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Description

Story [358 words]

He has a different name now.

It isn't a sound he recognizes, but it is easy enough to remember. There are many new sounds. A lack of old sounds.

There are no more long rides to strange places that stink of other horses and people weeks old ahead of them. No overwhelming scents of sickness and fear or exhaustion.

This one, the one lying next to him, sleeping in the meadow, smells a little of sickness. Sickness like... himself.

He didn't know he was sick until he was no longer around the stench of stress and sweat. It is internal sickness. Fatigue.

It has been weeks since a saddle and heavy bags kept the warm sun and cool breeze off his back. Nothing in his mouth that he has to chew around. The grass here is different than anything he has eaten in the past. He thinks he is further south, far away from cold winters and icy storms.

The person next to him isn't a rider. He hasn't been ridden since being abandoned. Only lead off a large wooden box with other horses after strange men until he was back with the one who found him along the road.

The not-rider is friendly and kind, brushing out his tail and making sympathetic noises about the clumps of cream hair he kept losing. He likes the daily scratches and the open field of the meadow where he could graze where and when he wanted, as long as he wanted. Maybe long before this, he would have wanted other horses with him.

But after being with strange horses for months, he is content to have a large meadow to himself. No competing, no external stress to feed upon instead of good grass. Most importantly, no more heavy grain.

This land and her people are not his home, but they are kinder to him. His insides do not gurgle and cramp as bad anymore. He even has the desire to kick up his heels and trot across his field just to prove he can.

When he takes deep breaths, his ribs do not strain and stretch under tight skin anymore.

            Link to Horse: Dunalino 2608
          Issues: Hard Keeper, Fussy Eater
          XP Breakdown: Fullbody (9 pts) + Background (0 pts) + Full Shading (2 pts) + Rider/Handler (2 pts)

Description

Story [358 words]

He has a different name now.

It isn't a sound he recognizes, but it is easy enough to remember. There are many new sounds. A lack of old sounds.

There are no more long rides to strange places that stink of other horses and people weeks old ahead of them. No overwhelming scents of sickness and fear or exhaustion.

This one, the one lying next to him, sleeping in the meadow, smells a little of sickness. Sickness like... himself.

He didn't know he was sick until he was no longer around the stench of stress and sweat. It is internal sickness. Fatigue.

It has been weeks since a saddle and heavy bags kept the warm sun and cool breeze off his back. Nothing in his mouth that he has to chew around. The grass here is different than anything he has eaten in the past. He thinks he is further south, far away from cold winters and icy storms.

The person next to him isn't a rider. He hasn't been ridden since being abandoned. Only lead off a large wooden box with other horses after strange men until he was back with the one who found him along the road.

The not-rider is friendly and kind, brushing out his tail and making sympathetic noises about the clumps of cream hair he kept losing. He likes the daily scratches and the open field of the meadow where he could graze where and when he wanted, as long as he wanted. Maybe long before this, he would have wanted other horses with him.

But after being with strange horses for months, he is content to have a large meadow to himself. No competing, no external stress to feed upon instead of good grass. Most importantly, no more heavy grain.

This land and her people are not his home, but they are kinder to him. His insides do not gurgle and cramp as bad anymore. He even has the desire to kick up his heels and trot across his field just to prove he can.

When he takes deep breaths, his ribs do not strain and stretch under tight skin anymore.

            Link to Horse: Dunalino 2608
          Issues: Hard Keeper, Fussy Eater
          XP Breakdown: Fullbody (9 pts) + Background (0 pts) + Full Shading (2 pts) + Rider/Handler (2 pts)