Chapter 7: Trail Ride

Barely 11 am and already the air was hot with the promise of summer. I'd slept in late after my perfect evening with Eddie. He'd walked me to the door in an old fashioned sort of way, and kissed me with passion before leaving me for the night. I was walking to the stables wondering why was it, the more sex you got the more sex you wanted?

I was on my way to meet Billy. I wore a sleeveless thin white cotton shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. Maybe we'd go riding.

"Billy?" I called entering the stables.

"Here Katrina." Came his quiet reply, "Far stall."

Reaching the far stall I saw the most precious sight! A small reddish brown colt stood looking back at me with huge innocent eyes.

"Awwww!"

Billy smiled. "Come on in."

I opened the stall stepping in. "She's so cute."

"He." Billy corrected without thinking.

"May I pet him?" I was already reaching for him. His mother turned to watch me, but continued to munch on her fresh hay. "He's so soft! You name him yet?"

"Nope. Not officially. That's Jake's pleasure. He was down here this morning already." Billy continued to brush the mare's side. "I just call him 'Wobbles' for now."

"Wobbles? He unsteady?" I asked letting the mare smell my hand.

"Not now. But he sure was last night." Billy smiled, remembering. "I'm about done here, was just checking up on 'em." Billy patted the mare in farewell and we exited the stall.

"Wanna go for a ride?"

"I was hoping you'd ask." I smiled at Billy. He was so sexy. It was like he just walked off of a movie set.

"Pepper again?" He asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Sure Pepper and I got along fine! I'll help." Together we saddled up Pepper. Billy brought around a large quarter horse.

"Names Duke." Billy smiled. "Some try to call him Old Duke. But he's not ready for pasture yet." Billy patted Duke's neck fondly and lead him around to saddle him up. "He just gets a bit ornery now and again, and stubborn." Billy added, leading both horses out into the sunlight. "Hang on a second."

He darted back into the stables and was gone for just a minute. Returning he flopped a saddlebag over Duke's rump. He checked the cinch once more then offered me a hand up. Mounted, we both trotted out at a brisk pace, heading away from all the buildings and people.

"You been enjoying the time here?" Billy asked as we slowed to a walk.

"Actually yes. It's been..." I paused. " ... eye opening." I smiled.

Billy snorted, sounding a lot like Duke.

"I don't see you around much?" I fished.

"No. I don't want to play those parlor games. Just not my style."

"How did you end up here, with Jake?" I asked.

"You mean if I'm not a sex fiend?" Billy laughed. I felt my cheeks go a bit pink.

"Horses. Jake came looking for horses. All he had at the time were farm horses. Working horses you know?" Billy paused and waited for my nod. "He was looking for some good basic stock. People were pushing him to buy racers, and breeding stock and high dollar fillies." Billy shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, he wanted good horses, well bred. Just he wanted them for pleasure riding and didn't want to get into the whole breeding thing." Billy started to laugh. "Well horses anyway."

I smiled at his little joke. "I got it. And you came with the horses he bought?"

Billy nodded. "Sorta. I was working on a horse, putting it though it's paces while Jake was watching. The owner of that stable back there was trying to get Jake to buy some high dollar Arabians. Beautiful horses really, but it wasn't what Jake was wanting and Jake was getting rather tired of the run around. Ignoring the sales pitch he started asking me questions. What I thought about which horse, which would make good trail riders, that kinda thing." Billy shrugged.

"He ended buying only two horses there and asking me if I wanted a job. The offer was more than I could refuse. I took it. Once I got here, and took a look around we went out and bought a dozen more. Including Old Duke here." He patted Duke's neck. Duke nodded approving of the tale.

I laughed.

"Ever regret it?" I prodded.

"Oh yeah. I did." He gazed around us a bit, looking at the landscape before continuing. "That first year I'd heard a commotion in the stables and found a rowdy group." He shook his head, frowning. "They had this woman on some hay bales and two men holding her down. The were bringing over a stud and were going to let her get fucked by the horse."

Oh my! Thanks to Cleo's little talk the other day my mind supplied the images only too clearly.

"Yeah. I set the two men right. Broke a few of their ribs in the process." Billy smiled at the memory. "Now that woman, she went running out the stables shrieking her fool head off, spooking all the horses. Naked as the day she was born. Jake came storming in." Billy shook his head. "The fool was yelling at me and upsetting the horses even more. Jake didn't see what was wrong in letting that horse fuck the idiot. He said if she wanted it then let her have it."

I swallowed. I knew how long a horse's penis could get, and I'd heard it'd been done before. I couldn't image how any woman would handle such a thing inside of her. I shook my head.

"Yeah." Billy nodded, seeing my look. "Well I laid Jake out in the straw then and there. Told him if that's what he wanted the horses for then he didn't want me there. I figured I was done for. Hitting the boss, hitting his guest, objecting rather loudly to his tastes in both friends and hobby."

"I think I would have liked to have seen it." I said, and smiled. Wondering how Jake would have handled it all.

"It was ugly. I was packed and ready to leave come sunrise. I went into Jake's office for my paycheck and Jake apologized to me. Shocked me so much I just stood there, kinda mute like. He said I could run the stables how I saw fit and would keep the guests to only riding on the horse's backs not their dicks. He doubled my salary and said he'd hire on a few hands to help me keep order in the stables." Billy shrugged. "I didn't believe it. Figured the very next party they'd be abusing the horses again. But so far..." His voice trailed off.

"I wonder what changed his mind." I pondered out loud.

"Was the woman." Billy said simply with a shrug.

"The woman who wanted to ... err..." I gestured towards Pepper's ears.

He nodded. "It turned out she wasn't exactly willing. And the damage that the horse could have done her would have cost Jake more than he was willing to pay. He agreed, the horses were to stay off limits. Jake may be a pervert. But he's not stupid."

I remembered Jake's rule about no sex in his house, was that so he could stay clear of rape charges or perhaps prostitution charges?

"What about you? How did you end up here at Jake's?" Billy inquired.

"Cleo. You know she works for Jake." Billy nodded, waiting. I was hesitant. "I'd just gotten out of a bad relationship. I wasn't doing so well. Cleo thought a vacation would help."

"So you didn't know what this place is?" He asked.

"Still don't." I gave a weak chuckle. "I mean, I've gotten the idea sex isn't only allowed, and encouraged, but welcomed and expected. I guess." I paused, mulling things over in my mind. "The whys are still a question. And I don't ever know what's going to happen next. That does hold a certain appeal." I kept my eyes on the reins for a bit. "I do know I've enjoyed myself more than I thought possible. And I'm learning a lot about myself. I just don't know."

We rode in silence for a bit.

"Up for some trail riding? We'd head up the mountain a bit." Billy let the matter drop. We headed up through the trees where the wildcat had been seen last year.

"I thought it was too dangerous to be up this way."

"Only if you're a fool." Billy smiled. "If there is some kind of wildcat up here. Then it doesn't want to be discovered anymore than you want to discover it. There is no shortage of wild game, nor water, it's perfectly safe. Besides, who knows what they saw."

"I'm game." Billy made it sound so reasonable.

We turned our mounts to the trail leading into the woods. The temperature was much cooler than in the direct sunlight. The trail was only wide enough for one horse at a time, so we rode upwards in single file. It didn't take long at all for the vegetation to get dense. Everywhere I looked I saw wild life. From birds and squirrels to snake and lizards. Looking up, the trees created a wonderful canopy of greens, still bright with their new growths. The bright sunlight shone through the branches creating long sunbeams, which highlighted the pollen in the air. The cacophony of sounds was magnificent. Birds sang as they darted from tree to tree. The squirrels would chatter and scamper away in protest at our approach. There was a low hum from the insects that clouded about. The air around me was still, yet I could hear the breeze rustle the treetops above. It was hard to take it all in and pay attention to the riding. The trail had been unused for some time and decaying logs had to be avoided. Long hanging branches added to the obstacle course and if you relaxed your guard, one was sure to smack you in the face. Sometimes whole trees would have fallen, yet leaning against another they weren't low enough to step over nor high enough to duck under on horseback. So we would have to leave the path to circle around the fallen tree and make our way back to the trail. I, personally, never could see the trail, even when we were on it. I was glad Billy knew the way.

We rode for some time. It appeared to me Billy had a destination in mind. I didn't care. My eyes and ears feasted on the magic around me. Any second I expected to see fairies flutter by my head, sure we'd entered into some enchanted forest. How could all of this, be so close, yet be so wild? This special other world that was just beyond a few trees? I was amazed and lost all track of time, and location. Watching Billy duck under a low branch, I sure hoped he knew where he was going, anyway.

After a bit longer Billy paused. He turned back on his mount and asked "hungry?"

I must have looked a sight by now. I knew my face was red and I'd been sweating my body really wasn't used to riding keeping up with Billy had taken it's toll. It actually took a lot of concentration to maneuver around things in the dense wood. My muscles defiantly weren't used it after a year sitting on my ass in front of the TV. I nodded and smiled. I was having good time. Getting a good work out too. And I'd worked up an appetite.

"Actually. Yes." Reining up behind him I stopped Pepper. "We didn't bring anything."

"Ha. You didn't bring anything. I, however, am prepared." He grinned a sexy grin and patted his saddlebags. "Almost there. Can you make it?"

"If you can I can." realizing a bit late that sounded childish. Billy still looked as fresh as he had this morning, but of course he rode horses everyday. I wondered if he even owned a TV.

We continued on for some time. I was beginning to think maybe I couldn't make it. And then there is the return trip to contend with! Hmmm.

"Just about there." I heard from ahead of me.

Indeed. The ground cover had changed. It looked almost like mulch! I lifted my eyes forward, ahead of Billy and Duke. There was a wall! Of trees?

Billy had stopped and dismounted.

"Here, let me help. I easily forget not everyone was born for the saddle." Billy aided me off of Peppers back and my legs at once protested.

"Ugh. Yeah." I smiled. "I'll be a bit sore tomorrow. Doesn't matter. This has been just wonderful!" I was looking around trying to take it all in. Billy was busy with the horses, he secured them both loosely to a tree and running his hands over their hides. Looking for scratches or signs of stress from the trail I guessed.

"They can rest a spell." He gave Pepper a fond pat. I was happy he didn't add that I could rest too.

"What is this?" I looked at the wall before me. Oddly it was all natural. The wood from trees had looked like they'd been woven together as they grew creating a solid wall.

Billy shrugged, getting the saddlebags off of Duke. "I don't know what's it called, or why, or if it's common or not. I just thought it was different enough and you'd like to see it." He flipped the bags over one shoulder and took my hand. "This way."

Merely a few steps to our right there was a space more than wide enough for a man to walk though, if he ducked. We entered mother natures house. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the new lighting. The trees on the outside had grown together forming a wide circle, where inside nothing grew save two or three more of the same trees. There was no grass, no brush, and no other trees. Looking up, the sky was almost completely hidden! The same branches that created the walls, were woven together tightly high overhead, only these were covered with a thick dark green foliage. The ground was soil. Looking like fresh tilled soil, dark and rich with only a few of last seasons leaves scattered about.

The light that entered this sanctuary, came from the walls. Sections, like the one we'd walked through weren't woven as tight and allowed light in. Very little sunlight was brought in directly from the sky. This area was much cooler then the outside, secluded and quiet. Almost cathedral like.

I gasped in complete awe, turning to take it all in.

Billy waited, smiling.

"Worth the ride?" Billy asked, knowing the answer already.

"Oh ... my ... it's..." I didn't have the words, my neck arched backing looking high above my head.

"Yeah. It is." Billy agreed. He dropped the saddlebag. "I'll be back. Gonna unsaddle the horses and let them relax. It will give a while too." And he ducked back outside.

"Outside", I thought. How strange. I was outside, but somehow I wasn't. I walked about not touching the walls at first. Some branches had woven so tightly together that they appeared to be fused together, melded almost. Others had gaps that I could fit my hand through. But didn't, oddly fearful of them, perhaps the magic that wove them chose this instant to close the gap? At long last I reached out to tentatively touch the wall. Its bark was almost smooth to the touch like an Ash tree, only a dark brown in color. Still other areas had larger gaps, not large enough to step through, well perhaps a child could. Overhead the foliage shook as a squirrel scampered along its thick basket woven canopy. At least I hoped it was a squirrel, there was no seeing through it to tell. Moving over to one of the trees that grew "inside", I was amazed. It grew up, it's trunk? trunks? weaving together as they spiraled upwards joining the masses at the top. Simply amazing.

Billy rejoined me. This time he had the saddle blankets.

"A bit smelling like horses and damp with their sweat, but it's the best I could do." Billy offered the blankets as a seat.

"No thanks." I laughed. "I'd rather sit on the ground. I mean sitting in horse sweat isn't appealing."

"Right." Billy said laughing. Our laughter sounded loud in the still quiet of the area.

We sat in on the soil around the saddlebag. The ground was downright cold, even through my jeans. First Billy pulled out a bottle of wine.

"Wine?" I asked with a grin. "Did some prep work did you?"

"Just a tad." Billy agreed with the barest hint of color to his face. "No glasses, straight from the bottle I fear. And not a very high dollar brand, didn't want to fuss with a cork." He did blush when he unscrewed it. "I didn't know know that you'd join me for a ride today, only hoped. I figured in case of, we'd have a bit of a snack."

I laughed, not at the wine, but at him. I took my sip, 'straight from the bottle' and lived just fine.

Digging back in the bag he pulled out two apples, some cheese wrapped in plastic wrap and a nice hunk of French bread. What looked like homemade beef jerky followed.

"And I've got nuts for desert." He added proudly, at first not realizing the implication.

"I'm not touching that one." I said biting into the cheese to keep from laughing.

"Err yeah well umm." He produced the can of mixed nuts.

We ate. Simple as that. We'd worked up an appetite on the trail and devoured the simple meal, leaving hardly a crumb behind. Saving the best for last, the nuts.

"Nice and cool up here hey? How did you find this place." I asked, popping a cashew in my mouth. I lifted my hair off of my neck finally feeling cooler for the first time since morning.

Billy finished chewing and explained, "Well, it's off the trail. I don't know if you noticed when we left the trail" He reached for more nuts.

"I hadn't. But that's ok, I couldn't ever tell when we were on the trail either."

Billy chuckled.

"Well the year the 'mountain lion' " Billy rolled his eyes, "was spotted several of us came up to hunt it down. We can't leave a cat like that loose. Or so I was told. Frankly as long as it didn't attack anyone I don't see why not, it's his home as much as ours." Billy frowned and popped some more nuts in his mouth. "But anyway." He continued around a mouthful "I rode the trail up to where it was seen, the cat I mean, then headed this way. There was no reason to head this direction." he shrugged. "just happened."

He took a sip of the cheap wine.

"And here it was." He nodded to the wall of branches. "I will admit I spent more time looking around here then I did for the cat." Billy smiled.

He sipped from the bottle and handed it back to me.

"I never told anyone. I didn't want Jake to make it a tourist attraction. Besides, there's something..." He fished for the right word.

After taking a sip I shook my head. "I know. Church like?" I guessed. "Don't worry. I won't tell him."

We passed what was left of the wine back and forth and finished off the nuts talking about simple things. We compared childhoods and families. Exchanged Christmas stories and the first horrors of dating in high school. He talked of how he went to his local collage, sampling different courses, not knowing what he wanted to do. His father pushed him too hard in a direction he didn't want to go. Finally he simply up and left.

"There was no way I was going to be stuck inside all day wearing a suit and tie, having little time for my own life." Billy explained. "I hated being called Mr. Taylor because it wasn't proper to be called anything else." He shrugged. "I missed the outdoors, freedom."

"Freedom? Isn't that what collage is? Frat boys enjoying the freedom from their parents.?" I asked with a smile.

"Not that kind of freedom." Billy smiled. "Although that had its perks, at the time, too." Leaving it at that he continued on. "No, drinking and parties have their place, sure. But for me they got old really quick. The freedom I missed was the open air, freedom to move. The freedom to make my own choices and not follow someone else's plan on what I should do when." He shrugged. "I hung in there. I finished collage. And for my Dad, I took the job he got me. Held it almost a year. Couldn't stand it! One day I up and left. Haven't regretted it yet."

"I spent a few years on the road. Doing odd jobs wherever I was needed. I found that job on a horse farm, then I knew where I belonged."

I waited for him to continue, wishing I had a sweater.

"Horses. They don't care what's in your bank account. They don't care what you're wearing. And they'll never call me Mr. Taylor." Billy chuckled over that.

"That's true." I said joining in his laughter.

"We should head back." Billy stated looking up at the leaves overhead.

"Oh!" I had noticed, it had gotten even cooler, and darker in just the last few minutes. "It can't be dusk falling already? surely?" It was before noon when we left the stables.

"No." Billy shook his head and began to gather up our things. "But very close." I helped, suddenly feeling an urge to hurry.

"Just what I feared." Billy was looking sky wards as I joined him outside of our hideaway.

"What?" I looked up.

"Storms coming. A Spring Cold Front I'm betting by the feel."

Oh not good. On a mountainside early Spring with a cold front. Nope. Not good at all. We saddled the horses, walked them a few paces, checked the cinches and mounted. I ignored the protests of my sore body. The wind was increasing and the cloud cover was making the woods look sinister. I'm not sure if the horses were picking up our anxiety, or us theirs, either way all four of us wanted out of the trees and back to the stables.

Billy paused before we headed into the thicker woods. "I'm gonna move us fast. Keep low to his neck" He nodded towards Peppers head. "Keep alert. If you can't keep up shout out, before, you start to fall behind." Billy leaned over towards me winking he add. "Don't worry, just don't want you to hit your head on a branch." He smiled.

I nodded, serious. I knew he was trying to lighten the mood but he failed. I was sore and tired and the ride home promised to be a harsh one.

"Lets go" He said and took the lead.

I kept Pepper close to Duke's rump. It was getting darker by the second. I didn't think we were going to out run the rain. The woods had changed. No longer a fairies play land. It now looked dark and unwelcoming. Trees tops were swaying with the wind. The small animals, all had gone to their homes. The birds, silent.

Billy glanced back at me to check how I was doing. I must have passed inspection because he increased our speed.

I could hear it before I could feel it. The platter of rain on the leaves above us. Billy cursed.

"I can't find it." Billy muttered, turning us back the way we'd come.

I stayed silent, letting him concentrate on finding the trail. I was fighting down my own panic.

"There!" Billy sounded relieved just as the first drops of cold rain hit my arms. "But hardly out of the woods yet." He flashed a quick smile to me and kept up the pace. "We lost time in finding the trail." Billy had to shout for me to hear it.

A low rumble like a lions growl could be heard from the sky.

"Damn!" Billy cursed again, his relief in finding the trail very shortly lived.

We were in a thick area now and had to slow, going around trees we couldn't avoid on the trail. Pepper stopped, refusing to go forward.

"Pepper, this really isn't the time." I complained.

"Billy!" I shouted keeping my eyes glued to Peppers ears, which were flat against his head, eyes rolling. Pepper was shifting his weight and backing up. He refused to be moved forward, his body was tensing. Something was wrong. "Billy?"

Jumping from Duke but keeping his reins, Billy grabbed Peppers halter. Talking soothing to him I could just make out his words... "what is it boy ... it's ok..."

Then suddenly I knew. I could feel what Pepper already knew. The hairs on the back of my neck rose. I looked down at my arm, the hair there too was rising. The smell of ozone in the air was strong and just as I was about to tell Billy, it struck! A bolt of electricity came down and struck a nearby tree. All of us were blinded in a split second flash of light, the sound was intense! Pepper screamed and reared up. I slipped off his back like the saddle had been buttered. Pepper was pawing the air then took off a dead gallop through the trees, he'd pulled from Billy's grasp as if it was a mere child's hold. Duke wasn't doing much better. Duke was rearing and pulling at the reins Billy held tight. His eyes wide and rolling in their sockets. I had landed hard on the ground missing a thick log by inches, the breath temporary knocked out of me. Billy was fighting to hold onto Duke. The rain poured from the sky! I saw spots, white hot on my retina from the lighting. I could hear Duke's protests over the storm. Finally with a strong jerk, Duke broke free and raced after Pepper.