The sun brushed against the back of her neck as she walked towards the corral. Her hands fidgeted with the rope, looping it and unlooping it, her fingers running along the rough hemp braids, pausing at the bands of electrical tape marking hand holds.

Gus held his hand out to help her up onto the fence as she reached the edge of the corral, a smile splitting his tanned face. "You ready?" he asked, his voice a hoarse rasp.

She nodded as she reached the top of the fence. Inside the corral, her horse stood saddled, its side pressing against Gus' leg. She reached over and grabbed the pommel and deftly swung herself off the fence onto the saddle, a move so practiced that it had become instinctual. Buttercup shifted slightly, stepping away from the fence as the mare adjusted to her wieght.

She looked across the corral, to where Luke and Zeke sat on the fence next to the gate. She gathered the rope up in her hands one last time, the reached up and touched the brim of her hat.

At