Phase 1: A Rocky Start

6:00 am…..

Moose Willow Stables; Meadow Paddocks

Sylus Rotherford Langston

The air was a chill, the sun just starting to peak above the mountains when Sylus finally made it to the meadow paddocks. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he leaned against the fencing.

The halter and lead he had slung over his shoulder was dropped into the grass, lying by his feet as the sun continued to rise.

‘Why the hell did she have to get here so early? And Samuel practically demanded I unload her away from the barn so she didn’t freak out near the stalls.’

The birds chirped overhead, the raven-haired male watching his breath come out in clouds before hearing the rumble of a truck coming up the dirt road. The headlights flashed first, blinding Sylus as he heard the trailer literally rock.

“God, what do they have in there… a bronc?” He groaned, crossing his arms as he hears the truck park. The drive rolled his window down, a rough older man with many more years on him than Sylus. He eyed him before speaking.

“You oughta be careful with her. Never seen a mare snap at someone before but we couldn’t even get a damn halter on her without risking her taking our fingers. She’s a crazy one- OI! Don’t you dent my trailer, you nag!”

“Hey, quit your yellin’ out here, gonna cause a damn stampede,” Sylus groaned as he walked around to the the trailer.

‘Jeez, he kept the windows shut? Poor girl got barely any air….’

Sylus grabbed the hooks of the trailer’s windowed doors and unlocked them, pulling the first aside before a set of hooves slammed  into the ramp. The trailer bounced, the mare inside snorting and huffing as she rattled the trailer on its frame.

As he locked the second panel into place, he undid the hooks of the ramp. He left one hook in place as he grabbed the halter, holding it between crossed arms as he finally undid the last hook and let the ramp ease down to the dirt.

A mare stood there, her head low and her ears pinned as lifeless brown eyes stared back at him. She lifted her right hind to stomp onto the sawdust in the stall, her snorts coming out a steam cloud as Sylus stared her down.

“Let me guess, you’re not gonna let me get this halter on you,” He groaned, stepping onto the ramp and pulling the halter and lead out. The mare’s eyes widened, her head tossing up as she backed away from him. Sylus gently reached a hand out, trying to get a hold of her poll so the halter would be easier to get on.

“It will only take a few seconds if you can chill,” he sighed, undoing the throat latch of the halter via the clip as he reaches a glove hand up to her poll. She whinnied in fear, stomping her hooves onto the ground as her tail curled up to prevent it from smushing against the trailer’s walls.

“Come on!” He growled, annoyance in his tone as the mare kept evading his hand. She wanted no part of him, snorting and stomping while pinning her ears. He was surprised she hadn't tried to kill him yet, despite having been so aggressive before according to the hauler.

The mare snorted as Sylus finally  got a hold of her poll, pulling her head down to slide the crown piece of the halter over her ears. She jerked, nearly slamming Sylus into the side of the trailer as he clipped the throatlatch into place.

The lead held strong to the ring under her chin as Sylus moved to walk down the ramp, freezing as the Loshenka took her chances and jumped from the trailer.

Sylus yelled and cursed, jumping down to not be dragged and held her lead tight, “You’ll have to close the trailer! I’ve gotta get her to the barn!”

The hauler nodded, exiting his truck as Sylus began to try and lead the mare down the dirt road. The duo seemed to be agitated and ready to snap at each other already….

“Give me a break,” Sylus sighed, “Flighty like you have damned wings… in fact that’s what I’ll call you. Wings.”

The mare snorted, looking over him with a distrusting eye.

This was going to be a long  few months.

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Word Count: 736