His next kiss took her off guard a little bit but in the best ways. He didn't have to urge her forward, she went willingly, her eyes drifting closed. The first one had been sweet but this one... Her head tilted just so and her arms slowly lifting to loop around him. It felt... right. There was no guilt like there had been in the past before. When the kiss ended, it seemed it was only so they could breathe. She gazed into his eyes when they did pull away from each other. She had a properly dazed look upon her face and a silly grin crossed her lips.

The horse hadn't gone too far, thankfully, when she took up the reins again.

Dora seemed to have a proud of herself expression if a horse could have one.  Lorn looked from Dora to Karen and smiled.  Getting his mind focused on the task at hand, he motioned back toward the stable.  "Shall we go look at getting a saddle on Dora's back?  Were you wanting to start with a side-saddle or a more typical saddle?  I can't remember at the moment."

"I should learn both ways, shouldn't I?" she asked softly, giving him an excuse to see her more. She smiled up at him, reluctant to pull away for the pull to him was strong. And then it hit her that she was smitten with him. It was a nice feeling after being sad for such a long time. He gave her life again without even realizing it. Alas, however, she didn't want to rush what was coming to fruition, so she slowed her roll for now. Her free hand moved to take his and she turned toward the barn with Dora and, assuming he kept his hand in hers, she would not pull hers away either.

Holding hands he was smiling with a happy look on his face.  It was a great day, more now than it had been looking forward to the riding lesson.  The conversation had made so many things clearer and honest between them.  As they walked it was a quiet time but comfortably quiet, not awkward at all. 

At the area in front of the stables, he paused and let Karen's hand slip away from his hand as he went to get the saddle.  He got the one that would allow her to ride aside, as it was generally easier to learn first as it was more a natural sitting manner.  Dora stayed still as he buckled on the gear on her back.  Then he turned to Karen.

"Ok, put the foot opposite from the leg you need to put over her back."  He gave her an example by doing it himself with a firm hold on the saddle horn and pulling himself up.  Looking down at her, he winked.  Then climbed back down in the reverse.  "Like that."

She almost rested her head on his arm as they walked, she had a level of comfort with him that she had not had in a while. It frightened her a little but the fact that there was no guilt this time meant things would be just fine. She decided that if her brother came back at all and saw her with another man, she would not bother to fight with him, for she had already made up her mind that she wanted normalcy and couldn't have that life with Pony doing what he did. Would she ever be able to have it, though? She worried that Lorn would find her mad when she told him how she saw her late husband pass away.

She watched him move gracefully on and off Dora and then she did the same on the first try. She did not try to get off of Dora yet, for she was squeezing her eyes shut for a moment. She settled her other foot into the empty stirrup and said, "I think I've got it." And then she opened her eyes and beamed down at him.

Watching how well Karen did the mount, he saw her pause.  He places a firm hand at the back of the ankle closest to him to show her he would not let her fall.  The other hand was at the back of the saddle, but not touching to her, just ready if she needed him to grab her. 

"You did great."  He looked up at her with a look of encouragement and pride at her efforts.  He reached over for the reigns and handed them to her. 

"Once you feel secure there, with both feet staying in the stirrups, give Dora a light tap with a bringing inward to her belly with your feet.  Don't kick, unless you want her to go fast right on the go."  He cautioned firmly but kindly. 

He had an image of him running after the two of them trying to catch up to save her, it could be funny but it could also go very badly.  He thought back to how Cressida had died as they raced in an unfamiliar area.  She had been looking back to see how far away he was and teasing her when her horse had been startled by a snake and taken away from the path they had been on and she had hit a tree branch that had knocked her off the horse.  Then she had hit her head on a rock.  It had been nearly instant.  He had only been able to hold her and ask her not to go before she closed her eyes with a soft look up at him as she died.

She bit her lip at the feel of his hand upon her ankle. Sensation shot up and coiled within her belly and she could feel that familiar yearning within her. She swallowed heavily and fought the urge to climb down and into his arms again for another kiss. She took the reins and smiled down at him stupidly for a moment before noticing he was distracted. "Are ye ready?" she asked softly. Assuming he gave the nod of approval or said something, she did as he instructed and Dora began to walk.

It wasn't so bad... as long as she didn't look down.

Focusing again on Karen, and pushing those horrible moments from his thoughts, he smiled as she went forward.  He walked along with Dora's pace with one hand on the back of the saddle but letting go of Karen's ankle.  He watched her stature and manner as they walked.

After several minutes of walking, he indicated the reigns.  "Ok, now give a bit of pull on those and say 'Woah.  It won't take much unless you have a stubborn horse, but even then you don't want to hurt their mouths.  So, a definite motion but not too hard."  He had used a bit of strength when he broke some of the horses to a saddle, but even then not enough to do damage to the horse's mouth.

She tugged and said, "Woah," and the mare did what she was supposed to do. Karen missed the feel of his palm on the back of her ankle. Her eyes met his and she stared into them for a moment before she said, "Ye know, this isn't so bad." She was cheerful as she spoke. She didn't mind the feeling now that she was getting used to it... But then her stomach growled, loudly. She chuckled and said, "Seems I am workin' meself an appetite up." She gave a laugh.

Lorn chuckled hearing the growl.  "You have a bear too?  Heidi calls that sound the bear is hungry."  He grinned.  "Let's try getting Dora to get walking again and turning her back to the stable area to try stopping again.  We'll call it the end of the lesson for the day at that point."  He suggested with a lifted eyebrow inquiry action.

"Then I think we should do something about that bear of yours."  He teased lightly.