The Water's High, You're Jumping Into It {open}

Pushing lithely off his tall horse's bare back, Roman jumped down and landed forcefully on the ground. Stroking his stallion's damp neck, he murmured, "That's a fellow... good boy," before looping his rope hackamore around Ares's neck and walking away, leaving the horse to graze. Roman trusted his mount to stay close, and the blood bay never wandered far.

With a faint smile for his horse, Roman strode towards the lake, glad for a few hours of rest from the ranch. He'd done all his tasks early that morning, and now in the heat of the day he could afford to spend a few hours up at Therma Lake in the Caldera.

Throwing his shirt off to reveal a thick, muscled chest and stomach, Roman jogged to the edge of the lake, eager to feel the cool water. With only his shorts on, he stepped into the lapping waves, sighing as he went deeper. Yes, it was cool, but it was a welcome relief from the hot Pern sun. As he waded out, he idly wondered where his bronze fire-lizard, Zane, was.

It wasn't long after the thought that the chattering bronze appeared in the air above Roman, warbling happily at the sight of his. With a mock frown Roman muttered,

"Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear...."

Zane, knowing it was something about him, landed on the man's shoulder and began to chatter excitedly in Roman's ear, causing the blue-eyed man to laugh. With a grin he ducked under the water quickly, taking Zane by surprise and getting his tail wet in the process. When Roman resurfaced, Zane proceeded to scold him in detail, sending him images of a fire-lizard drowning. Laughing as he replied, Roman said,

"Aww, you big sissy. No self-respecting fire-lizard's ever drowned."

Still grinning, he thought of his sister, Lesla, who'd still been asleep when he left. Usually Roman woke her up to help with the horses, but today he'd been feeling generous and did all of the work himself, allowing her to sleep in. She'd had a late night last night, and Roman felt like easing her burden as much he could.

With another deep sigh, Roman relaxed until he was floating on his back in the cool water; the sun was beating down on his chest, but the cool water was on his back, and for this Pernese man, all was well in the world. At least, until Zane landed on Roman's chest and scared the mess out of him.

"What the hell, Zane?"

The bronze just chattered angrily at him, in a "Na Na Na Boo Boo" tone. If he could, Roman was sure Zane would've stuck his tongue out. Muttering something about "lizard stew" Roman resumed his earlier position of floating in the cool lake as Zane curled up happily on his bonded's chest.

Lilith had just finished herding mares and foals into a new pasture with Duchess's help and riding bareback on her. She had decided to go for a run and take a break. She went into the barn and whistled for RussianDancer and waited. When he ran up to her she put the reins over his thick strong neck and slide th ebridle into place before leading him the rest of the way into the barn. She slid the blanket off the shelf and slide it onto his back before sliding the saddle off the rack and paced it onto his back. She laughed slightly as he nibbled her hair while she worked on the hooking the girth and got the back cinch(sp) done. She led him out and then placed her foot in the stirp and hefted herself onto him.

After nudging him gently into a gallop she rode toward the lake were she knew it would be cool and where she could ride Russian into the water. Lilly laughed as she watched Dusk following without blinking in and out of between. She smiled and slowed her horse turning him in a wide arch so as to not hurt his shoulders from a fast stop. After getting him to go into a walk she had turned him back onto the path when she saw what looked to be another horse. When she got to the otherside of the surrounding trees she had Russian come to a complete stop. She blinked and watched a man laying on the water.

"Oh great I thought I would have the Lake to myself" she said softly to RussianDancer. She was thinking about leaving and going to another lake but she knew she had to let Russian cool off before she could run him anymore. She sighed softly and rubbed the back of her neck before patting the blue roan on the neck gently trying to sooth him knowing that he was around another stallion bothered her but not much. She smiled gently as Dusk landed on her shoulder and cheeped at the bronze on the mans chest.

Lesla
Lesla stirred in her sleep feeling very restful and relaxed. She felt Lovely beside her head where she usually slept curled up on the pillow that they both shared. As Les turned her head, Lovely stirred awake, stretching her small body and nuzzled Lesla completely awake. Lesla peeped an eye open and wondered where her brother was. By the light of the sun that filtered through her window, she knew that she had woken up later than usual.

She got up out of bed, leaving Lovely on the pillow. She changed into her day clothes, a powder blue shirt, almost white really, barely giving any hint of blue. She donned, a navy blue pair of pants with silver lining and put on her black leather shoes. She quickly re-did her braid, her fingers deftly parting her hair and braiding her long tresses in no time flat. Then she called Lovely off of the bed and tidied up before going out of her room.

Inside the house, she could only hear their mom, somewhere in the Kitchen. He must have done the chores by himself, the Dear. Les thought to herself as she got breakfast of toast and eggs. She greeted their mother a good morning and got out. She wandered over to the stables and got Adonis ready for a ride. She figured, Roman would have gone down to the lake after doing all the chores by himself.

Adonis nuzzled a greeting at her as she approached. She lead Adonis out of the stable box and then hopped onto his back. She turned Adonis in the direction of the lake and let him pick his way towards it. Lovely flew after Lesla flying over her head. When Lesla arrived near the lake, she saw another horse with a woman standing beside. She didn't know the woman and Lesla halted Adonis a few feet from her.

In the lake, she saw her brother was floating on top the water with Zane resting atop his chest. She wanted to call her brother's attention but she didn't want the stranger to notice that she was there. Lovely solved that when Lovely decided to land in the water beside Roman, successfully splashing water around her as she landed.

As before, his bronze seemed to wait until Roman was completely relaxed to spring to life, chattering incessently at the blue who'd just announced it's prescence. At the sudden, loud noise Roman flinched, losing his concentration and sinking into the water. Zane, excited by the blue's presence, pushed off Roman's chest as the man sunk into the water, fluttering over his head and sending him images of the blue and his female rider.

As he registered what Zane was telling him, Roman got his feet under him and stood, exposing his dripping, muscled chest. Scanning the treeline above the lakeshore, the man searched for the backdrop Zane'd showed him.... there. It was indeed a female, and from this distance she looked like a girl in her late teens, maybe early twenties. She had red hair, and Roman couldn't help but to find her somewhat attractive. It might just've been the horse she rode, though; he was a beauty as well. Speaking softly to Zane, he said,

"Invite the blue and his bonded down here. We might enjoy some company...."

As he spoke, he sent images to Zane of the young woman and the blue down at the lake with them. When Zane crooned happily in response, Roman knew the message had been delivered.

Suddenly, Lovely, his sister's green, appeared from between and proceeded to splash around him, greeting him in her own way. Zane, happy to see her, swooped down and flew around her while Roman just laughed. Ahh, so Lesla had come? Smiling, Roman looked up to the trailhead and saw her sitting atop Adonis. Grinning, he called out to her, not caring if the other rider heard him or not.

"Hey, baby sister! Are you just going to sit up there all day, or are you going to come swim with me?"

After he spoke, a unhappy Zane landed on his shoulder, chattering angrily at the green. Roman, unsure of what just happened, raised his eyebrows at the bronze in question, and the fire-lizard replied by sending him an image of Lovely landing on his back and trying to push him down in the water. Laughing deep in his chest, Roman just stroked his neck and tried not to injure the bronze's pride anymore.

When it seemed that Zane had recovered, Roman gently pushed him off of his shoulder and went even further out into the lake, going from waist-deep to chest-high water. He swam a few feet one way, then he turned back and went the other, trying to demonstrate to his sister how nice the water was.

"Come on, Les. The water's great, and I promise I won't undo your thick braid, no matter how messy it gets on it's own."

That, of course, was a lie, but Lesla knew that as well as he did and Roman figured she wouldn't mind the untruth. Standing up again, he shook the water out of his hair and grinned up at his sister on the hill. Zane, taking this as an invitation to resume his earlier position, landed back on his bonded's shoulder and crooned happily into Roman's ear, causing the man to smile even wider. He soon remembered the other rider, though, and the blue-eyed twin turned his neck slightly to try and see if she'd accepted the invitation.

Russian dance began to prance and sidestep as a new stallion came along. He was not sure how to react to so many around him. He was about to start up when he felt his rider suddenly go stiff and pranced even more his eyes rolled as he tried to pull her away from the lake. He twisted his head bared his ivories at the mare daring her to come closer.

Lilith hadn't realized she had gone stiff when she got the image of her joining hte man in the lake. she wasn't sure how to respon to that. Though she frightfully wished to make friends with someone like her so she decided it would be best. She pushed her weight down to stop RussianDancer from rearing up on her. Lilly sighed softly before finally seeing the female on another horse. She turned her horse and had let Russian take her to the other side of the lake where he seemed to be more comfortable.

Lilith got off and started undoing the saddle and took it off of him along with his bridle. She knew he would listen for her whistle and so she slapped him on the rump and smiled as she watched him trot through the trees that rimmed the lake. She laughed as Dusk suddenly flew around her chirpping excitedly and sent him off to play with the bronze and green flits. She walked back around and sat by the edge of the water and took her boots and socks off, placing them beside her. She then rolled her pants off and stuck her legs into the cool but warm water. Lilith covered a smile as the man talked to the girl she was surprised to hear that they were brother and sister. When she looked harder at bother of them she had come to the conclusion that they might be twins though she wasn't quite sure. She stayed silent though for she was unsure of what to say.

Lesla
Lesla smirked as Lovely succeeded in splashing water all over her brother. She was just mentally praising her firelizard when her brother shouted a greeting back at her.

'Hey, baby sister! Are you just going to sit up there all day, or are you going to come swim with me?'

Lesla scowled at him, though he probably won't see her expression. He knew how shy she was of strangers. She'd always let him handle those that came visiting their ranch. When she got down that lake, she was going to strangle him. Of course, that image all in her head, she would never actually do anything that would harm her dear brother.

She looked at the other woman and saw that she had gotten off her horse and was now by the edge of the water. She looked around for the other horse wondering where it had gone off to. She urged Adonis to go nearer and had him halt beside Ares. The two were best buds even though they were stallions of the same age. She jumped off Adonis, and then unsaddled the horse to let him explore a bit as she went to her brother in the lake.

As she neared, she sheepishly smiled at the woman. Lesla never dealt good with strangers. She'd always hid behind her brother and now here she was about to deal with someone unknown to her. Granted, the woman did not look like she was some dangerous person but that was just how Lesla acted towards others. She took of her shoes and socks, and sat near the edge of the water with a space between her and the other lass.

To her brother in the lake, she shouted back, "No thanks! I just know you'll pull on my hair even if you say you won't." as she stuck her tongue out at him.

Then turning her head to the lass, since she felt awkward sitting with a stranger, she gathered her courage and said with a voice so soft and meek, "Umm... hello... I'm Lesla, Lesla Kincade. What's yours?" Courage fleeing from her, she even forgot to stretch out her hand in greeting and looked back at her brother.

Lovely was playing with Zane and another firelizard whom Lesla sumised must belong to the lass sitting beside her.

"No thanks! I just know you'll pull on my hair even if you say you won't."

Roman grinned widely, knowing his sister would say that.

"Aww, Les. Don't be like that.... What if I've changed my lawless ways?"

Still smiling, Roman began walking back towards the bank, knowing his sister would be uncomfortable alone and so close to a stranger. As he got closer, he called out to the new female,

Nice day for a swim, eh?"

Finally reaching the shore Roman sat protectively next to Lesla. It wasn't that he thought the new female posed a danger; he just knew it would comfort his twin. Zane, chattering happily, landed on Roman's shoulder and chirped his greeting to his bonded's sister before turning his attention to the owner of the blue. The bronze eyed the red-haired female suspiciously before looking at Roman for reassurance.

Roman, knowing exactly what Zane was thinking, stroked the bronze's neck before looking at the owner of the grey stallion. Smiling encouragingly, he spoke.

"As you've heard, this is Lesla and I'm Roman, her brother. Who might you be? You can't be that scary of a person with a horse like him."

As Roman spoke those last words he gestured up to where Adonis and Ares were eyeing the grey stallion warily between mouthfulls. Apparently, they hadn't decided whether or not to greet him or issue a challenge, because they were too busy looking for the freshest patches of grass.

Lilith blinked in surprised when the guy sat near her. She smiled weakly back at the girl. Lilly laughed when Dusk playfully splashed water onto the bronze. When the guy asked her about the day being nice for a swim she noded. She smiled and glanced over to check on Ruzzian making sure he wasn't waiting fo rher to be busy to try anything nasty with the other horses. She smiled and looked back at the two people. After looking the girl over she looked the guy other wondering where they had come from. When her eyes met his she felt something like flames and lighting run through her body. "Ummm my name... Well I'm called Lilith Amherst by many, but you can call me Lilly if you want to. Oh and that pain in the butt stallion is RussianDancer or just Russian." She said softly her smile becoming bigger as she spoke.

Russian was eatting grass as he watched his rider closely his auds swiveling back and forth waiting for her special call for him. He raised his head as he noticed the other stallions watch him and snorted with his head held high daring them to take him on. His banner and mane flying around him making him look stunningly as he stood there perfectly still. RussianDancer looked like a king and was one and he knew it. He swished his tail and then went back to eating grass.

Lilith wasn't sure why she was feeling this strange new emotions for a man she just met. Not to mention that his sister was there as well. She turnned away and blushed and rubbed the back of her neck in thought. Perhaps looking at him was a bad idea but she couldn't help it. Her eyes wondered back to look into Roman's blue eyes.

Lesla
'Aww, Les. Don't be like that.... What if I've changed my lawless ways?

Lesla didn't even bother with that a reply to that rejoinder. They both knew that he had not changed his chosen way of messing about with her hair or just messing with her for fun. She stayed silent as she watched her brother join them.

She visibly relaxed when her brother finally sat in between her and the other woman. She smiled up at Zane and gave the bronze a friendly caress on his head before the bronze turned his attention towards the other woman.

Lovely flew to land on Lesla's lap as she trilled a greeting at the other woman. She looked curiously up at Lesla as if to ask, 'Is she a new friend?' Lesla just shrugged her shoulders in reply as she unconsciously petted the little green.

She looked at the woman from behind her brother. Roman being bigger, helps in hiding herself from plain sight against the woman. From behind him she heard her brother introduce himself to the woman.

'As you've heard, this is Lesla and I'm Roman, her brother. Who might you be? You can't be that scary of a person with a horse like him.'

At the mention of horse, Lesla also looked to where the horses were. Adonis who had been more interested in a patch of grass finally looked up at the other horse. He whickered a greeting towards the other stallion but not going near the other horse at all. Who knows, what if the other stallion was not friendly at all? Which was why Adonis opted to just greet the other horse from a distance.

And then Lesla's attention was pulled from the horses back towards the other woman as she heard the woman speak almost as soft as she had spoken a little while ago.

'Ummm my name... Well I'm called Lilith Amherst by many, but you can call me Lilly if you want to. Oh and that pain in the butt stallion is RussianDancer or just Russian.'

From behind her brother, Lesla spoke, her voice gaining in volume from a soft and meek one to one that she normally used around her brother.

"Nice to meet you, Lilly." she said meekly. After a pause she continued, her voice a tad bit louder than before. "That stallion, who just whickered at your RussianDancer, is Adonis, my Mustang Stallion. Isn't he handsome?" she said like a proud mother praising her foal.

Lovely chirped up from Lesla's lap, not wanting to be left out of the introductions.

"Oh, and this is Lovely." Lesla added with a smile on her face.

Lovely warbled a greeting at Lilly. Having her brother there, always made Lesla more relaxed and more courageous in dealing with strangers.

"Ummm my name... Well I'm called Lilith Amherst by many, but you can call me Lilly if you want to. Oh and that pain in the butt stallion is RussianDancer or just Russian."

As Roman's eyes met her's, he fairly gasped. Zane, still sitting atop his's shoulder, looked at Roman's face curiously, noting the sudden change in his emotions. Yeah, Lily, as she called herself, was pretty, but that wasn't it. It was as if they shared a special connection; as if he'd known her for his entire life. Lesla's words soon broke into his thoughts, and Roman had to force himself to tear his gaze from Lily's eyes.

As Lesla continued to speak, Roman was insanely glad that his sister'd found her tongue; as she spoke, it gave him a chance to crawl back to his senses. Some would say it was just a physical attraction, but Roman wasn't sure. Whatever it was, though, Roman knew he had to learn more about this girl.

"...and this is Lovely."

Roman, picking up where his sister left off, added,

"This big guy on my shoulder's Zane."

Roman scratched Zane's underbelly as he thought of something else to say. Gods, he didn't want to sound stupid....

"I haven't seen you around here.... Do you live in the Caldera, or do you preside on one of the ranches in the exterior valley?"

He smiled at Lily as he waited for a reply, hoping she didn't think him too intrusive.

Lilith smiled as the girl got brave when she talked to Lilly. "Hes a beautiful stallion Lesla" She said with knowledge and having the same feelings for her horse, RussianDancer. Lilly giggled when Lovely chirped a greet after Lesla introduced her. "Hello Lovely and Zane," her voice still soft. A smile grew on her face as she kept her eyes off of Roman's face. She glanced to check on Russian and was happy to see that he was behaving and turned her head to see Dusk land in her lap. "This blue dragonet here is Dusk by the way." She said with pride.

"I haven't seen you around here.... Do you live in the Caldera, or do you preside on one of the ranches in the exterior valley?"

She hook her head and sighed. " I move around wiht my horses but my ranch is in the exterior valley. Its the Double D Ranch," She said with a smile. "What Ranch or farm are you guys from???" She couldn't help but look them over again. She even couldn't beleive the feelings that keep coming up in back on Roman's face.

Lesla
"Hes a beautiful stallion Lesla"

Lesla just nodded in agreement with a proud smile on her face. She always preened whenever someone stated that Adonis indeed was a handsome stallion. She looked back once more to where the horses were. She saw that Adonis was once more preoccupied in finding patches of fresh grass.

Lovely trilled a greeting at Dusk, her eyes whirling a happy blue. Then she nudged at Hers' hand so that Hers would continue stroking her. She just loved being petted.

Lesla smiled down at Lovely as her green nudged at her hand when she had momentarily stopped petting the firelizard as she had looked back at the horses. Looking at the blue firelizard, Lesla said, "Hello there Dusk. And Lovely is happy to meet you too." with a little giggle. Lesla was wondering if Lovely might let Dusk catch her when she flies to mate the next time. She hadn't been there that first time when Lovely flew to mate but, she hoped that this second time, she'd be there to watch Lovely's mating flight. It must be a beautiful sight to behold. she silently thought to herself imagining Lovely's flight. Her rumination was interrupted when she heard Lily ask a question.

"What Ranch or farm are you guys from???"
Mentally shaking herself from her imagination, she replied with, "We also live outside the Calder. The place is called, Kincade Ranch." And then, Lesla added as an idea came to her mind. "Why don't you come over some time? I'm sure Mom would love to cook for more than three people. She loves showing off her cooking skills whenever people visit us at the ranch. Oh, and you have got to taste Mom's Fruit Pie. It's delicious." Lesla said happily. She was already imagining her Mom preparing tons of food that she normally only prepared for when visitors came to visit them. It was also a way for her to eat her Mom's famous fruit pie. But since the pie takes so long to make, Mom usually only does it twice a year, for their birthday and for the Turnover celebration.

[OOC: I don't know if we are calling it New Year's Day or Turnover. I'll edit it when I'm sure.]

"He's a beautiful stallion Lesla."

"Hello Lovely and Zane... This blue dragonet here is Dusk by the way."

"I move around with my horses but my ranch is in the exterior valley. It's the Double D Ranch," She said with a smile. "What Ranch or farm are you guys from?"

Roman remained silent as Lesla answered for them, and he grinned at the mention of his mother, Arden, and her fruit pie. Adding his own comment, Roman said,

"She isn't kidding, Lily. Mom's fruit pie is... simply put, extraordinary. You won't wn to leave Kincade Ranch after you've eaten a piece."

Roman was already imagining her coming and having dinner with them, and often. It didn't occur to him that she might not feel the same way, that she might not've felt that spark...

Zane, on his shoulder, nudged his ear, effectively breaking Roman out of his daydream. Remembering his mount, Roman told Lily,

"The blood bay over by Adonis is my horse, Ares. He can act like a hellion at times, but he's a great horse once you earn his respect."

At hearing his name, Ares looked up and watched his human quizically. He didn't seem like he was calling for him, but just to be sure Ares took a few cautious steps forward, watching to see if Roman noticed. When he didn't get another glance, Ares went back to eating with a satisfied snort.

Lilith giggled as they both spoke about their mother and then frowned slightly from a flash back. " I suppose I could ask my own brother about it really its up to him I do so. and Ares is a very beautiful looking stud as well Roman." She said with a smile her eyes were once more shining with happiness. "Perhaps I coulde show you Duch one of these days at our ranch." Her voice was thoughtful as she looked at him. She looked at the water asw dusk came over and shook his wet hide. She giggled as water covered her face and made her shirt wet. "Hey now dusk I am already cooled off!" she exclaimed with laughter.

She petted Dusk and then looked up at the sky before looking back at them. "You know I make a mean Shepards pie perhaps one of these days you guys can come over." She said thoughtfully with a smile. Food??? the little blue asked them all. She laughed as he projected the image of meat. "Yes, yes, I'll get you something to eat," she giggled. She got up and walked over to her saddle and grabbed some jerky and went back and handed some to Dusk. She held out some for Lovely and Zane.

Lesla
Lovely was not about to say no to free food and she readily accepted Lily's offer of jerky. She looked up at Lesla and asked, More?

Lesla replied with, "Not now, maybe later. Did you thank Lily for the food?" then, she smiled and said, "Thank you." at Lily for giving some jerky to Lovely.

Lovely, reminded of her manners crooned her pleasure for the food at Lily and said, Thank you.

And then, Lesla added, "Yummy, Sheperd's Pie. You are making me hungry Lily, and I barely had anything for breakfast, just some toast and eggs." And as if in agreement, her stomach made an audible gurgling sound. Lesla turned red in embarrassment and wanted to hide behind her brother.

"Yummy, Sheperd's Pie. You are making me hungry Lily, and I barely had anything for breakfast, just some toast and eggs."

At his sister's words Roman laughed.

"Just toast and eggs? Les. I didn't have anything!"

To this Zane chattered his agreement; after all, when Roman ate he ususally fed the bronze as well, and since he hadn't Zane was happy to accept the jerky from Lilith.

"Oh, and Lilith? Thanks for the compliment on Ares. And, one of these days I'd love to come out and see your place."

Inside Roman was still reeling from his thoughts on Lily. She was a beautiful girl, and best of all she was a rancher like himself! Could it get any better?