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!.
The cold air was welcomed into June’s nose as she walked along the trail. There was something calming about the wilderness, well – partial wilderness. People were in and out a few times – but she couldn’t complain. Plus, the mountains weren’t as busy – as it was a bit more difficult.
June bopped along, saying hello to a few people. Some said hello back, and others hurried away as if she looked offensive to them. Back then, she would’ve been upset about it – but June shrugged it off now. Yes, she had tattoos – but it didn’t mean she was going to be sucking out anyone’s soul.
Her boots hit the rock and dirt in carefully planned steps until she reached the top of the summit. The afternoon sun was barely in the sky, meaning June made good time. So far, she was the only one at the top. Finding a bench, she sat down and took a big swig from her camel back. June was going to miss this trail in the winter. While she was experienced, it didn’t mean she could do this trail alone in winter. The weather was too dangerous by yourself.
Everett found himself without clients on this particular afternoon. He left the clinic in the hands of his father and headed out. The mountain trail was calling his name - wanting to hike it before the snow flew.
He threw his pack over his shoulders and headed up the path. There seemed to be quite a few people he knew hiking up the trails - so he stayed and chatted with them before continuing on.
Hiking trails was his way of clearing his head after dealing with patients. He did love his job, but he needed his space from them. It took a bit of time, but he finally made it to the summit. The view from the top in the afternoon was stunning. Fall brought many colors, which Everett took a moment to admire.
He saw someone sitting on the bench and walked towards the woman. "Hi there, I was wondering if I could take a seat next to you?" It was rude if he didn't ask and sat down.
"Nice view today though, huh?" He reached around to the backpack and pulled out his water bottle - which had an electrolyte drink in it. Everett took a sip before setting it back in the side pocket.
June was so in her own bubble; it took a minute for her to register someone had her a question. “Oh, absolutely!” she smiled, moving over a bit to make room. The guy was younger than her, with handsome features. If she had stayed in town longer, she may have recognized him. While June had been in town for a few years now, it didn’t mean she knew everyone as she did before. Most of the people she knew were gone and moved on. But June wasn’t against meeting new people.
“Oh, yes. The changes in the leaves are my favorite to experience up high. Also, fun to see where the horizon takes you. Trying to get in one more hike before the weather changes too?”
Everett recognized the confused look on the woman’s face. He felt like he had dragged her out of some sort of bubble. “Thanks, I appreciate it.” The man slid the backpack off of his shoulders and set it on the ground in front of the bench and sat down. He glanced at the view from the top of the summit and smiled, the view was beautiful.
“I agree. It makes hiking a bit more enjoyable in the Fall. I find hiking in the summer is way too hot.” He usually found himself on the back of his horses for a trail ride when Summer was arriving in Hickstead. “You bet. It’ll be too rainy for a hike in a few weeks.” Everett loved living somewhere where there were truly four seasons. He loved being outside every day, even if it was Winter.
“Have you been hiking long? And what’s your favorite hike around here?” Everett ran his hand through his hair, feeling that it was starting to stick to his head with sweat. He was always looking for new places to hike around the town to keep him busy when he wasn’t working.
“Yeah, the mudslides can ruin anyone’s day up here. As much I love the mountains and what not – I’m not trying to get stuck up here,” June joked. She had the means and skills to be a survival camper if she absolutely needed to. Her father trained her and her siblings well. Even if June didn’t show a lot of interest, then, she was still listening.
“But the rain will be good for the pastures. There’s something about the smell of it in the morning,” she smiled. Aunt Trish joked she was always a bit of a fairy in the way she acted. At the time, she didn’t know what that meant – but now she did. “Since I was conceived, I would say. Grew up with it. I’m a bit out of shape since work has been busy – but my lungs and legs are going great. Favorite hike? Oh, that’s a good question.” June thought longer than she needed to, but how could she choose? “Can do a cop-out, and say it depends on the weather? Mountains for sure. I enjoy the harder trails, border line rock climbing almost. Gives me a good challenge. A nice, quick walk – would be maybe the forest. What about you?”
"Come mudslide season you'll find me getting my exercise indoors with my horses." Everett joked. Being stuck in a mudslide during a hike was no joke and survival camping wasn't really his thing.
Everett nodded, rain was important for the environment and it helped the produce grow. "It's also a nice sound to hear, waking up in the morning listening to rain hit the roof of the house." England had more precipitation than Germany ever did, but he was used to it by now.
The blond listened as he pulled out his stainless steel water bottle and took a sip. "Wow that's impressive. Does your family hike too?" He lowered the bottle and screwed the lid back on.
"Oh that's fine, I know it's a difficult question." He paused, allowing to let the woman answer. "Rock climbing? That sounds pretty intense." Everett was quite content with the regular hikes around town. "Hm, I'd have to go with the Waterfall hike. I usually take one of my horses, but it's quite enjoyable on foot too."
“You’re a rider person then? Though to be fair, that’s about ninety-eight percent of this town.” Okay, maybe it was more than seventy-five, but it felt closer to one hundred. June herself had never ridden one in a professional sense. She had been on a basic trail ride when she was younger, mainly because it allowed getting to a certain hunting ground easier that didn’t allow motor vehicles.
“Oh yeah. My family has been a group of outdoor folks. Dad’s a game leader. He’s been planning for a big hunt soon. Nothing crazy, mainly birds and smaller critters. Have to pay attention to the seasons.” June was looking forward to it, being able to eat whatever her father caught. It wasn’t for everyone, but there was something about eating a freshly caught something that was cooked over the coals.
“It can be! Though, I don’t do anything insane. No ropes or anything like that for me,” she laughed. “That’s a whole different person. Oh yeah?” June opened up her bag and took a granola bar out before sipping out of her camel back. “I haven’t seen too many riders out lately. Maybe because of the trails I take. I don’t think I’ve seen a lot of horses do some of the harder trails. I’m sure there are some people that have. But I don’t know anything about horses.”
"Oh yes, though I don't compete. I just enjoy trail riding. Keeps me active in the equestrian community, which isn't bad for my job." If he competed, his clients would see it as him favoring one barn over the other - there weren't many events for him to compete in anyway. He enjoyed treating his patients and competing wasn't in the cards. Both Sunday and Fernie had retired from their competition days and they were happy with Everett lightly riding them. "You don't ride, do you?"
He was feeling peckish and pulled out a protein bar. It would tide his hunger over until dinner time. Everett raised his eyebrow when hunting was mentioned - it wasn't really his thing but he respected those who did it. "That must be fun. I haven't ever gone hunting. Though it must be interesting to know where your food actually comes from?" Everett was into being outdoors but that's where he drew the line. He gently tore the wrapper and took a bite.
"I couldn't imagine rock climbing without ropes. That sounds like too much of an adrenaline rush." Even his parents, who loved being outdoor weren't that adventurous. "It's getting a bit chilly to take the horses out on the trails. They don't seem to be too thrilled about leaves rustling in the breeze." Everett was planning to do one or two more trail rides before Winter hit. "So, if you don't ride, what other hobbies do you have?"
“I guess I could understand that.” Horses had a lot more muscles to look out for, and their bodies were a lot bigger to manage. “Depends on the horse, I think, right? Maybe it’s because I see all the ranchers with the horses out in the winter to move cattle around.” June shrugged her shoulders and pulled out a banana, and began peeling it.
“Art and skincare, mainly. I’m an esthetician and tattoo artist. On occasion, a sharpshooter,” June laughed. People could imagine the first two, but the shooting aspect was a bit of a wild one for those that didn’t know her background. It was one of the things that she was secretly proud of, beating multiple people. “And you?”
Everett pulled his water bottle out, taking a long sip. He put the cap back on and pulled out a bag of trail mix that his sister had made for him at home. She seemed to have joined the cooking bandwagon lately. "I hear ranch work is a ton of work I hear though. I haven't done it myself but my two horses have in their previous jobs." Fernie not so much, but Sunday was in charge of herding sheep before she was a rescue. "It always is interesting to see what different muscles the different disciplines need you know?"
He took a handful of trail mix and popped it in his mouth, munching on it quietly as he listened. "Oh that's a variety of interests. What got you interested in them? I enjoy being in nature and cooking. Debated being a chef before I decided on chiropractic work, so it's become a hobby now." His sister was the one that pushed him to be a chef, though going to medical school was much more interesting. "Did you want some trail mix? My sister is trying a new recipe and always enjoys feedback." He was now trying to push her to open a restaurant or work as a chef - clearly their cooking sessions together were rubbing off on her.
“Chiro, huh? Do you have people telling you, you aren’t a real doctor?” She didn’t know why it was a thing, maybe because there was only so much, they could prescribe. Maybe it was different for each country, but she knew there were a few people out there who didn’t think Chiropractors were real doctors. Kind of like when people get their PhDs in things like education or Biology. June really didn’t think too much of it, really. Even though she worked in the medical side of skincare.
“At least you can cook for yourself. There’s still plenty of people out there, that don’t.” June wasn’t one of them, thankfully. She was sure her mom would’ve chained her to the kitchen counter if she didn’t at least know how to cook an egg or even pasta. Two things that June never knew people could fuck up until she saw it in person.
“Oh, sure!” she said, putting out a cupped palm to take some, before taking a bite of her banana.
Everett laughed, giving the woman a nod. "Yeah, unfortunately I do get that. Though people are starting to be more open to it. Once they realize how helpful it is." Thankfully, the majority of his clients couldn't talk. There were more and more options in terms of medical help, which was working in his favor. "My dad is one too, so I didn't get any teasing at home." He shrugged his shoulders, his father was just happy that he followed in his footsteps.
"Do you enjoy cooking? I know. I have a few clients who microwave their food. I really don't understand why people don't learn." He could at least say he knew where his food came from. His family often bought from the market, which meant their food was produced locally. Everett took the bag and shook some in her hand before taking some himself. "Let me know what you think. She added coconut and dried bananas to a typical trail mix. It's quite popular back home." He took a few and popped it in his mouth, knowing his sister typically did a great job when it came to making food. "Speaking of home, have you been living here long?"
“I do yeah, saves me a lot of money – and I feel better when I do.” She never thought of herself as someone who did the whole holistic kind of thing. But growing up hunting and eating what she killed – along with her mother’s insistence on eating the rainbow, June didn’t know how to eat any other way. Granted, there were times she had her indulgences, especially after moving away for a few years. Moving costs often meant a few cold cokes and a few McDonald's meals.
She took a bite of the trail mix and savored it for a moment. June swallowed and followed it with a sip of water to release some stuck coconut in her molars. “A bit sweeter than I’m used to but not bad. And yeah, I grew up around here. More on the outside of the village line, so you could say High Street was our downtown. What about you?”
Everett nodded - being able to provide your own meat saved an awful lot of money. Only his grandfather knew how to hunt - though he didn't make the journey over when the rest of the Strome family moved to the UK. "What can you hunt around here anyway?" He assumed there would be deer and some sort of fowl to begin with.
The dark blond male took another handful of trail mix and began munching on it. He had grown used to the different flavor. "Too sweet though? I know some people don't like sweets. Don't understand why though." The German man shrugged his shoulders. He knew that Americans tended to pump sugar in their treats, though he wouldn't ever say no to a dessert himself. "Do you tend to have a sweet tooth?"
He took a sip of his own water as he listened to June continue on. "Nice. And no, I grew up in Germany and moved here when I was twelve. So this basically has felt like home for awhile now." He felt a smile form on his face, hoping his German accent had faded by now - people were getting too good about guessing where he was born.
