Arepas Racing Stables | Literate | Thread | OPEN

     Vinn and Nia decided to busy themselves while a few grooms took off after Charlotte in a truck and trailer, as well as the stable vet. “She’s only a year old, Vinn, can you imagine what she’s been through to spook like that?” Nia took Vinn to the washbasin to clean and replace Vinn’s ice boot, and give a nice bath to Vinn while she was at it. Although Vinn wanted to go help- Snow had already gone to Diva’s rescue, and the grooms were likely retrieving her this second. Vinn didn’t pay the worry much mind, and for a change decided she was hungry. Her pain had finally long subsided, and her appetite returned in full. In a matter of days, Vinn was back to her old self- but now, her friend had found herself trouble. 

     Not long after Charlotte and Snow had reached Diva the grooms in the truck and trailer arrived. Diva laid in the mud unable to get up, as Charlotte knelt down by her side looking at the others. "How are we supposed to get her into the trailer?" Charlotte asked. The huge gash on Diva's leg was getting worse and losing more blood. Diva laid her head in the mud and looked up at Snow giving a very quiet snort. The mare fought to keep her eyes open as the grooms figured out a way to get her inside the trailer. 
     They quickly opened up the trailer, and grabbed Diva. Diva could only help a little as they carried her into the trailer. Once she was in, Charlotte stayed in the trailer with Diva. The mare's eyes grew heavier and heavier as she struggled more and more to stay up. Once they reached the stables everyone was up and ready to help. Alaina opened the trailer, and she was extremely worried when she saw Diva. Quickly they managed to get her into a stall, as they vet came. Diva couldn't stay up anymore. She either passed out or just fell asleep due to exhaustion. The vet did everything she could to help the mare.

    Nia knew better than anyone that is a horse goes down, everything else goes downhill. The grooms and exercise riders waited around the filly stables for the rest of the night, taking turns watching Diva. Nia volunteered to spread ointment over the now stitched wound every two hours. The first few hours weren’t bad, when Diva was still partially out of it. Nia wanted Diva to get to know her though, that way it would be easier to help Diva when she got to feeling herself again. Nia waited around in Diva’s stall with a bucket of feed and fresh water, doing whatever else she could to help. 
    Vinn was starting to get impatient without any attention, and her bored heart found trouble. This trouble- in apple form. She snatched up a bag of apples and ripped them open, spilling them all over her stall. The first two were rather tasty, but the third was sour. She took it in her mouth and tossed it out of her stall, hitting a passerby groom and stirring up a minute of trouble. She did a little horse smirk and returned to munching on apples. 

     Diva was somewhat awake, but still out of it. She was a bit hesitant the first time Nia came into her stall. The mare laid in the bed of her stall, and she didn't remember anything that happened. Where was Snow? Did something happen to her? She didn't know.
     Diva was a bit spooked due to the commotion outside of her stall. She didn't move much, and laid her head in the straw. Diva feel like eating or drinking anything, as she eventually fell asleep.

     Snow had been taken into her stall and gotten a nice meal, clean water, and a good, long wash. She'd gotten lot of pets and carrots, and she was grateful for all the attention. However, she wanted to get out and see how Diva was doing. She trusted the vets and everyone that was helping, of course, but Snow didn't like the feeling of helplessness, not able to do anything while her friend was in pain. She'd tried getting the attention of groomers passing by, but all of them refused to let her out of her stall, promising that Diva would be alright. 
     Snow knew she'd be alright, Diva was strong, she had to be okay, but the mare wanted to check on Diva anyhow. She wanted to thank her for being a friend, and she wanted to tell her that she was glad she had found her before anything else happened to her, and she just wanted to see her condition. No matter how much she tried, though, no one would let her out of the cramped stall, and that really irked her.

     Diva could not sleep. Her dream to be a champion could be at stake. She kept on getting terrible dreams of her past, and she woke up looking around frantically and scared. She didn't remember anything that happened that night. W-why am I so weak? What happened? she thought. Nia came into her stall again, and knelt down. The mare's coat was filthy like a child covered in mud. Though, most of the mud had harden and stuck to her coat. Diva felt miserable, weak, and exhausted. Where was Snow? she still thought. The mare appreciated the company of some of the humans, but it wasn't enough.
     Diva tried to give out a neigh to call for Snow, but the only sound that came out of her mouth was a strange noise that was very quiet, "Snow......." The mare wanted to get up, but she couldn't move. She was too weak, too exhausted, etc etc. So, she just laid there restless and helpless.

Last edited on 2021-05-29 at 15:06:20 by ɦօʀֆɛɢɨʀʟ

     After a while, she resorted to being loud. She neighed and stomped her hoof, throwing herself at the stall door, but not hard enough to break it. A few grooms had gone in to check on her, but no one let her out of the stall. They seemed to know who she was thinking about, but they just shook their heads, gave her a few pats, and walked away again. 
     "Goodness, all of these humans are so apathetic! They don't care that I want to get out and see Diva, they just brush it over their shoulders and continue whatever they were doing!" She nickered angrily, throwing herself at the stall door once more. 

Last edited on 2021-05-29 at 15:24:57 by Elizabeth

     Diva was spooked a little once she heard the commotion outside of her stall. She lifted her head up as much as she could which wasn't much. The mare neighed a bit frightened as she was still out of it. "Snow.... Snow....," she kept saying neighing quietly. Diva laid her head back down in the straw unable to hold it up much longer. I may never race again she thought. Nia tried to calm Diva by talking softly and running her hand through the mare's dirty coat. Nia then got up and walked out of the stall closing it. 
     "Can't we just move Snow into the stall next to Diva's?" Charlotte asked, "She'd calm down, and it'd prevent her from hurting herself. We don't need another injured horse."
     Alaina came into the stable as the sun began to rise, "Your right Charlotte."
     "I am?" she asked turning around to look at Alaina.
     "Yes, you are," Alaina replied grabbing a lead rope and opened Snow's stall. "Come on girl, you can calm down now." Alaina led the mare into the empty stall next to Diva's and unattached the lead rope. She then shut the door once she was in.

     Snow was moved into the stall next to Diva's and had the stall door closed behind her. The mare turned to Diva's stall and looked down at her. "Diva, it's me, Snow. I'm right here. Are you okay? Can you stand? Are you getting better? Are you in pain?" Snow couldn't help pelting Diva with questions. She knew Diva would have a hard time answering and so she didn't expect to hear from her. 

     Diva lifted her head up a little to look at Snow, "I'm better now that your here," she said in a quiet, painful, and exhausted voice. Diva laid her head back down. She wanted to move, but couldn't. At this point, I don't think I'll step hoof on a track again she thought. Not too long later, Diva started to mumble things. Things from her past, things of what she'd been through, and her being a champion. The mare felt like just giving up. What was I thinking? A old plow horse becoming a racing champion? Yeah right she thought.

     Snow didn't know what Diva was mumbling about, but she could tell when a horse was feeling down. And right now, Diva's put herself down. I don't know why, but the least I can do is make sure she knows she's important, She thought. "Hey Diva, I'm glad I was able to find you. And you're very strong for pulling yourself up even though you were injured. If you didn't, I wouldn't have been able to help you get out of that ditch. You're very spirited, and that's a good trait to have. Just know that you mean a lot to the humans here. And you mean a lot to me, too. Don't forget that. If you ever feel broken, always think about those who love you, those that cheer you on and give you their strength, if only by spirit" She said in a calm voice. 
     "I get that sometimes things don't go as planned and sometimes you don't think you're worth anything, just a mere crumb in the grand scheme of things, but you are very important. You won in the first race you've ever run in, for heaven's sake. If that's not proof enough, then I don't know what is." 

     Diva turned to head to look at Snow again. She smiled listening to Snow. The mare sighed,"If I wasn't bought I would of never stepped foot on a track," she said looking up at Snow. "My owner was cruel, and I wasn't used for racing even though that's what I'm supposed to be used for." She looked up at Alaina and Charlotte who were standing outside the stall watching. After a moment Diva looked back at Snow, and it took her a minute or two to continue what she was saying.

     Snow listened patiently, nodding along to what Diva was saying. She didn't rush her or say anything. She knew that sometimes, just listening to what someone else had to say made them feel better. Snow wasn't going to try to play the hero by giving advice or anything of the sort. "If you don't feel comfortable talking about this, please don't feel like you're obliged to."

     Diva went on, " I was used as a plow horse. As if I was a draft horse." The mare tried to at least sit up, and managed which was improvement. She longed to get up, and go on the track. 

     Snow kept a close eye on Diva to make sure she wouldn't fall. When she deemed it safe, she let her muscles untense. "I'm sorry that happened to you. I know sometimes you don't end up with a good owner in the past. But look up, for now you have a good owner. One who cares about you. And you have me, perhaps that counts for something.