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Description
Not totally pleased with this, but I needed to draw it. Maybe one day when I'm better with people I'll draw it again. so no comments on the picture, please >.< I can see all the problems.

Warning: This story contains death and ideas that may affect those who are more sensitive...

Story
The weather had not eased for days, Firelight completely cut off by huge snow drifts blocking any road access. All the staff were stuck there, including Zoe. Aithne had insisted she remained at Firelight despite her determination to leave and get as far away from Lee as possible. The staff quarters were too cold to live in, so she had a makeshift bed in the cosy second lounge at the back of the house. Things had been tense and unpleasant since Christmas day, and as New Year rolled around things weren’t looking much better. Zoe had hit rock bottom, going about her work silently and then shutting herself away for the rest of the day. Aithne had tried to get through to her, but she was starting to think it was useless. Zoe had been suffering from depression for a long time, and the current situation was clearly not helping.

Zoe wandered out to the stables on the morning of New Year’s Eve, the snow coming above her ankles after another night of high winds and snowfall. The morning was clear, however, and the wind had subsided. It was silent out on the yard as the sun started to rise on the horizon, and Zoe relished the quiet as she went about her morning routine. She piled up the feed buckets in the mare barn and took them out to the horses. They all perked up and whinnied loudly as their morning feed arrived, but Zoe quickly noticed one head was missing. Fru hadn’t come to her stable door as she had done every morning since Zoe had started training her. The woman dropped the feed buckets and dashed over to Fru’s stall. The mare was laid her stall on her side. Her sides were coated in sweat and her nose was dripping with mucous. Zoe stared for a moment, the condition of the horse hitting her hard. Fru had been a little off for a few days, but Spirit Horses had been known to connect very deeply with their owners and Zoe had been off herself. Without thinking, she ran out of the barn to find Lee. He was still in the house, helping Aithne with some new purchases and a training plan for Phuckyes. “Lee! Come quick! Fru’s really ill, I don’t think she can get up,” Zoe gasped as she burst through the door. Lee got to his feet quickly, any tension between the pair being thrown out the window as they both rushed out of the house. Aithne followed, pulling on her coat as she went. The manager looked over Fru’s stall for merely a second before grabbing Sonnet and Fancy’s head collars. She got the two neighbouring mares out of their stables and started heading out.
“Zoe! Clear this side of the barn!” Zoe didn’t ask questions, grabbing the head collars of the nearest horses, Birdy and Piccy, and heading out with them. Lee was already in Fru’s stall with some sterile gloves on. He inspected the mare’s airways and checked her breathing. It was laboured and slow, a rattling could be heard in her chest. He could see her temperature was raging and she had very little energy. He knew deep down what was wrong. It was the flu, and somehow it had accelerated. Zoe returned at a run, looking into the stable as she arrived.
“What’s wrong with her?” She asked nervously. Lee looked around and pushed himself up using his crutch.
“Looks like the flu, but I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s almost like she already has a secondary infection, like pneumonia. But that’s… well it’s nearly impossible this soon.” He ran a hand through his hair and looked at the mare. He looked up as Amber came running into the barn carrying his bag. She caught her breath as she skidded to a halt at Fru’s stable.
“Aithne said… there was an emergency… so I brought your bag,” she gasped, handing the bag over to him. He took it and placed it on the floor near Fru, opening it up and starting to rummage through.
“I think I’ve got some antibiotics in here,” he muttered to himself, pulling out a needle. “Let’s just hope we aren’t too late, the pneumonia might damage her heart,” he sighed and injected the antibiotics, rubbing Fru’s neck gently when it was all over. The mare closed her eyes and let out a deep, rattling sigh. Lee looked behind at the small worried crowd. “We should try to move her to the recovery stable, but it needs bedding putting down first,” he advised as he stood up. Aithne nodded and took Amber’s arm.
“Come on, let’s go get her stable sorted,” the older woman said gently. Amber nodded and they left Lee and Zoe alone. The red hair woman moved next to Fru’s side and wiped away some of the mucous from her nose with a tissue. Lee silently packed up his back and pulled his gloves off, heading out of the stable. He left in silence, but Zoe was glad he didn’t say anything. She didn’t think she could face losing Fru. Her illness was peculiar, but Zoe was betting it was something to do with her being a Spirit Horse. When they got sick, they got very sick. Zoe brushed away a few tears and ran her hand over Fru’s face gently.
“Get better, girl,” she whispered as she got up. “I’m sorry.” She left the mare to rest, trailing through the snow towards the house. She felt utterly miserable, as if Fru’s illness was her fault. Maybe it was her fault. She had taken Fru to some local shows, so she could have picked up the virus there. She went into the house and shut herself in her room again, the image of the mare laid on the ground plaguing her mind.

Lee kept a close eye on Fru throughout the day whilst also keeping an eye on her neighbouring friends. The other mares were brought back in when Fru had been moved and her stall disinfected. They all appeared to be fine for the moment, and Lee hoped their flu vaccines would be enough to stop them getting sick. Fru’s vaccine had been due in the next few weeks, which was probably how she had managed to come down with it. He headed into the house at the end of the day feeling exhausted and drained. He headed upstairs for a shower, only to find the bathroom locked. He sighed and stared at the door for a moment. He could hear the shower running behind the door. He ran a hand through his hair and headed back downstairs to ask Aithne if he could use their bathroom. All he wanted was to get a good wash, or at least as good as he could with the light cast he still had on his leg. After grabbing the usual awkward and quick shower in Aithne and Adam’s en suite, Lee went to head back downstairs again. He paused at the top of the stairs, the sound of a shower still coming from the large bathroom. He frowned and went downstairs, joining Aithne in the kitchen. “Who’s in the shower?” He asked as he sat down. Aithne turned to look at him and shrugged.
“Must be Zoe, everyone else is on the yard,” Aithne said as she went back to stirring the large pan of pasta. Lee nodded and picked up one of the magazines on the table, flicking through the latest ads.

Aithne dished up dinner at about five, and called everyone in from the yard. Lee frowned and looked towards the kitchen door that led to the hallway. “Zoe still hasn’t come down,” he said quietly. She had been in the shower over an hour, highly unusual for the woman. He got up and headed upstairs. The shower was still running, but when he knocked on the door and called her name there was no reply. He frowned and knocked again, glancing towards the stairs as he heard the outside door open and Adam, Mark, and Amber come inside. He heard talking and then footsteps as Adam headed upstairs.
“What’s up?” Adam said as he reached the landing. Lee shook his head and frowned.
“I don’t know, she’s not replying,” he said quietly. Adam tried to get a reply too, but after five minutes both men were worried. Adam gave a warning, preparing himself to break the door down. He hesitated and glanced at Lee who nodded mutely. They had no choice, she hadn’t even replied to their warning of taking the door down. Adam barged into the door a few times, the lock on the other side loosening each time. Aithne, Mark and Amber came upstairs at the sound of the banging, Aithne wide eyed as she watched the event unfold. The door flew open and Lee dared to look around the doorframe. What met his gaze was what he had been dreading. For days now Rojuk had been plastering an image in Lee’s brain, tormenting him and trying to make him feel guilty, but the horse hadn’t been lying. She was laid on the floor, eyes half open and signs of vomiting. Lee’s stomach twisted in knots, but he was the first to go into the room, everyone else standing in stunned silence. The vet went down next to Zoe, casting his crutch aside as he went to feel her pulse. His own heart skipped up into his throat as the realisation hit him. There was no pulse. She wasn’t breathing. He looked around the room in a daze, barely noticing the empty pill bottle thrown across near the shower and the half empty bottle of vodka. None of it was relevant any more. Everything had just been pulled out from underneath him. In a dazed shock, Lee drew the body towards him, clinging to her as he slumped back against the wall. He didn’t cry, he couldn’t cry. Deep down he knew he should have been crying but at the front of his mind he didn’t know what to do. He buried his face against her hair, hugging her lifeless body close. The rest of the staff were silent, Aithne sobbing gently against Adam’s chest. Mark had his head against a nearby wall, fists clenched slightly as he fought back his emotions. Amber didn’t really know what to do with herself, wanting to go and comfort Lee but not sure whether it was the right thing to do. The man was clearly devastated, starting to sob as it all sank in. The Australian looked at Adam who looked grim but calm. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and handing it to Amber.
“Amber… could you call 999 please, tell them what’s happened,” he said quietly, knowing something had to be done about it all. The woman nodded mutely and headed downstairs to make the call, leaving the rest of the staff in their heavy silence. None of them knew what to do, the effect of the loss being beyond words.

Image & Characters © *mapal
ref: [link]

Description
Not totally pleased with this, but I needed to draw it. Maybe one day when I'm better with people I'll draw it again. so no comments on the picture, please >.< I can see all the problems.

Warning: This story contains death and ideas that may affect those who are more sensitive...

Story
The weather had not eased for days, Firelight completely cut off by huge snow drifts blocking any road access. All the staff were stuck there, including Zoe. Aithne had insisted she remained at Firelight despite her determination to leave and get as far away from Lee as possible. The staff quarters were too cold to live in, so she had a makeshift bed in the cosy second lounge at the back of the house. Things had been tense and unpleasant since Christmas day, and as New Year rolled around things weren’t looking much better. Zoe had hit rock bottom, going about her work silently and then shutting herself away for the rest of the day. Aithne had tried to get through to her, but she was starting to think it was useless. Zoe had been suffering from depression for a long time, and the current situation was clearly not helping.

Zoe wandered out to the stables on the morning of New Year’s Eve, the snow coming above her ankles after another night of high winds and snowfall. The morning was clear, however, and the wind had subsided. It was silent out on the yard as the sun started to rise on the horizon, and Zoe relished the quiet as she went about her morning routine. She piled up the feed buckets in the mare barn and took them out to the horses. They all perked up and whinnied loudly as their morning feed arrived, but Zoe quickly noticed one head was missing. Fru hadn’t come to her stable door as she had done every morning since Zoe had started training her. The woman dropped the feed buckets and dashed over to Fru’s stall. The mare was laid her stall on her side. Her sides were coated in sweat and her nose was dripping with mucous. Zoe stared for a moment, the condition of the horse hitting her hard. Fru had been a little off for a few days, but Spirit Horses had been known to connect very deeply with their owners and Zoe had been off herself. Without thinking, she ran out of the barn to find Lee. He was still in the house, helping Aithne with some new purchases and a training plan for Phuckyes. “Lee! Come quick! Fru’s really ill, I don’t think she can get up,” Zoe gasped as she burst through the door. Lee got to his feet quickly, any tension between the pair being thrown out the window as they both rushed out of the house. Aithne followed, pulling on her coat as she went. The manager looked over Fru’s stall for merely a second before grabbing Sonnet and Fancy’s head collars. She got the two neighbouring mares out of their stables and started heading out.
“Zoe! Clear this side of the barn!” Zoe didn’t ask questions, grabbing the head collars of the nearest horses, Birdy and Piccy, and heading out with them. Lee was already in Fru’s stall with some sterile gloves on. He inspected the mare’s airways and checked her breathing. It was laboured and slow, a rattling could be heard in her chest. He could see her temperature was raging and she had very little energy. He knew deep down what was wrong. It was the flu, and somehow it had accelerated. Zoe returned at a run, looking into the stable as she arrived.
“What’s wrong with her?” She asked nervously. Lee looked around and pushed himself up using his crutch.
“Looks like the flu, but I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s almost like she already has a secondary infection, like pneumonia. But that’s… well it’s nearly impossible this soon.” He ran a hand through his hair and looked at the mare. He looked up as Amber came running into the barn carrying his bag. She caught her breath as she skidded to a halt at Fru’s stable.
“Aithne said… there was an emergency… so I brought your bag,” she gasped, handing the bag over to him. He took it and placed it on the floor near Fru, opening it up and starting to rummage through.
“I think I’ve got some antibiotics in here,” he muttered to himself, pulling out a needle. “Let’s just hope we aren’t too late, the pneumonia might damage her heart,” he sighed and injected the antibiotics, rubbing Fru’s neck gently when it was all over. The mare closed her eyes and let out a deep, rattling sigh. Lee looked behind at the small worried crowd. “We should try to move her to the recovery stable, but it needs bedding putting down first,” he advised as he stood up. Aithne nodded and took Amber’s arm.
“Come on, let’s go get her stable sorted,” the older woman said gently. Amber nodded and they left Lee and Zoe alone. The red hair woman moved next to Fru’s side and wiped away some of the mucous from her nose with a tissue. Lee silently packed up his back and pulled his gloves off, heading out of the stable. He left in silence, but Zoe was glad he didn’t say anything. She didn’t think she could face losing Fru. Her illness was peculiar, but Zoe was betting it was something to do with her being a Spirit Horse. When they got sick, they got very sick. Zoe brushed away a few tears and ran her hand over Fru’s face gently.
“Get better, girl,” she whispered as she got up. “I’m sorry.” She left the mare to rest, trailing through the snow towards the house. She felt utterly miserable, as if Fru’s illness was her fault. Maybe it was her fault. She had taken Fru to some local shows, so she could have picked up the virus there. She went into the house and shut herself in her room again, the image of the mare laid on the ground plaguing her mind.

Lee kept a close eye on Fru throughout the day whilst also keeping an eye on her neighbouring friends. The other mares were brought back in when Fru had been moved and her stall disinfected. They all appeared to be fine for the moment, and Lee hoped their flu vaccines would be enough to stop them getting sick. Fru’s vaccine had been due in the next few weeks, which was probably how she had managed to come down with it. He headed into the house at the end of the day feeling exhausted and drained. He headed upstairs for a shower, only to find the bathroom locked. He sighed and stared at the door for a moment. He could hear the shower running behind the door. He ran a hand through his hair and headed back downstairs to ask Aithne if he could use their bathroom. All he wanted was to get a good wash, or at least as good as he could with the light cast he still had on his leg. After grabbing the usual awkward and quick shower in Aithne and Adam’s en suite, Lee went to head back downstairs again. He paused at the top of the stairs, the sound of a shower still coming from the large bathroom. He frowned and went downstairs, joining Aithne in the kitchen. “Who’s in the shower?” He asked as he sat down. Aithne turned to look at him and shrugged.
“Must be Zoe, everyone else is on the yard,” Aithne said as she went back to stirring the large pan of pasta. Lee nodded and picked up one of the magazines on the table, flicking through the latest ads.

Aithne dished up dinner at about five, and called everyone in from the yard. Lee frowned and looked towards the kitchen door that led to the hallway. “Zoe still hasn’t come down,” he said quietly. She had been in the shower over an hour, highly unusual for the woman. He got up and headed upstairs. The shower was still running, but when he knocked on the door and called her name there was no reply. He frowned and knocked again, glancing towards the stairs as he heard the outside door open and Adam, Mark, and Amber come inside. He heard talking and then footsteps as Adam headed upstairs.
“What’s up?” Adam said as he reached the landing. Lee shook his head and frowned.
“I don’t know, she’s not replying,” he said quietly. Adam tried to get a reply too, but after five minutes both men were worried. Adam gave a warning, preparing himself to break the door down. He hesitated and glanced at Lee who nodded mutely. They had no choice, she hadn’t even replied to their warning of taking the door down. Adam barged into the door a few times, the lock on the other side loosening each time. Aithne, Mark and Amber came upstairs at the sound of the banging, Aithne wide eyed as she watched the event unfold. The door flew open and Lee dared to look around the doorframe. What met his gaze was what he had been dreading. For days now Rojuk had been plastering an image in Lee’s brain, tormenting him and trying to make him feel guilty, but the horse hadn’t been lying. She was laid on the floor, eyes half open and signs of vomiting. Lee’s stomach twisted in knots, but he was the first to go into the room, everyone else standing in stunned silence. The vet went down next to Zoe, casting his crutch aside as he went to feel her pulse. His own heart skipped up into his throat as the realisation hit him. There was no pulse. She wasn’t breathing. He looked around the room in a daze, barely noticing the empty pill bottle thrown across near the shower and the half empty bottle of vodka. None of it was relevant any more. Everything had just been pulled out from underneath him. In a dazed shock, Lee drew the body towards him, clinging to her as he slumped back against the wall. He didn’t cry, he couldn’t cry. Deep down he knew he should have been crying but at the front of his mind he didn’t know what to do. He buried his face against her hair, hugging her lifeless body close. The rest of the staff were silent, Aithne sobbing gently against Adam’s chest. Mark had his head against a nearby wall, fists clenched slightly as he fought back his emotions. Amber didn’t really know what to do with herself, wanting to go and comfort Lee but not sure whether it was the right thing to do. The man was clearly devastated, starting to sob as it all sank in. The Australian looked at Adam who looked grim but calm. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and handing it to Amber.
“Amber… could you call 999 please, tell them what’s happened,” he said quietly, knowing something had to be done about it all. The woman nodded mutely and headed downstairs to make the call, leaving the rest of the staff in their heavy silence. None of them knew what to do, the effect of the loss being beyond words.

Image & Characters © *mapal
ref: [link]