Tryout for ERRPs #E083 and #E084

[DigitalLinx]

This is a group effort between me and Siven!

Mare will go to Siven and Stallion will go to me!

[Siven]

You Don't Own Me - SAYGRACE (ft. G-Eazy)
Play prior to reading.

How It Began

The mare flattened her ears in frustration, snorting loudly. “Now look what you’ve done,” she glared sharply at the stallion attached to her own lead line. How annoying. “Because of your ignorance and unwillingness to listen to me, like you should have done in the first place, we’re lost. Because of you, we might never make it back, and because of you we might die alone out here. So, congrats, I hope you’re proud of yourself.” She rolled her eyes in vexation, swishing her tail behind her hotly.

“Yeah well, you weren’t exactly listening either,” the stallion beside her bickered angrily. “Perhaps you should get your ears checked, my dear,” he lowered his head grimly, pawing the ground in annoyance. “I’m not exactly interested in dying out here alone because of a stubborn, bossy mare,” he sneered, passive aggression dripping off every word that escaped his mouth. “Remind me to never find myself stuck to one again.”

“Me?!” Spirit shrieked, whipping her head back in his direction to snap at his neck crisply. “You’ve got this all wrong,” she snarled in his ear, “This is entirely your fault! I knew the way perfectly! Sure, my hearing may not be the best, but at least I can see more than a foot in front of me. You were over here just wandering around blindly like a lost foal looking for its mommy!” she fulminated.

Vincent rolled his eyes again, “Well at this rate, we aren’t going anywhere. So I might as well accept my fate,” he muttered, ears flat against his skull in angst. All his dreams of leading a wonderful and successful career in jumping, were gone for good. Why couldn’t she just accept that she was wrong to make this go more smoothly. “My sight may not be the best, but that’s only because of how dark and foggy it’s gotten. I can hear the group off in the distance and I could easily lead the way back if you’d just follow me!”

“Or maybe, for even just a minute, you could get over yourself and just listen to me,” Spirit scolded him for his negativity. “You don’t need hearing to find the way back when you can see in the fog,” she remarked, saying the fog sarcastically.

[DigitalLinx]

[Siven]

Learning To Cooperate

“Fine.” Vincent puffed, stamping his foot, giving in to her demands reluctantly. He just wanted to go home at this point, and every minute they stayed here the wind got louder and the air grew more frigid.

“Fine?” The surprised mare perked her ears up suddenly, not expecting such a startling response. “So you mean to tell me, you’ve come to your senses and realized just how wrong you were?” she snickered slyly. What a change in attitude the stallion before her had just given.

Vincent whisked his head up quickly, narrowing his eyes at her glaringly “Don’t receive the wrong impression,” he ridiculed her with a roll of his eyes, “I’m only doing this because I want to go home. This is a last resort. I’m not wrong, I’m just not willing to sit here any longer.”

“Mhm, yeah, okay,” she blew him off conceitedly, tossing her head in disbelief, “That’s not what it just sounded like you said,” she retorted defiantly.

“Don’t push your luck and try to get smart with me, mare,” Vincent ground his teeth in irritation, “Because I can very easily change my mind,” he remarked coldly, tossing his head.

“Well then I guess we better get a move on,” the female equine motioned in a random direction. They were too far to see anything at all, but she was just hoping with any luck she suggested the right way, she was being too disdainful at this point to admit that she wasn’t quite sure which way to begin.

Vincent raised a suspicious eyebrow, almost bursting out in laughter. “Did you just guess? Honestly, did you even try at all? You realize they aren’t that way, right?” he chortled, swerving his ears in the opposite direction toward the faint sounds of horses. “It’s that way, you big oaf. I can hear them, they’re quite noisy.”

Spirit perked her ears up again, straining them in an attempt to hear as well. Alas, her hearing was just not quite good enough to pick up on the sounds. Finally, she rolled her eyes, grunting. Okay, right, perhaps her hearing was... Not quite as spectacular as her sight was. “Alright, whatever, let's go.” She nudged Vincent harshly to go, resulting in a slight snort of resent, and soon enough they were on the move, hopefully, they would be there before it was too late.

[DigitalLinx]

[Siven]

Finding The Herd
As they continued to walk through the fog and harsh cold, the sounds of the others snorting and neighing in fear grew louder. “I think I can start to see them,” Spirit announced gleefully. Silence. “Vincent?” she turned to look behind her, finding the older stallion pausing with his head lowered in exhaust. “Hey, we’re almost there, come on!”

“I’m not sure I can go much further..” he huffed, breathing heavily from the trudging through the forest. The distance had taken quite the toll on his body, he was starting to shut down.

“I did not admit to being wrong for you to just give up on me,” Spirit snarled, although her eyes softened as she realized just how much he was struggling. “It’s just a bit further,” she added, the pitch in her voice raising ever so slightly in panic. She nudged him, “Come on, don’t give up!”


Vincent nodded weakly, pushing to be beside her again. They had gotten this far, he couldn’t give up now. He paused, and Spirit rushed to his side in fear he was going to collapse. But rather, he had paused to smile at her in a newfound appreciation. “Perhaps we were both wrong..” he whispered. Before he had a chance to finish, Spirit interrupted him quickly.

“Yeah yeah okay! I know you’re about to get all cute and cheesy, but maybe save it for when we actually make it there!” she snorted, although her eyes showed a softer side of her. As they finally made it back to the group, Spirit leaned against the stallion she had once been so angry with.

“I’m sorry for being so mean and controlling earlier,” she breathed, relieved they had made it. “You’re right- we were both wrong and I should have just listened to you. And I’m glad I did, or we may have never made it back to the group before it was too late.” She calmly rested her head against his neck, breathing in his sweet scent again.

Vincent smiled softly, “It’s okay. I’m also sorry for being so spiteful and imperious as well, you were right as well. We were both incorrect, and I should have been more open minded. I’m also glad I changed my mind and listened, I may have never made it back home without you. Thank you.” And with that, the two leaned in together to share warmth as they awaited a rescue.

Who knew these two, who had originally resented each other so previously, would grow so close over such a terrifying experience?

[DigitalLinx]

[Siven]

Bonus Story!


After a bit, the two had settled down in the back of the cave, cuddling up to one another to share body heat and rest. “So.. how come your vision was so bad anyway? I’ve seen you before and I’ve never quite seen you struggle with it like you did today..” Spirit inquired softly, searching his face for any hint at an answer. Her face fell momentarily when he ducked his head, trying to hide his embarrassment. “Come on.. You can tell me! I won’t judge,” she giggled.

“Well.. you see… amongst the panic of everyone fleeing, I uh… got shoved into a tree and got poked in the eye with a branch..” Vincent chuckled, cheeks warming with embarrassment. Spirit could help but burst into uncontrollable laughter.

“A BRANCH?! Hahahahahaha!!!” she giggled loudly, snorting from how hard she was laughing. But she glanced back at him and noticed he had looked away. She instantly stopped laughing, nudging his face gently with her muzzle. “S-sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. That’s just so so silly,” she giggled softly again. Vincent let out a hushed chuckle, and calmly nudged her back.

“Eh, it's alright. I should be taking this in stride, it was a pretty silly way to blind myself I guess,” he laughed, nuzzling up under her chin softly. “And besides,” he jokingly pouted, “you saved me, you’re basically my hero now,” he whispered, softening his eyes to a puppy-eyes like expression.

Spirit burst into uncontrollable giggling again. “Hey now, I couldn’t have done it without you too! We can be each other's heroes, how about that?” she suggested, still snickering.

“Deal.” Vincent grinned delicately at the young mare beside him. And with that, he lowered his head to the ground and closed his eyes lightly, losing himself in a quiet, peaceful sleep. Without hesitation, Spirit laid her head across his back tenderly and followed in a soothing dream.

Perfect- Ed Sheeran
Play subsequent to reading.

[DigitalLinx]

[Siven]

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