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Description
This is the most supremely late thing ever. It's been since August, do you still remember this?

Previously:

DECEMBER

The snow that blanketed the farm shrouded the buildings with an unearthly dazzle, and cast the whole place into an eerie quietness. Even the horses were silent, their enthusiasm dulled by the cold days and the races run over the year. Their tracks criss-crossed each other in the field, gaits visible to any who knew their horses. In the paddocks overlooking the stables and barns, a band of mares grazed in silhouette on the crest of the hill.

Alexander could tell exactly who was who, however. They way they moved and stood gave it away, as was it in the height and the breadth. The shape of each, (so obscured by the rugs) was still obvious to him in his mind's eye. He named them one by one.

Chardonnay, the eldest, with hindquarters like boulders and the deep girth that went with lungs such as hers. Her tail flicked occasionally, but otherwise there was no movement. She was furthest away, pawing at the ground distractedly.

Gloria Scott, her frame so arabesque and dainty, lipped at the grass with a neat, petite muzzle and pawed away the snow with delicate, stick-like legs, her ears pricked only towards the ground. She was the most heavily rugged, enclosed up to her ears in warm plush fabric, her legs wrapped up in boots. Still, she shivered and complained whenever she had the chance, as if she enjoyed it.

The closest, and most curious, was Shiva's Gaurd. Big brown eyes stared at him relentlessly, whilst her ears flicked back and forth. It was not often that she saw him, and even rarer for her to see him without a frown. She seemed happy to see him smile.

Alex had to admit, she'd grown on him. Eliza's very (very) expensive 'investment' had turned out to be a decent runner, and it surprised him to realise that he had regrets about selling her. He pulled his gloves from his hands and whistled.

He could see the cogs turn in her mind, the wheels of thought spinning. The shrill sound came again, and a step was taken. And another. And another. Very soon she was trotting, no, cantering down the hill, suddenly given colour once out of the light, a red horse with a red rug. She pressed her head into his hands and nuzzled his pockets looking for treats. He held out his palm and she delicately took the proffered carrot, 'I'm sorry to be losing you, girl.' She pushed her velvet nose against his fingers, oblivious.

A sudden shout from the barn made him turn. Shiva's ears pricked up, and she snorted into the crook of his elbow.

'Alex! Snake's back,' Freddie's voice was estatic. 'And he almost killed the driver on the way. Isn't that fantastic? Just wait 'til you see him!' The sandy haired jockey disappeared, and with one last pat, Alex left Shiva and followed.

The dim light of the barn shrouded most of the commotion, but not the noise. There was a furious, rumbling snorting, like the engines of a battleship, and the clap clop of aluminium shod hooves on concrete. Alex caught snatches of Sam's voice, like the undertones to a war chant as he said something in a disbelieving, loving voice. He could only imagine how long Sam had waited for this day, anxious and worrying that his horse would never recover. They'd all worried, but Sam's had been the deepest, the most raw.

Alex ran through the images in his mind. Snake as he had been, the tornado of rage and anger that mellowed to a gentle breeze for only one person. Then, later, the broken, defeated horse, one foreleg too damaged to bear his weight, limping up the lorry ramp. The same horse, standing in the corner of his stall at the hospital, unwilling to eat, devoid of personality, blank and ashamed. A dead mind in a battered body.

Now he had a new picture to add to his collection, completing the set. The crowd of grooms parted, and Alex stepped forward, brushing snow off his shoulders, eyes wide and hoping.

Someone turned the lights on, flooding the barn with brightness. For a brief moment his eyes were sent into shock by the sudden light, and he went blind and cast his hands out to compensate. Warning cries and ringing hooves filled the air. A flush of adrenaline made his heart leap.

Suddenly, Alex's eyes readjusted, and he scrambled back with a yelp. Snake's teeth clapped together on thin air, inches from where his face had been seconds before. The stallion paused, twitched his tail, and snorted. His steely gaze told Alex exactly what he wanted to know.

Snake was back.

Art, story & Characters (C) me

Description
This is the most supremely late thing ever. It's been since August, do you still remember this?

Previously:

DECEMBER

The snow that blanketed the farm shrouded the buildings with an unearthly dazzle, and cast the whole place into an eerie quietness. Even the horses were silent, their enthusiasm dulled by the cold days and the races run over the year. Their tracks criss-crossed each other in the field, gaits visible to any who knew their horses. In the paddocks overlooking the stables and barns, a band of mares grazed in silhouette on the crest of the hill.

Alexander could tell exactly who was who, however. They way they moved and stood gave it away, as was it in the height and the breadth. The shape of each, (so obscured by the rugs) was still obvious to him in his mind's eye. He named them one by one.

Chardonnay, the eldest, with hindquarters like boulders and the deep girth that went with lungs such as hers. Her tail flicked occasionally, but otherwise there was no movement. She was furthest away, pawing at the ground distractedly.

Gloria Scott, her frame so arabesque and dainty, lipped at the grass with a neat, petite muzzle and pawed away the snow with delicate, stick-like legs, her ears pricked only towards the ground. She was the most heavily rugged, enclosed up to her ears in warm plush fabric, her legs wrapped up in boots. Still, she shivered and complained whenever she had the chance, as if she enjoyed it.

The closest, and most curious, was Shiva's Gaurd. Big brown eyes stared at him relentlessly, whilst her ears flicked back and forth. It was not often that she saw him, and even rarer for her to see him without a frown. She seemed happy to see him smile.

Alex had to admit, she'd grown on him. Eliza's very (very) expensive 'investment' had turned out to be a decent runner, and it surprised him to realise that he had regrets about selling her. He pulled his gloves from his hands and whistled.

He could see the cogs turn in her mind, the wheels of thought spinning. The shrill sound came again, and a step was taken. And another. And another. Very soon she was trotting, no, cantering down the hill, suddenly given colour once out of the light, a red horse with a red rug. She pressed her head into his hands and nuzzled his pockets looking for treats. He held out his palm and she delicately took the proffered carrot, 'I'm sorry to be losing you, girl.' She pushed her velvet nose against his fingers, oblivious.

A sudden shout from the barn made him turn. Shiva's ears pricked up, and she snorted into the crook of his elbow.

'Alex! Snake's back,' Freddie's voice was estatic. 'And he almost killed the driver on the way. Isn't that fantastic? Just wait 'til you see him!' The sandy haired jockey disappeared, and with one last pat, Alex left Shiva and followed.

The dim light of the barn shrouded most of the commotion, but not the noise. There was a furious, rumbling snorting, like the engines of a battleship, and the clap clop of aluminium shod hooves on concrete. Alex caught snatches of Sam's voice, like the undertones to a war chant as he said something in a disbelieving, loving voice. He could only imagine how long Sam had waited for this day, anxious and worrying that his horse would never recover. They'd all worried, but Sam's had been the deepest, the most raw.

Alex ran through the images in his mind. Snake as he had been, the tornado of rage and anger that mellowed to a gentle breeze for only one person. Then, later, the broken, defeated horse, one foreleg too damaged to bear his weight, limping up the lorry ramp. The same horse, standing in the corner of his stall at the hospital, unwilling to eat, devoid of personality, blank and ashamed. A dead mind in a battered body.

Now he had a new picture to add to his collection, completing the set. The crowd of grooms parted, and Alex stepped forward, brushing snow off his shoulders, eyes wide and hoping.

Someone turned the lights on, flooding the barn with brightness. For a brief moment his eyes were sent into shock by the sudden light, and he went blind and cast his hands out to compensate. Warning cries and ringing hooves filled the air. A flush of adrenaline made his heart leap.

Suddenly, Alex's eyes readjusted, and he scrambled back with a yelp. Snake's teeth clapped together on thin air, inches from where his face had been seconds before. The stallion paused, twitched his tail, and snorted. His steely gaze told Alex exactly what he wanted to know.

Snake was back.

Art, story & Characters (C) me