As the sun was setting the powerful bodies of the horses had thrown themselves into the race - breaking from the starter as a great wave finally released upon the shore.
Well...almost all of them anyway.

Spooked by the clang of metal against metal - Hollow pranced as the doors opened. It would have been a graceful dance, the long limbs inherited from his sire giving him an enchanted air in the reds of the dying sunlight, had it not been a race.

When his rider finally managed to get him to concentrate enough to start running, they were far behind the remainder of the field.
Gathering up the reins, Mae could feel her connection with her mount return, his moves becoming responsive to her touch once more.
"Well...we're not out of the count yet...are we boy?"

Burying her head in his mane, bending as low over his neck as possible, she clung to the powerful body as they approached the first run through the forest.

Even when walking the track earlier, it had been clear that the run through the forest would be a dark one. The last light of the sun was already vanishing and under the cover of the trees, it was already murky, even the air turning fearful. And that was just the first one - it'd be even darker on the second passing, with the odd patches off moonlight.

Mae tried to meld herself to the horse's neck. She did not want to get caught by a lowlying branch somewhere. Below her, his muscles rippling under his sleek black coat the stallion's hooves pounded against the forest floor, his black eyes glowing blue in the night as he flew through the woods at top speed.

For the nightmare, the darkness was no obstacle.




Race: The White Swan's Feather - Flat Race 8000 m [link] at Dark Lake Stables
Horse: Hollow's Fall
Breed: Nightmare cross
Age: 7
Owner/rider: Mae


Darklight Stables:
[link]
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Reference:
horse: Non DA
background:
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Challenge: 64 Multitasking