[claim] marvin in a meadow

The sun had all but disappeared from view by the time the last bell was tied into a mane. Most of the visitors to the hillside had left, leaving just a small handful still roaming the countryside in search of a pony to take home.

A small, shaggy pony, its rose grey coat gleaming almost pink in the late afternoon light, stood in the centre of a wildflower meadow. Its head rose as Li approached, and she froze. This was the one she'd been hoping to see all day. She could hear her father's footsteps behind her, trampling through the brush, and she called softly, "Shh, dad- he's right here."

The noises stopped. Sun Yee, a few metres behind her, felt his heart rate rise at the sight of the pony. His daughter had done nothing but obsess over the small creature for weeks on end- drawings, photos, and even a heartfelt try at embroidery of the little beast covered the walls of his home. He'd warned Li that they might not even come across him today; the ponies, after all, had the full park range to graze, and visitors were only allowed to go on foot within the bounds. There was no guarantee that they'd even be as lucky as to see  the gelding, let alone approach him successfully. He'd given in to Li's pleading to at least give it a try, and he'd even brought camping gear with him in case they needed to stay the night in the park.

Slowly, carefully, Li reached into her pocked and pulled a peppermint from it. She'd read the guide cover to cover - the Complete Guide to Teddy Cobs was lovingly earmarked and plastered in Post-It notes - and had decided her approach from the list recommended in chapter seven - Cob Capture. She held her hand out towards the gelding, rustling the peppermint wrapper gently. "Hey, boy," she whispered.

The pony's leg trembled, and Li prayed he wouldn't bolt. "Hi, buddy," she said quietly. "Hey there." She rustled the wrapper again, talking the whole time, and the gelding's leg stopped shaking. He lowered his head slightly, and though Li couldn't see his eyes under his enormously bushy forelock, she knew she had his attention.

His curiosity overcame him and he took a small step towards the girl, then another. When he was just inches from her hand, he stopped, sniffing at the treat.

Sun Yee watched as Li reached out with her other hand, unwrapping the peppermint and offering it to the pony. The gelding lipped it from her palm, and the sound of rhythmic crunching filled the air. The gelding moved forward, nosing at Li's pockets, and she giggled, pulling more treats from them. Sun Yee watched with a combination of pride and worry; if the bell didn't stay in the pony's mane, he knew Li would be heartbroken.