fandomhigh | Outdoor Adventure Time!, part 2, Tuesday, period 1

The class met at Portalocity again today. Eliot looked particularly thrilled this time around, which was a little bit odd; he was usually the calm, zen-like one in this class, not the one who looked like they were going to bounce out of their shoes.

Parker, on the other hand, looked a bit grumpy. “This is more Eliot’s thing. I’m staying at the petting zoo.” Pout.

"I promise it's still fun and exciting," Eliot said. He waved the class to follow and led them through the portal, into a large, sunny pasture. A barn stood at one end, with loads of little padlocks and pens arranged around it, filled with goats and sheep, rabbits, some piglets, a big shaggy cow, and even a llama. That'd be the petting zoo Parker was talking about. On the other end, the one Eliot was headed for, an older man was standing by the gate of a big outdoor riding ring, where several horses of various sizes and colors were tied. "This here is my friend Willie," Eliot introduced. "He trains race horses. And today, you're all gonna get to be jockeys."

“Horses aren’t as scary as I thought.” Parker’s expression was more like a mule’s. “But that isn’t saying much. I’ll be over here. Petting the crias. And feeding them stuff.” Yup. You’re not getting her any closer than that.

"Any of y'all feel the same as Parker, there's no shame. Go have fun with the goats and things." Willie smiled at the kids. "The rest of ya come on over and Eliot and I'll give you a run down on the horses. This is actually a general rescue farm, so we've got horses trained for racing, rodeo, dressage, and simple pleasure riding. Choose your poison."

"Not literally," Eliot promised, mostly talking to Parker. "Horses aren't poisonous."

“Just mean,” Parker said mutinously. “And huge. And sometimes they’ve been teased, and they’re even more mean.”

"This isn't a breeding facility," Willie said, giving her a confused look. "None of them've been teased."

"Just -- let her go pet the crias," Eliot said. "Everyone else, let's get riding!"

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Kaylin and horses... they didn't really get along. But she wasn't particularly sure about most of these other animals either.

"You look confused." Parker tilted her head at Kaylin. "Do you guys not have farms where you're from?"

"Maybe somewhere," Kaylin said. "But not anywhere I've been. These things are... a little scary."

"Pfftt. Not like horses," Parker pointed out, holding a carrot out for one of the llamas. It sniffed at the vegetable, then daintily lipped it in small bites. "This one's a llama. And that's it's baby, hiding on the other side."

You could see four hooves beneath and behind the llama, and an outraged little bleat sounded.

"Horses and I don't get along," Kaylin said grimly. "All those teeth. And they like to step on you whenever they get a chance."

She watched the llamas skeptically. "Those look like weird horses."

"They're waaaay smaller. And lighter," Parker pointed out. "And softer." She rubbed the muzzle of the llama, and then started giggling as the cria ducked its head under its mother to bleat at Kaylin again. "They carry packs up mountains a lot, because they're such good climbers. I swear, it won't bite you or anything. Look at its eyelashes!"

"Still has big teeth," kaylin pointed out, but she might just have moved a little closer, only to take a quick step back when the baby bleated at her.

"Why is it making that noise?"

"It's probably hungry." Parker motioned to one of the zookeepers, and it came over with a bottle. "Do you want to feed it? I can do it, and you can get the idea."

"Sure..." Kaylin said, looking totally unsure. "I'll watch first."

Honestly, if Parker could get her to try it, Kaylin would be a total pushover and probably dote on the little thing forever. Or as long as she was allowed.

The cria started nursing as soon as the bottle was within reach, and stopped making the bleating cries, instead glug-glug-glugging away. Parker snickered as a few more tiny llamas (http://2jaug735w09q3iqc322yl87sli.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/baby-llamas.jpg) came over to see what was up, then started butting their heads against the zookeeper, who looked exasperated.

"Quiet down, ya ninnies, I'll be feeding you in a minute."

"Like this," Parker said to Kaylin. "Here, you try."

Kaylin's eyes were huge, but she took the bottle and began feeding the cria. She jumped when two of the other little ones butted at her, putting out a hand to steady herself. When said hand happened to brush against one of the babies, she looked over at Parker in surprise. "They're soft!"

"Told you," Parker said, smirking. She rubbed one fuzzy head, and its eyes closed in bliss, leaning into her. The one that was leaning into Kaylin's hand started rubbing its face against her arm, looking hopeful. "I read that if they're not too used to people, they're really nice. And the wool goes into all kinds of things-- capes and purses and all that. Good cria," she told the one nuzzling her. "But I'm not your mama."

Kaylin stroked the one rubbing against her and giggled when the other one shoved a little closer to make sure the bottle didn't go away. "These seem very nice."

She smiled up at Parker. "Thank you."

"Welcome." Parker grinned. One of the crias was bouncing up and down on its toes, looking hilarious. "See. Not so bad." She patted one fluffy head. "...even horses aren't. But I'll let Eliot handle them all."

Kaylin nodded. "Yes, let Eliot have the horses."

Outdoor Adventure Time!, part 2, Tuesday, period 1

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