Unexpected Item in Hacking Area
Jun 10, 2020 21:52:29 GMT
astudyinscarlet, capriole, and 3 more like this
Post by helen1983 on Jun 10, 2020 21:52:29 GMT
I've posted this in the Just Julips forum but I was very aware that there are some people who don't have Facebook so I'm posting this here. Hope you enjoy!
Claire and Charlotte can't wait for a hack out on Bear and Taffy, but as is the norm with these two, nothing is ever simple...
Story1 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
"Where d'you fancy going today, Clairey?"
Charlotte's voice emanated from the stable yard to where Claire was; she was tacking Bear up as he lipped at her fingers.
Story2 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
"Bear, stop! Erm...not sure, did you have anywhere in mind?"
"I really fancy going for a hack up to St Hilary, past the Cross Inn, you know, through the woods. After that storm the other day there's bound to be some trees down...great jumping practice!"
Claire brightened. "Sounds great!"
Story3 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
Soon they were on their way, Bear and Taffy blowing softly with the exertion; it was a warm day and they hadn't been out for a while. Claire and Charlotte hadn't known each other long, but were fast becoming good friends. They chattered as they sauntered through the woodlands, Bear popping in a spook here and there for good measure.
"Honestly!" Claire nudged Bear on after another spook. "He's such a baby."
Charlotte giggled. "He reminds me of Scooby Doo when he jumps into ****gy's arms!"
Story4 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
They both laughed and carried on, and Claire pointed into the distance.
"There's a good one, look! Must have fallen hard!"
They cantered up to it, Taffy taking the lead, and popped it boldly with his usual enthusiasm.
Story5 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
Bear took a good hard look at the log before deciding to cat leap over it, nearly unseating Claire in the process.
"Gosh!" she gasped as she caught up with Charlotte and Taffy. "That was hairy!"
Story6 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
As they slowed to a trot, Bear spooked again and rooted himself to the spot, his gaze fixed on the undergrowth.
"Easy, Bear, what's the matter?" Claire slipped her hand beneath his long mane and rubbed his damp neck reassuringly. She nudged him on but he stood firm, huffing and snorting.
"There's something in that bush he doesn't like," said Charlotte.
Story7 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
"Hold him for me, would you?" Claire dismounted and approached the bush and cried out in surprise.
"What is it?" asked Charlotte, alarmed.
Story8 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
"More like, who is it," said Claire, parting the leaves to reveal a tiny trembling fox cub. "What are you doing here, gorgeous?"
"Claire!" gasped Charlotte. "Oh my gosh!"
Claire grimaced and made a face, withdrawing her hand to reveal blood. "He's injured and covered in fleas. We can't leave him here!"
"What'll we do?"
Claire stared wildly around. "I'll put him in my jacket, wrap my scarf around him."
The fox cub yelped as Claire's gentle hands lifted him from the undergrowth, but he didn't bite or snap.
"Poor little thing, he's got a cut on his hind leg."
Story9 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
Claire tucked the fox cub into her jacket and remounted Bear. The cub's little foxy face peered out with bright eyes, and Charlotte couldn't help but laugh.
"You look like one of those mums with the baby slings," she giggled. "A little fox baby!"
Story10 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
They walked steadily back to the yard, and as they neared the gate, Claire stopped.
"We'll have to sneak him past Sally," she said. "She'll go mental if we bring a fox in here, what with the rabbits, and the cats might catch fleas."
"Oh, yeah," said Charlotte. "We could distract her?" She sighed, seeing Claire's expression. "Okay, you mean I can distract her. I'll head in first and ask her to look at Taffy's hoof, say he's got something in it."
Story11 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
Charlotte nudged Taffy into a long striding walk ahead of Bear, to buy them both some time. Once Claire knew that Charlotte was far enough ahead, she followed on, dismounting Bear quickly.
Story12 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
"Come ON, Bear!" she whispered, as the stallion showed interest in everything apart from going inside his stable. She removed his tack quickly then jogged back down the yard, huffing and puffing with the exertion.
"You okay, Claire?" Sally's voice floated around the corner of the stable block, and Claire froze for a millisecond. How did Sally always know when she was up to something?
"Yes! called Claire, quickly. "No problems here!"
Story13 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
Claire scurried into the tackroom, cursing under her breath as she looked for somewhere to hide the fox. She saw an old wooden crate on the floor and a towel on the side; that would have to do.
Story14 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
She lined the crate with the towel and gently lifted the fox cub into it. He curled up, watching Claire from bright, beady eyes.
Story15 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
The door creaked open and Claire leapt up, giving a squeak.
"Calm your boots, it's only me." Charlotte pulled the door to. "You got him settled? Sally's down the other end of the yard, she doesn't know."
"Yeah, he's comfy in this box," said Claire. "We need to get him something to eat. What do foxes like to eat?"
"Sally's rabbits," giggled Charlotte, to receive a slap from Claire. "Don't!"
Story16 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
The door creaked open again and to the girls' dismay, it was Sally. They jumped in front of the crate, grinning in a way that wasn't suspicious or forced at all.
"What's going on?" asked Sally, her nonsense radar activated.
"Erm..." said Claire.
Story17 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
At that point the fox cub made a little bark and started rustling in his box.
"What's that? Is that a fox?!"
The girls stepped sheepishly aside to allow Sally full view of the fox.
"Oh, the poor little thing! Wherever did you find him?"
Claire and Charlotte gaped in amazement as Sally gently lifted the cub out of the box and inspected him. Who knew that Sally Rees went all soppy over animals other than horses?
Story18 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
"He's badly injured. Looks like a trap or a snare." Sally's lip curled in disgust. "Fetch me some purple spray and gauze, please."
With gentle hands, Sally tended to the fox's wound. Claire and Charlotte remained silent, knowing that a) they didn't want to break the tender moment and b) they were likely in Lots Of Trouble.
"Have we a dog cone to put on him, so he doesn't lick the wound?"
"Yeah, we've still got that one we used for Rufus, remember? It might be a bit big for him..."
Story19 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
Sally fitted the collar around the cub's neck, making him look like a very cute megaphone.
"Well, we can't release him with that on," said Claire. "He'll never get back inside his den."
Story20 by Helen Davies, on Flickr
Sally thought for a moment. "He's going to have to stay here until I've called the vet, ask him what to do. We might have to end up keeping him. Goodness knows what I'll have to do with the chickens and the rabbits!"
Sally hurried off to call the vet, and Claire and Charlotte grinned at each other, before giving each other a high five. It looked like they'd escaped trouble after all!
Claire and Charlotte can't wait for a hack out on Bear and Taffy, but as is the norm with these two, nothing is ever simple...
Story1 by Helen Davies, on Flickr"Where d'you fancy going today, Clairey?"
Charlotte's voice emanated from the stable yard to where Claire was; she was tacking Bear up as he lipped at her fingers.
Story2 by Helen Davies, on Flickr"Bear, stop! Erm...not sure, did you have anywhere in mind?"
"I really fancy going for a hack up to St Hilary, past the Cross Inn, you know, through the woods. After that storm the other day there's bound to be some trees down...great jumping practice!"
Claire brightened. "Sounds great!"
Story3 by Helen Davies, on FlickrSoon they were on their way, Bear and Taffy blowing softly with the exertion; it was a warm day and they hadn't been out for a while. Claire and Charlotte hadn't known each other long, but were fast becoming good friends. They chattered as they sauntered through the woodlands, Bear popping in a spook here and there for good measure.
"Honestly!" Claire nudged Bear on after another spook. "He's such a baby."
Charlotte giggled. "He reminds me of Scooby Doo when he jumps into ****gy's arms!"
Story4 by Helen Davies, on FlickrThey both laughed and carried on, and Claire pointed into the distance.
"There's a good one, look! Must have fallen hard!"
They cantered up to it, Taffy taking the lead, and popped it boldly with his usual enthusiasm.
Story5 by Helen Davies, on FlickrBear took a good hard look at the log before deciding to cat leap over it, nearly unseating Claire in the process.
"Gosh!" she gasped as she caught up with Charlotte and Taffy. "That was hairy!"
Story6 by Helen Davies, on FlickrAs they slowed to a trot, Bear spooked again and rooted himself to the spot, his gaze fixed on the undergrowth.
"Easy, Bear, what's the matter?" Claire slipped her hand beneath his long mane and rubbed his damp neck reassuringly. She nudged him on but he stood firm, huffing and snorting.
"There's something in that bush he doesn't like," said Charlotte.
Story7 by Helen Davies, on Flickr"Hold him for me, would you?" Claire dismounted and approached the bush and cried out in surprise.
"What is it?" asked Charlotte, alarmed.
Story8 by Helen Davies, on Flickr"More like, who is it," said Claire, parting the leaves to reveal a tiny trembling fox cub. "What are you doing here, gorgeous?"
"Claire!" gasped Charlotte. "Oh my gosh!"
Claire grimaced and made a face, withdrawing her hand to reveal blood. "He's injured and covered in fleas. We can't leave him here!"
"What'll we do?"
Claire stared wildly around. "I'll put him in my jacket, wrap my scarf around him."
The fox cub yelped as Claire's gentle hands lifted him from the undergrowth, but he didn't bite or snap.
"Poor little thing, he's got a cut on his hind leg."
Story9 by Helen Davies, on FlickrClaire tucked the fox cub into her jacket and remounted Bear. The cub's little foxy face peered out with bright eyes, and Charlotte couldn't help but laugh.
"You look like one of those mums with the baby slings," she giggled. "A little fox baby!"
Story10 by Helen Davies, on FlickrThey walked steadily back to the yard, and as they neared the gate, Claire stopped.
"We'll have to sneak him past Sally," she said. "She'll go mental if we bring a fox in here, what with the rabbits, and the cats might catch fleas."
"Oh, yeah," said Charlotte. "We could distract her?" She sighed, seeing Claire's expression. "Okay, you mean I can distract her. I'll head in first and ask her to look at Taffy's hoof, say he's got something in it."
Story11 by Helen Davies, on FlickrCharlotte nudged Taffy into a long striding walk ahead of Bear, to buy them both some time. Once Claire knew that Charlotte was far enough ahead, she followed on, dismounting Bear quickly.
Story12 by Helen Davies, on Flickr"Come ON, Bear!" she whispered, as the stallion showed interest in everything apart from going inside his stable. She removed his tack quickly then jogged back down the yard, huffing and puffing with the exertion.
"You okay, Claire?" Sally's voice floated around the corner of the stable block, and Claire froze for a millisecond. How did Sally always know when she was up to something?
"Yes! called Claire, quickly. "No problems here!"
Story13 by Helen Davies, on FlickrClaire scurried into the tackroom, cursing under her breath as she looked for somewhere to hide the fox. She saw an old wooden crate on the floor and a towel on the side; that would have to do.
Story14 by Helen Davies, on FlickrShe lined the crate with the towel and gently lifted the fox cub into it. He curled up, watching Claire from bright, beady eyes.
Story15 by Helen Davies, on FlickrThe door creaked open and Claire leapt up, giving a squeak.
"Calm your boots, it's only me." Charlotte pulled the door to. "You got him settled? Sally's down the other end of the yard, she doesn't know."
"Yeah, he's comfy in this box," said Claire. "We need to get him something to eat. What do foxes like to eat?"
"Sally's rabbits," giggled Charlotte, to receive a slap from Claire. "Don't!"
Story16 by Helen Davies, on FlickrThe door creaked open again and to the girls' dismay, it was Sally. They jumped in front of the crate, grinning in a way that wasn't suspicious or forced at all.
"What's going on?" asked Sally, her nonsense radar activated.
"Erm..." said Claire.
Story17 by Helen Davies, on FlickrAt that point the fox cub made a little bark and started rustling in his box.
"What's that? Is that a fox?!"
The girls stepped sheepishly aside to allow Sally full view of the fox.
"Oh, the poor little thing! Wherever did you find him?"
Claire and Charlotte gaped in amazement as Sally gently lifted the cub out of the box and inspected him. Who knew that Sally Rees went all soppy over animals other than horses?
Story18 by Helen Davies, on Flickr"He's badly injured. Looks like a trap or a snare." Sally's lip curled in disgust. "Fetch me some purple spray and gauze, please."
With gentle hands, Sally tended to the fox's wound. Claire and Charlotte remained silent, knowing that a) they didn't want to break the tender moment and b) they were likely in Lots Of Trouble.
"Have we a dog cone to put on him, so he doesn't lick the wound?"
"Yeah, we've still got that one we used for Rufus, remember? It might be a bit big for him..."
Story19 by Helen Davies, on FlickrSally fitted the collar around the cub's neck, making him look like a very cute megaphone.
"Well, we can't release him with that on," said Claire. "He'll never get back inside his den."
Story20 by Helen Davies, on FlickrSally thought for a moment. "He's going to have to stay here until I've called the vet, ask him what to do. We might have to end up keeping him. Goodness knows what I'll have to do with the chickens and the rabbits!"
Sally hurried off to call the vet, and Claire and Charlotte grinned at each other, before giving each other a high five. It looked like they'd escaped trouble after all!
