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  Petrichor spent nearly a year trapped behind walls. It was stressful, emotionally taxing, and depressingly boring. That first winter was particularly difficult, as his health had been declining due to his stubbornness in refusing to eat. The hairless creatures had been circling him like vultures, chittering in their high voices and trying to force feed him a medley of horrible food. He probably would have died if it weren’t for the only good thing in his life; Kencil, had made such a fuss in convincing him to take care of himself, that he’d actually done it. All through a wet spring, and too hot summer. Now it was the tail end of autumn, and he was still eating and keeping himself in shape; in fact, he had been strengthening his muscles and improving his cardio. Running endless laps around the paddock. The Hairless still kept him separate from other horses, but at least he had Kencil in the paddock adjoining his most days. The little chocolate mare had quickly become a fast friend, and glowing blaze of light bursting through his dark visions.

“What are you doing man?” Kencil poked her little nose between the bars of their fence, her raspy voice carrying on cold air to his ears. She dug at the ground with feathered hooves and contorted her body trying to squeeze herself further between the bars. It was a habit she played through almost every day and inevitably led to her becoming wedged in an uncomfortable position. Today was the same, and she squealed plaintively for Petrichor to assist her, as was their ritual.

  “Jogging. And why do you keep doing that?” He huffed between deep breaths, still trying to replenish the oxygen in his lungs after sprinting up and down the fence. It didn’t take much for Petrichor to nudge Kencil free of her predicament, but when he did, the fence jiggled. Petrichor stopped, ears pricked to full attention and pointed at the fence. It never jiggled. Not once over these many weeks and months of Kencil trapping herself in it. Snorting suspiciously at the metal, he lowered his gave to the ground from where it sprang. “Kencil… has this felt looser than usual?”

  She gave him a confused look, then understanding dawned as she focused on the fence, “Oh yeah! I first noticed it after that one really warm day where all the snow that fell, started melting. And I think it’s gotten even more jiggly since. Why?”. Setting her delicate nostrils close the ground, she accidentally snorted mud into her nose and went careening backwards in a series of violent sneezes.

  After quickly assuring himself that Kencil was okay, and simply over exaggerating her reaction as was typical, he threw his thoughts into the chilly air. “I might be wrong about this, and I might be overestimating my strength. Which is very unlikely, but gotta stay humble,” He aimed a cheeky grin at Kencil, who reciprocated with a roll of the eyes, “If this fence is loose enough, I might be able to knock it down enough that I can get onto your side and-“

  “Ooh that would be great! I hate that I can’t cuddle with you, I mean how cruel is it to keep us just out of reach of each other” Kencil interrupted him, crow hopping about excitedly.

  “I hate that we’re separate too, but hang on, let me finish. If I can get to your side, we could jump the fence and be out of here! The fence on your side is so low I could step over it in my sleep, it would be easy.” Petrichor’s eyes had lit up, and he could feel his muscles buzzing under the surface of his skin, eager to move and run in the open.

  Immediately a pout formed on Kencil’s face, “Leave? You think we should leave here?” Her voice was so soft and empty of bravado that Petrichor was taken aback.

  “I mean, yeah. Do you want to stay?”

  “Well, not really, but what would we do out there? It’s relatively safe here, out there,” she gestured with her muzzle to the great expanse past the fences, “Out there we wouldn’t have anyone looking out for us, we’d be easy prey.”

  “We wouldn’t be defenceless, and we would look out for each other!”

  “Okay, but just the two of us? Do you know how many gruesome stories I’ve heard of what happens to two horses out by themselves?”

  “I would protect you! It’s what I’m supposed to do! I’m a stallion Kencil, I should be out there right now with my own herd.”

  Kencil met his dual toned eyes with her own, brown and steady, and searching for anymore excuses. She found none, and though she could make a jab at Petrichor, joke about the fact that mares would run at the sight of him, she held her tongue.

  “Are you in? Will you go with me if I run?” His voice was soft, so pleading that it was nearly lost in the small space between them.

  “Of course.” Her response was equally quiet, barely more than the breath whooshing out of her lungs.

  With a look of palpable relief, and after taking a moment to steady his weakened knees, Petrichor squared up to the fence. “This is probably going to make a hell of a racket, have the Hairless swarming around us in seconds, so we have to move fast.” Kencil moved away from the fence, and shared a nod with the dun stallion.

  Thinking carefully of how he would need to position his legs and body when he rammed the metal, Petrichor gave himself space for a running start. Then he sprang forward, powerful legs propelling him with great speed and force into the weakened metal wall standing between him and freedom. It stood no chance. Only just managing to catch himself, before he tumbled down amongst the screeching metal and got his legs tangled with the fence, Petrichor leapt over it to meet Kencil. She was circling happily, squealing like a tiny filly, and bundled herself into his side as quickly as she could. Breath stolen from his lungs by the sudden unexpected contact, and the tantalizing feeling of freedom so near, Petrichor could only hold her for a second. Then his senses kicked in and her urged to the next fence.

  With the judgmental eyes of farm animals (cows and goats alike) upon them, Kencil and Petrichor went sailing over the last obstacle. As soon as his hooves touched ground, the sky seemed richer, and the air felt sweet and fresh as it coated his lungs. He galloped, flat out, only barely aware that Kencil was keeping up with him. Petrichor’s whinnies of joy mingled with the cries of an eagle overhead. Wind teased at his mane, promising a storm on the horizon, and Petrichor aimed straight for it. The two horses quickly became covered by the grey clouds.

Stallion ID: #47
In response to: Stuck, E-Cow, E-Goat, E-Eagle
Art Features: Petrichor and Kencil
Story Features: Petrichor and Kencil
Word Count: 1162

Healing: Petrichor I(3/3)
Captured: (3/3) We're free baby!
Companion Animal: Wheeze - helping
Rolls: Normal

Description

Previous - Next

  Petrichor spent nearly a year trapped behind walls. It was stressful, emotionally taxing, and depressingly boring. That first winter was particularly difficult, as his health had been declining due to his stubbornness in refusing to eat. The hairless creatures had been circling him like vultures, chittering in their high voices and trying to force feed him a medley of horrible food. He probably would have died if it weren’t for the only good thing in his life; Kencil, had made such a fuss in convincing him to take care of himself, that he’d actually done it. All through a wet spring, and too hot summer. Now it was the tail end of autumn, and he was still eating and keeping himself in shape; in fact, he had been strengthening his muscles and improving his cardio. Running endless laps around the paddock. The Hairless still kept him separate from other horses, but at least he had Kencil in the paddock adjoining his most days. The little chocolate mare had quickly become a fast friend, and glowing blaze of light bursting through his dark visions.

“What are you doing man?” Kencil poked her little nose between the bars of their fence, her raspy voice carrying on cold air to his ears. She dug at the ground with feathered hooves and contorted her body trying to squeeze herself further between the bars. It was a habit she played through almost every day and inevitably led to her becoming wedged in an uncomfortable position. Today was the same, and she squealed plaintively for Petrichor to assist her, as was their ritual.

  “Jogging. And why do you keep doing that?” He huffed between deep breaths, still trying to replenish the oxygen in his lungs after sprinting up and down the fence. It didn’t take much for Petrichor to nudge Kencil free of her predicament, but when he did, the fence jiggled. Petrichor stopped, ears pricked to full attention and pointed at the fence. It never jiggled. Not once over these many weeks and months of Kencil trapping herself in it. Snorting suspiciously at the metal, he lowered his gave to the ground from where it sprang. “Kencil… has this felt looser than usual?”

  She gave him a confused look, then understanding dawned as she focused on the fence, “Oh yeah! I first noticed it after that one really warm day where all the snow that fell, started melting. And I think it’s gotten even more jiggly since. Why?”. Setting her delicate nostrils close the ground, she accidentally snorted mud into her nose and went careening backwards in a series of violent sneezes.

  After quickly assuring himself that Kencil was okay, and simply over exaggerating her reaction as was typical, he threw his thoughts into the chilly air. “I might be wrong about this, and I might be overestimating my strength. Which is very unlikely, but gotta stay humble,” He aimed a cheeky grin at Kencil, who reciprocated with a roll of the eyes, “If this fence is loose enough, I might be able to knock it down enough that I can get onto your side and-“

  “Ooh that would be great! I hate that I can’t cuddle with you, I mean how cruel is it to keep us just out of reach of each other” Kencil interrupted him, crow hopping about excitedly.

  “I hate that we’re separate too, but hang on, let me finish. If I can get to your side, we could jump the fence and be out of here! The fence on your side is so low I could step over it in my sleep, it would be easy.” Petrichor’s eyes had lit up, and he could feel his muscles buzzing under the surface of his skin, eager to move and run in the open.

  Immediately a pout formed on Kencil’s face, “Leave? You think we should leave here?” Her voice was so soft and empty of bravado that Petrichor was taken aback.

  “I mean, yeah. Do you want to stay?”

  “Well, not really, but what would we do out there? It’s relatively safe here, out there,” she gestured with her muzzle to the great expanse past the fences, “Out there we wouldn’t have anyone looking out for us, we’d be easy prey.”

  “We wouldn’t be defenceless, and we would look out for each other!”

  “Okay, but just the two of us? Do you know how many gruesome stories I’ve heard of what happens to two horses out by themselves?”

  “I would protect you! It’s what I’m supposed to do! I’m a stallion Kencil, I should be out there right now with my own herd.”

  Kencil met his dual toned eyes with her own, brown and steady, and searching for anymore excuses. She found none, and though she could make a jab at Petrichor, joke about the fact that mares would run at the sight of him, she held her tongue.

  “Are you in? Will you go with me if I run?” His voice was soft, so pleading that it was nearly lost in the small space between them.

  “Of course.” Her response was equally quiet, barely more than the breath whooshing out of her lungs.

  With a look of palpable relief, and after taking a moment to steady his weakened knees, Petrichor squared up to the fence. “This is probably going to make a hell of a racket, have the Hairless swarming around us in seconds, so we have to move fast.” Kencil moved away from the fence, and shared a nod with the dun stallion.

  Thinking carefully of how he would need to position his legs and body when he rammed the metal, Petrichor gave himself space for a running start. Then he sprang forward, powerful legs propelling him with great speed and force into the weakened metal wall standing between him and freedom. It stood no chance. Only just managing to catch himself, before he tumbled down amongst the screeching metal and got his legs tangled with the fence, Petrichor leapt over it to meet Kencil. She was circling happily, squealing like a tiny filly, and bundled herself into his side as quickly as she could. Breath stolen from his lungs by the sudden unexpected contact, and the tantalizing feeling of freedom so near, Petrichor could only hold her for a second. Then his senses kicked in and her urged to the next fence.

  With the judgmental eyes of farm animals (cows and goats alike) upon them, Kencil and Petrichor went sailing over the last obstacle. As soon as his hooves touched ground, the sky seemed richer, and the air felt sweet and fresh as it coated his lungs. He galloped, flat out, only barely aware that Kencil was keeping up with him. Petrichor’s whinnies of joy mingled with the cries of an eagle overhead. Wind teased at his mane, promising a storm on the horizon, and Petrichor aimed straight for it. The two horses quickly became covered by the grey clouds.

Stallion ID: #47
In response to: Stuck, E-Cow, E-Goat, E-Eagle
Art Features: Petrichor and Kencil
Story Features: Petrichor and Kencil
Word Count: 1162

Healing: Petrichor I(3/3)
Captured: (3/3) We're free baby!
Companion Animal: Wheeze - helping
Rolls: Normal