Running Free

[Miastar]

Sidney:
I decided to take an easy trail, so that I could ride June at a gallop. Hoolligan Falls Trail seemed like the place to me, plus the waterfall sounded amazing!

Mike:
I knew that I had crossed over the Sterling Stables property but I was actually glad. I wanted to try and see who Taz and I might be up against.

Sidney:
Once I rode to a nice flat, I touched June with my heals and gave her more reign, she flew into her smooth gallop and carried me as if I were as light as a feather. As I rode, I noticed out of the corner of my eye another rider, but I rode on.

Mike:
"Well, Taz, let's see what they've got!" I said to him, moving into a racing position as best I could in a regular saddle. Taz moved into his racing gallop with a look of confusion for a moment, then he saw that the other horse was running ahead of him, and put on full speed.

Sidney:
What is with this guy? I questioned, oh well, I don't think he's trying to stop me, he'd be shouting if he was. "Let's go June!" I whispered, and June went even faster than before.

Mike:
Taz didn't really need to be running to hard this close to an important race, but I wanted to catch the other rider. "Ok Taz, gimme all ya got!" I crouched lower until Taz and I ran together as one. We caught up with the other rider in a matter of seconds then.

Sidney:
"Who are you?" I shouted above the noise of hooves to the racer, I knew that's what he was because of the way he rode.

Mike:
"Who are you!?!" I shouted back.

Sidney:
"You'll have to catch me to find out!" I shouted and urged June to carry me faster. She did. But the Racer was still neck and neck. I looked ahead and realized that there was a bend in the trail and if we continued we'd run right into the rock wall. I sat down qently in my saddle using my voice, legs, seat, and hands to slow June. She came gracefully to a canter, then trot, then walk and I let out a sigh of relief.

Mike:
I had noticed the wall at the same time the other rider did, and stood up in my stirrups to sigbnal Taz to slow down. He did, with a snort and almost buck. He loved to run free.

Sidney:
"Good girl June" I said with a pat. "wow" I said to the racer, "I'm impressed." I said raising my eyebrows.

Mike:
"Me to! I'm Micheal Vaughn" I said riding close enough to shake hands with the other rider.

Sidney:
"I'm Sidney Bristow, nice ride" I answered with a nod.

Mike:
"THE Sidney Bristow!?!" I said with excitement.

Sidney:
"Wow, I am famous!" I admitted with a laugh. "Yep, that's me!"

Mike:
"What an honor! I hope Taz and I didn't scare you and..."

Sidney:
"June, this is my new horse. Taz?" I asked.

Mike:
"Short for Tazmainian Devil" I explained.

Sidney:
"Nice to meet you too Taz"

At that Taz nodded his head in approval and touched noses with June. <3

[Miastar]

Sidney:
"So I hear there's a waterfall at the end of this trail. Care to join us?"

Mike:
"That would be awesome!"

Sidney nudged June into a walk and the two riders talked about some of the famous racehorses and jockey's they admired. June and Taz were getting along well too.

Sidney:
"So you're a jockey, and a good one. How many races have you won?"

Mike:
"Thanks for the complement, but I've only won 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place. I just haven't been able to get a decent mount. Till now that is. Taz is my only hope if I'm to continue to be a jockey. What about you? I mean, how many competitions have you won? All of the ones you entered I bet!" Mike said with a grin.

Sidney:
"No actually, I've at least placed in every competition except one." Sidney said suddenly looking as if a ton of bricks had hit her.

Mike:
"Culteral Icon. I'm sorry I forgot." Mike said apologetically. "How stupid of me"

Sidney:
"No, it's not your fault. He was such a great horse. I miss him so much. I'd love to have him back or another horse like him"

Sidney and Mike looked into each others eyes. Without saying a word they knew that they both were thinking about Monte Cristo. Mike shook his head. He still did not agree with Milton.

Sidney:
"Wow, look at that!" She exclaimed pointing to the waterfall they had reached at last.

Mike:
"It's beautiful" He said as he stoped Taz and dismounted.

Sidney dismounted too, and they stood side by side for a moment watching the waterfall.

Mike:
"There's some rocks we can sit on over there, I don't think June and Taz will be going anywhere after their run."

Sidney:
"I agree" she said stepping to June's saddle to shorted her stirrups and loosened the girth. Mike did the same with Taz and they went over to the rocks and sat down together.
"So, you practically know everything about me already. Tell me more about you."

Mike:
"Well, my dad was the head groom for a racing stables in California when I was born. My mom was teaching at one of the local schools then. When the owner of the stables went bankrupt, I was 12 and we moved to another farm in California. My dad is the head trainer there now and my mom retired a few years ago. They both are quite a pair and love animals. He told me yesterday that they have taken in yet another stray dog and he's buying more Beneful than human food! It's amazing that my mom was never a vet!" Mike finished with a laugh.

Sidney:
"Wow! So how did you end up here?"

Mike:
"My dad new a guy who knew Milton. Two years ago Milton was looking for a jockey and dad let me come here to get some racing experience under new colors. He insists that the farm he's at is the 'Best in the West'" Mike said impersonating his father by pretending to be a gun fighter from an old west movie. At that, both Mike and Sidney laughed and looked up to see Taz and June standing close to each other in front of the waterfall. <3

OOC: ONE DAY, I will write all of this (and more) into a book. The cover, will look something like this.

[Miastar]

Mike:
"So I know who you are and where you're from but WHY did you come out here?"

Sidney:
"Well, after Ike died I couldn't turn around without being in front of a horse. I couldn't be comforted over his loss by any person or horse. I'd always wanted to take a cross country trip so I talked to my mom and dad and they agreed that taking a break was a good idea for me. I went to a couple of landmark places here and there. On the way through Nevada, I ran out of gas near Cedar Hills believe it or not. And I feel in love with the town. I went home after I finished my trip and decided that I would not compete anymore. I needed a change. I convinced my dad to let me move out here, I found Sterlings Stables and now I'm back where I started almost. If I wasn't in Nevada you could say things haven't changed a bit."

Mike:
"I bet that trip was nice. The only trips I've ever been on were from one race track to another or a Throughbred sale two or threee states away. Dad actually did drag me along on a trip to Kentucky and Virginia once. He was trying to broden the reach of his breeding program. Which isn't easy with Throughtbreds and all of the rules that go with Throughbred racing."

Sidney:
"Yeah, traveling is nice when you're actually on a vacation. It kinda just... I don't know..."

Mike:
"Bores you to death when it's the same old-same old?"

Sidney:
"Exactly!" she said laughing and nodding her head in agreement. She looked down at her hands for a moment before looking up to meet Mike's eyes.

<3 <3 <3 <3

[Miastar]

After the meer seconds of silence that passed like hours, Sidney jumped up, dusting off the seat of her riding pants.

"I better get back. It was nice meeting you Mike" she said as she extended her hand to shake his.

"Yeah, nice meeting you too."

As she walked back to June, Mike starred after her. He watched her as she adjusted the stirrups and girth, mounted, and with a final wave began riding back into the direction of Sterling Stables.
Taz nickered in a mock-laugh sort of tone and Mike looked at him and said

"What are you lookin' at Romeo!?!"

<3