SO SOON YOU'LL TAKE ME, UP IN YOUR ARMS, TOO LATE TO BEG YOU

The weather was - for once - not too overwhelmingly warm. It was one of those days where both Charlie and Khalil managed to have their schedules line up, and they decided to spend it preparing for a picnic.

They had enjoyed the car ride in partial silence, Khalil resting one basket of food in his lap, and a small cooler beside his paws on the car floor. Charlie stayed with her eyes on the road, occasionally tapping his paw against the steering wheel and singing along in an over exaggerated voice to the musical. Khalil joining in at every other verse or so.

"Charlie." Khalil's voice was sharp, immediately drawing the other cats attention. "Dude, stop the car. I think there's a horse." His eyes were trained out on the sun-reflected blades of grass, and vaguely he could make out a cream coated figure in the distance.

"No way, we're in the middle of nowhere." His disbelief was palpable, but she took her eyes off the road for just a second to catch a glimpse of what Khalil saw. "I don't think Big Blue will start back up again if I shut her off." He shuddered.

"Way! Stop the car, let's see if its domestic." Khalil spoke excitedly, already unbuckling himself from the seat and reaching to put the basket of food in the back. "C'mon, Casey and Leon aren't here to yell at us."

"At least let me pull over! Jeez- you're more impatient than me." The truck rolled to a stop, and Charlie cut the engine. Before he could even process, Khalil was already out of the door. "You ass! At least wait for me!"

Khalil sprinted down the meadow hill, his paws immediately getting soaked in the muddy ground from the rain last night. Charlie hopped out not too long after, grumbling about impulses and horses. "Is this how Casey feels?" She muttered to herself before steeling her resolve and following with purpose.

Charlie tried to be mindful of the squelching under his paws, stepping around puddles while looking down. His chest bumped into Khalil's arm, which was stuck out. His ears were alert and his eyes were shimmering with unadulterated joy. Charlie followed his friends line of sight, and spotted the beautiful horse stepping around the meadow.

He looked well groomed, a bell ribbon adorned in his silky mane and his coat practically shining in the late day sun.

"He's gotta be a perlino." Khalil muttered. "No.. no.. cremello.."

"Are you trying to ID the horse?"

"Dude, shut up. He's looking this way, oh my god, Charlie look!"

And well, she could share the enthusiasm of seeing a new horse. The stallion was staring back at them, the fluff on his chest long enough to sway as he sauntered in their direction. Khalil lightly shook Charlie's arm like a kit in a candy factory.

"He's so gorgeous. I have to take him home with me.."

"Khal.. we don't have the trailer.. or any tack. And you remember the last time you rode a horse bare." Charlie tried to be reasonable, but she could most definitely understand his friends eagerness.

Slowly, the stallion made his way to stand a bare hint of a few inches away, right within arms length. Khalil reached out, his paw extended to allow the cobb to rest his head in his paw. His dull blue eyes bore into the two until Khalil tentatively took a step forward.

That was enough, as Khalil slipped on a rock underfoot. The cobb was spooked, immediately whining and snuffing nervously. Charlie grabbed Khalil by the arm, hauling him towards herself and out of the horses startled frenzy.

One last snuff in their direction and the stallion calmed down. Khalil stroked a paw down the horses smooth nose, and turned to Charlie with dead seriousness. "Call the guys. Get the trailer. I'm taking him back to the rescue."

"Khal, c'mon, he could belong to someone!"

"Well I don't see them here now! Call them."

And with an irritated sigh, Charlie started to dial Casey's number.