jasper

The pony was so close that Iris could feel his breath on her outstretched palm. Warm, curious eyes were locked on hers, one orange ear pricked forward and one white ear flicking uncertainly. He took one miniscule step closer, blowing gently, and Iris realised she was holding her breath. 

 

"Raaah!" A sudden cry split the air and the pony spun on his haunches, leaping into the foliage and taking off at a full gallop. The dull thudding of his hooves in the turf and the violent jingling of the bell already braided into his mane faded away. Iris whirled around, looking for the source of the yell.

 

A rustle in the bushes to her northeast had her whipping towards the sound, and she saw a flash of bright yellow as the culprit vanished from view. Whoever it was, they seemed to be travelling in the opposite direction of the pony. Iris didn't have time to both track the stallion and the mystery yeller. She let out a growl of frustration and reached down to adjust her sock before picking up a jog along the trail of destroyed brush the stallion had left in his wake.

 

As she followed the chestnut's tracks, Iris wondered who in their right mind had taken the time to follow her - or the stallion- and, more importantly, what motive they'd have to scare him away. She supposed it might be a child, one who may have found it funny to spook the horses on the range, but she suspected something slightly more planned out and vindictive. She had a feeling it'd be whoever had braided the yellow bell ribbon into the stallion's mane.

 

Her suspicions were proved correct when, nearly an hour later, she'd tracked the pony down again and she noticed a flash of yellow in the bushes to the far side of the pony. Iris had no idea how the yellow-clad individual had beat her to the pony or why they were still following him. Ducking behind a tree, she watched for a few minutes, but the other person never emerged from the bushes. Iris wondered if they were there specifically to scare the pony away whenever she was able to approach, and formulated a plan.

 

Stepping out of her boots, she stepped sock-footed onto the damp grass. Her boots, though comfortable, were heavy and likely to send sticks snapping beneath her feet. For this exercise, she needed as much silence as she could afford herself. Grimacing slightly as the dew seeped through her socks and wet her toes, she thanked her lucky stars that she'd brought an extra pair.

 

Slipping quietly between the trees, she circled around where the stallion had lowered his head to graze and eventually made her way round to behind where the yellow-jacketed person was hiding. Their hood was up, and they were facing the pony. They crouched stock-still behind a series of medium-height bushes. Iris moved forward gently, sneaking up behind them.

 

She must have made a noise, because the person in the yellow jacket began to turn towards her. Iris rushed forward and pushed them to the ground, hand over their mouth.

 

"Do not scream. I swear to god."

 

The woman, as Iris could now see, nodded assent, eyes wide over Iris' hand.

 

Iris removed her hand from the woman's mouth, holding the woman's gaze with a scowl. "What the hell was all that about? Why did you yell earlier? Who are you? Why are you following me?" The questions tumbled from Iris' mouth like a waterfall.

 

"I... that's Jasper. My horse."

 

"Bullshit. That's one of the claimable stallions. He doesn't belong to anyone," Iris hissed. "You don't get to scare him off from other people just because you want him the most. I take it that's your yellow ribbon in his mane?"