The next day, happily unaware of any impending danger from the Highkington, Sasha and Jayhan saddled up the ponies as soon as their chores were done and headed off to the bush. This time, Jayhan carefully centred himself and found that he could raise a trot in Slug even heading away from home without the use of a switch; not an enthusiastic trot admittedly, but a trot nonetheless. Slug even managed a short canter but Jayhan had to work hard for every moment of it.
By tacit agreement, they did not speak of magic until they had made their way to the same spot beside the creek that they had stopped at the day before. Dismounting, they climbed into the lower branches of a twisty red gum to eat their sandwiches. Sasha had a whole day of physical labour behind him and was content to eat slowly
