"I'm gonna tell mom!" Little Wren cried, running down the path towards the house.
Thaddeus ignored the threat from his little sister. It only meant he had less time to deal with the real problem in the form of his sibling in front of him. Age seven, Thad was hot headed, and unafraid of conflict, even with his parents. He had an acute sense of justice which allowed no room for consideration of gray areas. Right was right, wrong was wrong, and God help whoever committed a wrong in his presence! "Tell me why you did that!" he demanded ferociously.
Abilene smoothed out her t-shirt, a smile plastered on her face. "Because, Thad, I -wanted- to." Her brown eyes pinned on her little brother by two years, did he really want to do this again? He must know by now she was stronger and smarter? But as she stared at her red-face little brother, she realized it probably didn't matter. She didn't even feel that bad. So what, she'd taken his pony for a morning ride instead of her own? He wouldn't die.
Abi's smug smile infuriated Thad more than he thought possible. He imagined her expression of fear if he were to pull nunchucks from his back pocket and begin flailing her. She was bigger than he, but the nunchucks would even the odds. Unfortunately he didn't have nunchucks in his back pocket. Yep, no didn't have em. "Storm is MY pony!" He stuck his chest out. "And if you keep riding her I'm......" he paused thinking quickly for a good threat in lieu of nunchucks. "I'm going to teach her to buck you off!" he stated, pleased with himself.
Abilene giggled and rolled her sparkling brown eyes. "And how are you going to do that without having her buck -you- off as well?!" she snorted. "Besides, you can take Joanie out for a ride since I took Storm, it's only fair." She felt a twinge of guilt at the suggestion, Joanie was too much pony for Thad to handle and she knew it. Joanie was a high-spirited show-jumper. Abilene sighed. "What does it matter? You wouldn't have ridden her today anyway!"
Thad scowled unhappily. "I don't WANT to ride Joanie! Storm is MY pony! I'll show you Abi!"
He scowled fiercely. It was time to leave, little Wren had probably found their mom by now and he seriously didn't want a lecture now. Turning he stalked away across the yard, heading for the tree line and his favorite little woodland spot next to a gurgling brook. He needed time to think and plan. He had to figure out how to teach his pony to buck on command. The wonderful thing about being seven, is everything it possible at that age.
~G.G. Marshall & J. Lindsey Marshall
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