Savor the Waterveil

Chapters

A Simple Breeze
Collecting the Mist
Call of the Wild Hearts
It Rained Today

A Simple Breeze

Savor the Waterveil

A Simple Breeze

Chapter 1

"Knight! Hey Knight!"

It was nearing spring time along the countryside, the rolling hills dotted in dark spots due to clouds lazing on in the sky, along with a gentle breeze with the afternoon air. Near the end of those hills and crop fields was an expansive forest that held for miles in every direction. With the location, it was odd for the soil to be sufficient enough to yield simple crops, the surrounding trees making it eerily circular. The farm sat central to the valleys location, which held a two story farmstead home along with a fairly large oak colored barn, two storage size sheds sat next to each other, and a steel silo sat next to the home itself. Along the outskirts of the property stood simple wooden fences held with cylindrical posts throughout its bearing, spaced through the middle, holding a long dirt lane-way which transferred to gravel as it neared the property.

Knight laid himself out on his back along the open fields of the Marsh Family Farmlands, being a slightly average sized male earth pony, his dark blue coat pressed against the grass. He shifted slightly as the temperate warm breeze blew through his splayed out mane and tail, the lighter hue of his coat blue and silver streak intermingling in the grass. Relaxing as the changing of the seasons brought changing temperature and weather fronts that pleased his sense of nature's calming aura. He enjoyed his time on Marsh Farms, as he himself usually coined it, as there was only ever one 'Marsh' that he met present.

"Knight! Ah' know yer' awake and can hear me, get yer' ass up bud!" a feminine voice cut through the general silence of the afternoon air.

"Mmmnn", he grumbled as his afternoon relaxation was interrupted. "Elise, you know, you never fail to help yourself to my never ending misery", he said jokingly as he flipped to the side, looking in the direction of the tormentor to his sleep.

Standing ten feet away from the prone form of Knight was a human female, stocky in build and frame, standing at five feet and ten inches. Adorning a jean style pair of farming overalls with a white tank-top undershirt, matched with rustic tan leather working boots. Falling to her shoulders from her head was wavy caramel blonde hair, dark green eyes completing the southern girls appearance.

Elise smirked in knowing mockery, "Oh woe is you, how very tragic, ya' lazy blue sack". Standing with her hands on her hips her left heel digging into the harder less fertile field dirt. "Nap time is over, time to get tah' chorin' bud", she threw a thumb over her right shoulder towards the barn.

"Uuggh, and here I thought you cared for my well being", he chipped as he slowly forced himself up, stretching out his front and rear legs, feeling a slight pop or two within the joints and exhaling at the comfort.

"Of course ah' do, but that also entails that ah' care for my livelihood, and if it falters because ye' were on yer' rear, then ah' need to make ya' compensate me for the damages", she all but said in a joking manner, yet the words had a sincerity behind them.

Chuckling at her words he stood fully up, standing at around five feet five inches, his mane matted with some dirt from laying on the ground for some time. "I'm aware, you act like I don't contribute around here Elise" he said as he started making his way towards the barn, Elise following at a matched walking pace.

"Oh shut it, ya' know damn well ah' couldn't do half this crap if it weren't for everything that we did together" she said smiling, as she delivered a weak slug into his left shoulder area.

Lunar smiling at her antics used the hoof on the leg that she just hit, to give her a lighthearted slug right back into her arm. "Hehe, I know. Though, I wonder if your pride is still recovering after your last crushing defeat the last time I beat you in a race" he said eyeing the barn in the distance about a hundred yards away.

Elise seeing where he was looking, looked back at him with a smirk as she started into a light, Lunar keeping pace starting into a light sped up trot, "Thems fightin' words little pony, ya' really want this tah' go down", she asked as her jog slowly turned into a brisk run.

"Like Tuscany Vanilla Birch on Sweet Mango Freeze sister!", he said giving her an equally challenging smirk as his trot morphed into a starting gallop.

"Wait, what?", her slight confusion slowing her from beginning her built up run.

Using this temporary distraction tactic Knight broke into a full speeding gallop, his hooves pressing into the earth as his sudden acceleration kicked up a bit of the top standing dirt

"Oh ya' sunuva, get back here ya' cheatin' shit", she hollered as she only then broke into a generous sprint, her own stride covering a decent amount of ground in a short span. The both of them using as much gas as they could for their impromptu race, each pushing themselves to claim the victory where only they kept score. Yet, to them, score didn't matter all that much. It was how the two had kept each other company for the string of months since Elise had found and subsequently met Knight. Their friendship coming from a test of trust, though to anyone that would watch with an outside perspective, it would seem like they knew each other for more than just a few months.

Along the acres of property that the farm resided upon, only the sounds of ambient nature and the wind flowing through the trees could be heard, along with the hollering and chirping of two heated competitors. The backdrop to a true scenic portion of nature that held few animals, and no other sense of outside intervention. The only true sense of civilization coming in the form of the nearest local town of 'Revils'. A fairly small and sparse town of locals, generally consisting of individuals with plots of land used to grow basic crops to be shipped out to the larger populations of miles apart adjacent cities.

------------------Later that evening------------------

Knight and Elise shoved their way into one of the sheds adjacent to the barn, their grunts and chuckles bouncing off the enclosed space as they deposited bags they had been carrying onto the floor. Both quite dirty and caked with a decent amount of sweat, taking long drawn out breaths as they came over their bout of exertion.

"Whew, would you look at the time", he feigned as he brought his hoof glancing at it as he took heavy breaths, "It's about that time where you need to come in second place, again", he said. His mane stuck to the side of his neck as he talked between his breaths. Smiling whilst looking up at his equally exhausted friend, her breathing not much better.

"Yeah Yeah, keep yapping on", she said as her previous slightly irritated face turned into one of smugness, "See if ah' buy you any more apples from Hearts", she said as she watched his face morph from grinning to one of pained shock. She alluded to his little addiction of the juicy green tree orbs that he had fallen deeply in love with, ever since she had introduced the produce that a local small farmers market had yielded without fail since he had called this farm home.

"... You wouldn't dare!", his eyes narrowing at her, challenging her hopefully empty threat.

A short silence was held between the two as they had a mini staring contest.

"... Try me pony boy", she said with a Cheshire like grin.

They continued to stare at one another, neither moving an inch holding the deep gaze, until Knight eventually relented as he looked away silently and began to make his way past Elise through the opening in the shed. He didn't fail to notice the devilish grin plastered to her face, her seeming to have triumphed over his recent cocky boasting.

"That's low Elise, you know i can't live without 'Hearts' delicious Granny Smiths", he said as he sighed slowly trotting past her.

Elise turned herself out as well, following and only pausing to close and lock up the shed as they left, both making their way towards the front of the house, "Ah' know, but it got ya' tah' stop with all that yappin' of yours", she chuckled as she caught up with him. Their pace matching as the walked side by side just enjoying their own fun as they continued to go through their day.

"Uh huh, which reminds me, my supply is getting low. Could i bother you for a trip into town soon?", his demeanor shifting back to one of genuine friendliness, complimented with a gentle smile as he spoke to her.

"Hmm, ah' guess ah' gotta' make a trip into town anyway. Got tah' get some feed and groceries any how, i might grab you some", she said halfheartedly, feigning not caring for his request.

"Come on! You weren't actually serious were you?", he asked genuinely believing she would hold to her earlier threat, a look of slight worry washing over his face.

She held her face for as long as she could before through her straight face a snort slipped through her nose, until it devolved into a generous cackle at his worry, "Ah Ha, oh tha' look on yer' face, got' damn priceless!" her little giggle fit continued as Knights' own expression went to one of slacked irritation.

"Yeah, you're a damn comedian alright. But seriously i would greatly appreciate it", his genuine voice pulling Elise out of a full cackle into a more manageable chuckle.

Waving her hand back and forth trying to wave off his concern, "Would ya' stop bein' so damn pissy? Ah'll get ya' yer' damn apples, yer' such a prissy pile sometimes ya' know?", she commented as they neared the front porch. Knight taking a relaxed position as he laid himself on his belly, his legs and hooves folding underneath him, in a prone position across the crossing planks of wood. Elise pushing open the screen door as she made her way inside to wash up after their day of chores.

"You know you can't live without me!", he hollered as she moved through the interior of the entrance of the home, kicking off her dirty boots. The only response he received was an outstretched arm behind her back, along with a middle digit from her right hand as she disappeared behind a corner, moving towards the living area of the house and into the washroom.

Knight shaking his head chuckling as he positioned himself more comfortably in his portion of the deck. Watching and listening to the empty landscape, baring the odd farm animal here or there. Enjoying his time of relaxation after his work on the farm, the work itself not being to extensive or labor intensive on his side, just the basic feeding of animals and watering patches of crops that Elise herself had planted and maintained. With the sun coming along late in the day, a nice gentle evening plastered itself across the property, giving the sense of complete isolation, yet to Knight there was more than enough company for him. Elise being a generous and kind caretaker, he found solace in their friendship, which he in kind returned with labor and helping maintain her homestead. Only until recently had he started claiming and calling it his own home, starting out only thinking of the farm nothing more than simple friendly lodging. The property grew on him in time, and in that time so had Elise, the time they had been around each other cementing that fact that they were two peas in a pod.

About an hour had passed since Elise went into the home, and in that time Knight had simply stayed where he rested upon the front patio, relaxing and waiting for the day to continue on without his intervention. As the sun had crested over the tree line a soft glow came as the day shifted into a serene twilight setting. Light peeking over the horizon, lightly illuminating the grounds as the glow of the night, it's unobscured stars and moon crept slowly high over the landscape. The distant sound of crickets helping the near silent visage, giving it an ambient sleeping of natures aura. Knight shifted as he felt the shift and creak of the wood in the porch, slipping out of his resting stupor, shifting his gaze up to see a freshly clean and dressed Elise. She stood there wearing what seemed to be a set of sleeping fatigues, them not having any noticeable marking and or patterns. He noticed she had an outstretched hand held towards him, within the hand he noticed in the moonlight a slight gleam off of a cylindrical looking object.

It was at that moment he completely bolted upright into a sitting position on his back haunches, seeing the mystical object being offered to him, as it itself was a gift from a mighty and all powerful deity. Immediately snatching it with his two front hooves bringing it close to his muzzle, taking in the brilliance as Elise chuckled at his antics and took a seat in an old style white wooden rocking chair. Upon sitting she reached to the side and pulled up to what seemed to be a beverage in a glass bottle, she in a swift motion used a metallic ring she had tucked in her fatigues shirt pocket and popped the top off with a satisfying hiss. As the sound had reached his ears, Lunar had already taken a bite of the Granny Smith, smiling as the juice dribbled down his lips and producing a happy humming as he chewed.

Elise chuckled as she stared at her enraptured friend, "Ah' will never understand how ya' think an apple can taste that damn good", she commented as she brought the bottle to her lips and took a swig as the slightly bubbling liquid poured down her throat. Removing the drink from her lips with a smack as she swallowed making a satisfied sigh.

Swallowing his own snack Knight looked up with a questioning gaze, "What 'I' will never understand is how 'you' can stomach that liquid garbage", chirping right back as he went for another generous bite.

She looked at her bottle and then back at him before nodding her head in acknowledgment, "Touché there good buddy, tou-fucking-ché", she answered as she went for a bigger swig, the liquid burn giving her a satisfying release from the days work that built up in her muscles. "Fuck, what a day of chorin'! Though, it didn't help none that you were tryin' tah' race me every firin' chance ya' got", she remarked as she used her free hand to reach down and ruffed up his mane a bit.

Knight shook his head, trying to free himself from her teasing assault, as he did she moved her hand away as he spoke, "Hey, what can i say, I've got to keep you on your toes. I have to make sure you're in peak condition to run this farm", he said puffing out his chest as he sat, apple still in hoof.

"Haha, that's a fucking laugh! You know damn well it's just ya' and yer' damn inflated head on yer' shoulders. Got's nothin' to do with wantin' me to keep the farm goin', you damn cheatin' liar", she laughed as he tried to come up with a lame excuse.

Knights chest deflated as his smile faltered into one of playful pouting defeat, "I do too. I just have an odd way of showing it is all", he said as he feigned ignorance. Knowing full well that these types of things would never get by Elise and her very keen perception on things.

"Yeah, uh huh. Keep telling yer'self those things, not too long till ya' start believing them", she smiled as she looked out onto the dimly lit property, due in part to the glowing moon and bright stars.

Knight sighed as he looked in the same direction, sighing as they sat there quietly, the only sounds coming from the chair Elise sat in and was slowly rocking in. The silence stretched for a few moments more before Knight spoke, "You know i really do care though", he half asked and stated to her as they stared out into the night.

Elise smiled as she placed her hand back on the top of his head, slowly scratching at his mane moving down to his neck, Knight turning into the kind gesture enjoying the sensation of being scratched.

"Ah' know buddy", she sighed as she sat her now empty bottle next to her chair, continuing to lightly scratch at his head.

"Ah' know", they sat as the night continued around the property, the scene peacefully encasing the duo that had claimed it as their home.

------------------Elsewhere------------------

The bathroom mirror exploded out into pieces as it was struck with a dense flung object, the small and larger pieces littering the bathroom floor. The bathroom itself not in much better shape, articles of clothing ripped into shreds, samples of makeup and beauty care products broken and smashed open.

A scream rung out into the room, echoing off the tiles as another object was flung into the shower curtain, the impact ripping the rod out of it's mounting points sending it onto the floor with a crash. The figure yelled out as they collapsed to the floor, slapping and pounding at the floor as they sobbed out in pain. The chaos subsided as the individual halted their private outcry, the figure curled up into a ball as they choked and sobbed, the materials they had destroyed along with the glass pushing into their skin as they laid out on the tiled floor. The figure lay there for an elongated period of time before they pushed themselves up from the floor into a sitting position, curling their knees into their stomach as they continued to hiccup and cry.

Reaching off to the side the figure grasped for their personal mobile phone, waiting for a moment as they collected themselves, scrolling through the numerous contacts before pausing at a number that halted their searching. Holding the phone in their hands staring at the screen, they took a deep breath to quell their distress before pushing the 'Call' option with their thumb. Putting the phone up to their ear the figure waited as the phone dial tone rung several times before going to a voicemail box, the tone beeping out as the message began to record. With slightly shaky breaths the individual spoke as the scene of absolute anger and destruction sat around them.

"H-hey Elise... It's me..."

Chapter 1 End

Author's Note

Well... Here it is! I honestly wondered how this would look transferred into a Fic setting. Something i didn't expect was my writing for Elise, i originally didn't have her put in such a certain personality. It kind of just came to me as i put her words out, it felt a little better, although i wonder how bad my attempt at a drawl looks on paper... I'm just going to be safe in assuming it's not great to look at!

Anyways this is kind of my little side project from daily life at the moment, so hopefully i can get the story that i have in my head out before i lose interest!

And! In that respect i ask that if anyone does indeed read this, i would greatly appreciate any input you guys have! Tell me how trash my writing is, let me know where my grammatical fuck-ups are, they are out there i know it, i can smell em'! So hopefully anyone who stumbles across my little boredom words will enjoy it! Thank you, much appreciated, and is it Thursday yet? Take Care!

Collecting the Mist

Savor the Waterveil

Collecting the Mist

Chapter 2

The sun crept slowly upwards from its hiding in the eastern horizon the next morning, the chill temperatures from the night holding as light began to pour onto the landscape. A wave of wind washed and blew over the trees housing the vast forest, giving life to the previous sleeping woods and its inhabitants. Small chitterings emitting from forest animals, along with the sound of an odd bird call here and there could be heard echoing through the perimeter of the Marsh Family Farms property. Though little movement was seen on the farm grounds themselves, with the only movement coming from within the barn and the house itself.

One side of the large double barn doors shifted as it swayed slowly open, as from within a freshly coated in early morning sweat Elise emerged. Wiping said sweat from her brow she turned to close back up the barn doors locking the sliding bolt into place, before turning on her heel and moving at a decent paced walk towards the farmhouse. Upon the patio a certain blue earth pony could be seen sitting on said porch, looking on at attention to the approaching woman. As she neared Knights eyes locked onto hers as his ears flattened, ready to utter the first words they had spoken to each other since getting up earlier that morning.

"Are you sure I can't help you out in there?", he asked genuinely saddened that he couldn't aid his friend with a part of the morning routine she had.

"Now we both know that ain't the best idea right now bud, it's fine. Really, ah' could handle it on my own, ya' don't need tah' worry none", she said as she passed, making a great effort not to get to close to him as she passed by him up through the screen door and into the home.

As she passed, Knight tried his best to shift his head away, but his nostrils flared as he caught a whiff as the breeze blew the stench that had latched onto her clothes. The effect immediate as his eyes widened and he caught himself trailing her as she disappeared into the home, quick to have a necessary early shower, yet knowing it was pointless due to her going to get dirty with the rest of work that the day held. Knight shook his head as the stench trailed away with her, sighing at the fact of almost losing his focus for a minute.

"Yeah, I understand what you mean", he said to himself as his gaze was brought back to the barn, staring at it intensely as he sat there, before averting his gaze once more to keep himself in check.

The early morning dragged on as the farm animals lazed about the fenced in grounds, the livestock grazing and mingling in their respective pens. Knight had moved himself from the front porch to the open fields, in the western portion of the property, easily discernible by a tall standing tree that stood about forty feet tall stuck out easily from the open fields of the property. From what Elise had told Knight about it when he had questioned why it stood in such an odd place, she had informed him that the previous owner didn't know to much detail about the tree themselves. What she did know however that the species of the glorious tree, that being of 'Shumard Oak' had somehow grown to full maturity, and wasn't native to the woods that had housed it. Yet without any care from the previous owners or Elise in that regard, it stood tall and proud, it's generous and full canopy of leaves giving an excellent place for shade in the afternoon hours.

It was here that Knight had found himself on multiple occasions, it being one of his many resting spots that he had come to claim. He had found this spot in particular to be one of his favorites, though he didn't know as to why. It was seemingly no different than any other secluded area on the property, so as to why he felt himself drawn to it, he had no clue. As the early morning continued on, Knight had placed himself under it's great branches, laying on his side as he watched tufts of grass blow in the early morning breeze.

Hearing from behind him footsteps press into the earth, he waited as he felt a figure grunt as they sat next to him. Having washed herself up from her earlier work inside the barn, mainly consisting of feeding and transferring basic stock farm items from within the large structure. Waiting as the silence stretched for a minute or two before the sounds of Elise's voice started to speak.

"Don't get to down on yerself bud, it's not yer' fault, ya' can't control yer' natural instincts", she said to the prone form of the pony, aimlessly scanning around the tree line as she spoke.

"I know", he said while still laying faced away from her, "It just annoys me that I can't help with work inside the barn", he stated as he turned onto his belly, shifting into sitting back on his haunches next to his company.

"Like ah' said, don't worry about it, ah' can handle the workload just fine. Hell ah' did it before ya' got here, so don't go thinking ah' need yer' help like some useless city girl", she chuckled as she patted at her arms, her working farm clothes from yesterday generously showing off her arms. As she patted her arm, slightly flexing in the action, a decent amount of muscle showing off her arms. "We both know ah' ain't no city gal no more", she teased as she rested her arms back down to her sides.

Knight chuckled at her little display, "Yeah yeah, calm down there Big Elly, no need to show off. That's my job!", he stated grinning like the devil as her face shifted into one of scowling irritation.

In one quick motion her right arm came up and delivered a decently heavy slug to his left shoulder blade, paling in comparison to the friendly slugs he usually received from teasing and ribbing her. "Now that's one, ya' wanna go say that again ya' blue fool and go for two?", her irritation clearly present at the thrown nickname. Knight all the while cackling even when she bopped him in the shoulder, the action sending him forward a bit. His laughing dying down to a low chuckle, looking at her face seeing to see her still scowling.

"Okay okay, sorry just teasing you", he laughed once more before rubbing the sore spot where she had made contact. He glanced to the tree line before looking back at her smiling gently. "Thanks Elise, for making me feel better", he stated to try to get her from being irritated any longer.

Elise sighed as she was still slightly irritated but adopted a soft smile from her friends jesting, "Hehe, yeah no problem buddy, gotta keep you from gettin' all sad and mopey on me", she said to him as she fell backwards onto her back, the grass cushioning her slightly as she looked up into the tree, the light heavily obscured from the dense leaves as only a few beams managed to pass through. The silence coming over the two again as they found comfort underneath the large canopy of leaves. Elise shifted as she craned her neck towards Knight, "Ya' know, we never did end up giving her a name, ah' think ya' should be tha' one to give it", she stated looking at the many thick passing branches, shifting slightly in the growing winds.

"Really?", Knight questioned as his own gaze shifted upwards towards the great tree in question. He pondered the options in his head as the wind blew through the pair, wondering how he could grant such a beautiful piece of nature appropriately. It was up until a few minutes passed in silence that Knight spoke again.

"Glory", he said simply as his head had shifted his attention to Elise, "Let's call her Glory". Laying there he tumbled the name in his thoughts a couple more times, as he smiled gently, feeling the name fit perfectly to his favorite part about the farm.

"Huh, Glory", Elise tumbled the word her mouth testing it as she looked up at the great oak. "Ah' like it, ah' think it fits her nicely", she smiled looking at him, approving in his choice of name for their wooden friend. She reached over behind her as she sat, placing a hand on the base of the tree, the bark rough yet not cracking off near her hand. She lightly patted at the base smiling, "How do ya' like that girl, do ya' like Glory?", she had asked the tree as if it was going to answer her.

They both sat there in silence before turning to look at each other, both staring before a quick snort escaped Elise, as both of them broke out into a fit of laughter. Cackling as they both had went mad simultaneously, a laughing party that was only meant for them alone, until it left them into two giggling puddles on the grass near the trees roots. Knight was the first to recover as he used a hoof to wipe a tear that had willed its way down his cheek after gasping for breath.

"Oh ho jeez, I think we might both be a little too stupid for our own good Elise', he remarked as he pushed himself up form the earth slowly, trying to regain control over his still rapid desperate breathing.

"Ah ha, no! Not at all, ah' think we're both okay in the 'perfectly normal' club, but only to ourselves and nobody else", she gasped as she herself came down from her laughing high. Her laughs slowing down as her face morphed into one of a slight smile as her eyes became a little more serious. Which Knight had noticed this himself, only seeing this face a couple of times, when she was talking about something important.

"Uh, speakin' of which bud. Ah' gotta talk to ya' about somethin', ah' got a call earlier", she trailed as her gaze fixed onto Knights as she sat there, looking into his eyes before she spoke. Gathering all of his attention as he sat there waiting for her to continue.

"Well, ya' see..."

-------------------------- Earlier ---------------------------

Elise had just finished her early morning shower, only doing to make sure she was looking out for Knights well being and his pride. Opening the washroom door of the first floor, a cacophony of steam billowing out of the room, she stepped onto the wooden floor interior of the hallway. Towel wrapped around her chest down to her thighs, her wet but slightly dried hair matted to the back of her neck, made her way through the home not trekking any water as she did her best to dry herself. Opening the folding doors in said hallway revealing a small but furnished washer / drier combo closet. A clothes rod installed over the appliances holding pairs of working outfits she had at the ready, opting for a similar but slightly different colored farming overalls, complete with a tank-top undershirt. Grabbing the clothes she closed the doors making her way through the living area, rounding the corner aiming for the stairs that led to her room upstairs.

Though as she rounded the corner she noticed the home phone she had installed earlier that year, yielded a blinking red light, indicating that she had a voicemail. A curious gaze adorning her face as she had only given the number to a few select individuals, deciding to check on it after she got dressed, she moved up the stairs taking her time as she entered her room and closed the door. She knew she had no reason to, seeing as Knight rarely came into the home, only ever coming in when he had asked for permission out of common courtesy. She had told him before it wasn't needed, stating he was welcome inside whenever he felt the need, yet he stood fast in his views no matter how many times she tried to convince him. Shaking her head at the thought she discarded the towel before grabbing a pair of basic underwear from her dresser. The room itself not adorning any extra items of furnishing, other than a basic queen sized bed, along with a nightstand and her dresser, which held various photos of relatives and good friends she once had.

As she stood there in the middle of her room, a moving figure had caught her eye, in the buck she moved towards the open window. Glancing out the window to her room that overlooked the western area of the property she spotted Knight. She saw him slowly making his way to the tree that had been a wonder to her ever since she bought the property. She also noticed that he had his head down, easily knowing that he was sad about something. She had found out early on since they had met, that it was easy for her to figure out how he was feeling, easily discernible by his posture and body language. She sighed as she watched her friend beat himself up over something, knowing that she would have to get him out of his funk, which she would have easily done in a heartbeat.

Sighing she finished dressing herself and latching her clasps of her denim suspenders, she opened her room door and made her way back down the stairs. As she hit the bottom step she eyed the home phone again, the red indicator blinking slowly, the message to have yet been played. With a stern look she moved towards it, using her hand to survey the buttons on the face of the device, having not used the machine all to often since she had bought it. Locating the 'Mailbox' button, she gingerly pushed it as a tone gave off a sound, slightly making her jump and irritated with herself as the message over the speaker played out.

You have 'one' new message... First message...

"H-hey Elise... It's me..."

The message rung out of the speaker, at the sound of the voice Elise's eyes widened, immediately recognizing who was on the other end of the call she had missed sometime last night. The message continued on as she listened intently to his voice, almost thinking she had heard it crack, as if he were in distress of some kind.

"Y-you know, June. I know it's been a while since we saw each other, and I know you really didn't leave on the right note with the family... But uh..."

As the sound and words of her little brother came through the phone, memories of her sudden departure came back like a flash back into her thoughts, before she shook her head with a scowl trying to shake those feelings away. Trying to listen back to the recording, her brother started speaking again.

"I-i have spring break coming up, and I just thought... I thought I would swing by, see how you've been doing, y-you know. With the farm and all... I know it's a little sudden, but I thought it might be a nice little uh, 'trip' for me..."

Elise listened intently, the message only giving her more questions as he continued to speak, the situation all seeming to odd even for her little bothers standards. Knowing how her brothers early years had gone, hearing him in such a way, gave her an even growing suspicion as to why he decided to come and visit her. She was pulled out of her deep thinking as he continued on.

"So i'll uh, i'll be flying out tonight, so i'll probably be there a little later in the week, most likely Thursday or Friday..."

As his voice continued through the speaker, Elise checked around the corner of the well, glancing to her refrigerator noting the small magnetic calendar she had placed up. Looking at the marked off days she saw that today was Tuesday, her eyes lowering into a slight frown at the implications of how soon he would show up. She moved back around the corner as the timestamp to the message was nearing it's end.

"I'll be getting a rental so I can make it out to where you live, since it's a little far from the nearest airport, almost a four hour drive when i checked. So I think i'll be a bit sore, hehe..."

The chuckle almost sounded forced to Elise, again spurring her wonder as to why he was going through the trouble to make his way out to her. The message had only a few more seconds as she listened, her form standing an inch close to the phone as the last bits of his voice emanated from the device.

"I uh, I can't wait to catch up. See you then big sis, later..."

End of Message... You have 'no' new messages... would you like to repea--

The monotone robotic voice was cut off as Elise had shoved her index finger into the 'End' button on the console. She stood there as a flood of emotions and memories washed through her, gathering within her as many questions and concerns flew through her mind. One thought in particular had been at the forefront of all of it, how was she going to explain Knight if her brother really did show up. Not pushing the grinding questions of why her brother all of a sudden thought that they needed to 'Catch Up', as he had put it. Regardless it sounded like he had his mind set, though she came to a quick realization. quickly looking back over the console of the phone she picked up the handset. Placing it to her ear as she searched, and subsequently found the 'Redial' option, she pushed it in as soon as she found it.

The line didn't even ring once before sounding out into the disconnected dial tone. Huffing in irritation, she slammed the handset back into its slot, shifting the device as the table it was set upon shook. She stood there, hand still on the phone, shaking and breathing heavily as the weight of the situation dawned upon her. If she wanted him to or not, her brother was inbound to her farm, and she had no way of letting him know that he wasn't necessarily welcome. Though that thought hit her with a sense of grief, it wasn't that she didn't want to see her brother, it was more of the fact that she didn't need to see him. She had done perfectly fine ever since she left and bought a place of her own, her farm, the place where she had theoretically escaped to.

As she went over the thoughts that mulled in her head, she sat down upon her recliner in her living room. She sat there, racking her brain in an attempt to figure the best way to solve this predicament she found herself in. The inevitable conversation they were going to have, involving their family, what had happened and eventually how she was going to explain Knight. Upon having her thoughts go to her blue friend she shifted in her chair, knowing where he was at the moment she formulated the best way to give the news to him, not knowing how he would take it. Knowing the only human interaction he claimed to have was with her, she worried if he would be completely against the idea.

She gathered herself and her emotions as she stood up, making her way out the back door and shuffling slowly towards her relaxing friend...

-------------------------- Present ---------------------------

Knight sat there, he had been drinking in all the information she had given to him about the call silently. Yet only known to her, she had left out the parts to where she picked up the signals in her brothers voice. Only letting him in on the fact that he was coming, whether they liked it or not. Knight waited for her to continue speaking, though she only sat there, gauging his initial reaction. Knight sat there pondering her words, waiting in silence before he spoke up.

"Uh, okay, um wow. So uh, your little brother is really coming to the farm?", he asked looking into her eyes, knowing full well she didn't seem to be joking about what she had told him. The fact cementing itself as the only response she gave to him was a simple head nod. He too nodded his head in recognition, accepting the fact that this was indeed not a ploy, sighing he adopted a slightly nervous smile.

"Well, I mean. It doesn't sound too bad, I mean he is your brother. So I don't think it'll be that bad, right?", he asked as he looked over to her, trying to gauge whether the situation wasn't as bad as the light she was putting it in. She looked away as she tried to find the best way to give a reason for her hesitance on the matter.

"Ya' see... Look, ah' gotta be straight with ya' Knight. Ah' didn't leave on the greatest of terms with my family. Hell, ah' practically shouted their ears off when ah' left. They didn't take too kindly to the fact that ah' was moving to a farm out in the middle of nowhere, without their input no less. So it might not seem as innocent as he wanted it tah' be, granted he didn't have the best blood with ma' and pa' neither...", she trailed off as the thoughts clouded her head again. She shook those away mentally as she continued to stare at her friend. She paused for a moment longer before speaking again.

"But, that doesn't mean he has the best intentions. So ah' just wanted to let you know ahead of time, i'll do me best to grab him before he gets here, so that ah' may explain the situation we got here. He may be mah' little bro' Knight, but you are mah' good friend. Mah 'Best' friend", she emphasized to him, trying to make sure he meant something to her in this situation. "So whatever happens, we will always be here, on mah' farm, as we have been. Like two peas in a pod!", she said as she smiled at him, reaching over to roughly tussle his mane.

Knight laughed lightly as he tried to swat her hand away with his hoof. As she pulled her hand away he gave a genuine smile right back at her, knowing full well she meant what she said.

"I know Elise, thanks. I guess i'm just a little nervous at the idea of meeting someone else, how are you going to try and bring me up?", he asked with a genuine curiosity as he saw her face change into one of contemplation. She held that face, eyes moving back and forth, seeming deep in thought. She sat that way before looking over to him with a blown out smile and half closed eyes, facing towards him.

"Ah' have no fucking clue bud!", she said casually as the stupid looking smile sat plastered on her face. Knight laughed out at her obvious discomfort, the mood lightening significantly as he scooched himself back on his haunches up to the newly named 'Glory', resting up against it's base.

"Well, it seems like you have a couple of days at least to figure it out", he said to her. Elise seeing him move and lay against Glory decided to do the same. She moved herself to sit right next to him, placing her shoulder against him as they propped each other up. Enjoying each others company in the peaceful open fields of Marsh Family Farms, the name not having the same appeal as it once held in Knights respect. Sitting there they stared out at nothing particular as Elise gave out an exaggerated sigh.

"Ah' think ah' need at least a week, minimum", she stated to him. Eliciting a chuckle out of Knight, they said nothing further. Both silently agreeing that the rest of the day could be spent just enjoying each others company. For it seemed to the both of them, that their current peaceful living was about to get a bit complicated. Yet they were content to worry about that later in the week, as they ended up both falling into a nice sleep. Napping under Glory's branches the area immediate around the farmhouse went on seeming vacant. As it's only two occupants were currently away from it's cozy hold.

------------------ Elsewhere ------------------

The intercom of the medium sized commercial airplane had dinged a low tone, as a voice emanated from the speakers residing above its passengers heads.

"Good afternoon passengers. This is your captain speaking. First I'd like to welcome everyone on Rightwing Flight 86A. We are currently cruising at an altitude of 33,000 feet at an airspeed of 400 miles per hour. Our current destination is Eastbound towards---

The captains message was drowned out as the lithe form of a passenger was seen putting headphones in his ears. Reaching down for his personal smart phone, he tapped at it as music began emitting from the speakers of the ear pieces. He sighed as he glanced out his side window, looking at the passing clouds below. His eyes dulled at the sight, not seeming to take in the vast landscape passing below him. As he sat there he thumbed through his smart phone, flipping through a contacts list, he stopped as he came across a certain one. He stared intently at the contact, it read across his screen 'My Lovely', shoved in between by little hearts and kissing faces. His face expressionless as he stared, clicking on the contact bringing up the options menu, his thumb hovering over the 'Delete' option. His finger hovered there for a few seconds, before finally relenting and pressing the option, the contact wiped from the screen. He moved to lock the phone, the screen going black, as a single tear rolled from the corner of his right eye. A slight noticeable tinge of bloodshot red, forming from the edges of the whites of his eyes. Setting the phone down he rested his head against the slight cushioned headrest, the single tear rolling down his cheeks, as the airplane flew him to his destination off into the horizon.

Chapter 2 End

Author's Note

Holy Hell! I did it, I actually made another chapter, I didn't expect that. I guess i'm just really feeling this! Though i'm pretty sure that doesn't mean i didn't miss anything when i scanned through it briefly. Ah well, it's not going to be perfect, i'm not an English Major or anything special. So, i'll keep trying the best i can to not just shit out horrible grammatically incorrect sentences. No promises though!

That's why i do hope if anyone does spot anything Let Me Know! I would greatly appreciate it, since this is really fun for me at the moment! I would also love any feedback on how my views of the characters feel currently, and if there is any glaring issues you can point out to me that i can't easily recognize.

I do hope that it is somewhat entertaining at least, i noticed it was placed in a few peoples 'Favorites' or 'Read Later' tabs, which is a great bit of encouragement on my part! You have no idea!

Anyways i'm rambling, enjoy the story as it comes out, the next chapter will take a bit longer i will admit, i had the first two chapters heavily planned, everything else will come to me in the moment. But! i will leave you with the next chapter title... Seeya!

Coming Soon

--------------- Call of the Wild Hearts ---------------

Call of the Wild Hearts

Savor the Waterveil

Call of the Wild Hearts

Chapter 3

The next morning came the same as it did the day before, a peaking light edging it's way over the vast stretch of fields and forestry. The faint sound of beginning bird calls and chirps, followed closely by the sound of cicadas clinging to trees, all harmonizing with each other to paint a welcoming morning. Across the Marsh Family Farms had been no different, the sounds not quelled by the clearing of trees from the overlaying property. The wind was fairly calm this morning, not being a necessary oddity, but a change no less since the previous mornings that had followed. The sight of the almost still trees and grass, giving a sort of picturesque painting as the fields started to become barely illuminated from the slowly creeping sun. Though signs of the early morning were just barely showing, it was an even earlier morning an hour or two ago for the inhabitants of the farm. A shift could be seen from the north side of the farmhouse, with the rear entrance facing the north, being mainly fenced off with a few basic but healthy growing crops. The sound emanated again as a short cheer of satisfaction could be heard, the sound coming from a figure crouched down near a gathering of greenery.

"Hell yeah! looky there", Elise smiled as she was in a squatting position, hunched over a medium sized plant, using her hands to feel up the roots and finding a budding flower. Having felt the flower and it's splayed out nature she smiled as she felt a sense of pride. "They said ya' couldn't do it, not with this piece of land. Not in this soil, but look at ya' now girl, ya' did it", she talked to herself as she looked over her work for the last couple of months, having it finally coming to fruition. Standing right behind her with a flat look upon his face stood Knight, not seeming to have the same energy as his compatriot did this early in the morning.

"Are you really talking to yourself? I understand it's a big accomplishment, but we really need to get your head checked out one of these days", he commented with a slight hint of tiredness. As he said this he let out a short yawn, the early rise not doing much to keep him awake at the moment. Elise turned to look over her shoulder, hand still brushing the plant gently as she regarded him.

"Ya' know ah' think it would do ya' well tah' just let me have this moment. Ah' don't need no sass from ya' this early blue", she chipped over her shoulder, before lightly shaking her head and giving her full attention back to tending to crop, pinching of unnecessary leafs and odd sprouting stalks. Knight sighed as he stood there quietly for a moment as he watched her work to the plant.

"Sorry, I just don't take too well to this early of a day", he said as he looked over her to scan over the north and northwest end of the fields, his gaze passing over the newly named 'Glory', a light smile lifting onto his is face. Elise grumbled at his words as she came across a stubborn dead patch of leaves.

"Yea' well, since we decided tah' laze about and slack on chorin', we had tah' get up early and make sure we do our dailies before hand", she huffed in irritation, not being able to apply enough pressure with just her fingers. "Can ya' hand me the snips please?", she asked as she stretched out an arm behind her back, palm open at the ready. Knights gaze snapping back to her as he heard her ask for help.

"Oh! Yeah, hold up", Knight said as he turned his head, looking towards his back he looked down at his makeshift utility saddlebag. The saddlebag itself being a modified original piece Elise had originally picked up for him a while back. It was draped over his back as pockets hung from either side, a slot each containing a different piece of equipment. Looking over each pocket he quickly found the two pronged rubber coated handle, belonging to the gardening shears that Elise had requested. Using his teeth as he stretched his neck, he bit down on the handle of the shears, pulling them out from the lined pocket. Pulling them to his front and placing them on Elise's open hand, "There you go", he said as she grasped them and brought them to the base of the greens.

"Thanks Knight. Ah'm just about done here", she indicated to him as she was able to successfully get rid of the errant blemish from the plant, cutting it off as it fell into the dirt below. Using the back of her wrist, she wiped at her brow, removing some of the sweat and grime that had accumulated. Letting out a grunt as she pushed herself upwards from the ground, back into a standing position she arched her back until she felt a satisfying pop. Sighing in satisfaction she twisted on her heels throwing her arms around in circles, attempting to loosen up the stiff joints. Shaking her tired legs up a bit to get the blood flow back through them, she glance back towards Knight, "Ah' reckon we get tah' feedin' the animals early. "You game there buddy?", she asked as she started to walk out of the medium sized square rows of assorted home grown produce.

"We might as well, seeing as we're already up. I don't have much planned today anyways", he said to her looking out over the farm, slightly giving an indication of being upset in his voice. Elise easily noticing this and deciding in her mind to play with him a little bit.

"Oh yeah. as apposed to what? Ya' got a date planned or something, ah' thought ah' saw you sneaking out at night", she smirked looking back at him as they walked towards the two storage sheds. Knight's eyes slightly widening at the implications she was insinuating, he began to wave a hoof back and forth dismissively as he started to speak in a raised volume.

"Wait, what do you mean sneaking out? I would never leave the farm, especially without your permission!", Knight barked back at her with a hint of hurt betrayal in his voice. Seeing and hearing this the smile on Elise's face fell from mockery, to one of genuine hurt as well.

"Hey hey, Knight ah' was just jokin'. Ah'm sorry i didn't mean to implicate ya', ah' was just teasing", she said as she opened the shed. Standing in front of it as she turned her full attention to him, trying to show him it was all in good fun. He stood there with a look of indignation on his face for a few seconds, before dropping it as his head fell slowly along with his ears. Elise picking up easily that he was sad or solemn about something.

"Sorry, I guess I'm just wound up is all, nothing more I promise", he confided with her at his quick triggered outburst. This exchange quite strange for them, their usual ribbing would always be picked up by the other, yet this had been different. Elise offered a weak smile, still looking at his sad form.

"It's alright, ah' shouldn't have been teasin' when ah' knew ye' were not feelin' well", she gave somewhat of a smile towards him, hoping that it would lighten the dreary mood that had fallen them. She watched him, hoping he would show a sign of getting out of the funk that he was currently in. Though, she had to figure out what had gotten him to that point in the first place, if she was going to try and fix it. She looked around trying to see if the farm would come up with an answer to help out. She used her hand to grab at her wrist, rubbing it slightly, a little tick she had developed when she didn't know how to solve a problem. They stood at the entrance of the shed like that for a period of time they didn't keep track of. Almost coming up with no idea on how to try and cheer up her friend, Elise started to get antsy at the fact that she may not be able to fix their little rut. Until her eyes widened for a second as she stopped rubbing at her wrist, it growing slightly red and irritated form her kneading. A small smile started to from on her face as she looked at her friends face, setting the idea in her mind as she spoke. "Alrighty", she said as she reached around his form, grabbing at the pocketed tools in the makeshift saddlebag, before setting them on their appropriate shelves. Turning back to Knight she kept that smile as she spoke. "Now let's get these chores done early ya' hear, I gots' a plan for the two of us for later", she said with genuine enthusiasm as she clapped her hands together loudly. The motion jolting Knight out of his stupor as he looked around then up to Elise, his face of shock quickly morphed back to flat sadness.

"Huh? Oh, yeah sure, whatever you say", he said, not paying full attention to what his caretaker had said previously. Not caring whether Knight had heard what she said decided that it was fine for the moment, only fully putting her attention and drive towards her plan.

"Well then, lets get er' done blue!", she half ordered, half asked at the same time. Knight only giving a slight nod in her direction, his gaze still pointed slightly towards the ground. She walked away from the shed, looking over her shoulder she noted that he still had his head down. Looking forward she gave herself a nod, the aura her friend producing spurring her further to set her plans in motion as soon as possible.

The rest of the morning carried on with a certain dynamic from the two, to any onlooker it was quite a difference of emotions. With Elise at the forefront of all the activity and energy, along with Knight holding up the rear, who only gave a few nods of the head and grunts of approval when talked to. Having this set of emotions, coupled with the early morning start, the pair went on like well oiled machines. The two fell into a rhythm as they worked, a sort of flow that can only be achieved when having worked with someone on the same tasks for sometime. Neither had to speak to tell the other what they were doing, and in turn they kept a great pace, until it had reached a little after the sun was directly above them in the sky. They were both decently coated in a layer of grime and sweat, a great indicator of a hard days worth of work. Elise threw a bale of hay into a neatly stacked pile on the rear end of the barn, at nice pyramid formed shape of bales completing the stack. She huffed in exertion as it fell into place on top of the stack, she herself being stood upon the lower row, a set of pseudo steps being made with the pile. Wiping the sweat that had beaded upon her forehead, she gave out a big breath of air, shifting her attention down to her comrade from her heightened position. Knight himself having kept himself a good distance from the walls of the barn as Elise finished their combined efforts.

"Ah' think that about wraps her up!", she half shouted in elated satisfaction at being able to finish their chores in record time. In her thoughts it had been record time, having only thought of the current time of day being the finish line, not the fact that it had taken them just as long but with an early morning start. Knight held these exact thoughts as he had found himself short of breath, the chores of the farm always giving him a good workout.

"Well, I'm glad I could help again. I think i'm going to go rest for a bit now", he said in a raised voice, having to speak louder from his distance. He then turned on his position and started to move in the direction of the outlying open fields, a quick shout catching his attention from behind him.

"Hold it right there partner!", Elise shouted after him as she jumped down from the mound of hay, breaking into a light jog in attempt to catch up with him before he left. "Ah' thought ah' said we had plans later? It's later so ah' intend to act on those plans of ours!" She said to him with a beaming smile, a smile Knight didn't seem intent on returning at that moment.

"Look Elise, I think I just want to go and rest for a while. By myself...", as he said this not facing her Elise's smile waned for a second, before popping right back into place. She continued to give the smile as she moved to his side.

"Oh come on now, ah' think we both need a little time tah' relax, and we can do it together! What do ya' say blue?" She asked as she delivered a couple reassuring pats to Knight's back. The action startling him and causing him to jerk forward slightly from the force of her hits, remembering how tough Elise actually was in that moment. Knight sighed looking back into her eyes, the face telling him he wouldn't have much of a choice, unless he wanted to tick off Elise. Knight sighed as he turned to face her, his eyes still unsure yet willing to go along with whatever she had planned for the two of them.

"Alright, what did you want to do", he finally relented, thinking it better to just go along her plans, rather than try to ignore her as she was genuinely trying to cheer him up. Elise gave a short holler of excitement as she gave a quick slap to his back, as she began to make her warm towards the farmhouse while walking backwards as she talked.

"Whoo whee, alrighty then! Just let me go in and wash up mah' head from this muck real quick. Oh and uh, keep the saddlebags on, we're gonna' need em' ya' hear?" She told him as she turned back around to walk straight again, moving to a light jog as she marched up the front patio stairs, disappearing into the home as Knight stood there. Knight shook his head as he watched her leave into the large home.

"I will never understand how she seems to function will I?" he asked himself as he slowly trotted himself over to the porch, laying himself upon it's wooden surface as he waited for his caretaker to return. Looking out onto the property, Knight found himself in a deep state of thinking, as he was for most of the morning. His thoughts continued swirling as he heard some slight shuffling and sounds of objects being moved within the home. A couple of more minutes passed before his ears swiveled to the sound of the screen door being pushed open. He turned to see Elise standing there, her hair slightly damp from being washed and cleaned out along her her face being cleared of any dirt or residue. Within her hands she held two small cold packs, a rectangular pouch that he knew to be designed to hold items in a ice cold environment. Elise had used the pouches in the past to hold bottles of water when they had worked out in the summer heat. She moved up to him, still smiling as she held the pouches in her hands, she shook both of them from side to side.

"Mind holding these for me bud?", she said looking down at his prone form, the smile never leaving her face. Knight shook his head as a tiny smile broke upon his face, before disappearing back to straight emotionless, standing up on his fours shifting to the side showing the saddlebags pockets. Elise chuckled as she open the latches in the bigger pockets before sliding in the pouches, being a snug fit they were slightly forced in before being held firmly in place. "Thank ya' kindly! Now shall we be on our way", she ushered as she motioned her hand out to a direction in the southern side of the fields. Knight followed her hand looking out to the direction she was motioning to, his brow furrowing as he looked at the normal tree line. He looked up at her trying to register what she meant, only finding that same smile adorned onto her face.

"I don't get it. What do you mean?", he questioned as he tried to gather an information on what she was trying to tell him.

"Well yer' gonna' have tah' see when we get there now won't cha'?" She chuckled heartily as she walked down the steps of the porch, not seeing if he was going to follow her, knowing full well he would anyways without her inquiry. Knight sighed as he began to follow closely behind as she marched forward towards an unknown to him destination. The walked together, Elise marching with enthusiasm, with Knight followed looking off ahead to the treeline. As they both broke the treeline Elise detoured opposite from the dirt road that lead into the property, opting to push through the weaving trees with outcropping branches. They walked like this for a minute or two before coming along a small ingrained path, the earth having seeming to have been walked through numerous times, creating a walkway deeper into the forest. Without a word Elise started to walk along this path in a normal fashion, making their heading deeper into a part of the forest Knight had yet to see. Deciding not to question to Elise where they were going Knight quickly fell back into keeping up the rear. A few minutes passed as they continued to walk, until suddenly without a word Elise stopped standing still and straight as she possibly could. Knight noticing this immediately slowed to a halt, a quizzical look on his face at what she was doing.

"Elise what's wrong, why did you stop?" He asked as she stood there saying nothing. She stood still for a couple seconds before her hand shot to her forehead, she fell into an about stance, saluting forward at nothing in particular. Knight was even further confused at this action from her, before he could speak she yelled out at an almost screaming level.

"Keepin' in step!" She hollered out in the middle of the forest, startling Knight as he reeled back from her sudden outburst. She turned only her head around to look at Knight, her smile at an almost giddy level. "Left, Right, Left-Go-Right!", she yelled back at him, she continued to smile before she waited staring at him, her expression slightly broken as she winked back at him. Knight's fell into one of knowing watching her display, he let out a chuckle of defeat shaking his head, before his own hooves fell into an about stance his front left hoof coming up into a mirrored salute.

"Left, Right, Left-Go-Left", he said with not the same amount of volume, but the reaction Elise gave to him was enough to let him know she accepted the effort. Her smile seaming to grow an even more greater level of happiness, seeing that her attempt to break his earlier mood began to take shape. With this confirmation Elise faced back forward, starting to march in time with her own cadence that Knight began to call back in tune. She began the call they both had come to know from the top, they began alternating as they marched in synchronization, slightly disturbing any surrounding wildlife.

"Left, right, left-go-right!"

"Left, right, left!"

"Keepin' in step!"

"Go left, go left, go left, right!", as the cadence came to it's climax, Knight waited for his leader Elise to announce 'right', as she announced this at the same time he yelled out loudly.

"Dragons!", the cadence soon looped as they sang out again as they both marched, Knight giving a bit more energy as the continued on, a small smile beginning to form on his face. The sound of their foot and hoof falls resonating in tandem as they continued forward to their

----------------------- A Little Bit Later ------------------------

As the duo continued on, the air around them seeming to have changed, there was more conversation coming from between the two. A stark difference from earlier in the day, a few laughs emitting from the conversation as the two continued to walk. The sun having moved slightly towards the west half of the sky, the afternoon having passed an hour or two since they left the farm. Knight laughing loudly as he followed closely next to Elise, the conversation having moving along as Elise recounted tales from her youth.

"So wait wait wait, how did you get kicked out of whatever R.O.T.C was again?", he tried to inquire as he tried to calm his laughter down, but to no avail at the moment.

"Like ah' said, ah' got dared into sneaking to mah' lead officers' office, and slip some more than suggestive material into his desk", she claimed with a air of not caring for what she said she had attempted to do when she was younger. "And ah' would have gotten' away with it, if it weren't for that rat of an ass ranking who caught wind of my prank", she said as she shook her head, pulling a fist up into the sky grumbling before yelling out. "Damn you Leonard!", she cursed to the sky as Knight continued to cackle away at her past experience.

"Oh, that is just amazing, leave it to you to be thrown out in such a stupid way", he remarked as she turned to him with slight irritation, pointing into his face as he tried to stifle his laughter.

"Yeah yeah, keep at it chuckles, and ah'll show you why I was nicknamed 'Big Miss Mean' by my fellow attendees", she lightheartedly threatened to him as she herself let a laugh or two lose, turning her head forward again as her eyes lit up. "Hell yes! We made it bud", she happily announced to her partner as she rushed forward to a large growth of bushes, the mass of greenery blocking Knights sight any further than the wall of plants.

"Huh, this is it?" He openly mocked as Elise's smile was wider than a mile. She huffed as he looked at her like she was out of her mind, moving to the gathering of bushes, and slowly parting them for herself to begin to slip through.

"No! ya' blue pile of ungrateful dung", she said as she shoved the rest of her form through the patch, it completely engulfing her as she disappeared from Knight's sight. He motioned to follow, hesitating as he came to the cusp of the large gathering of bushes. He stood in front of it for a few more moments, before he sighed and began to push his form through after his seemingly crazy friend. Pushing forward he brushed past rough leaves and thin branches for a few feet, before breaking out free from the confines of the foliage, slowly shaking his head and eyes free from and small twigs and leaves that had pulled off and were now stuck to him. As his gaze drifted upwards his eyes widened, along with his jaw opening slightly in genuine surprised shock at the sight before him. Knight watched as Elise was turned to face him as he came out of the break, opening her arms wide as her still present smile stuck to her face.

"Welcome tah' my little oasis blue!" Elise announced as she watched Knight step forward out from the brush, watching as his eyes lit up in amazement, she knew this would have the desired effect she was hoping for. Knight said nothing as he walked slowly up to and slightly past where Elise was standing, taking in the immediate area his jaw hung open. Before the both of them they stood in front a fairly decent sized lake, a kidney bean shape to it, it looked to be completely encompassed in a tree line. The tree line itself only a handful of feat from the waterfront, where upon the opposite side they were standing was a decent sized rock formed beach bed. It's entire picturesque scene completed with near transparent water, which at the moment was still, save for some ripples across the top of the water from the light breeze being let through by the trees. It was also at this moment that Knight took in their current position, as he glanced downward at the near twenty-five foot sheer drop into the deep parts of the lake was held before him. Their place being held up at the top of a cliff face, the cliff ending into s smoothed side of a rock formation that held them high above the water, the surrounding bushes hiding this previous truth until he was too close. Seeing this made him back up a bit at the sheer height he was near to slipping off into below. Once he felt a safe enough distance away, currently standing rubbing near against Elise, he took a greater appreciation for the image that held within his eyes.

"Wow! Holy shit Elise!", he gawked openly in amazement as they stood there. "How did you know about this place, 'when' did you know about this place?", He asked as he turned his head to the slightly smug Elise, knowing full well that her earlier developed plan was working.

"Well, when ah' bought the property from the owner of the land, he let me in on a little secret location of this here hidey hole! So naturally ah' decided to make a trip out here ma'self, and lo' behold, here she is! Ain't she a beaut'?" She asked as she looked into her friends eyes, noticing the color comeback into them as he came out of his earlier funk.

"Absolutely! I've never heard of something this incredible before, let alone see with my own eyes!" He exclaimed as he turned his attention back to the scene before him.

"Yeah well, usually it's better just to take a truck from the nearby dirt road, but ah' thought heck! We don't live too far away, it might have been a little bit of a trek, but ah' think it was worth it!" She admitted as she herself took in the sights, even though having seen the beautiful lake once before, the view still having the power to impress her immensely.

"Definitely!" Knight said with a genuine happiness that had not graced his features in the last two days. Elise smiled as she sighed, turning around and inching her way back into the bushes, speaking as she made her way through.

"Yeah, you keep on gawking, but ah' gotta' hit the little ladies room. Be back in a sec' ", she called back as her form disappeared from where they came through. The only response coming from Knight in the form of a slight head nod and a grunt.

"Yeah uh huh, you do that", he half answered as she made her way back into the shrubs, Knights focus held fast as he continued to drink in every inch of what he could see. He stood there for a minute or two before he heard light rustling come from behind him. The sound enough for him to turn his head in the direction of the bushes behind him, seeing nothing come through immediately as he waited for what he expected Elise to come through. "Had fun back there, took ya long enough 'Big Miss Mean' hehe", he chuckled as the rustling continued but no sign of Elise had yet to show. "Alright come on, you're not gonna get the jump on me with me hearing you from a mile away", he jeered towards the moving bush, attempting to get Elise to stop her teasing, but to no avail. "Come on Elise, just hurry up and get out of the bushes already!" His earlier confidence starting to wane as he got no answer from his friend, his mind starting to race at the possibility if it wasn't really Elise. "Elise, please come out?" His final attempt to get her to come out, not seeming to work, before he moved towards the bush very slowly before the bush stopped moving. He himself halted in his movements, the silence crept for a few seconds to long, he attempted to speak again before a figure burst from the dense foliage and charged towards his direction and past him sprinting.

"Yee Fuckin' Haw!" The figure of Elise yelled out as she bolted past Knights shocked stupor, having only been dressed in a pair of her gray toned women's briefs and soft hold cover bra, her caramel hair being held back in an abnormal ponytail. Sprinting past as she stuck a bare foot out and planted it as she gave one final push, leaping off with a great distance from the rocky edge, hurtling down and tucking in her legs into a cannonball position towards the calm undisturbed water. Hollering all the way down as she connected with the surface creating a great splash of liquid shooting upwards. As he had fallen Knight had rushed to the edge of the cliff, watching after her as she fell, gasping as she hit the water. He waited for a second as he sighed in relief as she re-emerged, taking a breath as she wiped the water from her eyes, laughing and hollering out as she looked up to see Knight stood there shocked still. "What?" she yelled up to him as he stood there bewildered.

"Elise, what the fuck?!" He yelled down at her as he was still trying to comprehend what she just did. "You could have gotten hurt idiot!" He continued to yell down to where she was currently treading water.

"Come on now, ya' think ah' would have done that if ah' knew ah' would have gotten hurt", she yelled back up to him. The only response she got was a look of knowing smirk, to which she in kind gave a middle digit salute right back. She laughed as she called up to him again, "Can ya' do me a favor and toss down the pouch in the right side of yer' bag", she asked him in a shout. Knight looked back at her with a questioning gaze as he did what she had asked and reached behind him to retrieve the secondary cold pack. The other in the left pocket having been used to hold bottles of water for them, as he had discovered earlier when she asked if he was thirsty. Using her teeth he pulled out the secondary cold pack as he looked down at his swimming compatriot, shrugging before whipping his head out letting go of the pack and sending it sailing out a couple of yards. Elise watched it as it sailed towards her, waiting as it slapped down a few feet from her, not worrying as it had begun to float due to the make of the pouch being somewhat buoyant. She wadded over to the pouch and reached out to grab it, holding it close she pulled back the zipper as she procured one of the contents from inside. Elise pulled out a certain type of bottle, with a certain type of liquid held inside, the bottle still cool to the touch. Elise smiled as she still was wadding let the pack float as she zipped it back up, twisting the top off with a pop, and depositing the cap of the brew into her holding bra. Taking a extended drink as she gulped down the liquid, before removing the bottle from her mouth with a satisfying "Ah! That's the stuff!" Knight continued to look down and watch her as he shook his head in disappointment at her display.

"Real classy there Elise, real classy", he remarked as he watched as she used her underwear as a trash collector of sorts.

"Well ah' am a lady after all, ah' gotta stay in proper primp form", she said proudly with a hint of mocking, as she took another generous sip of her drink.

"I'm glad you're having a grand time down there!" He hollered down to her as he shook his head in joking disapproval.

"Whatever, now come on ya' blue sack, it's yer' turn now!" She hollered up to him as she beckoned him down, waving her hand in a 'come on' motion, the other hand still holding onto her beverage of choice. Knight looked at her as if she was genuinely crazy, shaking his hoof back in forth between his face.

"Actually I think i'll sit this one out, thanks for the offer though", he said as he turned to make his way to the shore line below, before the all too familiar sing song voice called out to him from below. The voice calling out like a siren to a sailor on old adventures tales, waiting to bring him to his ultimate demise into a bed of sharp deadly rocks.

"Are ya' sure, not even for a nice cold batch of Jerry's?" At that last word Knight came to a screeching halt, his head turning slightly as he slowly peered back over the ledge.

"What did you just say?" He said all too seriously, any form of joking manner gone from his current face. On the other end, Elise smiled a smugness that had only ever appeared when she knew she had him bested. She didn't say a word as she pulled from under the water, a pristine homemade copper colored bottle. On the side with a plain gray label, that read across 'Jerry's Homestyle Apple Cider'. At a visual confirmation of the bottle Knights eye twitched. "You bitch", he whispered to himself as a slight heat rose through his form. "You said he had made his last batch for the season!" He yelled down at her a genuine irritation, his eye twitch increasing as the seconds went on.

"It 'was' his last batch, but ah' didn't say ah' didn't grab the last two or three that he had!" She smirked up to him, playing and toying with his emotions for his own form of guilty pleasure in liquid form. After a few more moments, Knight slowly backed up while staring her down until she was out of eyesight. Elise chuckled to herself as she wadded back a few feet, knowing full well that the coming splash would be much larger from Knights dense form. All that could be heard was quick hoof falls as Knight came into view, throwing himself over the edge much as Elise had minutes before.

"Haw Fucking Yee!" He yelled out as he fell, tucking all four of his hooves close into his barrel as he plummeted and impacted the water rear first. The splash was immense as even though Elise had taken the precaution of moving away, she was still assaulted by the rush of water, obscuring her view as the water came down upon her. As she wiped the moisture from her eyes she came extremely close to Knights face, the warm air from his breathing hitting against her face. His drenched and matted mane comically over parts of his face, but he wasn't laughing, as the look of ever present death and dread exuded from his eyes. Within an inch of each others faces Knight spoke, "Give me that bottle", he commanded as if it was her life depended on it. Elise took but a moment to recover as she gazed into his very persistent eyes, knowing full well that he got like this with his special drink. She also knew full well that it was her fault originally for getting him scarily addicted to this simple form of apple juice. Elise held her slightly shocked expression before it returned to it's original smugness.

"Fuckin' make me blue", she challenged him as she pressed her forehead into his. Her gaze hardening as well in this tense situation. Knight simply smiled as his teeth bared as if he was a meat eating predator.

"It will be a nice funeral, I promise", the water had settled as the two of them held close. Then, as if the flag had been dropped, the scuffle began. A flurry of arms and hooves inter-tangled with one another as a battle for the bottle held within Elise's grasp waged on. Starting out as a serious fight of shoving and grappling, quickly turned into one of playful roughhousing. Laughter soon fell between the two as they grasped at each other, trying to both one up each other for control of the glass object. They went on like this for a couple more minutes until eventually Knight had successfully wrangled the bottle free from her grasp. "Haha, I'am victorious, kneel before the victor she-witch!" He proudly announced to only them as he happily caressed and held his precious gem close.

"Yea' yea', whatever. It's only because you cheated", Elise accused as she brought her empty bottle that she had topped of and chucked it near the shore, making sure it wouldn't break as it hit the soft grassy area.

"Cheat, how could I have possibly cheated in that situation", he barked at her in their classic bickering style that Elise had oh so missed. She chuckled to herself as she made her way to the shallow parts of the body of water, Knight closely following as the sat in the shallow water.

" 'Cause ya' just did, ya' grouchy blue sack, doesn't matter though ah' need a rest", she huffed out in slight exhaustion at their little wrestling match. Knight and herself fell into a relaxed mood as they both sipped on their respective drinks of choice. Letting the water of the lake soothe them in the now late afternoon sun, they talked a bit about random things as the makeshift swimming day dragged on. Soon Elise's face fell into one of deep contemplation as she looked over at Knight who had topped off the second bottle of cider, she sighed as she decided to talk about what had been on her mind since yesterday. "Yer' scared... aren't ya'?" Elise asked as Knights whole form went rigid at the question, his gaze shifting to her as he saw her serious but soft gaze. He sat there looking at her before his eyes closed as he gave out a heavy sigh.

"Yeah... How did you guess?" He questioned, yet knowing the answer to his own question before hand.

"Well, kinda' obvious with ya' moping around and such buddy. Ah'm sorry yer' nervous ah' am too, but, ah' want ya' tah' know. That no matter what happens, you will always be my best friend, understand? Ah' don't care if mah' own brother doesn't accept you, ah' accept you for who ya' are, and that's all that matters", she told him, a feeling of truthfulness to her words. Knight gave another light sigh as he looked up to her, a small smile creeping onto his face from her comforting words.

"Hehe, thanks Elise. I really needed that, I appreciate everything you've done for me, I mean it", he thanked her as he gave a full genuine smile, the first one that felt like it wasn't forced in days. Elise gave her own smile back as she scooted closer to her compatriot and draped an arm around his neck, pulling him close to her as they sat in their personal little escape hideaway.

"No problem at all good buddy, what are best friends for", she said as they spent another hour or so relaxing in the water. The sun starting to dip late into the sky, with them starting to head back along the way they came. Walking and trotting respectively side by side, bumping into one another playfully as they happily chatted all the way back to the farm. A new confidence washing over them as they continued on, prepared for the newcomer to make their way to the 'Marsh Family Farms'.

------------------ Elsewhere Earlier That Day ------------------

The plane had landed in the state's international airport, being guided safely by the control tower. The intercom system being heard by the figure as they pulled their earplugs out as the plane was taxied into the terminal.

"---we will be arriving at the gate momentarily. Please remain in your seats with your seat belt securely fastened until the aircraft has come to a complete stop at the terminal gate. The staff including myself would like to thank you for flying with us today. Have a great rest of your trip ladies and gentlemen!"

The figure stood up as they went to receive their luggage from the overhead above their seat. Retrieving their bag they turned into the aisle as they made their way through the aircraft. They passed the flight attendants and the pilot who had made his way to the side exit and was waving to people wishing them goodbyes as they left the plane. Without much acknowledgment the figure nodded their head as they made their way through the raised unloading platform into the airports open windowed terminal, the figure made it about a minutes walking distance before the sound of running and shouting could be heard from behind them.

"Miss! Miss I think you dropped this!" The figure turned around to see a young man, about in his mid twenties rush up to them before stopping in front of them huffing in quick breaths. Dressed in a business suit the man took another few quick breaths as he looked at the figure holding up to what had seemed to be a wallet of sorts. "It was left where i saw you were seated. Sorry if i'am wrong but you're Miss--", the man stated as he opened the wallet to peer inside. The picture of the figure held within on their drivers license, as he searched for the name to identify the figure his eyes scanned over the info, and paused upon gazing upon the information of the individual. Freezing as he held the identification, glancing between the two, before the figure grabbed the wallet and whilst looking at the man deposited the wallet in their back pocket. A smile had graced their face at the situation the kind man had found himself in, as the figure gave his hand a gentle shake with both of his soft hands.

"June! June Marsh, thanks so much hun! That was really sweet of you, see you around maybe?" They said as they gave the man a wink as they turned on their heel and walked away with a sort of swaying strut as the man stood there stock still in the middle of the tiled airport terminal.

"...That was a guy..."

Chapter 3 End

Author's Note

Oh man, that was something! I really had a set plan and direction for this chapter, then it kinda spiraled away from me, yet i had so much fun the entire time! I'll keep this brief in the fact that this took it out of me. I'm having a blast create this little story of mine as i continue on, plus it really lets me try out this new type of setting and themes.

And the peices are falling into place, we finally got a little glimpse of June! He will be something that a good friend of mine came up with, and i'm taking him in a direction that I will try to give the best love and care for... Along with some more great times with our awesome duo, Knight and Elise! They are my huge joy to write right now...

Anyways the next chapter will probably take a little bit longer to come out due to the fact that i'am creating from scratch as i go from here on out, though i have set plans for things that are going to happen. How we get there, nobody knows, but hopefully it won't be filled with as much grammatical and sentence structure trash! One could hope!

Also I would love any form of critique and or support, as it gives me my fuel, whether good or bad to keep this adventure going! Thank you all to who are reading along, I appreciate you so much!.......

Fine fine, you convinced me... Next Chapter Title Preview!

Coming Soon

--------------- It Rained Today ---------------

It Rained Today

Savor the Waterveil

It Rained Today

Chapter 4

The next day came for the Marsh Family Farms, though in a stark contrast to any of the prior days. As a single thick blanket of gray clouds sat itself in the sky, slowly rolling as no direct sunlight passed through. The inhabitants on the property itself sat quiet as it's occupants had yet to wake up, the earliest hours having not yet been standard rising time. From within the home in the second story bedroom, the sleeping body of Elise snored loudly as her caramel hair frizzed every which way it could jut out. A standard black alarm clock rested on a basic nightstand next to the bed, the time illuminated in bright red LED's red across '5:59'. Elise snored heavily in her bed as the morning pushed forward, unaware in her sleeping state, the amount of irritation she was about to experience. The seconds ticked by, until as the alarm clock switched to '6:00', a blazing sound emanated from the clocks speakers. As soon as the device started to sing, the same resting figure of Elise started to stir, groaning heavily as the offending contraption disturbed her peaceful slumber.

"Bwah?" Elise groaned out as the alarm continued to blare it's siren of announcement. A arm appeared from within the confines of the covers as her undressed arm moved in a swatting motion towards the black box of hell. Missing several times, before finally finding contact as she slapped the big oval 'Snooze' button. Groaning in relief as her hand fell to the side of the bed, feeling not in much of a hurry to get up at the moment. She laid strewn out upon her bed face down in her pillow, before groaning heavily again shifting herself onto her back. Pushing herself up, propping herself up on her arm, the blanket fell to her waist as she sat up. Being that she slept in the house alone she was only adorned in her pair of tight briefs, and nothing else to cover up herself. Not that it had mattered, it got hot on multiple occasions at night, she found that she preferred to sleep almost fully nude. AS she sat on her bed rubbing her eyes from the crust that had accumulated, she groaned as she put a hand to her stomach. "Knight may have a point, ah' think ah' need tah' ease up on tha' drink", she lamented to herself as she moved her somewhat sore muscles and limbs. She then in a very crude motioned opened up her mouth wide, as she let out a great loud belch, if it weren't for the fact that her window was closed she was sure the whole farm could have heard it. Coming off from the expulsion of air she screwed up her face in deep thought, before shooing a hand back and forth in front of herself. "Nah, ah'll be fine", she completed the one sided conversation with herself as she swung her legs out onto the slightly cold wooden floor.

Stretching her arms she pushed herself up onto her feet as she made her way towards her dresser, smacking her lips together as she went through her morning ritual. As she made it to the dresser she stopped and stood as out from her peripheral, she noticed that the usual early morning light from the sun wasn't present. She slowly shuffled over as she peered out the window that over looked the rear of the house. Seeing that the sky had currently been completely covered in clouds, the dull grayness having only been able to be seen, due to very minimal light trying to make it's way through the dense mass. Elise still almost completely nude opened her window, unlocking it and shoving it upwards, before pushing her front half out the hole and taking a big whiff of the morning air.

"Mmm, smells like rain tah' me", she said to herself as a small smile grew onto her still early morning pained face. "About damn time", she huffed as she pulled herself back into her room, opting to close the window again. She moved to her dresser and fished about for a random top to hold her chest, as she grabbed it she walked back to the side of her bed towards the alarm clock. Throwing the piece of clothing on herself and fastening it in the back with one hand, the other fiddled with the clock as she pressed the 'Radio' button along the side, as she started tuning the dial to a station. Static emanated from the device before a voice could be heard slightly, the static clearing up as she tuned it to the local weather broadcast feed.

"--- scattered showers and thunderstorms expected later today and tomorrow afternoon. Good morning everyone, I'm Jason Antonio from the storm tracker Weather Center! Well we're tracking a cold front with some North and South Pacific moisture headed our way, those two combining elements gonna kick off some pretty healthy storms over the next few days. Before that cold front continues to slide in we're looking at degrees in the low sixties for our western stretches, and mid seventies throughout the eastern areas. As for later in the evening here's how things are gonna play out. First shot of moisture pretty much stays to the north, and it's kind of a quick mover, some isolated showers are expected in and around those northern areas till tomorrow morning. But they're going to be very short-lived, kind of just splash and dash, enough to dirty up the vehicle after running it through the wash. A second system out towards the south, that's going to be our next weather maker, that system is really going to amplify as it starts to head north. Definitely going to be growing and gaining decent strength into the evening until likely around six a.m. next morning...

Elise continued to listen as she ruffled around within her dresser again as she pulled out a pair of folded farm overalls. Listening to the forecast she shuffled and moved around, getting into her pair of clothes for the day, ending the dressing with a pair of clean white socks. She moved towards the radio as the recorded message of the weather broadcast started to loop again, turning the dial off as the voice cut out. Standing with her basic overalls and undershirt, adorned in a pair of socks, she sighed heavily as the wave of thoughts came over her. The thoughts sitting in the forefront of her mind, not knowing whether she would have her problems solved if she decided to just stand there for an hour or so. Deciding it better not to dwell heavily on just thinking, she rolled her head on her shoulders, a few slight pops complimented with a groan of stiff release from her neck. Clasping her hands together she rubbed them in circles as she made to exit the room, pulling open the door and pausing within the door frame. She turned her head back into her room, her focus shifting to the foot of her bed. Not saying a word she moved back towards the bed and came down onto one knee as she used her right arm to reach from under the bed. Grasping from within a hole that was cut open in the box spring, she pulled out a small rectangular leather bound book. Using the back of her hand along with blowing off some dust that had accumulated on its surface. With no wording or discernible markings on the book she pulled the front cover back as it revealed within a few developed photos from a camera reel.

She sighed as she brought her hand to one of the pictures, a younger looking version of herself sat on a metal park bench. Sitting next to her was a young looking boy, only able to be known from the buzzed haircut that had adorned the figure. A contrast to the extremely long hair that had covered most of the younger version of Elise's back, the slightly lighter color of the same caramel hue that she had currently. Both of the two children had an arm around the other as they could be seen with a smile plastered upon each of their faces. Elise's face cracked a small smile from the photo, the picture taking her out of the present, a memory of the past seeming to be all but fine in their world. The smile held on her face stayed for a solid minute, before her gaze shifted to a picture on the next holding page of the bound book. Seeing the same two figures of herself and her younger brother being flanked by two older looking individuals, a hand on wither of their shoulders as the setting looked to be the setup of a family portrait. No expression passed over her face as she slammed the book closed, the earlier emotions of nostalgia, now seeming to be replaced with slight irritation and hatred. Still on her knees she reached under the bed, sliding the book back into it's original position, away from anyone who didn't know of it's hiding place.

"Elise! Hey Elise you awake yet? I think we need to start preparing, it looks like it's going to rain soon", Elise heard the voice of Knight calling up to her from her open bedroom door. She shook her head from her current reminiscing state as she called back down to him.

"Yeah! Ah'll be down in a sec', start pulling out the cart would ya' kindly?" She hollered out down the stairs of the home to him as she sat in her room, taking another moment or two to gather herself.

"No problem! I'll see you when you get down", he yelled to her as he started to make his way to the east side of the home, going towards the parked truck and a few other small movable contraptions.

Elise shook her head as she lightly drummed at the sides of her cheeks with her open palms, "Come on girl, ya' can't get too fritzy now, ya' got tah' keep it together", she said to herself in slight self supportive tone. Pushing herself up to her feet she went through her bedroom door frame, pulling it closed behind her as she left. Making her way down the stairs she made a passing glance at the home phone, seeing that there had been no indicator of a missed call. Peeling her eyes off of it she pushed herself into the kitchen, shifting to the small windows that sat over the sink, pulling open the drapes to get a better view of the outside. The dense clouds continuing to dim the light that made it's way through the sky, Elise glanced out onto the property and to the dirt road that led to the entrance of the farm itself. Feeling the need to stare at it she held her focus until from off the right side of the windowsill a blue hoof came from the lower right side. Catching her attention as it waved back and forth, glancing over she saw Knight standing there with the cart slipped onto his frame as he stood there.

"So should I just store the hay bails away, or keep them out?" He questioned her through the glass as he caught her attention, wondering what it was she was trying to see. He saw as she put a finger up and disappeared from the window, hearing a second later the front screen door squeak open and slam back into place. He waited as he saw Elise now dressed in her work boots came over to the side of the house where Knight stood.

"Sorry 'bout that buddy, lost in mah' own world ah' guess", she apologized as she rubbed her left arm with her right hand. Knight gave a kind smile as he pulled the cart over as he walked to her side, giving her a slight bump with his shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry about it, you're good, though I think we should hurry. It looks like it's going to be opening up here soon, I don't want to be caught outside when it starts to pour." Knight chipped as Elise followed beside him as they walked towards the double standing shed. "At least it will be a nice break from the heat lately", he added as he shoved the harness over his head, catching a bit of his mane before shaking it off. Elise shifted her head side to side as a look of half agreement came as she listened to Knight as she moved to pull the swinging shed doors open.

"Ah' guess, but it also means that it'll bring a shit ton of humidity, couple that with the damn heat and ah' will be dyin' a slow sweaty death", she groaned as she pulled a few of the things that Knight had stored on the wagon to be stored away from the impending storm. Knight grabbed and lifted a couple objects using his mouth as Elise grabbed hay bails, hefting them up onto her shoulder, a slight visible strain in her muscles ever present. They moved back and forth between the cart and the shed as they offloaded all of the materials that had been gathered. Elise closed the doors as the now very much filled to capacity shed was locked away with a padlock and key. "Well, anythin' else that needs to be done to prepare for winds and the such?" She asked her companion as she tried to wrap her head around anything that they might have missed. Knight stood in contemplation before his eyes sharpened and he shifted from side to side. Glancing behind him he looked on at the large barn, standing with it's side shutters and front double doors closed, he looked back at Elise's face as his voice came out low.

"The... mares", his voice quite low, the sound of him speaking bringing Elise out of her own train of thought looking over to him.

"What was that buddy?" Elise asked as she noticed the awkwardness on Knight's face as she tried to understand what he had said. Knight shifted his gaze behind him and gave a slight nod towards the barn as he pulled her attention towards it. He spoke in a more outside voice tone as he cleared his throat, his gaze attempting to be anywhere near hers.

"The uhh, ahem.... the mares... they probably need to be tied to their posts. So they don't try to bolt, you know, if there's thunder or something", he explained to her as the awkwardness in his voice was very present. Elise's face lifted up in understanding as she gave a small smile, along with a look of empathy for her uncomfortable friend.

"Hehe, yeah that would be a good idea, thanks a bunch blue", she said smiling as she passed by him, reaching with her hand to give his mane a slight ruffle as she walked past. Glancing behind herself she pointed off to the side of the house where he had originally brought the cart. "Ya' mind puttin' the cart back, ah'll be just a minute", she hollered out as she approached the doors before stopping and turning around, seeing that he was in the process of ducking under the raised harness and slipping his head through to properly position it. "Hey Knight, ya' mind making one last around tah' see if we missed something as well? Ah'll finish up in here and hit up an early shower, k'?" She said waiting to see if he had heard her, to which he had responded with a visible head nod to her. As he did he started pulling the cart with slight ease as he made his way to the opposite side of the house.

With his back turned to her, Elise sighed heavily as she turned and opened one of the double doors, slipping inside she made sure the door was closed securely behind her. Sweeping around to look inside her gaze caught four decent size stalls of the half built stable within the barn. One half of the sizable structure was a slightly open space, mostly filled with various peices of farming equipment and supplies, coated with varying degrees of straw and dust from being placed there without any use for a while. Looking across one of the assembled wooden shelves she spotted a couple peices of equipment that had to do with caring for the larger sized livestock. Among the times was several large and sturdy leather leads, all with a fair bit of dirt on them from previous use. Elise moved towards the shelf as she reached to grab what she counted out to be four of the strong leads. Grasping them in her hands she moved towards the closest stall as she set three of them over the enclosure with one still in her hand. Unlatching the deadbolt she pushed open the swinging stall door as she smiled seeing a fairly large brown coat mare. This mare looking nothing in comparison to Elise's pseudo roommate, due to the size difference and on account that these mares weren't like Knight, in regards to the whole being sentient and as smart as any other human. Elise moved in close as she patted the side of the large brown mare, the top of her head only barely reaching eye level.

"Hey there Lily, how are ya' holdin' up girl?" She questioned the standing horse, as the mare didn't respond, her tail swishing back and forth and she held an uninterested stare towards Elise. "Yeah, I figured as much, damn it's always weird seeing ya'll right after ah've talked tah' Knight", she said to mostly herself as she wrapped the lead around the mares neck and fitting it to her with the strap making it a snug fit. Moving the looped handle Elise threw it around and pulled it through a side notch that was within the stalls themselves. Making sure Lily had sufficient water and food in the opposite corner she exited the stall and latched it tight, she did this for the next three stalls, moving to open and leash up the remaining three mares. Which upon closer inspection little indentations could be seen, as they were shown with little wooden carvings on each of the doors, they read from left to right; Lily, Umbra, Nim, and Angel.

Elise made sure all four of them had been situated the best they could, a small preparation for the oncoming storm, a smart idea that came from her friend. At the thought of Knight, Elise glanced back at the mares, giving them a better glance. She noticed how they woulds flag their tails for a brief period, and then drop them back down and swishing a few seconds later. She sighed knowing full well how the mares would act during this particular time of the season, the situation being a complete awkward mess for a certain individual who lived on her farm. She sighed as she glanced around the barn making sure the hatches in the alcove were shut tight, among other loose objects before moving back towards the double doors.

"Damn, ah' wish there was a place to hold you girls for a month. Ah' think it would be best for him, but there isn't anybody who's got a spare stall in miles". Elise shook her head, she had gone down this train of thought before, trying to find the best solution for both the mares and for Knight. She felt bad for seeing Knight have to deal with a group of estrus fueled mares in the nearby vicinity at all times of the day. He had insisted he was fine a number of times, but she saw knew better that it overpowered him even if he fought it. She knew he was strong, any other normal stallion would be breaking down the damn barn doors. She knew he had more willpower, but willpower could only hold your natural instincts back so much. The thoughts ran through her head as she eased out of the double doors and slipped the large deadbolt back into place, along with two floor bolt shafts for extra precaution in case of any high winds.

Turning around she didn't see any sign of her blue equine friend, figuring he had gone elsewhere as to avoid her in her current 'aroma encased' state. Thinking that this was the case she hurriedly made her way to the front porch, walking up the steps she pulled open the screen door and made her way inside, behind her in the distance she could start to hear the sound of faint rumbling. Hearing this she could deduce that the heart of the storm wasn't too far off, glad that they had both prepared the farm in time so that she didn't have to worry about anything threatening her farm. She made her way through the living area and into the adjacent hallway, stopping to grab a towel from hallway linen closet. Towel in hand she pushed open the bathroom door, closing it behind her as she began to undress and deposit her dirty clothes into a clothes hamper. Turning on the shower she waited a moment until the water was at a near above luke warm level before stepping in. The soothing feeling of the water washing away her days work of sweat and grime, a great form of release for her body. As she went through her normal cleaning routine her thoughts were brought back to Knight. She stopped as she held a foam sponge in her hand, looking at it she stood there, the events of one of their previous talks coming to her as she remembered how Knight had really felt.

------------------ Three Weeks Ago ------------------

"I'm serious! Just don't come any closer Elise, please!" The frantic sound of Knights pleas rang out in the front of the house as Elise stood but a few feet from him, Knight making a serious effort to back away from her as she held a look of concern and worry.

"Jeez Knight what's the matter with ya'? We were fine a few minutes ago, and now ya' don't want tah' be near me", she questioned in a confused state as she tried to make her way closer, but was currently gaining no ground on him.

"It's not you, just please listen to me, I can't not smell it", he claimed as the hoof he had been holding hard against his nostrils had not moved since he put it there. Elise could only stare even more confused at his words as she sputtered to try to understand what was going on.

"Wait what, smell me?" She said confused as she hazarded lifting up her arm and sniffing at her armpit, not finding anything more than her usual worked up sweat smell. "Ah' don't think ah' smell that bad, why are you all in a tizzy?" She had asked him feeling more indignant at his somewhat harsh sounding words.

"No no no, not like that! I can smell 'them' on you", he claimed as he had put a decent amount of distance from her. He was also standing in an awkward stance as his hind legs were crossed slightly. Elise tilted her head as she tried to comprehend what he was trying to tell her.

"What do yah' mean 'Ya' can smell them on me' ? All ah' did was go move stuff around the barn and feed and water the--", it was at this moment that Elise had halted what she had been saying. She looked over towards the barn and slowly glanced back at Knight, taking more notice on how he was reacting, more so in particular the way he had been standing. Casting a peeking glance downward her gaze immediately shot right back up to Knights half covered face, seeing now that he was trying to look anywhere but her direction. She also noticed that even with his slightly darker hue fur that he had a semblance of a blush on his cheeks. It didn't take much more for her to piece the issue together, her eyes widening as she stumbled to say something. "Oh uhh, well ah'... lemme just, go wash off then. Ah'll uhh, be right back", she said to him as she swung her walk wide around him towards the porch. He said nothing as she rushed into the home and shoved her way into the first floor bathroom.

Some time passed as Elise emerged from the screen door, freshly washed and clean, dressed out of her working clothes and into a plain T-Shirt and some jeans. She glanced around the front end of the property, trying to locate Knight, wondering where he had gone off. Her gaze was cast over the barn as she noticed the door had still been open, a slight flash of worry crossed her face as a the thought of something passed through her mind. She shook her head, knowing full well that Knight wouldn't had made such a big deal, just to go and do something as blatant as that. She continued to look around for him as she curved around the house, out of her peripheral she caught a slight glimpse of blue sat under the large tree out towards the rear of the farm. She light out a slight sigh of relief as she made her way towards him. closing in on him she stopped a ways away as she stood there for a few seconds, seeming that he hadn't noticed her yet. Elise made it a point to be heard as she cleared her throat, his ears swiveled in her direction as his head also turned to look at her. She motioned her arms over herself as she waited for indication that she should continue to stay away.

"Am ah' decent enough fer' ya', ya' can't smell it anymore can ya'?" She asked, genuinely hoping that she had solved the issue that she hand't thought of before today. Knight said nothing as he cautiously tilted his head upwards and took a tentative sniff through his nostrils. He didn't react much, albeit there was a slight tinge to his cheeks due to the embarrassment of the situation. He cleared his throat as he diverted his attention to the side slightly before he spoke.

"J-Just a tiny bit, but it's much better now... T-Thanks", he told her as a look of slight relief came over Elise's features.

"Well, that's good... Mind if i sit?" She asked as she edged closer towards the tree to where he was laid out, waiting to see if it was okay for her to be near him. He was silent for a few seconds before he looked back to, the essence of a small smile could be seen.

"Yeah", he said simply as he shifted over slightly to give room for her to rest up against the tree. Elise smiled as well as she walked over, still with slight caution as she sat herself down next to her compatriot, still giving a couple inches of room just in case. They sat there as the silence hung heavily over them, Elise being the first one to break the awkwardness in the air.

"Ah'... Ah'm sorry, ah' should have realized sooner, with ya' not wanting to work in the barn and all". She apologized as her head dipped slightly with a forlorn look on her face.

"It's alright Elise, honest, I should have said something sooner", he said as his gaze came back to rest on her.

"H-How long?" She asked him as she wondered how long he had been trying to keep this from her. Looking over to him she tried to read his expression, seeing that there wasn't anything discerning at the moment when he spoke.

"About a week and a half ago, when I assume their cycle started for the season." He replied to her with sincerity and honesty, him feeling there was no need to try and hide it anymore. Elise sat there not saying anything as she understood more now why he had been acting a bit off the last couple of days, seeing as he had been fine with all of the livestock including the mares for quite a while up to this point. She contemplated her next words as Knights head started to sweep across the grounds as the silence fell back on them again. She looked at the back of his head before speaking in a low tone as she tried her best to salvage this situation.

"Well, if ya' want...", she tried to find the right words as this conversation was getting to be a bit too much. "L-Lily is more of a show mare anyhow, ah' wouldn't mind it if---", she didn't get to say much further as Knight's head snapped back towards her direction with a semi fierce gaze.

"No!" He said with a raised voice, the close proximity of the two having startled and slightly scared Elise as her eyes widened in shock form his outburst. Knight was quick to recover as his face instantly morphed into one of regret as the look on Elise's face made him realize how he reacted. "I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell, but no. I'll... I'll be fine, there's no need for what you're offering. I appreciate the thought, but I'll be fine, promise". He said to her as the moment was still fresh as he offered a regretful sad smile to her. It took Elise a moment to recover before understanding that it was as much of an uncomfortable situation to her as it was to Knight. She looked to him with a half smile as she reached over slowly and started to rub and pat his head, ruffling his mane in the process. The action bringing a irritated but genuine smile from the pony.

"Alright buddy, if ya' really mean it, ah' believe ya'", she lamented as they both passed yet another obstacle in their weird arrangement. Both of them sitting under the to yet be named tree that held a special relaxing place for the both of them...

-------------------------- Present ---------------------------

Elise stood not moving in the shower, having been staring at the sponge in her grasp for more than a few minutes. The water that was coming out of the shower head had gone from a nice refreshing hot, to a near literal 'cold shower'. Sighing as her thoughts brought her back to where she was she began scrubbing herself again as she applied another dollop of soap to the sponge. Deciding that it better to finish her already long shower she hurried up her last bits of cleaning. Reaching for the knobs to turn off the shower she was startled as loud frantic pounding came from the other side of the bathroom door. Almost slipping in the shower Elise quickly turned the knobs to 'Off' as she heard Knight's frantic voice came from the door. Knowing that immediately that this wasn't just some prank, due to Knight never coming in the home without asking for permission first.

"Elise! Elise get out, hurry!" Knight pleaded loudly as he banged another few times, hoping that this would speed up Elise's reaction. Elise didn't even bother to grab her towel as she quickly stepped out and made her way to the door, opening easily as she had not bothered to lock it. Quickly swinging the door open to reveal Knight with a shocked worried expression, as the steam the had accumulated in the bathroom rolled out. He stared blankly at the very nude and dripping wet Elise looking at him with a more than irritated expression.

"Knight what in the Sam hell! Why are ya' all worked up?" She half questioned and demanded as she stood there, Knight taking a moment to come out of his stupor and slight embarrassment of seeing Elise in the buck. Not that it hadn't been the first time, the only other time being an accident.

"Sorry, but there's someone coming up the road!" He warned her as her face fell, without a word she pushed past him. Her naked wet form dragging water all through the hallway as she peered around the corner, gazing out the front living area windows. Her eyes widened as she saw what looked like to be a eco-friendly four door parked in the open dirt front of the house. As she was examining the car the driver side door opened up, and out stepped a figure that made her breath hitch.

"Fuckin' hell", she said to herself as she whipped behind her to find Knight a few feet away trying to understand what the situation was, but at the same time trying not to have his gaze fall onto his naked friends form. "We have a big fucking problem", she stated to him as she heard the car door close, along with the distant rumbling of thunder. Both of these factors seeming to be getting ever closer, and both of them having impending disastrous effects on the farm. Knight looked toward Elise while attempting to keep his gaze on her forehead.

"What? What's the matter?" He asked as his own impatience was taking hold, wondering what Elise was going to say.

Elise looked to him as the clouds over the 'Marsh Family Farms' hung like a blanket of impending doom. The low rumbling giving off an eerie vibe to what is normally a nice escape for the inhabitants of the farm. Though today all of that would change, with one simple visitor that would through their once peaceful arrangement for a loop. Elise tried to comprehend how the best course of action was as she warned Knight of what was to come. Standing naked and soaking wet in the middle of her home, looking at her best friend she put on a forced faux smile as she spoke.

"June's here..."

Chapter 4 End

Author's Note

Well, at least I wasn't lying when I said this one would take longer to come out...

Not going to lie, I was sitting on this one for too long, seeing as I had it basically written out and completed for a few days. But i just sat on it, I don't know why, it just happened. Anyways here it is Chapter 4 of my little project...

So far I'm enjoying where it's going, I even had one of my good friends look at it for me... It went better than I expected, he gave some nice criticism. Basically he confirmed to me what i already knew, my writing is shit and it could be better. But that's okay! I knew that already coming into this little adventure, he said he might look over it and clean it up a bit, and i trust him seeing as he is definitely a better writer than myself, but regardless I can actually be pretty happy with this update, seeing as it's basically the first big milestone that I had set out!

Next chapter we finally get to be fully introduced to June Marsh! I'm excited and worried at the same time, I got comfortable writing for Knight and Elise, so at this point, having to throw my mind into June will be a trip. But hopefully I can make him how I want and picture him to be...

Of course I would like to kindly ask for any and all feedback! I already appreciate the fact that there are people continuing on with the chapters so far, and it makes me very excited to see if I can really entertain people!

With my rambling ending prematurely i will leave with the people who are giving my little read a chance the next chapter title!

Coming Soon

--------------- Far Away from Home ---------------