Horsemanship - Lowrey Manor

A few nights after their talk, Jim arrived at the manor in the Jeep again.  Getting out, he pulled a backpack and riding helmet from the Passenger seat then set off for the house.  Clad in his old western boots, denim and a light flannel shirt, you might think he stepped off a Colorado Ranch.

 Going up to the door, he rang the bell.

Shauna hopped out the other side dressed in Jeans and a T shirt that said. Don't Tread on Me. Slung over her shoulder was an additional bag with a camera on it.

Richard opened the door as they reached the porch.

"Good evening."

Good Evening, " Jim replied. "Is her ladyship available? I sent her word of our coming."

Shauna gave Richard a smile. "Hello Richard."

He nodded.

"She has instructed me to take you directly to the stables. There is a changing room there if you have need of it."

And he closed the door, stepping from the house to lead them around to the back.

"Lead on then..." He said and followed the Butler.

He lead them around the house, where the stable loomed out of the darkness.

"Right that way. She's waiting with Demon just inside."

"Good deal."

Jim stepped into the Stables with Shauna and called out. "Christine?"

Her voice rang out from the right.

"Down here!"

Jim walked over and looked where the voice came from.

"Demon." Shauna said. "God I hope that isn't the horses personality."

She stood next to a beautiful, black horse that looked at them with intelligent eyes.

"Jim. Shauna. Meet Demon."

"Hello good lookin'." Shauna said with a smile. She didn't make a move to pat him she seemed just fine with the distance to the big animal and stopped to pull out the camera. "Is he OK with a flash?"

She stroked his cheek from under his head.

"They all are."

"Good to know..." He said as he set his gear down outside the stall and walked up to the big horse. "how you doin', big fella?" The Tremere's gestures and movement hinted at a past with horses.

"Good. Great." She pulled out the camera and actually got down lower to shoot up a bit from the horses midline. T The flash went off and she changed angles. And without thinking she snapped fingers up to her right. "Look here please."

The horse moved his head to pose for the camera, then stuck his nose into the Tremere's chest, taking a big breath in.

"Jim, Shauna, he's ghouled to me. I think he's learning English."

Shauna chuckled. "Well sometimesLike this you get lucky." She had snapped a couple of shots.

She smiled.

"He's also as big a ham as Secretariat. He hasn't ever seen a camera he didn't like. And he's not my only ham."

And somewhere in the process she got one when cropped would be like this.

"Somethings know when they are beautiful and its natural rather than conceit."

Jim ran his hands along the top of the horses head and gave the area along the muscle ridge of the neckline ears a good scratching. "I somehow figured that; he's big and pretty powerful- can tell that just from how he's standing." Jim said as he let his hands feel the muscle beneath the skin, checking the soundness of the beast- at least in the areas he could reach.


Pulling a hand back, he brushed his jacket pocket as he made a gesture and produced a carrot from almost thin air. Holding it up for Demon, he looked over at Christine. "how long, if you don't mind me asking?"

She smiled and gave a nod to allow the carrot. Demon daintily took the carrot in his lips, then munched at it.

"Less than a month. But he's centuries in the breeding."

Shauna took a couple more shots and took a leaning post position watching Jim feed the beast. She eyed him up and down as she felt he was likely doing to her as well. "Eight I think I was 8 last time." She said very quietly

"Last time I rode was when I visited home before my last mission..." Jim said quietly as he watched the horse much contentedly. "Not as long as you but still... time flies."