Dancing

Ch. 1

I sat reading one of my many books in the garden. It's midspring and the morning was crisp, but warm. I was dead center and under one of the banana trees. During the winter, we put a greenhouse over the garden so we can keep growing food. It's my favorite place to be.

Hooves sounded a warning that someone was here when they should not have been. I moved to between two blueberry bushes and laid on my stomach. I learned that as long as I'm hidden, I'm safe. I looked up seeing Xavier going up to meet whoever it was.

Another stallion that wanted a few of the girls. I already knew Xavier's answer. No. Not unless they are willing. I went back my book. Footsteps and crunching dead leaves around me sounded. They must be looking for me. Xavier always has the garden checked for me.

I've gotten really good at hiding. If I don't move, they don't know where I am. I turned the page quietly and continued to read. Gravel and dirt churned as I lifted my head up. Xavier was leading the way to my house. This is why I hide in the garden.

A few minutes later, there was yelling. I kept reading my book and looking up after every page finished. The guy left and once he was out of sight I spotted Xavier walking towards the garden. "Couldn't find her." A guy said. "You don't know where to look." Xavier said. He stopped right in front of me.

I heard the gate open then shut. Xavier knelt down. He moved the bushes. "You need to stop hiding in here." He said. "I know." I said. "Most of the guys coming here are looking for you." He said. "You know I won't go with just anyone." I said. "I know. You should come out though and meet a few of them. Most are getting ticked that your not where you are supposed to be." He said.

"This is my element." I said. "I know. And I'm about to just bring them in here and let them meet you in your "element"." He said. "No one over thirty." I told him. "Can't do much sis." He said. He left me be and left the garden. I went back to my book. When I was finished with it, I moved from my spot and went to put my book away.

The heat was starting to get to me. I shifted into my coat and shook before trotting to the large pond. I'm mostly a loner. No one messes with me about it though. As I got there, I slowly went into the water and drenched my golden coat. My near white mane and tail were a darker white nearly transparent color. As I came out, I shook.

I spotted an unfamiliar horse off in the distance. I went a little ways from the pond and dropped to roll. I stood and shook. Then continued back. I kept an eye on the guy as I continued. He was following me. As I reached some brush, I went through it and shifted. I ducked down watching him. He stopped to look around.

Then moved towards where I was. He was slow moving. He then backed up and disappeared. I stood up a bit to see if I could see him. Gone. I stood more and peered around. I couldn't see him. I then shifted back and tried to run for it. I was knocked off my feet, rolled and shifted.

It was that same guy. I stood up and kept going. "Wait." He yelled. I didn't look back. I felt it on my arm. It was an oozing. My waist was grabbed and I was pulled flush back. "Hang on. I didn't mean to run you off." He said. I finally turned around.

"May I see your arm?" He asked. I held it behind my back. "I won't do anything to hurt you." He said taking two steps backwards. I kept my eyes on him. "May I see your arm?" He asked again. There was a slight sting to my arm now. I slowly pulled it from behind me.

He offered his hand out. I let him see it. He stepped closer to me and used both hands to hold my arm still. He then pulled what looked like a handkerchief from a back pocket and placed it over where it hurt. He pulled it away before placing it back over.

"Need to clean and cover it." He said. I had an annoyed look on my face I'm sure. "Sorry bout it." He said. As soon as he released me, his face was turned and the entire side of his face that was towards me was turning red. I turned around and walked off. As soon as I spotted one of the water faucets I turned it on and cleaned my arm up.

It was scraped up and still bleeding. I cleaned it up and went to doctor it up. As I was about to finish one of my brothers entered. "What happened to you?" He asked. "Scraped my arm." I told him. "Bleeding?" He asked. "Yeah. I'll check it later." I said as I made sure the wrap was secured.

I then exited and went to go get cleaned up better. I spotted Xavier and picked up the pace. I entered my house and went straight to the bathroom. I stripped and jumped straight into the shower. I washed my body and hair getting most of the dried mud off. I don't know who that was and I know every guy here.

I got dressed in clean clothes before my mom called asking me to help her in the garden. I went out barefoot and to the garden. I opened and shut the gate and grabbed a whicker basket. I started going down a row finding some tomatoes that were ripe. "What happened to your face?" I heard Xavier ask someone. "Don't know." A familiar voice said.

When my basket got full, I set it next to the fence, covered it, and got another. I continued on the tomatoes. "Yeah. It's not a bad set up. My father decided to set up a garden one year and greenhouse it to keep it producing food for us." Xavier said. I was nearing a full basket. A guy walked by.

"Do you need a new basket?" He asked. "Yes." I answered as I kept picking. He brought me an empty one and took the full one. When I finished picking tomatoes, I moved to the banana peppers and picked them. "How mean is she?" The familial voice asked. "Only when ticked off or she does not know you." Xavier said.

"Mind if I meet her?" The guy asked. "If I can find her." Xavier said. "She's either here or at her house." "Mind showing me around the garden?" The guy asked. "Not at all." Xavier said. I finished with the peppers and went down the row. When my basket was full, I went and got an empty. These baskets all have to be full at the end of the day.

My next run was two baskets. Xavier and that guy left the garden to go somewhere else. Two more girls came into the garden. They were two of Xavier's. Both heavily pregnant. Xavier would not like that. I continued on my way until I heard Xavier yelling.

I'm not getting in the middle of it. As I finished the row I was on, I saw two of his guys escorting them out. Something moved across my foot. I stood still as the snake went over my foot. It wasn't a poisonous snake, just a harmless garden snake. When it was gone, I continued.

As soon as the baskets were full, my mom was already gone and I was the last one in the garden. I latched the gate and locked it up. I spotted the same two girls. I went over to my house and sat on the front porch. The two girls tried to get into the garden. Good thing I locked it.

I went inside and fixed myself something to eat before going to bed.