Strangers Are Friends You Haven't Made

[Gladys Madoc]

Gladys whistled softly to herself as she ran the currycomb gently down the horse's side. What she was whistling, she couldn't have said, but it reminded her of home, so it was probably something traditional, especially since she had never really been able to keep up with the charts in any case. As soon as she felt as though she might be beginning to get to grips with a song, it disappeared to be replaced with something completely different, and although the brunette was all in favour of change, she didn't think it ought to go on all the time. Consistency was important too.

The soft sound of brush against horsehair ceased for a moment as she ducked around the horse to commence operations on his opposite side.

Not even her horse, she might add. Not that she had a horse, of course, but it wasn't the horse that she had been assigned to, and, as lovely as this individual was, she was rather glad of it. This coat was taking some serious work, but she'd promised his owner that she'd look after him, and although she could easily have left it to the barn staff... well, it wasn't the point. And Gladys liked to feel useful.

Franchesca Capuccini

[Franchesca Capuccini]

She found herself kicking around the small stones she could find in the way of her feet as she walked towards the barn, the smell was a familiar beauty, she loved the smell of horses, even the manure. As she walked towards the barn doors which were open, she stood there a moment, looking at the faces that returned her stare, her heart thudding in her chest. She just needed a moment.

After standing there for roughy ten minutes, she managed to take a step inside, before stopping once again. Her fear of the animas rising, she was in a slight sweat now. Something she wouldn't want anyone to see her like. She just couldn't move.

Gladys Madoc

[Gladys Madoc]

Busy with her work, Gladys nevertheless had a smile and a brief word in greeting for anyone that passed the half door behind which she was engaged. After all, it didn't pay to be too focused on one thing and especially not when it came to horses, since there was always the chance of... well, more or less anything, really. For all she knew, there could be a loose horse dashing around at any moment, at which point it would probably be advisable to be aware of it.

While there wasn't a loose horse, there was a girl she didn't recognise, and that could only be a good thing! Gladys loved to make new friends! It took a further moment, however, for her to recognise that the brunette clearly wasn't comfortable, and with a frown on her face, the Welsh girl let herself out of the stall, closing the door behind her, and brushed off her hands on her jodhpurs before approaching the newcomer. "Are you all right?" she asked, her usual exuberance firmly restrained.

[Franchesca Capuccini]

When she was approached, she managed to snap herself out of whatever trance she was obviously in. Looking slightly caught of guard by the discovery someone else was there as well as herself. She forced an authentic looking smile across her face. "Yea, I'm... I'm fine. I just need a few minutes is all." Her tone was rushed, a little uncertain of herself.

Se knew it was a big push to come back into a barn, especially filled with horses she didn't know. She looked unsettled still as her eyes left the girl to look at the row of horses, then back at her. "Truth is, I'm a little bit nervous... I have been out of riding since I was around... Twelve/Thirteen." She smiled, this time it was real. But who could tell between real and fake anymore.

Gladys Madoc

[Gladys Madoc]

Gladys nodded with a smile of her own, though her warm dark eyes were still concerned as they regarded the newcomer with something between interest and sympathy. "No, absolutely, take your time!" she assured the girl with a grin. "I'm in no hurry; I can wait. Or I can not wait, if you prefer. It doesn't matter to me. Well, it does, obviously, sorry if that sounded rude, but I can give you some space if you need it." She cut herself off abruptly, aware that she was rapidly descending into meaningless drivel, and smiled again instead.

"Oh, wow, that's quite a while." To be honest, the brunette couldn't imagine not riding for so long, but clearly it was possible. Not that it had ever occurred to her before. "But you don't have to be nervous! Everything will be fine, I promise!"

Franchesca Capuccini

[Franchesca Capuccini]

She took a few deep breaths, realising that the girl was right, it wasn't an issue, it wasn't as if she had to go and jump on a horses back right this second. She just wanted to at least look at one, touch one again. "I mean if you aren't busy, it would be nice to have someone to hang out with for a while." Truth was, being a new girl in a big school like this was scary to her, along with the fact she now had to get to know a horse she had no idea what it was going to be like to get on, let alone get back in the saddle.

The others reassurance was all she needed to take one step into the barn, looking around she inhaled, the smell was so familiar, she enjoyed it still and that was a good thing so far. She turned and looked at the other, a smile on her face. "So it shall." She kept taking small steps, looking over her shoulder toward the other. "Do you have your own horse?" She only wondered since she hadn't brought her own, let alone had her own in a few years.

Gladys Madoc

[Gladys Madoc]

"No, no; I'm just grooming at the moment- and you can wait a minute, can't you, boyo?" The question was addressed to the horse, of course, and was obviously entirely rhetorical in nature, but then Gladys was quite accustomed to not receiving answers from people anyway; mostly, it was because she spoke at such a ludicrous speed in the first place that no one could pick out enough of what she was saying to be confident in forming a relevant response. "I'm Gladys, by the way. Awful name, I know." Pulling a face, the brunette shrugged. She was stuck with it, after all, there was no sense in getting too annoyed about it. Besides, it was a part of who she was by now; she supposed she could change it, but despite the total lack of attraction for the name itself, the Welsh girl didn't know if she could bring herself to do so.

Leaning her weight against the stall door, swinging the brush idly from her fingers, Gladys watched the other brunette making her way hesitantly into the barn with an encouraging, if somewhat puzzled, expression on her face. "No, I ride one of the school horses. Costs enough to be here."

Franchesca Capuccini