The Summer Of My Life

Chapter 9

"This is already week four." Kiki sighed the next day as we broomed our horses farer of the other stables to have a little privacy.

"Hmm, two more to go." I sighed too, knowing that I would miss this here.

"Let's meet at the raised hide at five o'clock? Girls talk." Fran proposed, making us smile and nod.

We did the rest in silence, saddling and putting on the bridle and whatelse, Kiki and Fran heading for the indoor riding arena and I headed for the secluded outdoor riding arena III. Kata was neighing softly, gently brushing her head against my forearm as we went there, making me smile down on her. Putting on my helmet, I mounted her with ease, refastening the saddle girth and checking everything else before starting with walk. Since I was a bit early, I didn't ponder about where Levi was but started to warm up and as I finished with warming up, we started to dance. New moves and commandos came to my mind the longer I thought about some of them and I tried them out immediately, some of them functioning, others not.

Letting her off in walk, I was deeply absorbed in thoughts what my brother could have wanted, but the only thing I could think of was Fran's number. I sent it to him the day before in the evening, and had wanted to call him but hadn't found the privacy I would have liked to have.

"Elenora!" I turned around slightly startled, seeing Levi close the door to the riding arena, making us completely secluded due to the bushes and not the closed wooden door. He had another mare on the reins, leading her over to us, motioning me to get off. Slipping off of Kata puzzled, I patted her neck and pulled the reins over her head, walking over to Levi.

Mustering the mare, I found her no older than five years, a young, well-build and beautifully coloured horse. Her eyes were lively and quick, even just by walking up to us, you could see her lift her legs elegantly and powerfully.

"This is Katida." Levi looked at me, his eyes staring at mine with a force that had me turning hot and cold at the same time. Looking at the mare, he motioned me to mount her, making me do so after rubbing her forehead to which she snorted softly. Sitting in the saddle, I instantly felt a connection to her.

It was different to Kata or any other horse, who responded to my ever so littlest wink, but this here, this was entirely different.

Katida seemed to know every step I wanted to take beforehand and I just had to think about it and shift the slightiest bit and she did it already. Her gaits were a dream, a real dream, and I couldn't stop to be amazed through and through of her incredible responsiveness.
She was a dream, a true dream.

As I slid off her an hour later, I only noticed that Levi hadn't said anything once that lesson, he only sat there on a plastic stool and watched me, his face the mirror of a pro-pokerface.

Standing beside her, I couldn't describe the feeling I felt as she turned her head and snorted softly in my direction as if asking when I would come already. I eased up the saddle girth and walked to her head, holding out my hand in which she put her muzzle. And then the idea sparked.

When would I ever find a horse responding to my touch and thoughts like this? Katida was young, and so was I. But I knew for sure that we were the perfect match.

And, I mean, if I wanted, I had a whole stable at home jumping to my command. Taking my phone out, I called my grandma. "Hey Granny, is there a bay free at your stables?" "Hey Honey," she laughed surprised. "I think there should be one available. Why so?" "Grandma, I think I'm going to buy a horse."

~*~

It was sealed, Katida was mine. Inge was surprised when hearing that I rode her already when I told her my plans, but after Therry and Levi's statements about my riding skills, she agreed but she'd have to watch me interact with her.

Kiki and Fran were completely hook-a-hoop when I told them, jumping around and tackling me in a group hug, making all of us tumble onto the floor next to my bed. Raised Hide was cancelled, my horse-to-be was apparently more important.

The next day Inge held my riding lessons, Levi only sat next to her and watched me and Katida sweat in front of them.

I had the first one already at 7:00 in the morning, and the second one at 6:00 pm while everyone was eating dinner a few hundred metres away. At the end of the second lesson, Inge nodded, giving her permission. I signed my name under the purchase contract still in the riding hall, Katida on the rein next to me and Inge left afterwards, leaving me with Katida and Levi a couple of metres away.

Talking to her quietly, I drew around surprised as I was hugged from behind, almost giving Levi a knock with my helmet. "Congrats to your very own horse." He chuckled next to my ear, making me laugh. "My very own first horse." I leaned back a bit, more into Levi as she lifted her head, snorting and putting her muzzle in the valley of my breasts.

Brushing her head softly, I had a strange thought, making me shake my head. My first little family, Levi, Katida and me.

Laughing at myself internally, I broke free of the hug I couldn't return. We brought Katida back to her stable, which lay probably the farest away from the camp house, on the opposite side of the stud. Levi helped me with taking off the saddle as I took off the bridle and sent her into her bay. I quickly put her things away into the tack room, returning to her bay where Levi leaned against the wood. Without saying something to him, I stepped back into the bay, petting Katida and massaging her. She snorted softly, sinking her head.

"She's such a sweetheart." I sighed, brushing my hand over her eye as she leaned into my touch. "Hmm." Turning around, I right out stared at him. His hair was falling into his face, something that had my fingers itching to correct. His eyes skimmed mine lively, flickering down. And his lips were quite nicely red. We just stared at each other for a couple of moments. Then, he pushed off the wooden wall, throwing me a last glance before turning around and walking off.

And I didn't know what to feel.