Description: Will Lois and Clark ever learn to like each other? The world may never know.
Guys, Gals, and Guns part2
By Mary Potts <SongBirdMary@Juno.com>
Rated: PG
Submitted: July 2003
~~~Guys, Gals, and Guns part2~~~
Perry shook his head. Today's supper was Like no other! All throughout the meal, Catherine kept staring at Clark Kent. Lois and Clark hadn't said one word to each other since their spat. Jim had asked for seconds on the stew. Okay, so some things didn't change.
Finally, supper was over. Catherine cleared the table, Alice went into the living room to work on her needlepoint, and Perry herded his hands outside to resume the day's work.
"All right, now!" Perry bellowed, "Olsen, I want you to take Thunderbolt to get shoed. Lane and Kent, you two ride down to Siegel Creek and round up the Longhorns."
"Wait," Lois said, "I ain't goin' with City-boy! How about if Jim and I go get the longhorns, and City-boy takes thunderbolt to get shoed?"
"How about if Kent and Olsen get the longhorns, and you spend the next month shoveling out the stables?"
"I'll be good."
"All right! Now that that's settled---all of you, git!" At that final command, the hands scattered. Lois reluctantly led Clark to the stables.
"...Can't believe I have to baby-sit some know-nothing city slicker..." Lois mumbled. "All right," she said, "as long as I'm stuck with you, City-boy, let's get one thing straight: I call all the shots. You are the little Indian; I am the big chief. Now, let's get you a horse to ride on."
Clark went over to a beautiful white mare standing in one of the stalls. "I'll take this one."
"Oh, no you don't!" Lois snapped. "Planet is my horse!" She gestured to a brown appaloosa in another stall. "You can take Daisy; she's nice and safe." Before Clark could respond, Lois thrust a saddle into his hands. "Saddle up, City-boy, and let's get a move on."
*************
The sun was high and a little to the west as they rode from the stables. The plains seemed to stretch infinitely, below an even more infinite blue sky. The air was fresh and clear, and a slight breeze stirred. The rapid, rhythmic beating of the horses' hooves was enough to stir one's blood and conjure dreams of adventure. Had it not been for the chatter of his companion, Clark might have thought he was in paradise.
"Now if you want to go left," Lois was telling him, "you pull left on the reigns like so." She demonstrated for him. "And if you want to go right, you pull right on the reigns. Now if you want to stop, you pull back on the reigns; but not too hard, or the horse will buck. Now----"
"Lois!" Clark cut her off. "You don't have to tell me all this. I know how to ride!"
Lois looked at the city slicker riding next to her, still wearing those sissy eastern clothes and that derby, and rolled her eyes. "Sure you do," she said. Her words were so dripping with sarcasm; they could have left a puddle.
Clark turned to face her. "I mean it, Lois. Just because I'm from Metropolis doesn't mean I can't ride a horse. I can ride just as good as you, maybe even better!"
That really caught Lois' attention. If this city slicker was going to challenge Lois Elmira Lane, then he was going to learn a very hard lesson! The gauntlet had been thrown. Lois gave her horse a light kick to make it go faster. Clark, wondering what she was doing, urged Daisy to keep up. Once they were both neck and neck again, Lois dropped her reigns and stood up in the stirrups. She turned and looked smugly at Clark. "Still think you're a match for me?"
Clark was never one to shy away from a challenge. He, too, let go of his reigns and stood erect in the stirrups. He then folded his arms and shot Lois a grin. "Definitely!" he said.
Lois glared at the impudent easterner. She sat back down on the saddle, then removed her feet from the stirrups and swung around so that she was now facing the horse's tail. She looked at Clark, daring him to copy her.
Clark smirked and copied her exact movements. Lois was outraged! It would not take a large stretch of the imagination to see smoke coming out of her ears.
'All right,' Lois decided, 'the kid gloves are off. Let's see what you're made of.' Lois turned a somersault on her horse's back, flipping herself so that she was now facing front again. Lois grinned at Clark's look of surprise. But then, it was her turn to be surprised as Clark did the very same thing! "Son of a gun..." she murmured under her breath.
Clark reveled in Lois' shock, and decided to impress her further. Taking his feet out of the stirrups, he turned so he was once again facing the back. Then, he placed both feet on the saddle and stood up. Of course, being able to levitate helped him accomplish this feat with much ease, but Lois didn't know that. She sat staring at him, unsure of what to say.
"Well?" Clark asked, "do I win?
Lois stared at him a moment longer before glancing in front of them. "Clark---"
"It's okay, Lois; I completely forgive you for that comment earlier."
"Clark!"
"No, no. There's no need to say a word."
"CLARK!!!"
"I totally accept your apology. In fact, I-----" his last words were cut off as the low-hanging branch of a tree struck him in the head, effectively stopping his movement but not the movement of his horse. He toppled from his perch on the saddle and came crashing to the ground.
Lois immediately jerked her reigns back and jumped from her horse. In seconds, she was kneeling at Clark's side.
"I don't believe it! Are you okay?! Are you hurt?! Oh my gosh! City-boy, speak to me!"
"My name's Clark!" came the muffled reply.
Lois helped him to his feet. "You all right? I heard a crunch. Did you break something?"
Clark sighed. "I'm okay. Nothing damaged but my pride---and my watch." He reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved the crushed remains of his pocket-watch. "Shame, too; my father gave it to me."
"But you're all right? You don't need a doctor?"
"I'm fine," he reiterated, "I guess that patch of mud softened my fall a bit."
Lois didn't have the heart to tell him that wasn't mud. "Come on," she said, "let's head back."
She put two fingers to her teeth and whistled, and Daisy came trotting up to them. She handed Daisy's reigns to Clark, then mounted Planet. Once Clark was safely mounted on Daisy, they began riding back to the stable. Somehow, each felt as though they'd forgotten something.
*************************
The sun was considerably lower when they had returned. Perry was waiting for them.
"Well? Where's the Longhorns?"
Lois and Clark stopped dead in their tracks. The cattle! They had forgotten to bring back the cattle!
"Dang it!" cried Lois, "I knew we forgot something!"
Perry stared at them, incredulous. "Well then what in tar nation were you doing out there?!" He eyed Clark. "Kent! What happened to you? You're a mess!"
"We were goofing around on the horses," Lois said, "and Clark took a nasty spill."
"Great shades of Franklin! Are you all right, Kent?"
"I'm fine," Clark said, "but I broke my watch."
Perry shook his head. "Well, at least you're okay. And since you're new, I'll excuse your behavior just this once. You, on the other hand," he said, turning to Lois, "you should know better than to be horsin' around when you're supposed to be working!"
Lois hung her head. "I'm sorry, Perry."
"Now, you know the rule: He who don't work, don't eat. So I'm afraid I'll have to excuse you from dinner." Lois winced. Perry couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards her. He hated having to reprimand his employees; especially Lois, who was like a daughter to him. But, rules were rules, and those who break the rules have to pay.
"Can't you let her off the hook?" asked Clark, "it wasn't entirely her fault; I started it."
"No, I started it." said Lois. She turned to Clark. "You don't have to cover for me. I'm a grown woman; I can take care of myself."
Perry looked at Lois and Clark. He barely kept a smile hidden as the thought crossed his mind that maybe there was hope for these two after all. "Tell you what," he told Lois, "I'll let you off this time, but tomorrow you're taking Kent to the general store to buy a new watch. Is that clear?" Lois and Clark both nodded. "Good. Now both of you go wash up for dinner. Especially you, Kent; you smell like a field of cow patties!"
*************
Clark stopped pumping the pump, and he and Lois both turned and walked toward the house.
"You know somethin'? Lois asked.
"What?" said Clark.
Lois turned to Clark. "I don't like city boys, and I don't like you much either, but I'll grant you one thing: for a city boy, you sure can ride a horse."
Clark smiled. "Thanks, Lois. So can you."
"I know."
"In fact, you're very outstanding! I really admire you."
Lois laughed. "Just don't fall for me, City-boy; I don't have time for it."
Clark looked at the barrel-legged tomboy dressed in men's clothes and chuckled. 'Don't worry, Lois, I have no intention of doing that!'
