Trying to Tie a Ribbon

Lani stood straight, swallowing as he thought over the words his father said. If he could tie a claiming bell into the mane of the horse he saw, he would happily increase the size of the stable. He only had room for Mrs. Magnolia and Spaghet right now, but he would love another horse. Love that beautiful stallion he saw standing out in the pasture, grazing lazily. It didn't seem bothered by the noise and excitement of everything around it, quietly traveling through the other teddies to find a better placement of grass. Lani leaned his weight forward, arching his head slightly to the side as he watched the stallion move. His movements were lazy, bored with the grass in front of him.

 

When the horse raised its head, Lani just stared. His eyes met the horse's own; a complex, firm expression crossed the beautiful creature's face, and Lani tried to breathe in slowly, wanting to take it in, before he nodded. That was the one he would tie the bell to; he had a few in his pockets, but this one, he wanted ot tie all four of them to him. Lani stepped forward, carefully placing one foot in front of the other as he pushed himself to the fence line. It was hard enough trying to figure out how he was going to get close enough to the stallion, the horse nestled in the midst of the herd, and as far from any fence line that you could go. 

 

"Hey, bud," Lani spoke as softly as he always did, raising his head slightly when he saw the horse turn, as if aware he was being called to. Lani tried to suppress the excitement that flared in his chest. He wasn't a lost cause with trying to get this stallion, and he hoped that his gentle words and tone would draw him closer. He smiled more, shoving over the fence in one swift motion despite the call he heard his mother give. Clara was always a worry-some mother, and while Lani had the confidence, she did not. His father, Yni've, gently placed his hand on his shoulder, shaking his head with a slight smile. His son could tame the stallion; he was sure of that, despite the herd's presence.

 

Lani approached as calmly as he could, eyes sparkling with joy at the prospect of getting to the stallion, possibly claiming him as his own. His eyes flickered across the mares and horses he was interested in, but not his dream. Not the beautiful horse that now took a few curious steps towards him. He tilted his head slightly, smiling more as the woolly boy bounced towards him. His trot was floaty, smooth, and something that Magnolia, despite Lani's love for her, didn't have. He smiled more as the stallion curiously approached, almost arching its own body to resemble the hearted wings and curious stance that Lani had. A smile spread across his lips, releasing a low, soft laugh as he reached his hand forward, softly trying to touch the wild horse's nose, something that his mother certainly would have fainted over. 

 

"Hello," Lani whispered, his voice soft, comforting, a gentle tone that rang out like honey as he offered the back of his hand, the soft chime of a bell steady in the silence that seemed to linger after the gentle greeting. The stallion arched his head again, snorting quietly and shaking his mane and body for a moment before finally pressing his nose gently into the back of Lani's hand. A loud, low snort escaped his nose, gently pressing closer before finally drawing away, a calm, curious movement. Lani smiled more, his eyes shimmering as if he'd won something he could have only imagined. He reached forward, fingers trembling as he took a piece of the stallion's mane, watching for any sign of discomfort or attempts to flee, his eyes keyed tight to the horse's expression.

 

He watched cautiously as the horse yawned, then shook itself, finally lowering its head to the ground to start grazing beside Lani, slowly moving along as it ate. Lani smiled, glancing out towards his mother and father, his father giving a confident smile and wave. Lani took a few steps forward, carefully, before finally reaching his fingers through the mane he had been staring at. He worked his way through a few fairyknots, slowly to the top, before he began to gently braid down, softly tracing each movement as he tried to focus on breathing, on keeping his excitement low. 

 

The horse was letting him put a claiming bell in his mane!

 

The ribbon was pink, bright as Magnolia's tack, and as much as Lani's dreams. He slowly drew away as he felt the soft tug of the stallion trying to find a different spot, more plentiful grass after the ribbon was neatly curled and tight in his mane.

 

Lani rushed back to his parents, quickly stepping up to the top of the fence, staring out at the stallion that slowly walked away, slowly grazed, and began to fade back into the herd. A smile spread across his lips. 

 

"I'm going to have one just like him one day, so nice, so sweet. I hope it's him." The breath was a promise to return, to search for his ribbon and tie a new one if it felt. He would come back.