Chasing the Stars

Fireworks

Tonight is very exciting, apparently.

Abby came over and is giving  Apples a bath, while I stare in wonderment at how still and calm he is.

"How are you so ... still?" I ask, stunned.

(Lol everytime we give Opal a bath she throws an absolute fit, especially when we wash her ears and it's a total pain)

"It's like baths. I think they're relaxing." Apples blinks.

I let out a gasp. "How on EARTH do you LIKE them?!"

He chuckles a little, but does not answer my question.

After our baths, we are groomed, and a lot of chatter happens between Abby and Calia.

"I can't wait for the Fireworks!" Calia chirps. "They get better every year."

"I hope Cleo doesn't get to freaked out by them."  Abby throws me a worried look.

"She'll be fine." she says at the exact time I nicker "I'll be fine."

We look at each other and burst out laughing.

Abby giggles a bit too. "She is, by far, the most expressive and human-like horse I've ever met."

"Yep." Calia pat's me on the neck, before Rodrigo pokes his head in. "C'mon, get them into the trailer. We have 20 minuted before we need to be at the parade start."

"Parade?" I question Apples.

"Every year, on this special day, the town throws a big parade, and Abby, Calia and a few others ride their horses in the parade. Calia almost always does a couple dressage moves, and I almost always do some western moves."

"Yikes. I ... don't do dressage. Unless I'm required to knock things over and explode something."

"Ha. Anyways, after the parade, we all go to the beach and watch these big, loud bursts of colours in the sky, once it gets dark."

"Why?" I query.

"I have no idea." Apples shrugs. "I guess the humans thinks its cool. And it only happens on this special day."

"What is this 'special day' called?"

"Well, Calia and Abby call it the 'fourth of July'"

"Huh." I scrunch my face up. "Weird."

"Humans are weird."

"Helloooooo?" Calia knocks on my head, awakening me from my thoughts. "Anybody in there? Time to go!"

"Alright, alright." I sigh, and lower my head so Calia can slip my halter over my head, and puts me in the trailer along with Apples, a silver-grey mare named Slipper, (I had to. My pony's name used to be Slipper and I HAD to include her! I couldn't help myself! Sorry), and a palomino gelding named Sunny.

The road down is bumpy, and at every single bump, Sunny jumps and looks around, startled.

Slipper doesn't seem to mind at all. I wouldn't be surprised if she was asleep.

By the twenty-fourth jump (I counted) I'm about ready to scream. Luckily, Apples interupts.

"Sunny. Stop jumping. You've been down this road, how many times?"

"Right." Sunny ducks his head, flushing with embarrassment.

Soon enough we get onto the road, and it seems like I blink and we're almost done unloading

A tall, lean woman with a silver bun pulled so tight  she must have a headache, cold brown-grey eyes, and a spotless dark grey suit. 

"Alright," she announces in a loud, cold, clipped voice. "We have one hour to get you act together. Alright? One. Hour. Then you're on and if you mess this up? You're out of the parade. Period."