#Chapter 131: Under the Stars

Iris By the time we return to the ranch house, my legs feel like jelly. I never realized horseback riding would use so many muscles that I didn’t even know I had. Arthur and Miles, of course, seem completely unaffected, which is annoying but also very unsurprising. “Did you see how fast Thunder went, Mommy?” Miles chatters as Arthur helps him down from the horse. “We were flying!” “You most certainly were not flying,” I reply, grimacing slightly as I slide off of Buttercup’s back with the ranch hand’s assistance. My thighs scream in protest as my feet make contact with the floor. “And I’m very glad about that.” The ranch hand chuckles. “You did great for your first time,” he says while he begins loosening the girth on his horse’s saddle. The horse lets out a huff of relief. “Most beginners don’t make it through a two-hour trail ride.” “I’m pretty sure I only made it because I was too scared to fall off,” I mutter, but I’m secretly a little proud of myself.