Crossbar Ranch

Dusty---

Dusty sighed as she walked away then went and found her saddle laying down on it her rifle by her side. She dreamed of Caleb all night. When she woke up no one else was up so she saddled Broc and went to go looking for some deer meet or something for Cookie and to scout ahead. She got a ways away from the camp and spotted some deer. She didn't want Cookie to have to use all of the salted meat so she aimed, fired, and then went to get her meat.

Caleb:

I woke up and found several girls standing over me. I scrambled up. "Can I help you, ma'ams?"

"Your accent is sooo adorable!" one of them gushed.

"My horse won't behave." stated another, batting her eyelashes. "Do you think you can help me?"

I sighed and wished that Dusty was here. "Let me take a look at it, Miss." She grabbed my hand and yanked me toward her horse. She did everything in her power to keep me there. I groaned inwardly.

Dusty----

Dusty lifted the deer up on her saddle and than rode back towards the camp. She watched Caleb being dragged by one of the girls to help with her horse and she chuckled softly. When she rode into the camp she dismounted.

"Caleb, can you get everyone around here. I need to teach them how to skin a deer, that way if I ever need them to do it they can." She smiled walking over to him.

Caleb:

I looked at her. "Gladly!" I kissed her softly and ran off to gather everyine together.

Dusty---

After demostrating how to skin the deer she told everyone to go eat. Seh hadn't wanted them to do that after they ate becuse people would lose their breakfast. While the few that wanted to eat lined up and got food she started sectioning off part of the meat so they could salt part of it and put the rest in the ice box. She would make everyone take some food with them so that they could have somethign to eat when they got hungry.

***Nudge, come on someone***

Jude


There was a small cliff outlining the trail up, just down a smaller trail from the main. Jude had gotten his breakfast after tending to the horses and taken Tux for a small walk to the cliff. It wasn't very far at all, in fact he could still see the campers from his position on the ledge behind him. But, he liked to have Tux in his view at all times--especially this early on in the trip. All it would take was one incident to ruin him forever, and he didn't want to take that chance.

Tux was tied up about thirty feet behind Jude, don't want to get too close to the edge--talk about ruining a horse. Jude had his breakfast wrapped in a napkin in his fists as he ate, with a waterbottle beside him to keep him hydrated. He wore a long sleeve tee and a pair of jeans. His boots dangled over the ledge. It wasn't a far drop below it until you hit ground, but it was a pretty steep hill after that and if someone fell it would be a long, probably fatal fall. Especially for a horse.

He glanced out across the horizon to another mountain in the distance. It was a beautiful sight, a mountain morning.

Alicia

"Beautiful scenery, huh? Shame about the company." Alicia grinned as she sat down beside Jude and then rolled her eyes in the direction of the many girls and boys who were either refusing to eat the deer meat, nibbling at it tentatively or throwing up as they glanced at the remains that had yet to be stored or buried. Jude raised an eyebrow and glanced at the untouched piece of food in Alicia's hand but before he could mention it, she took a large, exaggerated bite.

"Mmmm, good. So I heard that we're having lessons today? What time are they starting?" Alicia asked, swinging her legs gently.

"I don't think you need to take lessons," Jude said but Alicia persisted:

"Oh I do, I'll take all the practise I can get. Are you teaching the lessons? I mean, if you really think I shouldn't be in the beginners group, maybe you could give me a private lesson and take me for a ride, huh?" She smiled and fluttered her eyelashes flirtatiously and then suddenly sprang to her feet, startling Jude as she grabbed his hand and pulled him up, dragging him towards the horses. "In fact," she said, "I think the lesson starts now."

Caleb:

I watched as Dusty cleaned the deer. Most of the girls didn't want to eat anything after the display. What was hilarious was watching some of the "brave" guys throwing up after the display.

One girl came over and touched my arm, smiling up at me. "What's your name?" she asked, fluttering her eyelashes.

I exhaled and shifted nervously from one foot to the other. "Caleb."

"I'm Cara. I can't figure out how to pitch my tent would you help me?"

"Well...I..."

Her lips turned into a pout. I groaned inwardly. I could never refuse someone. It got annoying sometimes. "Sure." I said relectatly.

She giggled and grabbed my hand, leading me towards her tent.

I looked helplessly at Dusty, my eyes pleading.

Dusty:

Dusty looked down at her blood covered hands then looked back up catching Caleb's eyes. She laughed softly and waved.

"I'm going to clean up, have fun." She grinned. She would go rescue him in a few minutes, after her hands weren't covered in blood. She went to the creek and washed off her hands and arms then walked back to where the others were. Cook was packing the deer they wouldn't use and then cooking some for food. She went to find Caleb and saw him trying to set up the tent with the girl's 'help'. "Need help, Caleb?" She smiled walking over. That earned her a glare from the girl.

Caleb:

Before I could answer in the affirmative, Cara spoke up.

"No. He can handle it."

I sighed as she giggled and squeezed the muscles on my arms. I yanked away. "Actually, I could use the help." I said desperately.

Dusty laughed. I didn't think it was very funny. In fact, if she was in the same situation, I'd probably kill the guy. I chuckled at that thought.

Dusty:

Dusty walked over and grabbed a couple of poles. "Cara, right?" She smiled at the girl. "Move back." Caleb smiled and they got the tent up in five minutes.

"Thanks." Caleb smiled.

"I need your help with something and that only meant I had to help you with this." She said motioning for him to follow her.

Caleb:

I followed her and as soon as we were far enough away, I grabbed her and whispered into her ear, "And I thought you helped me for a different reason." I teased lightly.

She swatted at me and I let her go, laughing uncontroably. "So, what do you need my help with, Boss?" I asked, still smiling at her gorgeous figure and chuckling under my breath.

Dusty:

"I don't, I just figured you didn't want to be around her." She grinned. "I mean, unless you want your muscles stared out and touched. Then go have a ball." She walked towards her horse and started brushing him down.


*tears*

Caleb:

I growled and walked toward her horse slowly. "Not jealous are you?" I whisped huskily into her ear. I could feel my heart speed up just being this close to her. I knew a lot of girls found me attractive, but I didn't really care about them. And it made me shy a lot of the times. I didn't xtremely like all that attention. But I loved Dusty. I'd be shocked if she was jealous...she just didn't seem to get jealous a lot. But...it'd be kind of fun too. I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her, excited that she was finally mine after all those years of admiring her from afar. I just couldn't get enough of her. I drank in the smell of sweat, hay, horse, deer, and the subtle scent of just her. it all smelled like heaven. I turned her o face me and gently let my rough finger trace her cheekbone down to her lips, running it lightly over their sweet smoothness. "Were you jealous?" I asked seriously.