Thread: A Place to Hang your Hat [AnnaBeth and Sigr]

Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss, she said, not even trying to pronounce the rolling syllable last name the lady gave. It sounded Italian, and the woman had a rough as nails Yankee accent but she seemed all right otherwise. The smashed phone, her boots crunched over the glass from the screen and made her notice it after the lady mentioned breaking it, was a little worrying like maybe she had a temper but didn't everyone from time to time? She'd thrown a pair of fencing pliers one day after hitting her thumb with them, cussed like granddaddy, and had to spend a quarter of an hour trying to find them among the grass. If she'd had something like a phone around she might have smashed it too. Waiting patiently for the lady to write her note, Beth appreciated that she read it out loud, keeping her from wondering what it said. Blue eyes shaded by the brim of her hat didn't miss the gun, or the badge, and though they glanced at them there wasn't any alarm in the girl's body. Behind her Ace snorted and jerked his body to the side, dragging the mule along with him towards where Ace wanted to graze. She didn't look at that either, taking on both things as just how they were and not anything worrying about them. If you're sure you don't need anything then we can get going. How close it is depends on how you figure things. Beth pushed her hat back and wiped at her forehead with the back of her hand then jammed it back on. Warm today, she said, might come a gully washer later though, so we best get moving. Beth turned and pointed towards some clouds that looked like they were heavy and fat, almost grey. Going to hit that mountainside, her finger indicated a sharp-edged peak, and slide off it like water off a duck's back then slide back down on us. If you got rain gear, you might want to get it. If not you can wear my duster and we'll be fine. It's...oh I reckon five hours back to the house. Uh, no disrespect Miz Bertorelli, she said slowly, tongue awkward with the last name, but I reckon you're not one for riding horses often unless you're one of those mounted policemen I see on the TV. We're going to have to double up, Mike don't like no one on him even though he'll haul his own weight in load, so it's the two of us on Ace. Luckily you're a bitty little thing. Beth whistled again, a two tone note, and Ace picked his head up and walked towards them, stopping just shy of Beth and pushing the flat of his head against her chest, breath whickering from his nostrils against her belly and legs. She scratched behind one ear, making it turn this way and that, then backed up and rubbed the velvet softness of his nose. You ready to go home, boy? Not much of a ride today, sorry. Her left hand gathered up the reins and she mounted from his left side, swinging up onto the tall horse with flexible, practiced ease. You can come on over here, Miss, she said and extended her left hand, leaning down out of the saddle and pulling her left foot free of the stirrup. Always from the left side now, that's how they're trained. Just grab my forearm put your left foot in the stirrup, and I'll pull you up behind me. Just like in the movies, she said with a little laugh. Come on. He won't hurt you. She cut an eye towards the mule, warning him off with a glance and a touch at the lasso. If he got too close or ornery she'd smack him across the nose. Now that one, Satan's own son and don't let his goofy looks fool you. He's a biter.