Coming In To Land

Fru jumping at [link]

This was sketched out a while ago, and I used [link] as a skeleton and jump reference, because at the time I was having a serious art block. I'm kinda paranoid about it because when I get a good skeleton I'm very accurate, so there isn't much difference between the anatomy of my picture and that of the photo.... but it is my own.

This story happened after Aithne's run in with Kyle. I'm having some trouble weaving stories together because things are moving at different paces.

Story
Fru was as lively as ever. She stamped her feet as Zoe untied her inside the trailer. The woman turned the horse to face the exit and let her cautiously to the top of the ramp. As usual, Fru stopped at the ramp and lifted her head up high, snorting loudly. Zoe eased the horse and held on tight, taking a step forwards. It was Fru's usual performance when being unloaded, and the first time they had tried she caught them off guard and had leaped down the ramp. She shuffled her feet and went to jump forward, but Zoe kept a tight hold and steadied the mare. Now her front feet were on the ramp, the horse unloaded a little more calmly, but still trotted a few high-strung circles on the grass. "Fru, you are way too energetic," Zoe sighed as she led the mare over to the side of the trailer and tied her to one of the rings. As she fastened the lead rope, Aithne appeared with Fool, having unloaded the stallion through the side door. The smaller woman tied up her horse and went about beginning to groom. Aithne had been quiet for a long time, and Zoe was sure something had happened to her. She wouldn't talk to Adam, Adam was sleeping on the sofa at the house even though he was being given the cold shoulder and Aithne had bruising all over her. The woman had told Zoe that she had fallen down the stairs, what a typical excuse.

Zoe groomed Fru in silence, glancing now and then at Aithne. The brown haired woman was grooming the Eclectic horse silently, and the stallion was nudging her now and then with a worried expression on his face. Spirit Horses were very sensitive animals, and Fool knew something was wrong. A few more minutes passed in silence before Lee appeared beside Zoe, but he didn't have a grin on his face. Zoe gave him a weak smile as he also watched Aithne for a moment. "I don't know what happened," he whispered quietly. "But she needs help." Zoe nodded at his words and pulled a mane comb through Fru's mane.
"Something really bad happened, I can tell. She just won't talk to me," she replied as the stable owner went back into the trailer to get something. Zoe felt Lee's hand squeeze her shoulder and she turned to smile at him. "You get anywhere with Chase yet?" The man laughed and shook his head.
"The guy's a pussy, I know he isn't straight, he's just too scared to admit it." Zoe punched him lightly on the shoulder.
"Be nice to him, he's only a kid." Lee pouted and brushed some hair out of her face.
"But I like playing with him."
"I know," Zoe said as she returned the pout. "But you'll scare him to death if you come on too strong. I've seen how you flirt." Lee laughed and hugged Zoe lightly before patting Fru on the shoulder and heading across to the show rings to see what was happening.

Fru was tacked up and protected as usual, and as feisty as usual too. Zoe swung herself up onto the mare's back and adjusted herself. Fru dug at the grass gently with one hoof and snorted. She was ready to jump, as usual. The woman turned her horse towards the warm up ring and Fru walked towards it with a high-stepping, springy gait. Zoe didn't feel the nerves as much this time, but she knew deep down she was more bothered about Aithne than she was about this competition. Something was wrong with the woman, and Zoe didn't like it.

Image & Characters © =mapal