Old Leather Saddle

Old Leather Saddle

Old leather was what the saddle was made of as Sammy ran a hand over it the dust collecting on her fingers, she looked at the saddle the name Estrella was in bold on the side. She sighed as she grabbed a rag off the hook and some cleaner, as she wiped off the dust a feeling of warmth and comfort came over her as she remembered her old horse Estrella.

The old Thoroughbred mare was with her for a while before she passed leaving Sammy with a hole in her heart. The dark coal coat of Estrella, memories of calm trail rides to the river, early mornings and late nights in the stable grooming and working with her. They made it hurt so much to watch the horse slowly slip into the skilled hands of death. But she knew she would be fine cause death as with all things is natural, even if it hurt to see the life leave the mare's eyes as the vet gave her the injections. Soft sobs of pain and loneliness echoed in Estrella's stall that night.

Estrella was keeping a silent, ghostly vigil over her young master, her bridle that shone a brilliant white with small gold markings was held by a skeleton hand cracked and worn, the owner of which spoke in a soft gravely voice "It's time to go old girl, and don't worry your master will be alright." The horse was hesitant at first to go with them and leave her master behind.

Crow and Carmen Sandiego

Blacksheep's POV

I was raised in a school for thieves, and one of my closest friends was a girl with short black hair and light skin who went by the codename of Crow. She was bright and at the top of her class. But before she defected from V.I.L.E. three years ago, we planned on graduating from VILE and planning capers, but three years before that, she must have learned something I didn't realize till three years later and left me behind.

(6 years later)

Carmen's P.O.V.

"Okay, Red, Raven should be here soon to retrieve the Eye of Visnue. Stay in position." I waited. I saw Raven enter the museum. I went in after her. Then she jumped me grabbing my throat and pushing me against the wall. "Hello, Black Sheep. It's been a while." She hissed. "Six years since we have last seen each other, Crow." I hissed back Player went on the com again, "Wait a minute. I thought this person was called Raven." Player said his tone was curious yet also very timid. "She was one of my old friends from V.I.L.E., the only person I ever trusted. The only one I ever loved." I spit as I kicked her in the gut freeing me from her grip. A low chuckle slid from the other woman's lips "I'm glad you remember what we used to be Black Sheep." her gloved hand gliding across my lower jaw towards my neck "Because I missed that we could have been happy, stealing, planning capers. But here we are one thief will leave this room alive and one will stay here and die."

The Wolf Among The Sheep

Sammy left the tree house at the same time just after the others went to sleep. And Yaz took watch tonight so this change would be harder to hide.

Sammy always went on a nightly run to get rid of the excess energy of her wolf side and to check the perimeter. As Sammy started to walk to a clearing she heard a stick snap her head whipped to where it came from and saw nothing, she kept walking until she saw the moon's light shining into the clearing.

She liked shifting under the moon because it calmed her and made the shift less painful. As she looked up at the half moon she let herself go and the wolf slipped out almost painlessly just mild discomfort with her bones reshaping.

Her paws touched the soft grass with a small thud, and then she took off into the jungle happy to be free again after having to stay human all day. The sounds blended as she ran through the thick underbrush toward a cluster of large rocks. She came to a stop and started to climb one of the rocks that were closer to the ground and sat there for an hour watching the jungle her eyes and ears on high alert.

She heard the rustle of leaves and a soft gasp she looked in the direction and saw Yasmina's head dart back into the woods a low growl rumbled in Sammy's throat as she didn't realize how careless she was to let herself be spotted.

She huffed and ran to the tree house bolting right past the girl and knocking her over. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as she saw the tree house she shifted into her human form and slipped back up the ladder and into her bed.

Her anxiety about Yasmina telling the others the next morning was near overwhelming. Would she just tell them or confront her first? She hoped Yaz would choose to confront her first.

But as she got up from her bed the following day the others looked at her like she was some wild animal, feral and unpredictable. She looked at the athlete standing just a few feet away from the rest "So she told you about last night?" Sammy asked her words were sharp the group flinched and nodded.

Darius was the first to speak "Why did you keep this from us?" Sammy's reply was sharp "I didn't want to be seen as a monster like everyone else in my life has seen me. You guys were the first people to accept me. So I kept the wolf hidden." Sammy flinched a little when Brooklynn asked about her family and her wolf heritage "My family is fully human but I was somehow born like this."

As she answered the group's questions she saw Yaz stepping closer to the others keeping her eyes on the wolf in front of her. Sammy looked at her as she spoke "Guys as much as I want to answer more of your questions I need to talk to Yaz." The group nodded and left the two alone.

As they saw the others leave Sammy looked at her and growled "How could you! I have been working so hard to keep my wolf hidden. Why would you tell them?" Yaz backed away from her hands held up in a surrender gesture "I was scared for the safety of the others okay? I didn't want them to get hurt if I had a chance to warn them." Sammy huffed her face shifted to her wolf's "So you see me as an unpredictable monster Yasmina?" The wolf slipped out of her again paws hitting the wooden floor with a heavy thud while she spoke "One that should be chained up, caged, and beaten till I can barely stand? Cause I have been through that before and I barely kept myself alive and sane while my family hurt me more than you could ever know." As Sammy circled her Yaz could see the many scars that littered the wolf's form the scars on her front legs and eye were the most prominent.

Sammy smiled as she watched Yasmina's face as fear coated each feature, her eyes searching for a way out, "I'm not going to hurt you though, as much as I want to. But our friendship is over Fadoula." Sammy spits out her last name as if it was bitter on her tongue and then left after transforming back.

God it’s about Yaz’s content sigh after she tells Sammy she’s fallen for her. She’s not expecting anything in return - she’s hoping, certainly, but that’s not the big issue here - just the act of confessing has taken a weight off her shoulders, a truth finally spoken, and you can tell.  

The Secret She Kept is one of my werewolf Sammy au stories.

TW:VENT!!!

Brain: Your ideas are copies of other people, you cannot make it as an animator, writer or artist! Why do you keep trying? Just make minimum wage when you grow up. If you ever grow up. Why do you even try to write? Your ideas are trash and no one will read your books!

Me: First shut up... Second, I know my ideas might not be original, but I have my own twist in my writing. One of my fanfictions got 82 reads, right?

Brain: Well yeah but...

Me: But what? This shows me that people like my writing does it not?

Brain: Well, my point still stands you will never make it as an author, artist or animator...

Me: Again shut up. It no longer matters if I do not make a career as a writer, artist, singer or animator. I am not going to let you take me away from the people that care about me. You almost succeeded 5 times almost 4 years ago, but now I have people and a community I have to live for. People that care about me...

Brain: Nevermind, but you should give up on your dreams...

Me: No. My dreams might be unrealistic, but they still stand.