Really enjoyed this story examining several of the riders. Kid has always been my favorite and I tip my hat to you for figuring out something that so few writers do - that yes indeed, you can write a Kid story that DOESN'T involve Lou. Bless you! 8-)

This was my favorite paragraph of the story:

"Ike had thought he'd never see anyone as alone as he'd once felt until he met Kid. The only time the taciturn rider relaxed was around that Paint. For Kid, protecting Katie was akin to protecting himself. After weeks of working side by side with Kid they didn't even know his real name."

TYR was great because all the riders came with their own baggage, their own story, but Kid was most appealing - for what was never really said or explained but also, I confess, the way to this girl's heart is a guy's love for his horse. The opening gambit of the pilot TYR episode is my favorite opening for any TV show ever and spoke volumes about the Kid we would see in the episodes and seasons to come. And you tapped into a bit of that with your story.

Nice job.

Wow. Just wow. Your mastery of language and your attention to detail is completely overwhelming. Ike's running internal commentary... the fading and intertwining to reality and fever-dreams from Kid... just amazing. You did the characters so well, and did the atmosphere of the story so comfortably that I was completely sucked in from beginning to end. I applaud you. And I applaud your story. Well done. Well played. And extremely well written.

my favorite tv show from the West, LOL :P That was beautiful. Very well written, like everything else you write; very well delivered. I had no trouble reading through the story and understanding the seemingly simple, yet complex characterizations. Simply awesome : )

First, you know that I have never seen this TV show. However, I have read every story you've written in the SPN fandom and have enjoyed each one so much that I thought, "Let me see how Gaelicspirit can entertain me with characters I know nothing about."

I live in Iowa and it is HOT today. I mean scorching, horrible heat. I went out side a few times and on each trip, I licked my lips about five times per ten minutes. I noticed that all your characters licked their lips. Their dry, parched lips. Of course, after I licked my own lips, I retreated into my air-conditioned house to cool off. They just had water and shade. I'm sure if I actually lived in those times, I would be dead by the time I was 26.

From the get-go, I liked a few things:
I liked 'But talking to them was like whispering in the dark. They could barely hear, and they couldn't see.'

'...souls connected - be it man or beast.' So incredibly true. I miss my dead dog Katie.

I really liked your description of this "ledge" that they rode the horses around - loved 'arms of stone'. I saw them in all their different shapes and sizes. Cool.

"Damn...m-my favorite shirt"
'Your only shirt.'
Great lines there and I loved the way that Ike talked with his eyes, with his hands, and how we got to know what he was thinking. He was lovely, down to his bald head and I have a thing for bald-headed guys.

Really liked how you described the men who were shot '...bullet holes creating a third eye...' Ooh. Just, oh.

I loved how Ike, who couldn't speak was so worked up that Jimmy had to say, "Ike, man, slow down, okay." HA. By the way, Jimmy was the character that I ended up panging inside for. I think I would have really liked him.

When I read the 'Whickering (love that) calls and shuffling legs..." I realized that Katie was a horse (I thought she was a human) and then, of course, it took me back to my dead dog Katie. Have I mentioned I miss her? She was a German Shorthair, but the runt and her coat was brown, but she had a neat patch of white on her neck. And I think I could understand her when I looked into her soft, dark eyes. Sigh.
"Yeah, you're comin'," he whispered. "We'll bring him home together."

Liked the confusion as Kid woke up. 'Jed.' No. 'Ike.' Yeah, that's right.

Jimmy - loved the 'he didn't do fear well' and then 'He'd never been much for heights.'
I loved how although all of that may be true, when Ike was 'frowning fiercely' and Jimmy realized that Kid was 'down there' that he immediately said, "Let's go." No questions, no fears - just GO!

I liked that Cody man'ed up so well. Nicely played and I dug Tate, the smallest man he'd ever seen, but apparently with the largest mustache. Great, great detail. I grinned.

I adored that though he was so weary, he needed to sleep, when Ike heard "Rider comin'!" he 'shot up like a bullet'. No putting him to bed, no staying down, he needed to see it through.
And then the tie in at the end with 'It's a better home for better men than Jed.' Aw, damn. You said so much with that line.

I really, really liked it. I thought it MOVED. I thought there was great action, great characters, great dialog, great horses... I was thoroughly entertained.
Oh, and although it wasn't in the actually story, I believe I still heard a "hinky" in there.

Thanks so much for that story! I was directed to it by my good friend Paris who knows I'm a huge Young Riders fan and I'm so glad she sent me to it! It was a wonderful, well-written story and a welcome addition to a fandome that doesn't get too much action anymore. And you had all the characters pegged exactly.

I also want to say a special thank you for using ALL the riders, especially Ike. He's my favorite, always has been, always will be, but not very often does he make it into fic. You have my heartfelt thanks for including him, and doing it with such understanding and perfection.

Thanks you! Hope you write more someday.

Your story would have made a hell of an episode !! Thanks.

I used to love Young Riders. What a great surprise. And what a great story. It's been a long time, but the "voices" came back to me as I was reading. Now I want to see if it's available on DVD. :)

I love the Young Riders and I really enjoyed your story. It's very well done.

Thank you for sharing it and I hope there'll be others sooner or later.

What a great fic! We loved this show and I'm thrilled to see something written for it, especially by Gaelic. :)

At first, Ike was the only character I could put a face to, but they came back with your help.

Very enjoyable. Very. Thanks for sharing. :)

That was fun.
What a nice treat, visiting with the "Young Riders" again. I spend my free time watching favorite episodes of "SN", but now want to dig out my copies of the this show.
It has been awhile since I've seen an episode, but you did a great job with the characters.
Thanks for sharing another story with us.
Until next time, take care.

Wow! What a treat that was! Thank you! You brought many angles to the story -- explored different aspects of the characters' relationships. Well done!

very nice. I think you really nailed the relationships between the various boys.

Hey, that's just not fair, girl. Now you've got me downloading the first to episodes of the show, to check it out, get hooked, see the entire show and THEN come back to your fanfic (no, I haven't read it, I wanna see the boys faces at least, first) I hope you're proud, first Staind and now this!!

Love u ;-)

L xx

Great story! And I do hope this won't be your only YR fic - or maybe you'll spur a new interest in this genre! Always went for Cody and Jimmy, myself... Nice to see your quality writing no matter what show it's for. Thanks.

Have to say that I never did see this show but I always happy to read a good western. Not many of them written any more. Enjoyed your story. Would love for you to write a western with Sam and Dean. Thank You for this one.