[Gift] 1.5 Covered Bridge - Alistair and Satin

During the morning after, Harry was at first surprised and disappointed to find Alistair had snuck out and dirtied his coat doing who knows what in the middle of the night. However as the doctor explained his little adventure, a gentle and proud smile spread over the older man’s lips. Harry praised Alistair for how well he had handled the situation and gave him a tight hug and soft kiss for it. The younger man melted into his touch and they indulged in the small moment of intimacy before parting.

Their plans for today were to get one last practice in before the show tomorrow and to keep their horses limber while in Lexington. Alistair was confused why they didn’t go to the main arena until Harry explained they’d have to ride a bit out of town to a smaller privately owned one he had booked a time for them in. The main one was unavailable today with all the business around the festival and show. There simply wasn’t enough time for that arena to be open to general use and he assured this would be a quieter and far more enjoyable way to get their session in anyhow. Alistair was grateful for his lover’s forethought as he hadn’t even considered how stressful it would have been for both him and Satin to try to squeeze in time in the town’s available spaces.

The route out to the arena was further than he expected however but thankfully it was a rare “lighter” day in which the overcast was a deep dark grey instead of pure night. The sun was still nowhere to be found but the clearer view of their surroundings, distant fog not included, was appreciated. This view allowed the doctor to take in the large red structure they were approaching and his mount quickly took notice of it too.

While ahead of her Daemon remained relaxed, only flicking his ears and giving a brief swish of his tail here and there, Satin was another story. She lifted her head as soon as she saw the strange building, her ears pointing towards it before flicking back and lowering. Alistair stiffened instinctively, feeling how she did the same. Harry being ahead of him didn’t notice the mare’s change in attitude and proceeded up to it.

It was an old covered wooden bridge, once painted a striking red but much of it worn down over time. Now it creaked in the wind and towered over them to allow riders and stacked carriages through. Alistair had to cluck and nudge the mare as she began to slow down, growing nervous the closer they got. She continued up until Daemon set his first hoof on it, the noise startling her and she immediately stopped. This was enough to finally catch Harry’s attention as he turned his head to look.

“Seems she’s spooked, hm? Try to get her to walk over it but you might need to dismount. I’m going to stop on the other side to encourage her to follow.” The doctor nodded in return and watched his companion continue over. Satin’s ears flicked back and forth, her eyes following her herd mate as he crossed the dangerous terrain. Alistair stroked her neck, watching how she briefly turned her attention back on him before it snapped back to the beast before her.

“Come on girl, it’ll be okay. It’s just wood, you live in a stable made of it.” He chuckled and began to urge her on and cluck at her. The mare took a step forward, then a couple more but when her hooves hit the old creaking wood she scrambled backwards and it took Alistair a moment to get her back under control. “Hey, no! We are not doing this.” He firmly spoke, turning her in a brief circle to center her on his commands per Harry’s lessons. Once she was paying attention to him more than the bridge he tried to push her to approach it and walk on it once more.

This time she tries to walk on it but after a few steps she pulls her head to turn back around and rush out of the bridge’s terrifying maw. Alistair attempts to get her back around but she won’t have any of it. He sighs and dismounts finally, moving her around a bit as he had been taught to remind her that disobeying his instruction was less fun than simply following his lead. Harry watched from the other side, smiling at how much his partner had come in their work.

Finally, Alistair firmly took the reins and walked forward onto the bridge, using his riding crop to gently tap behind him and remind her to keep moving forward. Slowly, step by step the mare followed, body tense but choosing to trust her leader over running back the way she came. As they approached the end however she burst forward and out of the covered bridge. Sighing, Alistair pulled her back and made her work with him again.

“You should make sure she practices this a few times, we don’t want her doing it on the return trip.” Harry mentioned as he sat atop Daemon, patting the stallion’s neck.

“That’s what I was thinking, she’s a smart girl, I think she’ll get it in no time.” The doctor soon was leading Satin back and forth over the bridge, each attempt getting easier. Soon she seemed to understand the structure wasn’t a monster attempting to swallow her whole and spit her back out. The last time he returned to Harry he was mounted and had ridden her across with minimal issue. “That’s a good girl, see it wasn’t so bad was it?” He said as he scratched her favorite spot and gave her lots of pettings. Her ears flicked back towards him and she blew out air before shaking her head.

“She’s such a character isn’t she?” Harry chuckled and moved Daemon back in the direction of their destination.

“Indeed she is.” Alistair smiled as he and Satin followed behind.