A/N: Hello again readers. Welcome to my first story of the new year. This, as you should know, is based on the Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater and I own nothing. Please enjoy the prologue to what I hope will be a successful story.
No one knows my name on Thisby, not yet anyway. I came from the mainland to race in this year's races, but many years ago my family did live on this tiny little island, I was just a baby when they left. But this year, I'm racing and this year, I will beat Sean Kendrick and his blood red stallion.
A week before the official training began, I caught a beautiful capall uisce down on the Thisby beach at night. Old tales always tell of capall being caught at night were faster and stronger than the ones caught during the day, and I put my faith in that tale because I'll need everything to win. My wonderful water horse was a piebald mare which I named Skata. Her eyes, piercing and icy blue, went wild each time someone touched her. Except for me. The only person in the world Skata would trust was me, me and only me.
~X…x…X~
I walked through Skarmouth, pushing through the crowds of fish smelling men to get to Gratton's bar to register Skata and I for the races. Not many people were here yet due to a storm off shore, but surely enough, they would be here tomorrow. Crowds and crowds of them all cramming into this tiny island. I'm surprised it hasn't sunk under the weight of the November crowds so far.
Dory Maud's voice booms out over the throng of people in laughter as I ask if I could register to race. The bar goes quiet for a moment and I feel people's gazes turn toward me, but then just as quick as the disturbance came, they fell back into conversation. I could see why Dory Maud would think it was a ridiculous idea; a small brown haired, blue-eyed kid registering to compete in the Scorpio Races, the most dangerous event probably on this earth. Her and I were thinking the same thing "that kid will probably be a horrible bet, 45 to 1". But finally she replies after scanning her eyes over my body. "Name, boy?"
Blood freezes in my veins and I try to think fast, I try to shrug it off. I didn't think I would be able to even get to this point where she accepted it. "My horses' name is Skata."
Dory Maud glares, "I want your name."
"Pat. My name's Pat Murray," I reply hesitantly, making my voice sound a bit unnatural as I try to make it deeper. But when I see my name and Skata's written on the board with all the other racers, I let a small smile creep onto my face. I pay the fee and finally, I'm in. Prize money and fame, here I come.