[Gift] [Prompt 4] Snow Day

Some groom entered our stall. I’ll admit, I’m a laid back horse with pretty much everything except for my foals. I take my foals very seriously. 

The groom seemed rather odd, almost scared, and he smelled funny. His scent was harsh, like tobacco or something. Was he planning on taking my foals away from me? I pinned my ears as he approached Haisley, the smaller of the twins. The groom seemed to heed my warning, putting his hands up and walking backwards slowly. Maybe he wasn’t here to take my foals away from me. 

“She giving you trouble?” Bailey, the owner of the stables asked with a chuckle. 

“A little.” The groom grunted, the leadrope in his hand scraping the ground. 

“She’ll warm up to you. Just like this.” Bailey said, walking into the stall. My eyes softened and my ears relaxed. Bailey Martin was always good to my foals. Never once has she even appeared to think about striking my mischievous two, no matter how much trouble and money they’ve cost her. 

Bailey grabbed the halter up from the groom, making sure the leadrope didn’t touch the floor. She smiled as she got closer to me. 

Ranger woke up from his nap with Oreo, one of the barn cats. His head popped up and looked at me. The cat leaped from his chest, running out the stall door. Ranger yawned as he got up. Probably hungry. Ranger is always hungry. 

Bailey gave Ranger a quick pat before coming to me. She gave me a nice strong pat on the shoulder before slipping the halter over my face. “Come on.” Bailey smiled. She kept the leadrope loose as we walked. I lowered my head as Haisley and Ranger barreled out of the stables in front of us. 

A cold white and wet powder covered everywhere. Snow. Haisley and Ranger paused, testing their feet on this new surface. Bailey chuckled as Haisley lifted her nose to the sky, a snowflake landing on her nose. Haisley shook her head, snorting. 

Ranger, on the other hand, didn’t waste any time. He went straight to prancing around me and Haisley, and of course Bailey. His rapunzel tail held high, his short foal mane bobbed. I admired this little colt. He wasn’t a copy paste of me, which is fine, but he is so freaking adorable. 

“He would make the perfect dressage horse.” Bailey sighed, still staring at him prancing around. Ranger abruptly stopped, making time to check in with one of the barn cats. 

Haisley on the other hand wasn’t having all that much fun in the snow, nor did she look as perfect as Ranger did. Haisley attempted to prance around, falling on the slick coated floor. Bailey let out a snort. I turned to face her. “Sorry.” She giggled, throwing the leadrope over my neck and walking over to help Haisley.

Haisley jumped up to her hooves before Bailey could help, falling right back down. The good motherly thing to do would be to help her, but when I was a child- 

“You guys having fun?” The groom from earlier asked. His face read disgust as he watched Haisley with eyes like a lion watches its prey. His face turned to anger as he looked at me. “What are you staring at, pony?” He growled, walking past me to Ranger. A sharp whinny caught his attention. He stared at me as I bared my teeth, my ears pinned flush against my neck. “Someone’s oughta teach these foals lessons.” He said, his tone unhappy, but he walked away from Ranger, stomping as he did. I closed the space between me and my foal, nudging Ranger’s head affectionately. 

Ranger and Haisley kept playing in the snow as me and Bailey watched them. I couldn’t help but be proud of them. Not only were they functioning like normal foals, but they were alive and that was more than enough for me.