Welcome to Hickstead, home to both Seven Oak Stables, and Blue Acre - two rival stables. Both offer opportunities for their clients to reach the highest level of excellence. Each stable differs from the other, so choose wisely and never forget, loyalty is everything... Meanwhile as the stables battle it out, there's trouble brewing at the university. Be careful, if you don't pick a side you may get caught in the cross-fire...
This is an chilled out rpg with a super friendly and relaxed atmosphere! Remember to sign up with your characters full name in all caps and don't forget to do your claims! Thank you and Welcome, we've been established since 10th March 2009 but unfortunately have had to close guest view of our boards due to multiple sites ripping off our hard work, such a shame! Come chat to us in Discord before joining if you like!.
chance rubbed rocky's neck as they walked down the trail. he was keeping a close eye on maya who was riding her pony just in front of him. it hadn't been the trail he'd planned but that was okay. maya had been begging her parents to go on a trail ride this morning but her parents were both busy so he'd offered to take her. she'd been excited when he'd told her and the smile on her face made it worth it. if claire had been home he'd have offered to bring her along too but luke had taken the kids somewhere for the day so it was just him and maya. he grinned as he watched maya kick pancho into a trot gently and he was just about to gather his reins when he heard a dog barking somewhere behind them. he didn't think much of it at first, sometimes people brought their dogs with them on trails and usually it was fine. he was just about to follow maya down the trail when he heard the barking getting closer and he felt rocky tense. "it's okay bud." he said as he ran his hand down the horses neck. he didn't think there would be a problem, after all rocky was solid usually. at the same moment he nudged rocky into a trot there was a flash of white and brown that burst out of the trees barking as loud as it could. chance felt rocky jump forward but he managed to sit it as he tried to keep the horse under control. "easy rocky.. steady." he said as the dog ran at rocky's hooves excitedly. it was then that chance felt the horse burst forward and he wasn't ready for it. he scrambled for the reins but he felt them slipping through his fingers as rocky tried to outrun the dog. he turned his head back to try and see where the dog was but he couldn't see it. that worried him more because if it wasn't behind them it was in front of them and that meant it was close to maya. as he turned back to look in front of him he didn't get the chance to see anything but the branch cutting across the trail. he tried to duck in time to avoid it but he felt it collect his helmet and the force of the impact was enough to knock him out of the saddle. he heard maya yell from ahead of him up the trail as he hit the ground but as his body hit the rocky trail, the world dulled.
it took a few minutes for him to fully come out of his daze after he'd landed on the ground. he hadn't been knocked out but the world certainly looked a little fuzzier than it had a minute ago. his head was spinning, he couldn't draw a proper breath and the tree's above him looked like they were dancing around him. he reached up to undo the clasp on his chin and he let the helmet fall off his head and it dropped to the ground next to him. "ow." he murmured to himself as he touched his forehead, wincing as he felt his fingers press into a quickly forming bruise. "maya!?" he exclaimed as he heard her crying from further down the trail. he tried to push himself to his feet as quickly as he could but it was then he felt a shooting pain up his side and he groaned, gripping his ribs as he got onto his knees. he couldn't tell it anything was broken but they sure felt like it. he gritted his teeth as he clambered to his feet and stared down the trail. he couldn't see rocky but he could see where maya was sitting in the middle of the trail, pancho wasn't far away from her, grazing along the side of the trail as if nothing had happened just moments ago.
he held his hand against his side as he walked gingerly down the trail towards maya, using his free hand to fumble in his back pocket for his phone, hoping to god that it hadn't been broken in his fall. "you okay maya?" he asked, coughing as he reached her. he gave her the quick once over as he slowly sat down on the trail next to her, careful not to jostle anything as he sat down, though he couldn't help but wince as he sat. he couldn't see any obvious injuries on maya, she wasn't holding anything and nothing looked broken but her face was red and wet with tears. he wrapped his arm around her tightly as she threw herself against him as she cried and he had to bite his lip hard to stop from yelling in pain as she landed against his chest. "it's okay maya." he said as he dialled his dad's number on the phone, holding onto his younger cousin as he held the phone up to his ear. it felt like an eternity before there was another voice on the other end of the line and chance almost burst into tears when he heard it. "dad? there's been .. i mean i .. i lost rocky." he said quickly, trying to explain, trying to rush and trying to talk loud enough to make his voice heard over maya's sniffles. "we both fell .. on the forest trail. maya's okay."
Logan clucked to Kalona as the horse hesitated beneath him, unsure whether to trust his rider. "Go on," He encouraged the black stallion, making a further clucking noise to urge him forward without too much pressure applied from his legs. Kalona appreciated good co-ordination between hand and leg but his favoured support was from the seat and verbal commands - too much leg and the horse would throw himself away from it, be it forwards or sideways - too much hand and the horse would throw himself up to evade. It was tough work to find the balance but once you did, the horse was the best he'd ever ridden - ridiculously responsive, felt like the supple flowing of a river, it was incredible - he'd never felt anything like it.
He normally didn't keep his phone on him with Kalona, it was best not to have any distractions, and noises like the ringing of a phone would often upset him. He'd left it on vibrate for now, but even the buzz was enough to make Kalona snort and throw his head, tension running along his neck and back as he hollowed, ears flicking back to listen to the sound. Logan murmured to him and ran a hand over his neck, settling him a little and easing him back to a walk so he could answer his call. He frowned as he saw Chance's name flash up on his screen, it wasn't often he called and a flash of unease shot though him. "dad? there's been .. i mean i .. i lost rocky. we both fell .. on the forest trail. maya's okay." Panic, a clear bolt of it at the words. "Are you okay?" He asked, firstly that was most importantly. The horse would make his way home and Chance had already said Maya was okay.
"Stay calm, I'm coming to get you. How far along on the forest trail roughly?" He asked, clamping down on his worry he had to stay calm for his son, so that he didn't worry. "Don't worry I won't be long, Rocky will come home." He knew Chance would start to worry once he calmed a little, but so long as he wasn't hurt Logan could get them home without the need for an ambulance. "I'm coming, son, just hold on. Everything will be fine." He promised, and it felt awful hanging up on him but he couldn't handle Kalona with the phone to his ear. "Time to prove yourself a little bud," He muttered to the horse - he wouldn't get a car down there, and he didn't want to waste time swapping horses. So, he reached down carefully to open the gate from above. He didn't rush the horse, but he wasn't as calm as usual - for once Kalona seemed to understand that this was important, and his head lowered, he turned on his hocks neatly to swing the school gate open, and then he leapt away beneath Logan's hands as he encouraged the horse straight on into a canter, directing him to the forest trail.
The horse opened his stride and though Logan's worry pounded in time to Kalona's hooves a tiny part of his head marveled at what a horse this was, smooth, sleek and sure footed he flew along the trail without so much as a stumble, flying over a couple of fallen logs in his way. It felt like the horse almost enjoyed himself, and almost didn't pull up when Logan spied the kids sat just off from the edge of the trail, waiting. Both seemed to be okay from his rapid cautionary glance, "thank you," He breathed as he settled Kalona and then leapt off - the stallion threw his head at that and jittered a little but didn't pull away as Logan tugged him carefully over to the kids. "Hey, I'm here, what happened?"
he could have shouted for joy when he heard his dad's voice on the other end of the line, coming through clear as day like a lifeline. if he'd known this was going to happen he'd never have asked to bring maya along for the ride with him. she was shaken and upset and possibly injured because of a choice he'd made and that thought kept running through his rattled head. that it was somehow his fault, that if he hadn't brought her she'd be home and okay and not stuck out here in the woods with him. "i hope so." and he was being honest. he wasn't about to say he was fine because his dad would hear the lie in his voice but he didn't think he was badly injured. he was hoping he didn't have a broken rib but he didn't know what one felt like so he wasn't sure. he just knew they were really sore but maya sitting against them wasn't helping.
chance glanced down along the trail as he tried to think where abouts they were. he didn't think they were that far from where it forked off to the trail through the hills but he couldn't tell which side of the fork they were on. the knock he'd taken to his head was making it hard to think straight. but he knew he had to tell his dad that, they were near the fork no matter which side they'd be found. "we're near where it forks .. toward the hills." the fact that he said he was coming, well those words settled in chance's mind and any thoughts of panic he was having settled and he took a breath and nodded his head slightly, even though he knew logan couldn't see it. "i hope he does." he said, the worry about the horse not going away because they had no way of knowing which way the dog had chased him, whether or not rocky had fallen and taken a tumble or if he'd been tangled in his reins. it would be too easy to start to panic about rocky so he forced himself to think about getting home. that was the main thing. getting maya back home where she was safe.
chance heard the line disconnect and he lowered the phone from his ear and let it drop to the grass next to them. he'd never felt more alone in that moment than he had in a while but he had to think of maya. he looked down at her now she'd settled a little and he bit his lip slightly. "you okay mays?" he said gently as he helped her take her helmet off so she was more comfortable. she sniffed in response but didn't say anything. that in itself was unlike her but chance figured she was just shaken. when his dad got here she'd perk up because she knew he'd make it better. or at least that's what he hoped for. he looked maya over carefully again and this time noticed a rip in her pants on her knee and some scratches on her hands but all things considered, it didn't look too bad. he leaned back against the tree trunk he was sitting next to and he let out another breath he'd been holding. it was then that he felt something drip into his eye and he frowned a little, lifting his hand to touch h is forehead and when he pulled it away he saw red. not enough to panic but enough to let him know the stupid branch had cut his head when he'd run into it.
he didn't have much time to dwell on it because it was then that he heard pancho lift his head and knicker down the trail to the east of them and a few seconds after that he heard the sound of hooves pounding into the dirt and then kalona and his dad came into view. he felt the tension leave his body and he found himself sniffing a little before he rubbed the back of his hand against his nose. once logan had jumped down from the horse, maya abandoned his lap and took of running for her uncle. "uncle logan!" she cried as she held her arms up to him, the tears running freshly down her face again. though she did stop just short of reaching him, she'd been taught to give kalona a wide berth and even scared she wasn't about to get too close to the horse.
chance used one of the tree's branches to pull himself to his feet. he was a little shaky on them but he was going to put that down to shock too. he winced as he walked forward, his hand holding onto his ribs as he took a few careful steps forward before he stopped. he heard his dad ask them what happened and he glanced at pancho before he answered. "this dog.. it came out of nowhere." he said as he chewed his lip, remembering the sound of the barking as the dog had nipped at rocky's heels making him run. "it .. i think it bit rocky cause he freaked and bolted and he ran into that tree trying to get away .. that's when i fell and they were gone." he said as he pointed to the branch that came across the trail a little bit just away from where they were standing. "i don't know if it bit pancho but maya fell too .." he explained but he hadn't see anything other than what had happened to him and even that was a little fuzzy.
He smiled as Maya came running over with a loud "uncle logan!" Arms held upright for him to reach for her - it was obvious what she wanted. He didn't need to tell her to take it easy though, his mouth opening to warn her with Kalona but she was already slowing as she reached them. He wasn't Logan's first choice for this but he was glad he'd come straight out, his eyes assessed them both rapidly, catalouging every cut, every scrape, every movement. He forced himself to calm, ignoring his inner turmoil of worry so that he could appear calm and in control. "Hey Mays, I got you don't worry." He reached down to scoop her up with one arm, shifting her carefully onto his left hip and keeping Kalona on his right.
"You're being so brave," He said softly, clucking to the horse for him to walk forward toward Chance so Logan could check him too. "Does anything hurt?" He asked her, she may have run over but adrenaline was a good way to hide the pains and aches. His gaze turned to Chance, looking a little unsteady. He had already seen the cut on his forehead and though it was bloody, luckily it looked to be stemming already which meant it might not need stitches. Head wounds were horrific - they bled like a massacre but were often easy fixes; most of the time. He noticed everything, the hand to the ribs, the slight shaking, as Chance stepped forward. "this dog.. it came out of nowhere." Logan couldn't help but frown. "Did you see what kind of dog it was?" He asked. Dogs and walkers were permitted on the trails, but as they were private property there were strict rules to ensure that horses were given right of way at all times, and that any dogs were to be kept on leads if they were unable to recall correctly. He might be able to find out who owned it if he knew the dog.
"it .. i think it bit rocky cause he freaked and bolted and he ran into that tree trying to get away .. that's when i fell and they were gone." Logan looked back and then nodded, the horse would have gone for home, he was a solid pony and he'd be okay, he had faith. "i don't know if it bit pancho but maya fell too .." He reached out to touch Chance's shoulder gently. "Hey, it's okay, you did the right thing." There wasn't much even an adult could have done in that situation. His hand raised to Chance's cheek gently. "The same question to you, what hurts? And be honest," He said softly, not wanting Chance to try to downplay anything. With Maya still comfortably in his arms he bent down to draw Chance into a hug with his free arm. "I'm here now, you're safe okay?"
"dids you bring my dad?" maya sniffled against logan's shoulder as he settled her onto his hip, her little arms going around his neck to tightly hold onto him. once she was up in his arms she paid no attention to the horse that was walking next to them, trusting her uncle to keep her safe from the horse that sometimes scared her. she shook her head slightly against his shoulder, wiping her nose a bit as she did "i dont's feel bwave." she snuffled out as she clung to him. she hadn't thought about what hurt until he asked her the question she blinked a little as she thought of what actually hurt. her hands, while scrapped her stopped stinging and the only thing that hurt enough for her to think about was her knee. she lifted her head a little and looked down towards it, stretching her leg out a little to look at her ripped jeans. "t-there hurts." she said before she tucked herself back against his shoulder tightly.
had chance been okay, he'd have smiled at the way maya had tucked herself against his dad's shoulder. but the reason she was wasn't a laughing matter and he was worried that she was more hurt than he'd thought. anything could be wrong and if she was he'd feel more awful about it than he did now. plus if she was badly hurt he could only imagine what his uncle would say. would he blame chance? that was the first thought that ran through his head as he thought of leo. though the rational part of his brain that was working thought that it wasn't his fault but the two sides of the argument were jumbling together and all he could think of was that he was going to get in trouble for it. he chewed his lip a little as they walked towards him and he took a few more steps in order to meet them on the trail.
what sort of dog had it been. he couldn't remember anything about it other than the colours he'd seen as it had run between the two horses and then under rocky's feet. "it .. it was white and yellow?" he tried to remember it clearly in his head but all he could think of were the two colours he'd said. "it wasn't bigger than kye.." he did know that much. it hadn't been a huge dog but it hadn't been a small dog either. he felt the touch on his shoulder and he couldn't help but flinch, not because it hurt but because he was scared, upset and shaken and in that moment he'd flashed back to what had used to happen when he'd been in trouble. "no i .. i could have done something. i could have scared the dog away .. tried to grab it." he rambled softly before he looked up at maya and then to his dads face. "you'll tell uncle l-leo i'm sorry right, i .. i didn't mean for t-this to happen to maya." he said as he looked back to his cousins tear stained face before he felt the light touch on his cheek.
as he felt his body start to get ready to flinch away from his dad, there was another touch to his forehead that stopped him. he didn't know what it was until he lifted his gaze to look at maya and saw had her fingers next to where the cut he could feel on his forehead was. "you's bweeding." he bit his lip a little before nodding at his cousin. "it doesn't hurt mays." he said he looked back to logan so he could answer his question. as much as he wanted to tell him he was fine, that he didn't need to worry about him and he'd be okay he knew that answer wouldn't fly. "i think i l-landed on a rock." he said as he looked down at the hands on his ribs. "i d-don't think they're broken though.. just s-sore." he grimaced at the thought of broken bones. he felt the arm go around his shoulders and while he tensed at first he soon sagged into the hug and leaned against his dad as heavily as he could. he didn't feel it was okay but he felt a whole lot better now that he was there, like he'd get them out and make everything better like he always did.
"dids you bring my dad?" Logan's expression became apologetic as he shook his head, "I'm sorry sweetie, he wasn't there, but I promise to get him as soon as we get you home." He rubbed her back sympathetically, trying to be a good enough substitute for her currently unsuspecting father. "i dont's feel bwave." He rubbed her back again in a soothing manner, kissing her gently on the forehead. "You have been very brave, I wish I was as brave as you," He kept a watchful eye on Kalona, but the desperate run over seemed to have settled his temper for a moment and instead his ears and eyes twitched to the surroundings, uninterested in attempting to eat the children. "t-there hurts." He nodded seriously, "Okay, we can patch that up in no time when we get back," He was feeling better to know that she was just a little banged up but nothing serious.
He didn't want Chance to feel interrogated, but he was hoping that it might keep his mind busy to try and remember, and sometimes it was easier to remember whilst it was fresh. "it .. it was white and yellow?" Logan nodded, listening to him, "it wasn't bigger than kye.." He nodded again, "Okay, that's great bud, it narrows it down a lot." He smiled encouragingly - it was true, plenty of people had Shepard types or black or chocolate labs, or spaniels. If it was smaller than a colour and yellow and white, there weren't a lot of them around. Logan's eyebrows furrowed when he felt Chance flinch, hesitating as to whether he should retract his hand but deciding not to - he needed to know that the touch was okay, that it was harmless; one of comfort not pain. "no i .. i could have done something. i could have scared the dog away .. tried to grab it." He was already shaking his head, "No, you couldn't - nobody could have bud. Animals are quicker than we are, especially when hyped up. Even me or your uncles would have been in the same situation. You did everything right." They had all been there, and sometimes there was just nothing that could be done to stop it.
"you'll tell uncle l-leo i'm sorry right, i .. i didn't mean for t-this to happen to maya." Logan deflated a little, feeling a pang of sorrow for his worry. "Oh mate, Leo won't hold anything against you," He knew that for sure. Leo might be protective but he didn't go around pointing fingers at defenseless kids; especially of his own blood. "He might go after the dog's owners but he won't be out for your blood, I can promise you that." He gave a small chuckle to try and lighten the mood. He stuck by his side, trying to inspect the cut without making it worse or hurting him. "i think i l-landed on a rock. i d-don't think they're broken though.. just s-sore." Logan nodded though worry panged of course; he needed Chance to get checked out before he relaxed. Maya too, but he wanted to be sure about the head wound mostly - it could be a concussion more than the cut being an issue. He glanced between the kids and the horse in his hands and made his decision. "Alright, I'm going to put you two up onto Kalona, and we'll head back to the yard." He wasn't sure if Kalona would support his weight behind them and he'd rather not chance it; they'd be walking back to the yard but the youngsters were injured and he didn't want them to have to walk back. "I'll pop Maya up in front and then just boost you up behind, okay bud?" He asked, just incase Chance really didn't want to. After all, they knew Kalona and were told to keep away, he was not a child's ride. But he wasn't small, and Logan knew him well - he would take them home safe.
mayas face scrunched a little as her uncle told her that her dad hadn't come with him and the tears built up in the corners of her eyes but she tried her hardest not to let them fall. she sniffed loudly and nodded her head slightly before she wiped her nose with her sleeve. she wanted her dad but she didn't want to be a crybaby about it and he said she was being brave. people who were brave didn't cry, just like her dad. he didn't cry. she sniffed a bit more as he kissed her head and she wrapped her arms around his neck again rested her cheek on his shoulder as he walked over to chance after she'd pointed out where it had hurt. "can i gets a sharkie plaster?" they always helped to make everything better and they were cool. she let go of logan's neck to reach down to touch chance's forehead lightly when she saw he was bleeding and she frowned slightly. she didn't know how bad head wounds could be but she didn't like the sight of blood.
chance listened as logan spoke about how he wouldn't have been able to do anything but he still felt like he should have been able to do something. maybe if he'd been closer to maya, hadn't let rocky get so far behind her. he nodded slightly though, knowing that despite what he was thinking that logan was right, if he'd been on the ground he could have been trampled or worse. he leaned against his dads side and took a second to just be glad that he was there. he didn't feel like he was about to panic or everything was going to go wrong now he was there. he finally understood how important people like logan were in life. before he'd come to live at the whites house he hadn't got it. thought it was fake or just in the movies that parents could make everything better just by being there but he was learning it wasn't, it was all too real and he was so glad for it. "you're sure?" he just asked to be sure. he had relaxed in so many areas with the family, he'd come out of his shell and he'd really started to grow he knew that but there was still this fear so deeply ingrained in him that made him terrified to mess up so badly that they'd stop wanting him around, even though he was officially a white.
he relaxed a little as logan said that leo would probably go after the dogs owner rather than him and he nodded his head slightly, feeling his dad trying to check the cut on his head so he lifted his head a little so he could see it without too much effort. it didn't feel like it was big but he couldn't really feel like it. it was only itching because the blood had started to dry now but his head ached so he was okay with his dad looking at it. "they'll need to worry a-about aunt b-bella more..." he said, trying to joke back with his dad but he found his breath catching a little as he then started to worry whether she'd be angry at him too. he was quiet for the next few moments while logan worked out how they were going to get out of here. he hadn't really thought of how they would, there hadn't been a part of his brain that had thought that until now and he glanced around, knowing that kalona was their only option once logan has suggested it. the good thing about pancho was that he'd amble along behind them because he was never a pony to miss a meal and where people went, food was found not far away so that was one less thing to worry about.
he nodded a little when asked if that was okay and he looked to the large horse standing just away from them. it had been drilled into him to stay away from the horse but he didn't think the horse was dangerous, just hot headed and energetic. he saw maya get a little nervous as she looked over logan's shoulder to the horse and he straightened a little, wincing slightly but he rested his hand on maya's leg. "it's okay m-maya. i'll hold onto y-you." he said as he reassured his little cousin, seeing her nod slightly. he stepped back from his dad so he could move a little easier to lift maya onto the larger horse. he bit his lip and held onto his ribs a little tighter, worried about the thought of getting onto the horse but it was either that or walk out and he didn't really want to walk all the way back to the stables.
He saw the look on Maya's face and he tried to keep a positive expression in place for her - if he slipped and looked sad or upset, then she was bound to lose it. He found that kids wee mirrors more often than not, so if your face turned upside down, theirs would also crumple and the tears would start - even if you weren't crying. But staying positive and cheerful and calm, it helps the kids to feel the same. He squeezed her a little tighter but he gave her a quick smile anyway, "It's okay, I promise to hand you over to him as soon as we get back. But don't I give the better hugs?" He teased, wanting to try and make her laugh. "can i gets a sharkie plaster?" Logan nodded enthusiastically, "absolutely you can, but only if you help me give Chance a dinosaur one?" He asked, trying to take her mind off everything.
"they'll need to worry a-about aunt b-bella more..." Logan gave a little chuckle at that, "that they will," He agreed, but his expression softened as he touched Chance's shoulder again gently, "don't worry, she won't be mad at you either," He promised. He knew his family, even the non-blood related one's - and he knew she wouldn't blame him for a second. Logan caught Chance's look, and he also looked up to the horse. He was not as relaxed as other horses would have been as they waited, but he wasn't leaping for the hills or pacing circles at the end of his reins. "It's okay, I promise you'll be safe." He said, patting his horse with a spare hand and earning himself a look from Kalona.
"it's okay m-maya. i'll hold onto y-you." Logan nodded, giving them both an encouraging smile as he lifted Maya up. Kalona's head went up and his ear flicked back to see what was happening, but he didn't get upset; just wary. He settled May up front and then he went to help Chance up into saddle, giving him a boost. He was getting taller but Kalona was still too big for him to get up without help. "Up you go," He said, spring Chance up there and patting Kalona when the animal gave another snort, tossing his head and shuffling a little. Logan looked at him for a long moment, but he was still as relaxed as Kalona tended to get - not about to do a runner or chuck them off. He took the reins, keeping them looped over the horses next but taking control of the horse. "Look at you two up there, all high and mighty," He teased, "Hold on and off we go," He warned as he clicked to the horse to start walking.
maya tightened her hold around logan's neck as he hugged her tighter. she wanted her dad but her uncles were a close second to him. her lip quivered again but she sniffed and stopped it, nodding her head a little as her uncle said he'd give her to her dad as soon as they got back to the barn. she wanted that, she wanted to hug her dad and for him to tell her that it was going to be okay and she wanted him to be the one to put the plasters on her knees. at home it was her mum that did it but the barn was her dads place. the barn was where she knew he'd keep her safe because always did. "swomtimes." she said as she rubbed her nose a little. "thems are kedans." she said with a small sniff. "but he can has a unicowns one?" she said as she looked at chance, hoping he'd want a unicorn one because she wanted him to have one.
chance listened to them talking as he stood there while his uncle calmed maya down. he was glad that he could do that, he didn't feel like he'd done a good enough job of comforting her while they'd been waiting because he himself had been so close to freaking out and panicking. even with logan's assurances he still felt bad for what had happened and if maya was really hurt he'd never forgive himself. he lifted his head and smile slightly as she offered him the unicorn one instead of the dinosaur one and he couldn't look at her and say he didn't want one. she'd always had a way of getting him to do things, ever since he'd come to live with them. "i'd love a unicorn one mays." he reassured her, so the look of worry on her face wouldn't get any bigegr than it already was. he was glad his dad agreed with him that they'd have to get through bella too, he didn't know which one he'd like to cross less. leo was loud and logan was sure he was scary when he was angry but bella was quiet and calculating and he'd yet to experience which was worse.
"i trust you." he said honestly as he looked up at his dad. he might have still been worried about it but he could trust in his dad to mean what he said. so far he didn't think logan had lied to him at any point and he didn't think he'd start now. he eyed the horse a little nervously but he tried his best not to show it. the last thing he needed to do was act scared so kalona could sense it. he could see maya was just as unsure as he was but he hoped the horse could at least understand the situation. he could feel himself starting to shake again, standing for too long wasn't helping his head so he wanted to sit down in any way he could and if that meant on the back of kalona it was what he'd do. "he's a good horse." chance said as he watched his dad lift maya onto the back of the dark horse and he reached out to touch her arm. "g-good job mays." he encouraged as it was suddenly his turn to get onto the horses back. he let go of his side so he could grab the saddle either side of maya and he braced himself as he was boosted into the back. the pain in his ribs radiated out and he couldn't help but groan in pain as he landed as gently as he could in the saddle. he reached to grip his ribs and he bit his lip hard, the colour draining from his face as maya pressed back against him.
he managed a half smile as logan joked about them being on the horse and he nodded slightly, wrapping his other arm around maya just like he'd promised to do. she felt her arms wrap around his own and he hoped that she felt a little less scared than she had been. "holds on chancey." he nodded a little as the horse started walking and he felt each step he took with a jolt through his ribs. "i got y-you m-mays." the rest of the ride to the barn was almost silent. by the time they rounded the last leg of the trail and the barn was in sight, chance didn't know how much longer he could sit on the horse. he'd almost totally let go of maya and his other hand hadn't left his side the whole ride. he wasn't sure how long they'd been on the trail for but it had felt like an eternity as kalona had walked down the track next to logan. the closer they got to the barn the worse he started to feel. he swallowed hastily and he let go of maya totally as he leaned forward heavily on the pommel of the saddle. "dad?" he shut his eyes quickly. "i need to get d-down." he gripped the saddle tightly. "i think i'm g-gonna puke." he hoped he was wrong but he just really needed to get down to the ground.
"swomtimes. thems are kedans. but he can has a unicowns one?" Logan shifted her slightly, still rubbing her back to try and sooth her. He knew it was not the ideal place or timing for a kid to come off her pony - but then really, when was? At least they were okay, that was the main thing. "I'm sure Chance would love to have a unicorn one." He promised, "Maybe I can have one too, I'll feel left out without one.""i'd love a unicorn one mays." Logan smiled and glanced at Maya in his arms. "See, you can pick him out the best one too." He offered as he settled her up on the horse. Kalona behaved as he felt the weight settle on his back, and Logan clucked softly to him, keeping his hold on the reins light so as not to alarm him.
"i trust you." Logan's expression warmed to hear the words and he nodded, it wasn't the usual situation you would expect to get warm fuzzy feelings, but at his words his heart swelled. He knew how much it took for Chance to say that, and he would hold that dear to him for the rest of his life. "I trust you too," He felt that was the best response, he knew Chance probably hadn't had the words said back to him much either. "he's a good horse." He nodded, "He is, and he has faith in me, so you guys can too." It was true, the horse might be unsure but he was sure of his owner, and it helped. If Logan said it was okay, generally it was. A walk home with some weight on his back wouldn't kill him. Logan tried to be careful as he lifted his son up but it pained him to hear the noise Chance made, and then the paling of his face. "Let me know if you're not okay." He said softly.
They set off at a steady walk, Logan leading Kalona carefully back along the path, glancing back periodically to check on the two. He knew it was painful progress but he felt so proud of them all as they made the journey back. Logan chatted occasionally, nonsense really to try and help keep them all settled - about horses, about his plans for the horses and the like, and soon the barn was in sight. "dad?" Logan paused the horse and looked back over his shoulder, seeing how green his son looked. "i need to get d-down. i think i'm g-gonna puke." Logan nodded and settled Kalona for a moment to quickly and gently help Chance off his back. "Don't worry I've got you," He promised, "Hold on Mays," He patted the front of the saddle for Maya to grab hold of as he placed Chance's feet on the floor. "Does that help?" He asked his son, his gaze searching Chance's face.
maya did her best to keep her legs relaxed against the horse sides. she'd never been this close to kalona before and even though she was shaken and sore, the lessons her parents and aunts and uncles had taught her around horses were more instinct that choice now. she kept her grip gentle and she held onto the saddle and chance's arm that was wrapped around her. she looked back over her shoulder ever so often to check that her pony was still ambling behind them. he was, just slower than kalona was. she should have known the pony wouldn't stray far from her side. he was a good pony and he was also a bit lazy, so if he didn't have to move he didn't. but he seemed to know this was important because he was still following them down the trail, even though he had his head down and was nibbling the grass as he followed the larger horse. their pace was slow but she talked back to her uncle when he made conversation about nothing that meant anything to her. she couldn't help but lean forward a little when chance's arm left her waist and she reached down to grab onto the front of the saddle with her other hand as she turned a little to look at chance.
chance took his arm from his cousins waist as he let his father know he wasn't feeling well. the jostling from the horse under him had finally gotten too much for him to handle. he breathed through his nose as his father settled the horse they were on and he helped his cousin shift forward so she was more on the saddle and he wouldn't kick her when he got off the horse. he leaned his hand on his dad's shoulders as he helped him from the saddle and he closed his eyes the second his feet were on the ground. he didn't even notice the pain from his robs through the sick feeling that was growing stronger with every second. he kept breathing through his nose and he shook his head a little when logan asked if that was better "no." the jostling had stopped but the damage was done. he took a few steps away from kalona as he reached his hand out to lean it on the fence before he hunched over and threw up on the grass below him.
he kept one hand gripped onto the fence, the other wrapped around his ribs as he brought up his lunch. behind him maya exclaimed in disgust and she snapped her eyes shut and she shook her head a little. "eeew!" she said as she gripped the saddle tightly and she felt the tears well in her eyes. she didn't mean to be grossed out but she had never liked people getting sick, she ran from the room whenever it happened at home and while she liked to think she wasn't afraid of anything, it was one of those fears she couldn't help. she kept her eyes shut until she heard the sound of a car pull up close to them and she opened them quickly, hoping it was her dad coming to them but she couldn't help but frown in disappointment when it was her uncle luke that climbed out of the ute. "is my daddy here?" she sniffled from her perch upon the horse, her face red from tears that had yet to fall from her eyes.
how he'd ended up pulling weeds from the fields on his day off, he'd yet to understand. there had been pancakes for breakfast, bacon piled to the roof and even muffins. he should have known there'd be a catch because when lily had set a plate piled high with the delicious offerings, she'd asked him a question knowing full well that he was too distracted to know what she was really asking and he'd agreed. he'd denied his agreement to help but he hadn't really put up much of a fight. he'd just come off a night shift rotation and after sleeping for pretty much the full day and night before, he could stand to get out into the sunshine, even if there was no heat coming down from the giant orange ball. he straightened as he threw some of the weed he'd just pulled from the dirt into the back of the small gator they used to run about the barn and his attention was caught by a horse coming up the lane towards the barn.
he frowned a little when he saw who it was, able to recognize them right away. logan was leading kalona but that wasn't the most worrying part. the worrying part was that chance and maya sat atop the horse. he might not have been the horsey person of the family but he listened to them about the animals at the barn and he knew that logan wouldn't have put them on him without a reason. besides the last he'd seen maya and chance had set off on their own just an hour or so before. he'd waved to them as they'd ridden past them. he abandoned his task without a second thought, jumping into the gator and driving it out of the field he was in, only pausing to open and close the gate as he went through it. he drove down the lane slowly, keeping the revs on the gator low so he didn't spook kalona and stopping what he hoped was a safe distance away because the last thing he wanted to do was make the crazy beast panic while maya was still on top of him.
he turned the vehicle off just in time to hear the sound of chance throwing up by the fence. he pulled a face in sympathy as he climbed out and he shut the door softly. he walked towards his best friend and his son, keeping his eye on kalona as he heard maya's small voice ask him about her dad. he shook his head a little and he looked up at her with an apologetic face. "i'm sorry honey, he left about fifteen minutes ago." he wished he could tell her he was there but he couldn't lie to her. "i got him, you help maya down." he said to logan as he moved to where chance was standing by the fence, resting his hand on his shoulder lightly. he didn't want logan to feel he had to chose between supporting chance and keeping maya safe on kalona. "what happened?" he asked logan above chance's head, shifting his hand to the kids back as he threw up on the fence post again.
TWENTY FIVE | STUDYING LAW/FIRE FIGHTER | LILIANA HONEY WHITE-COLE CLAIRE WHITE | 4 ROSE WHITE | 3 FELICITY WHITE | 3 SLADE WHITE | 1
"no." Logan bit his lip as Chance was sick and he hesitated for a second to decide what was the right thing to do in that moment. With a difficult horse and Maya on top to wrangle it was lucky the pony was so happy snacking and following behind. He didn't want Chance to be alone though and in the end he gave Kalona a small cluck and carefully let him over to the side. The horse snorted and eyed Logan but obeyed, as he if knew how important this was today. "eeew!" The other risk of taking Kalona closer was taking Maya closer and Logan glanced up at her work a reassuring smile. 'Its okay Mays, why don't you sing us you favourite song right now from the new Disney film? How does it go again?' he asked, trying to both distract her and also cover the sounds of retching as he gently reached out to run Chances back in reassurance. He also looked up at the sound of the car, hoping for help. Another pair of hands would be really useful right now as Kalona gave a wary snort and Logan settle him with a quiet murmur.
"is my daddy here?" Logan glanced up at the approaching figure but he could tell even from the distance that it was not his brother. "i'm sorry honey, he left about fifteen minutes ago....i got him, you help maya down." Logan nodded and have him a look of relief as he stepped back from Chance and moved Kalona away a little. He reached up carefully to lift Maya clear of the horse but kept her close, settling her on a hip and getting a better hold of the stallion. "what happened?" Logan sighed and his brow furrowed a little. "A loose dog, it frightened the horses. I'm not sure where it came from as I didn't recognise it. Leo is going to go ballistic - you know he hates this kind of thing." and rightly so, as Logan did too, but Leo had a habit of going that one step too far. It was lucky nobody was seriously hurt and he wanted to get Chance properly checked out but he knew it was likely to have been an accident and not intentional. Perhaps the dog had jumped a garden fence and there was an owner somewhere out there frantically looking for it.
a loose dog? he hoped that it had been an accident and someone hadn't let a dog lose in the woods, it made him mad when he saw people walking their dogs without leads around the barn, like they didn't care what happened to the horses or people riding. luke might not have been overly fond of the horses at the barn but he was of the people who owned some of them and when something like this happened, it didn't matter. people he loved were hurting and someone had caused it. or in this case, something. he kept his hand on chance's back as he watched logan turn to get maya off kalona and he couldn't help but relax once she was off the animals back, as calm as he looked right now he'd heard the horror stories about the beast.
"maybe whoever owns the dog deserves a dose of leo's ballistic." he said as he wrapped an arm around chance's shoulders to support the kid as he straightened from being sick. he didn't look overly injured, just a knock to the head that luke could see. he suspected that what had made him sick was the shock of everything, at least that's what he was hoping. "lets get you into the gator, got to be more comfortable than kalona." he said with a smile as he helped chance over to the gator and got him settled into the front seat. he then turned back to logan. "i'll get them settled in the lounge while you get kalona sorted, if you want to call ranger to come check them out? he's working the ambulances this swing i think." which could turn out to be a good thing if he was free, at least then chance would have both his parents. "i'll call leo too, see if he can come back." he said as he reached to take maya from logan, hoping she'd let go of him easily enough so they could sort this mess out.
TWENTY FIVE | STUDYING LAW/FIRE FIGHTER | LILIANA HONEY WHITE-COLE CLAIRE WHITE | 4 ROSE WHITE | 3 FELICITY WHITE | 3 SLADE WHITE | 1
He saw Luke's face before he turned to sort Maya and Kalona, knowing Luke was likely going to be annoyed too. The whole family would be, with Leo at the helm no doubt like he usually was. They had signs asked owners to keep dogs on leads, but he knew how tempting it was to release them on the trails, especially with such beautiful wide open spaces. This was exactly the reason why not, however, with young kids on horseback and beginner's and even wildlife present, it was better for all that the dogs didn't have that kind of freedom to wreck havoc. He'd been around dogs getting kicked by horses before and it was never very pleasant. The owners were always so quick to point the finger when a minute ago their response to 'get your dog, please' was, 'oh don't worry it's good with horses'. The thing was that didn't mean all horses were good with dogs.
"maybe whoever owns the dog deserves a dose of leo's ballistic." Logan raised a brow and undid his horses girth, giving him extra comfort now that they were back. "Perhaps, but we know he has a tendency to go overboard with that sort of thing." And they really didn't need the bad press. It would turn defences to the other side and not theirs, even if Leo was justified in his anger. Not that he felt this would become a huge deal but Logan was always thinking about the bigger picture. "lets get you into the gator, got to be more comfortable than kalona.... i'll get them settled in the lounge while you get kalona sorted, if you want to call ranger to come check them out? he's working the ambulances this swing i think." Logan nodded, already turning Kalona toward the stables so he could get him sorted. "i'll call leo too, see if he can come back.""Good luck," Logan said with a slight smile as he paused to hand Maya gently over. He patted the horse and took him back to his stall, ringing Ranger on speaker so he could talk whilst he worked.
