24348 breakthrough Sam hears animals!!!!!!!

After she finished her lunch Samantha grabbed her cane and went out to the hedge lined maze that led further into the property. Only to freeze at the opening it was a bit spooky to enter a maze and not have a map of it. Max had told her which path led to the stables and she had walked it a bit, just far enough to reach the first bench, which had all most been to far. Still it was hard to walk some place new when her legs were so weak yet Dad said that there were place to sit so I would be fine. Just stay to the path Max said to. She smiled a bit and entered the maze turning left and started down the yellow lined path. She was glad to reach the first bench and sat with relief but was still smiling. It was good to feel the sun, even if it was odd to hear birds and not car horns, and to see real bugs not the engineered ones that the cities had. She had to remind herself that these bees would sting and they were not to be touched. Some of the tamed ones wanted to be touched and would sit on your arm wanting to be petted. It was said to be part of a tracking system, but more likely it was just a bit of a flawed code in that strain. The robotic ones could have a camera but she doubted that the live ones could have a role in tracking yet. After resting a bit she moved on down the path smiling a bit and enjoying the verity of it. There was a lot of flowers, most she had seen only in books. When she sat on the next bench there was a loud burst of bird tweets that made her jump and looked around. Felling a bit silly and perhaps slightly spooked as it was clearly coming from a live bird and not the tiny speakers that the city used in the parks. For the engendered birds didn’t make noise to disturb the peace, but some wished to hear them so in certain parks speakers had been set up to play recordings for those that cared to hear the songs. Not that any of the parks were visited often, it was believed best to limit contact even with the tamed plant life that was in them. She smiled as she located the bird on the hedge just behind her. “I’m sorry if I am disturbing your afternoon sir bird, but I need to rest here a bit longer then I will be out of way. That was a quite scary song.” Samantha laughed at her foolishness of talking to the bird, she was glad she was alone, but it had helped ease her fear. When she reached the next bench the bird was there again she shook her head and sat down with a bit more care, but it still tweeted at her. When it happen again at the next bench Sam put her hands on her hips and said. “Mr. Bird I do believe you are mocking me. I know I am slow sir, but I will have you know I am doing the best my legs will let me. I do not need your laughter sir. And they said that wild animals had no sense of humor. I would say this proves other wise.” She sat down. “I do not know what you expect of me sir, but I have not to offer you. Next time I will bring some bread crumbs for you, as I recall reading birds like bread.” The bird tweeted, this time it sounded a lot like it was scolding her, or so Samantha imagined. “I was unaware that I was to bring payment for my passage though your domain. I will do so next time, good sir. I fear that in giving me directions to the stable my broth failed to say that there was a fee.” A horse neighed making her jump. “That sounds close I must be near the end of this journey. Perhaps that is why you were upset at my resting? Well sir my legs will only carry so far then I must rest, no matter how near my goal may be.” The bird cocked its head to one side and chirped. Samantha was just sure it had asked her why and so answered. “I have been ill recently and it is taking time to get my legs back to working order.” She shook her head, realizing she was answering a bird of all things. “My Grandma would be sure I was in direr need of help if she saw me taking to an animal, even one as sassy as you. After all untamed nature is supposed to be dangers. Yet no one could ever give a good reason as to why, not that I could ask.” The bird chipped, saying that it found the idea silly, that there was danger in all, no more in the wild then in the caged towns. Samantha said. “I didn’t say it made sense, it doesn’t, but it is what she is convinced of and why she is up set that we moved out to the untamed lands.” There was another loud neigh that was clearly angry. “All right let’s see if I can make it to where I can see those horses. I do wonder what has that one upset. Do you think he is getting picked on?” The bird said. ‘Not like rope. Not want to be bound want to be free. Want to run, like you. Come on, it’s going to get away. Not far.’ Samantha stood up laughing as the bird hoped a bit. “I’m coming. Just what do you think I can do to help? I know little of any of you. I am sure most horses fight the reins and saddles at first, not carrying to be asked to wear the unknown things. However the ones at the track seemed pored they could carry the riders, even one as unknowing as me. Likely he just doesn’t understand why they want him to ware the odd things.” The bird chipped. ‘Can’t have it getting hurt, come on. Windsong will hear you, but not them who chase.’ Laughing Samantha followed the bird, not thinking about how odd it was, or realizing that she had heard words from it. Still thinking she was pretending that it was talking to her. After all even city kids knew that animals didn’t talk. Samantha was glad to leave the maze and even more realized that it had infect ended at the stables, so she hadn’t got turned as she half feared she had. Off to the side of them was a large pasture that had a few horses out in and there was a bench not far from it. She started to the bench thinking she could sit there and watch the horses but not be in the way as she might be if she went into the stable. She had taken three steps when a loud neigh from the stables made her turn towed them just as a stopping horse ran out, tossing its heads with dangling reins. Not think about it she moved to the horse and said softly. “Easy there big fellow, easy it’s all right. I can see you are upset, but running like that you are going to get hurt. Those reins are likely to get tangled dangling like that.” Windsong tossed his head, neighed and stomped his foot. ‘I don’t like these things on me they are not comfortable. And that silly leather on my back is hot and itchy.’ Samantha took anther step towards the horse. “I know those reins are iterating you and you likely don’t see why they put them on you. You see them only a way to hamper you. I am sure they are not wanting to do you harm, they just see what a strong horse you are and are hoping that you will carry them.” She took anther slow step to the horse hope to be able to take the reins without spooking it. She hoped she didn’t look to silly, but the jockeys had always talked softly to a frightened horse so it seemed the best thing to do here. “Easy boy, it is all right Windsong. I know you are scared, but you need the reins and the saddle, they will help you carry a rider and you do want to don’t you?” the horse tossed his head. “Think of how grand it will feel to carry one of us around and showing us how you can run.” Windsong stomped a bit and tossed his head. ‘Yes it does look like fun. But not the bindings they are not fun why must they be. Get on I will carry without. No need to tie. You could use help. You move slow.’ Samantha smiled and moved over to the horse taking the reins. “These help us balance and let us tell you what way we want you to go. The saddle helps you bear our wait more comfortably, as well as making it easy for us to stay on your back, as we can have problems balancing when you are running.” She reached up and touched Windsong’s neck. “What do say we go back to the stable so they can see that you are safe. I am sure they are worried the way you bolt out here had to have to them scared.” She tugged gently on the reins. “I also need to find a place to sit, my legs are saying I have been standing long enough, so will you come with me Windsong?” Wingsong touched the girl with his nose, she was looking shaky. ‘Sit on me? I will be your legs. Why are they weak? Yes we go.’ He nosed her again. Samantha laughed. “I can’t get on you without help. That is another thing the saddle does, we use it to help us up as you are so tall. Also I don’t think those inside would like it to much. they don’t me and would be worried that I would hurt you. How about if I just lean on you a bit as we walk over there. There should be a place to sit by the door, I would think. Here we go, now I have to move slow as I am still getting strength back in my legs. I was sick and so they forgot how to carry me.” Wind song slowed down so she could lean on him as walked to the place with the grain. It was alright until they started putting the ropes on so it should be safe. ‘I still don’t like these strings. Just why are they here? I suppose it won’t hurt to try that saddle if it means I can carry you. But the strings to?’ Sam shook her head a bit wondering why she was getting these strange ideas. “They are not going to let a stranger ride the horses they need to know I can first. It is not safe for the horse or rider. Just give it a chance, but it will be a bit before there is a person in the saddle as they want to give you time to get used to carrying. It will fill strange to have the weight on your back, so you need time to get used to it. You are going to want to shake it off the first few times.” She angled to the bench by the door and collapsed onto it. “Now I am going to keep holding these tell one of the others come for them. They know you are spooked and don’t want you to run again. Having someone holding the reins lets them feel better.” Windsong whinnied and touched her with his nose clearly upset. “It is fine, I just need to sit a bit and rest my legs. The people here are good and I am sure they are upset that they scared you so badly that you ran out that door. See, that brought them.” He was dancing a bit. “Easy boy or you are going to pull me off this bench, remember I’m holding theses reins so they won’t be as sacred you are going to run.” She felt a bit silly but the horse settled down. The man said. “What are you doing with that horse lass and why are there reins on him?” Samantha flushed, not liking his tone and Windsong tossed his head. “I was walked over here hoping to see the horses, sir, but as I left the maze Windsong here came barreling out of the stable herewith the reins a flying. I talked to him and he let me approach him and bring him in. I fear my legs are week and this was as far as I could walk. I don’t know who put the reins on him or where he was coming from. I am sorry sir. I didn’t mean to interfere I just didn’t want him to get hurt.” The man said. “Joe go see what is in the stallions stall. He shouldn’t be out here. What fool was trying to get reins on him? I said he was to tender that he needed to be left to adjust. Easy there boy, let me see what was done to you.” Windsong tossed his head a bit but let the man come over and look. “Good boy, yes that a good boy. You had a fright didn’t you. Well who ever it was just used the tack at your stall thank goodness they didn’t try a bit. No one was supposed to put this on you yet, not until you trusted us a bit more. And you had a scare to lass, which I made worse. This boy just came to us and wasn’t to taken out of his stall. Just as soon as Joe finds out how he got out we will get him back. So where did you learn to handle horses?” Samantha said. “I just know a bit. When we were in Granit my uncle worked at a race track and I hung out with the jockeys, they would let me ride sometimes and let me help.” The man blinked a bit. “That’s out east so you one of the new ground keeper’s kids?” Sam nodded. “It’s a wonder you didn’t faint then seeing him run at you. I didn’t think to find any of you brave enough to touch one of the horses on your own. Little own find one of you holding reins.” Joe came back. “His stall is empty, and the door is standing open. That could be why Jacob was limping when I got him with that whip, sir. I saw to it that there was fresh water and grain, just in case it had been tamped with.” The man nodded. “I don’t think it would have been, but best to be safe. So by what to you say we take you beck and get these reins off you. I do think you have had more then enough excitement.” He reached for the reins but Windsong stomped his foot and moved away, shaking his head. “Well that is clear as can be. Lass you need to take him, if you would. Seems he likes you.” Sam shook her head. “You could go with him, he isn’t going to hurt you.” Windsong shook his head. ‘You come, so you can find me. We will run soon.’ Sam laughed. “Fine let me see if I can stand, I don’t know about you. you are going to have to let them work with you. They know what they are doing I don’t. All the horses at the track were used to carrying riders by the time I was around them. I likely am not even holding the reins right.” She stood up and was glad to find she wasn’t to shaky. “All right, but he has to come as I can’t take you to a stall I don’t know where is. So be good and keep the dancing down. Remember I have to move slow.” She flushed then, remembering that she wasn’t alone and looked at the man. He was smiling and nodded at her. The girl was rough and needed work, but her instincts were right and she was defiantly hearing the horse, not that she knew it. “You are doing all right. Clearly not used to leading a horse, but not to bad. I will show you how you should be holding those later, for now it is enough the he is willing to walk with you. We need to go down here, his in the second row.”