#lore drop: nickname when he was young - dash

[polkadotjohnson]

Moon Knight Premiere (x)

(makeup details)

[jimothy-hopkins]

All Yours.

Cause we all need the horse boy lore.

It was late evening, and the fading winter brought greener grass and longer days to the farm. Gary liked it this way. He could stay out longer, and it was around this time the mares would give birth. Gary loved the foals. Although, he couldn’t say the same for his older brother, Leroy, nicknamed Leo.

Leo never held an interest in horses as Gary did. Sure, he killed at polo and jockeyed well, but that was about as far as his equestrian career went. He was way older than Gary, which made it hard for them to connect. What did an 11-year-old kid and a 20-something college guy have in common? Barely anything. The only thing Gary’s parents needed from them both was a free horse jockey.

Currently, Gary and Leo were bringing in and feeding the broodmares. Gary poured the grain while Leo went and caught them from the pasture. It was also routine for them to check for signs of foaling as they were nearing due dates. Gary had been anticipating the last few days but was disappointed when the mares showed no signs of waxing or dropping. Every year it was a gamble. Some mares were right on time, others had foals early, and a few kept them in a little longer.

Gary grabbed one of the buckets, approaching a mare’s stall. She was named Devil’s Dance and affectionately nicknamed Dancey. She was quiet and had a silky black coat with four socks and a star on her head.

“Hey, you heifer,” Gary reached to pet her forehead and poured her feed into the trough.

As Dancey ate, Gary ran a hand along her side and knelt. He noticed her stomach had dropped a lot, and her udder had waxed! A grin spread to Gary’s face, and the boy slowly came to stand. He cautiously walked to her back end. He felt the area around her tail, the flesh rippling like a plate of Jell-O. His ambitions were further confirmed when Dancey’s tail bent back to her spine. Dancey was going to foal in a matter of days, hours even.

Gary let out a small squee and patted the mare.

“You’re such a good girl, mama!” He said as he gave her kisses.

Dancey snorted and pushed against his face. She loved attention when she could get it, especially when it was from Gary.

The young boy exited the stall and ran to meet his older brother.

“Leo! I think Dancey’s going to have her baby soon>’ He breathed.

“She’s not due for another week, Gary.” The man scoffed as he parked the last of the broodmares into her stall.

“But she was all squishy! She had wax and all that!” Gary insisted.

“Fleabag did the same thing last year, and we had to wait a whole week til her little rat popped out,” Leo grumbled.

Gary rolled his eyes and continued his chores until they got done and could head inside.

All Gary could think f was Dancey’s foal. From dinner until bed, the unborn foal was the only thing on Gary’s mind. The adults had their kick about it, but it didn’t dissuade him. Gary could hardly sleep, and when he finally fell asleep, he woke up not long after.

Looking at his clock, it was around three in the morning. He sat up and looked around for a moment. He listened for any maids or other staff. The halls were quiet, and that meant he could make his move. Gary quickly got out of bed and pulled on some slippers. He made his way to the door and quietly exited his room. Once in the hall, he made a mad dash outside and into the stables.

Once inside, he turned on the lights. A few mares peered out from their stalls but turned back to lay down and sleep again. However, he did hear something that was off. He walked down the aisle, stopping at Dancey’s stall.

He looked over, and just as he’d said, she was in labor and ready to foal. He panicked, unsure what to do, he wanted to tell his parents, but he also wanted to watch the birth. Gary opened her stall and slipped inside.

“Hey Dancey, it’s ok, girl. It’s ok,” He whispered.

The mare groaned and stumbled around to find a comfortable place to lie down. Gary sidestepped to give her as much room as possible. His eyes never left the mare.

With a heavy breath, she flopped down. Gary knelt close by and watched as the mare had contractions. He wasn’t a stranger to foaling, but this time it felt different. As if Gary needed to be here. Gary made sure to help soothe the mare best he could from a distance, assuring Dancey that she was indeed a good girl and that she could do it.

Gary watched as she gave birth to a beautiful foal. The newborn was massive with a bold chestnut coat. Like its mother, it had four socks. Dancey’s baby also had a broad blaze that covered its face. When Gary got a better look at it, he could tell that the foal was a little colt.

Only after she passed the placenta did Gary run to wake his family. As expected, his father was irritated that Gary didn't alert him when Dancey was in labor, but he woke his wife and eldest after he heard the news.

Back down at the barn, the Smiths watched from outside the stall as the colt attempted to stand.

“He’s quite big,” Gary’s mother commented.

“Bigger the horse the faster the stride. Bet you he’s gonna make us some money,” Mr. Smith nodded.

“You said that last year too, and those rats can barely clock a minute,” Leo spat.

“You hush, now Gary. What do you wanna name your horse?” His father asked as he grabbed his shoulder.

“My horse? He’s mine!?” Gary said in disbelief.

“He’s all yours, son.” The man nodded.

Gary thought for a moment.

“Dignified Devil.” He answered with a nod.