Make It Shine: A Horse's Dream (NaNoWriMo!) POSTS WELCOME!

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I will post it here as well as the site.

EDIT:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

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Chapter 1:

Ava and Layla: At First Glance

The dark buckskin Quarter Horse mare named Ava stirred in her deep slumber. She snorted and pawed at the ground, as though she was running in her sleep. And indeed she was, deep in her mind.

The seven-year-old mare visualized herself on a racetrack in last place. The horses in front of her were quite beautiful, not to mention quick. The leading horses consisted of a strawberry roan Arabian mare, a black tobiano Paint stallion, a cremello Thoroughbred mare, and a sleek dark bay Morgan stallion.

Panting with excruciating effort, she slid in front of the Paint in fourth place, and galloped past the Arabian in third place. Flying past the Morgan in second place, she became neck-and-neck with the Thoroughbred mare in first place. Seeing the finish line ahead of her, she streaked—

The gentle morning sun filtered in through the stall as the door slid open. Maria Gitovani, the barn’s owner stepped inside, making soft cooing noises. Ava flicked her ears irritably. She snorted and looked pointedly away.

“Ava, if you don’t wake up in time for the lesson, I will personally kick your lazy bum until you do!” Maria stated, her voice stern. Although Ava had nearly no idea what Donna had just said, she recognized the warning in her voice.

With a flick of her ears, Ava gracefully stood up on her legs. Even though standing up was harder for her than the other horses due to her near-non-existent withers, she was still a pretty graceful being. Ava thrust her neck out, enjoying the tingling sensation it brought to her muscles.

Maria playfully swatted Ava on the neck. "Come now, do hurry! You're being used in the first lesson today, and we need to get you ready!"

Ava snorted as she understood the commonly used word "lesson". She remembered that today was the day the littler kids rode her. She smirked as she recalled the last girl who "rode" her. That kid ended up in tears.

However, it was also a good day. Gabrielle, one of her more advanced riders, was coming today. Gabrielle was Ava's favorite rider, second only to her two owners. For some reason, Gabrielle and Ava had what could almost be considered a sharing of minds.

A few hours later, the young riders came for their lesson. Lilly, a nine-year-old girl with a strong kick, was one of Ava's common riders. However, Lilly was on Candyman, the little cremello pony, today instead. This left Ava open for someone else to ride her in place of Lilly.

Maria was currently talking to the parents of ten-year-old Layla Carron, who had recently just switched from the next-door barn to 1, 2, G Reserve. They had just asked her about the horse Layla was attempting -and failing- to stroke. The horse just happened to be Ava.

"Now, who is that darling dun stallion over there that Layla is petting?" Layla's mother, Maggie Carron, asked. She seemed pleased with herself at the ability to "identify" Ava's coat and gender.

"Uh, first off, we have no stallions at 1, 2, G Reserve. We have only geldings." Maggie opened her mouth to ask if "he" was instead a gelding, but Maria cut her off.

"Ava here is a purebred buckskin American Quarter Horse mare, at the young age of seven-years-old. Besides Doodle, who is outside, she is our newest addition to the Reserve's family. And, coincidentally, the first horse Layla will be riding here at the Reserve."

Once Maria had finally gotten away from the ever-persistent Maggie Carron, she whisked Layla away to brush and tack up Ava.

"Normally, I would be the one telling you about her. However, Gabrielle, one of Ava's most advanced riders, will be here any minute, so she will explain more about Ava's little, uh, quirks. You already know the safety rules, and I expect them to be followed at all times. Please refrain from yelling, and ask Gabrielle for anything you need or want to know. I will be in the office if I am needed."

It was at that particular moment that a brunette no older than the age of thirteen stepped up behind them and gently stroked Ava's muzzle. Layla stared in awe. She'd been trying to do that for the past fifteen minutes with no luck, yet this new girl did it in five seconds flat! Just who in the world was she?

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Chapter 2:

Gabrielle and Ava: Rules And Tools

Gabrielle gently stroked Ava's muzzle before moving on to scratch behind her ears. Gabrielle could practically feel Layla's envy rolling off in waves behind her. Sighing, she turned around to face the newcomer.

"So, you must be Layla Carron, the barn's newest addition?" The statement was more of a question than a fact. After a stiff nod from Layla, Gabrielle gently smiled while inwardly groaning.

Great. Just great. She thought. She's the envious type. I'd bet my left boot that she's also impatient.

"Uh, well, I'm Gabrielle, and this is Av--" Layla cut her off with a huff.

"I know, I know! This is Ava, you're Gabrielle, and I'm Layla! Introduction over. Now, can we please get on with the show?" Layla finished her mini-rant with a glare.

"Um.... OK? Any questions before we start grooming?" Gabrielle asked, a bit confused at the young girl's attitude towards her superior.

Layla huffed once more. "How stupid do you think I am? I can groom perfectly fine, you'll see!"

Gabrielle sighed. She hid a smirk as the small girl picked up the hard brush.

"Hey, Miss Professional Groomer! Use the curry comb first!"

Layla shot Gabrielle a murderous glare, and said, "I know! Just making sure you knew!"

Gabrielle simply nodded and picked up a curry comb at the same time as Layla and began to groom Ava.

"Hey, I can do that by myself, you know!"

"I know," Gabrielle replies, her eyes never once straying from Ava. "It's just a heck of a lot faster this way than when you do it by yourself."

Swallowing back a sharp retort, Layla gave a jerky nod and began brushing the horse with the curry comb in short, swift swipes on Ava's flank.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Gabrielle stopped Layla's poor demonstration of how to groom a horse. "When using a curry comb, you brush in small circles, like so," She then proceeded to show Layla how to brush the correct way.

Layla glared at her. She relented with a sigh and copied Gabrielle's movements. A few minutes passed by, and they moved on to the hardbrush.

"Now, when using the hardbrush, you brush using swi--" Gabrielle was cut off by Layla once more.

"Yeah, yeah, I know! Swift and straight strokes," Layla rolled her eyes. She whisked the brush across Ava's back softlt, the bristles gently tickling her.

To say Ava was not happy with this new devolpement was an understatement. The tingling sensation on her back was similar to that of a fly; annoying and ticklish. Ava stomped her front right hoof down angrily, and began to paw the ground with restlessness. She looked over at Gabrielle, pleading with her eyes to make it stop. Gabrielle narrowed her eyes and slowly shook her head. Layla was going to have to learn the hardway.

Seeing that Gabrielle would not come to her aid this time, Ava flattened her ears and tried to take a chomp out of Layla's elbow, which just happened to be right next to her mouth at the moment. Ava purposely avoided breaking the skin, choosing only to graze her clothes to avoid being punished.

[TheCryptid]

AHJsdcADCgAVcs

THIS...IS...AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!

AHHH DO MORE! MORE! MORE! MMOOOORRRREEEE!!!!!!!!!!

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Thanks! ~ <3

[Toppyrocks]

A horsey NaNoWriMo? Awesome! This will be my daily word-goal reward. Once I've got my 1667 for today I'll come back to read it!

[Flightstar]

A horsey NaNoWriMo? Awesome! This will be my daily word-goal reward. Once I've got my 1667 for today I'll come back to read it!

I'm honored! ^^

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Seeing as how NaNoWriMo is almost over, should I continue it anyways?

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Seeing as how NaNoWriMo is almost over, should I continue it anyways?

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Bump!