Champions Until the End

Chapter Thirteen

 Sorry that updates are a bit slow, I have no ideas for what to do right now, because I have this one idea that I really want to write but it wouldn't be until around Chapter Eighteen, so I've been trying desperately to think of anything to do, but the most I can think of is two things, and then a big time skip. I also want to make this story at least twenty chapters long, meaning I need to write eight more, including this one. I have enough ideas for two chapters in between, (Thirteen and Fourteen). Comment if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them!

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(It is now one week before the next show, on Saturday, at around eleven-thirty a.m.)

        I walked in to the yard, and when I walked over to Lady's stall to begin to get her ready for today's lesson, I saw the vet next to her and Mike at the door. "Mike? Is Lady okay? Did she injure herself? Is she sick? What happened?" I asked, the questions flooding out of my mouth as I began imagining all the horrible things that could've happened since I had last seen Lady yesterday.

        "She's fine, Kennedy." Mike said, and I let out a sigh of relief as I scratched Lady's forehead gently. "Then what is it?" I asked again, unable to shake off my fear completely. The vet was here for a reason, so there would have to be something.

        The vet spoke up to answer my question. "This mare is in foal, and it'll be due sometime in early May." My jaw dropped. Lady? A foal? This was amazing! "Wait, this means I can't ride her in the show, though, doesn't it?" I realized, and I was about to shrug it off and ride Faith instead, but then I remembered that I had offered to let Parker use her, because Feather had gotten tangled in a bit of wire and needed some time off, and Lexington, Coconut, and Penny were all showing that day already by some younger kids. No show for me next week, then. I thought, but I wasn't all that bitter about it because I had wondered what Lady's foal would be like for a while now, and I had always wanted to breed her at least once.

        "I wouldn't recommend it, only some light riding for now." The vet said, finishing packing up his things. "I'll be off, now. Just call if anything comes up."

        "Will do," Mike responded, shaking the vet's hand, then the vet was gone, and Mike spoke to me again. "You can ride Duchess, Kennedy. She doesn't have a rider for the show, and I'll free up the few lessons she's got next week so that you can spend some time riding her."

        "Duchess?" I tilted my head slightly, for I hadn't heard of a Duchess at Pine Road Stables before.

        "The new lesson horse, the Akhal-Teke that arrived when Lady did." Mike responded. "Her show name is Sky Full of Stars."

        "Oooh, I remember her! She does everything, right? Cross-country, dressage, and showjumping?" I asked.

        "Of course. She's a top-notch eventing horse, probably good enough for the big stuff. She's young, though, only around five years old. High-strung, too. Not exactly like Lady," Mike answered with a wry smile. "That's why she doesn't have too many lessons. Most of the younger riders can't handle her. It's not really Duchess's fault, though. She just gets overexcited, and she really needs someone to ride her more often, so, actually, she should be perfect for you."

        "Great, then." I said, without much enthusiasm. I was sure that Duchess was a great horse, but it sounded like Mike was planning to keep me on her. I still had Faith, I just needed someone for this show! He knew that. I shook off the feeling and said, "I'll go get Duchess ready for the lesson, then. Is she in a pasture?" I asked, wanting to make sure.

        "No, she's actually in her stall right now. You'll see her," Mike answered, before turning away and walking off, leaving me alone. I slipped Lady a carrot, gave her a hug and whispered a few words in her ear before going to find Duchess, and, like Mike said, I found her almost immediately. After all, the barn wasn't that large. I grabbed the cremello's halter from where it hung outside her stall and slipped inside, and the gorgeous mare lifted her elegant head, eyeing me warily.

        "No worries, Duchess. I'm just going to slip this halter on you, give you a quick grooming, just to make sure, even though it doesn't really look like you need it. Then I'll tack you up and we can head out to the arena. Sound good, girl?"

        Duchess snorted, turning her head to grab a hunk of hay and stood watching me, lazily chewing while standing with a hind leg cocked, and she seemed fairly relaxed while I tacked her up. Maybe Mike had been mistaken, because it didn't seem like Duchess was hyper at all, even a bit lazy if anything. I shrugged and led Duchess out, and I began to understand what Mike meant by saying she got overexcited. Duchess pranced in place while I tried to mount, tossing her head all over the place and snorting. Attempting at calming her, I managed to get into the saddle, and then as I tried to walk her into the arena, she actually started to canter a bit, sidestepping and trying to tug the bit out of my hands.

        "Easy, girl. Easy, Duchess. Calm down, it's all right. Easy," these words formed a sort of chant as I murmured them gently, trying to soothe her. Duchess wasn't spooked, just excited. She seemed like a completely different horse than in the stable.

        "Kennedy? What happened to Lady?" Rachel asked, halting Dawn beside me.

        "Um-I can't ride her today-stop it, Duchess!" I said, not able to give further explanation while I turned Duchess in a circle, trying to keep her from galloping off.

        "This is the new lesson horse, right? Duchess?" Rachel asked. A few pairs of eyes had turned towards me and Duchess by now, including Isabelle, Parker, and Charlie. Jocelyn and Paige were the only ones still warming up, which was what everything else should be doing, not watching me struggle to control a high-strung horse.

        "Yeah-Duchess, if you try that one more time-" I abruptly cut off my sentence as I decided to just let her trot, to try and burn off some of this excess energy. How she had this much, I had no clue. As soon as I gave her the slightest release, she sprung into a springy trot that was surprisingly smooth, even if it was a bit rushed. As soon as I began to relax and stop holding her back quite so much, she sprung forward again, trying to bolt off as I regathered my reins. This would be an interesting week, that was for certain.

So.. there's Chapter Thirteen at last. As I said before, please comment any ideas you have! I have chapters Fifteen, Sixteen, and Seventeen to cover. Any ideas you comment will be taken into consideration, and I'll try to use it if it fits with the plot. Also, Rachel is pictured up top.

Glorybringer1163