Marco sighed. I swear Slade, sometimes trying to get answers from you is like talking to a brick wall.

Sorry, Slade said, not really knowing what he had done wrong, but figuring he should apologize just the same.

Slade- Marco began again, but was quickly interrupted by Jake.

We're over the track now, he informed the rest of the Animorphs.

Anyone see a good place to demorph? Rachel asked.

There must be some empty stalls in those barns. Just fly in and land, Tobias said.

Or maybe we could go check out the trash behind the clubhouse, Marco suggested, not quite joking.

Seagulls. You guys might as well be pigeons, Tobias sneered.

What do pigeons have to do with anything? Slade asked, confused.

Nobody answered him, and so Slade decided to drop the subject. The Animorphs flew in low and fast over one of the large barns that edged the left side of the racetrack. Two rows of horse stalls had been built parallel to one another, with one half-door opening to the outside and the one opposite it opening into a long, semi-wide hallway that separated the first row of stalls from the second. As predicted, most of the stalls were indeed empty.

Turning with the sheer speed and agility that was common to all seagulls, Cassie flew in through the open door of an empty stall. Landing on the none-too-clean hay, Cassie took a long look around. Once she was satisfied that no one was around to see them demorphing, Cassie called out to the other Animorphs still waiting in the sky.

It looks okay in here, she said.

The rest of the Animorphs were very quick about following Cassie into the stall they had seen her fly into. Soon, all seven Animorphs were gathered together inside the stall. Once they had all landed, the seven of them moved a fair distance apart and started to demorph.

All right everyone, demorph, Jake ordered, apparently not noticing that some of the others had already started to do just that. Tobias? Do you want to morph human or just stay as you are now?

I'll have to stay in my hawk form if I want to acquire a horse, Tobias said. In fact, while you guys finish demorphing, I think I'll go find a horse I like.

It was something Cassie hadn't thought of when she had told the other Animorphs that they could demorph inside this stall, but there was always the chance that someone would walk into the barn while they were demorphing. Thankfully, none of the barn attendants came inside while the Animorphs were still somewhere between their normal forms and their animal morphs.

However, two old men did walk in once the six were finished with their most drastic changes. What the men saw were four youngish teenagers, one teen who looked noticeably older than the rest, and something that looked like a small horse that had been painted blue. Needless to say, the old men were very surprised.

Cassie was the one who had noticed them first, so she was the one they seemed to address their question to.

"What the he… what are you kids doing in that stall? And, what in the name of all that's holy is that thing?"