Underrated.
Crimson Fatalis & Tigris Greenfire
Van Guard & Halexia Suhail
Alucard & Savita Tusaint
Van Guard & Halexia Suhail
Alucard & Savita Tusaint
There was high tension already between the riders before they got to the track - or, at least, an air of competition that lent itself as tension from the outside. Fighting was the norm when Hal and Savita were together, and when you threw a hotheaded Tigris into the mix without Minske to cool him down... well, there was snapping and griping all around early in the morning. "You can't call it a race when it's a short distance breeze and you're riding the only sprinter," Hal said bluntly in a deadpan voice that predictably brought an angry flush to Savita's cheeks. The shorter, younger girl had been talking up her mount, Alucard, which really wasn't unusual - the riders generally had some playful banter about the 'winner' of the works. However, Hal knew that Savita didn't like her, and thus she was more inclined to instigate drama. She liked knocking the hotheaded youth down, bad as it was. Without a comeback, Savita stomped hurriedly ahead, leaving Tigris to turn an irritated look on his friend. "Come on, Hal, there's no reason to make her upset." In truth, Tigris wasn't really close to the girl, and did get annoyed by her constant hovering and blushing around his best friend, but she was civil enough to him and a damn good rider besides. She'd ridden Mourning Passion to more wins than any other horse at Valkyrie could boast on the year, and major ones at that - he wasn't inclined to do anything to screw that up. However, it was clear by the unaffected look on Hal's face that she didn't really care what he said. She would be herself, as odd as that often was. "No, but it's fun nonetheless." Hal grinned then, stepping closer as they walked and wrapping an arm playfully around his waist. Even as he tried to move away, she put her mouth in close to his ear, saying breathily, "Don't be jealous, I can make you upset too." He did disentangle himself then, blushing to his ears and looking peeved as hell. Hal just laughed and kept walking, tying back her long hair as she went. The woman was going to give him an aneurysm someday, he just knew it.
When the two caught up with Savita at the track, she was already mounted on the big-boned, heavily muscled Alucard. The colt had had a relatively light schedule since coming to Valkyrie, but the races he had run had been impressive enough to make them happy for his future. He had yet to pull out a win in the violet Valkyrie silks, but nobody expected that to last for long. Luca had a lot of heart and a lot of fire on the track, and it made him a major threat. Savita sat chilly on him, and Luca didn't seem incredibly hurried to move - until he was on the track, Luca was generally pretty well-mannered. Tigris and Hal's mounts were there as well, both tall horses but nothing alike from there on. Crimson Fatalis, a horse on lease from Intrepid, had a quiet and curious demeanor about him, chestnut ears pricked forward to take in everything around him. Though he was a year younger, he looked far more composed than the last horse in the work. Van Guard was, perhaps, Halexia's favorite mount - she'd been in love with the stallion since the first time he'd set foot on Valkyrie grounds. He was all fire and energy, even now tugging at his lead and prancing around in a barely-contained manner. Though he'd been more lightly raced this year than last, he was still an incredibly consistent animal, and Hal had big plans for his final year on the track. He had one more year to prove his worth, and Hal would show everyone the champion she knew him to be. Even now, as she stepped up to him, the bond between them was apparent - he quieted, shoving his nose firmly to her chest and breathing out before nipping at her long hair. She didn't reprimand him, instead placing her hands on his cheeks and planting a kiss firmly on his velvety nose. She had a way with all hot-tempered stallions, but everyone knew this one was her boy. The fact that he didn't pull away from her showed that the feeling was mutual.
"If you're done with the sappy stuff, we've got a work to do," Savita snapped tartly, and a dangerous air came over Hal again. Tigris cringed. Hal whirled around, not on Savita, but on Cole, who was leaning on the rail nearby waiting for them to move out. The woman gave the trainer a mischievous smile, one that Tigris knew was inherently dangerous. "Cole, change of plans. I'm thinking we should run a nine-furlong mock-race." Her tone didn't really harbor room for disagreement, and Cole made a sour face. Hal didn't assert herself very often, but when she did he knew he was treading dangerous waters. It wasn't a bad idea, really, as all three of the horses could use a simulation after a bit of a racing break. Plus, he knew how to pick his battles. "Yes, alright. Don't push them, though, any of you. Let them run at their own pace. They should only be fighting down the stretch if they're doing it themselves." It was as much a warning as anything. Cole wasn't really into forcing top performances out of horses during works, because it would just make the horse resent it more. He would much rather see horses fighting naturally for the lead. Hal's grin was predatory as she looked back at Savita, then she moved back to Van. To her credit, Savita didn't flinch - this was no easy breeze win for the sprinter now. Nine furlongs sat easily within each of the horses' ranges, and that would make it a real match between them. Tigris looked down at his mount, petting his neck absently. He probably had the least chance, since he didn't know Sith all that well yet, but he knew the colt had a few surprises in him. He was a classy animal, and as good a record to set him up for the following year as could be asked for.
With Hal feeling self-satisfied and Savita burning with a righteous need to win, they all moved out onto the track. The warm-up was quick and individual as Cole moved to stand by the wire, sending Jena, the barn manager, to the nine-furlong mark where the mock race would start. When the horses were ready, she waved the riders over and got them roughly lined up with Sith on the race, Alucard in the middle, and Van to the outside. The horses were edgy and the start wasn't completely uniform, but when Jena dropped her arm, the horses dug forward and charged off down the track. Alucard "broke" the fastest, charging for the front before slowing off the gas and allowing Sith to pass him up. None of the horses were true frontrunners, but the chestnut went to the front and the other two stayed in pretty close behind, Alucard moving to the rail. Sith seemed fairly comfortable as long as the other two were close by, though Tigris had to keep him under a tight hold to keep him from running off. Van stayed hot on the chestnut's heels from the outside, pressing unrelentingly on the unaccustomed leader. They started into the final turn, and Alucard started inching up the inside, sneaking up the chestnut's side and pressing for the lead as they rounded onto the stretch. For a moment, the three were even - then Alucard was pressing the pace, getting the lead and forcing the issue onward. The colt had speed, but they were reaching the end of his stamina and Hal had a chip on her shoulder - She urged Van to go, and the stallion responded to her as he always did. He stretched out low and flat, pushing past the rallying Sith and moving up on Luca, who'd opened a half-length lead. A furlong from the wire, and Van had truly turned it up just by feeding off of his rider's drive. Savita glanced back as Van moved up beside her colt, a look of frustration on her face as the older bay edged forward and got a head in front as they flew by Cole, Sith only another neck back.
Hal was smiling and not-quite-gloating as they pulled up - she wasn't one to push the issue when she knew she'd won. If she was smug... well, who could blame her? She had a strong stallion who'd run very well against strong competitors, and she was looking for more of the same in the coming race.
When the two caught up with Savita at the track, she was already mounted on the big-boned, heavily muscled Alucard. The colt had had a relatively light schedule since coming to Valkyrie, but the races he had run had been impressive enough to make them happy for his future. He had yet to pull out a win in the violet Valkyrie silks, but nobody expected that to last for long. Luca had a lot of heart and a lot of fire on the track, and it made him a major threat. Savita sat chilly on him, and Luca didn't seem incredibly hurried to move - until he was on the track, Luca was generally pretty well-mannered. Tigris and Hal's mounts were there as well, both tall horses but nothing alike from there on. Crimson Fatalis, a horse on lease from Intrepid, had a quiet and curious demeanor about him, chestnut ears pricked forward to take in everything around him. Though he was a year younger, he looked far more composed than the last horse in the work. Van Guard was, perhaps, Halexia's favorite mount - she'd been in love with the stallion since the first time he'd set foot on Valkyrie grounds. He was all fire and energy, even now tugging at his lead and prancing around in a barely-contained manner. Though he'd been more lightly raced this year than last, he was still an incredibly consistent animal, and Hal had big plans for his final year on the track. He had one more year to prove his worth, and Hal would show everyone the champion she knew him to be. Even now, as she stepped up to him, the bond between them was apparent - he quieted, shoving his nose firmly to her chest and breathing out before nipping at her long hair. She didn't reprimand him, instead placing her hands on his cheeks and planting a kiss firmly on his velvety nose. She had a way with all hot-tempered stallions, but everyone knew this one was her boy. The fact that he didn't pull away from her showed that the feeling was mutual.
"If you're done with the sappy stuff, we've got a work to do," Savita snapped tartly, and a dangerous air came over Hal again. Tigris cringed. Hal whirled around, not on Savita, but on Cole, who was leaning on the rail nearby waiting for them to move out. The woman gave the trainer a mischievous smile, one that Tigris knew was inherently dangerous. "Cole, change of plans. I'm thinking we should run a nine-furlong mock-race." Her tone didn't really harbor room for disagreement, and Cole made a sour face. Hal didn't assert herself very often, but when she did he knew he was treading dangerous waters. It wasn't a bad idea, really, as all three of the horses could use a simulation after a bit of a racing break. Plus, he knew how to pick his battles. "Yes, alright. Don't push them, though, any of you. Let them run at their own pace. They should only be fighting down the stretch if they're doing it themselves." It was as much a warning as anything. Cole wasn't really into forcing top performances out of horses during works, because it would just make the horse resent it more. He would much rather see horses fighting naturally for the lead. Hal's grin was predatory as she looked back at Savita, then she moved back to Van. To her credit, Savita didn't flinch - this was no easy breeze win for the sprinter now. Nine furlongs sat easily within each of the horses' ranges, and that would make it a real match between them. Tigris looked down at his mount, petting his neck absently. He probably had the least chance, since he didn't know Sith all that well yet, but he knew the colt had a few surprises in him. He was a classy animal, and as good a record to set him up for the following year as could be asked for.
With Hal feeling self-satisfied and Savita burning with a righteous need to win, they all moved out onto the track. The warm-up was quick and individual as Cole moved to stand by the wire, sending Jena, the barn manager, to the nine-furlong mark where the mock race would start. When the horses were ready, she waved the riders over and got them roughly lined up with Sith on the race, Alucard in the middle, and Van to the outside. The horses were edgy and the start wasn't completely uniform, but when Jena dropped her arm, the horses dug forward and charged off down the track. Alucard "broke" the fastest, charging for the front before slowing off the gas and allowing Sith to pass him up. None of the horses were true frontrunners, but the chestnut went to the front and the other two stayed in pretty close behind, Alucard moving to the rail. Sith seemed fairly comfortable as long as the other two were close by, though Tigris had to keep him under a tight hold to keep him from running off. Van stayed hot on the chestnut's heels from the outside, pressing unrelentingly on the unaccustomed leader. They started into the final turn, and Alucard started inching up the inside, sneaking up the chestnut's side and pressing for the lead as they rounded onto the stretch. For a moment, the three were even - then Alucard was pressing the pace, getting the lead and forcing the issue onward. The colt had speed, but they were reaching the end of his stamina and Hal had a chip on her shoulder - She urged Van to go, and the stallion responded to her as he always did. He stretched out low and flat, pushing past the rallying Sith and moving up on Luca, who'd opened a half-length lead. A furlong from the wire, and Van had truly turned it up just by feeding off of his rider's drive. Savita glanced back as Van moved up beside her colt, a look of frustration on her face as the older bay edged forward and got a head in front as they flew by Cole, Sith only another neck back.
Hal was smiling and not-quite-gloating as they pulled up - she wasn't one to push the issue when she knew she'd won. If she was smug... well, who could blame her? She had a strong stallion who'd run very well against strong competitors, and she was looking for more of the same in the coming race.