.:x:. C.leaning U.p.:x:.

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

Colt pulled up the new asphalt driveway to his and Novalle's ranch, a smile on his face. The place was beausiful, just how he'd imagined it. If Novalle could just stay out of trouble, then maybe they could stay here. He smiled at the thought, she'd never be able to stay out of trouble. As she said, trouble just seemed to find her. He stopped the truck next to the first barn, the main barn. It was the place where all unbred mares and all the geldings stayed, but Colt didn't keep any geldings, thats why he had a breeding stable. The only gelding he had were the ones he gelded himself, the ones he bred himself. He never bought a gelding, and he never would. It wasn't natural and it took something out of a male that was irreplaceble. Of course, on occasion he'd geld a stallion that was too tempermental for the buyer, but only if the buyer requested it. He sometimes set up the buyers for his foals right after they were born, but not always. Most of the horses he bred were auctioned off at the end of every year at the Lonely Pines Auction, and when all the buyers registered, he checked them out thoroughly and extinsively. He had never sold one of his horses to a bad home, and he never intended too. He opened the trailer door and unloaded Lady and led her to the first stall. All the stalls were vacant right now, except for the one that Valentine was in, but that was two barns over in the breeding barn. Colt had been waiting for her to come into heat so he could breed her too Aztec, he kept her and Colt there so they'd be close together whenever the time came. He also had the wild bay mustang that he caught a few days ago, but he was alone in the stallion barn. He'd soon have company though. Colt ran through the rain after he locked Lady in a stall and went back for Melosa. Soon he put her in a nearby stall, then he went out and drove over to the breeding barn and unloaded Aztec into that one. He put her in the stall next to Valentine's. Then, running through the rain he took the Silver stallion to the stallion barn. he put him in the stall right beside the Bay stallions, but wasn't worried about them getting to each other, all the stalls in that barn were steel reinforced and padded so they couldn't harm themselves. He walked to the tack room and grabbed a few brushes, a med. kit, and his farrier tools. He walked into the stallions stall and slipped a rope halter over his head before leading him to the wash rack. He soon bathed all his cuts and wounds and disinfected them with peroxide. When he was finished he led the stallion back to the box stall and turned him loose. He trotted to the feed room and soon mixed up a warm bran mash with some calcium supplements to balance out the effect of the phosphorous in the bran. He went to the stallion and sthingyed that mash into his bucket and was happy when he saw how much the stallion enjoyed it. He had already cleaned up the Bay stallion earlier, with fewer bruises than he thought he would get. The stallion surely way wild, and he surely was a beauty.

{finish it later}

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

He poured some regular crimped oats into the bay's bucket and went back to the truck after putting everything away. He drove around to the equipment shed and back the trailer into it's space, so that it would be weathered by the rain, and unhitched it. Then, jumping into the dually, he drove back to the main barn to call Lindsay. When he reached the main barn he went into the office and dialed the number of the vet's office, hoping to find that she was still in her office so she could make it over to check on the stallions. He thought they were okay, but he wanted to get her opinion to be sure. He dialed the only number that was tacked to the bullitine board.

[pksgirl]

Lindsay drove down the driveway,what a beautiful place.New,crisp andclean just like theres.She walked up to the barn,hoping Tex wouldnt eb there..reallyshe didnt want anyone there.No offense to anybody..she wasnt in the mood..for people in general.She knew a ride would be good,but she had work to do.She looked around for colt and just stood in what appeared to be the main entrance..she didnt look amazing at all.She was wearing blood stained jeans and an old tee shirt.What could she say,shed just delivered a calf about a minute before Colt called.

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

Colt jogged down the barn aisle towards Lindsay, he slowed down as he reached her. He smiled apologetically. Sorry if I pulled you away from anything important, but I'm really getting worried about this one stallion. Him and Aztec got into it earlier and both of them are looking pretty bad. Aztec seems alright though, it's mainly just the other stallion, but i would appreciate if you'd take a look at both of them. He turned and headed towards the breeding barn, which was the next barn over. The rain had let up a bit, so he didn't offer to drive. The draining system was great, so their were no mud puddles anywere. He walked into the 2nd barn and headed towards Aztec's stall. He stopped and grabbed Aztecs halter. Do you have any tranquilizer, cause your not gonna get into the stall with him unless he's drugged. He said as he moved into the stall with Aztec, whose eyes were already rolling back in his head. He started snorting, ready to rear-up.

[pksgirl]

Lindsay looked at colt and just smiled and said"Tranquilizer...isnt needed"she said.She steped in the stall and could see the horse thinking about threatining to charge.She raised her left arm and made him move around her in circles,her standing in the middle of the stall.He was unhappy and worried,but eventually he started to bow and lick his lips.She back off and softened her belly.The stallion turned to look at her and came forward.She walked up in a rainbow towards his shoulder.He stood patiently and she checked him over looking at every wound carefully.She sliped him a cookie and walked towards the door"He should be fine,clean his wounds twice a day" she said as she closed the stall door behind her and then added"Next time follow my rule of thumb,always have at least half an acre between two stallions paddocks,and if there known tofight make sure there nowhere insight of each other"Said Lindsay looking at Coltwaiting for him to point her to the next stall,h could call her strange,or a freak.But this was how she worked,she only sadated horses if needed.And eeded meant she didnt have time to do anything,it was a get in before its to late situation,which this was the total oposite.

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

Aztec exploded, slamming his hooves in every direction, screaming with rage. The boards of the stall cracked and splintered into pieces as he tried to get at the girl that dared to come into his stall. He hated everyone but Colt, and he never let anyone touch him but Colt. he fought his hardest to get out of the stall, and he probably would have if Colt hadn't been there to calm him down. Colt glared at Lindsay, she was basically calling him an idiot. I know where and how to keep stallions, I'm not an idiot Lindsay. Amy and me were trail riding when the other stallion attacted us, I left him to take Amy and get a doctor, when I got back the other stallion was almost dead and Aztec had taken over his herd. It wasn't as if I put them in the same stall out of stupidity and sat by ringing my hands saying "Oh, Dear " while they tried to kill each other. With that Colt turned and stalked out of the barn and towards the stallions barn. He'd take Aztec their later, so he would be in a padded stall where he couldn't hurt himself, for now, the infuriated stallion would be fine. He stopped next to the silver stallions barn, glancing at the bay stallion. Would Lindsay recognize him as the stallion had attacked her? He doubted it, she wasn't being very friendly, and he really didn't know why. They had been friends, he never hinted to anything different. Why was she being so rude? What had he done to inherit her wrath?

[pksgirl]

Lindsay glared at him and said"Seriously,its like you cant stand me anymore Colt.Im sorry im tired,annoyed and just plain pissed off lately okay?"She basically screamed.and then said softly"ITs so hard..".Lindsay amost in tears now took one look at the stallion in the next stall and shivered.She knew the horse,but she didnt care.She needed to deal with the silver stallion.She just looked at Colt and said"Dotn treat me like a kid,Im your vet at the moment.respect that"Said linday as she unlatched the door and stepped in.This horse lashed and kicked at herbut she just made him walk around the stall,in both directions.Colt was looking at her like she was nuts but she didnt care.She drew him in and he looked at her,he wondered who she was.She simply said softly to the stallion"you can be brave,you can trust me".With those words thestallion lowered his head.Lindsay glanced at his sores and grabbed a medicated cloth from her back pocket.She cleaned them all up and walked out of the stall.
<fixed it>

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

{the bay stallion (the one woh attacked Lindsay, is in the stall beside the silver stallion, the silver stallion is the one that is hurt, not the bay stallion}

Colt looked at her, his jaw dropped. Me? Can't stand you?!?!? What are you talking about? I'm your friend Lindsay and you just came in here acting as if I was some scum that fell off the bottom of your shoe! I do respect your abilities as a vet, but right now your acting as if I did something wrong and I'd like to know what it was that made you hate me. If your gonna act like that I think I should at least get an explanation. He snapped back, feeling hurt that the one person he regarded as a true friend had turned on him so suddenly. Maybe Novalle had been right, maybe this was just a bad place too be. He sighed and pulled his hat off and ran his hand through his thick, black hair. He couldn't expect her to understand, she probably hated him for liking Amy. He did like her as well, but the age difference had been too great for him to over come... she was almost the same age as his sister, and he just couldn't date someone that was so much younger then him. He did like her as a friend though, and he thought that they could be friends, but maybe he had been wrong, maybe she would always let her own feelings get in the way of their friendship.

[pksgirl]

She looked at Colt and said softly"You wanna hear why im pissed off?fine ill tell you but you may wanna sit down" she said almost in tears.She then went back to her vet side and said "He needs to have his wounds clean with medcine.Which ill get for you.He also needs some medication in his feed...which ill also get you from the truck.Also do you know what tee touch is?she asked politly hoping he wouldnt think she thought she was totally stupid..like he probably did already.She went over to the next stall and looked the angry stallion over"Hes pretty..nice legs.But i have a reason to hate his hooves"said lindsay as she looked at the bay stallion from the door,laughing at the part about the hooves.Not an amzing laugh more like an im trying to comfort myself and maybe smile laugh.She looked at colt again and said"so do you wanna know why?or do you just want me to go"said lindsay.

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

Colt looked at her, his eyes softening. Yes, I'd really like to know why. His voice was as soft and friendly as his expression, he nodded his head as she talked about the medicine, he'd already cleaned the cuts and used a very effective healing salve, but the medicine should help the stallion to ward off any infection that may come up later. He watched Lindsay as he leaned against the stall, nodding as she spoke of the bay stallion. He didn't take his eyes off her though.

[pksgirl]

"Well will start with me as a five year old..then work our way up to today.Other wards itll make absolutly no sense"she leaned on the stall,bit her lip and got started"Well when I was five my father passed away...and somehow they decided me,the oldest of us three was chosen to be adopted.So I moved to what i thought was a ice family,well it wasnt.I was abused,phsicaly,emotionally,and slightly sexually.The next family had slave written all over it.I spent my days cleaning and working,well there girls danced around and created more work..then I came to the lambert family.My hands were dry,cracked and bleeding from work,but they fixed me up and I was happy.I missd my mom,but i liked it here.Ali was oblvious about me being adopted until a few days ago.Well after they died I went thre three teachers...One raped me,two malested me every day for a semester each.Then I skipped three grades,became a vet and moved here.Well Devon is upset because he feels out of place since he liked likde me and I felt of him more as a brother,Mandy almost died..not that that was anyones fault,Mandy is depressed and of course putting it all on my shoulders to cheer her up,Alison is getting better..but its still hard.And to top it all off I have katie and AShley and now Tex,hating me.So im not exactly little miss cheer ful"she said and then adding softly"Its just so hard..you know?"

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

Colt watched her, feeling a bit sorry but knowing what she had been through. He had been through a lot as a teenager and so had Novalle, Tex, and Reno. They'd all had hard lives, but they left their past in the past. Look, Lindsay, I'm really sorry for everything thats happened to you, and I'll talk to Tex and try to get him to leave you alone. But, what does any of that have to do with me? All I've done is try to be your friend, and I know that sometimes stress can cause you to act strange, but, your acting like somehow it was all my fault. Are you mad at me Lindsay? Are you mad at me personally? His voice and his eyes conveyed the hurt that he felt, not only for her, but for their friendship. It wasn't as if he'd done anything to hurt her, but he was afraid that she hated him for falling for Amytal, he really couldn't help it though, but if thats what it was, he wanted her to admit it so they could get past those feelings that confined their friendship to hostility and bitterness for Colt decisions.

[pksgirl]

"No colt..im not mad at you..and hopefully your not madat me" said lindsay in a soft voice.She was carring so much stress..and she was taking it out on all the wrong people.She bitherlip and prayed the tear in herleft eye wouldnt fall.

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

Colt stood up when he saw her on the verge of tears and walked over, wrapping his thick, well-muscled arms around her. It's okay Lindsay. I could never be mad at you. He said softly as he rocked her back and forth, the same as he would have for his sister.

[pksgirl]

"Thanks"said lindsay.She wiped her tears and then decided that she had people who cared about her,and that shed be okay.She suddenly felt playful...like having fun.She looked at Colt and smiled her daring smile and said playfully"tag your it"she spun on her heel walking fastly out of the barn,as soon as she left the building she burst into a full sprint.Who care sif he thought she was uts,she wanted to have fun.