River
The question of the hour was whether or not to punch Blade in the face or thank him for interrupting the almost kiss River was about to share with Ellie when his annoying self showed up at the stables. On the one hand, having the opportunity to kiss Ellie would've been magical. It would've been something River would've never forgotten, and possibly the highlight of his life. On the other hand, kissing Ellie now but not winning her hand would make the sting of defeat all the worse. So perhaps Blade had done him a favor by being a nuisance and sticking his nose in where it didn't belong. He had to have seen what was happening. He probably even timed it that way on purpose.
MIchael was busy assigning horses now that he had returned. Ellie had her own horse, Cottonball, a white horse w
