By the time we reached the picnic area, I was starting to feel some of the effort from galloping all over the landscape affect me, and I was getting very hungry again. Hungry enough that I almost automatically fell to grazing on the delicious tasting green grass as soon as Karyn removed the bit and bridle from my head. I half-watched as Karyn ate her own lunch, wondering if that too had been something that had just come with the rest of the things in the stables and house.
Eventually, I had eaten enough to feel less hungry and trotted over to the large flat boulder Karyn was sitting on. "Karyn," I began.
"Ready to go back, Jon?" she asked before I could continue. "Me too. It's been fun, but I want to see what else is in the house. Let's go." The bit and bridle was back in place before I could think of a protest. I mean, I did want to get back to the house! "Let's giddyap!" Karyn slapped my rump with the riding crop and spurred me into a gallop all the way back to the stables. I was breathing pretty hard by the time we got there, but the run had been fun.
"Whew! You're a mess. I better get you cleaned up." Karyn hopped off and led me back into the stables. The tack and saddle were exchanged for a halter and lead rope again, and then she started washing me. I felt embarassed again, particuarly at some of the parts she was washing. "Karyn, I don't know if this is right," I muttered, embarassed.
"What's the matter? Doesn't it feel good?" she asked, almost challengingly. I hesistated. It did feel good to be washed, to have the dirt cleaned off, and it felt nice to have her hands and the brushes rubbing me down. "You'll be clean soon." Karyn wrinkled her nose and looked at herself. "I hope there's a shower in the house for me, because I could use a washing too." Finally, though, I was clean and there wasn't really anything more for Karyn to do. She sighed. "Guess you want to change back now, Jon?" she asked, sounding a bit disappointed as she took the halter off.
I flicked my ears back and ducked my head. "Well, I can always be a horse again sometime," I muttered, then willed myself back to human. Unfortunately, I had forgotten about what had happened to my clothing when I had changed the first time -- it was still in rags somewhere back on a street in town!
Karyn giggled, but didn't seem at all put off by my nudity, no more than she had been when I was a horse! That would have bothered me a little if I hadn't been busy trying to cover myself with my hands. "Yike! Karyn! Is there anything I can wear?" I felt myself blushing all over.
"Not any clothing in here," Karyn said, then grinned suddenly. "Why don't you just become something else that doesn't need clothing?"
"Uh... well..." I thought quickly, trying to not die of embarassment, then...
