Love Letter - Claim Continued
CONTINUED...
Time passed slowly, and for a long while, the young boy and the red stallion simply watched the sea, observed the rhythm of the waves settling hypnotically, the white foam rushing forward and hissing across the sand, until it eventually retreated in a soft, dragging whisper. Overhead, a pair of seagulls wheeled and cried, their shadows sliding briefly across the beach before dissolving into the brightness. The pony lay with his legs tucked neatly beneath him and his head low, his eyes half-lided and sleepy yet alert enough in the typical quiet way of animals that never fully slept. The wind moved through his mane, lifting short strands of dark red and letting them fall again, and every now and then, his tail flicked lazily against the sand.
The kid hummed under his breath, the sound blending with the ocean. He had lost track of time completely, the way he often did when something felt peaceful enough; but eventually, the light began to shift. The sun had climbed higher now, brightening the water until it shimmered silver, as the breeze warmed slightly. Somewhere far down the beach, he could see a couple walking, their figures small and blurry against the wide stretch of sand. Daniel blinked, suddenly aware of the long list of chores that still awaited him back home. "Oh poop-", he murmured mostly to himself, pushing his glasses back up his nose and glancing toward the duness, where the path led back towards town, "I should probably go home soon."
The stallion's ear flicked towards him, as if he understood every single word. Daniel shifted slowly, brushing some sand from his legs, before standing up slowly. "Well-", he said, looking down at the pony, "I guess this is where we say goodbye." The pony lifted his head a tad more, but didn't move otherwise. The ginger-haired child crouched and stroked the teddy's strong curve of his neck, his small fingers tracing the line where the darker dorsal stripe ran along his back. "I had fun-", he admitted softly, "You're really good at tag, even if you cheat a little." The stallion exhaled, warm breath against Daniel's wrist. The kid hesitated for a moment, then gave his shoulder one last affectionate pat and turned towards the dunes. "Bye bye, heart-butt.", he added, grinning to himself as he started walking.
The sand was warmer now, the surface already beginning to dry under the strengthening sun. Daniel swung his shoes in one hand and followed the faint path that wound upwards through the grasses. But after a few steps, he heard something behind him: a soft steady sound in the sand, unmistakably the sound of hooves following him. Daniel turned, and yep - the stallion was walking after him, following at an easy, relaxed pace with his head level and curious ears forward. The boy angled his head, "You're coming?", he asked, staring at the red dun. The pony then stopped, Daniel taking a step forward to approach. A laugh bubbled out of him before he could stop it, "Are you serious?" He turned fully now, walking backwards a few paces, studying the stallion's squishy face. The pony blinked at him, his expression calm and open, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.
"Do you want to follow me home?" The stallion tilted his head slightly to one side. The gesture was small, but it was so unmistakably curious that Daniel felt another burst of delighted laughter escape him. "Okay, okay-", he said, holding up both hands, "Let me explain." The kid then approached once more, keeping his voice calm and steady like he always did around animals in order not to scare them off; "My dad works at a stable. It's not far from the beach. Just past the road and the fields." The stallion's ears flicked forward. "There are big paddocks!", Daniel continued, gesturing vaguely inland, "Grass and shelter. And a lot of other ponies! All of them Teddy Cobs, just like you." The pony shifted his weight, evidently still listening. "And I know how to take care of you-", the boy added quickly, as if that part were important, "I help all the time. I muck out stalls and fill water buckets and brush the ponies. And I can ride... not the big fancy jumping yet, but I'm good. Papa says I have good hands."
The stallion finally stepped closer, and Daniel reached out automatically, letting his fingers rest against the pony's forehead. "You wouldn't have to run from the wind all the time.", he then said more quietly, "Or look for food. You'd have hay and nd grain... and someone who scratches the itchy spots." The stallion's lower lip loosened slightly, the way relaxed horses sometimes did. Daniel smiled, "And you'd have me." The pony didn't react, so Daniel took a step back towards the dune path... and only then did the stallion lift his head, following immediately. Daniel's grin widened, "Well-", he laughed, "I guess that's a yes?"
The duo then climbed the sandy rise together, Daniel still barefoot with the shoes swinging at his side, a wild stallion steady behind him, his white-splashed leggies bright against the golden grass slowly coming into view. At the top of the dune, Daniel finally paused and looked back at the pony and the ocean behind him, stretching wide and glittering underneath the afternoon sun. Then the boy turned back, turned towards home. "Come on boy!", Daniel laughed, "I think you're going to like it-"
