.x. Unfamiliar (( . o . p . e . n . ))

[Sonnet]

Sonnet opened the door to her new dorm room, listening to its unfamiliar creak. Her hazel eyes studied the dorm, picking up every detail. It was nice enough, brown hardwood flooring, probably oak, carpet in the bedrooms, a nice black couch and love-seat set, a kitchenette (equipped with everything, a nice bathroom, and what looked like a trophy cabinet. Sonnet walked through the hallway, which was painted a pretty mocha colour that contrasted the flooring, and found her room.

The movers had put her desk and dresser in the middle of the room, and her bed against a wall. Sonnet spent 20 minutes moving them around until she was happy, then she looked properly around her room. The walls were painted light blue that matched her dark blue bedspread. Sonnet opened the closet door, disappointed that it wasn't a walk-in, but happy that it was a decent size. She unpacked all her clothes, which took her another 20 minutes. The last thing to go up was an enlarged picture of her beloved quarter horse stallion, Footloose.

Sonnet had to resist the urge to go out an see if Footloose was here yet. He hadn't come with her, instead her parents paid to have him trailered out to the Academy. Sonnet didn't entirely trust the driver with her beloved horse, actually she didn't trust anyone with him. She looked at the picture, his tan body posed in a gallop with his dark mane and tail blowing out behind him.

[Tiger [Admin]]

<sup>Tiger smiled to herself as she walked into the dorm. Normally, at Academy's, the leader of the place wouldn't dorm with the rest of the girls, but seeing as Tiger was only 21, and basically still a teenager at heart, she decided she'd dorm with the girls. She was in her room, putting the final touches on it herself. Tiger had just moved all her belongings here the day before, tomorrow was the set day for the opening of the Academy for this year. It had been closed for the Winter, doing neccesary repairs and such to the barns, and other things that were looking in rough shape. Also, making things more the way Tiger wanted them to be, instead of her parents way of things, seeing as the Academy was now hers.

Tiger heard the door open, close, the dragging of pocessions and such. Ah, so a student was early to the Academy, a thing Tiger saw lots of the years before. People always seemed to want to check out the barn, get a stall ready, and such for their horses a day early, before the people came by the truck loads. Okay, so that was an exaggeration. They sort of filtered in, and not all just on the one day. Usually took about a month to get all the students here, depending. They constantly got new students as well, which was always a good thing.

Tiger waited a while inside her room, finally wandering out, down the hall, and to the kitchen area of the dorm she would be sharing with half of the girls that came. She made herself a sandwhich out of the stuff she stocked in the fridge. She ate it, then decided to go see the new occupent of the room beside hers. She walked over, hesitating breifly before knocking softly on the door. "Knock Knock" Tiger said, another smile coming to her face. The Academy was one of her favourite places to be, and now it was where she'd spend all her time, teaching students about horses, proper care for them, and riding techniques. It was like utopia to Tiger. "Can I come in?" Tiger asked the girl on the other side of the door, waiting for a response.</sup>

[Sonnet]

Sonnet jumped as she heard the creaking of floorboards under someone's feet, but she dissmissed it as nothing. The dorms were probably fairly old, and old places creaked. She whirled around, hearing a knock on the door followed by a voice. "Knock, knock" It sounded like a girl a few years older than Sonnet, but it didn't really have the air of authority that her parents and old teachers had.

"Yeah, sure," Sonnet said in response to the stanger's question. She got up off her bed and reached over to open the door. The stranger was actually none other than Tiger Moore, owner of the Academy. "Oh, hey." Sonnet blushed, moving aside to let Tiger in.

(( blarg ))

[Tiger [Admin]]

<sub>Tiger looked the girl up and down in a casual manner, like seeing a new person for the first time. The girl looked friendly enough, and sounded just as nice as she hoped everyone was. Tiger walked into the room, looking around at the walls. "Hey. I'm Tiger Moore." She said, extending a hand toward the girl. Tiger had given everyone phone calls, making sure they were coming, and when. But of course, Tiger could never place voices to their owners over the phone and then in real life, it was impossible.

Tiger took a moment to look around Sonnet's room, seeing that she had put up a picture of a very pretty horse. The way she aranged her furnature was pretty nice too. She noticed empty suitcases on the ground, which gave Tiger the impression she just finished unpacking. "Have you finished unpacking, or did I just interupt you?" Tiger said, being polite; if the girl wanted some privacy to finish unpacking, Tiger was certain to give it to her if she wanted. Tiger knew that nothing was more frusterating then having someone watch your every move while doing something that could be fun by yourself. At least... Tiger always thought unpacking was fun.</sub>

[Sonnet]

Sonnet extended her hand, noticing that her light green nail polish had been chipped off, to shake Tiger's. Hey Tiger, I'm Sonnet Blaire. Sonnet sat down on her bed, watching Tiger as she looked around the room. "Nah, I just finished." Sonnet said in reply to Tiger's question. She reached down and closed her suitcase, then shoved it under the bed. Well, now she was officially finished.

"Thats my horse, Footloose." Sonnet said, noticing that Tiger was looking at the photo. "He's not here yet, though. The guys who are trailering him are supposed to becoming later." She didn't exactly know when later was, possibly tomorrow even.

(( getting booted out of library, thats why this ones short ))

[Tiger [Admin]]

<sub>Tiger nodded in responce to Sonnet saying she was done unpacking, for the most part that made Tiger glad. Sure, she had Sy here, but after a while it was nice to have some human companionship. Very pretty horse. Tiger said, nodding her head again. The stable houses 5 horses, as well as my own right now. He's a Kiger Mustang Stallion, named Sy. Tiger said, noticing she was rambling a bit, making herself stop at his name. Sonnet probably didn't want to know Tiger's life history here. A name would have been good enough, but no, Tiger has to go overboard on everything.

Perhaps when he gets here, we can go for a ride? Tiger said, not really a question, but yet still a question. Kind of a... stating question sort of thing. Doesn't matter really, the point got across, right? Tiger looked from the picture of Footloose to Sonnet, smile still on her face. She wondered what the younger girl thought, of the Academy so far and everything. Tiger sure hoped she'd like it here, it would be disasterous if anybody didn't.</sub>

[Sonnet]

Sonnet smiled at Tiger's brief description of Sy, she'd never actually seen a mustang before. Her sister's horse was a Lippizan X and Footloose was a QH. "Cool, Footloose is a QH stallion. We compete in barrel racing and western pleasure usually." She nodded at Tiger's next question, though it really was more of a statement, "Sure. I would love to check out some of the trails."

Sonnet also wanted to check out the facilities, she had heard about them from other students here. The brochure had pictures and by the looks of it they were pretty big. "I also want to see the training arena and stables." Sonnet said, knowing Tiger probably wouldn't mind. Actually, Sonnet wanted to see the rest of the Academy, too. And she wouldn't mind fully checking out everything the dorm room had.

[Tiger [Admin]]

<sub>Tiger smiled at Sonnet as she said what her horse was. Western pleasure was fun, she and Sy competed in it too, he was a magnificent horse, all around good guy. Ah yes, I'd love to give you a tour of everything, If you want that is. Tiger said, hoping Sonnet would like a tour of the Academy. Always fun to give tours, at least, in Tiger's point of view it was. Also, making sure Sy was comfortable in his stall wouldn't hurt at all.

Tiger was still standing in the room, and the door was still open. She looked out into the hall, wondering when and if anyone else would be coming. Tiger couldn't help but get lessons going and the such. It was all so exciting, and sure, Tiger was nervous, but she didn't really want to let on. She could probably use some help too, at least for a while. And with lessons, she might as well need help with those, or at least some advanced students willing to teach a thing or two to the beginning riders. Arg, it was all so confusing. How in the world did her parents do it all?</sub>

[Sonnet]

"That would be great, " Sonnet said, smiling at Tiger. "It would suck to get lost here, it looks like such a big place." Sonnet suppressed a giggle as Tiger peered out into the hall, 'Probably checking for new girls.' She guessed. She walked over to the window and watched a sleek, black trailer pull up to the barn. 'Footloose's trailer was black...' She let the thought go. She didn't want to get her hopes up only for them to be crushed.

Sonnet watched as two burly men walked to the end of the trailer and opened it. As they lowered the ramp she was able to get a better view of the horse inside. The trailer was dark and Sonnet wasn't sure if the horse was a dun, like Footloose, or a bay. She watched one of the men go inside and then bring the horse out, her heart was beating like a drum. "Yes!" She squealed when she saw Footloose. "Sorry, Footloose just arrived." Sonnet said, looking half apologetically, at Tiger.

[Tiger [Admin]]

<sub>Yeah, I guess it is a little big, but once you know your way around, it's not complicated at all. Tiger said, nodding her head along with her statement. She looked back at Sonnet and watched as the blonde girl went to the window; she looked over the girls shoulder and saw a black trailer that Sonnet was looking at. Tiger laughed as she heard Sonnet squeal like a little girl. She really couldn't blame her though, Tiger would have died if she couldn't have traveled with her horse. She walked over to the window to catch a glimpse of the horse; yup, it was just like the picture on Sonnet's wall.

Well thats great! We can go down there if ya want, get Footloose comfy and show you around a bit. Tiger said, motioning toward the door. Surely Sonnet would want to, so she took a step out, then waited for Sonnet to come before continuing. So, what do you two compete in? Tiger asked the girl she was waiting for with a smile on her face, glad that Sonnet seemed to like it here... well, so far.</sub>

[Sonnet]

Sonnet nodded in agreement with Tiger, "Okay! Let's go." She followed Tiger out of the room to the door where she looked around for her brown Ropers. She found them behind the door and she put them on. "We compete in Barrel Racing and Western Pleasure, and occasionally Pole Bending." Sonnet replied to Tiger's earlier question.

She walked out the front door and felt a cold breeze against her arm. "Brrr! Its freezing out here!" Sonnet exclaimed, turning around to get her black winter jacket with the fur around the hood. She glanced back to see if Tiger was comming, then her eyes travelled back to the barn to see if she could see Footloose. There wasn't any sign of him, "Those guys probably took him inside the barn." Sonnet guessed.

[Tiger [Admin]]

<sub>Tiger nodded, and steped out of the dorm. Sonnet was right, it was freezing. Tiger stuck her hand back in the door and grabbed her winter jacket. She swung it over her head as she slipped her arms through, walking after Sonnet through the cold. You see where they brought him? Tiger asked, her eyes searching, but there was no sign of the horse that came out of the trailer moments before. They probably brought him into the barn, since he wasn't outside.

Tiger walked toward the barn, a smile on her face. She found the one barn door still open, and she slipped inside, welcomed by the warm scent of horses and hay, a scent she yearned for and loved. Tiger's Sy was in the first stall, and he nickered his hello to her. Hey boy. She said, running her hand down his pretty face. She looked down at the brass name plate on the stall door, she had just gotten his name engraved on it the day before. She looked back up at the hallway of the large barn, and there was Footloose, along with the people who had brought him here.</sub>

[Sonnet]

Sonnet shook her head, her breath comming out as a white fog in the cold. "Nope, but I'd say the barn." She shivvered as she walked as fast as she could to the barn. She followed Tiger inside, the warm scent of horse manure and hay filling her nose. She followed Tiger to Sy's stall and reached her hand inside to pet his velvet muzzle. "So this is Sy, I'm assuming." Sonnet's hazel eyes gazed around the barn, finally finding Footloose in a stall further to the back.

"Hey boy! Did you miss me?" Sonnet fished around in her pocked for the sugar lumps she always kept there. Footloose happily lipped it off her palm and nudged her arm, looking for more. "Maybe later." Sonnet laughed. She opened the door to the stall and walked inside, closing it behind her. She carefully looked over everything, making sure it was perfect for her horse.

[Tiger [Admin]]

<sub>Yesssss, this is my Spying boy. Tiger cooed as she ruffled her horses fetlock. He snorted into her hair, making her laugh a tad. Tiger held out a horse treat for Sy, then walked over to Sonnet and the stall she was in. Heya Footloose. Tiger said, rubbing his neck as she looked over the horse.

He looked pretty much like the picture in Sonnet's room, except in a different pose. He was a gorgeous horse, but Tiger thought that Sy was even more dashing, but that was her just loving her horse too much. He looks great. Tiger said, running her hand down his face. Yupp, the horse was great. Tiger looked over at sonnet, watching her inspect the stall. Don't trust your driver's with your horse eh? Tiger said in a non-chalant way.</sub>

[Sonnet]

(( you spelt nonchalant wrong, stupid. its one word. ))

Sonnet nodded, only half listening to Tiger now. She inspected every corner of the stall before stepping out back into the barn isle with Tiger. "No way! Footloose is way to special for them." Sonnet said, as if 'them' was a dirty word. She hadn't ever trusted other people with her horses, even before Footloose.

"So, you want to go riding? I think Footloose needs to get out after being in that stuffy trailer all day." Sonnet suggested, Footloose neighed as if he agreed with her. His call was answered with a few others from horses that were still in the barn.

(( urg ))