The day started like it usually did; Nalia challenging me to a horse race. I knew I could have just refused but I also didn't want to lose against the one person I couldn't stand. I know that's a pretty petty reason to challenge someone but Nalia is a pretty petty person.
"So are you ready to lose, Mina?" Naila laughed and I growled, hands gripping the reins of my horse, Solar. "Try not to fall off." She added, her own horse Amber taking off before I had a chance to think of a witty comeback.
"Hey, that's cheating!" I yelled as a clod of dirt just missed hitting me square in the face. Muttering under my breath I pulled the reins and Solar whinnied, racing after Naila and Amber.
That little pain in the...Nalia knows she has no chance of winning unless you cheats. Not that I'll ever let her win.
We raced ahead, soon catching up and Naila grinned back at us. Blowing a kiss she tapped her boots against Amber's side, making her horse speed up and I did the same catching up to her in a few seconds. Just then I saw a fallen tree, probably brought down by the last storm we had. So I urged Solar to jump, both horses leaping into the air. Just as she was almost over it, something stuck Solar's flank and she whinned. In her panic to right herself she threw me off her back and I landed hard, the wind knocked out of me as Solar landed on her hooves.
Not even caring that I had fallen, Naila just kept racing along the track as I struggled to my feet. Woozy from the fall I tried to grab Solar's reins only for the ground to shift under me. Before I could stop myself my grip on conscious slipped and I hit the ground hard, shifting at the last possible second so I didn't slam my face into the dirt. It still hurt and I managed a weak cry, Solar lowering her head towards mine as I slipped into unconsciousness.
With a snort, Solar nudged her rider but she didn't respond. A little confused she tried again only to hear the sound of a branch breaking a few feet away. It wasn't until someone stepped into view that she tilted her head to one side, wary as a stranger appeared.