camera with me, but I figured something would happen to it and left it behind" There was a hint out pout in her voice as she looked around taking everything in and took a deep breath then let it out with a sigh.
Stretching her legs out Kendra rubbed her left knee trying to loosen it up and turned her ankle to the side until she heard and felt her knee pop loudly. She cringed but relaxed again as it felt more loosened up and less stiff. "Thats better" She mumbled straightening back up and slipping her foot back into the stirrup.
Looking back at Joey she though for a moment nibbling on her bottom lip before grinning "If you could have any super power what would it be?" It was a random question but Kendra wanted to know Joey better and playing 20 questions seemed like a good idea.

[• Echo]

Shifting the reins in his hands slightly, Joey leaned back in the saddle, allowing himself to relax. It wasn't often that Roy was as calm as he was now, and Joey had learned to take advantage of it when he could. They both fell into a comfortable silence, and Joey tilted his head slightly to take in the view of the Montana landscape. He could see what she meant; they were heading through a mountain pass, the trail wide enough for two, possibly three smaller horses, with shrubs and pine trees growing along either side of them, and they were angling slightly upward. The mountains were tall, sweeping giants, dipping into ravines before rising up into craggy peaks. In the distance, the tops were white with snow. Overhead, a red-tailed hawk soared past, it's wings spread out as it glided on the warm air currents.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Kendra's voice broke through the silence again, and he swiveled his head to look at her, arching an eyebrow. The questions was random and completely took him by surprise, but he decided to play her game with her. "Mind reading," he answered without even having to think of it, then laughed slightly. "At least then I could know when my boss was in a bad mood, and how I could not piss him off more," he said with a tilted smile.

[LoveOnHerArms]

Taking everything in Kendra closed her eyes for a moment taking a deep breath, and relaxed more in the saddle, she was home. Opening her eyes again she looked over at Joey and laughed at the look on his face when she asked the random question. "Mind reading?" She asked and he gave her the reason why before she could ask. Laughing she nodded "Alright you've got me there. See now me, I'd take controlling fire" She smiled to herself patting Ace's neck " That or flying but I already know what the feels like, all you need is a horse" Smiling she tilted her hat back to look at him better relaxed more.
"Alright favorite band?" She asked rubbing Ace's neck absentmindedly then looked around laughing lightly as her grandfathers voice filled her head telling her about what his people did and how they would hunt way out here, their battles and victory stores everything. Kendra used to sit at his feet or on his lap memorized by the stores he told her, he would always finish by telling her that his people were her people too and they were in her blood.
She could almost see Indians as they rode by getting Kendra to smile more, blowing her bangs out of her face.


(Oh gosh this sucked)

[• Echo]

His gaze shifted back over to Kendra, watching her as she smiled at some memory of some sorts. She seemed off in la la land for the moment, but Joey didn't mind. Her face was glowing, her dark hair, or the ends of the ponytail she had tied it into, anyway, waved gently in the breeze, and she looked completely at ease astride the gelding. Joey decided he liked it when she smiled; it made her features a lot more open and easier to read, and it just put a pleasant aura around her.

Joey tilted his head back slightly, shifting backwards in the saddle as he looked out towards the mountains. "I don't really have one," he said honestly. Before, he might have said Eminem or something, but he'd grown out of music like that. Now, music was music to him, and it all just depended on the beat and the lyrics. Each band had good songs, and they had bad ones, and he didn't get out enough anymore to see them perform. Otherwise, his answer might have been different.

Shaking his head slightly, Joey scowled to himself. It seemed everything he did continued to bring up his past in his memories. Why couldn't he escape it? Shaking the thoughts off, he turned over to Kendra again, placing the same crooked smile on his lips. "And you?" he asked curiously. He honestly did want to know more about her, which was strange; usually, he spent so much time hiding, keeping to himself and bottling everything up inside so no one would see the real him, but she was different. She definitely wasn't one of the other girls, she was much more laid back, and she was more just one of the guys, though she had a definitive feminism about her, setting her apart from all others.

[LoveOnHerArms]

Looking around she was half expecting a Indian to jump out from behind a large rock or a tree arrow on the string looking at them, but that never happened, that didn't stop her mind from wondering and letting that happen in her world. A playful little smile played on her lips as she looked around taking everything in. Snapping out of it when Joey spoke she looked over at him blowing her bangs out of her face that playful little smile still on her lips. "Really? No favorite band that you have to have on your ipod or in your car?" She asked then shrugged letting out a breath.

Looking over at him Kendra smiled a little more at the crooked smile on his lips, she felt heat rush to her cheeks as she looked over at him. She couldn't help it, his gaze was so intense at times she could have sworn he saw right through her, saw her darkest fears, the dreams and everything in between. Then there were the looks like he was giving her now, he looked so relaxed and at ease in his own skin confident with a hint of cocky in his eyes. Shrugging again she looked around before back at him still playing with Ace's main. "It's between Brad Paisley or Carrie Underwood. My family calls me a music junky, I'll listen to almost anything if I like it, but Im not a big fan of rap, other then that, I'll listen to anything from classical to country" Smiling she chuckled lightly looking around them soaking in the view and the sunshine.

"Hmmmm dream car?" She asked looking back at him one brow raised, dark green eyes holding a gleam in them.

[• Echo]

Joey arched his eyebrows slightly. "I have all kinds of CDs and playlists, I just rotate them," he said, shrugging his shoulders again. Switching the reins from one hand to the other, he carefully led Roy around a tight bend, with a drop off a few feet to their left and a cliff a few feet to their right. The dark gelding laid his ears back slightly, looking threateningly at one of the horses not too far in front of them, but he dropped them forward again with Joey lightly tapped his shoulder in warning.

Joey's lips tilted up in a slight smile as he listened to her. "I've never really liked Brad Paisley that much," he said honestly. Yeah, he seemed to be a nice guy and all, but there was just something about his music that had never quite captured Joey's attention, aside from the occaisional song from every album or so.

"Dream car? Anything from the 50's or 60's and was used for racing," he said, smirking slightly. "Cars nowadays just aren't as good, since that law they passed in the late 60's that completely downgraded the quality," he scoffed. He listened to her response and nodded.

"My turn," he said, before she could ask another question. "Favorite pastime?"

[LoveOnHerArms]

Looking over at him Kendra chuckled lightly with a easy smile on her lips. "Alright I just I'll take that answer" She teased lightly before slowly Ace down as the horse took the tight bend snorting at the girl "Yeah yeah, sorry I wasn't paying attention" She mumbled patting his shoulder "Good thing you were" She told the chestnut with a pat on the shoulder before glancing behind her at Roy and Joey. The girl tipped her hat back a little more giving him a mock glare "How can you not like Brad?" She asked in mock shook and shook her head at him before asking her second question.

Playing with Ace's main she smiled listening to him "You've got me there, my dad and brother are restoring a old ThunderBird, why two cowboys have the need to restore it is beyond me but dad really loves it" She said then rolled her eyes as he scoffed about how cars after that turned into crap, she wasn't a big car person. Hell Kendra was proud of herself that she could change the oil in her truck,the windshield wipers, change a tire but after that she didn't know what to do with it. "Now a old muscle car would be cool to have but I don't really have a dream car" She told him.

Before she could get another question out he had one of his own. Shrugging she listened to him and let out a breath still playing with Ace's main with one hand, holding onto the reins loosely in the other "Before my knee got all jacked up, I was on a horse all the time, from practicing on a bronc to just riding on Black Jack." Shrugging again she glanced over at him with a faint grin "When I was laid up, one of my favorite things to do was write or I started playing guitar, I got pretty good by the time I could walk again. How about you?" She asked looking over at him again before stretching out her legs wincing slightly from the sharp pain that was in her lift knee, the pain killers would stop the pain soon enough that she didn't care.

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