Disclaimer : I don't own the Mighty Ducks - Disney and the NHL do. I don't
own the horse Caliopie - the makers of 'The Derby' do. I don't own the
Characters Dorice, Sanka, Joy and Winston - Disney does. I do however own
all other horses, the ranch and other characters.
Chapter 6
JULIE'S P.O.V
I turned my head to look at my group of friends, they all smiled reassuringly through their own doubts. Robbie had taken 8 minutes and 10 seconds, but I also knew that he had pushed Harvey right from the start so toward the end he was tired, Caliopie on the other hand was used to being held back slightly and would have burst of energy toward the end where she'd need it the most. Without even thinking, I nudged Caliopie who went straight into a canter and down the hill to the first jump. As I did so, I could hear the ducks cheer, but I soon forgot about them when I neared the first jump. Caliopie took it well and landed almost perfectly on the other side. Caliopie was going at a nice steady pace, she jumped one after another and was going really well even though on some jumps I hesitated in certain places, mainly if there was a large drop at one side that I was unsure about, but Caliopie seemed sure enough for the both of us.
We cleared the bush fence and there was an open part where I knew I could open Caliopie up a little until the next jump. Within a matter of seconds I could see the next jump, a fence coming up, I began steadying Caliopie's pace again ready for the approach of the jump. Just as I got to the jump, I hesitated even more than her previous jumps and Caliopie refused sending me flying over her shoulder and into the fence. Luckily I had managed to keep hold of the reins to stop Caliopie bolting away. As I moved as fast as I could manage, I could feel the pain racking through my right side. With difficulty I remounted and turned Caliopie around and went at the jump again, this time I tried my best not to hesitate and Caliopie managed to get us both over it. the pain as I tried my hardest to hold the flying thoroughbred back but the pain was spreading all round my body, I could barely feel my right arm and I felt as though I wasn't the one jumping, it was as though I was watching from behind my real body.
Before I knew it, I was on the home stretch and could vaguely hear the ducks cheers. I realized that for the past God knows how many jumps, Caliopie had taken herself around. I galloped through the beam and circled Caliopie trying to slow her but it took all the effort and energy I had to do so.
"You did it Jules, you beat him"! Connie screamed as they all ran up to me. At a quick glance I realized I had passed through the beam in 7 minutes and 59 seconds.
"Well, well, well you beat me, just luck I presume". Robbie had difficulty swallowing his pride.
"No Robbie it wasn't luck, just good riding". I sneered.
"Well you might be better at cross country but I'd like to see you try going up against me in show jumping or dressage". He continued.
"No Robbie, this ends here. No more competitions or I'm better at this or your better at that. It ends here". I began walking toward the van with the ducks and Derice all round me.
As they got in the van, I told them I'd see them in about half an hour after I had ridden Caliopie back the way I came but his time at a walk. The pain had begun fading but leaving a numbness in it's place and as I walked down the bridle path I found it increasingly difficult to steer Caliopie. Eventually finding slightly more comfortable to rest my injured arm across my waist with my hand gripping my trousers waist band for support. Within time I arrived back at the ranch and everyone was awaiting my arrival. I sat atop Caliopie trying to pluck up the courage to slid from her saddle which was bound to create more pain.
"Let's go celebrate". Sanka yelled who had been a little disappointed to have missed my triumph.
"I'll just sort Caliopie out and I'll be right with you". I smiled as I watched them all disappear into the mess hall before sliding as pain free as possible out of the saddle.
The next painful part would be taking the saddle and bride off with one arm. I slipped the bridle of easily and managed to hang it on my left shoulder. The saddle a little more difficult but once the girth was un done I was able to slide it from Caliopie's back and rest it in my left arm.
"Jules, you ok"? Derice asked me as he came out to give me a hand as I was struggling to get the saddle on the rack.
"I don't think so". I whimpered in pain as I fell to the floor, disappointed in myself.
"Why, what have you done"? he crouched at the side of me.
"I fell at the fence jump and now I can barely feel my arm and my side kills". I began crying in pain as he tried taking a closer look.
"C'mon, we'd best get you to the hospital". He helped me up and pushed me gently in the direction of the van then went to tell the others. When he came back, he was followed closely by the ducks who had very concerned looks on their faces but I was too engulfed in the pain to notice what they were saying. "Why didn't you say anything about it sooner"? Derice asked me once we got moving.
"What and give Robbie the satisfaction. I wasn't ever planning on hiding the injury from you but I was from Robbie". I explained through bouts of pain.
"I'm really proud of you, you know".
"Why"?
"Because you ignored me and did what you thought was best as well as put Robbie back in his place and you ended it with him".
"I wish I'd have listened to you now, if I had I wouldn't be in pain now would I".
"No Julie, you were right to compete against him, you proved yourself to him today and he won't bother you from now on. Your injury could have occurred anytime it wasn't just because you competed".
A few weeks later, I packed my final belongings into my suitcase ready to go back home. Luckily I hadn't done any serious damage to my arm, just bruising that had healed within a week but still permitted me to ride. The ducks and Derice had remained concerned about me from then on, but what with other things happening they hadn't had much chance. Joy had gone into labor no more than 5 days after my fall and she'd given birth to a healthy baby boy, who Winstan almost demanded they call him Dominic. A week after his birth they had, had him christened asking me and Sanka to be the God parents again.
At the airport, the ducks said goodbye to Derice, Sanka, Joy and Winstan then left leaving me to say my goodbyes. I already had tears rolling down my cheeks even before I began talking.
"Bye Dominic, make sure Winstan looks after you ok". I pecked his little forehead. "Bye Joy, take care. I'll call to see how both my God son's are doing ok". I hugged her deeply making tears pour down her cheeks too.
"Julie do you have to go"? Winstan tugged at my sleeve.
"Yeah but I wish I didn't. I'm gonna miss you". I picked him up.
"I'm gonna miss you too". He was crying too.
"Tell you what though, I'm gonna ring you all the time to make sure your looking after your mom and Dominic for me". I rubbed my nose against his like we always had done.
"I will, I promise". He kissed me then I put him down and hugged Sanka.
"WHO'S THE CAPTAIN OF OUR CREW, WHO'S A FRIEND TO ME AND YOU, KINDA NICE GOOD LOOKING TOO, SANKA, SANKA YAY SANKA". We both said to each other.
"I'm gonna miss you hanging around star". He pulled me into another hug.
"Me too. I'll be back soon though, I promise you and when I do I'm gonna teach you how to ice skate". I laughed.
"ICE". He shivered.
"Derice, thanks for everything". He enveloped me in a hug.
"No problem, I've enjoyed it". He let me go. "You really brightened the place up".
"I best go, I'll see you soon. Bye guys". I waved at them then headed toward the ducks and boarded the plane home.
It certain had been an eventful summer and I for one couldn't wait till the next one even though I knew I'd be back somewhere in-between that time.
Well what do you think? PLEASE R&R!!!!!!!
Chapter 6
JULIE'S P.O.V
I turned my head to look at my group of friends, they all smiled reassuringly through their own doubts. Robbie had taken 8 minutes and 10 seconds, but I also knew that he had pushed Harvey right from the start so toward the end he was tired, Caliopie on the other hand was used to being held back slightly and would have burst of energy toward the end where she'd need it the most. Without even thinking, I nudged Caliopie who went straight into a canter and down the hill to the first jump. As I did so, I could hear the ducks cheer, but I soon forgot about them when I neared the first jump. Caliopie took it well and landed almost perfectly on the other side. Caliopie was going at a nice steady pace, she jumped one after another and was going really well even though on some jumps I hesitated in certain places, mainly if there was a large drop at one side that I was unsure about, but Caliopie seemed sure enough for the both of us.
We cleared the bush fence and there was an open part where I knew I could open Caliopie up a little until the next jump. Within a matter of seconds I could see the next jump, a fence coming up, I began steadying Caliopie's pace again ready for the approach of the jump. Just as I got to the jump, I hesitated even more than her previous jumps and Caliopie refused sending me flying over her shoulder and into the fence. Luckily I had managed to keep hold of the reins to stop Caliopie bolting away. As I moved as fast as I could manage, I could feel the pain racking through my right side. With difficulty I remounted and turned Caliopie around and went at the jump again, this time I tried my best not to hesitate and Caliopie managed to get us both over it. the pain as I tried my hardest to hold the flying thoroughbred back but the pain was spreading all round my body, I could barely feel my right arm and I felt as though I wasn't the one jumping, it was as though I was watching from behind my real body.
Before I knew it, I was on the home stretch and could vaguely hear the ducks cheers. I realized that for the past God knows how many jumps, Caliopie had taken herself around. I galloped through the beam and circled Caliopie trying to slow her but it took all the effort and energy I had to do so.
"You did it Jules, you beat him"! Connie screamed as they all ran up to me. At a quick glance I realized I had passed through the beam in 7 minutes and 59 seconds.
"Well, well, well you beat me, just luck I presume". Robbie had difficulty swallowing his pride.
"No Robbie it wasn't luck, just good riding". I sneered.
"Well you might be better at cross country but I'd like to see you try going up against me in show jumping or dressage". He continued.
"No Robbie, this ends here. No more competitions or I'm better at this or your better at that. It ends here". I began walking toward the van with the ducks and Derice all round me.
As they got in the van, I told them I'd see them in about half an hour after I had ridden Caliopie back the way I came but his time at a walk. The pain had begun fading but leaving a numbness in it's place and as I walked down the bridle path I found it increasingly difficult to steer Caliopie. Eventually finding slightly more comfortable to rest my injured arm across my waist with my hand gripping my trousers waist band for support. Within time I arrived back at the ranch and everyone was awaiting my arrival. I sat atop Caliopie trying to pluck up the courage to slid from her saddle which was bound to create more pain.
"Let's go celebrate". Sanka yelled who had been a little disappointed to have missed my triumph.
"I'll just sort Caliopie out and I'll be right with you". I smiled as I watched them all disappear into the mess hall before sliding as pain free as possible out of the saddle.
The next painful part would be taking the saddle and bride off with one arm. I slipped the bridle of easily and managed to hang it on my left shoulder. The saddle a little more difficult but once the girth was un done I was able to slide it from Caliopie's back and rest it in my left arm.
"Jules, you ok"? Derice asked me as he came out to give me a hand as I was struggling to get the saddle on the rack.
"I don't think so". I whimpered in pain as I fell to the floor, disappointed in myself.
"Why, what have you done"? he crouched at the side of me.
"I fell at the fence jump and now I can barely feel my arm and my side kills". I began crying in pain as he tried taking a closer look.
"C'mon, we'd best get you to the hospital". He helped me up and pushed me gently in the direction of the van then went to tell the others. When he came back, he was followed closely by the ducks who had very concerned looks on their faces but I was too engulfed in the pain to notice what they were saying. "Why didn't you say anything about it sooner"? Derice asked me once we got moving.
"What and give Robbie the satisfaction. I wasn't ever planning on hiding the injury from you but I was from Robbie". I explained through bouts of pain.
"I'm really proud of you, you know".
"Why"?
"Because you ignored me and did what you thought was best as well as put Robbie back in his place and you ended it with him".
"I wish I'd have listened to you now, if I had I wouldn't be in pain now would I".
"No Julie, you were right to compete against him, you proved yourself to him today and he won't bother you from now on. Your injury could have occurred anytime it wasn't just because you competed".
A few weeks later, I packed my final belongings into my suitcase ready to go back home. Luckily I hadn't done any serious damage to my arm, just bruising that had healed within a week but still permitted me to ride. The ducks and Derice had remained concerned about me from then on, but what with other things happening they hadn't had much chance. Joy had gone into labor no more than 5 days after my fall and she'd given birth to a healthy baby boy, who Winstan almost demanded they call him Dominic. A week after his birth they had, had him christened asking me and Sanka to be the God parents again.
At the airport, the ducks said goodbye to Derice, Sanka, Joy and Winstan then left leaving me to say my goodbyes. I already had tears rolling down my cheeks even before I began talking.
"Bye Dominic, make sure Winstan looks after you ok". I pecked his little forehead. "Bye Joy, take care. I'll call to see how both my God son's are doing ok". I hugged her deeply making tears pour down her cheeks too.
"Julie do you have to go"? Winstan tugged at my sleeve.
"Yeah but I wish I didn't. I'm gonna miss you". I picked him up.
"I'm gonna miss you too". He was crying too.
"Tell you what though, I'm gonna ring you all the time to make sure your looking after your mom and Dominic for me". I rubbed my nose against his like we always had done.
"I will, I promise". He kissed me then I put him down and hugged Sanka.
"WHO'S THE CAPTAIN OF OUR CREW, WHO'S A FRIEND TO ME AND YOU, KINDA NICE GOOD LOOKING TOO, SANKA, SANKA YAY SANKA". We both said to each other.
"I'm gonna miss you hanging around star". He pulled me into another hug.
"Me too. I'll be back soon though, I promise you and when I do I'm gonna teach you how to ice skate". I laughed.
"ICE". He shivered.
"Derice, thanks for everything". He enveloped me in a hug.
"No problem, I've enjoyed it". He let me go. "You really brightened the place up".
"I best go, I'll see you soon. Bye guys". I waved at them then headed toward the ducks and boarded the plane home.
It certain had been an eventful summer and I for one couldn't wait till the next one even though I knew I'd be back somewhere in-between that time.
Well what do you think? PLEASE R&R!!!!!!!