Riding On ~~:~~ A Free Rein Fanfiction || Completed

Chapter 24

Soleil trotted out onto the course, his tail swishing with eagerness, though Ann hardly noticed as they lined up, prepping for the line-up. She felt Soleil move under her and with her, as one, his heavy breathing, and her own matching, their blood pulsing, their life force combining into one entity.

She inhaled deeply, then exhaled, and then the tone rang out, alerting them to began. 

The pair rode, Soleil rushing into a quick trot to approach the first jump, and then they sailed, cleaning, Ann feeling the wind running through past her face, dragging her baby hairs back so they slightly tickled her ears. She moved with him, opening her arms enough so he could recoil back during the landing, keeping her ankles as parallel, and then they rode, ushering themselves to the second jump, an oxer, and when he leaped clear over, they moved in unison, whirling around to the next jump.

Suddenly she felt flashbacks, like an out of body experience, and her mind went vividly to their first ride.

Soleils hooves stomped powerfully against the soil, as they moved to the wall, and when they flew over it, Ann, for just a moment, saw flames.

The warmth licked her body in a calm and harmless aptitude, and they wound around to the next jump. The combination jump. Soleil flicked his tail, in eager excitement, and moved into almost a gallop before jumping over the first part, then second part of the combination.

Each jump felt as natural as the one before it, and Ann had no notion of fear or nerves or what was to come. She was doing what she'd been doing; riding with Soleil. There was no crowd, no competition, no judges, just her and her horse, relishing in the life that had become theirs.

They moved over the next three jumps with ease, during each jump Soleils speed would increase with only little guidance from his rider. 

The pair turned, looping to head to the seventh jump, and the moved with him, their speed increasing again on the straightaway and they cleared it. They came to the next jump and Ann heard the birds as if they were on one of their rides through the woods or fields. The eighth jump was done with no issue, and the ninth came quickly.

Ann blinked, then blinked again, still staring straight past the ninth jump. Her brows twitched some as she realized the triple coming up and her left hand gripped the reigns hard. After clearing the ninth jump, the pair looped around, heading for the triple.

It was like slow-motion. Ann had always thought that such things were dramatized, simply for the effect, but this...

She saw the triple ahead of her, but this jump was more than that.

It wasn't just a physical barrier, but a mental one too. 

Not only would this jump signify her passion for the art that was equestrianism and become an embodiment of this passion that had engulfed her since her arrival to the island, but on the other side of the triple was her ability to grow with what had happened, to come to terms that the past couldn't change. Ann, however, had what some didn't; memories. She had photos, videos, and stories to reminisce on, her mother would never truly be forgotten, but Ann could forgive herself for what happened, she could forgive the rains, the car, the rope, and the log. It was time to move on. She knew she'd still cry, that the thought of her mother would bring tears to her eyes, or a warm smile to her face if she witnessed something that would remind her of her, but now, now it was time for her to heal.

If she rejected this jump, Ann knew she'd slip back into the dark, and no matter who attempted to help her, they would be powerless. Soleil, Marcus, Pin, Zoe, Becky, Jade, Mia, Susie, her father. They were her support, but it was up to her to help herself. If she was unwilling to help herself, then she'd be lost as no one could do it for her. It was a journey she was to make all on her own.