You Put My Finger On The Trigger

Chapter Ten; A Somewhat Friendly Sunshine Boy

"Keep your heels down, and put your chin back in the sky!" Rylee's strong voice rang out across the arena. "Good! Now push her back into a trot. Excellent, roll your hips, like the ocean! Ok now start posting...up! down! up! down!"
Gracie furrowed her brows as she struggled to keep up with the flying instructions. She got it for a couple beats, then fell back out of sync and had to fight to find it once more. The cycle repeated all the way around the arena until Rylee finally ended the quick practice.
"You're doing great honey!" She smiled up at the breathless and rosy cheeked girl. "Just don't forget, keep your heels down and your toes out, that's where most of your failures are coming from."
"Yes ma'am," came the automatic response.
"Ok take her over to the west side, behind the house. America is already there, the rest of us will get there right away here, I gotta go round them up!"
Gracie nodded, picked up the reins, and guided Moose off in the direction of the trail they were taking. As she was told, America was waiting there already. The two joked over which horse was the most airheaded, as others slowly trickled in. Finally Rylee showed up.
"Avery said he'll catch up so we might as well get started. I'll lead, you can all fall into place in twos behind me. Plan?"
Nobody objected, of course, so she rode out.
Chandler and Alejandro followed her, Caitlyn and Winter falling in behind them, then June and Charlie, followed by Caleb and America. Thanks to Moose's stubborn attitude, Gracie trailed the pack a good three lengths behind the last two. She didn't mind. She enjoyed the quiet and peaceful type of trail ride, and honestly would rather not talk.
They walked for some five or six miles, twisting back through the wind-tossed grassy hills, light-hearted chatter spreading throughout the group. The odd time a mount would make a fuss over something trivial, such as a leaf blowing in the wind, but it was uneventful for the most part.
Gracie rode quietly, almost robotically. She relished in the uniform sway of the saddle, the steady hoof falls on the dust, the peaceful calm.  She soaked it in, saturated in the feeling, willing it to never end. For the first time that day, her thoughts and nightmares left her alone, and she just existed in the moment. Nothing, she decided, felt quite as nice as simply existing.
Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of hoofbeats behind her. Moose flicked her ears back too, slowing down, then stopping to look behind her, her rider mirroring her gaze. Avery had in fact caught up. He was riding Desert Star this time instead of Timber. Gracie knew he'd had quite the ride that morning, of course, with the unusual events. As well, she'd heard they used Desert Star in endurance rides that he excelled at, winning the Best Condition award three times in 100 mile rides, and placing second in the Tevis Ride. So he had to be ridden a lot to stay in shape, though they were retiring him to stud after two more races.
He trotted up to Moose with ease, not even breaking a sweat. Avery tugged him down to a walk and he obeyed with a toss of his kingly head and a snort of displeasure at having to go so slow.
He rumbled his stallion call to Moose and arched his neck proudly, but a gentle cue from Avery put him in his place and he continued to walk obediently beside them. They continued after the group, which were by now some six or seven lengths ahead due to Gracie's relaxed pace and Rylee's more aggressive one.
Comfortable silence enveloped the two, neither feeling the need to break it as they wandered ever onwards. The wind whistled on through the land, lifting the horses' manes and tousling Gracie's chocolate locks.
Suddenly, Star pitched forward in a stumbling motion. Avery halted Star, and instinctively Gracie halted Moose as well. He dismounted muttering under his breath about the stupid ground, and pulling a hoof pick from his pocket, proceeded to pick out a sharp rock from Star's left front.
"There you go boy, feel better?" The stallion dropped his head and nudged Avery gently, almost as though he really were saying thank you.
"He really likes you! I wish Moose cared that much about me!" Gracie laughed shyly. Her voice surprised her; she hadn't planned to say a thing.
  Avery looked up at her before swinging back into the saddle. He grinned, a genuine look of happiness crossing his bold face and softening his otherwise stone cold eyes.
"Yeah, we really bonded. It's more of an Arabian thing. And Moose does like you, she's just more aloof about it."
"I know, I just wish she'd show it."
The group was around a curve and nowhere to be seen. They appeared to not have even noticed the two riders' absence.
"How's Trigger?" Gracie asked. Lately the majestic animal had been on her mind a lot. Unknown to all, she had fed him some carrots the other day, and petted his face for a long time afterwards.
"Well, he's still a case, for sure. I don't know if he'll come around in time. He still won't even let me touch him." Avery's face grew troubled again at the mention of the buckskin.
"Wait you can't touch him yet?" Gracie queried, surprised.
"Not unless I want my hand getting bit off." The response was clipped, like Gracie was stupid for doubting him.
She furrowed her brows and continued riding.
"Twenty questions?"
The question took her completely off guard; it was in fact so unexpected she had to ask him what he had said.
"I said wanna play twenty questions? Do you know how to play?"
"Oh, yeah I do, sorry I wasn't sure I heard you right." She blushed a little.
"You first then."
"Ok, ummmm favourite color?" Gracie's mind was blank.
"Wow, original!" Avery teased. "But probably black. Matches my soul." They both laughed. "Do you like it here?"
Gracie thought, choosing her words carefully and precisely lest she offend him. "I kinda miss the streets and the busy atmosphere of the city. But I do like it here too. Plus, I don't really have anyone back there." Her voice cracked as she thought of her mom. "Here I can at least have friends. And your mom is really cool, I like her."
Avery nodded, and a flash of something almost akin to empathy skittered over his face, but disappeared as quickly as it had come.
"Do you ever get tired of all the other kids invading your home?" She finally asked after thinking a while.
Avery studied her, as though sizing up just how much he could safely say.
"I guess sometimes I do," he said slowly, his green eyes dark and sincere, never breaking gaze with her own, "but for the most part it's ok. I just kind of wish it was still me and mom sometimes, you know?"
Gracie didn't expect any different answer, and she agreed.
"I get that. I miss spending time with my mom." Her eyes teared up and her throat involuntarily tightened, but she looked down and bit her tongue as hard as she could to refocus, preventing the tears from leaking out.
Avery gazed at her for a long moment, almost to the point where it was getting awkward. A tense vibe filled the suddenly stuffy air. His features were soft, his eyes seeming teary themselves, and the look on his face was gentle, faraway yet too close at the same time, and care radiated from him like a healing crystal. Her heart beat slow and hard within her aching chest, so loud she thought he'd hear it. She looked stiffly down at the ground as her hands broke into a cold sweat from nerves, but in the corner of her eye she could see Avery still staring her down calmly.
"Yeah," he finally croaked, words feeling foreign on his tongue, "death is a bitch."
Gracie murmured an agreement, and the tension fled. The wind picked up again.  The others came into view ahead as the trail wound back down to where it started. She looked at him, surprised to find him also looking. She offered a sad smile, which he returned, and they continued silently. The game ended there, as short as it had been, for neither of the two were particularly keen on the other digging too deep, now that the air was serious and heavy. The silence was a comforting, peaceful, and calming one, each content to dwell in their own thoughts, even while in the other's presence..The ride ended and they parted ways as silently as they had come together.
Gracie's heart was strangely lifted despite the solemn tone of the day. She could feel life bubbling into her, one drop at a time, and it was exhilarating. She brushed Moose's damp coat until it was dry and gleaming brighter than the sun, then cleaned her stall with utmost care, adding some extra shavings to make it even more comfortable and neat. A peaceful smile adorned her face the whole while, and she didn't even notice the others coming and going, apart from telling Charlie where she'd put his favourite brush and Caitlyn that she was almost done. Trapped in her own world, she was, and thoroughly enjoying it. She returned Moose to her stall at 5:00 sharp, then rubbed her chilly hands together and blew on them in an effort to warm them. She headed outside. A light pink-orange tinge decorated the post-sundown sky, casting a warm glow over the entire barnyard.

Trigger caught her eye. He stood magnificently, gazing into the horizon as though he saw something alarming, nostrils wide and snuffling, eyes bright and attentive and his tail flicked upwards. The glow of the sunset turned his buckskin coat into a jar of honey held against sunlight, the edges of his black mane and tail illuminated with the pinkish orange as well. The wind blew his mane forward, flat against his thick neck, persistently. Gracie's breath caught in her throat as she observed him. He was stunning, and if she thought she'd seen beauty before, well she knew she had been wrong.
She walked towards him, and he moved from his rock-stiff position to eye her warily. She stopped and waited for him to relax a little, then pressed forward slowly once he did. She repeated the routine until she'd walked right up to him. She stood still, not wanting to scare him. He snorted loudly and blew his breath in and out violently, then he slowly stretched out his black and golden nose. Closer and closer he sniffed, then his lips landed on her forehead. He sniffed her vehemently for a couple seconds, then turned his head to look at the dog. Gracie looked up, and slowly brought her hand up to his face. He froze for a second, then seemed to let out all the breath he'd been holding in one long sigh as he dropped his head so her palm was on his forehead. His ears switched to the sides and he visibly relaxed his tense muscles as Gracie rubbed his whorl gently. She began to sing "You Are My Sunshine" softly to him. She petted his forehead for a while, then slowly moved down to his jaw, and eventually his neck.
Suddenly, his head shot straight back up, nearly knocking her out on the way past. He snorted warily and turned, prancing elegantly back to the middle of the pen again.
Gracie turned to see what had startled him, only to be met with a pair of puzzled emerald eyes almost right behind her. Her heart jumped in her chest; how had he snuck up on her so easily? If her mom's killer knew where she was, she'd be an easy target.
Nervously she backed a step away, stopping as the bull board fence pressed against her spine.
It didn't help her wildly beating heart, though. He moved a step closer, then put his hand up on the board she was leaning against, by her shoulder. He seemed oblivious to how flustered she was getting.
"How'd you do that?" His tone wasn't angry, as she'd half expected. Just genuinely confused.
She frowned.
"Do what?"
"Uh, pet him? Nobody's been able to touch him yet. And I've never seen him relaxed like he was just now."
"I don't know. I've petted him quite a bit lately. As long as I take it slow he doesn't object. That's why I was surprised when you said you couldn't touch him earlier today." Gracie answered honestly, as she really wasn't sure why Trigger seemed to appreciate her so much.
"That's weird. Maybe he just hates me." Avery mused.
"I mean, you're not exactly the most bubbly person around, sunshine boy." Gracie teased, the light in her eyes twinkling playfully. Avery chuckled, and her stomach squirmed at the sight of his smile. Heaven forbid, it was beautiful, like rain after drought.
"Oh drop it, would you, I've been nice to you today!" He laughed, dropping his hand from the fence. Her heart dropped with it and she took a deep breath of relief. But if I'm relieved, why do I half wish he'd left it there?!
"We need to go in though and help with supper."
Gracie nodded and they headed in, where the kitchen was warm and bustling with activity. After washing her hands, Gracie took the job of mashing the potatoes. Finally the food was ready, and she was starving, like everybody else.
"Pass. Me. The. Carrots. You foul loathesome evil little cockroach!" Winter was frustrated at Caleb, who refused to pass her the carrots held above his head. He laughed and shook his head.
"Ouch!" He jerked violently as Charlie jabbed him in the ribs. "What was that for?!"
"Just pass her the carrots."
Gracie laughed with Caitlyn, exchanging a look that communicated their amusement at Caleb being outnumbered. He was usually the leader of the group, and sometimes it became annoying.
She dug into her roast beef sandwich as the room collapsed in an uproar of talking and laughing. Glancing at Avery, she noticed he had a faint smile creeping over his face as he ate and listened to the chatter. Her smile quietly returned, and her heart was filled with the feeling of being home as the night fell outside, coating the world in blackness, and her hunter drew another unknown step closer.