(Untitled)

[captain_moody]

[drowning teenage sorrows at the ranch]

Comments

[tyler_cain]

Hey, kiddo, you okay?

[captain_moody]

[grins] Yes, please. [she loves the horses] When we lived in the camp, if we were good, the grownups let us give them carrots after lunch.

[tyler_cain]

Okay, then...[stands up and then offers his hand] let's go feed the horses.

[captain_moody]

[takes his hand and grins, feeling much better than when she sat down]

[tyler_cain]

[helps her up and then leads her towards the ranch] You wanna go horseback ridin'?

[captain_moody]

[makes a face] Can you do that? [glances over her shoulder, pretty sure he's supposed to be working... even though he was probably supposed to be working the entire time he was sitting with her]

[tyler_cain]

Sure! I need to check along the fence line to make sure it's in good shape. I could use the company.

[captain_moody]

[nods] I can be good company! [nods again] I can fix fences, too.

[okay, so it was just a simple pen in the camp, to keep the smaller livestock contained]

[tyler_cain]

This time, we just need to flag the areas that need repair. I've got another group that'll fix the fence. So, how experienced are you at ridin' horses? [he needs to know so he can decide which horse will be best for her]

[captain_moody]

[nods; she's better at knots anyway]

I've only ever been on the horses here. [her riding experiences have been about the same extent as the younger Cains' lessons] Mostly just around in the corral... and once I went with Lulu, for a long... sloooow.. walk. [but they were just giving the horse some exercise, that day, so there was no need to rush]

[tyler_cain]

[he nods] Then I'll pair you with Leah, she's the calmest horse on the ranch. [smiles]

[captain_moody]

[smiles] I like her. If we could have horses in Central City, I would pick one just like her. [nods] We had a horse, one time... [frowns] But Jeb and my mom traded him for medicine in one of the towns. [smiles] But the man was very nice and promised he would take good care of her.

[tyler_cain]

She's definitely the most popular horse on the ranch. [smiles] Did you ever go to check on the horse?

[captain_moody]

[shakes her head] I don't know what town it was.I don't think we were there twice. [gives him a look] We didn't go a lot of places twice, so the Longcoats wouldn't find us. The grownups at camp didn't like that my mom would go into towns. They said the people in town would follow us and then tell the Longcoats, so they would get more food. [glances down] But my mom said that if they wanted to have dinner, then they were gonna let her go into town. [smiles]

[tyler_cain]

[he listens to her story as they walk. He liked hearing stories about life in the camps, all he'd known was the ammunition factory, then the metal factory. Of course, he didn't like why people lived in the camps, but what he liked was the stories of survival, the will to keep fighting for what they believed in.] It must've been difficult for you and the other kids.

[captain_moody]

[shrugs lightly] Some kids didn't like it. They wanted to see their friends or go back home. They didn't like the food or the trees. [glances at Tyler] I just didn't like when it rained, because I had to stay in the tent.