Hard Love

Percy has taken it upon himself to be Fox’s trainer, pushing the frail colt to better himself. But this doesn’t mean that it’s all play and no work, sometimes Percy really kicks and punches buttons, cutting where it hurts to try get the youngest of Abyaz’s offspring to improve. 

___

With a grunt Fox tumbled to the ground, having tripped over his tired legs and fallen over loosing his footing, mud and grass staining his beautiful pure white coat. He had a brief moment to collect himself before he registered little hoofbeats trotting up beside him. 

“Ya’lright, Fox?” The tiny coach asked, looking over his paddock mate. Fox grumbled but nodded. “Right. On yer feet, try again.”

“Nah, I’m done for today, Perce, time to pack it in.” Fox sighed, looking away from his friend and taking a deep breath. His fall had knocked him off kilter and he wanted a minute to let his head settle. 

“What? After a tiny fall? Yer legs ain’t broken and yer neck ain’t snapped, so yer good ta go. Get on yer feet and try again!” 

“Look, enough with the Trainer Coach routine, Percy!” Fox snapped, swinging his head round to face him. “It ain’t helpin’. It doesn’t matter how fast I go, I’m still no where near as fast as Juliet or Argo! Dad told me that due to my heritage and how much trouble I gave Mum that I’m weaker than most foals and shouldn’t push myself too hard. I just gotta accept it, Perce, I’m not strong enough to make it to the big races.” He sighed heavily. “Argo or Juliet will carry Dad’s legacy. Sail or Fellie will carry Mum’s. That’s that.” 

Percy was quiet for a moment and, for a few seconds, Fox thought that maybe he’d gotten through to his friend and that Percy would agree. What he was not prepared for was sharp little teeth to lock around his ear and tug - hard. He let out a startled yelp and turned to look at Percy with betrayal in his wide blue eyes but the little Shetland was having none of it. His own blue eyes bore back into Fox’s and they held a Fire furious enough to have Fox backing away in case he was burned. 

“You pathetic quitter. After one measly little tumble you’re giving up?!” Percy yelled at him, the fluff on his rump raising in that way it did whenever he was angry. “You wanna know why I pushed you to uphold your father’s legacy? Because I thought that you wanted that! I thought it'd be the push you needed but that’s not what I want for you - what anyone wants for you. Your Daddy has done his part on the track - and he’s still goin’ off it - he don’t need anyone to race for him name! And your Mother don’t exactly have the best case of examples to follow, does she?” Percy was set to keep going but he was interrupted by a very indignant Fox.

“What’s that suppose to mean?! My Mother is one of the greatest race horses of her generation! Dad said so!” He cried, leaping to her defence. 

“Yeah, but do you know what horses and the humans say? Huh?! I’ll tell ya: that the majority of her wins were rigged! Yeah, that’s right, people say she cheated her way to victory, to fame!” 

Fox snorted angrily. “Never! My Mother gave her all in every race, just like a race horse should! Only difference between her and everyone else is that she won her races! Anyone who says otherwise is just jealous! Even Dad said she was as sweet as could be! That she was genuine and kind and a rare horse!”

”But it doesn’t matter what the truth is, does it? Her reputation is sullied and all it took was one tiny rumour. Just one little rumour and BANG! Her legacy is tainted! Do you hear anyone talk about her? Do you hear anyone praising her foals for being her legacy? No!”

“S-shut up!” 

“And while we’re on the subject, your Dad doesn’t have the best rep either! His early career was a disaster! No one even acknowledges his early years! It’s as if he never existed! All those first places, all those struggles with his jockey and of what? For it to be forgotten or ignored. He was the star of the track, he was in every news paper, he was given pet names and titles, he had races named after him! Statues built of him! Yet does anyone talk about that? No! In fact, none of the horses - even here at Antrium - even know about any of it! Such a legacy! Such impressive inheritance for you to earn!” 

Fox’s eyes stung with barely contained fury. He was proud of his parents, often his Father had spoken fondly of his Mother, of their friendship, their races, of her manners, her infectious joy, her genuine concern for others. She was someone he wanted to be like. It was horrible to hear her insulted. But his Father? 

It was unbearable to hear his Father’s name slandered. It would not be borne.  

He stood up, glaring at his paddock mate. “Just shut up! How dare you! My Dad is the best Dad in the whole world, he’s so good he doesn't need a legacy!”

“Then why are you trying to be worth of them?!” Percy yelled. “They way you talk, you’d rather be like them as a son than a progeny! And don’t you think they’d rather you go out there and make a name for Foxfire? For Kitsunebi?!” He bared his teeth at the white colt. “You’re at a disadvantage to ever single one of your simblings; you’re weaker, that’s a fact, an unfortunate but not definable fact! That’s why you need to train harder and harder to match them and even harder than that to best them! You think your Mother gave up when she fell? Look at you! A few grass stains and some mud! Your Mother fell and ran the rest of the race with bloody knees and an unconscious jockey and still came in first! You think you’ll outshine that by quitting after a tumble?!”

“Make up your bloody mind!” Fox bellowed as much as a young horse could. “First you insult my Mother now you praise her!”

“Let's get this straight right now; as a horse your Mother was - is - incredible. So is your Father. But humans make mistakes and it robs them of glory. Their legacy, to you, shouldn’t be worth carrying. Their mistakes are worth learning from. Their characters, their examples are, however, absolutely worth imitating.”

Fox glared at the ground. He’d heard his Father reciting the tale of when his Mother fell at the starting gate yet pulled herself up and ran the rest of the race with her jockey dead weight on her back and managed to streak ahead of the competition to win first place. He’d wanted to be her when he’d heard that. Pretended it was he who felt yet stood up again to claim first at the end on the race. Yet here he was, wanting to quit after one fall, one that didn’t even really hurt. 

“Alright, you little brat,” Fox spat, glaring at the smaller horse, “restart the timer.” 

“That’s my brother! Now, let’s aim for shaving two seconds of your best, ‘K?” Before he could so much as grin, Percy suddenly found himself face down in the dirt, having tripped over Fox’s outstretched leg. “What was that for?!”

“Never insult my Mother and Father.”