Hiding in the Shadows

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A plae body ran through the fields of many ranch homes and pastures. Jumping fences and zig-zaging between tree's and bushes. Brown eyes watched as the sun began to come above the horizon of a start of a new day. A cough escaped the pale pink lips as a dirty hand covered the lips to cover it. This body wasn't what you'd think would be out in the woods ducking behind tree's and hiding under bushes away from humans. Brown eyes looked to the mutt at her feet and couldn't help, but smile at the dog and rubbed the ears of the mutt who was looking up at her panting. It was to hot even before the sun had came up and they needed water before the day ever started.

The red headed girl stopped at a farm house with a barn and smiled and knew this was going to be their chance to get some water. Short, skinny legs took off toward the barn with the dog trailing behind her. The brown eyes watched for any lights in the house or a barn door open. She didn't need to be caught, not now. Who knows what would happen if someone caught her on their land. The red head found a water horse and followed it the water fauset and began to get bottles out of her bag and filling them up. With the summer hitting like it did there was no water to be found so she had to pretty much "steal" the water so that Roxie and her could live. The red head filled up all the bottles and began putting them in the backpack that she brought from her last foster home.

Courtney zipped up the bag and began to walk around the ranch yard. Hoping find some dog food that was left outside maybe or maybe a trash can to find some food that wasn't all that rotten. Courtney hated eatting rotten food, but she had nothing else to eat and neither did Roxie. So she did what she could since she had no money to call her own. Courtney kept digging into the trash as she tossed some meat to Roxie and then found some apple's that been thrown in the trash and stuffed them into her bag. Once she had her bag filled Courtney zipped it up and looked down at Roxie and handed her another piece of meat.

Courtney thought she heard a noise come from the house as she took off running toward the barn hoping to find somewhere to hide out. Courtney opened the barn door as the smell of horse's and hay hit her. Courtney wanted to stand there and just take in the scent, but she needed to find somewhere quick to hide. Courtney grabbed Roxie as she found some stairs to a loft. Once she was in the loft she found some hay in a corner and stuck her small body into the back of the corner with Roxie. Waiting....

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As the three dogs ran at the door they were barking. Bella thought nothing of it, Adam rolled his eyes and called them back. The dirty blond girl stood from her bucket and procceded to the barn. Bleu was about three or four steps in front of her when she heard something in the loft. Her eyes narrowed as she stepped lightly up the old wooden stairs. The black and white dog began a low growl in the pit of his stomach. "It's alright boy" Bella grabbed his blue collar and told him to sit. "Hello?" Bella questioned, she had her dog here so she wasn't as worried. Bleu sat as command but the low growl didn't cease. "Is anyone here?" Bella could have sworn that she heard a small whine that a dog made, but shrugged it off. Before she turned around she took Bleu by the collar and walked along with him to the bales of hay. His breathing intesified as they got closer. Bella looked about but nothing, she spoke once more to see if whatever it was would come out. "Hello?"

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Courtney heard dogs barking which made Roxie's hair standup.No Roxie, we are trying to hide.She said in a whisper so they wouldn't get caught, but as quickly as she told Roxie to be quite she heard footsteps on the steps. Courtney held her breath as she heard another dog growling and someone talking.Crap She was trapped in a corner with haybales hiding her the best she could. Courtney knew she need to make her escape which would be now if she ever wanted to get away from this person she would have to leave this stupid hidding spot. Courtney's heart raced as the dog and human got closer and she could feel their breath down her skin as she felt like she was shaking. Courtney couldn't take this anymore and pushed the haybales away from her as her brown eyes caught the blonde girl with her dog. Courtney let go of Roxie and took off running down the wooden stairs with Roxie on her heels. Courtney was running as fast as she could until she hit something and fell to the ground and when she looked up there was another person.Crap

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Bella stumbled backwards as a girl, much younger than her, and a dog flew from the haybales. "Bleu get them!" She yelled towards the dog. He took off down the stairs and after the dog and her owner. Bella rushed down the stairs to see the young girl on the ground with her dog by her side. Adam had pushed himself up off his chair and walked off the porch of the farmhouse. "Bleu! Stop!" Adam commanded the dog to halt as he did. With his arms crossed and his feet spread shoulder-width apart, he was ready for the girl to run into him. With the impact Adam was rocked back to his heels but stayed on his feet. His large blue eyes starred down at the young redhead. Bleu had found his place on the porch with the other two dogs where he had been eariler. Bella raced out of the barn and stopped her quick pace and walked to her brother. "May I ask who you are?"

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Pale hands went to her head as she felt to check if there was any blood in her red hair, but there wasn't at all. Courtney's brown eyes looked up at the man who stood before her and then the women she knocked over. Courtney was only five foot so it was pretty hard to knock the bales over to make an escape. Roxie barred her teeth over at the two people and stood over Courtney. Courtney pushed Roxie off of her, but as she did she didn't know how to answer to the lady standing in front of her. Should she get up and run away or should she stay here. Courtney's brown eyes shifted to the lady and back to the man. Courtney started move backwards away from the two people standing infront of her.

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Bella looked down at the little redhead. "Excuse me Miss, but you have intruded on our land I would like to known who you are and why you were hiding in my hayloft." Her voice got more forceful, as she grew more angry that the girl didn't answer. Without a word Adam held out his hand to the young lady. He didn't want to frighten her, which was what his sister seemed to be doing. "Bella stop it, here why don't you come in." A glare shot from Bella's blue eyes. Her nostrils flared and she rolled her eyes. Her brother was so naive, they didn't know who this girl was, why she was on their land, or where she had come from.

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Courtney moved fasted back and as she heard the words get angier toward her. Courtney froze up like she always did before she got hit or slammed against a wall or anything really. Courtney sat on the ground frozen with her brown eyes moving back and forth between the two people. She watched as the man began to move his arm toward her and Courtney covered her face with her arms. That was one place she hated being hit at, because she always had to see it everyday. Courtney spread her fingers out as she caught a glimps of the man not threating to hit her, but to help her off the ground. Should she trust these two people who was yelling at her or should she just run fast off of their land? Courtney wasn't sure and sat on the ground watching them behind her hands.

[runningl]

With the quick movement from the girl Adam stayed in his position. He wanted the girl to feel comfortable, but obviously with Bella breathing down her neck. It was quite apparent that thr girl wasnt accepting his hand. So he crouched down Adam asked her once more, "May we know what your name is?" Bella walked to the porch and sat back on her bucket. It was sitting against the wall because they hadn't had any time to get chairs. The twenty-one year old closed her eyes as she was stressed with the moving and now this. A young girl who refused to tell them anything about her, much less her name. Adam waited for the answer, hoping he got one at all.

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Roxie laid down behind Courtney as she began to drop her hands looking at the guy. Could she talk to this guy and trust him? Maybe she should give him a false name and make a run for it before they even found out her real name. Courtney didn't want them to call the cops on her and be sent back to the orphange. Courtney sighed alittle and picked up some dirt with her hand and played with it. She felt like a child again playing in a sand box with all her little toys at the park all by herself. Courtney had taken care of herself when she was younger as her parents did care where she went or what she did so why would these two people would? Green eyes glanced up to the man who was crouched down before her and knew right then and there she needed to tell them. He was being to nice to her not to tell him her name.Court..neyShe said with a small studder as she was scared what the man would do.

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Adam nodded, "Well Courtney would you like to come inside?" You look like you've been traveling for a while." Once again Adam's good-nature was getting the better of him. Bella glared at him and walked off to the barn. Besides she would rather ride Bear than be here. Adam wasn't about to call the cops on the scared out of her mind teenager. He wouldn't take that unneeded action, unlike his sister who would have her butt in jail for trespassing. The twenty-four year old rose from his crouching position and put out his hand once more. He wanted to help her, he felt as if she needed it. Bella brought Bear from his stall and pushed herself up on the fence. The gelding was much taller than herself and couldn't get up bareback without a boost. His halter was tied and clipped to both ends of the leadrope to have a make-shift bridle. Riding bareback, Bella rode to the arena. She needed to get this off her mind.

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Courtney looked at Adam and knew she probley stunk to high heaven and was starving, but how could she trust someone that she didn't even know. But when he put his hand out one more time she took her hand and placed it in his and stood up. Courtney wasn't very tall at all, maybe five foot or less. This girl was short and skinny. Her red hair was matted together as the creek didn't help washing it away and he lost her brush a couple weeks ago. So she only used her hands which didn't help either. Courtney could tell the lady of the house hold didn't even want her here,but when she came out with a horse all Courtney could do was stare and follow her to the arena. Courtney wanted to watch what the women did with her horse. Courtney leaned against the fence to the arena and just watched.

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Adam helped her up, and watched Courtney walk to the arena. Bear's large hooves hit the sand, and dust flew. Eariler Bella had set up three jumps in a row, not that far off the ground, but far enough for the gelding to jump. Bella posted at the trot as the approaching the jumps. Bear left the ground easily. Wit his long legs, Bear was a great jumper, but he wasn't exactly good with shows. He didn't have the mind set to focus on the jumps with the crowd watching. The second two jumps came quickly but they cleared them both. Bella saw Courtney watching and decided to try and act much nicer than what she had been. "Do you ride?" Bella looked down at the girl.

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Courtney watched the large horse and rider ride around the arena and smiled. She sure did miss riding horse's, but it had been so long since she rode that she probley forgot everythin. Courtney grasphed the wooden fence as Bella and Bear began to approach the jumps as they cleared all three of the jumps and couldn't help but smile when they cleared them. Courtney missed that thrill of trying to go clean in a show round. Brown eyes watched an the women came near with the horse as he heart started to beat out of her chest.Do you ride? Courtney thought about that question for a minute and really didn't know how to answer it. This women was trying to be nice to her and she could see that. Courtney stuck her hand out to pet the large beast.I..I used to ride. She looked up to the women and sighed. She wish she could now, but she would probley fall on her face. Courtney looked at the both of them and couldn't help but smile. They sure was being way to nice to her when other people would have shooed her away.

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Bella's eyebrow raised, "Do you want to?" She slid down and her feet hit the ground. Untying the leadrope from the one side of the halter. She lead the Clydesdale out of the gate and stood waiting for the answer. Adam was standing out of sight for Courtney, but not for Bella. He flung his hands all over the place, it was obvivious that he didn't think it was a good idea. Bella ignored him and looked back to the girl. "We have a very good and calm gelding if you would like to try and ride again." Cocking her head with a slight smile on her face.

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Courtney looked at the large Clydesdale and petted his neck. it felt amazing to actual feel the horse hair under her hands. Courtney smiled at the thought of riding again and looked at the women and watched her. She wasn't sure what to do, but something in her heart told her to get back on a horse. Courtney looked down at the ground and sighed. She didn't own a pair of boots or riding jeans. Courtney wished her grandparents didn't pass away when she was eleven so she could ride, but ofcourse they did and then her parents got caught abusing her and was shoved to some people she didn't even know.Yes...She told the women standing before her. She wanted to get back on a horse and why not now?

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Nodding she lead Courtney and Bear to the barn. Bella could sense that Courtney wasn't like everyone else. "This is Sun. He is very calm and in my opinion lazy, but is a good boy." She said stopping at the gelding's stall. Bear had enough working time toda, she put the Clydesdale in his stall and unhooked his halter. Putting it on the hook outside his stall, Bella made her way to the tack room. She came out with Sun's western saddle, saddle pad, girth, and bridle. Putting the tack by the cross ties, Bella led the gelding out of his stall and clipped him in the cross ties. She quickly put his tack on and held out the reins for Courtney to have. She grabbed Willow and quickly slipped the mare's bridle on. "Alright you ready?" Bella shortened the mare's reins and grabbed a bit of her mane, soon enough Bella was sitting on the Mustang.

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Courtney followed the girl into the barn and looked at the gelding and smiled at the horse named sun. Courtney wanted to get in there and just love all over him, but she didn't and kept back. When the women brought a western saddle and saddled up Sun all Courtney could do was look at the women. Courtney took the reins the women gave her and sighed, she had never ridden in a western saddle ever in her life. Even though she lived in Wyoming she was trained in English because her grandparents that was more of a girl sports than western. Courtney held onto the reins and looked up at the women. I don't know how to ride Western. She said for the first time actual saying a full sentence pretty much. Courtney knew that she was lucky enough to actual ride a horse and maybe she shouldn't be so picky, but she didn't even know what to do in a western saddle or anything.

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Bella moved Willow forward and she got to the end of the barn. Hearing the Courtney say that she didn't know how to ride Western, the twenty-one year old turned on the Mustang and said, "It is okay, Western is just a bigger saddle, and we are going on a trail ride. It is much more comfortable." Bella turned around and flicked her hand telling the girl to follow her. She slid down off the Mustang mare and held the reins, to ensure the mare wouldn't run off. Walking over to Sun, she petted his nose. Adam walked into the barn with the three dogs behind. He came out of the barn with Queen the paint mare and her western tack on. Adam walked over to Courtney and pulled the step stool over to the left stirup. "By the way I am Bella Archer and this is my brother Adam. This is Willow and that is Queen." Bella pointed to the Mustang mare that she was riding and then the paint mare that stood by Adam. The twenty-four year old male mounted the chestnut tovero mare and Bella pulled herself back up onto Willow. "Go ahead, he won't move." Adam said with a smile.

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Courtney rubbed the neck of the gelding standing beside him.It's now or neverShe said with a slight smile adn pulled off her backpack and palced it by a stall so she wouldn't forget it later when she needed to leave. Courtney grabbed the stepping stool for her short little legs and put her foot into the western sturrip and up she went to land in the saddle softly. The saddle was a lot different than anything she has ever rode before. Once both of her feet were in the sturrips she nudged the gelding to move forward into a walk. Courtney looked toward the women named Bella and frowned alittle I'm Courtney she didn't tell them her lastname just incase people was looking for her. She didn't want to get caught by the cops and be dragged off to Wyoming to spend her life in an orphange.

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"How does it feel?" Adam asked Courtney. Although Bella was being nosey she wanted to know as much as possible about the girl who was riding her horse. "May I ask where you are from?" The dirty blond girl whistled and up off the porch came the dogs. Lily, Bleu, and Cooper stood by horses. Ready to go for a walk with the three horses. Bella felt as if Courtney was hiding something. But she shrugged it off, because she didn't give her any reason to believe her gut feelings. Lily barked and then Cooper joined her. "Lily! Cooper! Knock it off!" Adam yelled, annoyed at the repeated barks of the two dogs. Bleu just sat by stood by Bella, quietly. With the look on his face, Bella could tell he was annoyed with the two others barks as well.

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Courtney looked behind her and saw Roxie behind Son so she didn't say anything to Roxie as she was just following in behind like a good dog should. Courtney smiled alittle toward Roxie her little mix mutt. When Bella asked her where she was from Courtney kind of froze for a minute. She couldn't tell them she was from Wyoming a neighboring state ofcourse there would be fliers and things on the news. Umm...Californiashe lied, but she had to she didn't want to go back to Wyoming and live in an orpahage and go see her horriable parents once a week. I bet they don't even know I'm gone, plus they probley don't care. She said to herself as she knew he father blamed everything on her because she couldn't keep her mouth "shut", but she didn't say anything to him. Courtney shivered at the thought of her father a very horriable man who shouldn't ever be let out of jail.It's okay She said to Adam as the saddle was very different than what she was used to, but she sat in the saddle like a pro. Many people said it came natural to her on how to ride horse's or well that's what her trainers told her grandparents.

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"Your a long way from home." She nodded thinking a bit, but disregarding it. Squeezing Willow's side the mare walked on. Queen automactically followed, her and Willow had been friends since they both ended up at Adam and Bella's parents' ranch. Lily and Cooper had already taken off into the fields and onto the trail. Bleu walked quietly behind Willow, he stood beside Courtney's dog. About three yards away, but the brute's dog, every no and then, his eyes would wander up and he would look at her. Adam stayed towards the back with Queen, although when the mare felt like it, she would try to pull ahead with Willow.

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Courtney looked at Bella and sighed and wish she could tell them where she was actual from, but really she couldn't she didn't want to go back there. Yah, but not far enough Courtney's eyes went huge when those words slipped through her lips she didn't want to say those words. She meant for that to stay in her mind, but it hadn't worked. Courtney wanted to hit herself in the face fo saying something so stupid that might make them call the cops on her. Courtney hadn't done anything bad she just was tired of being in hundered different homes and no one care about you. Courtney rubbed the geldings neck and nudged him forward to follow Bella and her mare.

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Confused by the girl's comment, Bella rode on. Coming to the part of the trail where it was rocky and steep, she told Courtney, "Lean back slightly while going down the hill, Sun can pick his way down. He is very sure-footed." Bella reassured her incase there were any doubts as to how the gelding would react to the large rocks. Adam sat back in the saddle as Queen picked her way down through the steep trail. Bleu had pushed closer to Courtney's dog, and nudged her. For one of the first times he barked. Bella jumped a bit at the bark from the almost muted dog. He bounced around waiting for the other dog to join him. Bleu at this point usually wandered off to find Lily and Cooper, but he had waited for the unknown dog. Bella waited when she got to the flat, Willow was lead horse and almost always made it down first. With a deep breathe she turned back to see if Queen was still behind her.

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Courtney looked at the rocky footing and gave Sun his head by putting her hand out to give him extra reins so he could do whatever he wanted incase he tripped he would have his head. Courtney shook her head and was kind of nervouse and the slope so with her left hand she took a hold of the horn so keep her balance on their way down from the slope. Once she made it to the bottom she regrouped her reins adn stood beside Willow and looked down. She was going to look at Bella, but something told her if she did she might just explode. Roxie looked at the other dog when it came closer to her she barked a little at the dog and then began chasing the dog. She watned to have alittle fun since Courtney was being cared for and took off toward the other dogs.How much of this land is yours?She asked them just making sure that her little "homestead" wasn't on their land so she wouldn't be tresspassing.