• I'm sorry! It's a sad one! I didn't know how to continue but if I get any ideas I might do a part 2.•
*****
"Morning Sleepyhead." Chase cooed as Zuma answered the FaceTime call.
"Hmm. What time is it?" The younger boy groaned.
"Erm," Chase checked the clock beside him. "Half nine."
"Shit!" Zuma shot up in bed and threw the covers off himself. "I've gotta go feet Scout and Barney." He said, carrying the phone as he rushed to clean his teeth in the bathroom.
"Tracker still not back yet?"
"He is but jet lag hit him so I'm feeding Barney for him this morning then it's back to normal." Zuma explained with his toothbrush in his mouth.
Tracker had been away to see family and had asked Zuma to feed his horse, Barnabus (Barney for short) seeing as the other boy had his own mare - Scout - to tend to at the barn anyway.
Zuma never struck anyone as the horsey type of guy but he and Scout had an unbelievable bond. He'd owned the mare for almost three years after she was only planned to be a loan for the summer.
Since then, the two had competed in countless competitions as part of Adventure Bay's Riding Team - how he met Tracker - and won within the team and as individuals.
The boy was also very active on social media, raking up plenty of followers and subscribers on different platforms, their Instagram being most popular.
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"Right." Zuma sighed, picking up his phone after pulling on his team hoodie, having the yard logo over his heart and his and Scout's names on the back. "I'm gonna head out to sort them. Speak to you later, Babe."
"Love you." Chase smiled.
"I love you too."
***
"Scout! Scout, c'mere Girlie!" Zuma called. He'd already settled the gelding in his stable and was now scouring the paddock for his own mare.
Thinking she was up to her usual 'I'm gonna hide and not show up for a while' act, the boy had posted on his Instagram story a video of him calling the mare with the caption 'every damn morning 😂'.
However, after ten more minutes, he knew something was off.
"Hola amigo." Came a voice from behind him as Tracker opened the gate and joined his friend. "Thanks for looking after Barney while I was away."
"No problem." Zuma replied, not really paying attention. "Scout! C'mon Girl!" He called again, clicking his tongue a few times.
"She not coming in?"
"No. D'you think she's asleep by the trees?" The boys started heading down to the small cluster of trees in the corner of the large paddock.
Zuma snorted a little as he spotted his mare lazing in the shade as they got closer. She was in her usual blissed out position, basking in the crisp autumn weather.
"At least Barney is easy to get inside." Tracker laughed.
"He didn't want to today." Zuma replied. "He actually kept trying to pull me this way this morning."
Zuma looked back to the chestnut mare and frowned when he saw she hadn't even lifted her head in acknowledgement.
"Scout?" His eyes raked over his still horse and widened when he saw the state of her hind legs.
"Scout!" He cried, instantly dropping the halter and leadrope as he sprinted over, Tracker only a few paces behind him.
The Spanish boy gasped in pure horror while Zuma broke into tears when they saw the fireworks that had been taped to the horse's hind legs and set off, presumably last night.
"Scout c'mon Girlie, open your eyes." Zuma whispered, pulling his mare's limp head onto his knees and running his hand over her neck. "C'mon Baby. Please."
"Zee," Tracker said, barely above a whisper. He looked up apologetically from his place at his side and shook his head. "She's gone."
All Zuma could do was scream as he leaned over, clinging onto the mare and burying his face into her neck as he cried.
***
By the afternoon, the brunette was sat on the sofa, under a duvet in the company of his boyfriend, best friend, sister and mother. He didn't know what to do with himself.
Chase cradled him close as the smaller boy read on his phone. No one had spoken in almost an hour. The only noise had been Zuma occasionally bursting into tears and Chase soothing him each and every time.
Zuma tilted his chin up and whined, making Chase look down and stroke his boyfriend's hair.
"Yeah Bub?" Zuma only held up his phone.
"Spell check please. My eyes are squiffed." Chase took the phone and read the post on the screen.
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"It's perfect." He gave a weak smile and passed the phone back, Zuma pressing post and set his phone on the floor, cuddling back into Chase and trying to sleep the pain away while he felt kisses being peppered on his temple and a hand running through his hair soothingly.
