Jasper 1

Jasper's head shot straight up as a peal of thunder shook the ground below him. Storm clouds were already gathering, the field growing dark surprisingly fast. The sky was an angry sort of grey, the once blue, peaceful sky now completely gone. How Jasper hadn't noticed the storm rolling in, he had no idea. But it was definitely here now. His tail flicked, his ears immediately pinning back against his head. He'd been staying on the outer edges of the fields he roamed in, wanting a break from the sound of ringing bells, even though there was one tied to him now. It jingled as he turned his head, searching the open spaces around him. No shelter in sight.

But he knew where to find some. There were plenty of human-made shelters near their weird settlement. He'd probably have to deal with chatty ponies, but that was alright. It was better than being stuck out in the rain, with the thunder and lightning. If he was being truthful, he mostly didn't want to be out in the open when lightning struck. It never failed to spook him. It had gotten dangerously close to him once before, and the feeling of the electricity in the air, the rush of noise and light, and the entire world trembling... He never wanted to deal with that again if he could help it.

With a shake of his head, Jasper was off. His hooves pounded into the dirt in a steady rhythm, carrying him across the fields in long, easy strides. Even with the threat of the storm overhead, he could still enjoy the feeling of the cold wind in his mane, the feeling of the ground passing beneath his hooves fast enough to carry him to safety. Jasper threw up mud behind him, but he kept going, glad for once that his tail was short. At least he wouldn't get any mud in it.

Another thunderclap crashed over his ears, and Jasper startled, not noticing the warning of the lightning behind him. The second his focus was broken, he slipped in the mud, barely able to keep his hooves underneath him. It nearly caused him to go down completely, losing traction with his back hooves, his hind end tucking underneath him as he slid. He had to kick off hard with his back legs, jumping clumsily over the muddy patch, but mercifully landing on his hooves. He was back to running within seconds, no longer precise and feeling like he was floating, as he commonly felt when cantering about the fields. It was a rushed gallop, his strides uneven, trying to stay on patches of grass that looked solid. His teeth were gritted, eyes wide as he couldn't stop himself from glancing up at the sky every few seconds, more scared than he would ever admit.

Jasper was heaving for breath now, his nostrils flaring. But the shelters were in sight now. He was almost there. The feeling of a raindrop landing on his back made his coat twitch. He extended his stride as much as he could without risking slipping again, his eyes squinted against the wind as it suddenly picked up, more and more rain pelting him as he galloped towards the shelters. They were getting bigger as he got closer, and he angled himself towards one of the smaller ones near the corner of the huge paddock. Maybe that one would be empty.

He ignored the startled looks of the other Cobs he passed, staring after him. Some are confused, some are understanding. A few are sympathetic. Jasper finally forced himself to slow down as he approached the side of the stall, managing to slow to a trot as he rounded the little building, his sides still heaving as he finally relaxed. He was out of the rain and safe; he could wait out the storm in the shelter, which was thankfully empty. Jasper paced for a few minutes, letting his breathing even out, before shaking out his coat.

Within a few minutes, he was lying down in the long, soft, and dry grass, watching the storm clouds pass overhead. It took quite some time for the storm to pass, and Jasper huddled in the corner of the shelter as the worst of it was overhead, snorting in agitation as the flashes of lightning lit the dark sky out of his little safe haven. But he managed, as he always did.

Finally, the sky was growing light once again, and the rain slowed to just a drizzle. Jasper decided to wait for a while longer, wanting to see if it would peter out anytime soon. If he could stay dry, he would. The sight of a butterfly was almost as surprising as the sudden storm, fluttering into the shelter. It seemed to want to get out of the rain, too. Jasper kept his ears trained on it, watching it as it got closer to him. He snorted as it landed on his nose, feeling its tiny legs on his skin. He could no longer see it, but he knew it meant him no harm. Jasper stayed still, breathing softly. He and his new friend could wait out the last of the rain together; that worked perfectly for him.