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Description

    As predicted, the spring rains had finally come to the valley. And oh boy did they come! Once it started raining, it felt like it would never end. The first few days had been mostly light with some heavier downpours that would only last for a few minutes. After that though, it was like the sky had ripped open and sought to drown the valley.

    The open plains grew muddier underfoot with every passing day until water began to pool in increasing amounts. The herd grew worried that things might flood, so they began to move uphill. The thick evergreens became the herds' protectors from the endless skywater and chilly winds.

     For the youngest foals, this was something completely new to them and they looked up at the sky with wonder. The water they’d been learning to drink was always on the ground, so for it to fall from above was bewildering to them. They’d play around in the gathering puddles, much to the annoyance of anyone near enough to get splashed. Their fuzzy baby coats kept them warm against much of the dampness, though their mothers kept them close when in the thick trees. It would be all too easy for a foal to disappear among the low hanging spruce boughs.

     The yearlings were a different story though. The bad weather made them restless and grouchy, as they couldn’t go out to play without becoming drenched and chilled. As the days of rain turned to weeks, some of the more hotblooded foals began to lose their cool. Tensions grew and the patience of the adults started to wear thin, until one day it all came to a head.

     There had always been a rivalry between Hansel and Hartley. Hansel had been a bit of a bully and Hartley was unfortunately more reactive to the harassment than the others. Gretel often joined her brother in teasing the younger colt, and it was usually Jasper who stepped in and put a stop to it. Lately, Jasper had been spending more time with Lazuli than with his little brother. This had left Hartley to stand up for himself alone, and unfortunately his way of doing so was to physically fight back. This had caused the adults to intervene more than a few times, but scolding had done little to prevent it. With everything else going on, the adults had told them to just ignore each other, but the close quarters had made that impossible, so things were bound to blow up.

    It started innocently enough. The rain had let up enough that the herd spilled out into a nearby meadow to graze. It was a small area for the large herd, so they weren’t as spread out as they normally were. Personal bubbles were being invaded and more than a few ears were pinned and legs stomped, everyone was understandably irritable. Paying more attention to stuffing their faces, Hartley and Hansel bumped into each other.

     At first, they just tried to ignore each other as they had been told to, but soon the insults started to fly. It seemed like any other argument with the two of them, the adults quickly tuning it out in favor of eating. The rain wouldn’t hold off forever and they’d rather not be forced to graze in a downpour. The back and forth continued until Hansel crossed a line he should not have. He mocked Hartley for being a crybaby, as he had been crying recently about his missing mother and father.

     This was the last straw for the small yearling, the insult cutting deep and too close to a still raw wound. Hartley lunged at Hansel, catching the bigger colt off-guard and knocking him down into a nearby mud puddle. There was a moment that everyone froze, shocked by the outburst, but that stillness didn’t last long as Hansel rose with an angry roar.

     Before the adults could react, the two colts were locked in a wrestle, both trying to knock the other into the mud. To make the situation worse, the rain returned, blowing back in with force. While Finn took the rest of the herd back into the shelter of the trees, Myrtle, Naomi, and Damon stayed to deal with the fight. Gretel wanted to stay for her brother, but Naomi nipped her daughter and sent her off.

     “This isn’t just a spar, they look like they actually want to hurt each other. We need to stop them!” Myrtle said nervously as she watched the pair with growing concern. Just what could have happened to cause the boys to fight like this? She pondered. Hartley was like another son to her, having practically adopted him after his mother was stolen. She also didn’t want to see Hansel harmed either, even if he was often the one causing trouble for her sons. Hartley had told her that Hansel had been bullying him, and she’d brought it to Naomi’s attention, but both mares assumed they would grow out of it. It appeared that they were both wrong.

     “Enough you two, knock it off.” Damon commanded, using his deep voice to intimidate them. Neither colt reacted, making it clear they weren’t listening to him. If the mares weren’t right there, he’d have been more physical with the colts, but he was still leery of the herd’s perception of him. The last thing he wanted was to be too harsh with Ajax’s sons and for the mares to become wary that he would harm the foals that weren’t his own. Still, he knew they had to act before the pair drew blood or cause a serious injury.

     “Lemme break ‘em up” Naomi growled as she passed the other two adult horses and moved towards the colts, not content to just yell at them to stop like the other two seemed to be. She had to dodge some flying hooves but quickly the stocky mare had body checked both colts into the mud, effectively stopping the fight. “Clean da dirt outta yer ears ‘n listen when yur told ta stop et!” She barked at them, both shrinking under the harsh glare of Naomi.

     “But Mo-” Hansel tried to start but flinched when his mother stomped her foot down mere inches from him, splattering more mud onto him. By now, most of his white markings had been coated in the thick, cold sludge.

     “Did I tell ya ta talk?” Naomi asked, glaring down at her son. She waited to see if he would dare speak, moving back when he kept his mouth shut this time. Hartley was wise enough to stay quiet, too terrified of the spotted mare’s wrath. She turned her attention to Hartley now, having seen that he was the aggressor in this incident, “So, wha happened dis time? Why didya attack yur brotha?”

     Hartley’s eyes flicked between Naomi and Hansel, the colt shifting to roll himself up into a more comfortable position. The sound of splatting hoofsteps drew his attention to the two other horses as they approached. The colt looked at his adoptive mother, feeling guilt settle in his stomach like a rock at her concerned and disappointed look. “I- I- He-...” Hartley tried to start but faltered.

     “You two were arguing beforehand, what was it about?” Myrtle asked, trying to help draw out the truth.

     “Nuthin’” Hansel grumbled in response, only to squeal a bit as his mother nipped his muddy rump.

     “Hansel, I taught ya betta than to be lyin’ to ya momma.” The mare snorted loudly. It was her turn to give her foal a disappointed look, causing him to swallow nervously.

     Both colts looked at each other, trying to judge who would break first and what the story would be so they could refute it. Eventually, Hartley summoned the courage to tell the adults what he’d been being bullied about, “Hansel keeps calling me a crybaby because he saw me talking to Myrtle about how I missed my mom and dad.” Then the colt suddenly looked at Hansel with a glare, shouting “You’re a liar if you say you don’t miss dad! I’ve seen you cry about it too but I never made fun of you!”

     “Alright Hartley, that’s enough, hun.” Myrtle said firmly, but nuzzled the colt reassuringly.

     “Well, what do you have to say, Hansel?” Damon asked, staring at the foal critically. He was surprised to see such cruel behavior from one of Ajax’s sons, though his mother’s sharp tongue likely had a great influence on him.

     Hansel looked pointedly at the ground and shrunk himself down more, not liking all the attention on him, especially this kind of attention. He mumbled out an apology, but was quickly told to speak up. “Sorry.” He said shortly, not looking at Hartley.

     “Sorry isn’t going to cut it, Hansel. Why have you been bullying your brother, especially about something like this? You know how it feels to lose a parent, it hurts and it makes you sad, right?” Damon paused, waiting till the colt nodded before continuing. “Hartley has lost both his parents, so that’s even more painful and upsetting than just one. Crying is normal and it's okay to show those sorts of emotions. It doesn’t make someone weak, it's how we start to heal from inner hurt.” He finished, letting his words sink in for both of the boys for a few moments. It was quiet among the five horses, the only sound was the rain that continued to pour.

     Hansel guiltily looked at his brother, ears sagging as he said more genuinely, “I’m sorry… I.. I didn’t think ‘bout how I was hurtin’ ya.”

     Hartley huffed, saying sourly, “At least you have a momma…”

     Hansel lowered his head more at that, feeling even worse about his actions. “I’m sorry…” he repeated softly.

     Once it was clear that the colts were calm enough not to fight, they were encouraged to get up as the weather was worsening. As the group walked back towards the trees, Damon addressed Hansel first, saying seriously, “I never want to hear about you teasing someone ever again, you hear me? Your father would be very disappointed to know you were behaving like that. He raised me after I’d lost most of my family, so I know how much it hurts. You should be supporting your brother, not making him feel worse.” Hansel mumbled more apologies, clearly being humbled by the day’s events.

     With that, Damon directed his attention to Hartley, “As for you, you shouldn’t try to solve arguments with violence. You need to learn to control your temper, as rival stallions will try to use it to provoke you into a fight you might not be able to win. If you can, it's almost always better to resolve issues with words rather than with force.” Damon was trying to present himself as a father figure for the colts, as they were at a very impressionable age and had clearly been suffering without their father there to guide them.

     Hartley gave a long look at Damon, then said shortly, “You’re not my dad.”

     Damon felt a flicker of anger at the colt’s attitude, but he was quick to snuff it out, “You’re right, I’m not, but I am in charge right now. I understand that you are upset, but that doesn’t mean you can be disrespectful, especially towards your elders.” The spotted stallion gave the colt a sharp look, not letting up till Hartley dipped his head submissively. “Now, both of you go clean yourselves off, that mud will chill you and make you sick.” The herd was already dealing with Isabelle’s bad cold, the extremely pregnant mare’s poor health causing them great concern. Last thing they needed was more sick horses.

     The stallion’s last statement seemed to end either foal's will to argue and both went their separate ways when they reached the herd. Myrtle followed Hartley and they rejoined Jasper, the mare working to clean the sulking foal. Naomi did not follow her son as he went over to his twin sister. Once it was just the two of them, Naomi turned her attention to Damon, saying crossly, “I do be thinkin’ dat we be needin’ ta talk.”

     Damon was unsurprised by this, having been expecting this conversation for a while now. He dipped his head in a nod and the two moved a bit further away from the herd to speak privately. He was well aware of the fact that this mare held sway over the herd, and it would likely be her opinion that would either make or break his plans. The stallion kept his face neutral, waiting to hear what she had to say.

     “Firstly, I’m not disagreein’ wit wha ya told’em - ‘bout bein’ in charge n’ all dat. For dem, ya are in charge.” Naomi stated, her face reflecting Damon’s neutrality. Once it was clear he wasn’t going to reply to that, she continued on, “I’m sure ya already know wha I’m ‘bout ta say, but I feel it needs ta be said anyway. Dun be thinkin’ yur da lead of dis here herd. Dat ain’t yur decision ta be makin’. Ya are a guest in dis herd, one we appreciate an’ lean on for support -” The mare leveled a withering glare at the stallion, adding in a dark tone “- But welcomes can wear out.”

     It took a lot to rattle the young stallion, but the short mare’s thinly veiled threat and intimidating stance definitely set his teeth on edge. To his credit, Damon managed to look sheepish, saying in a worried tone, “I understand I may have overstepped today, I only meant to help resolve the conflict between those colts. I don’t mean to act as though I am the leader of this herd...” Damon paused, trying to decide if what he wanted to say next would be the right thing. Finally, he decided to say it, wanting to at least seem as if he was coming clean, “But, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t hoping to one day be considered such. I’d hate to see this herd become more fractured by bachelors stealing mares away, or to have more foals like Hartley left orphaned. I just want to help till Ajax returns.”

     The spotted mare gave him a long hard stare, making him fidget and grow more concerned about her response. “I do hope yur intentions are as good as ya say - but I would be lyin’ if I said I dun have ma doubts ‘bout ya.” Naomi stated firmly, eyes never leaving Damon. After a long moment, she began to turn away to leave, but paused said one last thing, “For yur sake, I hope I’m wrong.”

Stallion: Ajax (#82)
|<< Previous | Next >>|

In response to: The weather turns bad and while the youngest foals find it fun, others find their mood soured by it. (Light Rainfall + Windy Day + HFIW)

Art features: Hartley , Hansel
Story features(10): Finn , Damon , Myrtle , Naomi , Isabelle , Jasper , Hartley , Hansel , Gretel , Lazuli
Word Count: 2456

Aging: Hartley + Hansel 2/3
Healing: Isabelle 1/2

Items Used: Peanutwood
Companion Animals:
Caring – Theodore the Cat (Healthy Foals) N/A
Helping – Pudge the Cat (Extra Feathers)
Healing – Monster the Cat (Heals Injuries) NOT USING
Protecting – Sassy the Dog (Reduces Injuries) NOT USING
Nursing – Angel the Dove (Heals Sickness) NOT USING
Foaling – Jeremy the Stork (Bonus From Foaling) N/A

Rolls: Normal

Other notes:
PPJ:
Ajax: Estraya, Fancy, Isabelle, Jessabelle, Juniper, Cheyenne, Yuki, Trissa, Bianka, Meadow (None Available)
Finn: Everyone

Artist Notes:
This is one of my recent favourite pieces, I’m overall happy with how this came out!

Refs: Link
Art (c) DaSassy

Description

    As predicted, the spring rains had finally come to the valley. And oh boy did they come! Once it started raining, it felt like it would never end. The first few days had been mostly light with some heavier downpours that would only last for a few minutes. After that though, it was like the sky had ripped open and sought to drown the valley.

    The open plains grew muddier underfoot with every passing day until water began to pool in increasing amounts. The herd grew worried that things might flood, so they began to move uphill. The thick evergreens became the herds' protectors from the endless skywater and chilly winds.

     For the youngest foals, this was something completely new to them and they looked up at the sky with wonder. The water they’d been learning to drink was always on the ground, so for it to fall from above was bewildering to them. They’d play around in the gathering puddles, much to the annoyance of anyone near enough to get splashed. Their fuzzy baby coats kept them warm against much of the dampness, though their mothers kept them close when in the thick trees. It would be all too easy for a foal to disappear among the low hanging spruce boughs.

     The yearlings were a different story though. The bad weather made them restless and grouchy, as they couldn’t go out to play without becoming drenched and chilled. As the days of rain turned to weeks, some of the more hotblooded foals began to lose their cool. Tensions grew and the patience of the adults started to wear thin, until one day it all came to a head.

     There had always been a rivalry between Hansel and Hartley. Hansel had been a bit of a bully and Hartley was unfortunately more reactive to the harassment than the others. Gretel often joined her brother in teasing the younger colt, and it was usually Jasper who stepped in and put a stop to it. Lately, Jasper had been spending more time with Lazuli than with his little brother. This had left Hartley to stand up for himself alone, and unfortunately his way of doing so was to physically fight back. This had caused the adults to intervene more than a few times, but scolding had done little to prevent it. With everything else going on, the adults had told them to just ignore each other, but the close quarters had made that impossible, so things were bound to blow up.

    It started innocently enough. The rain had let up enough that the herd spilled out into a nearby meadow to graze. It was a small area for the large herd, so they weren’t as spread out as they normally were. Personal bubbles were being invaded and more than a few ears were pinned and legs stomped, everyone was understandably irritable. Paying more attention to stuffing their faces, Hartley and Hansel bumped into each other.

     At first, they just tried to ignore each other as they had been told to, but soon the insults started to fly. It seemed like any other argument with the two of them, the adults quickly tuning it out in favor of eating. The rain wouldn’t hold off forever and they’d rather not be forced to graze in a downpour. The back and forth continued until Hansel crossed a line he should not have. He mocked Hartley for being a crybaby, as he had been crying recently about his missing mother and father.

     This was the last straw for the small yearling, the insult cutting deep and too close to a still raw wound. Hartley lunged at Hansel, catching the bigger colt off-guard and knocking him down into a nearby mud puddle. There was a moment that everyone froze, shocked by the outburst, but that stillness didn’t last long as Hansel rose with an angry roar.

     Before the adults could react, the two colts were locked in a wrestle, both trying to knock the other into the mud. To make the situation worse, the rain returned, blowing back in with force. While Finn took the rest of the herd back into the shelter of the trees, Myrtle, Naomi, and Damon stayed to deal with the fight. Gretel wanted to stay for her brother, but Naomi nipped her daughter and sent her off.

     “This isn’t just a spar, they look like they actually want to hurt each other. We need to stop them!” Myrtle said nervously as she watched the pair with growing concern. Just what could have happened to cause the boys to fight like this? She pondered. Hartley was like another son to her, having practically adopted him after his mother was stolen. She also didn’t want to see Hansel harmed either, even if he was often the one causing trouble for her sons. Hartley had told her that Hansel had been bullying him, and she’d brought it to Naomi’s attention, but both mares assumed they would grow out of it. It appeared that they were both wrong.

     “Enough you two, knock it off.” Damon commanded, using his deep voice to intimidate them. Neither colt reacted, making it clear they weren’t listening to him. If the mares weren’t right there, he’d have been more physical with the colts, but he was still leery of the herd’s perception of him. The last thing he wanted was to be too harsh with Ajax’s sons and for the mares to become wary that he would harm the foals that weren’t his own. Still, he knew they had to act before the pair drew blood or cause a serious injury.

     “Lemme break ‘em up” Naomi growled as she passed the other two adult horses and moved towards the colts, not content to just yell at them to stop like the other two seemed to be. She had to dodge some flying hooves but quickly the stocky mare had body checked both colts into the mud, effectively stopping the fight. “Clean da dirt outta yer ears ‘n listen when yur told ta stop et!” She barked at them, both shrinking under the harsh glare of Naomi.

     “But Mo-” Hansel tried to start but flinched when his mother stomped her foot down mere inches from him, splattering more mud onto him. By now, most of his white markings had been coated in the thick, cold sludge.

     “Did I tell ya ta talk?” Naomi asked, glaring down at her son. She waited to see if he would dare speak, moving back when he kept his mouth shut this time. Hartley was wise enough to stay quiet, too terrified of the spotted mare’s wrath. She turned her attention to Hartley now, having seen that he was the aggressor in this incident, “So, wha happened dis time? Why didya attack yur brotha?”

     Hartley’s eyes flicked between Naomi and Hansel, the colt shifting to roll himself up into a more comfortable position. The sound of splatting hoofsteps drew his attention to the two other horses as they approached. The colt looked at his adoptive mother, feeling guilt settle in his stomach like a rock at her concerned and disappointed look. “I- I- He-...” Hartley tried to start but faltered.

     “You two were arguing beforehand, what was it about?” Myrtle asked, trying to help draw out the truth.

     “Nuthin’” Hansel grumbled in response, only to squeal a bit as his mother nipped his muddy rump.

     “Hansel, I taught ya betta than to be lyin’ to ya momma.” The mare snorted loudly. It was her turn to give her foal a disappointed look, causing him to swallow nervously.

     Both colts looked at each other, trying to judge who would break first and what the story would be so they could refute it. Eventually, Hartley summoned the courage to tell the adults what he’d been being bullied about, “Hansel keeps calling me a crybaby because he saw me talking to Myrtle about how I missed my mom and dad.” Then the colt suddenly looked at Hansel with a glare, shouting “You’re a liar if you say you don’t miss dad! I’ve seen you cry about it too but I never made fun of you!”

     “Alright Hartley, that’s enough, hun.” Myrtle said firmly, but nuzzled the colt reassuringly.

     “Well, what do you have to say, Hansel?” Damon asked, staring at the foal critically. He was surprised to see such cruel behavior from one of Ajax’s sons, though his mother’s sharp tongue likely had a great influence on him.

     Hansel looked pointedly at the ground and shrunk himself down more, not liking all the attention on him, especially this kind of attention. He mumbled out an apology, but was quickly told to speak up. “Sorry.” He said shortly, not looking at Hartley.

     “Sorry isn’t going to cut it, Hansel. Why have you been bullying your brother, especially about something like this? You know how it feels to lose a parent, it hurts and it makes you sad, right?” Damon paused, waiting till the colt nodded before continuing. “Hartley has lost both his parents, so that’s even more painful and upsetting than just one. Crying is normal and it's okay to show those sorts of emotions. It doesn’t make someone weak, it's how we start to heal from inner hurt.” He finished, letting his words sink in for both of the boys for a few moments. It was quiet among the five horses, the only sound was the rain that continued to pour.

     Hansel guiltily looked at his brother, ears sagging as he said more genuinely, “I’m sorry… I.. I didn’t think ‘bout how I was hurtin’ ya.”

     Hartley huffed, saying sourly, “At least you have a momma…”

     Hansel lowered his head more at that, feeling even worse about his actions. “I’m sorry…” he repeated softly.

     Once it was clear that the colts were calm enough not to fight, they were encouraged to get up as the weather was worsening. As the group walked back towards the trees, Damon addressed Hansel first, saying seriously, “I never want to hear about you teasing someone ever again, you hear me? Your father would be very disappointed to know you were behaving like that. He raised me after I’d lost most of my family, so I know how much it hurts. You should be supporting your brother, not making him feel worse.” Hansel mumbled more apologies, clearly being humbled by the day’s events.

     With that, Damon directed his attention to Hartley, “As for you, you shouldn’t try to solve arguments with violence. You need to learn to control your temper, as rival stallions will try to use it to provoke you into a fight you might not be able to win. If you can, it's almost always better to resolve issues with words rather than with force.” Damon was trying to present himself as a father figure for the colts, as they were at a very impressionable age and had clearly been suffering without their father there to guide them.

     Hartley gave a long look at Damon, then said shortly, “You’re not my dad.”

     Damon felt a flicker of anger at the colt’s attitude, but he was quick to snuff it out, “You’re right, I’m not, but I am in charge right now. I understand that you are upset, but that doesn’t mean you can be disrespectful, especially towards your elders.” The spotted stallion gave the colt a sharp look, not letting up till Hartley dipped his head submissively. “Now, both of you go clean yourselves off, that mud will chill you and make you sick.” The herd was already dealing with Isabelle’s bad cold, the extremely pregnant mare’s poor health causing them great concern. Last thing they needed was more sick horses.

     The stallion’s last statement seemed to end either foal's will to argue and both went their separate ways when they reached the herd. Myrtle followed Hartley and they rejoined Jasper, the mare working to clean the sulking foal. Naomi did not follow her son as he went over to his twin sister. Once it was just the two of them, Naomi turned her attention to Damon, saying crossly, “I do be thinkin’ dat we be needin’ ta talk.”

     Damon was unsurprised by this, having been expecting this conversation for a while now. He dipped his head in a nod and the two moved a bit further away from the herd to speak privately. He was well aware of the fact that this mare held sway over the herd, and it would likely be her opinion that would either make or break his plans. The stallion kept his face neutral, waiting to hear what she had to say.

     “Firstly, I’m not disagreein’ wit wha ya told’em - ‘bout bein’ in charge n’ all dat. For dem, ya are in charge.” Naomi stated, her face reflecting Damon’s neutrality. Once it was clear he wasn’t going to reply to that, she continued on, “I’m sure ya already know wha I’m ‘bout ta say, but I feel it needs ta be said anyway. Dun be thinkin’ yur da lead of dis here herd. Dat ain’t yur decision ta be makin’. Ya are a guest in dis herd, one we appreciate an’ lean on for support -” The mare leveled a withering glare at the stallion, adding in a dark tone “- But welcomes can wear out.”

     It took a lot to rattle the young stallion, but the short mare’s thinly veiled threat and intimidating stance definitely set his teeth on edge. To his credit, Damon managed to look sheepish, saying in a worried tone, “I understand I may have overstepped today, I only meant to help resolve the conflict between those colts. I don’t mean to act as though I am the leader of this herd...” Damon paused, trying to decide if what he wanted to say next would be the right thing. Finally, he decided to say it, wanting to at least seem as if he was coming clean, “But, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t hoping to one day be considered such. I’d hate to see this herd become more fractured by bachelors stealing mares away, or to have more foals like Hartley left orphaned. I just want to help till Ajax returns.”

     The spotted mare gave him a long hard stare, making him fidget and grow more concerned about her response. “I do hope yur intentions are as good as ya say - but I would be lyin’ if I said I dun have ma doubts ‘bout ya.” Naomi stated firmly, eyes never leaving Damon. After a long moment, she began to turn away to leave, but paused said one last thing, “For yur sake, I hope I’m wrong.”

Stallion: Ajax (#82)
|<< Previous | Next >>|

In response to: The weather turns bad and while the youngest foals find it fun, others find their mood soured by it. (Light Rainfall + Windy Day + HFIW)

Art features: Hartley , Hansel
Story features(10): Finn , Damon , Myrtle , Naomi , Isabelle , Jasper , Hartley , Hansel , Gretel , Lazuli
Word Count: 2456

Aging: Hartley + Hansel 2/3
Healing: Isabelle 1/2

Items Used: Peanutwood
Companion Animals:
Caring – Theodore the Cat (Healthy Foals) N/A
Helping – Pudge the Cat (Extra Feathers)
Healing – Monster the Cat (Heals Injuries) NOT USING
Protecting – Sassy the Dog (Reduces Injuries) NOT USING
Nursing – Angel the Dove (Heals Sickness) NOT USING
Foaling – Jeremy the Stork (Bonus From Foaling) N/A

Rolls: Normal

Other notes:
PPJ:
Ajax: Estraya, Fancy, Isabelle, Jessabelle, Juniper, Cheyenne, Yuki, Trissa, Bianka, Meadow (None Available)
Finn: Everyone

Artist Notes:
This is one of my recent favourite pieces, I’m overall happy with how this came out!

Refs: Link
Art (c) DaSassy