Derby Dreams (Acropolis #1)

Chapter 8

"Half the staff have gone home early!" Brooke was panicked when they entered the yard, "We've got half the staff we need and barely any of the horses are fed! James is down at Hera discussing the final options for Willow with your grandmother and Adano is nowhere to be seen. It's just me, Terry and Richie left."
"Why are they talking about Willow?" Kat's face was a mask of calm but there was an edge in her voice.
"They reckon it's gonna happen tonight. What a night as well! We're going to be lucky if the vet can get here!" Brooke looked frazzled.
"Right, I'm afraid I need to join them then. Carla is at your disposal though." Kat turned without a second look and led Dove to her stall.
"I think I might need to go home actually." Carla told Brooke, "The roads aren't that great really."
"Try impassable." Brooke replied, "You'll be staying in the house with the rest of us. No one is getting in or out."
"Oh." Carla felt a streak of something between disappointment and delight. She might be here for the foalings.
"So help us grab some buckets. Actually, go to the colts yard. Terry is the only one over there.

"At last, some help!" Terry didn't look half as stressed as Brooke, actually he was grinning, "Grab a couple of buckets young lady. They've got numbers on so you know where each one goes. Step inside, tip the food on the floor and you're done."
"Okay." Carla smiled and grab the first bucket. Practically every horse had their head out of their stall.
"We feed them on the floor because it's like grazing for them, much better for them really." Terry told her as they made steady progress around the yard. There were about forty horses on the yard and they were all hungry. Carla made her way along the row of three year olds, making a note of each name as she went.
"Watch out for Rebel, he's horrible!" Terry called as she came to Raging Rebel's stable. The colt curled his lips back at her when she got to the door. She went to open the door and it jumped back at her as Rebel kicked it three times.
"Actually, I'll do him. He's clearly in a mood." Terry added. Carla smiled and grabbed the next bucket for the next stall. It appeared empty, there was no horse leaning over the top , whinnying eagerly for food.
"Hello there?" she called as she headed for the stall but no head appeared. She glanced at the name plate, Tooth and Claw.
So this was the wonderboy, Carla was surprised that he wasn't eagerly clamouring for food like the others.
"Hey there Tooth and Claw?" She called aloud as she flicked the stall door open. There was a welcoming nicker and a horse emerged from the back of the stall. Suddenly, she knew Mr Hart meant about the colt. He took her breath away. He was perfect, just perfect. Classical and beautiful with fearless but gentle eyes. One white star between his eyes and a gorgeous coffee brown, he was stunning.
"Hello there." Carla held out her hand and Tooth and Claw sniffed it daintily. He was in racing shape pretty much, hard muscle everywhere and he'd probably rippled if he walked.
"I've brought your dinner." Carla showed the bucket to the colt. He gave it a sniff then turned back to her, nuzzling her pockets and drinking in her smell.
"Don't you want it?" Carla felt a spark of concern, horses shouldn't be off their food, "It's cold out, you'll need the energy." The colt gave a snort and Carla began scratching along the crest of his neck, the colt liked it, nibbling her back in a sort of mutual grooming.
"He's a nice boy, isn't he?" Terry appeared at the door, "He won't be interested in his food but give it half an hour and it'll be gone." Terry disappeared and shortly afterwards came a squeal, "Get back you 'orrible 'orse!" Terry yelled next door to the badly behaved Raging Rebel.
"I'll leave you then." Carla told Tooth and Claw, he didn't seem bothered by the kicks through the wall at all. He nuzzled her hair briefly as she left then stood, head over the door, watching her leave.

"Good evening everyone, how are we all?" Lady Elizabeth Forest greeted the twenty odd people around the table, the staff who had been unable to get home. There was a murmured reply, everybody was freezing cold and digging into their food with gusto.
"Good. I'm afraid three of the mares have decided that tonight's the night by the looks of it so I'll need a few of us down there to see to them. Mr Hart is, of course, there but any volunteers to help would be welcome." Kat lifted her hand without hesitation and Carla followed suit, not wanting to miss out on seeing her first ever foal born. A couple of others, Terry and one of the broodmare men, also offered.
"Excellent, as soon as you've eaten you could join them. Luckily it's only the mares in Hera at the moment although I daresay the watchmen will be calling up to say all the mares are dropping down at Hestia." Lady Eliza pulled a face, clasping her hands together wryly.
"How's Willow?" Brooke asked from the far end of the table. There was a pause, everyone went silent. Willow was one of the sweetest mares, no one wanted to see her go.
"She's very well." Lady Eliza replied stiffly, "Could be any day."
"Normally when you give out death sentences you're a little more precise though." Kat replaced her fork by the side of her plate and stood up, "Excuse me." She left the room quickly and quietly. Carla, completely isolated, followed suit.

Kat was pulling on a coat that was imprinted with the name Acropolis. It looked warm, mildly fluffy and waterproof.
"Grab one." Kat pointed to the rows hung up on the pegs beside the door, "You're going to need it out there." She picked up a wooly hat and pulled it down over her ears. Carla grabbed a jacket and pulled it on.
"What did you mean by a death sentence?" She asked as she zipped it up.
"I shouldn't have said it." Kat replied regretfully.
"Why not?"
"It'll upset the people in there. My grandmother could have swung a story that they couldn't save her but instead they know that the decision was already made."
"What decision?" Carla asked anxiously, her eyebrows furrowed.
"When these foals arrive, a colt and a filly I think they said, they will probably come at a cost. Typically in dual births it's a case of the mother or the foals. This afternoon my grandmother made the decision, alongside fine, fabulous Fiona," The words were heavily sarcastic, "That should the cost have to be paid then Willow will pay it. They would rather have a pair of foals that could be completely useless than a great mare which is-" Kat cut herself off, "I apologise, I got carried away."
"It's fine." Carla felt a strange pang inside her. She barely knew the mare, she'd just seen her flying through the snow this morning, and yet the thought that the mare could be dead less than twenty four hours later was terrifying and too real.
"Do you think she will foal tonight?"
"I don't know. This is her first time so we don't really know her habits yet but there is at least one mare there who will be foaling," Kat glanced at her watch, "Within the hour I'd imagine."
"Really?" Carla felt a breath of excitement. Kat nodded
"Yes, really."

It was Volcanic Equation. The mare was pacing and lying down and standing up and pacing and lying down and standing up. Kat and Carla stood watching her from the door next to Mr Hart.
"She's well on her way. Waters have already broken." Mr Hart told them, "Hopefully it'll be short and straightforward. TC was and she's been doing fine according to the vet."
"Good." Kat smiled and watched as Volcanic Equation settled down again, "She's gone down for good this time."
"Yes she has." Mr Hart nodded and stepped inside. He was in foaling overalls and he crouched down by the mare's tail, "Nice, strong contractions. Feet first as well." Mr Hart sat patiently next to the mare as she gave a grunt. Her chestnut sides were smattered with sweat and she lifted her head in pain as another contraction tensed her body.
"It's not all cute foals, I'm afraid." Mr Hart saw the sympathetic expression on Carla's face, "It's bluming hard work, even for a strong, young mare like this one." He patted the chestnut hindquarters and pulled on his gloves.
"Give it all you've got girl, you've got a baby on the way." He told the mare as she gave another push. A pair of feet had emerged and Carla felt her hands clench in excitment.
"She's doing it nicely." Kat commented as the slowly, but surely, the legs emerged with a small head sandwiched between the knees.
"She's a good foaler. She did it all herself last time, as we all know." Minutes later the foal was out, sprawled on the straw still half covered in a wet membrane.
"Breathing." Mr Hart nodded, tearing the sack further back until it was nearly all off the tiny body, "very good girl V, nicely done." The chestnut mare, exhausted, was still sprawled on her side seemingly uninterested.
"Is she not going to say hello?" Carla asked.
"Give her a minute to catch her breath, you would want a breather after that." Mr Hart said with a smile.
"Colt or filly?" Asked Kat.
"Filly." Mr Hart announced, "Tooth and Claw has a little sister." He rubbed the filly's neck and she lifted her head awkwardly.
"She's got a star like her brother." Kat grinned, "Maybe she's a star too."
"Maybe, we'll see. Hand me the iodine." Kat did so and as the mare and foal broke apart Mr Hart rubbed the umbilical stub, trying to prevent infection.
"What do you think then?" Kat asked Carla as the mare turned to look at her new foal.
"Amazing." Carla replied, "I've never seen anything like it."
"It is amazing."
"You decided on her name yet Kat?" Mr Hart asked and Kat gave a small smile.
"Impulse, I think."
"I like that, good name for her." Mr Hart nodded, "Impulse it is for now then, we just got to hope the Jockey Club approve but do they ever not? You're good with name-"
"Hart!" A shout interrupted them.
"Yes?" Mr Hart replied, a sudden frown on his face.
"Willow's down, the twins are happening tonight."