Hakuna Matata

River raised the bow and arrow, took aim at the large tree trunk with her makeshift target tacked to it, and then released. The arrow zoomed through the air and firming planted itself into the wood. "Almost perfect! She grinned and id a quick jig.

Her horse Ginger, who was inhabiting a stall in the stables while she was at the Academy, was ground tied five feet away and was lazily chewing away at grass. At her whoop for joy, he rased his head and neighed in response before going back to eating.

River laughed at her horse and then picked up another arrow from the pile at her feet. She got it in the bow, aimed it, and shot again. "Bullseye!!!"

River picked up another arrow and put it against the bow. She lifted it. She pulled the arrow back and--

"Forgive me for intruding, Miss..."

The arrow flew through the air. And did NOT hit the target. In fact, it wasn't anywhere near the tree. It was lost somewhere in the brush. A deep sigh exited her lips. Turning, she began to glare at the intruder when his next words came out.

"Nice shot."

She nodded reluctantly. "Uh, thanks," River said in a shyish tone. She didn't want to be rude by turning her back to him, so she began to back up, intending to find her lost arrow.

"You're welcome,"

River liked his smile. It was nice, just like him. She smiled back at him. When she heard the gentle crunch of the plant under her soft leather moccasins, she knelt and began feeling around for the lost arrow.

"Aw, now don't leave..."

"Oh, don't worry, I'm not. I'm just looking for that stick you made me lose somewhere around here." She grinned over her shoulder at him.

Today River was wearing her soft kid leather tank top that came up to her belly button and her matching skirt that went a few inches past her knees. Her dark hair was in two braids with contrasting white ribbon entwined in each one.

"What's your name, dearie?"

River growled at the lost arrow--wherever it was. She then turned to look at him and smiled. "River," her voice had that quiet tone that she used when she was talking to someone she didn't really know. "And your name?"

River was growing frustrated with the stupid arrow...and a bit at this guy. Why had he come up and surprised her? If he hadn't, the darn arrow would have hit the target; she just knew it. But noooo. He just had to come in at the exact time she was releasing the thing, and now she couldn't find it.

Glancing over at him, River smirked at him. Why the heck what he looking around for the arrow using the toe of his shoe? Shaking her head and hiding a laugh at his obvious show of distaste for the dirt, she purposefully dug her fingers in deep enough to get a bit of dirt between her medium length fingernails(meaning they weren't short, nor long).

"P... Shiloh."

River smiled. That was almost as odd as her own name. Not that she thought it was odd, for she had grown up around names like her own. In fact, she loved her name. But she knew others thought it was a weird name.

The palm of River's left hand had just connected with the arrowhead and split open the skin when Shiloh fell. Her eyes widened. And then widened some more when he reached out for her. A scream threatened to tear out past her lips as they tumbled together down the mountainside.

When the tangled duo finally stopped, she gasped to catch her breath. Wow. That was more than she could put into words. She opened her eyes and saw that she was lying on top of Shiloh.

"I'm sorry!"

River took a deep shuddering breath and opened her mouth to say it was okay when he spoke again.

"Are you okay? Oh, dear..."

She busied herself for a moment by pushing herself up a few inched off of him. Then she kept herself up with one arm and used her other one to jerk her shirt down a few inches, for it had hiked itself up a bit on the trip down the mountain.

Finally she grinned. "I'm fine...thanks to you. You broke my fall."