Rural

Chapter 13: We're Sitting There By the Water

Chapter 13: We're Sitting There By the Water

       Paint was doing a lot better than from when I first moved here. Not only has he been starting to react positively towards Monica and even enjoyed her company sometimes when I wasn't around, he also finally let me put a saddle on top of him so I could go for a ride with him eventually.

       Getting him used to the saddle took quite some time. I couldn't just force the saddle onto him. I had to get him used to the weight on his back first before trying to get the saddle on him.

       Once I had the saddle on Paint, Sawyer walked over to the fence we were enclosed in. He rested his arms on top of it, giving me a smile. "It's amazing how much Paint trusts you. It's a really good thing you're living with us."

       "Good for Paint or good for you?" I asked.

       "That didn't sound close to an innuendo but I feel like it was one," Sawyer said but my only reply was a shrug. "So want to test  out how Paint will do other other horses and go for a ride?"

       "Sawyer! Not in front of the horse!"

       Sawyer sighed heavily. "I meant for us to get on our horses and go on the trail, Jamie. You haven't been there yet since you've been back and there's actually a place in there I want to show you. So what do you say?"

       I gave Sawyer a smile. "Yeah, I would love to. Hopefully Paint will be okay being near your horse."

       "I think we will," Sawyer said. "He has been okay near Raven a few times. The only reason why we keep Paint separate is because he's not okay around every single horse at the same time."

       "Then why not keep Raven in here with Paint?" I asked.

       "Because like I said, he's only okay near Raven a few times," Sawyer said. "Not all the time. And the times he isn't okay, he'll have a freak out like he did during the thunderstorm so we just make things easier and keep Raven with the rest. Why don't I bring Raven in here right now to see how Paint will do? It will also give Paint a few minutes to warm up to Raven while I go get pack some things for the trail."

       "Like what?" I asked. "Con--"

       "Don't say it."

       "Say what? I was going to say confetti."

       "Sure you were, Jamie. Sure you were."

       Sawyer went to the other field to bring his horse, Raven, to Paint's field. I was a bit worried Paint wouldn't react to Raven well even though Sawyer told me there was a good chance Paint would be fine. I had never seen Paint interact with other horses since I've been here so I haven't seen it for myself yet.

       However, as soon as Sawyer brought Raven into this secluded area, Paint didn't really react towards him. He didn't have a positive reaction but he also didn't have a negative one. He just stared at Raven for a bit before going back to grazing.

       "You okay with me staying here while I go pack?" Sawyer asked. "Just in case?"

       "Yeah, of course," I said. "Don't forget to pack the confetti." I gave Sawyer a wink.

       Sawyer chuckled. "You're unbelievable."

       "Unbelievably irresistible?"

       "I wouldn't exactly say that."

       "Ouch, that hurts. A lot. I don't know how I'll be able to move on without someone feeding my ego."

       "Then maybe you should tune down your ego," Sawyer said before walking towards the house to pack whatever it was he wanted to pack, and unfortunately 'confetti' wasn't involved.