Sunny giggled, and just then . . .

Becky: "H'lo? Oh! There y'all are! We're saddl'n up!"

The southern girl poked her head into the doorway.

Sunny: "Becky!! The kittens opened their eyes, 'an Jasmine 'an Orion 'an I named them 'an stuff!"

Jasmine nodded with a slight smile, standing up, brushing herself off.

Jasmine: "We did. I can't wait to get out though."

Orion stood after her, keeping a careful eye on Sunny.

Jasmine: "Who all's going out?"

Becky: "Well, ah convinced Akane, Ariel, Angelah, tha' Daniel fella, but there's always room fo' three more!"

Jasmine: "No convincing needed here. I want to get going. I haven't been riding on forever."

Orion smiled at her enthusiasm.

Orion: "It'd be nice . . ."

Becky: "Okay! We're saddl'n up!"

Sunny: "I'm coming toooo!"

Becky laughed, delighted at the girl’s obvious excitement.

Becky: "All righ'!"

She led them into the barn, and she almost doubled over at the sight of an overwhelmed Daniel staring at a roan-coloured horse.

Becky: "M-meet Goliath!"

She told him, chuckling at his expression.

Daniel: "Goliath is right! What are you feeding these beasts?"

He shrieked, recoiling from the horse, wary of it like it would suddenly sever his head from his body.

Becky: "Oh, jest oats 'an a 'lil barlay."

She patted his shoulder, trying to comfort him, but to no avail.

Becky: "Now uh, anyone need 'elp mount'n? Ah'll give some instructions 'an saftay once we git on 'th trails."

Daniel frowned at her statement.

Daniel: "Help? Is your question a joke? How do you even got on one of these things?"

Jasmine smiled weakly, shaking her head. Typical Daniel. At least, when he was out of his environment. If he wasn’t somewhere clean where he was surrounded by pens and technology, he was practically lost.

Jasmine: "I'll be fine . . . Just point me to who I'm going with."

Orion nodded his agreement.

Orion: "I'm sure I can manage as well, Becky. Just need to know which horse."

Becky: "Well . . ."

She sized them up for horse compatibility.

Becy: "Jasmine, you'll ride on Elvis, 'an Orion can ride on Darth Vadah."

She led the pitch black horse out if the stall and saddled him up. Akane was going with Persona, though couldn't mount her . . . Until Becky walked over and helped him. A blush crossed his face. Sunny easily mounted Sydes, a helmet buckled and giggling.

Sunny: "Hey!"

She exclaimed, looking over at Daniel.

Sunny: "Have ya ever seen a rattlesnake b'fore?!"

Daniel: "No!"

He flinched at the very thought.

Daniel: "And I don't plan on starting today!"

Jasmine rolled her eyes, climbing onto Elvis in a slow moment, patting his neck.

Jasmin: "Such a good boy."

Orion watched her a moment before sliding in Darth Vader's saddle with very little difficulty. Ariel was already mounted on her horse. Becky was on AJ, grinning.

Becky: "Don' worray!"

She told Daniel, the poor man still obviously distraught.

Becky: "We ain't seen one for 'bout twelve hours now!"

She joked, then nodded, becoming more serious.

Becky: "All righ'! Now, y'all listen up! Ah'll be lead'n us on 'th wide trail in 'th woods o'er there!"

She pointed to a large cluster of trees.

Becky: "Now, if ya do see a snake, stop, 'an let it pass. Also, keep 'th reins in a firm grasp, click ya tongue and GENTLAY hit the side flanks 'a ya horse 't git it go'n! Say 'whoa' 't git it 't stop, but hold up ya hand lahke this-."

She held her hand up high, palm forward.

Becky: "If ya do so we don't got no bumper accidents!"

She giggled at her own joke.

Becky: "Everywun git tha'?"

Jasmine sighed, nodding, no protests from anyone else in the group.

Jasmine: "Any specific order, Becky?"

Becky: "Ah'll lead! Ariel, ya go righ' b'side meh, Daniel, ya git sandwiched. Akane, ya double up with Sunnay 'an Angela, 'an Jasmine, Orion, y'all pair up. We clear?"

Jasmine tensed slightly before nodding, glancing around quickly.

Jasmine: "All clear, Becky . . ."

Her riding partner strode up quickly with Darth Vader, keeping quiet. Ariel took her mount up to Becky with Daniel close. The man was a drama queen in her eyes but she kept a close eye on him. Seeing as how he would probably need plenty of assistance. Becky clicked her tongue and pressed her heels gently into AJ's flanks, and the Fresian began to slowly trot down the back drive, through a stretch of long grass and into a wide dirt path. Ariel rolled her eyes, having to half-guide Daniel's horse after her, the other groupings following swiftly.

Jasmine kept glancing over at the MMA fighter next to her. Thankfully, he'd changed into jeans and a t-shirt after the water fight. She couldn't imagine the pain he'd be in now if he hadn't. He smiled at her, keeping his eyes ahead, keeping his voice low.

Orion: "If I didn't know better, I'd say you have a crush on me, Jasmine . . ."

She frowned at the accusation.

Jasmine: "Shush yourself, Weirdo. I'm just . . . Having eyes spasms, is all . . ."

He chuckled, clearly amused.

Orion: "If you say so . . ."

Sunny chattered excitedly to Angela, pointing out this and that and telling misadventures on the Ranch, much to Becky's humiliation and Akane's odd delight.

Sunny: " . . . 'An then Becky went flying RIGHT outta her saddle 'an into a thorn bush!!! Granma says she had to wash out her mouth with soap after, 'cause she said some bad words 'an stuff!"

Jasmine groaned under her breath.

Jasmine: "What does it matter who I'm attracted to, anyway? Like you're all that special."

Orion: "So you're attracted to me?"

Jasmine: "No!"

She winced, trying to keep her voice hushed, but it became increasingly difficult the longer she was around him.

Jasmine: "You're conventionally attractive but I do not-. I don't like you! You're just . . ."

Orion: "Just what, Jasmine . . . ?"

Jasmine: "You're a distraction! I could have something real, something critical coming up tomorrow and here you are, just throwing me into a tizzy. Of all times to have you . . . A guy like you show up, you pick now . . . ?"

He laughed softly, keeping his voice low so they could keep their conversation private.

Orion: "I apologize . . . So . . . What's going on tomorrow that's so important . . . ?"

She sighed, shaking her head.

Jasmine: "None of your business . . ."

He slowed his horse, grabbing her reins, causing Elvis to match Darth Vader's pace until the other's were far enough ahead that they'd significantly decreased the chance of being overheard.

Orion: "Talk to me, won't you . . . ? I promise I won't tell . . ."

None of them had noticed their sepration. And Becky couldn't have sunken lower in her saddle either. She was just that embarrassed. Jasmine sighed, shaking her head.

Jasmine: "I'm supposed to meet this guy tomorrow."

She replied, looking down. She didn’t even know why she was talking to this guy about this. Orion's eyes brightened at the admission.

Orion: "Oh? Who?"

Jasmine: "I don't know!"

She whispered, the fact as depressing as it was exhilarating.

Jasmine: "He just . . . Sent all these letters and . . . Told me to meet him tomorrow . . ."

Orion: "Are you going to go . . . ?"

He asked, searching her face, trying to search her eyes, but they were locked on the ground.

Jasmine: "I . . . I want to . . . I have to . . . I have to ditch Akane, first . . ."

She glanced ahead at her guard, and their horses pulled to a stop. Orion smiled.

Orion: "Let me show you how easy it is, Jasmine . . ."

He slipped out of the saddle, grabbing Vader's reins, and Jasmine mimicked him, glancing ahead as the others rode on. He led her just slightly off the trail quietly.

Orion: "See? Easy."

Jasmine rolled her eyes.

Jasmine: "It's not that easy at home."

Orion: "Do you need help getting out? I can do that for you."

He offered, eyes bright. Jasmine bit her lip.

Jasmine: "How do I even know it's worth going to?"

Orion: "How do you know it's not . . . ?"

She shook her head, frowning.

Jasmine: "So what, now you're the old wise owl? You are such a . . . Why am I even talking to you? Why are you talking to me . . . ?"

He smiled, watching her back into  a tree slowly. She wasn’t even thinking about it.

Jasmine: "Why don't you just go away . . . ?"

He chuckled, getting dangerously closer to her, invading her space.

Orion: "As much as I should want to walk away from you, Maiden, all I want to do is kiss you . . ."

The words came so naturally to him, like he'd spoken them before, and a slight blush crept across her cheeks as he got closer.

Jasmine: "Well why say it and not just do it . . . ?"

He smiled, tilting her chin upward.

Orion: "Don't tempt me . . ."

    He got closer, ready to commit to this, to kiss her, and she was going to let him . . . Until a pair of voices intruded.

Sunny: "EEEWWW! DON'T KISS!"

Akane: "MISS BROOKES!"

Akane and Sunny were staring right at the pair! Jasmine flinched, pulling away from him quickly, jumping back into Elvis's saddle and riding up to the group, blushing fiercely, her head bowed. Orion sighed, but kept his smile. He'd have to wait just a little while longer. He swung back into Darth Vader's saddle and joined them, ignoring Akane.