.Unafraid. [private]

[DJ]

Estee moved the gelding into a canter, and circled him. Glow seemed happy to be out, but being his usual old self, didn't feel the need to spook at every little thing and get over excited about just going outside. Pulling the gelding to a walk, Estee sighed and scratched his withers, feeling impatient.

She assumed they were taking the yellow trail today, only because they weren't going to go swimming and the yellow only happened to have a few logs and streams and such. Although they could still sit at the beach. And the red trail seemed too hard and long, especially for Daniel's young Thoroughbred. Oh well, she'd see when he got there.

She turned after seeing a tall bay walk out of the barn, and her heart lept. God, I need to stop being so obsessive, she smacked herself mentally. She was shocked by her own actions about this, but a second thought didn't want to stop them, seeing as she may make a new friend. If she hasn't already done so...

[D E M O N //]

"Oh, behave," Daniel snarled pulling the thoroughbred forward as he tried to walk in the opposite direction. Honestly, if Dose really wanted, there was no way that Dan could push him around. But, eventually he gave him and followed Daniel into the barn and allowed himself to be tacked up by his owner, it seemed that he knew they were going out on the trails, because he seemed even more excited then usual.

Leading Dose out of the barn Daniel mounted and before he could even settle his weight in the saddle Dose leapt forward. Bringing him back to a walk he led the stallion over to the gelding ridden by Estee.

"So, where do you want to go? I don't really know the trails yet," asked Daniel rubbing the horses neck trying to get him to relax a little, he was always so tense and ready to go.

[DJ]

Estee bit her lip. "Certainly skipping the red trail. It's way to long. And the streams, hills, awkward land wouldn't help much." She shrugged. "Beach, small streams and logs, or. Just a flat, short trail." She didn't really care. She'd preferred either the beach or the one with the few obstacles, only because the short flat one would be boring.

She scratched Glow's withers again as he was a bit impatient, just trying to get his head back and snatching at some grass, but she wouldn't allow him, and he sighed and twisted his ears in annoyance.

She hoped he'd have a preference, or else she'd have trouble choosing. But whatever. They were both here now. And she guessed that's what mattered. She knew it was going to be fun as the stallion was already bouncing around and they hadn't even started yet.

[D E M O N //]

"Streams and logs sound like fun,"

This situation was slightly awkward for Daniel. After all, he was known for proffering to be on the back of a bucking horse (or rather, falling off of one), to having an actual conversation, and now he was kind of stuck with both. Estee seemed nice enough, but how could he really tell? They hadn't had much of a rel conversation, but she had helped him out with Dose the day before.

But Daniel was not a naturally trusting person and therefor wasn't fully prepared to surrender to the fact that he intentions and motives were completely pure. But if anything would, it would be lending Dose a hand, which she had done, and she obviously cared about horses, so, she was starting to make her way into his good book, even if they had only just met.

"So, want to head out?" he asked as Dose began to trot in place beneath him. The fresh air only seemed to feed the stallions energy, but Daniel hoped that he wouldn't be to crazy on the trail, after all, he didn't really feel like making a complete fool of himself, but he knew he probably would.

[DJ]

"Sure, I'll let you lead," she indicated, letting the speedy horse move ahead. Glow hated being the the front and at times refused to move until there was another horse in front of him.

They started off, and Dose continued bouncing along the trail, seeming excited and joyous to be outside. Glow followed lazily, the hunter hadn't been on many trails, but Estee attempted getting him out every so often, but it had been hard for her before she came here, only for a few reasons. Currently, the gelding followed at an even paced trot, not going up Dose's butt, but minding some space.

"So," she tried to start a conversation. "Do you like jumping?" she asked the boy in front of her.

[D E M O N //]

"Alright,"

Dose let out a playful buck as they trotted forward along the trail. the stallionheld hjis head why and swished his tail back and forth as he moved foward at a decent pace. Besides jerking his head around a little he was actually being pretty good, that was a first. But Daniel was sure it was to just catch him by surprise when he finally took off, either that he was being a little show off in front of the other pair.

"Yeah, Dose is still a little green, but he has some serious potentail, you?"

Respond Daniel rubbing the stallion's neck. As the bay tossed his hea around his black man was lifted into the air. After a while of behaving Dose came to a stop, something that Daniel had not been expecting before shooting forward. Not expecting this Daniel fell onto his neck a little bit before pulling himself back up. The stallion seemed to enjoy seeing how much he could unseat his rider before he fell.

[DJ]

"Hunters," she replied, uncomfortable with the speed required in jumpers. She'd loved to done jumpers, as she had nice form, but speed scared her, as well as Glow not enjoying speed much either.

When Dose stared bouncing again, Estee continued on Glow, staying calm, but leaving a bit more room. She coughed. "Just wondering." She paused. "If you fall, what do I do with him?" she asked, knowing not to chase after the horse. There really wasn't much you could do with a loose horse on the trail.

She tensed a bit, seeing a log about 10 strides ahead. She assumed Glow would jump it willingly. She hoped so anyway. Although the gelding wasn't on the trail often, he was pretty level headed about things, and that kept her happy.

[D E M O N //]

"That's encouraging,"

He chuckled softly. Though the words might sound slightly rude they weren't intended as such and he hoped she would be able to see that, even if he wasn't god at portraying his emotion in his voice or anything, but he assumed she would.

"Leave him alone, he'll get bored and come back eventually. No attention span." laughed Daniel rubbing his horses neck. Despite his faults, Daniel loved the stallion and would never trade him for the most well behaved horse. Still, he did ge slightly frustrated sometimes.

As they came up to the first jump, or rather log, Daniel shortened his reins slowing the stallions pace to almost a walk, still the two of them cleared the jump with ease as the stallion landed cantering and moved forward. Jumping tended to get his attention and now his ears were pricked forward and he stopped tossing around his head wanting to know what he was supposed to do next, before debating between weather or not he should oblige.

[DJ]

"Well, you said so yourself," she replied. "You wanted me to come along so when you fell, there was someone there. So, here I am, yes?" The statement didn't come off as rude, she was just stating. "That's why you wanted me here. correct?" She didn't mean to intrude with the question, but she figured he didn't like her (Dang, right?), and he just wanted someone to ride with. She then bit her lip, hoping she'd said it correctly. And she didn't mean for it to come off as snooty, if that's how it sounded. God I need to shut up. That's why I don't interact with people well. I always put things wrong.

She continued up to the log at a smooth trot, hoping Glow took it well. After the stallion went over, Glow followed, over-jumping it, but Estee expected him to. She followed his movement fairly easily, a bit left behind on the landing, but he continued trotting off smoothly and she had to reward him for the good behavior.

After some silence, she stared ahead at the small stream only about one or two feet wide. It wasn't very deep either, although she'd expected to jump it because the bottom'd be slippery on the rocks.

[D E M O N //]

Lifting a hand as if to run his hand through his hair, Daniel realized that that would not be possible due to the helmet on his head. He quickly put his hand back on the reins hoping that she hadn't noticed him looking like a complete idiot, but ti was hard not to, he did it all the time.

"So, how long have you and Glow been together." Daniel wanted to facepalm himself the minute the words came out of his mouth, that did not come out right at all. It made it sound like they were dating or something. He really needed to work on this whole conversation thing.

As they reached a stream Dose stopped and stuck his foot in it creating a large splas that Daniel could feel on his legs. Testing the ground he went from a halt looking like he was going to walk across it to jumping in the air. Daniel almost slipped off durring the unexpected lss then smooth take off, but managed to hold his seat.

[DJ]

"Four years," she said quickly, not wanting to discuss what had happened before Glow came. She reached down, running her fingers though the base of his mane. She saw the stream approaching and picked up a canter, letting him know to jump rather than step through the stream.

He cantered up to the bit of babbling water and halted, throwing Estee unexpectedly onto his neck, before leaping over it, allowing her to slip over his shoulder, into the wet steam. She fumbled up quickly, dripping steadily. She bit her lip, not allowing herself to overreact, and forcing herself not to cry from embarrassment and foolishness.

She hobbled back over to Glow, still dripping. She stroked his neck before attempting to remount, but pain shot up her hip when she lifted her leg, so she walked him forward slowly, trying to find a large rock or stump to stand on.

Estee's eyes stung and her throat became tight and sore. Her teeth clenched the inside of her lip tightly. She felt the skin peel slightly and her whole mouth had a salty taste. But no, she couldn't cry.

[D E M O N //]

Daniel repositioned himself in the saddle after his close call not really paying attention to Estee. He was about to continue going forward assuming she was right behind him when he heard a splash.

Dose's ears pricked forward only an instant before Daniel's head wipped around to see what was going on. he wasn't sure what exactly happened but he saw Glow standing on one side of the stream and Estee in it. Hopping off his horse Daniel quickly through the reins over a branch and ran over to make sure she was okay.

"You alright?" he asked reaching out a hand to help her up. Her limp was bleeding and she seemed to have a small limp which as confirmed when she tried to pull herself back into the saddle.

"Want a leg up?" he offered wanting to o what ever he could to help her. After all, she had helped him when he had done pretty much the exact same thing the day before.

[DJ]

"Yeah," she nodded, looking at the tear in her breeches. "I think so." She halted Glow. "And please," she asked, looking around, unable to find anything stand on. She stroked the gelding's neck. Glow stood still while Estee place a boot into Daniel's hands, lifting her into the saddle. She cringed when she sat down, a cool wetness spreading through her body as her soaked breeches hit the cool leather.

She glanced down toward Daniel, offering a smile. She appreciated the help and attempted to show it, but her uncomfortable pain didn't help. When Daniel went back to Dose, snatching madly at random plants by the tree, he mounted back up, and Estee followed behind at the walk. She was happy to see Dose was somewhat calming, although never running out of energy.

As Daniel stayed looking forward, she reached up to swipe a wet eye, avoiding streaking her eyeliner.

[D E M O N //]

"Sure your aright?" he asked looking at her honestly concerned. After all, it looked like she was in pain, and from personal experiance he knew that that was not a fun situation to be in. After all, he had fallen off Dose more times then he could count.

"Do you want to head back?" he asked not wanting her to agrivate her injuries anymore then she already had, after all, the worse they were the longer they would take to heal.

Walking forward Daniel rubbed the stallion's neck trying to came him down to keep him at a walk to not excite Glow at all.

[DJ]

Her eyes dried quickly. The wetness was more from embarrassment than pain. She'd made a complete fool of herself not being able to stay on the gelding. "I think so," she nodded, after Daniel asked if she was okay. "And no, we'll go some more and it it's hurting that bad, we can go back. I'll tell you if it gets worse. It's not terrible right now, just wet and uncomfortable." She stared forward from under her dark bangs and smiled.

It began worsening as they continued the ride. It was certainly achy and she was positive there'd be a nice sized bruise later on. "So, how long have you had Dose?" She asked the boy, attempting to start a different conversation and take her mind off of her aching hip. "And by the way, feel free to go faster. Cantering'd be preferred more than trotting, though." Not wanting to bore Daniel and Dose, she offered a speed change. Estee was easily able to sink into the gelding's long, smooth canter strides, but the gelding's trot on the uneven ground would throw her around a bit more than she was ready for at this point.

What an awkward mess the ride had turned into so far. Estee wondered if Daniel was sorry for asking her to come along. The fall was clumsy and she certainly wasn't missing the opportunity to beat herself up about it.