Feminine Fire

"Kate and I will take a look after we finish," Robert said. "Thank you for an excellent meal as usual, Angus."

"My pleasure,"Angus said. "Steven, did you check to see if there was something in the barn that might have caused that horse to go lame? When I checked them this morning, they were all fine. That tells me its a fresh injury. And I didnt' think they'd been out of the barn today."

"When we finish, I'll just ask the horse what happened," Kate said. "Its probably a simple explanation."

"The last time we had something like that happen, we had a snake in our barn and the horse got spooked and injured itself trying to stomp on the snake," Robert said.

"It turned out to be a significant ligament tear, as I recall," Kate said.

"Yes," Robert said. "It was."

steven thought for amoment " not that I could see but she was sayuing nothing all she kept saying to me was her leg was sore and could I top it hurting" he said " but I agree they haven't been out today I'll recheck her stall after I have a nother pices of cheese cake " he said and smiled taking his third of the night. He knew he wopuld sleep well with a full stomach finishing it he pushed his plate to one side " ok thats it i am so full" hes aid and sat back in teh chair smiling.

Jack chuckled " im not suprised mate with all that cheese cake you ate " he said and smiled knowing Steven would see the funny side of it witch he did seeing him chuckle as he sat back in his chair looking rather full. Jack turned to jess and smiled " what about you , you've hardly touched your cheese cake " he said seeing jess smile he heard her explaine that she'd had some earlier and now had eaten her fill.

"Alright," Robert sighed, just comfortably full. "Let's go, Kate, before I get entirely too comfortable and start to get drowsy." Kate accio'd Robert's bag and and plopped it onto his lap.

"I refuse to let you get old on me," she said. "Get up. Let's go." Robert merely yawned and got up and followed her off towards the barn.

"Daddy's looking a bit tired tonight," Khaat said to Brian, feeding Abbey a little bite of cheesecake.

"Nothing a good night's sleep won't fix," Brian said. "Fi, you ought to get some rest too tonight."

"I will. Stop hovering," she smiled.

steven stood with Robert and smiled seeing the yawn he too yawned feeling sleepy and longing for his bed but he ahd one last thing he ahd to do and followed them down to the barn and inside " there she is the tan one " he said and opened the stall walking her out so Robert could see . he tied her to the stand and walked into the stall he went over it and found nothing not even a hole . He stood cratching his head a little " well its got me stumped how she did it " he said and walked back out to stand beside Robert and Kate.

Robert watched Kate. Kate seemed to be working her see's powers as well as, probably, listening to the horse. She picked up a pitchfork and began tossing off forkfuls of hay off the haystack. She hadn't gotten far when an adder began to hiss at her and make a signature S motion, which told Kate and Robert both the snake was going to strike. Robert flicked his wand at it and cast an immobilus spell to freeze the snake in its path.

"Well, now what are you going to do with it?" she sighed.

"Move it out into a wilderness area," he said, levitating the snake. "I'll be back." He took the snake and apparated away with it.

"She wasn't struck with the snake," Kate told Steven. "She was trying to get away from it and injured herself in the process. She'll be fine. I'll tape it for her, and Robert will cast a spell to hasten the healing. She'll be fine in another day or so."

steven froze seeing the snake hiss at Kate he wnated to move to help but seeing Robert imobalize it he breathed out as he then picked up the pictch fork and stabbed the hay just to make sure " more than likly "he said and move the hay. He walked over to the horse and nodded running his hand down its flanks then leading her back in the stall he reasured her that it was not in there any more and she walked in easily setteling in the stall as steven locked it and moved to see where Robert had gone as he moved down each stall he checked the other hourses inding all were fine thought grumpy for being kept in.

Kate opened Robert's bag and taped up the horse's leg quickly but firmly. She soothed the horse as she worked. "I think that may be the only snake, Steven," Kate said. "At least that's all I was aware of. He seemed to be seeking out shelter from the weather. But thank you for sticking around. You might check and see if Brian has the refrigerator out here in the stables stocked up wth either carrots or apples to treat them with."

Robert came back a few moments later. "I think he'll be happy there. Not a human for miles and miles," he said. "And the spell will have him slithering around again in moments from now. How's the horse?"

"Better," Kate said. Robert went over and laid his hands around the bandages Kate had wrapped and cast a spell to speed healing to the horse.

"Done," Robert said. "Everything else check out, Steven?"

steven looked back at Kate " thats ok I have to admit I kinda froze snakes arn't my thing " he said and found what she talking about a small refrgerator and he took out some peices of apple he fed them to the hourse and gave one to the filly. He listened as Robert walked back in " thats good further away from me the better " he said and breathed out a sigh of relife and stroked the hosres main as he watched Kate tend to its leg along with Robert . He looked up and smiled at Robert " nope that was it " he said and fed the housr a second peice as he looke around " I'll get to puting that hay in the hay loft tomorrow" he said and yawned " ow boy I fee tired I think it ahs to do with angus's cooking its too good " he chuckled.

"I agree," Robert said. "I'm tired tonight too. I think I'm going to turn in early."

"Its your own fault for overindulging," Kate told them both. "I think I'm going to see if anyone wants to go for a swim with me in the pool after dark. A swim under the stars is a wonderful thing that we dont do often enough."

"I'll go if you like," Robert said, not really wanting to go.

"No. I'll ask Brian or Angus. Someone who hasn't overeaten. Come on, you poor undernourished boys. Let's go back to the house." She picked up the bag and headed back to the house.

"Don't you just hate it when she patronizes us like that?" Robert laughed, looking at Steven before heading back to the house behind Kate.

steven chuckled and walked with them " yeah but I have to ad mit that food was rewaly good " he said and streched out his tired body as they walked back to the main house once inside he could not help grabbing a cup of coffee " humm coffee helps me sleep " he said and looked at Robert and Kate " I know but it does " he said and took a sip he loved how the warm coffee filled his body with warmth " well Im off to bed night all " hes aid and smield at jess who hand seen him and smield from the living room as she read a book.

Jess heard the three of them return jack had already gone up and she sat reading a book she ahd found and was enjopying thought even she was waining a little.