Hoof beats for July

Elvira

July lay on her tear stained pillow, in her hands was a photo of her and Kat outside Notre Dame. They were both on the brink of laughter, both of them looking at each other, arms over their shoulders. They were wearing their matching black hoodies while Kat's ashy blonde hair rested in two low pigtails on her shoulder. July had her hair loose, her dark brown hair shining with the suns light. It was a pretty normal photo of sisters, they looked happy.

"July! Get out of your goddamned bed and do something!" shouted her mum from downstairs.

"I would if I had something to do!" July screamed back.

"Well get down here and talk to me!"

Alisa, July's mum, was a constant mess. After the car crash it's like she was a different person. She was late all the time and she was so cranky! A few months ago she was the happiest most kindest person to exist...

"Coming!"she groaned, slumping out of her messy bed and slowly wobbling down to the kitchen.
She turned the corner and her feet were met with a basket of roses and cards.
She stumbled over the basket and the contents spilled over the floor. July looked up quickly and saw her mum wiping tears from her face and rushing over, flustered.

"Sorry mum, I'll clean it up now," she apologized jumping forward to sweep it all up, "wait what is all this?"

July looked up at her mother who just cleared her throat quickly to speak.

"The pony club sent it...it's in honor of Kat."

Emotion spiked in her at the mention of her sister. She looked down and tried hard to dry up the tears before looking back up at her crying mother.

"I'll go put the rosette in her room..." she said standing up slowly.

"No."

"No?"

"I'll do it...I need you to go feed the horses."

July glared at her mother, "what?"

"Please. Just this once," her mother pleaded, cocking her head.

"Fine."

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Kats stupid horses...

Kat had had an obsession with horses since she was little. Everyone thought it was just a phase but guess what? A year later mum finally said yes to her and she started lessons. That was the start of a loooooong "phase."

After years of practice and different leases Lat finally got her own horse, Mr Crowley. He was a cute little Arab pony who took her far, after he had given her years of rosettes and wins she retired him from competing and now he just lived a chilled life at home. Always her number one, she would remind us all.
Then of course after that she got Petal and well got too tall for her very quickly, but still was a special pony to Kat.
Then finally, the devil herself, Elvira... A big bay mare who was hopefully going to be Kats new eventer...
Unfortunately Elvira had other plans. Like sending Kat and her trainer to hospital for broken bones, and biting a hole in mums new shirt. Even Kat was scared of her! So, so far Elvira was just a pretty paddock ornament...

"One day," July said to herself, "just feed the scary horses for one day and then you can go back to your room and sleep."

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July walked into the tack room. It was cold and surprisingly clean. Well not too surprising since her mum got the staff to clean here too.
She walked to the other end of the room to where the feed was stored in big round bins.

She lifted the lid to the middle one and followed the directions on the wall.

"Three scoops of that...a teaspoon of this and one scoop of this."

She added all the little bits and blobs into each bucket and finally brought ten out. She dampened each bucket and finally started toward the stables and nighttime paddocks. They were just around the corner of the tack room and were small paddocks with a shelter on the edge. There were five since Kat always wanted to have a few spare in case of emergency, but so far they hadn't been used.

"Horses!" called July. She could see them grazing on the opposite side of the field.
Mr Crowley immediately lifted his head to see who had called them and came trotting over, the two mares following.

"Oh god..."

July let Mr Crowley in first since she felt the most comfortable with him. She put his bucket in the shelter and closed the gate before the other two could get in. Petal pranced into her night paddock throwing her head as to say "hurry up!"

After July had given her the bucket she stood and looked at Elvira. She was cantering impatiently along the fence line. Bucking and snorting. Being 17hh she was intimidating.

Julys hand started to shake slightly in fear. She has never had an interest in horses...they were just dirty maniacs to her...

Before she could give up July swiftly ducked under the fence and put the bucket in the shelter before running back behind the fence.
As expected Elvira came galloping back along the fence and into her paddock. She started eating her food and July quickly closed the gate.

July wanted to leave. But there was something keeping her there.
She turned to watch Elvira eat. She suddenly looked so peaceful...Like there wasn't a mean bone in her body.

Slowly, she approached her. Not knowing what her body was doing. Eventually she was close enough to reach out and touch her belly...Elvira was still as calm as ever.

"Maybe I could..." she whispered to herself.
July closed her eyes and stretched her arm.
She was met with a fluffy and warm winter coat. It was soft and thick, just like a blanket. She opened her eyes and saw Elvira looking right at her. Nothing in her body language showed aggression, she just looked at July and went back to eating.

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July walked back to the main house not sure what to feel. For some reason she felt so peaceful with the horses... She felt...exactly how Kat described it. But, no...there was so way she could ever start horse riding! Right?

She wiped her feet on the outdoor mat and stepped inside.

"I don't think you can afford it anymore, Alisa! Face the facts. Kats not here to take care of them anymore, nobody is going to be riding them and you don't have David here anymore..."

"You think I don't know that! Kat would be devastated if I did that, I could never!"

"Alisa...make a plan or I will."

July stood there not knowing wether to continue walking or to leave. Before she could decide she saw Tracy walking furiously toward her.

"Hi Tracy."

She just nodded and continued walking.
Tracy was Kats instructor, her and Kat were like siblings, but she never said more than three words to July.

July rushed into the kitchen to check on her mum.

"Hey mum...are you okay?"

"Yes...I'm fine..." she responded smiling slightly.

"Would you...ever, do something for me...well for Kat?" she asked not meeting her concerned look.

July nodded.

"I...I need you to start riding."

Hello!! Welcome to my story, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and hopefully there will be many more to come. Thanks for reading!<3