Written in the Stars

Entry One - The Livestream

 

A foggy afternoon, with a grumpy stallion, and an ever adoring gelding. The rain was pouring, and when the wind blew, it came in through the stable window, earning a disgusted snort from the gelding. He is so shockingly opposed to the natural weathers for such a sturdy pony, and a lot of people find it ironic. I find it rather entertaining, but never-ending lay irritating when I’m trying to make sure he gets to stretch his legs in winter weather.

 

Sat in the corner of Parakeet’s stall as he munched on his hay, I was scrolling across various social medias in attempt to curb my boredom. He was watching me with mild interest, but still enjoying his food much more. The music from the radio was useless in entertaining me, the average popular stuff that was played on repeat again, and again, and again. It was truly a miserable day.

 

What do people do on a miserable day? Start trying to do less miserable things, like look at ponies for sale or adoption and realise you really shouldn’t be. Self-indulgence can be good for the soul, however. I was just scrolling through the website I often use when I got a message from a constantly buzzing group chat.

 

| KODAAAA!!! 💗 (@kodazpaws)

HAVE ANY OF YOU SEEN THE LIVESTREAM OF ONE OF THE NEW ADOPTION TEDDY HERDS??

 

| Cain (@vyvi.in.vain)

Nope

What are they like?

Cute, I’m assuming

 

| KODAAAA!!! 💗 (@kodazpaws)

Cu- yea beat me to it

There’s such a gorgeous gelding ohhh he’s got such a silly face I love him

 

| You // Asra ~ 🌌 💫 (@howmanystarsarethere)

Oo, what colours are there?

 

| KODAAAA!!! 💗 (@kodazpaws)

The one I’m looking at is a palomino, but I think you’d like one of the mares, she’s a black splash with blue eyes

She’d fit your whole starry thing you like :))

OOOO she’d be super cute next to Atlas and Parakeet oh my gosh

 

| Jade ??? (@bitingyou)

What did I miss

 

| KODAAAA!!! 💗 (@kodazpaws)

TEDDIES!!!!

Tryna convince RaRa to come with me to try for one :3c

 

| You // Asra ~ 💫 (@howmanystarsarethere)

So THAT was your plan. Send me the link I’ll have a look

 

Glancing up at Parakeet, now eyeing me suspiciously, I chuckled and stood up, feeding him a stray herbal treat I had left in my pocket. He snuffled it up swiftly, chewing the food with a soft snort and gentle whinny as he nudged my pocket. When I showed him they were now empty, he seemed utterly devastated, turning and wandering over to the other side of the stall to Atlas, my taller stallion that had swiftly become Parakeet’s safety blanket - and in this instance, therapist.

 

When Koda sent me the link to the video, I clicked onto it and could immediately see why he wanted me to see this black mare so badly. With two pale blue eyes like ice and an onyx coat painted with a delicate splash mark, this pony was a stunner. Going into the description of the video, I could loosely link her to her information - a ten-hands-high mare, possible showing prospect, currently known as Azurite. Unsurprisingly, one of my favourites.

 

Alongside the mare was a taller gelding, a palomino tobiano with a crisp white mane - no doubt the one Koda likes. To be fair, alongside Bear, that gelding would be going to a very good home. Koda loved to fuss over his ponies and show them off, letting the scruffy creatures do whatever they wanted - a way of life I enjoy seeing for them. Whilst the way we treat our horses at home is a little bit more high-maintenance, I like being able to proudly say they are still horses at heart.

 

| You // Asra ~ 🌌 💫 (@howmanystarsarethere)

See, what would my father say if I asked to get another pony?

 

| KODAAAA!!! 💗 (@kodazpaws)

‘Kiddo, what on earth would you do with it?’

 

| You // Asra ~ 🌌 💫 (@howmanystarsarethere)

Scarily accurate

 

I stood up, daring to venture into the rain. Giving Parakeet a handful of hay from off the floor, a scratch behind the ears and a kiss on the forehead, I made my way out of the stall, down the barn and into the rain. Having pulled my hood around my face as best as I could, I jogged as fast as I could without risking falling until I was safely under the roof of the manor I call my home.

 

The conversation was pretty much as expected from my father - what would you do with another pony? His tone was friendly, genuinely curious, and luckily, I’d done some thinking.

 

Such a stunning, flashy cob would be perfect for royalty - a queen, a king, a prince, a princess. Whilst Parakeet was the comedic Messenger, what would be better than a royal pony that was cherished and held as though an heir to the throne? Any prince without a pony was a miserable prince. And then I could dress her up in silver and jewels, in pretty silks and costumes - whilst spending hours on her mane.

 

Fortunately, my father is the easiest to win over when it comes to little cobs we can pamper, and he agreed - our recent lot of horses-in-training had been successfully sold to their new homes, and that meant we had free stables, and a few new helpers around who were in training themself. A surprisingly successful situation. Now the only thing we need to hope for is Azurite’s successful claiming.

 

I debated going back to Parakeet and Atlas, but the wind howling further along decided against it for me, so I instead situated myself in my bedroom, right as I got a video call from Koda, Vyvien and Jade. I doubted Vyvi and Jay would actually join, but when I clicked to accept, they were apparently the only two in it so far - Koda joined shortly after.

 

‘Hey, guys-‘ I started, before being swiftly interrupted.

 

‘Asra! Did you talk to your dad? What did he say? My ma says she can drive us up there if we want to try for the ponies,’ Koda stated, his voice slightly muffled from his microphone being bashed around as he evidently climbed up the stairs to his own room.

 

‘Give the guy a minute, jeez. He just got here,’ Jade rolled his eyes, chuckling quietly. His phone was neatly propped up on his desk as he studied, probably for his criminology exams. Either that, or writing a book that he’d swore he’d put on the side to study. His green eyes flicked up to the camera, laughing sharply at Koda’s dejected expression. ‘Hey, lighten up, sunflower. Just breathe before you talk enough for all of us.’

 

‘Yes boss,’ Koda scoffed, putting his own phone on the bed. I glanced at Vyvien’s camera, and they were sat in a similar position to Jay, but painting rather than studying. ‘Well? Anyway? Did you, Ra?’

 

‘Yes, I did, as a matter of fact. He agreed. Won him over with the good old royalty pony stuff - I’ve been meaning to write more scripts for Victorian re-enactments,’ I explained briefly, only for Vyvien to laugh.

 

‘You seriously just did that because that means she’s all yours, even in performances. You always play the Prince or King when there’s a role for it,’ Though his voice was fond, his expression was teasing and his words… unfortunately true.

 

‘And she’d be good at it,’ I persuaded. ‘At least I’m looking at this sensibly.’

 

‘Sensibly. Yep, sure.’

 

Entry Two - The Gathering

 

‘You, sir, are obnoxiously early,’ Koda stared up at me from where he lay tangled in bed sheets, wearing fluffy pyjamas and having only just woken up. His mother had let me into the house, and said Koda was still asleep, and asked if I’d be so kind as to wake him. I, gracious as ever, took this as a sign to terrorise him a little bit. ‘Really, really obnoxiously early.’

 

Having opened the curtains to the blinding sunlight and started up a recording of some violin practise of mine, I stood peering over the bed, occasionally poking the slowly stirring man.

 

‘Koda, beloved, it’s almost ten o’clock. We’re late.’ I glanced at my watch, before giving him a sidelong glance. ‘Now get up before your mother decides you’re too exhausted to take on extra work, and I’m a shameful butler.’

 

As he slid out of the bed, he aimed a languid kick at my shin, nudging at me to show his irritation. I was quickly shoved out of the room, and ten minutes of grumbling and complaining later, Koda re-emerged and was finally ready to go.

 

‘Are you two actually trying for these ponies, or are you expecting to tie a bell in their hair themself?’ His mother called, unlocking the door and opening it.

 

‘Coming, ma!’ Koda shouted, grabbing my wrist and pulling me down the stairs behind him.

 

The car journey dragged; it felt like it was going for hours. Koda was far more enthusiastic than me about sitting around for so long - I’m to assume it’s because of the tons of coffee he’s inhaled in the past two hours. His never-ending ranting was on and on, drowning out the music as he talked about various things. Koda had, however, given me his Nintendo switch to play some games on, fully aware I wasn’t listening to him as I ran around in Animal Crossing.

 

‘So, basically, my plan is to try and get a bell in Jasper’s mane this evening, while the sun’s going down - it should be quieter? Unless everyone’s had that idea. And then you can come with me to try with Azurite, but you might have to play a bit of tag, because she likes to play around-‘ I tried my hardest to listen, I really did, but his enthusiasm far outweighed my ability to not fall asleep, and that in itself made me tired.

 

When we got to the woodland county, it took all of Koda’s restraint to not just leap out of the car and sprint to where the livestream was currently saying the location was. Skipping and jumping ever so subtly as we walked down the path, his mother a little way ahead, it was my turn to talk - take two of trying to explain traditional navigation to people. In the night you would use the stars, noting down what was to the north, look out for the North Star, and find your way there eventually. Then in the day, you use the sun. Simple. Ish. I remember walking in circles when I was first trying to figure out how to flawlessly map out the Manor grounds around my home when I was old enough to explore it on my own.

 

I could tell he wasn’t processing anything I said, but talking managed to make the walk seem a bit shorter - before we knew it, we’d found the herd, and were joining the group observing the claimers. Koda was stood on the fence line, eyes flicking through the ponies until he started shaking my shoulder, pointing at Jasper.

 

‘There he is! And Azurite’s next to him. Aren’t they adorable together?!’ He exclaimed, eyes wide. I’ve always admired his enthusiasm for just about anything that moves, and this was one of them times. I nodded silently, tying my hair in a ponytail to be able to move around and see when we went to meet the ponies.

 

| KODAAAA!!! 💗 (@kodazpaws)

Guys guys guys guys we’re here they’re so cute

Sobs I love them so much. Creatures

 

| Jade ??? (@bitingyou)

How r your ears asra

 

| You // Asra ~ 🌌 💫 (@howmanystarsarethere)

Thoroughly overworked, thank you for asking

 

| KODAAAA!!! 💗 (@kodazpaws)

I did NOT talk that much

 

| You // Asra ~ 🌌 💫 (@howmanystarsarethere)

Of course not dear :)

 

Koda shot me a glare before pocketing his phone, vaulting over the fence and helping me down after. He handed me a ribbon, stringing a silver bell onto it before doing the same to his own. He went jumping off to find Jasper once more, leaving me to follow in the dust silently. Azurite had drifted away from Jasper by now, and I was off to find her by the lake.

 

The black splash mare was drinking from the water, ears twitching and occasionally her food pawing at the reflection. The dusk light was reflecting the colouring onto her coal coat, the night-like pony gazing at into the distance.

 

She truly was a beautiful horse - tiny, even by Teddy standards, but you could see in her eyes there was a beautiful curiosity just for the world around her. Azurite stood squarely, naturally in a neat position that any judge at a show would adore. The perfect pony - and perhaps Parakeet’s new favourite companion.

 

I slowly approached her, clicking my tongue slightly and whispering as I approached. Her ears flickered back at me, her head tilted slightly as she turned around, stepping closer.

 

‘Hi, gorgeous. You’re beautiful, aren’t you?’ I murmured softly. To my surprise, she stepped closer again, nuzzling me. Not many cobs I’d met before in the wild had been like this - Parakeet needed a tiny bit of persuasion, but Azurite was lovely. She pushed her muzzle into my chest, letting out a soft snort of contentment before trotting away, pawing at the ground again and lying down. She rolled for a moment before looking at me, whinnying gently, as if to beckon me closer.

 

Debating whether or not this precious little cob was more akin to a kelpie than a gentle soul, I stepped forwards, bell jingling quietly beside me. She nudged my legs, biting at my coat and pulling me down to kneel next to her. The little mare cuddled into me, snorting happily and nudging for me to sit with her. The delicate way her black and white eyelashes fluttered was like a painting, her picturesque appearance breathtaking in the moonlight. The sky grew darker, the stars brighter, and the mare simply sleepier.

 

I gently brushed her mane through my fingers, braiding the bell into it with the softest touch I can. My phone, however, was the only thing disturbing us - it buzzed and buzzed, no doubt Koda telling me to hurry up, because we’d be late for our dinner reservation. I shut it down, fully ignoring the texts and phone calls that were so obviously trying to get my attention. The mare pressed her face into my lap, her ears flicking as she dreamt. As though our little endeavour was written in the stars.

 

It was a little while until Koda’s mother had to bite the metaphorical bullet and persuade me away from the mare, her little blue eyes watching me stand up after scratching her neck a little more.

 

| KODAAAA!!! 💗 (@kodazpaws)

Getting brutally ghosted

Asra

Asra

Asra

Asra wake up

Please I’m starving to death over here

 

| Jade ??? (@bitingyou)

What’s he doing?? Where is he???

 

| KODAAAA!!! 💗 (@kodazpaws)

Cuddling with a wild pony :/

 

| Cain (@vyvi.in.vain)

Tell him to go home and cuddle with his own wild pony

Went to check on Parakeet and he was lonely

 

| You // Asra ~ 🌌 💫 (@howmanystarsarethere)

I highly doubt he was lonely with Atlas in there

 

| KODAAAA!!! 💗 (@kodazpaws)

YORUE AWAKE!!!!!

 

| You // Asra ~ 🌌 💫 (@howmanystarsarethere)

Your mum grabbed me

Got tired of your grumbling, no doubt

 

| KODAAAA!!! 💗 (@kodazpaws)

Ha-ha /sar

Love you too

But not if you leave me to starve again

 

I put my phone down as Koda got into view, having listened to his mother admire how well that pony took to me. Apparently, Koda’s time with Jasper was far more temperamental, and a game of hide-and-seek seemed to have happened - so what they had told me would happen with each of the respective ponies was actually reversed.

 

‘Hey! Do you know how long I’ve been stood here?! We’re gonna miss dinner!’ He called over, sitting on the fence. I bit back a comment about how he wasn’t actually standing, and he narrowed his eyes as though expecting it already.

 

‘Well, you know how it is. Ponies love me,’ I smiled slightly, shrugging humbly. He flicked my forehead when I got close enough, and I chuckled softly, scaling the fence and pulling him off. ‘Whatever. We ready?’

 

Dinner was relaxing, a quiet way to end the day - pizza in the restaurant, but because of how late we were, they were closing halfway through our meal, so we ended up retreating to the rooms and watching a movie. Koda picked The Conjuring, fully aware he’d be too terrified to sleep on his own afterwards - so essentially, he had waited until he knew someone was going to be able to be terrified with him, and chose to victimise me. That was just my luck, but I was well-versed in the process. It was typical - I think it was just a way to impress Vyvien by watching so the scary movies he likes, but if it works, it works.

 

Tomorrow, we would set our sights on being average tourists - looking around the village nearby, sampling different foods, buying random trinkets or silly looking ornaments as a trophy. After we’d had our fun, we would go back to the Teddy herd to check our claims, and decide whether or not to give it another go or let the little ponies go to their hopeful homes. With Jade, it’d be likely we’d leave it be, but with Koda, the ponies would definitely be beckoned over once more.