A Return and a Arrival

[<-Whicker->]

Where had the past week gone? Dorthea wanted to no just that. One minute, she was fine; sitting at the kitchen table having her last breakfast there for a while, and helping her dad load Twister into his trailer. And now, she was sitting in an unfamiliar barn in an unfamiliar place, already missing her dad and the places she'd left behind.

Had it really only been three days? Geesh...

But at least she wasn't completely alone and swamped by strangers. A soft, velvety nose pressing against her exposed shoulder reminded her of that. Dorthea smiled and shifted so that she was now looking at Twister. The grey gelding shifted in his straw bed, and turned to look at either side of his alien stall. It seemed she wasn't the only homesick one, either. They were fish out of water together.

"Aw, calm down, Twister." She cooed, reaching out to pat the large animal on the head. "S'only for a few months. Who knows, you'll probably become friends with the other horses and will never want to leave. Besides...You've been here before." Indeed, he had, but much farther down, if the stall numbed Tim had given her was correct. It did appear that either she was one of the first students to arrive, or the numbers of students attending this school had dropped drastically.

Twister snorted, blowing warm, slightly moist air back into Dorthea's face and hair. Giggling, the short girl stood on tiptoe to do the same, sticking out her tongue at the much bigger horse, as if teasing.

[{Moxie} | {mare}]

Aria led the sweat soak mare back into the barn, a slight smile on her features. She had gotten dumped once again, but she managed to get back on and ride the mare through her problems. Limping slightly she grabbed up the mare's old nylon halter and flipped off the bridle. Slowly pulling the halter over the mare's face she clipped the cross ties to each side and sat down on her tack trunk. running a slim hand through her brown hair she noticed another girl, playing with her horse. Standing up she walked over and smiled.

Hey I'm Aria, you new here too, that's great. Know what, wait never mind. So what dorm are you in?

Her stream of questions might have scared off anyone else, but she was hoping this girl wouldn't run off. Crossing her arms she smiled again awaiting an answer. Some thought that she might have been a bit-stand offish but when you got to know her she was the cloest friend you could ever have.

Glancing back at the mare she smiled, seeing that she was still standing there and resting a hind foot. Aria would take her out and hose her off in a little while after she had met this new girl.

[<-Whicker->]

Dorothea had been so sure that she and Twister had been fully alone, so preoccupied with coddling 'her boy' that she was shocked when a stream of questions from, obviously, another person in the barn, were fired off at her in rapid sucession. Her knees jerked in surprise, knocking painfully with the wooden door to Twister's stall with a muffled bang.

"Oww..." She mumbled, turned from the stall and Twister to rub her now slightly-sore knees. At the same time, a brilliant blush flushed across her cheeks; great way of making a first impression.

In truth, however, Dorothea had only been startled at the voice because it had come out of what she though had been an empty barn save for a few already-stalled animals. Normally, she was a very sociable person, which she proved even as she was tending to her surely bruised joints.

" Oh...Hi!" She said, turning her grimace of pain before into a lopsided smile now. " I'm Dorthea...Dorothy, really. And.." Dorthea realised that most of the questions she'd been asked, the girl had answered herself. Odd...but considerably helpful as she could quite remember all the girl had said, she spoken so fast.

" I'm in...Well...Just a sec." Having left her registration papers with her dad so he could put her things in her room before he left, while she went to settle Twister, she didn't at first remember her dorm number. However, she usually remember to write important things down somewhere...

There! Rolling up the sleeve of her(what some would describe as flaming) orange pullover, she found a pen-written digit with 'Dorm' beside it.

" I'm in dorm one." Dorothy finally added, pulling down her rolled sleeve with a flourish. " You?"

[{Moxie} | {mare}]

Aria grimaced as the other girl bumped into the stall door. She her self had done that a few times although it was just her clumsiness, she had even been trying to do anything out of the ordinary, just trying to walk. She smiled, knowing that she probably frightened the other, as she usually did when first meeting people.

Are you ok, I didn't mean to frighten you, but are you sure you are ok?

A worried expression crossed her face, followed by a smile as the other girl presented her self with a smile. She had never met a Dorthea before, but presumed that there were just as many Arias as there were Dortheas. Tapping her black knee-high boot she smiled and scratched her riding breeches, horrible itchy things, she would much rather ride in jeans. At Dorthea's reply Aria started up excitedly again,

That's sooo cool we are in the same dorm, corse in different little bedrooms I think, but what the heck, that soooo cool. So I'm guessing you ride so what seat, western english? I do a little of both although no speed events although I wan to they look fun.

A little short of breath she smiled and glanced again at her mare, the horse was standing still, a good thing, and seamed to be cooling off. Just a little longer, Aria pleaded to the horse, just a little longer.

[<-Whicker->]

Dorthea kept the smile on her face, and nodded through what Aria said. Inside, she felt so relieved that she was actually meeting someone from her dorm, that now, maybe, she'd know someone in her dorm.

Suddenly, everything didn't appear to be so new and lonely.

" What seat?" Dorthea clarified; and she though she talked alot. Figuring out that that was what it ment, she replied.

"Well...Western." She said, the smile growing more lopsided as it widened. " It'd be the only thing that made sense for me, really." Stepping back to her horse's stall, she patted Twister's neck affectionately.

" Of course, Twister here's been at it much longer than I have."

[{Moxie} | {mare}]

Aria was thinking along the same lines as Dorthea was. Finally some one I meet who isn't afraid of me. Shaking her head slightly she smiled. The grey gelding in the stall appeared to be actually quite sweet, compared to the mare who also appeared to be quite sweet, but was a devil within. Aria glared at the mare for a second before breaking into a smile, she could never stay made at the light grey mare.

That's cool I've always liked western, cool outfits and such, so what classes do you go in with Twister, I assuming that's your horse right? He's really cute.

She paused unable to think of what to say, it was unusual that she came into the position, but when it did she grew shy and began to stare at her shoes.

Well I think I've better hose down Witch, so maybe we could meet in the lounge or back at the dorm?

Aria paused letting her words sink in then turned slightly to take the english saddle off the mare.

[<-Whicker->]

Dorthea straightened up from rubbing her sore knees.

" Yeah- Twister was my brothers before he was mine, though. I'm planning on working with him to improve the Horsemanship and Trailwork Tim started him in, and both of us are starting anew in Barrel Racing and Reining."

At the mention of his name, Twister stretched out his neck even farther, trying to sniff at Aria. This caused Dorthea to giggle.

" But don't call him cute... it goes to his head. "

Nodding, Dorothy understood. " I was just making sure Twister was settled in, before I was heading back to unpack anyways. Maybe, if you wouldn't mind...you could come and help me later... Seeing as we're in the same place. I tend to get horribly sidetract."

[{Moxie} | {mare}]

Aria smiled as Twister attempted to smell her out and stepped forwards so that he could. Holding her hands she suppressed a giggle as his nose tickled her fingers.

Awwww we wouldn't want him thinking too much about himself now would we?

An angry nicker sounded from the aisle as Aria turned back towards her mare.

Witch, I ain't forgot about you

The girl's soothing voice seemed to calm the mare as Aria walked over to her.

Ya sure that'd be great I'd love to help you unpack, if you want to get started I'll be up in a few minutes or you can wait here

Unbuckling the mare's girth Aria flipped off the saddle and lugged it into the tack room, she unclipped the cross ties from the mare's halter and waited a reply before heading to the wash rack.

[<-Whicker->]

Dorthea nodded once more, turning to give Twister strong neck another soft pat.

"You got it, I'll meet you there."

"See ya, Twist'." Dorthea whispered to the large animal. It didn't seem to bother him, however, as he turned his head and curiously watched Aria worked on her mare Witch as Dorthea turned on her heels and headed out of the barn, gradually picking up into a run as she hit the yard, heading up to the dorm buildings.

(Okay- Do you want me to make a new topic or something, or do you even want to continue, or what?)

[{Moxie} | {mare}]

sure you can make a new postie in the dorms

[<-Whicker->]

(Okay, will do then.)