Snippet #1980785

The sound of hooves pounding across the earth was soothing, a constant rhythm that was as familiar to her as her own heartbeat. Grin lighting up her face, Autumn urged Dove the go faster, the massive draft horse plunging down the wooded trails that they both knew by heart. After a few minutes though, she pulled back gently on the reins settled loosely in her hands, signaling Dove to slow down to a fast trot so the mare could cool off a bit by the time they got back to the stable.
As they left the woods and entered the paddock, Autumn could see her parents leaning against the fence as they talked. They’d been doing that even more often than normal lately, the girl thought with a slight frown, but nevertheless directed Dove towards the stables, swinging down off of the horses back to drop down to the ground and walk up to rub a hand against the white marking on the mare’s forehead, laughing as she got a warm breath against her face. “Com’on girl,” she said, resting a hand on Dove’s neck and beginning to lead the horse into the stables for a good groom.
The sun was sinking in the sky by the time she finally left the barn, having spent some time with her palomino as well, and she was sound asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.

She could tell something was off even before she opened her eyes the next morning; the bed was just a bit too soft, the blankets too heavy. The fact that sunlight never hit her bed where she had arranged it helped. Shoving down the sharp pang of panic, she sat up quickly to stare around the room, pushing bond hair out of her eyes. Definitely not her own bedroom. There were two letters perched on the bedstand though, and she bypassed one to pick up the other, recognizing her father’s handwriting.
The paper was slightly crumpled as she finished reading “Damn it,” she muttered. She didn’t need to be sent away.