Liam looked confused, "wasn't Elaine the girl that just came in? Got assigned to Rose with her filly Ruby?" He asks. He understood what she meant. He knew Katie truly loved the rescue, putting in most of her hard earned cash. He had also pitched in some of his money to help her, but most of it was from her.

"Right. Everyone's here. I guess i'm a bit keyed up. I just don't want to have anyone not here." She turned and went over and sat down on her tack box, tears filling her eyes. "I feel so much pressure on me, so I just don't want to disappoint anyone, especially the horses." Katie turned away from Liam, embarrased for her tears. She quickly wiped them away, took a couple deep breaths, and stood up. "I'm going to post the cabins." Katie erased the whitboard on the front of her office door that excitedly stated Welcome Volunteers! and she wrote:

"Does that look okay?" Katie asks herself. She took Liam's hand and together they went to go find everyone. They found Caleb working with Dune and having a bonding day, Elaine talking to Rose and Ruby, and the others hanging out with their horses too. "If you would like to know where you will be sleeping, go to the whiteboard on my office. We aren't going to do "group grocery runs" or anything, so stock it up on your own time. The cabins are next to the covered arena. Curfew is 11pm."

"Right. Everyone's here. I guess i'm a bit keyed up. I just don't want to have anyone not here." She turned and went over and sat down on her tack box, tears filling her eyes. "I feel so much pressure on me, so I just don't want to disappoint anyone, especially the horses." Katie turned away from Liam, embarrased for her tears. She quickly wiped them away, took a couple deep breaths, and stood up. "I'm going to post the cabins." Katie erased the whitboard on the front of her office door that excitedly stated Welcome Volunteers! and she wrote:

"Does that look okay?" Katie asks herself. She took Liam's hand and together they went to go find everyone. They found Caleb working with Dune and having a bonding day, Elaine talking to Rose and Ruby, and the others hanging out with their horses too. "If you would like to know where you will be sleeping, go to the whiteboard on my office. We aren't going to do "group grocery runs" or anything, so stock it up on your own time. The cabins are next to the covered arena. Curfew is 11pm."

Liam reached around from behind Katie, trapping her in his embrace. He turned her so her face was in his chest. "It's okay, my love. You'll never dissapoint anyone. Someone who's so passionate and dedicated like you are shouldn't worry about letting anyone down" He reassured her, gently rubbing her arms. "And, I will always be here for you" he adds, placing a gentle kiss to her head.

Katie sighed and asked Liam, "So. What do you want to do? We could go for a trail ride, or we could take a nap. We could go stock up on food? I just need something to do." Katie sat down and got out her phone. God, why did everyone have such rich lives on Instagram? She kept scrolling for a couple minutes. Ugh, I just need to go ride. Katie stood once more, and spoke to Liam, "I'm going out. Please don't come too. I need to vent and I don't want you there in case I accidentally start venting at you." She was angry because she was tired. She was tired because of the length of day this had been. She just needed to have an adreneline rush. Tack up, go up the back woods trail, into the field, and go. She quickly grabbed Evie out of her stall, and noticed her nuzzling Rebel. Huh, maybe Liam was right. Cute. She put Evie in the crossties, and stormed into the tack room. She yanked Evie's saddle off the hook, and snatched up the bridle. She also grabbed the splint boots just in case. She grabbed her own backpack, and put a first aid kit inside along with 2 extra water bottles. I'll be fine. She flopped the stuff onto the ground and put the saddle and saddle pad on her horse. Next, she put the halter around Evie's neck and put the bridle on. Finally, she put the splint boots on Evie. She unclipped the bridle, grabbed her helmet, and swung her backpack on. She sighed for the hundreth time today. She swung up onto Evie's back, and clicked to get her moving. They loped through the worn-in paths between pastures all the way to the trail, where she slowed Evie down to a trot. They were perfectly peaceful here in the woods. It was where they had always rode in times of stress. Emma took a deep breath of evening air creeping in. They made it to the meadow with no difficulties ride-wise. She galloped Evie down the field and back twice, making sure to save energy for the ride home. Maybe Liam will forgive me for my anger. Maybe- But Katie was cut midthought when Evie tripped, toppling to the ground and rolling onto Katie. "Shit!!!"

Liam could feel Katie's stress and exhaustion. He knew she needed time to herself, and he respected that. She needed space and as her boyfriend he allowed her that space. He watched as she walked away. He was itching to go with her but he knew that this is what she wanted. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, tousling it a little.

After waiting for a aproximately twenty minutes, Liam felt something was off. He rushed over to Rebel's stall, mounting him bareback. He had no time to tack up, he felt somethiung was extremely wrong. He urged the stallion on as the two rushed in the direction Katie went.

Katie sat there, dazed for a moment before opening her eyes. She tried to sit up, but her ribs hurt badly. She scooched so that she could see her horse and found that Evie too was on her side, laying down. Katie pulled tha backpack off her back, and rummaged around for a moment before realizing. Shit! My phone is on my desk! She looked up at the sky, noticing the darkness creeping over the clouds. Katie yelled as loud as her ribs could take it. "HELP! MY HORSE AND I FELL! HELP!" She hoped it would be enough to get both of them before the predators came out to play. She closed her eyes and slipped into the darkness.

Katie woke with a sharp pain in her ribs a couple minutes later. She tried sitting up again and failed once more. She looked over at where she last saw Evie, but she was gone. She crazily looked for her horse with great pain being inflicted in the process. She winced and tried to sit up again. She succeeded, but she found her arm hurt. Katie caught a glance of something moving in the shadow of the twilight hour, and realized it was her beloved Evie. "Evie!" She called to her horse. Evie looked up at the sound of her name being called before laying back down. Is Evie okay? Did she hurt one of her legs? Who will be able to find us here? Katie curled into a ball as much as she could manage and cried. What is we die out here? Katie remembered the water bottles, and poured one over a scrape on her leg. She winced again. If only she would walk over here.... She saw the firs aid kit in her backpack, and pulled out a antimicrobial wipe, and cleaned off her scrapes. She dug around some more and also found a knife. She grabbed a nearby stick, and carved the tip into a point. Satisfied, she set it down and began to braid the grass. After she had done that for a few minutes, she called again "Help! My horse and I need help!" She didn't know who or what would come get them, but she tried to look on the bright side. Evie, assumingly, is fine. I'll be fine. I have water and protection. She smiled wearly to herself. And Liam loves me. Unless he hasn't forgiven me for my sudden departure.... What if he hates me for it?! What if he wants to break up because of it?! What a mess. Katie started humming to herself until her ribs hurt too much. She sighed and looked for another stick to wittle. Finding a suitable one within reach, she carved Evie's name next to Rebel's. That would be hillarious. That our horses were in love. I wonder what Riot thinks of it all... Hmm...

Spotting his girlfriend and her horse both on the ground, Liam urged Rebel to go faster. The stallion was running as quick as he could. Liam pulled on Rebel's mane gently, jumping off before he even stopped. He pulled out his phone, calling 9-1-1. He then gently lifted his girlfriend into his arms, panic rising in his throat. "Katie, honey. Are you okay?" He asks wiping hair from her face gently. Rebel nuzzled Evie gently, standing protectively over her. He nickered to her, touching his nose with hers.

Katie spotted Liam sprinting on Rebel toward her. She tried to sit up again, and succeded at it. She started crying uncontrolably as the shock of the situaiton hit her. "I'll be fine I guess. My arm feels sprained somewhere and my ribs feel broken or cracked. I have scrapes, but those will heal fast enough." She tried to compose herself and couldn't so she just asked, "Is Evie okay? Why didn't you check on her first?"