Remembering African Roots (StarGirl)

[Myssi]

Most people would choose the other two trails when they rode their horses out on the trail, but Lesedi chose the sand track. Mostly, it was out of consideration for her little mare, Mashaka. The sand wasn't unlike the sandy roads of Africa that they were used to riding, and the zorse was still getting used to England. Lesedi was actually planning on let the horse vent out some of her nervous energy that had entered her during the trip over.

The girl left her quarters, adjacent to her brother's, and creeped down the hallway to the main entrance of the dorm, boots and half-chaps in her hands, and Oscar at her heels. The pair quickly stole out the door and scurried to the barn in a slinking fashion. Though Lesedi wasn't up to any mischief, she didn't feel like dealing with any of her brother's teachers, or any other staff member, for that matter. She preferred to be alone when she wasn't pulling a prank on her brother, and even then she was usually on her own, save for Oscar, and sometimes Mashaka.

The bay-based zorse had her gaze on Lesedi as soon as she entered her vision. She nickered, bobbing her head up and down at the sight of the familiar duo. Lesedi sat down on an upside-down bucket outside the stall door to pull on her boots and half-chaps before giving the zorse a pat on the neck before heading to the tack room and grabbing her brushes, tack, and helmet.

She slipped the mare's halter on once she had her gear in the proper place by the cross ties, and quickly secured her zorse in the straps. Then, she began to clean the slightly dusty striped coat, making the brown and black fur shine in the barn's dim lights.

It wasn't long before the saddle pad was on and Lesedi was ready to go. She lead the mare out of the barn before she mounted up, quickly swinging her subtle body onto the small, pony-sized zorse. The creature puled at the bit, wishing already to increase their speed, but Lesedi held her back. Oscar trailed them like a tan ghost in the English mist.

It was still well before dawn when they had warmed up. Lesedi then cued her mare's canter, and they were off. The pari circled the trail, Mashaka snorting with each stripe, ears up in excitement. Her zebra charged blood flowed rapidly and she covered the ground easily with ground eating strides, but her energy didn't fail. In fact, by the time light came, Lesedi and the zorse had only trotted a few times.

It hadn't really been a secret that Mashaka was a talented endurance horse. With her blood, what else could she be? The mare was deprived from horses that were used to running for miles to outrun predators. But still, when light shone through the fog, Lesedi trotted out the mare for a good ten minutes to bring down her adreneline, then walked her before stopping for a rest on the side of the track, looping the reins around a tree branch and flopping to the ground, Oscar beside her, panting. He was breed for endurance as well, but he wasn't meant for the pace the zorse put up. Still, at times he would try to keep up with the two.

[StarGirl]

Bryce lay awake in bed, waiting for his alarm to go off. He glanced at the clock again. Another two and a half hours till he even needed to start thinking about getting up. "Forget it," he muttered rolling out of bed, unsetting the alarm and pulling on some barn clothes. Bryce slid his arms into his worn jacket and headed towards the barns, with Tallie at his heels, and head phones settled in his ears.

With his first step outside, he was greeted with the cool fresh air of the early morning. He paused to take it in while Tallie leaned against his legs, eager to see his new friend. Bryce smiled down at the shepherd, and ruffled his ears. In unison, they started off, striding evenly and confidently through the still air.

First off, Bryce made a stop at the tack room shouldering his saddle and Rez’s hackamore. He took them and laid them out, confident that they wouldn’t be stolen. Picking up his rope halter he headed towards the pastures to collect the gelding, hoping that he wasn’t on the far side of the pasture again. When he reached the fencing, Rez was nowhere in sight. He sighed and leaned against the fence, not wanting to go looking for the horse. He looked down at Tallie and a smile spread across his face. He knelt down in front of the pup, “Hey Tallie, you wanna go get Rez for me?” Tallie gave a low whine and took off across the field. Bryce returned to his position against the fence grateful for his luck in finding such an amazing canine.

Less than a minute later he could hear the cadenced drum of the youngster coming closer. The warmblood trotted up blowing with excitement. “What did Tallie tell you boy?” Bryce murmured with a laugh. He climbed over the fence to stand next to him and slip the soft rope over his refined muzzle. They slipped out the gate, Rez’s head hovering at Bryce’s shoulder and Tallie at his heels once again. Once in the barn, he gave the gelding a quick rub down, checking his feet for stones and what-not. The horse watched as he slid the saddle in place on top of the blanket and cinched the girth. Seeing the hackamore in his boy’s hands sparked his excitement, knowing that it would be a relaxing ride not a working one, and dropped his head into the bridle with pleasure. The warmblood danced as they left the barn, showing his youth and energy as always. Bryce mounted and looked forward, trying to choose where to go. The youth settled on the track, deciding the gelding needed a good run.

The pair warmed up on the way, making circles and what-not so that when they reached the path Rez was ready and willing to run. Bryce began to turn him loose little-by-little, letting him stretch out. The gelding loved to run, eating up the ground as he flew. Bryce could hear hooves on the other side of the track every now and then, but as of yet they saw nothing of the other pair of horse and rider. As the gelding began to calm down Bryce asked him to return to a canter, then a trot, and finally a walk. He whistled for Tallie, who had been waiting for then at the side of the track. The trio continued walking through the mist, taking in the morning air. Rounding the track Bryce began to see a dark shape through the haze. The shape began to be take the form of a pony, but where was the rider?

[Myssi]

Lesedi blinked open one eye when a deep snort vibrated from Mashaka's barrel, the zorse's ears pricked forward. Her ears really took after her mother, cupped like the classic sonar-dish zebra ears. She raised her head slightly, seeing the blurry shape of a horse and rider. Her head cocked curiously, and she slowly began to get to her feet, taking Mashaka's reins in hand.Oscar looked up at the rider, then lay his head back down with a sigh.

Nervous, becuase Oscar only reacted in such a way when he new someone, Lesedi looked at the rider again, squinting to see who it was. She then gave a sigh of relief when she realized it was simply one of the students, the first and really only one she'd truly met. Bryce. The supple fifteen yea old quickly mounted up, her classic grin in place as she chuckled at the reaction Mashaka might get. The pair trotted out, Mashaka swishing her shrimpy tail happily, and Lesedi grinning at the elder. She;d wondered what had become of him.

"Hey Bryce!" She said, bringing her zorse to a walk, the mare turning her head to look at Rez calmly, yet eager to meet him. "Remember me?" she asked, knowing he probably would remember the kid who'd set up a trap that you'd fallen into. She still laughed about that day when she was in need of cheering up.

She ran her eyes over the gelding Bryce rode. He was a lovely bay, and his stockings were to die for. The warmblood was huge, towering over the zorse and making Lesedi have to look up at Bryce. "What's his name?" She asked the older male. "He's absolutely gorgeous. What is his training in?"

Mashaka suddenly got a little bold, and tha zorse took a few steps forward cautiously, reaching up to greet Rez. She lifted her head up as high as she could to him, her spiky forelock managing to droop slightly over her eyes.