Ellie gave a feeble smile, leaning gently against a wall. "Yeah, you did." The girl snickered softly, "I'm sorry to say, but Sam, you looked awful." She noted looking down slightly. "Not to worry though, you're looking better, to say the least," Ellie added, her smile a little brighter.

"I would like to assume you feel that way as well?" The girl's concern for Sam still lingered. He looked better, though she couldn't help but think he was still in discomfort.

Sam laughed, feeling slightly embarrased about passing out in front of her. "yes, i feel a lot better thanks." he said, smiling faintly. "still a bit rough, but fine." He sat up so he was looking out the window, and he could see Nero at the fence, looking right at him, calling him to go there. So, before Ellie could protest, he got up and started half shuffling, half running down the path in his black fuzzy dressing gown. He shuffled until he got to Nero, who greeted him with a soft whinny and a nuzzle. Sam had missed his horse so badly.

Ellie watched him with a slightly tilted head, his odd shuffle-run making her let out a light chuckle. She followed him outside, walking down the path not far behind him. "It's cold! You'll just make yourself worse!" Ellie noted as she came up to the fence. While her hollars were firm, she wasn't going to take him away from his horse. Not while both Nero and Sam looked happy to see each other, so she instead perched herself on the fence line quietly, letting them have a moment in peace.

After Sam had finished with Nero's scratches and cuddles, he said goodbye and shuffled along the path back to his cabin, drawing his warm dressing gown tighter around him to keep out the cold. Ellie followed behind, and he asked "has Nero been OK? im sorry you had to look after him, it should have been me doing the work, not you." They got back inside, where he started making tea for them both, his hands shivering slightly with the cold as he prepared it.

"It's no problem. You're Ill, it's the least I could do for you." Ellie murmured before picking her voice up, "But yes, he has!" Ellie chirped as she found some mugs out, "I do think Nero missed you though. I'm sure he will be happy to have you back." She added quietly as the kettle started to boil up. "And from the looks of it, you'll be just as happy to be back out. It'll be nice to see you back on the yard again." The girl murmured, watching his hands subtly shake. "I said it was cold." Ellie taunted, knowing full well he would have gone out in a blizzard just to see his beloved horse.

"yeah, well, i'll soon warm up." he said in response to Ellies remark about it being cold out. He finished making the chamomille tea and handed a mug to Ellie. He sat down in his old, squishy armchair opposit Ellie. Holding the mug under his face, he felt the herbal steam of it soothe his muscles and warm him up. He looked up at Ellie, who was sipping her tea. "so." he said, trying to make conversation in the somewhat comfertable silence they had created. "how's Aaron?" he asked. He knew Aaron was here, but he hadnt seen him in a long while.

Ellie took a small sip at her tea before looking at it cautiously, fancy, she thought before looking back to Sam, giving a small nod of thanks. Her head tilted slightly at his question, her answer coming shortly after, "He's good. I mean, I've barely caught up with him recently. He normally gets his work done early morning during the week and god knows what else he does. I only really see him on the weekends, to be honest." She noted lightly, gripping her hands around the warm mug, "Why do you ask?"

Sam nodded slightly. "i dont know, i was just wondering. I know he lives here at the moment, but i never see him around." he said, tilting his head a little and taking a small, catious sip of the burning hot tea. Sam sighed, leaning his head back on his chair. But it shot back up when he heard a light ping! from his phone. He picked it up, and switched it on. The notification had been from Mariam, the local event organizer. The message read:

Sam quickly read through it, his excitement building. A change at nationals? and a chance at nationals meant that if he won Nationals he could go even further. He was convinced Nero and him could do it. They should try, at least. He read the message to Ellie excitedly. Then an idea popped into his head. grinning, he turned to Ellie. "hey, what do you say to me giving you a couple lessons? you could easily enter the small crosspole class." he was sure Ellie would object to learning to jump at first, so he gave her his best puppy eyes. "pleeease, Ell. it would be so fun."

Ellie smiled softly at Sam's excitement as he read the message out, chuckling at the suggestion, "I don't know. I've barely sat in an English saddle. Never mind jump in one. Maybe though." She rolled her eyes jokingly before shaking her head, "But you and Nero will be awesome! I love watching you two go!" Ellie grinned as she sat back a little.

(Sorry, kinda short!)

"No, no, im putting my foot down. You absolutely have to do it." sam said, half jokingly, a grin plastered on his face as he looked across at her. It would be easy to teach Ellie how to jump a small course on Nero in a couple weeks. And he and Nero would do fine in the 1m 20, although it was high. "Nero will be as good as gold for you, for him crosspoles are nothing, he wont even notice they're there."

Sam tried to think of a way to bribe Ellie into entering the show. "if you enter with me i'll...cook us dinner?" Sam said, a hopeful smile on his face.