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pandjseetheworld · 3 years

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Backpacking Glacier

Day 3 in Glacier Continued…

Day 1 Backpacking

After parking the car next to the trailhead we gathered our gear and headed on the the trail. We were so excited to get going that we completely forgot to eat lunch so by mile 2 we realized we were hiking on breakfast only! We felt weak for just starting out but thankfully we only had to hike 6 miles this afternoon. About 4.5 miles in there was a sign for Twin Falls so of course we took a quick detour. And wow, these falls were stunning! And for the first time we made it to a beautiful spot that wasn’t swarmed with people making it even more majestic. My pinkie toe was rubbing and I was already getting a tiny blister so I switched into my sandals for the remainder of the hike (1.5 to go).

It was dusk by the time we were nearing our campground, with Pearce in the lead he quietly and quickly says “Moose!” Holy Moly, I was about to jump out of my sandals!!! There was a bull moose not but 50 feet from us! I swear to you it was Bullwinkle! This guys antlers were HUGE and he was just chowing down on some dinner, which we could relate because we were starving! This was by far the closest I have ever come to such a large animal. Pearce and I both looked at each other like… ughhhh what to we do now, the Ranger video didn’t mention how to get around a moose haha so we just made ourself known and slowly walked around him. Pearce was on guard with his bear spray out though, realll prepared! Several people we met along the way told us that a moose is more dangerous than a bear because they are huge and dumb. They will just charge for no reason so we should always keep a rock or tree between us and the moose. We were fine but I was on a high from seeing him so close! It was awesome!!

After our moose encounter, we continued on to our campground. It had 4 sites and was completely filled up. There was a pit toilet, bear box, and communal food area. Pretty nice amenities for being in the backcountry, I was impressed! The first thing we were told to do upon arriving at camp is to put your food and anything smelly in the bear box. This was there is only one area that smells (makes sense). So we dropped all our food off and headed to set up camp. Our campsite was nicely laid out with a flat area for our tent. Truly these campsites were impressive. Finally, the time had come to eat! We were both ravenous and probably would have eaten a bear if we saw one but instead we stuck with our dehydrated meals, equally as yummy and filling! You had to cook in the communal food area and the other groups were there eating too. It was nice to mingle with the other folks and hear about where they camped and their stories. It had a hostel vibe which was enjoyable and made me feel a little safer knowing we weren’t the only ones out there. If a bear were to eat us, someone would surely hear. At least that’s what I told myself before going to bed!!

Day 4 in Glacier

Day 2 Backpacking

Today was the longest day we’ve hiked thus far on our whole entire trip. In total it was only a 12 mile day but it had a 3600ft vertical incline! Now, these numbers were not pitched to me before hiking, I was only informed of this during and post hike for good reason! It was not the easiest day but you know what they say, “nothing worthwhile comes easy!” And it was very worthwhile!

After packing up camp and having some yummy freeze dried breakfast (it’s actually good if you haven’t tried it you should), we headed back on the trail. After the hype of the moose yesterday and talking to people at breakfast I was really hoping to see a moose swimming. Apparently it’s more common than it seems. And low and behold, not but a mile from leaving out campsite there was a cow moose in the lake we were hiking next to!! I was beside myself! The moose wasn’t swimming but still, he was in the water hanging out!! It was a perfect boost to get us going on the difficult day!

On our way up, up, and up we passed another little lake called No Name Lake and saw a big horn sheep along the way. After No Name Lake there was no looking back, we were heading to the clouds. Straight to the clouds, at a steep vertical incline! Of course picking huckleberries along the trail gave us some rest breaks and every now and again we’d have to stop to look back at what we had just climbed. It seemed endless at some points but with one foot in front of the other it wasn’t too bad. About 2 hours up and we hit Dawson’s pass. It was Windy City because at the Peak the Mtn’s opened up to the heavens. It was incredible! We had to hide behind a rock wind blocker for lunch but would step out to check the views every now and again. It was magnificent and the visibility was pretty good!

At Dawson’s Pass, I was thinking our incline would be over and we’d start our decent but I was wrong. We walked along the ridge line of the mtn for 2+ miles taking in the views and carefully placing each foot down. In come places we’d be walking along a rock slide that had been flattened about a foot across to serve as the trail. Vertical rock slide on one side and death with one wrong step. It was hard to look any where aside from at the trail on those sections but the views we jaw dropping! Fear met beauty at those moments and it was a wonderful rush!

We walked along the ridge to a second pass the Pitamakan Pass. This was equally as gorgeous but now we could look down at Old Man Lake and see the campground we were staying it. The wind picked up as we continued down into our campground but thankfully we weren’t on the edge of the mountain any more.

After arriving at Old Man Lake Campground we hung our food up, they provided a high food pole for us, and scoped out the camp sites. We got a nice site but there wasn’t any tree coverage and we were pretty open to the elements. For our wedding we got a super nice light weight backpacking tent that’s been fabulous for our backpacking trips but not the best in the wind. At night there were gale force winds that swept through the lake and pass and nearly broke our tent. The winds also stirred up and blew the dust and dirt so when we woke up the next morning everything had a fine layer of dirt. I cannot say it was the best night of sleep I have ever had but it was definitely a cool spot!

Day 5 in Glacier

Day 3 of Backpacking

The next morning I woke up and was ready to go. I was covered in dust, had little rest, and I was best from yesterday’s hike. So we had a quick breakfast and hiked out as soon as possible. Another 6 miles down hill and back to Two Medicine and we were done! The views on the way down were amazing and it was neat to look back at the mountains and think I walked along that ridge line! This trip was incredible and made Glacier a pretty impressive park in our opinions!

Since everything had a fine layer of dust on it, when we got to the car we unpacked our gear and wiped it down then repacked everything into its right place in the car. The wind may have been a pain the ass for us but it did wonders for the visibility. We decided to take the long route around and give the Going-to-the-Sun road a fourth chance. And I am so glad we did. The wind blew out all the smoke and it was perfect visibility! We could now see the vast amount of waterfalls and canyons off the road. The colors were popping with greens from the trees to blues from the glacier water . Finally we understood the hype to this road! It was very cool and I’m glad we didn’t give up after our first day in the park!

It was time to pick up Mr. Loki and run a bunch of errands in Kalispell and Whitefish before our next adventure to Canada. I just want to add that Whitefish Montana is absolutely adorable and if you ever get the chance to go to Glacier make sure to stop there. It’s a quaint little mountain country town that’s got lots of fun shopping and restaurants! Worth the stop!!

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katehuntington · 5 years

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Title: Ride With Me (part eight) Fandom: Supernatural AU Characters series: Reader, Dean Winchester, Bobby Singer, Ellen Singer-Harvelle, Jo Singer (Harvelle), Benny Lafitte, Ash Miles, Garth Fitzgerald IV, Castiel Novek, and many more. Timeline: 2008 Pairing: Dean x Reader (eventually) Word count: 5550 words Summary series: Y/N is a talented horse rider who is on her way to become a professional. In order to convince her father that she deserves the loan needed to start her own farm, she goes to Arizona for six months, to intern at a ranch owned by Bobby and Ellen Singer. Her future is set out, but then she meets a handsome horseman, who goes by the name of Dean Winchester. A heartwarming series about a cowboy who falls for the girl, letting go of the past and the importance of family. Summary part eight: It’s one of those days for Dean where everything that can go wrong, goes wrong. After one hell of a day, Bobby has to break the news to Ash, who doesn’t take the lay off well. Warnings series: NSFW, 18+ only! Fluff, angst, eventually smut. Swearing, smoking, alcohol intoxication, alcohol abuse. Mutual pining, heartbreak. Crying, nightmares, childhood trauma. Description of animal abuse, domestic violence, mentions of addiction. Financial problems, stress, mental breakdown. Description of blood and injury, hospital scenes, character death, grief. Music: About Today - The National (final scene). Check out ‘Kate Huntington’s Ride With Me playlist’ on Spotify! Author’s note: Thank you @kittenofdoomage and @girl-with-a-fandom-fettishfor helping me. You girls are awesome betas. Thank you for your endless patience!

Ride With Me Masterlist

7.30 AM, Monday morning. Several hundred hooves tremble the ground. Earthy colored dust has turned into dark mud overnight as the heavens unleashed a rainstorm that still hasn't stopped from raging down. The cattle moos anxiously, trying to stick together as a herd. Bobby’s dog, Rumsfeld, barks over the sound of it all, his enthusiastic calls trumped by the shouts and whistles of the wranglers. "Yah!” Dean shouts, cutting off young stock that threatens to fan out.

Droplets as big as marbles fall from the grey sky, the water caught in the brim of his hat pouring from it whenever he tips it down. It’s unusually cold this morning without sunshine to burn the night away. The long, leather coat he’s wearing protects him from that, but the rain started coming through the seams on his shoulders and elbows two hours ago and a steady drip down his neck has drenched his shirt already. Dean has been in the saddle since four o'clock, ever since the thunder woke him up and an eerie gut feeling began to unsettle him. Something was wrong, he felt it in his bones. As he stepped out onto the porch, he immediately noticed the distressed young stock on the wrong side of the fence. Apparently, the cattle panicked in the thunderstorm, took down a gate, and escaped the pen, splitting the herd in two. They were absolutely all over the place, roaming over more than forty acres. With a buyer coming in at 9 AM, he had to gather the two hundred cows and bulls fast, if he wanted to avoid a financial disaster. So here they are; wet through, tired and miserable, trying to maneuver their horses on the slick surface. A perfect start for this dreadful Monday.

A sharp whistle reverberates through the valley, requiring his attention. It's Bobby, looking over the mayhem from a small hill, calling his horse to a stand. “Dean, stragglers!” His head wrangler notices three steers swaying away from the herd. Dean turns from the tail of the group and pushes his horse forward, but immediately senses the loss of grip in the slippery mud. Led’s hind legs skid from under his body, forcing the buckskin to the ground. As the horse's knees buckle, the experienced rider decides in a split second not to leave the sinking ship. Instead, he skillfully sticks to the saddle like he’s glued to the leather, and moves his weight to level out the balance. At the same time, he pulls Led’s nose from the ground and gives enough free rein right after, simultaneously pushing his heels into the horse’s flanks, encourages him to give it his everything to get back on his feet. His quick thinking enables the stallion to break the fall and thankfully; Led steadies himself. Dean breathes out; that was way too close. “Well done, bud,” the rider soothes, ruffling the Quarter’s mane, glad that he was able to prevent a possibly painful crash. “Hell of a save,” Benny comments from several yards away. “You alright?” “I'm good,” Dean assures his best friend. “We need to round them up fast before this whole pasture turns into a mudslide.” He pushes Led forward, who picks up speed carefully, smart enough to not make the same mistake twice. It takes a while to make up for the lost time, but then he wings the three bulls, guiding them back to the group. Slowly but surely, the wranglers manage to maneuver the large number of animals back into another secured pen. It’s past eight o’clock when Jo closes the last gate and they can all take a breather. Too bad they cannot head back to bed just yet, the day has only just begun. “Next time you wake me up in the middle of the night, make sure it’s because there’s some hot gal waiting for me on my doorstep,” Ash mocks as he slows his horse down. Dean looks aside, grinning at the guy that’s in charge of the cattle. “You have enough problems controlling your cows, let alone women, Ash.” Benny laughs at that, so does Jo. He’s sure Bobby would have laughed at it too, if it wasn't for the troubling decision that has been made. The ranch owner rests his hand on the horn, taking in his dream team as the rain finally stops falling. Today is the day that he will sell over three-fourths of his cattle. Decades of blood, sweat and tears, sold for a dime. Damage control, they call that. It ain't pretty, but it’s necessary to prevent this place from drowning. What else is necessary is cutting down on personnel. Collateral damage is the term, Bobby believes. There’s that word again: damage. “Is Rufus still dropping by at nine?” Dean, who held up his horse to ride next to his uncle, checks with him. “Yeah, but you know Rufus. Could be eleven just as well,” Bobby mutters, aware of his old friend’s carelessness. “Better ask Ellen to break out the Johnny Walker Blue if you're aiming for a good price,” his right hand suggests, before he halts at the tack up area. The sound of horseshoes splashing on the wet surface draws Y/N’s attention. She parks her broom against the stable wall and peeks around the corner, spotting the wranglers under the Yucca tree, which seems to cry silently as tears of rain drip down from its branches. “Garth! They're here!” she shouts at the stable boy on the other side of the barn. The slender guy pops his head out of a stall, then walks out and closes the door behind him. Like the wranglers, he and the intern got up at four in the morning as well. During the weekend the stables aren't mucked out, which adds to the work on Monday, and with Bobby, Jo and Dean handling the breakout, the two of them had to feed and turn out the animals as well. Getting up early was the only way to get all the work done without falling behind. As the dark rain clouds pass, everyone on the square gets off their horses. Y/N walks up to Bobby, sensing the low morale. No wonder, because all five wranglers are soaked, probably sore and tired too. “I got him.” She takes over his chestnut named Seger. “Ellen has breakfast ready for you.” “Thank you, Darlin’,” the old man mumbles, stiffly making his way to the cafeteria. While tying up Seger, Y/N watches the ranch owner hobble off, wondering why he seems so burdened. When she glances back to loosen the horse’s cinch, a handsome cowboy catches her eye on the other side of the chestnut. Dean takes off Led’s bridle, the last waterdrops rolling from the dip of his hat. Mud splatters have sprayed across his leather overcoat, his boots covered in dirt. There are smudges on his face, along with a weekend stubble still on his strong jaw. The knuckles of his firm hands have a blue shade, so do his lips; he must be so cold after four hours in the pouring rain. With sympathy, she looks at him. “Hell of a morning, huh?” she comments, trying to make small talk. Dean looks up and pauses his action. He seems a little surprised by her voice, as if only just now he realized she was behind the horse next to him. The line parting his lips breaks in a small smile. It’s the first time he hears her use a word as such. His language is terrible, he throws in a variation of the words ‘fuck’ and ‘shit’ wherever it fits. But Y/N on the other hand, coming from upstate, says ‘gosh’ at most, and uses terms such as ‘for heaven’s sake’, which he finds quite cute. Apparently she’s adapting to her company. The wrangler scoffs. “You can say that again.” He unbuckles the cinch and removes the saddle from Led’s back. The mud sticking to the saddle pad is hard to miss and it catches the intern’s eye. Led must have hit the ground at some point, how else would the animal have dirt caked thick in his coat on his entire side? “Did you fall?” she asks. Dean chuckles, slightly amused, while he puts the heavy saddle on the bar his horse is tied to as well. He heard that, the worry in her voice. “Led slipped, but he was able to steady himself,” he reassures. The cowboy returns his focus to the buckskin next to him as he turns the faucet of the water source. Led might be wet through just like his rider, but he’s covered in filth as well, and that's no way to bring a horse back to his stable. He quickly hoses down his Quarter, while Y/N washes Seger’s feet. When she’s done, she follows Benny and Jo as they return their horses to the stable. Coming back to pick up the saddle, Y/N finds her supervisor crouched down next to Led’s left front leg. “Shit…” he curses, feeling the cannon bone. The saddle is left on the bar. Instead, Y/N comes to see what Dean is annoyed with. With just one glance she can determine the swelling on the back of the leg, a little above the fetlock joint. “Tendon?” she assumes, petting the horse on the shoulder. Dean carefully feels the tissue, causing Led to flinch. It’s painful, but with all the fluid that is building up around the injury, it’s hard to tell what exactly is causing the reaction. “Could be. He seemed sound after he tripped,” the wrangler contemplates. “Can you jog him?” “Sure,” she replies, after which she unties the horse. Y/N leads the beautiful Quarter in a straight line and starts to run after a few yards. With the first stride it’s already clear that Led is anything but even. Only the click-clack sound of Led’s shoes on the surface is enough to state the obvious. “Well, that ain't good,” Dean sighs as Y/N walks the palomino back. “You didn't feel him at all?” she checks with the wrangler. “The poor bastard must have worked through the pain. He’s a tough horse,” Dean ponders, running his hand down Led’s face with sympathy. “I'll cool his leg for a while. Can you get a rug for him?” “What about you?” He shrugs selflessly. “I’ll skip breakfast.” “You’re not skipping breakfast. You've been working nonstop since four AM, you deserve a break,” Y/N decides, strong-minded. “I have cooling leg boots which Led can wear while he's stabled. It works better than cooling with water.” “Alright then.” He smiles, appreciating her firm response. He takes over his horse and leads Led back to the barn without hasting him. Silently, Dean turns the Quarter in as his intern walks to the tack room to get the leg wrap and a rug, followed by a stop at the cafeteria to pick up two cool packs from the freezer. On her way over, she notices the handsome wrangler staring at nothing in particular, lost in thoughts. His fingers absently rub Led’s withers, who on his turn bends his neck and seeks the cowboy’s free hand, nuzzling his nose against his skin, as if he is trying to comfort his rider in return. Although it’s a heartwarming sight to see the man having a moment with the beautiful animal, Y/N can sense something is off about him. Not that she knows him all that well, but she can tell that he’s carrying a crippling weight. He’s quiet, for one. No smart answers or perky remarks that could easily be mistaken for flirting. There is also something about his eyes, something weary. “Here you go,” she says, handing over the boot. Dean takes it and straps around the injured leg, while Y/N lays a fleece rug on Led’s back to prevent the horse from cooling down too fast. When the wrangler rises to his feet and lets his fingers glide through Led’s golden coat while waiting for her to secure the rug, the silence is awfully evident. “Are you okay?” she asks carefully. Dean glances up, caught off guard by the question. For a moment he reckons she’s asking because of the almost crash and now Led’s injury, but when his eyes meet hers, he sees that the question is more layered than that. His first instinct is to throw her a cocky comment, that a little mud isn't ever going to bring him down, but he decides against it. He’s not sure if his hesitation is caused by her ability to read between the lines, but the young man suddenly feels vulnerable, intimidated even. “Yeah, I'm fine,” he says. “Let’s eat. Don't know about you, but I'm starving.” She fakes a smile. Of course, she could eat after a morning like today, but she was hoping Dean would take the opportunity to get it off his chest. A pleasant heat and the smell of bacon and toast welcome them like it does every working day, when Y/N pushes open the door to the cozy personnel hangout. Ellen’s breakfast is always something to look forward to, but today it’s a true gift from heaven. The rest of the crew sits down after having changed into dry clothes and wait impatiently for their bacon and eggs, as Bobby finishes his plate first. When the door creaks, Ellen looks up from behind the stove. “Oh honey, look at you,” she says when Dean follows you inside. “Did you drown out there? You're soaked through.” Her nephew hangs his dripping coat and Sheplers on the hat rack above the heater and is welcomed by his aunt with a clean towel, a warm flannel and a pair of jeans “Why don't you freshen up first and put on some dry clothes. Wouldn't want you to catch a cold,” she insists. “Thanks, Ellen.” Dean takes the neatly folded pile from her arms after which he places a short, genuine kiss on her hair and moves to the backroom to change. Y/N can't help but smile when she sits down, delighted to witness the wrangler’s soft side for the second time today. The warmth spreads through her like the hot coffee that she swallows down and settles in the pit of her stomach. She folds her fingers around the mug as she takes another sip, peering over the edge at the man she is losing her heart to as he closes the door behind him. A kick against the shin awakens her from a trance, the action causing her to almost choke on her coffee. Jo sits across the table, her deadly glare demanding to get it together. Flustered and caught, Y/N averts her gaze at the plate that Ellen just set down under her nose. “Dig in while it’s still warm, sweety,” she insists, oblivious of how the intern feels about her nephew. Y/N does so, partly as an excuse to not look Jo in the eye and be confronted with her judgment. But when Dean enters the room again, cleaned up and wearing a comfortable red plaid flannel, she just has to take him in for a second. Before Jo can kick her leg again, someone knocks on the glass window from outside the cafeteria. Everyone looks up at the doorway when an old friend of Bobby’s appears. “Well, I'll be damned,” Ellen says, delighted. “If it ain't Rufus Turner.” The African American with a pearl white smile and a rascal look in his eyes enters the cafeteria. “Ellen Singer, you haven't changed a bit.” Rufus takes his hat off for her, but then he turns to face her husband at the head of the table. “But you on the other hand,” he pats Bobby on the back, “- you got old.” The joke attracts a laugh from the others. “Good to see you too, Rufus,” the ranch owner responds. “Grab a plate and dig in. There’s plenty,” Ellen offers. “I’d love to, but if you don't mind, I wanna get down to business. I've got places to be later.” He puts his hat back on and turns to the rest of the company. “Mind if I steal him for a bit?” “By all means, steal away.” Ellen smiles politely. Bobby gets up and excuses himself. When he has left the room, the workers finish their breakfast. Nobody says anything, and although Y/N doesn't understand what has caused the grim mood, she keeps her mouth shut. Instead, she takes in the people surrounding her. Jo, Ellen, and Dean seem to ignore the elephant in the room, while Garth, Benny and Ash exchange puzzled looks. Rufus’s visit to the ranch has stirred things up. Who is he? A business partner? A trader, maybe? When the break is over and the crew gets back to work, the air is more suffocating than it is on a hot day. It has nothing to do with the weather, though. “Why is Bobby selling stock?” It’s Ash who asks as the gang walks down to the paddocks between the stables. The question breaks the silence, but it also adds to the tension. Jo and Dean exchange a look, but both keep quiet, which isn’t sufficient for the worker with the odd haircut. “That’s why Rufus is here, ain’t it?” Ash pushes, a worry in his tone that seems foreign for the carefree guy. The head wrangler sighs and turns to his friend. “Look, business has been slow, y’all know that. Rufus is here to discuss the value of the cattle, to explore our options,” Dean tries to reassure not just him, but the rest of his staff. When he can read from Ash’s face that his reassurance doesn’t have much effect, he adds a few words he might regret later. “No need to worry just yet. We’ll figure it out. Now let’s get to work.” And so everyone does, some left with a few questions, but the leader of the team has managed to take away most of the concern. All this time, the intern hasn’t said a word. The young woman with a master’s degree in business and a nose for bullcrap only observes. She observes Dean, when he glances at his cousin, troubled, right after Ash walks off to fill the hay barn in the main pastures. She observes Jo, who looks at the ground and keeps quiet, as the two of them walk over to the paddocks to turn the horses in. She observes Bobby Singer and Rufus Turner, who are seated on the back porch of the house, accompanied by a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue, tied up in a dialogue that seems to be a negotiation more than it is a casual chat. She observes the handshake, the ‘glad to do business with you’ grin on Rufus’s face opposite of the defeat in the ranch owner’s eyes. So much for not needing to worry just yet.

The early morning rain has cooled down the dusty lands and doesn’t allow the temperature to rise like it did the previous days. Clouds keep rolling in from the east, cutting off the sun. This weather suits Y/N better and she works extra hard now that her body doesn’t seem like it’s overheating. It gives her a good feeling that she is able to take some of the load from the other workers. Dean even allowed her to train two of the horses, since he had a meeting with Bobby. He didn’t return until an hour before supper. After dinner, Benny and Garth head to the shed to fix the tractor, that on top of everything else, started spilling oil. The rest of the crew is about to retreat back to the bunkhouse, when Bobby calls back one of the workers. “Ash?” he says, his voice matching his serious expression. “Can you come into my office?” “Sure thing, boss,” he responds, joining the ranch owner. Dean can read from Ash’s facial expression that he’s uneasy, but doesn’t have a clue what is coming for him. The ranch hand who is in charge of the cattle probably assumes that Bobby is going to update him on the reason why Rufus was here. Shit, he wishes it was just a simple briefing. Poor bastard… The head wrangler exhales as he walks on, shaking off the cold that hasn’t seemed to leave his body after the rainy morning. Jo follows him silently, kicking the clotty earth with her dragging feet, hands shoved down in the pockets of her denim jacket. Y/N is on his other side, wonderingly looking over at them every now and then. She has kept quiet long enough. So when they step up the stairs to the porch first, she drops the bomb. “So, Ash is getting sacked, huh?” Dean has stopped in his tracks and instantly shoots an angry glare at Jo. “You told her?!” “I didn’t tell her jack shit!” she counters, insulted. “She didn’t need to, Dean,” Y/N backs her up, having turned around before opening the front door. “Livestock sales have plummeted nationwide, yet Bobby is selling now, so times must be desperate. With no cattle to handle it’s only logical that Ash will be let go in order to cut down on costs. I have a business degree, remember? I can do the math. Here, you guys look like you can use these.” During her flood of words, she had strolled to the fridge, taken out three beers, and popped the caps off with an opener. Not sure if he should be impressed or feel threatened by the intern’s knowledge, Dean takes the drink and has a swig of the brew. She’s right about more than a few things; he needed a beer. “Is Bobby breaking it to him now?” she wonders. Dean glances over at Jo, who leans back against the kitchen sink, nursing her bottle. It’s not something they would usually discuss with interns, but since she already seems to be fully aware of the situation and he trusts that she will keep this between them, he confirms with a nod. “Damn…” Y/N ponders, biting her lip as her eyes drift away to nothing in particular. “How long has he been here?” “For about five years now,” Jo thinks back, clearly sad about having to say goodbye to a good friend. “I can remember the day he arrived. He caught Dad’s eye at the Holbrook Rodeo, where he worked in the arena. He couldn’t keep a job long enough to rent himself a roof over his head, mostly because of his looks and his ‘fuck you’ attitude, but he was good with the bulls. That’s when Dad asked him to come work for him and for the first time, Ash found a place where he belonged. He’s been here ever since. Never stayed in one spot this long. Mom and Dad have a habit of taking the misfits under their wings.” It’s quiet for a few long seconds, as Dean recalls Ash’s early days on the property. Then he goes back further, to the day he himself set foot on these lands, with nowhere else to go. They did exactly the same for him as they did for Ash; offered him a comfortable bed, warm food, a rewarding job. A safe haven where they didn’t have to worry about how to get through tomorrow, where they didn’t have to be scared. One would perhaps expect Bobby and Ellen to take Dean in, him being their nephew. But it didn’t matter that the funny looking bullfighter called Ash wasn’t related. He became family, too. “How do you think he’s going to take it?” It’s Y/N who breaks Dean’s train of thought. He ponders for a moment before he answers. “I dunno. He’s a pretty chill guy these days, but this is so much more than just a job.” Dean pauses, putting himself in Ash’s shoes for a moment. Who is he fooling? His friend is going to lose it. “Guess we’re gonna find out in a moment,” Jo says, nodding at the portrait outside. Y/N glances through the dirty window while Dean holds the bamboo fly curtain aside to step onto the porch. It’s Ash who approaches the bunkhouse, but he doesn’t have the swagger he usually has in his stride. The ranch hand is looking down at the ground, the soil he used to call home. Every muscle in his face tensed, balled fists move alongside him with each step. Dean watches the guy for a brief moment, then descends the stairs to meet with him, but Ash does not want any of it. Instead, his friend walks past him, dismissing the head wrangler. “Ash. I--” The words trigger something in the lean guy, because after taking two strides up the steps, he turns around, a pair of piercing eyes startling Dean. “You knew, didn’t ya?” he questions, his voice heavy with frustration. Dean needs a moment to recover, staring up at the cattle worker, but Ash doesn’t grant him that time. “That whole ‘no need to worry, we’ll figure it out.’ It was bullshit and you know it. Hell, I ain’t surprised if you’re the one who decided that it was my ass to fire.” There isn’t much Dean can say to that, because it’s true. He did know, he knew for a long time, and yes, it was him who told Bobby it had to be the man who’s standing before him right now. “We…” Dean pauses to correct himself, because Ash is right; this is on him. “I didn’t have a choice.” “Oh, but you did. Instead of telling me that things were gonna be A-okay, you could’ve told me what was gonna happen. But no, you were too fucking scared to look me in the eye and tell me the Goddamn truth,” the worker says accusingly. Dean stares back at him, his jaw flexing, but then he looks away as he swallows down the guilt. He knew those words were going to bite him in the ass. When he straightens himself again, Jo has appeared in the doorway, with Y/N right behind her. “Ash, we’re all sorry it went down as it did, and we wish it didn’t have to be like this--” “Then why the fuck do I have to leave?!” he shouts at the daughter of the ranch owner, his eyes noticeably shimmering in the lights above the porch. Jo isn’t impressed with his anger, on the contrary; she replies professionally calmly. “I hate to see you go. Shit, we all do. But the ranch isn’t going to survive if Dad doesn’t cut costs,” she reminds him. “There’s barely any cattle left to maintain, and you were hired last.” “Right. The ‘last in, first out’ rule. Then tell me, what the hell is she still doing here?” Suddenly, the newest crewmember is dragged into the argument as Ash nods at Y/N. Her heart skips a beat when it dawns on her what he holds her accountable for; he thinks she stole his job. Shocked, Y/N looks at the man who directed the focus on her. It’s a side of him she didn’t know he had and is overwhelmed by the accusation, causing her mind to fail miserably when trying to form any kind of response. Feeling helpless and exposed, she glances at the other two, desperate for back up. Thankfully, the head wrangler got the message, because seeing Y/N’s expression change from compassionate to fearful, triggers something inside him. “Y/N’s an intern,” Dean returns, the tone of his voice colder than a moment ago. “Y/N is still here because she doesn’t cost Bobby anything.” But Ash disagrees. “She’s another mouth to fill, just like every single one of us. She has a horse here who needs a shit ton of feed--” “- and she works hard for that,” Dean overrules him, staring him down. “Look, man. I know you’re pissed, I get it. But don’t you put this on her, it ain’t her fault.” “Are you saying I don’t work hard for my pay?!” Ash snaps back angrily. “I didn’t say that,” Dean rights, gesturing with a lowering hand to calm down. “I’m saying that down the line, Y/N is a free hand.”

Ash scoffs at that, biting his lips as he looks away and clenches his fists, his knuckles pressed together in order to manage the exasperation. He’s so hurt and upset that he doesn’t even think about the consequences of the words that follow. “Oh, she’s a free hand, alright,” he states, shooting the guy opposite of him a penetrating glare. Jo gapes at Ash, mouth falling open, then turns her head to witness Y/N having the exact same reaction. Dean stares at Ash too, first in astonishment, wondering where he got the nerve to insinuate something like that. Within a second, that emotion is pushed aside by brewing anger. The need to defend her honor causes him to step towards Ash intimidatingly, but Jo gets in between before things escalate. “Whoa, now! Can we just keep it cool and not get nasty?” she demands, having both Dean and Ash at arm’s length. But Ash, apparently, isn’t done. “You’ve always been a screw around, man, but shit, I did not expect you to stab me in the back just to get in a girl’s pants,” he sneers, pushing Dean’s buttons and seriously applying for a punch in the face. “This is fucking bullshit, Ash, and you know it!” Dean counters, so worked up over the allegation that his heart is beating out of his chest. “Okay, that’s it! If you don’t shut your mouth right now I’m gonna pull out that mullet of yours!” Jo warns Ash before she turns to Dean. “And you need to walk it off, right now!” The ranch owner’s daughter pushes him back gently in order to raise her finger at him sternly. He steps away, offering a little air to the suffocating clash, and so does Ash. “Don’t bother, I’ll leave.” He scoffs. “That’s whatcha want, ain’t it?” The cattle worker turns around, the rage slowly seeping from him, leaving the space for sadness and disappointment to fill. Y/N watches the guy, still mind-blown by all the words that were said, but now that a fight is avoided, she can only feel pity. The blame that he put on her and on Dean is only a response to his world crashing down on him. She cannot really condemn him for lashing out. After ten or more steps, the guy in a dirty shirt and a plaid jacket with the sleeves ripped off turns around. Normally everything about the guy is either hazardous or comical, depending on how well you know him, but not now. Not now that his eyes are glistening in pained emotion. “This wasn’t just work, y’know. This is my life. This is home,” he says, his arms spread in desperation. “I thought that all of us here - that we were in this together. That we don’t turn our back on family.” He pauses, eyes fixed on Jo, then on Dean. He continues with a broken voice. “Y’all did exactly that.” With those words, he turns away and heads off to his cattle, like he always does after dinner. Silenced, the three watch him leave, until Dean sighs and looks around lost, as if he hopes to find answers in the earth-colored gravel. He doesn’t look at Y/N, he’s doing everything to avoid her questioning, sympathetic gaze. When the air gets too thin to breathe, he walks away in the direction of the barn, off to his horses. The intern allows her eyes to linger on the defeated figure that becomes smaller as he drags his feet down the worn path to the stables, the grey sky above him that darkens by the minute only adding to the grim atmosphere. Instinctively, Y/N reaches for the handrail of the steps down the porch, intending to follow him, but Jo stops her. “Let him be for a bit.” Y/N halts and listens to her friend, then lets a breath slip from her dry lips. “So no one wins today, huh?” “Nope. Not today,” Jo responds, moving through the doorway after throwing a glance at Ash’s silhouette in the far pasture. “Comin’? I have a bottle of something a-hell-of-a-lot-stronger-than-beer stashed somewhere.” Y/N huffs and turns to join her. Jo pours her some rum in a jar, which she sips on silently as she looks out the window, watching the day end. But the alcohol cannot wash away her thoughts that are with the two ranch workers: the one who lost his friend, and the one who lost everything else as well.

Told you guys there was gonna be angst? Thank you for reading. I appreciate every single one of you, but if you do want to give me some extra love, you are free to like or reblog my work, shoot me a message or buy me coffee (Link to Kofi in bio at the top of the page).

Read part nine here

#Ride With Me #Dean x Reader #Cowboy!Dean #Dean Winchester #Cowboy!Dean x reader #Dean Winchester x Reader #Dean Winchester reader insert #Dean x Y/N #Dean Winchester x Y/N #SPN #Supernatural #Supernatural AU #SPN AU #dean winchester au #Dean Winchester fanfiction #Dean fanfiction #Dean Winchester fanfic #Dean fanfic #Kate Huntington

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survivorwildwest · 4 years

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Episode 7 - He’s Not My Boyfriend

Suhtai returns to camp. Michaela sets her torch down and turns to Jerri, “Rallying our troops, huh? Does that mean you're against me now, Jerri?”

“I’m not against anyone.”

“Seemed to be against Hannah.”

“Oh please, you knew it was coming.”

“I’m gonna make sure your boyfriend knows what you did.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

“But you know who I’m talking about.”

Somewhere in the Mojave Desert, a kangaroo rat avoids a pouncing snake.

The next morning, Wendy is trying to reignite the fire after it went out overnight. She’s trying and trying but nothing is lighting. Kass comes up from the shelter behind her. “You need some help, Wendy?”

“No, thank you. I’ve got it.” She strikes the flint a few more times before dropping her head and handing the flint to Kass. Kass crouches next to Wendy and shows her how to hold the flint and how to strike it. She hands it back to Wendy and tells her where to aim it. Wendy does as instructed and voila a flame is born. It builds and shines bright until the the warm light is enveloped by a dark shadow from behind Wendy & Kass. The two women look up to see Russell Hantz illuminated by the flames rising.

“Good morning,” he says, looking down at them.

“Good morning,” Kass and Wendy say as they take their seats back around the fire.

“Great job on the fire, Wendy,” Russell says with a smile as he takes a seat.

“Oh, thanks. Kass helped a lot.”

“Aw, don’t mention it,” she says.

Ben approaches while Tsitsistas gathers to hear him read tree mail.

“These clue’s are becoming less clever,” Lauren says.

“Were they clever to begin with,” Bi asks.

At high noon, both tribes meet outside the saloon to see Jeff in the same corral where they had recently herded cows. This time, he stands with a bull. Tsitsistas takes their spot first. Then Jeff says, “Tsitsistas, getting your first look at the new Suhtai tribe. Hannah voted out at the last tribal council.” Bi looks pleasantly surprised.

“For today’s challenge, everyone will take a ride on this bull here,” Jeff says as he slaps the bovine’s back. “Whoever has the longest time staying on his back, wins reward for their tribe. Want to know what you’re playing for?”

The shocked faces all nod slowly. Jeff no longer holds their attention. That belongs to the bull.

“The winning tribe will receive hamburgers, fries and whiskey back at camp. Tsitsistas, you have one extra member. Gotta sit someone out.”

Kass raises her hand and takes a seat on the bench.

Lauren is the first to take on the bull for Tsitsistas. She wraps her long legs around the bull and grips firm with her thighs. When the bull is released, Lauren is out almost immediately. She falls to the ground and scrapes her shoulder in the sand. Ken runs up to her to make sure she’s okay. He pulls out his water bottle and pours some water over her cut to wash it.

“You’ll be okay,” Ken tells her as he gently grasps her arm and runs a thumb over the injury.

“Thanks, Ken,” Lauren says.

Lauren returns to her tribe and Ken climbs on the bull’s back. Recognizing they could get in the way, he’s rolled his shorts up. His glistening gams are on display for all to see and see they do. His legs firm up as he grips the bull. Once the bull is released, Ken exhibits control over his body and the body he rides for a few moments before he too is tossed off.

Wardog is next. He tries to mimic Ken’s approach, but slides off as soon as the bull takes his first trot. Bi follows him with a calm balance atop the bull. She lasts far longer than anyone else with five seconds.

Jerri takes her turn and does well, but can’t beat Bi. Ben lasts longer than Wardog, but not quite as long as Jerri. Michaela nearly matches Jerri’s time.

Wendy takes her time to focus while taking her seat on the saddle. She places her palms on the back of the bull and wraps around to hug him. The gate raises and the bull goes. Wendy is able to hold on. The bull doesn’t seem to be fighting as hard with Wendy, but when he trots off his back feet once, Wendy bounces into the air and falls to the ground. But, she’s beaten Bi’s record with five and a half seconds.

Russell takes his turn, wiping the sweat from the top of his head. He’s clearly gone bull riding before and beats the record just set by Wendy with six seconds. Todd follows him. He brags to Jeff that he’s “ridden a lot of mechanical bulls in bars.”

“You think that will help,” Jeff asks.

“I hope so,” Todd laughs.

It doesn’t.

Colby takes his turn with a hesitated excitement.

“Have you ever ridden a bull, Colby,” Jeff asks.

“You know, Jeff, I can’t say I have.”

He tries to mimic the form he’s seen other successful people use. He lasts a few seconds-- moments longer than Michaela but not quite as long as Jerri.

Elizabeth takes her turn. As she takes her seat on the saddle, she has a huge smile on her face.

“Excited, Elizabeth?”

“Oh, yeah, Jeff. I was actually Pee Wee Bull Riding champion at my middle school.”

“Pee Wee Bull Riding Champion?”

“That’s right. And Mutton Bustin Champion in third grade.”

“Well, alright,” Jeff laughs.

The gate raises and she takes on a face as if she’s fighting the bull. She instinctively follows the bull’s movement for seven seconds at which point she loses her balance and falls off. When the dust settles from her fall, Jeff announces “Suhtai wins reward!”

Back at the Suhtai camp, the tribe finds their hamburgers, fries and whiskey and begin their feast.

“So,” Todd begins, “We need to talk as a tribe about the merge. It’s happening soon and I think it’s important we stick together.”

“Agreed,” Michaela says, “We need to come together as a tribe.”

“They’ll pick us off one by one if we don’t,” Jerri says.

“Okay, so who do we have on the other side?” Todd asks.

“Colby,” Michaela and Jerri both say.

“Okay, who else?”

“Bi,” Elizabeth says, “ I could get her to come to our side.”

“That’s eight to their seven. We just need to make sure we win the next immunity challenge so we can go into the merge with the advantage.”

Somewhere in the Mojave Desert, a tortoise crawls toward a flower.

Around the Tsitsistas camp, the same conversation happens. Colby takes a seat around the campfire and says, “Alright guys. Merge is coming up. We’re all on the same page, right?”

“Tsitsistas to the end,” Kass assures them. She looks over to Wendy.

“Yup,” Wendy says as everyone nods in agreement.

“Yep, Tsitsistas to the end,” Russell agrees when he hears Wendy.

The next day, the two tribes meet Jeff in town for their next immunity challenge. He stands in front of a black train with gold trim. Four cars, including the caboose, are attached to the stationary engine.

Jeff explains, “For today’s challenge, four members of each tribe will race through this train, collecting four bags of puzzle pieces. Once all four bags have been collected, they will be passed to the two people on the caboose who will complete the puzzle. Tsitsistas, you have one extra member so you’re gonna sit someone out. You cannot sit the same person out in back to back challenges.”

Tsitsistas discuss who to sit out. Wendy argues for herself to take the puzzle. The tribe turns back to Jeff. Wendy lowers her head, raises her hand and takes a seat on the bench. The two tribes take a minute to strategize. Suhtai places Michaela and Todd on the puzzle. Tsitsistas elect Kass and Russell.

The eight runners line up on opposing sides of the train engine. Jeff raises his arm, “Survivors ready,” he drops his arm, “Go!”

Tsitsistas separate so one person can take on each car. Suhtai decides to go car by car to find the bags together. Four eyes are better than one, they said, even if one is Wardog’s, they said. Suhtai’s strategy seems to work, as they find their first bag within seconds. Colby checks under the chair where Suhtai found their bag and finds the bag for Tsitsistas. He runs into the second car, where Lauren is already following Suhtai’s strategy. The six of them make it into the third car. Ben’s found his bag tied to a lamp in the corner. He’s untying it as Suhtai enters. Wardog stays back to untie Suhtai’s bag. Everyone else runs into the fourth and final car, the caboose. Bi’s already left the interior and is now waiting next to Kass and Russell as they do their puzzle. The rest of Tsitsistas run out to the puzzle area on the back of the train. Suhtai searches high and low for their fourth bag. Elizabeth finally finds it hanging above the door they entered through. They run outside and hand their bags to Michaela and Todd, “Where’s Wardog,” Todd asks as Michaela dumps their pieces onto the puzzle’s frame.

“He’s still inside,” Elizabeth says before running back to the third car. Inside, Wardog is finally finishing untying his knot. He yells at Elizabeth to run back outside. When they get back out, they see both tribes have made significant progress on their puzzles, but Tsitsistas had more pieces to work with. When Michaela and Todd place their last bag of pieces into the empty spaces of their puzzle, Kass and Russell yell, “Jeff! Jeff!” Jeff runs over to check their puzzle and announces, “Tsitsistas wins immunity!”

Somewhere in the Mojave Desert, a kit fox huddles under some tallgrass.

At the Suhtai camp, Michaela and Ken meet at the well.

“What are you thinking,” Michaela asks.

“I’m most worried about Elizabeth,” Ken says, “She’s got Todd and Wardog now.”

“So we need to convince Jerri.”

“I guess so.”

Elizabeth and Todd wander through the desert, collecting whatever firewood they can find. A scorpion runs over a branch Todd picks up without him noticing.

“So,” Todd says, “Michaela or Ken?”

“I think Ken is more likely to come to our side than Michaela when it comes down to it.”

“I think you’re right.”

“Michaela then?”

“Yeah, you think we can get Jerri and Wardog?”

“Wardog, yes, Jerri’s gonna be a little harder with her boy and Michaela being close.”

“Right.”

“And, even if we have to force a tie, everyone’s gonna switch over to Michaela to save themselves.”

“Totally,” Todd says, collecting another piece of wood.

Wardog and Jerri sit around the fire. Jerri stares into the fire, then to Wardog, meeting his eyes. She smiles a warm smile at him and asks, “Who do you want to see go?”

“I’m worried Todd is going to be a big threat if we let him get to the merge.”

“That makes sense,” she looks up to see Todd and Elizabeth approaching, “So, you’re a lawyer?”

“Well, law student, but yeah, that’s the goal.”

“That’s impressive.”

“Hey, thanks,” Wardog says when Todd and Elizabeth take a seat at the fire.

“Well, I’m beat. I’m gonna go lay down,” Jerri says.

Once Jerri is out of earshot, Todd looks up from the warm fire and turns to Wardog with an inviting smile.

“How do you feel about Michaela?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Well,” Elizabeth says, “Remember in her first season, they took her out right before the merge because they were afraid she’d go too far. Then, in her second season, they didn’t take her out pre-merge and she made it significantly further.”

“Do you want her to make it significantly further yet again, Wardog,” Todd asks, having dropped his smile.

“So, Michaela tonight?”

“That’s the plan.”

Somewhere in the Mojave Desert, a blue & black whitetail dragonfly buzzes through some tallgrass.

Michaela and Ken find their way back to the shelter and lay with Jerri. Jerri lifts the hat from her face to see them, “Hey guys.”

“Hey Jare,” Michaela says, “Do you have a plan for tonight?”

“I’ve got some options. What were you thinking?”

“I think they’re expecting us to come for Todd. But, I think we should take out Elizabeth right now. Todd’s not gonna win again. If Elizabeth makes it to the end, she will.”

“Alright,” she says before putting her hat back over her face.

“It’s that easy,” Ken asks.

“Sure, what y’all are saying makes sense,” Jerri says, “I’m in.”

As the sun sets, Wardog walks to the shelter for his torch. Jerri is waking from another nap and sees him.

“Wardog,” she says, “There’s a new plan. We’re voting Elizabeth.”

“What? What about Todd?”

“We don’t need to worry about Todd. Just trust me, alright.”

“Yeah, alright Jerri.”

With the pink sky behind him, Jeff greets Suhtai to tribal council once again. He exhales slowly and sits with the tribe around the campfire.

“Once again, Suhtai is at Tribal Council,” he says.

“Please tell us we’re merging soon,” Elizabeth pleads.

“I assure you, the merge will be happening soon, but one of you isn’t going to make it. Wardog, have you seen a lot of scrambling?”

“Oh, sure. There’s definitely two sides on this tribe and both sides think they’re right.”

“What side are you on?”

“I’m not picking sides, Jeff. Me and Jerri are always between the Millennials and the Davids.”

“The Millennials and the Davids?”

“That’s right,” Michaela says.

“You, Micheala, are clearly in the millennial alliance.”

“Yeah, with Hannah and Ken, but Hannah’s not here anymore,” she stares at Jerri from across the fire.

“So, where does that leave Wardog and Jerri?”

“That’s a question we’re all asking, Jeff,” Michaela says.

“Jerri, let me ask you directly. Where does that leave you?”

“Ready to vote.”

“Alright. Jerri, you’re up first.”

Jerri makes her way to the voting booth in the shallow cave. Then Michaela, who holds up her vote Elizabeth. Todd follows her with a vote for Michaela. The rest of the tribe votes. Jeff tallies the votes, asks for any immunity idols and reads the votes when no one gets up, “Elizabeth, Michaela, Elizabeth, Michaela, Elizabeth,” Michaela looks at Jerri with a cautious smile, “Michaela.” Her smile drops. “We are tied,” Jeff continues, “We will revote. Elizabeth and Michaela will not vote. Everyone else can only only vote for Elizabeth or Michaela.”

The remaining four members of the tribe vote again. Jeff heads into the cave to tally the votes. He returns to read the votes, “First vote, Elizabeth,” Michaela reaches over and grabs Ken’s hand to say thank you. “Michaela, Elizabeth,” Michaela looks over to Jerri with worried eyes. Then, Jeff finally reads, “Elizabeth.”

“Damn,” Elizabeth says. She hugs Michaela first before having her torch snuffed.

The first round of voting saw Elizabeth, Todd and Wardog vote for Michaela. The votes for Elizabeth came from Michaela, Ken and Jerri. On the second vote, Todd changed his vote to Elizabeth.

Read Episode 8 here

#survivor #survivor wild west #michaela bradshaw #jerri manthey #jeff probst #wardog #elizabeth olson #rodeo #trains

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alliebruns-blog · 5 years

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Races, Recces and Adventures for 2019

First off SORRY FOR NOT DOING BLOGS (to the 3 people that read them)

2019 has already been quite the year. Let’s get the excuses in, shall we? I have finally moved out of London to lovely sleepy Somerset – home of the Mendips, hills and lots of cows. The running here is ace and I feel like I have finally shaken off the horror of 23 years in London. But it’s a big change – the first month I felt like I was on a different planet – then I had to find work (you know that thing that actually pays you?) So I took a step back from internets for a bit.

Another reason for lack of bloggage. It seems I have been writing them for everyone else but me this year. For some reason my inbox went a bit mad and I’ve been asked to write pieces, blogs and interviews for a Bulgarian Travel and Adventure Magazine (apparently I am going to be on the cover?!), Run Deep, Precision Hydration, Lessons in Badassery, Dure, Red Bull and Trail Running Magazine. Plus, I have to do my day job. And look after 4 dogs. And a 9 year-old (not mine but sort of is mine now….) and a man human. Jokes. He’s looking after me.

So what’s been going on? EVERYTHING HAS. 2019 started with BBR trotting over the The National Running Show in Birmingham where we had a stand and I gave a couple of talks. I was I the throws of a horrendous depressive episode and had to attempt to put a face on. I still wasn’t over Panama really. I think it took me about 3 months to get over it in the end. I had to do a talk on a panel about mental health and running (oh the irony) and then my own talk about running across deserts, jungles and that.

It was very difficult attempting to inspire people when I actually felt like a piece of shit. The show itself was ace and weirdly we have been asked to come back – but more on that a bit later.

I got out in January and February to do a couple of reccees for White Star Running. The weather was JOKES bad. 60mph winds and rain made for a very interesting trot along the coast.

We were checking the route for Septembers Run Jurassic races which are going to be amazing. Have a look at what’s on offer here - and rest assured that it shouldn’t be weather like this on the day…..

Then came the first race of the year - Larmer Tree Marathon in Dorset. Lest gusty with 40-50 mph winds making for another interesting run, and it was also Pickle the ultra dogs first official marathon – she loved it. Look at her little face!

Then it was off to Bulgaria to do some talking about running. Myself and David from the Bad Boy Running Podcast were asked to go and do a talk at a running expo they had there and it was MEGA fun – defo returning nest year to do the 100KM ultra they are organising – it’s BEAUTIFUL in Sofia.

Back home and it was off to Rat Race’s Ultra Tour of Arran for the second year. 62 miles over 2 days with “some” elevation (A LOT) and some demons to slay. As you know I did NOT enjoy this last year - my fear of heights and ledges almost got the better of me, but this year was different. We had about 10 Do-Badders with us and some of them were first time ultra runners, so I felt a bit like I had a duty of care to them.

As part of my role with Rat Race, I did a little talk to people about the Bucket List which was great and I managed to get round the course with the whole squad without crying. Only issue was I ended up with an eye infection that meant I couldn’t wear my contacts. This is not recommended on mountainous trails. I fell over 3 times - my knee looked like someone had gone at it with a rifle. It really knocked my confidence for trails and I have been super careful ever since. I really hate falling over.

Arran was beautiful and epic as always. I cannot recommend this race enough. Its otherworldly out there. Here are some pictures – the weather was so kind to us. If you get booking it now it’s pretty cheap – or even better register for a rat race season ticket and it sort of pays for itself!

Next up was London marathon. It was my sixth year and I wasn’t looking forward to it having only just really moved away. I used to love this race, but I had done so little in the form of road running I was dreading it a bit. So I decided to spice it up by running it in reverse to the start and then running it the right way round.I need some night running experience for later I the year so why not? I also wanted to raise money for my old friend Scott who we lost to suicide last year. If you want to give a few quid, the charity has been set up now and you can find it here.

We got up at 12am after 3 hours sleep and got our stuff together – we were running with a couple of friends starting at Birdcage walk. We decided on a 5-6 hour time as I had the real thing later on, and this was a training run ultimately. That didn’t go to plan and we ended up smashing out 20 miles in about 3 hours – meaning as we came into Greenwich everything was shut. ARGH! I need coffee! I’ve never waited for a Macdonalds to open, but that day I did! We decided to march out the last 6 miles as we had the time and my legs were already staging a protest about the relentless road pounding they were getting. Once we reached the start we headed over to a hotel on Blackheath where my amazing friend and Head of Crew™ was staying.

We had the BEST BREAKFAST EVER and got I got changed into fresh kit and then it was time to do it all over again. I forgot how much waiting about there was at London. I think I stood in the pen for about an hour, little legs seizing up, feeling cold for once. London is usually boiling. I took a minute to look around at the people running. Lots of them were doing their first and only marathon. Some of them made me want to cry. I saw a guy dressed in a bin bag looking nervous, fiddling with his headphones. He has a message scrawled on his arm in sharpie – obviously written buy one of his kids. It said “I love you daddy and I am proud of you”. He kept looking at it. It made me want to cry. Sometimes humans can be wonderful. I bumped into the legend that is Anna Mcnuff in my start pen. She wasn’t wearing any shoes. Brilliant. She’s running the length of Britain barefoot so was a training run. I had SO MANY QUESTIONS but she seemed very cool about the whole thing. She really is relentlessly cheerful, that woman.

Then we were off. I felt pretty good considering the fact I had already done it once that day. As always there were huge crowds and bottlenecks and I was running a lot faster than I had done in a while. You can’t help it at London. You kind of get swept along. I was very wary of eating and drinking – I hadn’t eaten much during the night run and I am used to picnics on ultras now. I tried to take it easy but it felt easier to run at pace so I did what felt good. For once I wasn’t wearing a pack and it’s amazing how much that frees you to go a bit faster. I was relying on the water stops for all my hydration and that worked.

One of the things I really noticed about the marathon this year is the aggro. I am so used to the chilled nature of trail runners that I totally forgot about what happened in New York. Road runners can be total arseholes. There were points when I ran over to the water station, signalling I was doing so, only to be physically bashed on the shoulder by other runners and told to “move out of the fucking way”. When I take water I tend to slow down, walk at pace, finish the water and then run on. It’s pretty obvious. I walk close to the edge so people can pass me. I’m sorry but people need to have a bit more patience. Fucking idiots. ANYWAY I managed to finish in a pretty OK 4 hours 10 mins. Getting out of the mental finish area was awful as always, and I had to meet up with a couple of people because my personal hell wasn’t ending there. I had signed up to help out on a Rat Race private event for the next two days and needed to get to Richmond to drive up to Cirencester. No boozy celebrations for me! So off I went to work with 300 bankers who were out on a jolly for 3 days running, cycling and kayaking 165 miles along the Thames. Wednesday came and I had never been happier to see my bed!

Turns out road running smashed your body up a lot – especially 53 odd miles of it. My back was killing me, my legs hurt. So I did something I am not very good at – I had a bit or a rest. A few days off, runs at the weekend, went to physio. And then, two weeks later, it was time for The Ox Epic.

This is one of my favourite races of the year. Set on the Rushmore Estate in Wiltshire, its a whole weekend of camping and running courtesy of White Star Running. You can choose what race you do. Theres a 10km in the dark, a 10km in the morning, a half marathon and a 50 miler. So what did I choose? I CHOSE THEM ALL. Last year I managed to accidentally win the Epic - this year was a different story. This was a training run for something much bigger.

Once again White Star pulled it out the bag - a beautiful weekend and everything went like clockwork for me and him indoors, despite the fact we had all four dogs on site plus a 9 year old to look after. I managed to keep the same pace for all the races and not feel broken, plus I had a really nice weekend! We ran some laps with the dogs, some without, took out time at the aid stations, walked the hills and ran the flats. All in, we managed to get 76 miles in the bag over the weekend and finished knowing that we could do more. It was a chance to practice fuelling and hydration and catch up with old and new pals. Highly recommended and I will definitely be back next year - perhaps with my eyes on the prize again.

Pretty much everything that I have done in the first part of this year has been pointing towards my one A game race of the year which is happening this weekend (18-19 May). The Climb South West Devon Coast to Coast Ultra. I signed up last year on a whim. It’s 117 miles from the south coast to the north coast of Devon non-stop. This is the furthest I have run without a break, so it really is a huge deal to me to get through it. We’ve been out and about doing a couple of back to back weekend recees to see what the route is like. It’s self nav and we will run a lot of it in the dark. It runs along the Two Moors Way, across Dartmoor and Exmoor, through some horrendous terrain. There are a lot of muddy bridleways, fields and hardly any markings.

Elevation is mental – it literally feels like your going up hill all the time. It’s a really important race for me because it’s one I am not sure I can do. I have a plan A. B. C and D in place but I can’t see myself finishing in under 39 hours. Will I finish at all? Dunno. Stay tuned I guess….

So yeah, a lot has gone on so far this year, and there are some awesome plans in the pipeline for the rest of the year.

Adventure time! AGAIN!

I am resurrecting my position as Rat Race Test Pilot for 2019-2020 and doing 4 big recees this year, as well as pretty much all the events.

June sees me travel to Spain for the Sea to Summit test pilot outing. The highest mountain in mainland Spain is 80km from the coast. Our route connects a start line on a beautiful beach on the Costa Tropical to the summit of Mulhacen (3482m) via a tough 2 day running route, giving 2 marathons back to back and nearly 4000m vertical height gain. No biggie. Plus it’s going to be BOILING and we start at 2am to try and avoid the sun. This is Ben Nevis twice in a day. Fun.

August sees me trotting off to Malta for The Maltese Falcom. There are 3 islands that make up Malta. This ia a full traverse of the island chain. 3 disciplines. Run across Gozo. Kayak to Comino. Swim from Comino to Malta. Run across Malta. Hot. Historic. Warm sea. An island totally geared up for Endurance sport. And all in one day. Another world first.

In September I am off to Scotland to do something I have always dreamt off. A full coast to coast traverse of Scotland on foot. This is a west-coast-to-east-coast outing, n foot, over 6 days. The difference here is that Rat Race have devised a route that encompasses crossings of water and the use of some rivers and lochs, for which we will carry and use pack-rafts. This very unique route means we will hike or run, get to a body of water, use the raft to cross it or traverse it and then carry on by foot. An insane format in a simply stunning setting and incredibly remote area. The route goes from a starting location at Mallaig to finish just north of Inverness. This is the wildest country in the British Isles. We will be vehicle supported for some of the outing; and then self-contained (pack on back) for a significant portion of the rest. Almost 100% off-road. And in September. Be kind, weather!

October I will return to Scotland for a multi day traverse of the Outer Hebrides. Another dream event. It is around 150 miles from the bottom to top of this rugged island archipelago off the West Coast of Scotland. We will attempt this journey over 6 days. We’ve not quite worked out the logistics on this (have I not learnt anything from Panama??) But I am SO EXCITED TO DO IT!

In November I am travelling back to Namibia to crew for the Race to the Wreck event. That means I get to see the beauty of the desrt from the crew vehicle with a bit of running, but most importantly, it means I get to encourage, help and inspire people to complete the crossing. I would like to thank Rat Race for constantly believing me and allowing me to do these awesome things. I am one lucky piglet.

Also here’s a thing – if you fancy joining me on any of these funtime recees then you can – just drop me an email here for more details.

I am also doing a few other things in between mega adventures to keep up the training and fly the flag for Rat Race and White Star. There’s the Dorset Invader Marathon, the Man Vs Series, the Run Jurassic Series, Ultra Tour of Edinburgh, not to mention my first Threshold event at Race To the King. Basically it’s BUSY. But I am happy. And that’s the most important thing.

Finally – big announcement – Bad Boy Running are thrilled to have been asked to curate a new section at The National Running Show 2020. We have been given the honour of curating the Ultra Zone – a brand new zone that focuses completely on Ultras. We have our own stage, our own guests and our own talks and panels, We are in charge. We will be announcing out line up in the next month or so but if I were you I would get your tickets NOW because you DO NOT want to miss this. You can get your free ones here using my code AMB18. We have some of the biggest names in Ultra running confirmed and it’s going to be mega. You can register for your free ticket here. Massive thank to Mike for believing in us (and trusting us – he may regret this….)

I’m also going to try and bet better at this blogging thing – I have a lot to write about so not short on material – it’s just the time. Having said that I am happy to write for anyone else that fancies it. Just drop me a line and I will take a look at it. So yeah. That’s it. Whirlwind update done. See you next week. If I survive.

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peacefulheartfarm · 3 years

Text

Homestead Update and Health Update

It has been a while so how about a homestead update and health update. I republished a couple of podcasts. I hope you got a chance to listen for the first time or relisten if you were interested in the topic of cheese.

It’s going to be close, but I think I can get this podcast published today. Let’s hope all goes well and I am able to accomplish it. If it doesn’t, I am likely to abandon the effort for another week. My life is topsy-turvy and I only have so much time each day to take care of any given task. When things don’t go well, they get pushed to the next day. It’s my method of reducing stress. Let’s pause a moment.

I want to take a minute and say welcome to all the new listeners and welcome back to the veteran homestead-loving regulars who stop by the FarmCast for every episode. Thank you for hanging in there with me. I appreciate you all so much. Let’s have a homestead update and then a little info on the status of our health here at Peaceful Heart Farm

Our Virginia Homestead Life Updates

The cows are coming up first.

Cows

Last night at about 9:15 we got a call from the neighbors across the street. Two of our cows were in their yard. Who could they be? There were two groups of cows with two animals. I knew it was most likely the two that were scheduled for freezer camp this morning. Sure enough, those two guys were out there wreaking havoc in the neighbor’s yard and trying to get into the pasture with their cows.

It was a little harrowing to be trying to work with two very large boys in the dark. However, all of our cows are fairly docile. They were upset and confused of course. I believe that I’ve mentioned before that a cow does not like anything out of the ordinary. They want things to be the same all the time. Routine, routine, routine. So needless to say, everything about this situation was out of the ordinary.

Perrin is Secured

Nearby, just 20 or 30 feet down the driveway, was a gate to a paddock. Scott opened that gate and Perrin almost immediately went inside. Rocketman was a different story. He went back and forth in front of that gate at least three or four times, never venturing inside. Finally, he started down the driveway and Scott herded him that way and away from the neighbor’s cows. I followed with the car. Of course, once we got him down the driveway the next challenge was finding a way to get him into a pasture.

Scott chased him up and down one fence a couple of times. I opened up a couple of gates. One was a gate back to where he escaped. The other was into the field with our nursery girls. It was a little risky letting him in there, but we needed some way to get him into some fence somewhere. Once he was back inside our perimeter fence, there were many options as to how to move forward.

Rocketman is Secured

Rocketman eagerly went through the very wide-open gate into the pasture with the girls. The girls themselves were way out in the field. We needed to get him contained before he joined with them. That would be a disaster if we had to single him out from that crowd in the dark. Scott quickly contained the girls in paddock number one. Perrin was in paddock number two. And Rocketman was in the travel lane that joins with all paddocks.

The goal was to isolate both boys in the small holding area just inside the gate I opened for Rocketman. He had already walked most of the way down the travel lane toward the other paddocks. Scott met him coming the other way while herding Perrin down the travel lane toward the holding area. I was over in paddock number four which runs directly alongside the travel lane. I wanted to be close but not in the travel lane. That would have just confused everything and possibly herded them back out into the field in an attempt to get away from me.

Chasing Cows Around Paddock Four

Now for the next debacle. There are two gates at the bottom of a hollow. One opens into paddock four where I am and one opens or closes the travel lane where Scott and the boys are walking. I’m a little way up the hill in paddock four, just monitoring how they are moving. Everything looks Ok. Scott is coming down the travel lane headed toward the holding area. I just happened to mention that the gate into paddock four is open and they might come in there instead of continuing up the hill into the holding area. And you know what? That is exactly what they did. Now we are reduced to chasing them around paddock four, still trying to get them to go back through the gate and up to the small holding area.

All Ends Well

At some point I went down and closed the gate to the travel lane. No sense in letting them run back up that way. Now all we needed to do is get them to go through the other open gate out of paddock four and into the holding area. Somewhere along the way in this process, I noticed that part of the problem we were having is that they would go wherever the light was shining. Our headlamps and flashlights were actually confusing them. As Scott brought them back down the hill for the third or fourth time, I had just finished latching that travel lane gate. I shined my flashlight in the exact place I wanted them to go. It worked. Right through the gate they went. The travel lane gate was closed and now the gate into paddock four could be closed.

Whew what a trip. It lasted about 45 minutes. Shortly after 10 o’clock we were back inside and grateful for it.

The Girls

The girls continued to happily exist up in paddock number one until the next morning. After loading the boys into the trailer, he opened the paddock gate allowing the girls access to the pond for water and cooling baths.

Last week we had our vet and AI tech out checking to see who is and is not pregnant. There was good news and bad news. Three are pregnant and three are not. We are going to roll with that for the spring.

Buttercup

The vet gave us health information on the entire herd. Buttercup did not conceive. This is two years in a row. The vet talked to us about her weight. Too much fat is not a good thing, especially in an aging cow. I won’t go into the details, but her opinion was that, not only had she not conceived, but it was going to be harder and harder for her to conceive as she ages more. She will need to be replaced.

Cloud

Cloud was pregnant but miscarried. The vet was not too concerned about this. A late term spontaneous abortion would be a different story. But aborting early in the process is not so uncommon. We decided against trying to start over with any of our girls. Cloud is also marked to be replaced. Not because of her miscarriage, but because she kicks so much that we cannot milk her. Due to her strong angus genetics, she is also not really ideal as a milk cow. She simply does not produce as much milk as the others. Not by a long shot.

Claire

Claire appears to be pregnant but the vet could not 100% confirm it. She did mark her as pregnant but noted that she could not move the uterus to a position where she could know for sure. However, the fact that she could not move it was a good indication that Claire is pregnant. We shall see. Claire is also marked for replacement as she is getting on in years and is prone to mastitis. Her udder is in bad shape. She produces enough milk for her calf and not much more.

Luna

Now on to one we will keep for a little while, though we may offer her up to anyone looking for a family cow. Luna is pregnant. She is a heifer which means this will be her first calf. We do not expect her to produce lots and lots and lots of milk. Her mom is Cloud and Luna exhibits a lot of the angus coloring traits. We don’t really know how much milk she will produce, but it is likely that it will be substandard for what we are looking for in a milk cow. However, it may be perfect for someone looking for a little milk for their family and a good beef calf every year. We shall see. At this point, her fate is still up in the air.

Violet

Just a brief note on Violet. She did not make it into the rotation for artificial insemination. And we did not expose her to the bull. She is not pregnant and will remain open for the coming spring birthing season. In June next year, she will make it back into the breeding rotation. Violet has really good Normande breeding genetics. She has the BB kappa casein genetic trait that we want for cheesemaking. I asked about her weight and the vet said that even though her belly is really big and round, she is not overweight near her ovaries and therefore does not have Buttercup’s issue with weight. She’s a keeper for now.

The Jerseys, Butter and Rosie

Now on to the Jersey girls. Butter is a champ. She is pregnant and looking good. No issues there. Rosie, on the other hand, is not pregnant. The vet had already warned me that this was the most likely issue with a heifer having a calf when she was so very young. Getting pregnant again might take a little time.

Scott and I were just discussing this morning that we might want to have one cow that gives birth in the fall so we have some milk year-round. Right now, we dry them up in November and have no fresh milk products until March or April the following year. Rosie might be an ideal candidate for a fall delivery. We shall see. There are still a couple of months ahead of us before we would need to make that decision.

Special Cheeses

Any cow that gave birth in the fall would be completely out of the rotation for making cheese. Do we really want to give up that milk? It’s still under consideration. It would be nice to have a very small amount of milk to make cream cheese and yogurt throughout the winter. And perhaps a bit of camembert, reblochon or other cheese that we might make in smaller quantities for personal use.

Calf Sharing

If we decide to do that, we would do what is known as calf sharing. That means the calf stays with mom. Anytime we want to have milk, we simply separate them overnight and milk in the morning. For any of you thinking about having your own milk cow, this offers tremendous freedom. Normally, cows get milked twice a day. But if you are calf sharing, the calf takes care of the milk during the day. Overnight mom makes lots of milk and we get to keep that part. The calf rejoins mom and gets all of the luscious milk throughout the day. As I mentioned earlier, even Luna would produce enough milk to make this work. And if the day comes when you don’t want to milk at all on any given day, just leave calf and mom together for the entire day and night. It’s a win-win situation. The calf really appreciates the extra juice and the homesteader gets a break from milking every single day, seven days a week.

Well, that was a lot of cow updates. On to the sheep. I won’t be as long-winded here I promise.

Sheep and Mack

Mack is doing a good job of protecting the few sheep that we have left in the flock. We had one ewe that had an abscess on her chest. The vet drained it and gave us instructions on how to care for it. She is nearly healed already. Lambert, the ram had deeper issues. We don’t really know the cause but he had some pretty severe hoof issues. The vet seemed to think it was perhaps related to running around trying to get away from predators that precipitated this issue. His feet were really sore. She tried trimming his hooves but there wasn’t really much there. We treated all of the sheep for hoof scald and hoof rot. This is a problem that we are aware of but have never encountered. It usually happens when their hooves are not in top shape and they are exposed to a lot of water. And it appears, that lots of stress on the hooves can caused problems.

Worms Again?

In addition to the hoof problem, Lambert also had an enormous worm load. He had lost lots and lots of weight. He is still actually quite weak. The worms suck the blood out via the stomach. The animal becomes very anemic. It does take some time to heal. Hopefully, Lambert will turn the corner soon and regain his weight and strength. He was pretty far gone and his health is still up in the air.

The remaining two seems to be in relatively good shape. We wormed all of them just to be sure. Lambert’s worm overload was also likely precipitated by the enormous amount of stress they all endured during the predator attacks. Stress can weaken their systems enough to give the worms the window of opportunity they need to begin to multiplying uncontrollably.

It has been a good long time since we had any issues with worms and we may have been a little lax. Going forward we will be keeping a closer eye on these guys. Hopefully, they will all stay relaxed and continue to live peacefully on the homestead.

We are also still looking to add a few more ewes to the flock soon. Rebuilding will take some time and we want to get started on that process. Two more dogs are lined up to help us out as we rebuild from the disastrous spring and summer. More on that later.

Personal Health Update

Before closing today I’ll give a brief health update for both Scott and myself. Scott is doing very well with treatment. He is two and a half weeks into seven weeks of radiation treatment. No chemo, thank the Lord. He drives an hour each way to receive the treatment, Monday through Friday. I will be accompanying him in the coming days.

He is managing the treatment very well. A sore throat makes it more and more difficult to eat. There are lots of treatments to help with that as well. Taking daily naps is a way of life for him. Sometimes for a couple of hours, but yesterday for only a half hour. We are still fairly early on in the treatment so we will see how he progresses.

Treatment Side Effects

At this point in the treatment, the worst side effects start to manifest. I already mentioned the difficulty in getting food down due to the pain in his throat. Add to this that his taste will change. Doctors have let him know that everything will begin to taste horrible. Their experience has shown that the taste issue will continue for a month or two or even more past the time when the treatments are complete. As you can imagine, this adds insult to injury. He already has trouble swallowing. How much worse will it be when he has to force himself to even put anything into his mouth?

Scott is a trooper. He is a stoic individual. I fully expect he will plow through this just like he does any other issue that presents itself to his world. I am here to support him in any way that I can.

My Health

My state of health is stable. That is the best way I can describe it. The time prior to the treatment starting was more stressful. I can say that at this point. Who knows what the future will hold? I could be off-the-scale stressed next week. The uncertainty of what the future would hold, one appointment after another in preparation for treatment and my own insecurity about whether I was mentally and emotionally up to the task of caring for Scott was wreaking havoc on my normal schedule and making me a little cray-cray. Now that we are settled into a routine, I am handling it much better. I feel much more relaxed and confident in my ability to respond to Scott’s needs as they arise.

We are blessed to have all of you praying for us. Thank you so much. Please continue to pray for us and we will pray for you.

Final Thoughts

That’s it for today’s podcast. I know the cow updates were long and perhaps too detailed. I didn’t even get to the quail. Well, too late now. I need to get this podcast published and then on to the evening chores. It’s time to wake Scott up from his nap so he can start on his evening routine. The regularity of routine is a life saver when your life is topsy-turvy.

Again, thank you so much for your prayers.

And I will add the shameless plugs because we need your support. If you enjoyed this podcast, please go to Apple Podcasts or Google Play whatever podcasting service you use, SUBSCRIBE and give me a 5-star rating and review. If you like this content and want to help out the show, the absolute best way you can do that is to share it with any friends or family who might be interested in this type of content. Let them know about the Peaceful Heart Farmcast.

Thank you so much for stopping by the homestead and until next time, may God fill your life with grace and peace.

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randomwoohoo · 6 years

Link

Nick: Previously on Zoomorphia!

Judy: Why use the word ‘morph’ anyway?

Nick: Cuz it sounds radical! We should try saying ‘It’s morphin’ time!’-

Judy: Not gonna happen. It’s too cheesy.

Nick: Said by a mammal who announces ‘Transform’ during transformation~

Judy: Shush! We are running out of time but we haven’t mentioned the previous chapter yet!

Nick: Well~ To put it simply, folks, fuzzy bun bun here always meddles in the attack of monsters called Savage, so Chief Buffalo gave us a disciplinary penalty. Still that wasn’t enough to stop Carrots from scouting and Bam! we found a Savage and beat it!

Judy: That’s too slipshod! Can’t just skip the Hybrid part! Gosh! We’re dragging this way too long.

Nick: It’s our first time. We’ll be good at it someday. Until then-

Nick & Judy: Now the chapter 2!

Thank you everyone for reading this fic. Please leave the comments. I would love to hear you thought. I will try to make this series active as possible.

Here’s Fanfiction.net link

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

“-got a report from SCU yesterday. A Savage showed up at Cliffside Asylum. A guard informed that fox and bunny cops also showed up even though it shouldn’t be possible since they both were supposed to be writing parking tickets in Downtown!... Abandoning your post, trespassing on restricted area, encountering Savage but didn’t contact SCU… correct me if my assumption is wrong.” Chief Bogo behind a table had summoned Senior Officer Judy Hopps and Senior Officer Nick Wilde to his office, narrating violations that duo had done the day before.

They sat quietly opposite to their supervisor. Nick was rubbing the back of his neck while Judy froze like a kid in the principal’s office. The cape buffalo shut his eyes and deeply inhaled. “I thought so… Despite being among the best, you two are such troublemakers. I should punish ya right away-” The threat caused fox and rabbit ears stand erect. They was going to voice. “-but lucky for you, new cases keep coming, old cases haven’t been solved yet. Currently, we need you to handle more investigation of illegal possession of Night howlers that’s been increasing recently. I’m counting on experts in this particular kind of cases.”

“Noted, sir” The pair responded, Nick raising right paw in a salute. “Dismissed!” Bogo bawled.

Nick and Judy exited the room. As a door closed, they let out a groan. “That was tense.” Loosening his tie, tod whispered loudly. The partner ambled down the stairs. “I prayed so hard for him not asking what we did when we faced Savage .” The doe hissed. “Thanks tod, those hustler skills enabled me to conceal secrets.” He whined, appreciating his past life. “The less mammals know the truth about Hybrid. The better it is.” She ratiocinated. They stepped on the first floor, strolling through the hallway.

“Judy! Nick!” An enthusiastic chubby cheetah hailed the duo from across the entrance. “Hello Jude! Miss me?” The silvery female voice greeted.

Judy changed direction, rushing towards her friends. “Hi Benjamin. Mornin’ Jasmine! How are you? It’s been a while~” The bunny greeted back, hopping to wrap her arms around bengal tigress neck. By the way, the rabbit lied. She just met Jasmine Fangmeyer yesterday… in the SCU group, who targeted them. The tiger had been recruited in the Savage Control Unit ( SCU) since the team was first formed but it was good to see their intimate without field gears.

“Sup, Clawhauser, Fangmeyer.” Nick followed, rolling his sleeves up in order to get more casual.

Jasmine held the doe, gently put her down before addressing the fox “Hey, Wilde.”

“Jasmine and I are gonna go get a lunch. Wanna come?” Cheetah invited them, which Judy promptly replied. “Sure! That would be lovely~”

Frankly, both Nick and Judy had a rough start with their fellow officers. The partners were discriminated against, which is inevitable because of their species. Even Fangmeyer used to sneer at Judy, thinking she was just a bunny. Nevertheless, after years of cooperation, others came to respect them for who they are. The duo did not hold a grudge; thus, the friendships were born. Nowadays, they can call each other ‘friend’ confidently.

-.-. --- -- .-. .- -.. . ...

“It’s funny… ” Judy uttered, confusing her workmates. “What, Fluff?” Nick questioned. Four of them were eating at Savanna Central local diner’s outdoor table. Guys were sitting on the same side while ladies were taking the seats of opposite side. Felines were facing one another, so were the partners.

“These days, Midnicampum holicithias has become an illegal plant. One cannot possess exceeding a certain amount which depends on legal documents one owns according to their occupation.” the doe explained. Everybody knew this fact about Midnicampum holicithias or Night howlers. However, her friends still did not understand what the doe tried to convey. “What’s funny then?” Jasmine spoke out for the rest, poking her seafood salad with a fork.

“They used to be all over the place. My family grew them to keep bugs off the produce. After Night howler case and the new law created, many label this plant as a menace. My parents even gotta find a substitute.” the doe elucidated.

“At least, those scarecrows are getting more jobs.” The tod joked. “Y’know they’re for discouraging birds, not bugs right? Besides, they’re barely practical.” His partner delivered the requisite reality-check. Both made the feline fellows chortle.

The mention of Night howlers jogged Clawhauser’s memory. “Oh! Please remind me to hand you the case file-” He was requesting when Fangmeyer interjected. “C’mon guys! It’s lunch break. Don’t bring up the work. Anyhow, are there anybody seeing someone… special?” She grinned cheekily. The cheetah awkwardly smiled. “Do donuts count?” He quizzed. “Sorry, Ben. No.” Tigress gave the answer Benjamin expected. “Well, I might be too good at making friends, so...” He muttered. Nick contemplated his pal’s statement. “Got friendzoned huh? Poor thing~” Fox sympathized.

“What about you, Judy?” Clawhauser passed the baton to Judy to tackle peeps’ attention. “You’ve always been popular. Must be lots of mammals hitting on ya.” said Jasmine. Every eyes pinned on the rabbit opening her mouth. “Nah~ I’m too busy working. My off-time is terribly uncertain. It’s better to hang out with my partner. We usually get off work at the same time. Crashing at his apartment for sharing meals and movie night, spending time with him in general is quite pleasant… Did I say something wrong?” Judy’s words left two big cats goggling at her. Tod guffawed at how innocent the bunny was.

“I’m not paying for this! Food doesn’t deserve even half the price!” At nearby table, dark brown slim bull moose grumbled. A koala waitress was scared by bull’s manner. Cops who witnessed the scene were about to take an action, especially the rabbit. “Hold up, Carrots.” Nick halted her. Judy was on the verge of disputing but “Quiet! You’re disturbing others!” cow moose that sit with aggressive moose scolded her probable associate. The bull angrily walked off. The waitress was unsure what to do. “Just leave him. He’s always like this.” The cow beamed at the koala.

“See~?” Nick smirked, picking up a bug burger from his plate to take a bite. “Wow! Wilde, you know them?” The tiger agent inquired, which the fox officer boastfully quipped. “I know everybody~ like reading a book, except this unpredictable cute bunny.” He referred to Judy in the way that would trigger her. Everyone anticipated a protest from the doe.

“Hey Nick, what does bug burger taste like?” Rabbit sniffed the smell of meat patty wafting through the air. Since her partner started digging in his meal, she had been captivated by the scent and the predatory ways of eating, fangs chomping breads, lettuce leaves and minced insects.

“Hmm? Like chicken sandwich but greasier I guess.” He gave a straight answer. “And how am I supposed to know the chicken taste?” She jested, resulting in a snigger from the rest.

“Kinda weird that prey’s interested in predator’s diet, isn’t it?” Cheetah presumed. “Cuz she is an unpredictable bun bun.” Nick bantered, reaching to pat Judy’s head. “Nick, don’t! Your fingers are oily!” She tried to block his paw. Bet she doesn’t even notice… Clawhauser and Fangmeyer thought, recollecting the dating question.

The scream together with roar attracted mammals’ attention in the area. The police officers recognized the noise. “Savage ! Evacuate!” Judy directed, pushing Nick’s paw away, hurriedly taking control of the situation. Moose Savage appeared from ally. The muscular feral purple capreoline went on a rampage.

“Officer- I mean- Agent Fangmeyer to dispatch! Savage !---” Jasmine radioed while helping Benjamin clear the area. She told SCU the location detail. It was ironically fortunate that many mammals were frightened to be outdoors. Therefore, evacuation was rather easy. “Okay, team should arrive soon. Ben and you two- Jude!” She was shocked to see her rabbit friend holding a gun which is useless against most Savages. Normal gun can only slow them down at best.

“We’ll buy you some time. Go!” The doe insisted. Tigress grouched for a moment. However, she decided to leave with cheetah eventually, having no weapon and knowing how determined Judy can be.

“Alone at last.” Nick licked his paw, cleaning the burger grease off. Judy put back the gun. They confronted Savage fearlessly. “Ready, partner?” She brought out the black device with the purple circle core, 45 degree angled silver syringe on the left and maroon handlebar on the right.

“Born ready.” He turned around then fled. “Hey! Wait! Where are you going?” The doe panicked. “Hiding! No way I gonna fall asleep defenseless in the middle of battlefield!” The racing tod vociferated. “Ya gotta be kidding me!” She shouted, bewaring of the monster.

Moose Savage attacked bunny officer. She dodged its antlers, putting the device on her in order not to inconveniently grasp the arm-sized device. Device’s belt wrapped itself around her waist mechanically. She kept hopping, darting away and avoiding all the attacks, pretty out of breath. “Finally!” She cheerily exclaimed when she spotted Nick’s blood in her syringe, meaning he found a place to hide and had proceeded with transformation. She was going to transform but the monster was still hunting her. The rabbit dived off from getting gored then rolled on the ground. Sitting with knees up, she gazed at Savage which was aiming on her. As it was hurtling towards Judy, she pressed the syringe. “ INJECT ” The device spoke robotically. Then she spontaneously twisted the handle anticlockwise. “ IGNITE ” The transformation’s broiling purple mist explosion blew the monster away, revealing the bio-armored fusion between a fox and a rabbit, Hybrid, shiny full body metal-like exoskeletons in Nick’s hustler color scheme, rabbit ears, fox tail and two amethyst headlights for eyes.

“Save~” Nick swept Hybrid’s legs before standing up, uttering a baseball vocabulary, implying he made it in time. “What took you so long?” Judy griped.

Moose Savage arose, shaking off a daze from the stream blast. It and Hybrid simultaneously ran into one another. The monster jumped whilst Hybrid slid under it. Nick and Judy elongated claws. Cupped paws thrust upward, the claws stabbing Savage ’s abdominal skin. It slumped down ignominiously. Hybrid sprung up, striking a fighting pose.

“Let’s end this quick. I don’t wanna waste lunch break.” Doe talked with tod. She approached the injured moose.

Suddenly, something crashed Hybrid from the side. Hybrid fell over and rolled. Fox got up on knees to observe what had just hit him and bunny.... or just bunny with his mind also in her body. “Other Savage !” Both yelled. A drooling purple spiky haired wolverine Savage emerged out of the blue. Naturally, Savages had spread across Zootopia since one year ago. It was no surprise to see more of them unexpectedly showing up.

The moose got back on hoofed feet. Savage s were cautiously circling around Hybrid , who retracted the claws while inspecting beasts’ motion. Two monsters rapidly charged at the armored mixed breed from both left and right. Paw pressed the syringe. “ ACTIVATE ” Afterwards, Savages should assail their single prey. However, the event turned out to be them colliding with each other.

“We’re here!” An exuberant male tone pronounced. Hybrid stood a step away, mockingly glaring at the tricked monsters.

Fox and rabbit just activated the phenomenal ability. Deception and survival are essential hustler’s skills that Hybrid adopted and applied for a fight, which consequently created the instant movement technique capacitating Hybrid to move in a split second. That was why Nick and Judy can relocate from one place to another or effortlessly elude SCU, sardonically reminding Judy of the time when she first learned that Nick was a con-artist and she was fooled by Nick pointing other way then he disappeared around a corner when she turned back.

Hybrid span to generate momentum, swinging right leg around circularly to slash Savages’ flesh with protracted foot claw. The wolverine bent away in due course, thereby receiving shallower wound than the moose which was flopping down due to lacerations, still it was not enough to finish off the monster.

Wolverine Savage drew back. Hybrid hounded it. Fists, kicks and claws did not reach the target. It ducked every strike and not let its foe get close. Tod and doe ceased roughing up Savage or attempting leastwise.

“Keeping a distance, I see~ Clever girl~” Fox quoted a movie. “I think it’s a male, Nick.” Bunny analysed this wolverine’s figure being larger than average females. “Doo do doo doo DO Doo do doo doo-” He hummed the movie theme, making his partner roll her eyes.

Judy twisted the handlebar clockwise. “ FORM SHIFT-POLICE ” The device vocalized, releasing a purple fog covering Hybrid whose armour emit steam from gaps synchronously. The purple core and the amethyst headlights brightened in brume. The duo as one thrashed left arm to clear the haze, unveiling the same flamingo red armored hybrid but with some alteration, navy police hat with gold ZPD logo added to the top of helmet, rabbit ears flat against the back of head, blue arms and torso, dark scale vest, black armlets on both forearms, dark blue lower half except red feet, grey knee pads.

“Hybrid Police form. Policed to meet you~” Nick introduced Hybrid ’s other form to Savage s. They had not taken action yet, providing the partners an opportunity. Tod pushed the syringe. “ ACTIVATE ” Nothing happened. “Where is it?” Doe asked. “It takes time to summon it. You should have known, Carrots.” He informed. “No! Now, we need a pistol! That’s reason I chose this form!” She vociferated. “How am I supposed to know what to activate!?” The fox claimed. “Get a clue!!” The rabbit hollered.

Whilst the pair were bickering, wolverine Savage engaged them. “Oh fudge!” Nick blurted out as Judy warded off the monster. Paws smacked it time and time again to divert its dashes towards them. “It’s not working! Physical strength is obviously weaker than Hustler form.” She shoved the wolverine, comparing the current form’s branch of power to the previous form’s. Savage tried to hurt Hybrid once more. “Then use a lifeline~” He suggested. Doe accepted an advice by pressing the syringe. “ ACTIVATE ” Wolverine pounced on Hybrid. Its fangs and nails hit hard.

“Easy, mate~ Ya don’t wish-” Nick used an Australian accent seeing that Savage was a wolverine which sort of reminded him of Outback Island even if wolverines are not originated from this district. “-to ruin those perfect teeth, do ya?” Judy finished the sentence. The monster was obstructed by a chain, handcuffs on both ends. Hybrid tied Savage ’s arms and muzzle with the chain, holding handcuffs in left paw while right punch pummeled the beast’s face. Next, Hybrid leaped over the dazed wolverine and hurled it across the street.

The monster, slipping out of the chain, intuitively landed on feet. Hybrid steadily strode forward as Savage recoiled. Nonetheless, distance was no obstacle anymore. The chain was lengthened. Hybrid swung the weighted chain in a large circle over the head and then whipped the monster. Handcuff smashed into wolverine’s rear. Hybrid yanked the chain back and lashed the monster’s flank with other end. It was thrashed by handcuffs on both ends, unable to defend or escape.

The moose Savage rose after it recuperated, scuffing front right hoof on road surface. It sprinted, intending to butt the armored cop.

The moose cried. All of a sudden, a car ran into Savage ’s side before it could touch Hybrid . The duo paused beating wolverine to look around. Moose Savage overturned. “Right on time~Just as planned.” Nick bragged about the arrived vehicle he summoned earlier. It is a hatchback sports car, painted in black with white on the doors, having a pair of sirens at the top. “It was just a coincidence, wasn’t it?” Judy felt that her partner did not plan anything. The car luckily came at the most appropriate time, rescuing them from an assault.

The wolverine seized a chance to flee, limping down the road when Hybrid turned back. “It’s getting away!” Tod changed the subject, ignoring doe’s doubt. She focused the hobbling monster and then push the syringe. “ ACTIVATE ” The handcuffs vanished. Thereafter, a pistol, suitable for rabbit, popped up. It is a black AutoMag with a purple cylinder-like extra part and an auburn grip. Hybrid grabbed it to shoot at wolverine. Six bullets were fired in a mere second. Wolverine Savage suffered from several gun holes, beyond a dozen, as it collapsed. Nick chuckled, twirling the gun.

“Let’s finish this for real. We still have the other one to deal with.” Judy span the cylinder, sparks flying out.

“Freeze, Hybrid !” The pair, interfered, averted their gaze from the monster. “You’re here at last! Please save us~” Nick mocked SCU troop. Judy even saw tiger gal pal, full gear set, among the agents.

“Drop your weapon!” Demanding, they parked their vehicles surrounding Hybrid , sports car and Savages. The moose one bounced back, scramming through encirclement.

“I would love to stay and sign autographs but I really mustache~” He punned. Hybrid got in the sports car. “Stop!” White stallion commanded. “Can you handle Savage lying over there? Thank you, bye~” Nick saluted. Meanwhile, Judy drove off to chase the moose. SCU mammals must make a way. “Wait!” The horse grunted. When other agents checked the riddled wolverine, it had already begun to evaporated, indicating it was dead. “Darn you, Hybrid!!” He cursed.

In the meantime, moose Savage was bolting blindly in Savanna Central, pursued by black and white. The car drew alongside the monster. The driver’s window was slid down, which allow Hybrid to talk to Savage despite the fact that it probably would not understand.

“Why vamoose, mr. moose?”

“Bun bun just made a pun.” Tod cracked up. “Guess I’m infected with your habit.” Doe joshed. Their car outpaced the moose then drifted to cut in front of it. Hybrid braked the sports car, opening the door, aiming the pistol in her left paw at Savage while her right paw twisting the device’s handlebar anticlockwise. “ CRITICAL BREAK ” The gun fired a energy ball. It exploded like a firework. The burning lights curved to strike the monster.

Moose Savage, crumpling, completely disintegrated. Nick pretended to blow away gun smoke from the barrel though there was no smoke and Hybrid cannot blow the air because of a helmet.

“Sweet cheese. We’ve driven pretty far off from where we left your body, huh?” Judy had just realized. “We shall meet up later then.” He proposed. “Ahh, see ya, Nick.” She agreed, pulling the syringe to draw her blood out. It was teleported as she detransformed.

.- .-. -.-. .- -. .

Fox opened his eyes. Apparently, his mind was transferred back to his body. He moaned, experiencing fatigue.

“You’re awake.” Deep gravely voice uttered next to tod.

“Hang on...” Knackered, Nick pressed the syringe, injecting blood teleported from Judy. All weariness had gone at once. “Much better, thanks for the ride, Fin.” Tod expressed his gratitude to the driver. He was presently sitting on a passenger seat of the moving van, not leaning against a wall like the doe believed.

Back before Hybrid transformation, Nick texted his former partner-in-crime, Finnick the fennec fox, to pick him up where he fell unconscious and give him a lift. “Did you coddle my body when I passed out?” Nick examined his physical body.

“I’m being more than a generous guy. I carried somebody almost twice my size, fatass.” Finnick beefed, glancing the belt bound around fox’s waist. “Seriously, man, that thing you’re wearing is unnerving.”

“You mean MidniDriver ?” Nick tapped the morpher, MidniDriver , the devices he used with his bunny partner to transform into Hybrid. “Yeah, midnight whatever. Anyways, what’s the plan?” Finnick wondered, concentrating on the road. “Just go to the place I sent you a location. I have an appointment with Tuck boy~” Nick mentioned Jim Tuck, the raccoon who intruded Cliffside Asylum… who also accepted fox cop’s help.

- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

#zootopia #zootopia tokusatsu au #zootopia fanfiction #zoomorphia

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lotsofdogs · 6 years

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Things I’m Loving Friday #210

Friday is here! WOOP! How are you guys!? Sorry for the late posting this morning. I had everything ready to go but experienced some firewall issues that blocked me from accessing my blog’s admin page. All that is code for technology stinks sometimes but we’re back in action now!

This week felt a little crazed but in a good way. It was a busy one with some holiday-related fun sprinkled in the mix, including Chase’s preschool’s Thanksgiving show which was too cute. Though the tears started flowing right when he locked eyes with me in the audience and he didn’t make it through his performance, it was way too adorable and I enjoyed snuggling him in my lap while we watched the show before a big Thanksgiving feast in the school gym.

I also had some friends over for a Toddler Book Exchange party on Wednesday but I’ll recap all of that on the blog next week when I have more time to sit down and sort through photos. As for this weekend, there are a few things on the agenda, including a baby sprinkle and a studio painting date with my mom. I’m also going to try my best to resist decorating for Christmas but I can practically hear our lights and decorations calling to me from the attic.

And now, without further ado, let’s dive into my usual Things I’m Loving Friday blog post! Please feel free to share a little bit about something you’re loving this week in the comments section of this post. I always love hearing about what’s making you smile!

Things I’m Loving Friday

$22 Faux-Leather Mules

Okay let’s talk about this whole mule trend. At first glance I practically shuddered at the shoes. They looked like the old loafers I remember my teachers wearing when I was little but somehow they are trendy now!? How did this happen? Well, fast forward a few months and I found myself singing a different tune. I saw too many outfits that looks so cute because of the mules and all of the sudden I was considering buying a pair. What!? I took the plunge last week and ended up ordering a pair of cheap mules from Forever21 because, while the whole fad is growing on me quite a bit, there’s no way I’m dropping serious dollahs on a pair of mules. This pair was only $22 and the color seems to go with everything. I wore them twice this week already and really liked the ease and comfort of a slip-on shoe that isn’t a traditional flat.

Forever21 Slouchy Oversize Sweaters

(Sweater: Forever21 Ribbed Knit Off-the-Shoulder Sweater / Jeans: Joe’s Jeans via Stitch Fix / Mules: Forever21)

As I was browsing around Forever21’s website for mules, their slouchy oversize sweaters kept calling to me. I don’t think I’ve bought anything from Forever21 in years and the thought of walking into that store right now gives me the heebie jeebies and instantly makes me feel like I’m 5,000 years old but as it turns out online shopping from Forver21 is kind of awesome. I quickly narrowed my search to sweaters only and bought a few new inexpensive slouchy sweaters I know I’ll wear all fall and winter long. My selections: Ribbed Knit Off-the-Shoulder Sweater / Open Front Duster Cardigan / Ribbed V-Neck Sweater

StitchFix Waived Styling Fee

If you have ever wanted to try out Stitch Fix, this is the time! For the month of December Stitch Fix is waiving their styling fee so anyone can try the service absolutely free! So awesome, right!? Normally there is a $20 styling fee (it’s applied to any items you end up purchasing from your Stitch Fix delivery) but the waived styling fee omits any worries about losing the styling fee if you aren’t sure whether or not the stylist will be able to find something you absolutely love to send your way. I’ve been ordering monthly StitchFix deliveries for years and always look forward to receiving them!

Lazy5 Ranch, Sheep Dog Trials and a Mini Thanksgiving

I didn’t get a chance to share a weekend recap on the blog on Monday because my sister stayed with us through Monday evening and I opted for quality time with her over blogging on the weekend since we only had three short days together. Her visit was wonderful and Chase is 100 percent obsessed with his Aunt “Wessie” (Leslie is a hard name for a toddler). We spent Saturday morning at Lazy5 Ranch, a local animal park that allows you to drive or ride through the park and feed pigs, llamas, cows and more. We opted for the wagon ride and Chase loved it until a huge bull with big horns came over to eat out of Ryan’s hand and scared him. He started sobbing and saying, “No buffalo!” and that was that. When he saw the little pigs choruses of “that’s better” came out of his mouth on repeat but he kept looking over his shoulder for the terrifying buffalo that wasn’t really a buffalo. (For the locals, I think Lazy5 would probably be better for kids ages 3+ or those who aren’t terrified by big animals and their long tongues eating right out of your hands.)

After church on Sunday morning, our little gang made it out to the Sheep Dog Trials and had a blast, despite the dreary weather. Chase LOVED watching the Dock Dogs launch themselves off a dock into the water as they chased after a toy and we spent several hours wandering around the festival and snacking on kettle corn.

The highlight of our weekend together took place on Sunday evening when we dug into a mini Thanksgiving feast. It was so good and so comforting and I lived on Thanksgiving leftovers for three days after our feast!

My mom, sister and I made our family’s favorites and I loved every last bite. We served a Diestel Organic Oven-Roasted Turkey again for the occasion and if you still need a turkey for the holidays I cannot recommend Diestel turkeys enough. They are hands-down the best turkeys I’ve ever had (they’re also made with no artificial ingredients or preservatives, growth stimulants or hormones) and the flavor is unreal and actually makes the turkey a standout rather than a meh afterthought on my Thanksgiving plate. They’re fully cooked (so basically fool-proof) and we just rubbed the top with a simple glaze before roasting in the oven for 75 minutes. We ordered ours online but apparently Earth Fare is selling them this year, too!

I’m already looking forward to another round of Thanksgiving next week when we include the Fagan family favorites (sweet potato casserole, pineapple soufflé and glazed carrots!) in the meal as well!

Stonyfield Organic Yogurt Giveaway

Congratulations to Meg Q., the winner of three months of free Stonyfield organic yogurt! Meg was emailed first thing this morning. Thanks so much to all who entered!

Question of the Day

What is one thing you are loving this week?

[Read More ...] https://www.pbfingers.com/things-im-loving-friday-210/

#health #fitness

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thesassybooskter · 7 years

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RESURRECTION by Katie Reus: Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

Resurrection by Katie Reus Series: Redemption Harbor #1 Published by KR Press LLC Publication Date: July 11th 2017 Genres: Romantic Suspense Pages: 250 Source: Publisher Format: eARC Goodreads Buy Online: Amazon ♥ Barnes & Noble ♥ Kobo ♥ iBooks

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

From USA Today bestselling author Katie Reus comes the ALL NEW Redemption Harbor series where sparks fly and so do bullets…

She faked her own death…

Skye Arévalo left the CIA and faked her death to protect Colt Stuart, the only man she ever loved. Months later, a brutal kidnapping draws her to quietly infiltrate a dangerous cartel. Just when she thinks she’s home free, things go horribly wrong and she escapes with bloodthirsty enemies on her heels…only to find herself face to face with a bewildered and angry Colt.

He’ll cross every line to save her…

When Colt, a former Marine, finds out the woman he loved betrayed him, he’s shocked and hurt, but it doesn’t stop him from breaking every law on the books to keep her alive. Unfortunately, it might not be enough to stop a powerful enemy who will do anything to see the world burn and Skye dead.

Review

It’s been a while since I read a book by Katie Reus and starting a new series is the perfect way to go. If you are in the mood for fast action and suspense, sizzling hot chemistry and unconditional friendship, then this is a really good book to read and a really great start to Ms. Reus’s new series.

RESURRECTION is an easy read, with less action and suspense than I expected, but the appeal of the story lies in the unqualified love the characters have for each other as shown in the bond of friendship between Colt Stuart and his childhood friends, a bond that would have him risking everything to find his friend’s wife in hostile territory on a vague tip, which in turn reunites him with the love of his life. It’s also obvious in the choice Skye Arévalo made to fake her own death to avoid being used to hurt Colt.

Skye was a really great character – smart, sassy and very capable, something of a legend in fact with an interesting upbringing, and perfect for Colt. Colt is very devoted to those he loves and every action he takes in this book only highlights that devotion. While he lives in a grey area due to his career choice, he is something of a white knight, ready to fight for justice for those who cannot.

The author has laid a solid foundation for the rest of the series with this book and the introduction of the cast of characters, each with a skill set that will come in handy for the task they have undertaken. One of the most fun parts of this book for me was reading Mercer and Mary Grace’s story and I can’t wait for the rest of the series to get to know the other guys better.

Excerpt

Colt banged his fist against the door, fear and the smallest bit of hope punching through him. “Answer the fucking door,” he snarled. “Open, or I kick it in.”

“Maybe you should take it down a notch.” Next to him, Brooks shoved an agitated hand through his hair, his Stetson held loosely at his side.

“And maybe you should be freaking out more.” One of their best friends had been holed up in his home for weeks, refusing to talk to anyone, to see anyone. Colt didn’t know exactly what his friend was going through, but he’d lost a lot of damn friends in the sandbox and the only woman he’d ever loved had died too. Something he couldn’t think about right now. He couldn’t focus on his own pain when he could help his friend, when he had a damn purpose.

Mercer had recently lost his wife, and the man wasn’t handling it. The guy had been in love with Mary Grace since he was fifteen. They’d been each other’s world. And two months ago she’d been killed in Mexico, a victim of cartel violence. Allegedly.

Colt hadn’t been in love with Skye since he was a kid, but eight months with her sure felt like a lifetime. Hell, when she died it felt like he’d lost part of himself. The only part that mattered. He had to force himself out of bed every day, to shove back the emptiness. So on one level, he understood how Mercer felt. He shoved that thought right back inside where it belonged and ignored it. He couldn’t fix his own problem, but he could help out Mercer.

Panic swelled through Colt as the seconds ticked by without any response from inside—until he heard cursing on the other side of the door. Good. If his friend was cursing, he was alive. A solid minute later the lock snicked loudly as it twisted open.

Colt grabbed the handle and shoved it open, pushing past his best friend in case he tried to slam the door closed in his face.

Mercer, wearing boxers and nothing else, had grown a full black beard and his dark eyes were glassy. “What the hell are you doing here this early?”

“First, it’s two o’clock in the afternoon. Second…” Colt hauled off and punched him right in the nose. He needed to wake Mercer the hell up. Violence was pretty much the only way to do that now.

“Ah, hell,” Brooks muttered as Mercer flew back and fell on his ass with a grunt.

He held a hand to his nose, looking more alert than he had in two months as he glared up at Colt and Brooks. “What the hell, man?” His voice was muffled as he tried to stop the bleeding.

“I believe this is called an intervention,” Colt said, stepping into the foyer, cringing at the stench. “God, it smells like old pizza and cow crap in here. Mary Grace would kick your ass if she saw you living like this.”

“Don’t say her name!” Mercer shoved to his feet, letting his hand drop. Blood dripped down his face as he snarled at Colt. His teeth were toothpaste commercial white against his dark brown skin. Right now he looked like a rabid wolf baring his teeth at them.

“I’ll say her name if I want.” Yeah, he knew he was being harsh, but this was what Mercer needed. He needed to feel something, to wake the hell up. And making Mercer angry was the only way Colt knew how. Because the guy sure wasn’t going to talk about his fucking feelings. He needed to get out of this rabbit hole he’d let himself fall into. “We all lost her. Every single one of us.”

Most days Colt couldn’t believe she was gone. They’d all grown up together, and in his case, he’d been friends with Mary Grace since they were five years old. She was like a sister to Colt. Hell, he was still holding on to the hope that she wasn’t actually gone. It was why he was about to get on a plane in two hours and see if the tip he’d received was right. But first he had to make sure one of his best friends didn’t do something stupid while he was gone.

“Mary Grace.”

“Ah, hell,” Brooks said again, clearly not going to intervene. Just muttering his standard curse.

“Fuck you,” Mercer snapped, taking a step toward Colt.

That was it. Get angry, he silently willed his childhood friend. Mercer needed anger to replace the grief. God, or at least mute it. Just for a week. That was all Colt needed. Because if Mary Grace was alive, he was bringing her home to his best friend. He just couldn’t give Mercer the hope she was alive. Because if he did and it turned out she wasn’t… It would destroy him. “Mary. Grace.”

Mercer rushed at him like a bull.

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About Katie Reus

Katie Reus is the New York Times, USA Today, & IndieReader bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Moon Shifter series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom's stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it. However, she didn't always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense.

RESURRECTION by Katie Reus: Review, Excerpt & Giveaway was originally published on The Sassy Bookster

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katehuntington · 5 years

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Title: Ride With Me (part seven) Fandom: Supernatural AU Characters series: Reader, Dean Winchester, Bobby Singer, Ellen Singer-Harvelle, Jo Singer (Harvelle), Benny Lafitte, Ash Miles, Garth Fitzgerald IV, Castiel Novek, and many more. Timeline: 2008 Pairing: Dean x Reader (eventually) Word count: ±6650 words Summary series: Y/N is a talented horse rider who is on her way to become a professional. In order to convince her father that she deserves the loan needed to start her own farm, she goes to Arizona for six months, to intern at a ranch owned by Bobby and Ellen Singer. Her future is set out, but then she meets a handsome horseman, who goes by the name of Dean Winchester. A heartwarming series about a cowboy who falls for the girl, letting go of the past and the importance of family. Summary part seven: While Dean makes a tough decision regarding who has to leave the ranch, Y/N finds it more and more difficult to keep her feelings in check. Warnings series: NSFW, 18+ only! Fluff, angst, eventually smut. Swearing, smoking, alcohol intoxication, alcohol abuse. Mutual pining, heartbreak. Crying, nightmares, childhood trauma. Description of animal abuse, domestic violence, mentions of addiction. Financial problems, stress, mental breakdown. Description of blood and injury, hospital scenes, character death, grief. Music: Thin Line - honeyhoney (bar scene), Ride to Death - Carter Burwell (evening ride scene), Wonderwall - Ryan Adams (scene under the Joshua tree). Check out ‘Kate Huntington’s Ride With Me playlist’ on Spotify! Author’s note: Thank you @kittenofdoomage and @girl-with-a-fandom-fettishfor helping me. You girls are awesome betas.

Ride With Me Masterlist

Dean pulls his head out of the refrigerator with six bottles of Corona hooked between his fingers. After he straightens his back, he pops off the cap with an opener, repeating the action until all bottles are opened. He’s about to break out the whiskey for his uncle, when the ranch owner hobbles towards the bar. The wrangler doesn’t really register him, though, because as his hands work swiftly, he watches his crew. The group of young men and women laugh over a - without a doubt - exaggerated story told by Benny, as they down the first round of the evening. It's Friday and the night is still young. With a day off in foresight, the workers allow themselves to enjoy the evening to the fullest. Dean will go easy on the alcohol, he has the early shift tomorrow. Amongst the group of staff, there is one person in particular who brings a smile to his face. Y/N’s laughter carries through the saloon, mixing with the country music that comes from the jukebox. It’s a great sound, one that causes the corners of his mouth to creep up. Jo and Ash are teaching her how to play poker and so far she’s terrible at it, but that doesn't seem to matter. She’s having tons of fun and gets along great with the others. Still wearing a smile, Dean glances down when he pours the amber liquor into the whiskey glass, sets it down on the bar after which he slides it towards Bobby. As if he knows who is on the wrangler's mind, he glances over at the intern as well. “So how’s our ‘wannabe cowgirl’ doing?” the ranch owner wonders.

A chuckle rumbles deep down Dean’s throat. He remembers calling her that when he shared his concerns with Bobby on the night of her arrival. “She survived the first week,” he admits. “Y/N’s a good fit. Still has a lot to learn, but she works hard and she’s smart.” “So, what you're sayin’ is that the intern isn't a total disaster like you predicted?” Bobby continues, his brow raised. “You just wanna hear me say you were right, don't ya?” Dean returns, amused either way. Bobby’s face shows a glimpse of a smile while nursing the tumbler of whiskey. “Maybe.” The young man shakes his head grinning as he takes a swig from his Corona. “What I'm sayin’ is that you got lucky. You know this could have gone south,” he returns, not giving his uncle the satisfaction. “It could have,” the ranch owner admits. “But I had to get creative; talking about things going south.”

The tone of the conversation changes instantly, leaving a heavy silence. Smiles die, their heads dip down, and gone is the pleasant Friday night feel. Dean is fully aware of where this conversation is heading towards. The issue has been bothering him for an entire week now. He has to decide who of his men to let go “Have you made up your mind yet?” Bobby asks his right hand. Dean nods, letting a sigh slip from his lips. He feels like he’s about to snitch on a friend. But this is business, it's what's necessary for the ranch to survive. It’s not personal, and yet it is, because it’s pulling on his heartstrings when he pronounces the name. “Ash.”

Dean’s eyes land on the group at the long table again. The Lynyrd Skynyrd roadie from Kentucky with tattoos on his arms and the wind in his hair is the one who has to go. It wasn't an easy decision, but it was the logical one. With the livestock reducing to only sixty cows and their calves, he will not have enough work to fill his day. What also weighs in, that Ash was hired last. Nevertheless, Gold Canyon is his home and he is a part of this family. He watches the guy, how he points out the pair of jacks in the open card game they are playing to teach the intern Texas Hold’em. The genuine smirk on his face is followed by a backhand down five when she wins. Poor dude, he has no idea what he’s about to lose. “I’ll break it to him after the weekend.” The voice of the old man, who seems to have aged during their chat, is sad and burdened. It's clear as a bell that laying off Ash is the last thing he wants for the bull rider, who he took under his wing half a decade ago. It’s a position Dean doesn't want his uncle in; the troubled ranch owner has enough on his plate as it is. “I’ll do it,” he offers. “Nah, I got this one, son,” Bobby says, reassuring him as he reaches across the bar to put a hand on his shoulder. “Join‘em, make the most of tonight.” His nephew nods while picking up the drunks, and heads for the table, after glancing at Bobby Singer another time. Dean swallows down the guilt and worry before he takes a seat, leaving his company oblivious to the dark clouds that are gathering above them. “So, how's it going? Do I have a new competitor yet?” he asks both Ash and Y/N while he gives out the beers. “I'm getting the hang of it,” she returns confidently, picking up the two cards Garth just dealt. Dean watches the young woman without her noticing, too focused on the game. Ash observes every action over the shoulder of his apprentice without helping her this time and is proud when she wins once again with three eights. “Beginners luck,” Jo scoffs, pushing the pot in her friend’s direction. “Keep telling yourself that.” Y/N grins at the blonde from across the table.

It’s Jo’s turn to shuffle when a group enters. Distracted by the squeaking sound of the double doors, Y/N looks up, noticing that Casey is amongst the guests. Ignoring the heavy feeling in her chest, she directs her eyes back to the cards, the bright smile on her lips toned down. Expecting Dean to have his eyes on his probable fix for tonight, her gaze wanders. He noticed the pretty brunette, but it’s not Casey he’s looking at. As Y/N glances over, so does he, and they both seem to feel caught for busting each other. She cannot help but wonder why he would be checking on her, though. Was he curious about her response? “Hey, handsome.” Dean smiles up at Casey, who positions herself behind his chair, laying her delicate hands on his shoulders as she kisses him on the cheek. He forces himself to come off as sincere, but there’s an anchor restraining him. “Hey,” he responds. “Had a nice ride?” “I did. Would have been better if you were there,” she flirts.

The game continues, but Jo doesn't deal for him, assuming that the two are going to leave for the bunkhouse anyway, like they usually do whenever Casey is here. After giving out the cards, the ranch owner's daughter peeks up from her hand, noticing her friend, who tries to mask the annoyance and disappointment to what is happening on the other end of the table. When she looks up, Jo’s brown eyes lock on hers as she lifts her chin shortly, the mimic asking if her friend is okay. Y/N nods and fakes a smile, but loses this game anyway.

“Hey, you wanna get outta here? To have another sort of ride,” Casey whispers in Dean’s ear as she leans in. He gulps down his beer and sets down the bottle. Her offer should sound tempting, then why isn't he intrigued? Instinctively, his eyes slip over to Y/N again. She seems to be concentrated on the game of poker, but she’s not at ease like she was a minute ago. This time she doesn't grant him any recognition of his existence. “I - uh…” he starts, brought back to the conversation when Casey softly massages his tense shoulder muscles. “I had a busy week and I have to work tomorrow, so I'm gonna hit the hay early.” “I can come along and help you relax,” she presses, now wrapping her arms around his neck.

Y/N picks up on Casey’s offer and grinds her teeth. Suddenly she’s angry with herself. How could she be so stupid to let herself get swooned off her cowboy boots by that scumbag ? Sure, she fought it, she denied it, but at the same time, she found hope in every smile he threw at her, in his flirts and compliments. How could you possibly think for even one short second that he only has eyes for you?! What makes you so special?

When Y/N loses to Benny again, she glances at her watch. Ten past nine; it's not too late to train with Meadow. She was reluctant to leave the fun a moment ago, but now leaving the Saloon seems like the best idea she has had all week. Y/N gets up, attracting confused looks from the company. “You're leaving?” Jo assumes. “Yeah, I still have to train Meadow,” Y/N excuses. “You're gonna ride now ?” Dean responds, perplexed. “We were just having fun.” “No one ever improved their skills by getting plastered and by just having fun, Dean,” she responds, his name coming out with a sneer. “If you want to own it, you've got to work for it.”

The cowgirl gets up and pushes the chair back under the table, the sound of its legs scratching the wooden floor breaking the silence. As she turns around to leave, her eyes meet Jo’s, who has a ‘you tell’im, girl!’ grin on her face. The doors flap after she walks through them, and the men at the table chuckle. “She's a diehard, that’s for sure,” Ash says. “Yeah...” Dean acknowledges, confused. “She is."

He watches her go for a few more seconds, determined strides, frustration in the sound of her footsteps. What the hell was that all about? For someone who claims to be strictly business, she turned pretty defensive when Casey got a little clingy. Oh, he caught the true meaning behind her words, alright. Is she really implying that if he wants her, he has to step up his game? If that’s the case, this might actually be a good thing. Yes, she’s annoyed with him right now, but this could mean he has an actual shot. “So, what do you say?” Casey asks again, pressing a seducing kiss in his neck. He glances up at the gorgeous young woman. She is pretty, wavy brown hair frames her flawless face, some freckles sprinkled on her nose and cheeks. Under that blue blouse and bootcut jeans, there is the body of a pinup girl. One who knows how to get a man’s engine running, which he had the pleasure of experiencing more than once. Dark, lustful eyes tell him all about what she has in store for him once she gets him alone. Yet for the first time, he’s not interested. “I'm gonna have to pass,” Dean decides. Somewhat stunned, Casey keeps a hold of the wrangler’s gaze, giving him a second to reconsider. When he doesn't, she creates a little distance and straightens her back. “Alright then,” she huffs. “Your loss.” The brunette strides away towards the bar, leaving the poker players in awkward silence. Ash and Garth follow the gorgeous beauty with their eyes, then simultaneously turn their heads to look at Dean, perplexed. “Dude, did you just piss off two women in one minute? That's impressive, even for you,” Ash comments. Jo snorts, her beer almost coming from her nose. Dean glares at her. “What?” she counters. “You just turned down a female specimen of the human race. We should call 12 News.” “Are you done?” Dean replies, agitated. Before Jo can throw in another cocky counter, Benny lays down a flush and gets up as he clears his throat. “If you kids will excuse me. I've got a fish to reel in. Keep the change." He winks at Dean, who nods back at his friend as a sign of consent. The head wrangler held his part of the agreement, and Benny is going to take full advantage of that. He watches how the farrier settles down on the barstool next to Casey, complimenting the beautiful girl with his irresistible accent, after which he offers her a drink. “That slick Southern bastard, he’s going to have her in his bed before she knows it,” Ash says, eying at the pair with an impressed look on his face, but then he rises from his seat. “How about some pool, y’all?” Garth gets up to follow him, but Dean declines. “I'll be right up,” Jo promises. When the guys move over, Jo corners her cousin. She gets up, walks around the long table and feels his forehead. “Jo, don't be ridiculous.” He smacks her hand away. “I'm not sick.” “Then what the hell is going on with you?” she asks, confronting. “Casey is your usual set of hooters to honk. Since when do you just turn that down?” “Since now,” the head wrangler answers shortly. “Why?” The head wrangler sighs annoyed. “Because I got bored.” “Because your eye caught something shinier,” Jo corrects. “Dean, Y/N is off limits.” “Says who?!” he argues. “Says me!” “You can't tell me who I can or can't--” “- fuck and dump when you're done with her?" his little cousin interveans. "Yeah, I can! She's my friend, damn it!” “Your friend?” Dean scoffs, fighting with Jo as siblings would. “You barely know her. This is her fifth day!” “Since when is there a mandatory minimum time on friendship?” she cries out. “I care about her and you know just as well as I do that she’s gonna end up with the trash like Casey.” Dean shrugs, finding her arguments invalid. “Casey doesn’t give a shit.” “But Y/N will,” Jo brings to mind. “You will leave her a heartbroken mess when you’re done with her. She’ll go home cryin’ and you know damn well we’re gonna need her.” That comment triggers Dean to furrow his brow. Being the daughter of the owner has its perks. Apparently, she’s aware of the financial problems that are threatening the company. “How much do you know?” Dean questions with a lowered voice. “I know there's gonna be a layoff and that we are gonna need all the free help we can get,” Jo states, whispering. The head wrangler sighs, checking on his crew at the pool table. His eyes linger when he spots Ash, who pockets number thirteen and repositions himself behind the white ball for his next turn. “Dean, you can't afford to screw around,” his cousin adds. I’m not screwing around, is on the tip of his tongue, but he keeps his mouth shut. He’s not going to let his cousin in on something he doesn’t understand himself. “She's not going anywhere, I'll make sure of that,” Dean assures, calmer than a moment ago. “She better not, ‘cause if she does, that’s gonna be on you.” With those words, the youngest Singer gets up and heads for the pool table as well. Dean watches her, staying behind with only his beer for company. Burdened, he drops his head, his jaw tensing. Great. One of his good friends is going to get fired next week, he doesn't feel like blowing off steam with Casey, and Jo won't even allow him to be with the girl he’s after. Not that she's falling for his usual tricks, anyway. Just fucking great. With a sigh he downs his beer, which lost its spark, causing him to make a face at the bland taste. Then he gets up and exits the Saloon. Leaving the muffled sounds of music, conversation, and laughter behind, he slouches down the porch. The evenings are pleasantly warm, now that the monsoon season is reaching the home stretch. The night sky is so clear, that a thick ribbon of stars meanders across, the absence of light pollution allowing the Milky Way to shine brightly. Going over tonight’s decisions once again, Dean heads towards the bunkhouse, when two individuals catch his eye. About a hundred yards ahead, Benny has his arm around Casey as they stroll up to the front door. Before he opens it, she tiptoes when the farrier turns towards her, meeting him in a hot kiss. “Benny, you sly dog,” Dean grins. Surely, he grants his friend the home run, but a part of him thinks of passing up Casey as a loss, now that he will be left empty-handed. The early night isn't going to happen either, since Benny’s room is next to his. He halts as the two enter the bunkhouse, passionately making out, then he breathes out a humid cloud of air. No way in hell he is going to listen to those two banging their heads against the backboard for the rest of the evening. Dean turns around, considering to head back to the Saloon, but then he notices the lighted outdoor arena. He almost forgot; Y/N is still at the barn. Maybe this evening does not have to be a total loss after all. Jo’s voice whales in the back of his mind, but it doesn't stop him from heading over. He’s just going to have a talk to clear the air, no harm in that, right? Under the stars, he strolls towards the outdoor arena, listening to the crickets which chirp loudly in the dry grass. The two lanterns spread brightness over the otherwise dark and deserted lands, creating long shadows on the ground where the fencing blocks the rays. A horse moves steadily on a large circle, relaxed and in harmony with her rider. Y/N has not noticed Dean yet, too concentrated to pick up on the spectator. There is a peacefulness in the air that distracts him from the troubles on his mind. The coolness of the night causes Meadow to breathe out warm clouds with every third beat of the gait, leaving a misty trail behind her, like a steam train puffing out clouds rhythmically. The silhouette of horse and rider passes by the fence every time they come between the wrangler and the light is as if he’s watching an eclipse. It brings a smile to the cowboy’s face. Bobby was right; Y/N is talented.

Slowly, he strolls up to the gate, moving into the yellow rays coming from the high masts. This time she does notice him and eyes the head wrangler, perplexed. He is the last person she expected to see here at this hour, especially since Casey couldn't wait to drag him away to do all kinds of dirty things to him. “H - hey,” she stammers, half surprised, half confused. “How is she doing?” he wonders while nodding at the horse, more to get the conversation going. Suddenly self-conscious about every move she makes, Y/N sits back slightly and lets her mare transition to an easy walk, loosening the reins and petting her on the shoulder with her free hand. “She’s good, a little fresh,” she responds. “I didn't expect you here.” “I was on my way to the bunkhouse, saw the lights,” Dean explains casually. The rider barely smiles at that, still unsure how to behave around him after the way she left the Saloon thirty minutes ago. An awkward silence follows and she decides to continue her training to keep busy. With a forward motion of the hand and a small aid with the legs, Meadow swiftly pushes into a lope, head down and light on the bit, as she should be. The muscles of the well-developed Quarter horse roll under her shiny coat with every stride, flexing and relaxing again. It might look like child’s play, and yet Y/N was less nervous for the Nationals last year than she is now. She can feel Dean’s eyes on her, watching every move closely. As he does, the wrangler climbs the steel fence, hooking his heels behind the middle bar and resting the palm of his hands on the top one for balance. Intrigued, he observes the training, reading into her skills. Now that she’s aware of him, her riding seems a little stiffer than it was before. Is she actually nervous now that he's here? His presumption is confirmed when she turns in the other direction halfway in a circle through a flying change. Her timing is far from perfect and the horse changes from a left to a right lope a stride too late, unable to translate the aid into an action before the perfect moment mid-stride. Despite the mistake, Y/N tussles Meadow’s manes. For a second Dean wonders if it’s because she didn't recognize the timing being off, but then she performs the exercise again, nailing it this time. Dean smiles at that, content with her method of training. Meadow did exactly what her rider inquired of her, it was the rider who inquired wrong. Where plenty would have corrected the horse or even punished it, Y/N didn't, because she was very much aware that it was a human error. After only a couple of minutes, he has a pretty good idea what kind of rider she is. Truly feeling what happens under the saddle is something most people will never get down. It’s almost like an extra sense, a skill only so many equestrians have. Y/N is one of those gifted equestrians. How she handled that communication error, is what separates horse riding from horsemanship. Satisfied, Y/N uses her seat to bring Meadow back to an easy walk, after which Y/N lets her move around freely; the mare is done for today. Now that her horse doesn't require her full attention any more, she is forced to deal with the handsome yet overbearing spectator. Why on earth is he even here? Isn't he supposed to be getting laid right now? Oh yes, seeing him with Casey rubbed her the wrong way. She’s fully aware of that fact, and he probably is too. Should she have let him push her buttons like that? No. Was it his intention to mess her up? Probably not. Was she overreacting when she barked at him back at the Saloon? Maybe a little. “Feel better now?” he asks out of the blue. Y/N furrows her brow, glancing over when she rides by his spot on the fence, trying to sense in which direction he is going. “What do you mean?” Dean shrugs, dropping his gaze to the sand for a moment. “For me, a good ride usually works as a stress reliever, and you seemed on edge earlier.” As the rider cools down Meadow by walking her on a free rein, she considers her options carefully before she speaks. Darn, so he did notice. Then again, the sneer she fired at him was hard to miss. Denying it isn't going to do her much good, so she might as well skip past it. “I'm fine. Who needs meditation when you spend time on the back of a horse, right?” she replies. She wasn't keeping up an appearance, because Dean is right. Her mood did change for the better the moment she opened the stable door and was greeted by her four-legged friend. By the time she settled on her back, the whole thing seemed silly and unimportant. “Especially on a horse like that. She’s good,” Dean compliments. “The rider could use a lesson or two…” Y/N stares at him over her shoulder self consciously, turning Meadow around to face the cowboy. Is he serious? But when she spots the smirk on the wrangler’s face, followed by the subtle wink, she cannot help but chuckle. “Let me guess: you should be the one teaching me,” she fills in. “I can't think of anyone more capable,” he grins, his eyes sparkling like the stars above. “Of course you can't,” she laughs as Meadow halts, allowing her to swing her leg over the back and smoothly lower herself until her feet reach the ground. Glad to have gotten rid of the awkwardness, Dean gets down from the fence and opens the gate. Y/N leads the Quarter mare to the tack up area under the tree and her company follows, hitting the light switch when he passes it. The arena spots die down, leaving the only light to come from inside the barn together with the moon and galaxy above. As she takes off Meadow’s bridle and replaces it with a leather halter, she cannot help but to analyze herself. When she angrily speed-walked from the Saloon to the stable with her fists clenched in her pockets, she was calling Dean out for being a dirty scumbag with no respect for women whatsoever. But now that he’s here and apparently still takes an interest in her, a part of her is thrilled by that matter, and steadily overrules. Y/N, you know better than this! He just wants to get in your pants! He will dispose of you like an empty coffee container when he’s done with you! She continues the inner dialogue while loosening the girth, after which she lifts the heavy saddle off Meadow’s back. “I got it,” Dean says, taking over the twenty-five-pound load. He holds the back of the saddle on his hip, balancing it by gripping the gullet. As if it weighs nothing at all, the wrangler heads to the tack room. Amused, Y/N watches him from under her Stetson hat, her eyes taking him in from top to bottom. Oh, you just cannot help yourself, can you? Meadow snorts impatiently and rubs her head against her shoulder. She is making herself perfectly clear; the Queen doesn't have time for this and wants to get to her hay, pronto. After a quick brush Y/N leads her to her stable and puts a rug on the horse to protect her from the cold in the early hours. Buried in thoughts, she enters the tack room where Dean is about to put the saddle away. She watches him push the saddle upon the highest rack on the wall, his strong arms working under his plaid shirt. “Can I ask you something?” she wonders while she stores away the brushes, leg protection, and bridle. “Shoot,” he says, as the two of them exit the room, which the head wrangler locks up. The cowgirl hesitates, her footsteps suddenly loud and obvious when she begins to walk down the hall between the stables. “It might be a little straightforward--” “Really? You being straightforward?” he interrupts, a smug grin on his face. “Now, that I wasn't expecting.” She glares at the handsome cowboy, but can't suppress the smile either. The sarcasm is practically dripping off his comment and she bumps her shoulder into his. “Watch it,” she warns. “You’re not entirely on my good side yet.” A last glance into the quiet stable is sufficient to reassure Dean that the horses are alright until the final feeding round. He leaves the light on for his uncle and exits the barn through the large doors. “Yeah, about that. What did I do to make you storm off?” The two of them walk out, back to the tack up area. For a moment Y/N thinks of an answer, but nothing that she can come up with sounds reasonable. To be fair, she’s not even sure if she’s ready to admit why she got so frustrated with him. Dean is a free man, who can see whoever and do whatever he pleases. Yet when Casey put her arms around him and got intimate, she felt a prick in her heart. Her stupid, stupid heart wanted to be the one close to him, even though her smart mind is trying to keep it together and do the respectable thing. “It was nothing, really,” she excuses, not giving him much of an explanation. Dean glances aside, reading into the doubt in her voice. What is it, that she doesn't want to tell him? Could it be, that in that moment, she was jealous of Casey? He thinks about it for a second, as he slowly strolls to the big Joshua tree in the center of the square. He has played a lot of girls, but that sure as hell was not what he was doing here. He never intended to lure Y/N out of hiding, though her response to the situation raises a question. If watching him and another girl really bothered her that much, does that mean that she is interested in him? Confused, he bites the inside of his cheek as he halts. “What did you want to ask me?” he wonders. For a moment there, she was lost in her own mind, but then Y/N redirects her focus and turns around to face him. Curious, he observes the young woman as he leans against the bark of the tall Yucca tree. The sight of Mister Green Eyes wonderingly looking over, forces her to take a breath before she speaks. Stars reflect in his pupils, the moon painting their surroundings in a silver hue. It reminds her of the hills back home, covered in frost at the arrival of winter. Dean’s short hair has been tousled by the hat he took off and now holds by the brim. The up-to-no-good smile is gone, but he seems content either way. God, isn't he lovely. Annoyed with herself for thinking such things, she looks down, figuring that not being mesmerized by his gorgeous looks might help her keep it together. “I was just wondering…” she starts insecure. “I - I mean, you and Casey… Are you two…?” Dean frowns at the presumption. So it was about Casey. “Together? No.” He huffs, unable to picture it. “She and some friends rent a house here for a week or two a year to blow off some steam. We’ve hooked up a couple of times whenever she comes over, but it doesn't mean anything.” Y/N digests the information and keeps her gaze pinned on the hat in his hands. It doesn't mean anything. It doesn't mean anything. See? He doesn't care about Casey and he surely won't care about her either. But if he doesn't care for Casey, she doesn’t have to compete with anyone. Wait... She’s not actually considering making a move, is she? Y/N, you are under no circumstances making a move! she tells herself sternly. God, this is what schizophrenia must feel like. Trying to distract herself from the voices in her head, she carries on with the conversation. “I'm sorry for asking. I know it’s none of my business, but I - I cannot help to wonder…” Now she does look up, a little shocked when she realizes how close Dean is. His eyes are on her, peeling away the layers as he tries to make sense of what she’s struggling to say. “If Casey is at the ranch, why are you here with me?” Stunned, Dean keeps a hold of her gaze. She isn’t asking the obvious, but that is a damn good question. Casey offered herself on a silver plate back in the Saloon. Dean never experienced much trouble with the ladies, yet the brunette, in particular, couldn't wait to open her legs for the wrangler. He could have had her in his bed right now, letting her do all kinds of delightful things to him. Yet here he is, opposite of the girl that has been giving him a hard time from the get-go. The thought of Casey did nothing for him, he simply wasn’t interested in the regular ranch guest. Why is that? Brought out of balance by the question, he chuckles nervously and breaks eye contact, fiddling with the brim of his hat again. Slowly it starts to sink in. Why he would much rather be here with Y/N under the Joshua tree. Why he felt the need to protect her from Benny’s lust. Why he lost interest in any other girl. Why every wandering thought, every daydream he had in the past week, was somehow about the one person standing before him. He looks up at her again and something within him changes. A tightness in his chest that he has never experienced before makes it difficult to swallow. It's unpleasant, scary even, but the sight of her waiting in wonder takes away the discomfort. The faint light from the night’s sky caresses her hair and smooth skin. A pair of gorgeous eyes framed with long lashes watch, traces of hesitation in them, but also curiosity. God, she’s beautiful, he thinks to himself.

Dean fails to answer her question with words. He doesn't have to. His mouth falls open just a little as he looks deep into her eyes with an intensity she is unfamiliar with, simply because no one has ever looked at her like that before. As if only now he came to realize what is happening between the two of them. He can tell that she understands now, because her insecurity makes way for astonishment. “Oh…” she responds, flustered, a shy smile growing larger. He mirrors her expression without letting go of her gaze. His pupils bounce between hers as he leans in hesitatingly. Every fiber he consists of wants to kiss the enchanting cowgirl before him and he cannot stop his eyes from flicking down at her lips for just a moment, then up again. Would she let him? What are you waiting for? Just go for it, Dean lectures himself. This isn't the first time he’s kissed a girl, however, doubt overwhelms him. What if she pulls back? What if he ruins it? Could he handle that? Before the cowboy can decide to act or not to act, she looks down and lets out a shuddering breath, the anticipation becoming too much. “Are you cold?” he asks kindly, quickly covering up the awkwardness. She crosses her arms in front of her chest and nods. Not only did Meadow get a workout, so did her rider. Her clammy undershirt has turned stone cold and sends goosebumps down her arms. Or is it Dean who is doing that? “Let’s get inside. Wouldn't want you to catch something,” he suggests, not having a jacket to offer. She agrees to that, because the warmth of the bunkhouse sounds pretty good. In silence they stroll towards the cabin, her shoulders hunched in an attempt to keep the cold at bay, as Dean walks by her side. Overcome by the rush of mixed emotions, she glances at him from under her hat. He seems to be pondering, without a doubt going over the past minute. That one moment that Dean’s reason for wanting to be around her became clear, with nothing more than a look. Holy mother, he was going to kiss you, and you glanced down? Why would you do that? What were you thinking?! She could kick herself in the head right about now. It was the responsible thing to do, to avoid things from getting complicated, to keep their relationship strictly business. But dear God, she wanted him to close that gap and press his lips on hers. Dean walks up the porch and opens the door, after which he holds the fly curtain aside so that Y/N can pass through. As soon as she steps into the bunkhouse, peculiar sounds coming from one of the rooms draw her attention. Squeaking in a steady pace mixed with moans of both male and female, followed by a muffled ‘oh yeah’ and ‘right there’. Dean, who was about to pull the door shut, freezes mid-action when the noise reaches his hearing. Well then, this situation just went through the awkward scale. Y/N slowly turns to him, eyes wide in shock as she mouths ‘Oh my god!’ and he can't contain the quiet laughter. “Who’s in there?” she whispers. “My two cents: Benny and Casey,” he replies, keeping his voice down. “Are you serious?” she returns, watching him shrug. “She lost no time, did she?” “Like I said: it didn't mean anything,” he assures, grinning at her judgment. “Besides, you’re much better company anyway.” Y/N can feel the heat rising to her face again. She opens her mouth to return the compliment, when the sounds from the other room intensify. Dear Lord, those two are really going at it. Dean chuckles, awkwardly rubbing his neck. “I'm gonna get some shut-eye, if I can with those rabbits next door.” “Yeah, me too,” she says, shaking her head as she makes a mental note to dig up a set of earplugs from her suitcase. In the doorway Y/N turns around, granting herself a last look at the man that is stealing her heart away. “Good night.” “G’night,” Dean returns with a soft voice, keeping a hold of her gaze as well until she shuts the door. The sounds of the couple in the other room is all that is left, a painful reminder of his loneliness. Could this evening have played out differently if he had kissed her? It probably could have. Shit, what if he wasted his only shot? For a few seconds the wrangler lingers, but then turns towards his room, where he sits down on the edge of his empty bed. Banning the noises of pleasure next door from his mind, Dean forks his fingers together as he leans his forearms on his knees. He's so confused by his own thoughts and how he’s responding to them, that he doesn't seem to know himself anymore. For some reason his conscience is telling him not to rush this, to take it one step at a time. What if for once in his life, this could grow into something more than just a fling? At the same time, another voice raises awareness for the mixed signals she’s been giving, because she hasn’t exactly sent him a private invitation. And even if she does go along with it for a little while, what happens when she truly gets to know him? What happens when she learns about his tainted past, the family drama, his flaws and missteps? What happens when she sees him for who he truly is, under the mask and the pile of bullshit? The only reason why he can live with himself is because he swept the dirt under the carpet a long time ago and keeps pretending it's not there. When she knows, she will leave, he’s sure of it, and the thought of that alone scares him already. But it’s his heart that shouts the loudest, practically begging to throw himself at her. His heart which was rooting for that kiss. His heart which finally seems to have found what it had been silently waiting for. Pondering, Dean rubs his face and glances at the desk clock on his nightstand, which shows the time at 10.47 PM. Next to it, a picture stares back, portraying his Mom with her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling her four-year-old son against her chest lovingly. Like he has so many times over the years, he wishes she was still alive. Right about now, this lost wanderer could use someone to point him in the right direction.

The pining! They were so close! Thank you for reading. I appreciate every single one of you, but if you do want to give me some extra love, you are free to like or reblog my work, shoot me a message or buy me coffee (Link to Kofi in bio at the top of the page).

Read part eight here

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