Running Free

Chp 13

We decided to stop at a restaurant for lunch to stretch our legs and the moment my feet touched the pavement I ran to the windows in front of the horses noses.
"Hey momma, we stopped for lunch. Do you think you could keep papa and Kin calm while we eat?" I whispered softly to my dam, smiling when she nodded her dished head.
"Go eat Star, these two knuckleheads won't get into trouble."
"Thanks momma."
I rushed after the boys as they began to make their ways inside and gaped silently at the interior.

The outside of the building was a brownish, but the inside was decorated with all sorts of stuff. There were fake horses, saddles, belt buckles and awards on the walls while the floor had a strange arrangement of rugs as well as cowboy boots here and there that were obviously glass.
"Howdy, welcome to Texas Roadhouse the wait for a table is about five minutes will that be alright?" A nice lady with bright red hair asked from behind a counter, a gentle smile on her face.
"Yes that's fine, thank you." Ray replied, leading us over to an area with four small buckets full of peanuts.

My nose scrunched up slightly as peanut shells crunched beneath our feet and I shot Raven a look, to which he grinned.
"You take a peanut from the bucket, crack it open, eat the nut and then just throw the shells on the floor. One of the employees will clean them up later. It's just a way to keep us occupied while we wait for our table." He explained, cracking open a peanut and offering me the nut.
I took it hesitantly and decided to just get it over with. I shoved it in my mouth and began chewing, my eyebrows raising at the taste. It was oddly salty but overall not too bad.

We munched on the peanuts for a couple more minutes before the worker came over and led us to a corner table, leaving us to mull over the menu. After scouring it for a minute or two I frowned at their salad options before giving up and setting the menu down. Raven frowned softly and looked to Ray.

"I think we forgot she's a vegetarian dad." He muttered, a sheepish look on his face. Ray blinked at me for a second quietly.
"I'm sorry. Do you want to go somewhere else Juliet?"
"No, it's ok. The salad will be just fine thank you." I smiled politely and moved the menu to the corner of the table. The waitress came over with her notepad and asked for our orders.
"I'll take the twelve ounce sirloin steak with a Dr. Pepper." Ray replied, putting his menu on mine.
"Me too, but with a root-beer." Raven added, doing the same.
"I'll just take a salad and some fries with a water please." I requested, giving her a small smile.

She nodded and took the menus as she walked away, telling us she'd be right back with our drinks. Shortly after she left Ray's phone started ringing and he excused himself to take the call, leaving Raven and i to talk alone momentarily.
"Are you going to take your parents for rides?" Raven asked suddenly, looking at me curiously.
"I'm not sure, it's probably weird to see me as a human so for me to try to jump on their backs would probably be worse." I answered honestly, playing with the salt on the table.

The waitress came over with our drinks and told us it would just be a couple more minutes just as Ray came back, a grin look on his face.
"Is everything ok dad?" Raven asked, swirling his ice around in his cup.
"Yeah. That was the adoption center. They're going to come out shortly after we get back to see if living with us is the best thing for Juliet." Ray replied with a sigh, his eyes falling on me.

"What if they don't think it's safe?" I inquired, sipping my water.
"Then you'll go to someone else they think is. Try not to worry about it for right now ok? We're going to eat lunch and have some fun before they get to the farm."
Raven and I smiled and we continued talking about random things such as our likes and dislikes until our food arrived, after which we ate in silence.

~~~~

Finally we got back to the farm and I rushed to open the trailer door, allowing Kin to run out since he wasn't tied up. The young colt trotted over to the fence where Solaris was calling for me and I helped Ray unload my parents while Raven tried to get a halter on his horse.
"Raven just leave him for now!" I called over, running a hand down my sires neck.
"Hey papa." I whispered, gently pulling him over to the round pen.
"Star?" He questioned, bumping my shoulder with his nose.
I simply nodded before pulling the halter off and allowing Ray to bring my dam into the round pen as well.
"My baby girl." He nickered, happiness lacing his tone.

I walked over to Raven and helped get Kin to the round pen before sitting on the panels, watching them.
"The social workers should be here in about an hour, why don't you two hang out with the horses until then?" Ray suggested, watching the three horses nudge each other in greeting.
"Sure. I've missed Solaris anyway." Raven agreed, trotting off to the paddock and gesturing me to follow while Ray went inside the house to do who knows what.

"How come that Colt over there was calling you 'momma'?" Kin asked, the three of them making their way over.
"His dam died in a fire and I agreed to watching him until he's old enough to be on his own." I replied, glancing over at the giddy colt playing with Raven.
"You're so grown up." Momma nickered, nuzzling my cheek.
"It's only been a year momma." I laughed, pushing her face away.
"Yet it felt like an eternity."
"I'll bring him over to meet you guys if you stop babying me."
My dam pranced in place excitedly and I took that as a yes before making my over to the pasture where Raven was chasing after Solaris.

"Raven! I'm bringing Solaris over to meet my parents, wanna come?" I offered, opening the gate. Solaris immediately abandoned their game and game rushing to me, trotting happily around me in small circles.
"Hey bud, wanna meet my dam and sire?" I asked, stroking his neck to calm him as Raven came over.
"Yeah!" The giddy colt neighed, taking the lead to the round pen, his tail high. Raven and I laughed as we followed, talking about what it was like for me growing up as a horse while Solaris met with my family.

Eventually I had Raven ask if we could bring them all to the far pasture that was overgrown with grass from lack of use. When he came back out with a big grin I opened the gate and led all four of the horses to the pasture, letting them run like the wild animals they are.
We watched them playing for a while before the sound of someone driving up the driveway brought our attention to a fancy black truck.