AVALON

Chapter 52 - Thornie

(Second go arrrgh – hopefully it will work my brain doesn't want to write it again! _ I feel liek Ive missed a million things so I'm sorry if it sux... the first one was better - thanks to all those you helped me I really apprecaite it and wish I could dedicate this chapter to you all on here... but I can't so to all those who tried this chapter is for you)

These situations always fire my blood up, there's been numerous times that Nathan has had to pull me kicking and screaming from horses at the sales, in fact I'm rarely allowed to accompany Dad anymore on his occasional trips, the only exception being when we are selling horses. For some reason I just lose it at Sales, to me horses are innocent they couldn't possibly do anything to deserve ill treatment.

 When we sell at Sales we only sell at big ones and not our best horses, they are always sold at shows, or advertised in Horsedeals mag but more often than not they aren't ever advertised as there is a waiting list of interested buyers, anyway Angus always says it's my job to ride the horses in the sales ring because we get more money, if I ride them they then appeal to females, males and teens. I reckon it's because I'm little that because it looks like I'm a little girl riding these horses that anybody can.

Angus insists I wear pink and plait my hair. Nathan always rolls his eyes because Angus couldn't give a crap about me brushing my hair any other day, in fac the one day I asked him to brush a big knot out he pulled out the clippers, I ran. But on sales day I have to look like I'm six or something and apparently six year old always wear pink boots and pink ribbons in their knot free shiny hair.

Lying my forehead against this poor horses' I can't help the tears that just seem to stream out from my swollen eyes, the injustice of it eats me away. I've seen skinny horses before don't get me wrong but this horse is beyond just being skinny. I've seen dead cow carcasses up in trees after big floods in better condition than him. Whatever has happened to him has caused him to lose his inner will to live.

He honestly couldn't give a stuff what happened to him now. What the hell happened to cause someone to let him get to this state? It's not like he could have cheated on someone or anything.

Just what is he feeling now? Or is he feeling anything at all.

"Harry?" I ask hoarsely. I don't care that people keep stopping and peering at me like I've lost my mind as long as they keep their mouths shut. This is my horse and he will be just amazing once he see's that he is loved again and believed in. People will eat their assumptions. Or I will shove them down their throat either way it won't matter me. This is this horse's last day of feeling like nothing.

"Av? You need something?" Harry asks gently.

I don't turn around because I'm on the edge here, in many regards. If I even get a hint of who did this to this horse I may end up in jail, which after yesterday would be even more likely than not and secondly I know how I get with animals like this.

The rest of the world seems to fade to me, to mean almost nothing. For Nathan, Harry, Flea and Amber I must be strong, I can't let what normally happens... happen. When Frank's life was hanging in the balance, I kind of just lost it, I was so engulfed with worry over him, that he might struggle and I wasn't there, that he may need something and I wouldn't be awake that I really didn't notice how weak I was becoming. Nathan was the one that fed me and forced me to take care of myself. The worry seems to seep into my bones there is nothing else I can think of when animals are like this. It literally makes me sick inside. Honestly, unless it was one of my family I don't think a human could elicit these type of feelings in me.

"Can you grab me a bottle of water please, Haz?" I stroke the hard mud off this long face in front of me, I think he will be grey when I get him all cleaned up.