R.I.V.A.L.S//Private

[Emmi ♥]

The thick fog lay over the racetrack like a dirty duvet. The groggy weather moaned as more rain fell from the dark sky. Even though it was summer, the weather was absolutely terrible. Consistent rain had made the racetrack boggy, sloshy and wet.

The dark colt jogged excitedly along the boggy track, his long muscled pistons striking into the mud. Brown splatters painted his white socks and his tail flew out proudly behind his conditioned body. Even though PardonMyFrench was a yearling he was built like a powerhouse - what he missed in height, boy, he didn't miss in muscle.

Ariat boots sloshed through the muddy track. Alice sighed, why was she doing this? Walking the yearling along the track in the middle of a flipping storm! But he did need to familiarise himself with it and walking him out on it seemed the only way. The rain was coming down harder and Frenchie was getting more exctied by the minute, ears pinned against his skull, he leapt forward trying to run free along the track.

"No Frenchie. No!" Alice growled through the rain.

The thick fog blinded her sight and she could hardly make out Frenchie's head, let along the track before them.

Pulling back on Frenchie's leadrope, Alice walked him to the side of the track. She found the rail and rested against it, as Frenchie pawed at the track.

"Frenchie stop it!" Alice called out to him across the rain. But it was too late.

The colt had gone down on his knees and was rolling in the mud and bog.

"Frenchie! Get UP!" Alice growled, shouting through the rain fiercely.

Tugging on the rope, she pulled the Northern Dancer foal up from his feet and sighed at the sight before her.

The colt was absolutely caked in mud. From ear to dock.

[Beckion ♥]

The weather was awful today, but Maria had already organised everything so that Dreamweaver Challenger would get his first glimpse of a track today. She couldn't postpone it, she had so much other stuff to do that this was the only available time. Sighing she pulled the hood of her black tracksuit jacket over her head, a black leather jacket on top of that as she trudged through the rain, fog and dark skies onto the track. A pair of black jodphurs was on her legs, accompanied by ankle length black riding boots. To make sure she was visable she had put a luminous yellow sash on over her jackets, also putting one around Aliby's neck to make him visable too. Now a year old, with so much muscle on him that it was phenominal he was still sleek, Aliby stood at a towering fifteen point three hands. He'd definately grow up to be a big boy when he was done.

Aliby only had a black leather bridle, with a snaffle bit, and a stud chain attached to the bit as well as the reins, both held by one Maria Esperanza. Aliby was a smokey black, and just about visable against the dark weather, looking like a storm himself due to his coat colouring. Ears were flicked back, nostrils flaring and head tossing as he jumped around beside Maria. He was excited more then usual. He wanted to see the storm, to race it and beat it in a huge battle of blood and strength. Maria however had other ideas and forced him to stay at her side.

"Aliby, behave! I am doing this for you, not so I can have some fun getting soaked."

Maria groaned as his hooves pounded against the soggy ground, sending mud flying up her legs and over her boots since he was so close to her. His head was turned to the right towards her, neck arched, ears back and legs snapping high up to his chest and underbelly as his body curved in a semi circle, tail fanned out behind him as he pranced studdishly at Maria's side.

A sigh left Maria's lips as she shook her head, knowing this was going to be hard work.

[Emmi ♥]

Frenchie - still caked in mud - was now jogging, even more excited than before, with Alice tugging hard at the end of the leadrope. The colt champed hard on the metal snaffle that was practically the only thing that was holding him back from galloping freely along the track.

A sigh escaped Alice's lips as she pulled Frenchie back round in a circle to regain control.

"Seriously Frenchie. For God's Sakes! That's engouh!" Alice growled, fed up with the colt's pulling, the horrid weather and the fact that she had come out at this time just to show the colt the racetrack.

Frenchie snorted, pulling forward, his nostrils flared, his long legs pumping in a two time beat as he jogged effortlessly through the mud and bog of the track.

Suddenly he froze. As still as a rabbit in headlights. Neck arched, feet perfectly square, ears pricked, nostrils flaring wider than before, even his tail was lifted high like that of an arab's. He was looking infront of him. Looking through the fog. There was something there that he could see and Alice couldn't.

"What IS it Frenchie!?" Alice mumbled frustratedly.

Frenchie stomped his hoof - sending mud up his own and Alice's legs.

"Stop it! That's enough, come on" Alice tried to pull him forward, but Frenchie was having none of it.

He bobbed his head and stomped his hoof once again. The colt snorted quickly before letting out a horrendous bugle.

[Beckion ♥]

This was NOT how she pictured her friday night. Maria had more important things to do, like sort out her closet and get rid of things in the house that wouldn't be appropriate for her future husband to see or that she didn't want him to see. She had to make space for his stuff, and make things easy for her to pack up her things should she go to live with him. She did not need to deal with the high strung, headstrong pain in the ass colt, such as Aliby.

The second Frenchie froze so did Aliby. His hooves were planted on the wet ground, ears pinned to his skull and dark brown eyes glaring into the fog as he raised his tail higher, puffing out his chest as he flexed every muscle in his body. Maria sighed, now what?! It couldn't be good if Aliby was standing still for the first time ever. Giving a firm tug on the stud chain and reins Maria walked onwards, hoping Aliby would do so too. She didn't bargain on what he did next.

Aliby lurched forwards, tearing the reins and stud chain out of Maria's hands as he did so. Hooves plummetted against the soggy ground as he roared through the fog, ears pinned and pearly whites visable as he neared his target. With one quick motion he was right at Frenchie's side, teeth seeking his neck as he lunged, ears pinned and head high. Maria ran after him, once again, yelling out to anyone that was there, hoping she wasn't too late.

"Watch out! Horse loose!"

[Emmi ♥]

Frenchie bugled again, calling to this 'other' that Alice couldn't see.

"Come on boy, that's enough, I'lltake you back now.."

Just as Alice went to turn, Aliby came tearing along the track.

"Shit!" Alice dived to the side of the track, throwing Frenchie's leadrope over his neck.

As the colt neared, Frenchie bugled again, this time louder and wilder than ever before. He launched upon his hindlegs, and punched his muddy forelegs into the thick fog, screeching fiercely.
He caught Aliby's head and his hooves touched back down, making contact with the muddy track once again. But Aliby was there too quickly and bowled Frenchie over to the middle of the track. Frenchie punched his hindlegs out in a buck, hoping to catch Aliby's chest, before screeching and bolted down the boggy track.

"Maria?" Alice heard the familiar voice.

"Get to the side of the track. Quickly!" Alice boomed across the thick fog and rain, hoping Maria would hear her in time.

[Beckion ♥]

Strands of black silk billowed in the breeze as Aliby threw his head up again, a loud ferocious bugle leaving his ash hued lips as his dark brown eyes made daggers at the dark bay colt infront of him. Strong metal shoes punched the muddy ground, continuously sending mud up the smokey black's legs, chest and underbelly, the bottom of his tail caked in mud too. The wind howled through Aliby's ears, mane and tail, sending them flying left in the direction it was going, making the black silk coat ruffle under its power.

Rain pelted his masculine frame, the fog impairing his vision, but Aliby didn't need his sight. All he needed was his hearing and his smell, and he'd find Frenchie whereever he went. The sound of metal could be heared as Aliby's razor sharp teeth scraped across the bit in his mouth, a firm snort leaving the colt's nostrils as he threw up his head, backing up a stride as Frenchie bucked out towards him. The tips of the bay's hooves scraped along Aliby's growing chest, fortunately just a scratch was left, but even that infuriated the Northern Dancer son beyond belief.

Hooves drilled through the mud as he took off at a gallop after Frenchie, roaring up beside his half brother in seconds. His tail fanned out behind him, the large yearling now pushing his whole weight into Frenchie as Aliby matched the bay stride for stride as he careered onwards on Frenchie's left side. Ears pinned, Aliby flashed his pearly whites again, trying to bite the bay's nose when he lunged.

Maria, hearing a familiar voice followed it to the sidelines, a white fence seperating her from Alice. Oh no. That meant Frenchie must be here and thats what set Aliby off. Damn.

"We have to find them and seperate them, before they hurt each other."

[Emmi ♥]

Alice was so glad to see a friendly face, but scared and nervous that the two colts were out fighting in the thick fog.

"They went that way - at a very high speed!" Alice called out quickly, pointing in the direction that the feuding colts went.

Alice dipped under the white fence and tried to run as fast as she could - without falling over in the mud- to get to the colts as quick as possible.


Frenchie bugled as the colt appeared at his side. Hissing with anger, he snapped white teeth back at Aliby and their heads clashed. Frenchie threw his head skywards and bucked out, moving up a gear, he bolted on faster, flying mud up in Aliby's face. He tossed his head and pinned his ears against his skull as he drove himself forwards. When he knew he had lost Aliby, even for a jsut a second, he skidded to a stop - his white socks now brown with all the mud that caked him - turned on himself and stood, puffing out his chest, nostrils flared. He bugled, just the once to Aliby - almost calling him to war - daring him to come and meet him.

[Beckion ♥]

Aliby had to slow to a canter as mud was thrown in his face. Shaking his head from side to side, he let out a few firm snorts as he did so, removing any mud he could before opening his eyes once more. He could see better now. Eyelashes batted a few times to rid more mud from them and away from his eyes, dark brooding brown eyes now fixed on Frenchie's retreating form. Coward. Within a second the huge smokey black colt had bolted into a gallop again, charging straight for the other Northern Dancer colt. When Frenchie was in view, standing, Aliby skidded to a complete halt. He held his head high, chest puffed out, ears pinned, dark eyes slicing through Frenchie's as he stood squarely, tail held high as he let out a firm snort. The calm before the storm. It was at this point Aliby let out a ferocious war cry, louder then Frenchie's had been, declaring war between the two colts.

Maria sprinted after Alice through the fog, the rain pummelling her feminine frame as she pushed her aching wet body onwards. She hoped to god she had enough strength to handle Aliby, because if she didn't well this wouldn't end well.

After a while Maria spotted the two colts, both caked in mud and their white markings no longer visable. It was Frenchie's white socks and Aliby's white star that weren't visable. They looked exactly the same, only Frenchie had a ripple of mahogany on his coat whilst Aliby's coat was still a rather stormy black so they could just about be told apart by their owners. Anyone else wouldn't have been able to tell who was who. Maria raced over to Aliby's side and picked up the muddy reins and stud chain which had been trailing along behind him. Giving a firm tug on them both she cirled the colt on a semi circle so his back was facing Frenchie, breaking the eye contact.

"Behave."

[Emmi ♥]

Frenchie tossed his head, eyeing up Aliby. He bugled and stomped his hoof, mud splattered up, hitting his underbelly.

Alice arrived, following Maria and waited until Maria had got Alibly before trudging up to Frenchie and grabbing the leadrope that was caked in mud.

"That's enough! Alice growled, so fed up with the horrible situation she had put herself into.

Frenchie simply snorted. Alice tugged the rope and he followed quietly behind like nothing had happened.

"Will you be alright, leading Aliby Maria?" Alice asked.

"If you need any help, I'll come back and lead him with you..."

As Frenchie was led away, he turned his head back and gave the other colt one last piercing look before turning back and walking beside his owner.

[Beckion ♥]

Aliby threw up his head, bugling fiercely as his black forelock flew upwards with the motion before landing back on his forehead between his eyes. Maria sighed, giving the smokey black colt a firm tug on the reins and stud chain before looking over her shoulder at the equally stunning dark bay colt Frenchie. Maria nodded at Alice as she spoke,

"I should be fine. Will you?"

Maria replied gently, the rain pouring over her and Aliby as they stood in the muddy ground of the track. Maria would hate to tbe the groundskeeper for this track. It would take ages to get it back to decent ground for racing. It was supposed to be a turf track, but due to all this mud it was now a dirt one. Ah well, it wasn't her problem.

Aliby gave a firm snort, pearly whites grazing against the bit as he flexed every muscle in his body, puffing out his chest to show he was at the top of the food chain and better then Frenchie. Maria was just relieved he wasn't pulling at her arm sockets for once. Maria watched Frenchie and Alice go before leading Aliby the opposite way, hoping with training he'd become a better horse to handle.