Trent and Emera's Morning Out *next day*

Emera was there on time, had both draft horses, beautiful they were. She had them apart enough, but since it was a clear day, nothing she could see falling, as she hated Thread in a way.

Morning Frost was being frisky, in the morning. And Sunset, well, he was being just nearly so, excited about the cart, as he sees the one that's meant for nice trips, not for hauling at all. Emera hoped to have the mare at least mostly handled enough, where he could help her harnessing her, and they'll work on the stallion together.

She had liked the evening spent with him, and thought it was perfect day to go out, on nice liasury ride around the Volcano. Emera liked the two pairs together. She had hoped that the ride would be wonderful. It wasn't large cart, but it was enough that she could sit comfortablely with Trent, and not be too crowded. She knew some trails were big enough and she had made some herself, with her two Quarter Horses, and did a bit with her drafts.

She kept looking to see if Trent would come by. She had not seen him yet, but it wasn't too late, almost time, actually, which is why she's looking out for him. Morning Frost isn't helping her either.

"Now Stop it!" She finally yelled at her mare, startling her to stand still.

She bent over to clean the hooves. They were massive alright. She noticed the mare calmed down just a bit, enough, where she could handle her, and get things done, instead of tapping the whip on her mare. She hoped the mare wouldn't act this way when it came to the cart.

Trent was running a bit later than what he had hoped. Normally he didn't care too much about how he looked, but today was a bit special and he wanted to look at least presentable for it. Finally he was happy enough and headed to where they agreed to meet.

She was already there with the horses and the cart. "Morning, Emera. Sorry I'm running a bit late. So these are the beauties we're taking?" He asked kindly. He was really happy to be spending more time with the girl and was excited about their ride this morning. Luckily it didn't look like thread would bother them at all which was a good thing.

"Do you need help with anything? I know I'm new to this, but I'm a fast learner. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it." He asked her trying to be helpful.

Morning Frost sniffed towards Trent, and let out a soft wicker, while Sunset let out a whinny, and tried to get towards him, so he could see who had came. He was more curious than anything. The stallion was more interesting on the new arrival than the mare that was being groomed, and harnessed.

"Hey, Trent. You're not too late. I wasn't worried, and besides, I think my mare here is giving me enough to worry about." She replied, "You can first help me with the harnessing. Nothing you'll have to do much, just hold straps and lines for me, while I work on it, and adjust things. Then we can work on Sunset. I think neither of them wants to work today, but I think Morning Frost is coming into season."

Emera had already put the bridle for it, and the line seemed to be draping over the mare's back, as she was in process of getting rest of the mare's hitched to the cart. It was one for two horses, and not for carrying a lot of things, just going out, although, it could carry a little bit, but she never does. She would have to tie it down.

Trent couldn't help but shy away from the stallion, but then he got use to the both of them being so close. "Good. I was afraid I was horribly late. Sure, doesn't sound too hard to me." He said to her as he walked up next to her.

He got right next to her, as close as was appropriate for helping and waited for her instructions. "So which lines and things do you need me to hold? I can't really blame them for not wanting to work. It is pretty early in the morning." He said with humor, normally he was up by now, but today was one of the only days he got to sleep in and instead he got up early to go with Emera. He must really want to know her better.

Emera noticed that he shied away from the stallion. She didn't laugh at him for it. Sunset really gentle giant. He just had to know everyone, and every horse.

"For now, take the reins off the mare, while I finish the harness that'll loop them. Then we'll take her to the cart, and you can hold her, while I adjust everything."

Emera had been able to do it without help, but with his, she figured it'll be easier. She had modified the reins for the end to have a buckle, so that she could easily thread it through, and everything. It also makes it easier to hitch the whole cart to something, if she has to.

Trent did as she said and took the reins off of the mare. He waited for her finish the harness and then at her signal walked the mare to the cart. He held her there as Emera adjusted everything on the cart onto the harness.

"Sure is a beautiful day for a ride. Hopefully the weather will hold out for us. Of course as long as there's no thread I won't complain. Even rain would be okay I'm in such a good mood today." He said with that crooked grin of his.

When she was ready, she made sure that Trent could back her up. She used her whip and hand to guide the mare in straight. She then adjusted more of the harness and made sure it was tied to the cart. She then took the rains, and then looped them through.

"She's done. She would stay there, while we do Sunset. He's a gentle gaint." Emera stated.

As true to her words, once frisky, finicky mare had calm down immediately, once she was in the harness, and tied to the cart. Her head was hung straight from her withers, like she was resting there all along. She even lifted her right hind, and had only her toe on the ground resting.

Emera then ignored her and went to get the brushes, and her grooming kit for the stallion. She then went to the stallion, who was still tied up with his halter on. "Now you'll behave for Trent, or I'll work you out without your mare." She warned her stallion before letting Trent to approach.

Trent was mildly proud of himself for helping her out with out any problems so far. "Okay." Was all he said as she followed after her towards the stallion. Her little talk to him did much to reassure him and he wasn't so skittish now.

"So after we get him hooked up we're ready to go right?" He asked, almost child like in his impatience. He really wanted to be sitting next to her in the cart rather than helping harness horses. Not that he would complain, no sense in getting fussy over something that had to be done. Besides he wanted to know how to do this stuff so he had better pay attention.

Emera handed him a brush, and she grabbed one too. "Yes, after we're done with him, we'll be ready to go. I managed to snatch some bread for us, and small bag tied to the cart, so if we get hungry, got a loaf of bread we could use." She stated, almost forgetting about it. It would be under her feet, when they get on.

Sunset only turned his head to sniff at the new person. Once he was satisfied, he just stood there, with little shuffling of his feet, like he was anxious to go as well. Perhaps he was picking it up from Trent. But a tap of the whip made him stop. He let out a sigh, like a child who doesn't want to behave quite yet.

"Sunset isn't too tickleish. He does like hard grooming, and if he leans towards you, that means he's enjoying it. I'll clean his legs and feet, if you do the neck and body. As you probably know, best to go with the grain of the hair. It also gets the dirt out easier." Emera stated.

She went to brush his mane and tail, to make it nicer, and getting the bedding off his hair. For behaving, she used the brush, and allowed the stallion to rub his head against it.

Trent gently patted the stallion while he listened to what Emera had to say. Then he took the brush she offered to him. "Okay, sounds good to me." He replied.

Then he began brushing the horse starting at the neck. He made sure to go with the grain of the hair like she told him to. This actually was pretty fun, grooming and cleaning a horse. "This ain't to bad." He stated as he started on to the body of Sunset.

"Good. I almost brought food myself, but then I thought I was running late and forgot all about it." He said, a smile on his face.

Sunset was enjoying Trent's brushing. He seemed to calm down just a bit, and leaned a tiny bit, for better brushing. Emera was done with the mane and tail, and went to brush the lower legs, getting a comb for the feathers upon his leg, and then getting up to grab the hoof pick to clean his hooves. She used that time to check on his progress.

"Doing alright?" She asked, as she went to bend down to pick up one of the massive hooves. She figured she'll help, as soon as his feet were done.

"Yep, I'm doing fine. He seems to be liking it at least. I've got this side done." Trent said as he walked around to the other side, being sure to walk in front of him and kept a hand on him. Then he started brushing that side of him.

"How about you? You doing okay?" He asked, though he knew she would be alright. She'd done this many of times, but he felt he was being rude if he didn't inquire after her as well.

"Yeah, I'm doing fine." She replied. She was finished with the two legs, and went on other size to work on those two. She chose the hind leg. When she picked it up, she saw a pebble, well, it seemed deep enough in the hooves. "Oh, dear. We have a stone on his hoof." She commented.

"Unhitch him from his tie. Don't worry, he won't take off. He just hates when I pick his hooves to get the stones out." Emera stated. She went to grab a soft brush, which Trent could use to distract the stallion, a bag of his favourite treats, and her knife. She hooked her hoof pick into her pants, so she could use it once the stone is out. "Here, take the soft brush, and use it on his forehead, between the eyes. When he's calmed, give him a treat. That'll distract him when I get the stone out." Emera stated. She handed the treat and soft brush, which she knew he loved rubbing his head on it. Unhitching him would allow him to jerk his head, without breaking the lead's clasp.

Trent was a bit disappointed that there was yet another distraction, but if it was serious there was no way around it. "Okay." He said as he undid the tie and then took the soft brush and treats. He walked to his head and started brushing him between the eyes like she told him too.

"This isn't going to hurt him too much that he can't pull the cart is it?" He asked, worried not only for the horse but for their date as well. A date? When did he start thinking of it as that? Possibly because it was a date, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Sunset was enjoying the brushing from Trent. He moved his head towards a spot that was itchy. He was enjoying it. Emera used that distraction to lift his hoof, and start to take the stone off. When he flinched the leg, and nothing else, so she put the knife near her whip, and brought out the hoof pick, and cleaned the hoof, so she could have a better look. She did listen while she was working, so there would not be much delay.

"It can be. I would have to check to make sure it wouldn't be brusing the hoof. If he was, then I'll have to make sure that he isn't injured. He could be out for a month, and needs vet check." Emera stated.

She also knew that it was helping Trent and Sunset to think beyond the problem. She was able to work, and talk at the sametime. She found a place to stick her knife in, and did it, perhaps a bit too deep, but she need leverage to get the stone out. It was fairly good size, and that could damage her stallion.

"It is why I check and clean the hooves each time I work with them, to prevent stone bruise, and other injuries. A stone in the hooves, can be worse, when horses works out, and extra weight makes more of problem to be embedded." Emera stated.

Sunset jerked the leg, and tossed his head, and tried to bite Emera. She stood staight before he could, and used the knife to tap his nose. He went back to Trent, for more head rubs, and sniffing out the treat.

Emera went to bend down, and finish cleaning the hoof, and went to inspect if there were any damage. She saw none, and that the stone was recent. She was relieved, and went to Trent.

"The stone wasn't in there long enough to cause damage. He can have his treats. Normally he throws a fit, when I remove stones from his hooves, epseically near the frog, or the cushion of the hoof." Emera told Trent.

She went up to Trent, to see how he was doing, and patted her roan stallion.

Trent listened to her, or at least tried to. Most of his attention was on the stallion and making sure he stayed fairly calm while Emera got the stone out of his hoof. He was a bit caught off guard when the stallion turned to bite Emera. Made his heart pump a bit harder after that.

"Whoa there boy." He said as Sunset turned back to him and he continued to brush him. A bit more cautious after that little show. "That wouldn't be good at all, now would it? I'm glad you caught it in time then." He said keeping his voice steady. He gave the stallion the treats then, happy the whole thing was over. "So we ready to hook him up?" He asked.

Sunset happily ate the treats that Trent has, and went for looking for more. He was always eager for more treats. He sighed when there wasn't any more coming out.

"Yeah, we can start harnessing him, and hook him up. I suspect that if I didn't come this morning, I would've have more damage. Just Sunset normally doesn't like me using the knife on his hooves, when I get the stones out." Emera answered.

She knew that harnessing could be quick for her, as she had been doing it a lot with these two, and they knew to stand still for that. Emera did the exact same thing, and let Trent hold the long reins while she adjusted rest of the harness. She was glad that they were not using the cart that normally used to pull lots of weight, and that required more harnesses than anything else.

"Alright, I think we're ready for him to be backed up next to Morning Frost." She announced.

Trent nodded emphatically. "It is. I know how miserable it is to have an injured animal. It almost makes you feel their pain sometimes." Trent had a lot of empathy for animals. He always had ever since he was a small boy. When he was five his dog was hit by a vehicle, Trent didn't leave that's dog side until it finally got better. Even after that he was very protective of his dog.

"Whatever you say ma'am." Trent said with a smile as he started backing the stallion up next to the Morning Frost. "This good here?" He asked, keeping a hold of Sunset's reins. He was so happy that maybe finally they'd get to head on their way.

Emera nodded. She had never really felt any one's pain, but she had to sympathy when the mare is having difficultity giving birth. She never had been pregnant but she had been told a few of them by her neighbors, when she hears them talk about such thing. "I haven't had one like that before." Emera commented.

She made final adjustment to the harness, before it was tied into the cart. She smiled, when he called her Ma'am, which isn't very often she hear that from anyone. Normally Emera out and about, working with her small herd of horses than with other people. Trent is wonderful person to be with. She liked how he's enjoyable to be.

"Alright, we can go out now." She said, as she was threading the second set of reins, and then grabbing the long whip, in case she needs to use it. She hardly does, but it doesn't matter. She was glad that she was taking Trent out with her two draft horses. She then went to hop on the cart, and waited for Trent to hop on.

Finally, Emera said the magic words she had been waiting for all morning. He was about prancing he was so ready to get going. Even though this was only the second day he had spent with her, he was really enjoying her company. Every once in a life time a person can meet someone that seems to be a...well a soul mate, as it were. Trent felt like that with Emera as if he had known her his whole life. The feeling confused him, for it wasn't 'love', it was just a comfortableness that normally took him months to attain with a person.

He waited until she got in the cart and then he hopped up next to her. "I'll be sure to behave while you have that out." He said pointing to the whip, bringing up a conversation from the night before. "Alright then, m'lady. Lead us where you wish." He said with a silly grin on his face.

Emera had to giggle when he commented about the whip. This one actually much longer than one she normally carried. No, This one was just long enough to reach the horses's withers. She normally use the reins to signal them to move forward. She did, at slow pace for now, until they were clear of buildings, and out in open.

"No, you're safe. This whip can't get you. I left my crop, the small whip, in Morning Frost's grooming box." Emera said.

It would be hard to hit him with the bigger one. It was not her biggest, she has lounge whip, and she use it for that, and training to pull cart, and other things. She hoped she doesn't have to use it at all on her draft horses. She clicked her tongue, and shaked the reins to get them going. She made drving look easy, but after all, she does have four reins in her hands, quite full at that, but she knew she could easily handled it all into one, when they would go straight. Right now, she was using both hands.

"I'll take you around, and perhaps pause a a nice view point." Emera said, grinning. She hoped that Trent would enjoy the trip.

Trent breathed an over dramatic sigh of relief. "That's good to know, but now I may feel brave enough to act up a bit." He said hoping to get a laugh from her.

Emera got the horses moving and they were headed out. "Take us anywhere you'd like to go, m'lady. As long as you're in control I'm happy. A nice view would be wonderful, though I don't see how it could get any better than it is right now." He said sincerely, looking straight at her.

Emera had to laugh at that. Even though she wouldn't have any idea what Trent would do. If it happens, it happens. She enjoyed this man. She hoped this morning would be better than the night before. She had the horse going now at their steady pace. Emera figured it would be enough to enjoy the scenes as it goes by, and still talk, if they wanted to.

"Well, It's one of my favourite place." Emera stated.

She blushed when she noticed that he was looking at her. Was she that beautiful? She wouldn't know. She haven't really had someone for company in a long time. Emera didn't mind him at all! He was kind, and worth having company. Emera then managed to smile, and made no comment. She doesn't know what to say.

Trent realized that he had left her speechless by his last comment. He felt a bit embarrassed himself for his comment, but also a bit proud that he had made her speechless. So he just stayed silent for a bit with her until they both recovered from the awkwardness.

The horses were very smooth pulling the cart and Trent was honestly surprised at how easy of a ride it was. "This is really nice. Maybe when we get to that favorite spot of yours we can stop for brunch. It'll probably still be a bit early to call it lunch." He suggested, thinking it was a good idea. He decided to get a bit more comfortable on the cart seat, so he scooted down a bit, put a foot on the side, and stretched his arms out. One slung over the edge and the other behind Emera. He figured she could take that gesture how ever she wanted.

Emera hoped she didn't offend Trent. She had never really been called beautiful or anything. She noticed that they could go faster, and signaled the pair to nice trot. She knew where it was, and started headed that way. She hoped that it wouldn't be too much of a problem.

"I love them, as they pull very nicely." Emera commented. She nodded about brunch. "Yeah we can call it that. Not much, but hey, it'll get us by." Emera added.

She knew sometimes she had gone all day without food, only coming in the evenings, to get her meal. She admitted to herself She knew this time, that she wouldn't go all day without food. She had a little bit with her.

"Yeah, place we're going, we'll be on nice ridgeline, and there's nice area that flattens out enough to enjoy the view below. Ridgeline isn't narrow, but it's very nice to look, as we go." Emera added.

She could never look, but glimpess of it, as she went along. She knew it was nice, as she would often take Night Noise up, for potiental trails to use for her drafts. She leaned against Trent, as they went along.

"So, you've been with cattle all your life? Diary cows?" Emera asked, trying to get a conversation out, as she didn't want it to be all quiet, and neither of them speaking.