Stella's P. O. V:
As I was sleeping that night, I dream of our horses fidgeting in their stalls.
I sit up with a gasp, "Aurora!! Olaf!! Flicka!!" Just then, I hear the house phone ringing. It falls silent after a moment as my mum picks it up.
I jump out of bed and race to the top of the stairs just as dad and Levi appear. "Mum, what is it?!"
She appears at the bottom of the stairs and says, face looking worried, "That was Frank just now. The stables are on fire. We need to leave."
I nod frantically before I go and snatch my pink night gown and tug on my boots. Levi and dad grab jackets and boots.
I race out the door to dad's four wheel drive and we get in, before we drive off to Bright Fields.
When we get there, I see that just about all the horses were in the field. Zoe and Becky were there, Maggie too.
"Aurora!" I exclaim.
"Flicka?!" Mum calls worriedly.
"Olaf?!" Levi calls, gazing around for the Andalusian.
"Bob!" Becky exclaims as I rest my hand on a bay horse's rump. "Someone's let the horses out." I spot no Bob, Aurora, Olaf, Flicka or Raven.
I say, "They're okay! They're okay. Aurora!"
"Flicka!" Adds Mum.
"Olaf!" Gasps Levi.
"Raven!" Zoe calls.
"Bob!" Becky shouts.
Zoe and I keep calling for our horses until Raven, Aurora, Flicka and Olaf come trotting from the stables, whinnying fearfully.
"Aurora!" I breathe in immense relief at the same time mum and Levi do, as our horses come over to us and I hug Aurora as mum cups Flicka's muzzle and Levi places his hand comfortingly on Olaf's forelock. They appear to be unharmed, making me feel even more relieved. "There's no need for you to be scared anymore. You're all safe now." I hug her neck tightly, Aurora snorting softly.
"Where's Bob?" Becky asks worriedly. She looks around for the Gypsy pony as Zoe's family joins us. "Bob?!"
"Becky, Stella, Zoe!" Maggie, mum, and dad call, jogging over with Levi.
"Bob, where are you?!" Becky calls as Elliott pulls up and my parents and brother run into the field with Elliott and Mia.
"Where's Firefly?" Mia asks fearfully.
"How did the horses get here?!" Dad asks, gazing around.
I reply, turning to him, "Someone must've let them out!"
"I can't see Firefly!" Mia gasps, worry in her features.
Maggie says, "13 horses. We're missing two."
Becky says, "They must still be in the stables."
"Firefly?! Firefly!" Mia exclaims as we watch the flames rise higher. We jump back when they burst upward. "No!" Mia starts running towards the burning stables.
"Mia, no! It's too dangerous!" Zoe yells as the rest of us chase after the brunette.
"I'm coming, Firefly!"
"Mia, stop!!" Her dad and my parents and brother shout.
"Bob's in there!" Becky says.
"Don't you dare...!" Maggie screams.
We swerve to the side just as Firefly comes cantering out of the flames, Bob hot on his heels.
"Get back!" Elliott calls.
"Bob!" Becky exclaims in immense relief just as the firefighters' sirens wail towards us. We jog back to the paddock where Bob is. "It was Bob who let the horses out! Bob must've used his untying truck to unlock the stable doors."
Mia says in gratitude, "He saved Firefly!"
I add, "And all the other horses."
"Bob's a hero, Becky," Mia tells her.
Becky says as she hugs the Gypsy pony, "Bob, you're the best! I love you!" Bob whinnies, sounding in pain as he bobs his head up and down. Becky pulls back as she gazes at him in concern. "Bob, what's wrong?" We watch in concern as he starts to get down on his knees, before collapsing. "Bob? Bob?" Becky sits down behind him, worry on her face.
The next morning, after I'd had breakfast and gotten dressed in a long sleeved blue top with an open zipper on my chest and black jodhpurs, along with my blue jumper, I see to Aurora as mum and Levi see to their horses before we go to check on Bob, a tent having been set up around him.
"Hey. How's he doing?" I ask gently as I enter the tent, seeing Becky sitting by the Gypsy pony and Jade and Zoe next to me. There's a female vet checking Bob's pile with a stethoscope. Her brown hair is in a ponytail.
"You know Bob. He loves to be center of attention," Becky says.
The vet tugs the earplugs down as she looks up and says, "He's been really brave, but he's having difficulty breathing." The vet rises to her feet and gently sets a red rug over Bob's lower half as Zoe goes to sit next to Becky while I stand next to Jade, Levi and mum.
"Thank you," Becky says quietly as the vet leaves. Becky notices our sympathetic expressions and adds assuringly, "Guys, it's okay. Bob has been through far worse. Like the time he drank my chocolate donut milkshake and was ill for three weeks? All he needs is cuddles, and mints, and Mr. Duck. Wait..." Becky gazes around. "Where's his Mr. Duck toy? That's what'll get him through this. No wonder he's so down!"
Zoe tells the blonde gently, "Becky, I don't think he's down. He is really sick, okay?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" Becky denies. "Bob saved all the horses... Bob's the hero! And the hero never dies!"
She leans forward and hugs Bob as Zoe rubs her arm comfortingly.
After awhile, I exit the tent to see Gaby and Pin having dismounted their horses and standing in front of Marcus and Mia, a bucket slung on my arm. There's a pile of burnt tack by the hay bales Mia is sitting on.
Only my halter and riding gear have survived the fire, but not everything else in the tack room, which had received the worst of the fire.
Pin asks me as relief glints in his blue green eyes, "Is everyone doing okay?"
I nod as I respond, "We're still waiting to hear about Bob. I need to get him some water." I pause as I look back at him and add, "It's bad, Pin. Really bad."
I turn and go to the tap to get the Gypsy pony some fresh water. I return moments later to give Bob the water and Becky smiles at me gratefully. I gently stroke Bob's nose before I go to groom Aurora.
Gaby tells Mia as she walks by, "Just... tack them up as best you can. We've got more gear at Halloway."
I turn my head to see the vet and two of Bright Fields' girls bringing in a cart.
I go over to Jade with Zoe as I say, "Jade. I don't want to leave you guys."
"Neither do I," Says Zoe.
"I'll keep you posted," Jade tells us. "Just get all the horses settled." She goes to help the girls with the cart while the vet goes up to Pin.
"How's Bob doing?" Pin asks.
"It's a little too early to tell, I'm afraid," The vet sighs.
"I can take a look, if you like?" Pin offers. "We have moor ponies. I used to help them."
The vet tells us gently, "Listen. The only thing you two can do is to be there for your friends." She puts a hand on both our arms comfortingly and I nod my head gratefully before she goes back to check on Bob.
I let out a soft sigh as I turn to my boyfriend and say in disbelief, "I can't believe this. Bob could die, and the stables are destroyed....." I trail off as I avert my eyes.
Pin states, "Nothing's the same anymore." I shake my head in agreement. Pin looks behind me and I follow his gaze to where Marcus is helping Mia put Firefly's rug on. Zoe glances at us. "What's the deal with those two?"
"Marcus and Zoe broke up," I tell him, flicking my blue eyes back to Pin. He looks surprised. "Like you said: nothing's the same anymore."
I turn to grab what's left from the fire before we all get our horses and follow Gaby, at the head of the group, to Halloway, Pin cantering to catch up to her.
In half an hour, we reach the entrance to the massive stables and pause. Gaby looks back at us as she says, "Welcome to Halloway."
I go up to Mia with Aurora as I ask, "Everything okay?"
"I can't believe we're doing this," Mia mutters.
We look back at Marcus as he reminds the brunette, "The greater good, remember?"
We walk forward, and as we find spots to tie up our horses, Gaby points out the surrounding locations.
"To your right is the indoor, sand school and cafe. And around there is the horse school premiere climb school."
I tie Aurora up next to Olaf, Flicka's against another wall, as I hear Zoe mutter, "We're not in Bright Fields anymore, that's for sure."
"It's hard not to be dazzled, is it?" Susie chuckles, patting her horse.
"This is totally over the top," Mia mutters as she steps over to us.
Marcus interrupts, "Hey, guys. This is just until we get ourselves sorted."
Mia murmurs to Marcus suspiciously, "This is wrong! Halloway doesn't want Bright Fields to stay. Anyone of these guys could've started that fire..."
Marcus says in exasperation, "Mia..."
"What's going on?" We look to see Callum exiting a room to the left.
Gaby sighs and says as she and Pin go up to him, "Look, they needed somewhere to stay."
"So? We don't have the space," Callum protests.
Pin shoots back as he walks past the brunette, "We'll find the space!"
Mia questions as Alex exits from a door next to Firefly, "Do you think we really want to be here? Let's get one thing straight!" She narrows here eyes as she stalks up to Callum. "This is temporary until my father rebuilds Bright Fields."
"Alright then." Callum says as he approaches Mia, "But it's as you said: this is temporary."
He stalks away from her as he eyes me wearily. When I shoot the Alpheck the middle finger, he shoots me a glare right back before hurrying off.
Callum hurries past us as Alex tells us, "There's a feed timetable in the tack room. Just mark your horse's food on the chart and then our grooms will order anything in."
I catch Susie grinning at us and wink at her.
Gaby goes up to Raven and pats his cheek as she says, "Hello, Raven."
"Gaby," Zoe snaps as she goes up to her. "What are you doing?"
"Relax, Bright Fields. I was just going to show him where his stable is, is that okay?" Gaby says.
Zoe gets right in her face as she says tersely, "We can find our own way."
"Right," Mutters Gaby as she walks away.
"Thanks," Zoe says as she stands beside the black mustang.
🐴🐴🐴
After putting the horses in their stalls, I was checking on Aurora when I hear Gaby in Raven's stall.
"There you go, boy."
Curious, I leave the palomino mare to eat her hay Pin had brought for her earlier as I go to Raven's stall just as Pin does. "I can take it from here," Zoe says.
"I was just giving him a little extra hay," Says Gaby.
"I said I can take it from here!" Zoe exclaims hotly.
"What's going on?" Pin asks, causing both girls to turn their heads to us.
Zoe says, gesturing to Gaby, "I'd just feel better if she stayed away from Raven." Gaby looks genuinely hurt by this. "My sister found this article when she was looking for stuff about Bob. This is you and James." Zoe shows Gaby her phone but the brunette stays silent. "It said that there was an accident at the stable where you lived?"
Zoe hands us the phone and I take it from her, frowning at the big title as Pin reads over my shoulder.
STABLE FACES CLOSURE AFTER ACCIDENT.
And there's a picture of a younger Gaby and James printed on the front.
Gaby tilts her head as she inquires, "What's your point?"
"And now there's an accident at Bright Fields?" Zoe snaps. "One of my best friends could lose her horse! And I wanted to know if you'd have something to fo with it."
Raising her eyebrows, Gaby asks, "You think I started that fire?"
"You or your brother!"
"I would never put the horses in danger like that," Gaby tells her as she steps forward. The Grant shoves against Zoe as she walks past her and between me and Pin out of the stall.
Zoe goes to follow her when Pin says, stopping her, "The fire was an accident. I heard Elliott talking to Mia."
"She lied about James and her past and everything else!" I say, my arms crossed.
"If Gaby's got something she doesn't want to talk about, that's her business. She has a good heart, Stella, Zoe," Pin says.
"You don't know that."
"It was Gaby's idea to bring the horses here from Bright Fields. All she wants to do is help," Pin says before he turns and walks away.
🐴🐴🐴
Zoe and I decide to go see Gaby together after our outburst in the stables and we find Pin already in her dormitory room, trying to get her to talk to him.
"Hey, Gaby," Zoe begins as we enter. "So, Pin tells me I got it wrong about the fire..."
Gaby pauses in stuffing clothes in her bag as she looks up at us and mutters, "Yeah, well, I can't chat. I'm out of here."
"Gaby, come on!" I say insistently.
Gaby rips her scarf off her bedpost as she says and points to me, "Well I reckon I got about five minutes before your motor mouth mate blabs to the yard!" I exchange exasperated expressions with Zoe. "When they find out who I am, they're gonna kick me out." She stuffs more clothes in her bag.
Pin asks, "Why would they kick you out?"
"Err, maybe because you've been taking things that don't belong to you!" Zoe snaps as she yanks an emerald necklace off a bronze hand holder. "I'm not jumping to conclusions this time! This is mine!"
Gaby closes her eyes as Pin and I gaze at her pointedly. "Gaby," We both prompt.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she mutters, "I found it in the field. I thought it was worthless..." Gaby was going to grab a familiar green sweater from the foot of her bed but Pin stops her by taking it back.
"What's going on?" Pin asks as I fold my arms.
Gaby glances at me and Zoe before saying, "Fine. My parents died when we were little. Me and James got sent to live in the stables but something happened and I was sent away. Happy?"
Gaby glowers as she continues to pack her bag. "The accident," I mutter knowingly.
"James started acting out. He was older than I was when our parents died. It hit him harder." She takes a jumper from atop her wardrobe. "One day, he rode out on our foster father's tractor. He run it off the road and we thought if I took the blame it was a way to keep us both out of trouble. But we were wrong." Gaby packs some jewellery. "I ended up at a house with, like, ten city kids. There were no horses for miles."
I ask softly, "Didn't James come looking for you?"
"What do you think?"
"I'm sorry," Zoe murmurs.
"I'm not," Gaby says, shaking her head. "I learned to take care of myself. I ran away when I was fifteen and I ended up here." She takes a manila folder to put in her bag. "I faked all my permission slips and I invented a couple of supportive parents on the mainland, then I felt like I actually had somewhere to belong. Until now."
Gaby closes her bag and Pin leans against the wall to allow her to pass, but Zoe blocks Gaby from leaving. "Gaby, Gaby, stay. I won't tell."
"I won't either," I tell the brunette.
"Why would you cover for me?" Gaby inquires suspiciously.
"Because..." I begin, glancing to my boyfriend. "... Pin trusts you... so do I."
I give her an assuring smile as Zoe agrees, "Me, too."
Gaby gazes at Zoe in shock for a moment before giving me and Pin the same expression.
Gaby eventually agrees to stay and I hug Pin's arm as we walk back to the tables.
I hear Zoe on the phone to her sister.
"Hey, Ro. What is it?" There's a couple of heartbeats of silence before Zoe says to Pin, "Get your medical kit. It's Bob! We have to go now!" Zoe hangs up as she ticks her phone back in her pocket.
"What? Why?" Pin asks as he, Gaby and I follow after Zoe.
"Come on!"
When we return to Bob's tent, the sun high in the sky, Pin and I rush in to find the vet about to put Bob down.
"Wait!" Pin and I exclaim, causing her to pause. Mia, Marcus, Susie, Jade, Maggie and my parents and Levi were here, too.
Zoe and Gaby come in as Pin says, "I think I can help."
Pin gives her a small vile with a brown liquid. "Have you tried this?"
"Where did you get hold of that?"
"It's a therapeutic sulphur. They use it in horse racing in the island," My boyfriend explains.
When the vet keeps looking at me dubiously, I add, "There isn't a horse on this island Pin can't heal."
Mum says, "At least let him try."
Pin nods to the vet when she gives him back the vial and he goes to sit by Bob's head, opposite Becky.
The Hawthorne says to Becky as he rests his hand on Bob's cheek, "I will do what I can, Becky."
All of us except the vet and Pin go to wait outside.
🐴🐴🐴
Sometime later, the vet goes to tell Becky the news.
"Just tell me. I can take it," Says Becky.
"He'll be off riding for six months. And he'll require constant medical attention which your friends have agreed to."
"Wait... off riding for six months... you mean...?" Becky asks hopefully.
"That young man just saved your horse," The vet tells Becky, grinning.
"Yes...! Bob lives!" Ben exclaims happily.
Pin crouches by the Gypsy pony's neck behind him with his hand resting on him as Becky gasps and enters the tent, a huge smile plastered to her face.
"Oh, Bob!" Becky comes over as the rest of us pour into the tent.
"There he is!" Marcus says.
"You did it, Pin!" I cheer as Pin stands up and smiles.
Becky apologises to Jade, "I'm sorry about what I said."
"No. But, you were right," Jade says softly. "I wasn't there for you, but I want things to change." Jade adds as Becky strokes her horse's neck, "Her name's Becky, my name's Jade! We hang out at the stables all day!"
"What's she doing?" Mia hisses at the Greenbridge.
Susie replies as Jade continues rapping, "I think it's the Jecky Rap...?"
"Oh, good grief!"
Ben suggests to Rosie, "Hey! Maybe we should get a rap?"
"It's a little too early for that."
"... When I say Jecky, you say Bade," Becky finishes. "Jecky!"
"Bade!" The others chime as Pin washes his hands at the sink.
"Jecky!"
"Bade!" Everyone laughs as Pin and I grin.
"You're gonna be alright, Bob," Becky tells him before she hugs him.
I follow Pin to the tent flap as I ask, "You're not sticking around?"
"Uh, no. I'm worried that Bob's going to try and kiss me again," Pin says, making me chuckle. "Dad called. He wants me home."
"Well, you did amazing today," I tell him.
"Thanks," He says as I nod. "I'm just happy that I could help."
I smile widely as he walks away and I turn back, my arms crossed. Becky says, "Pin did amazing, but I think we all know what really healed Bob..." She holds up a gray stuffed animal in the shape of a duck. "... Mr. Duck!"
We all laugh, overjoyed that the Gypsy pony is still with us.
🐴🐴🐴
We head back to Halloway with Bob. Alex greets us as we enter the stable yard.
"No, wait, it can't be... it is! The island's hottest hip hop dressage duo just entered the building."
Becky asks Mia wearily, "He is allowed to stay here, right? I told him had to be on his best behaviour."
"And if anyone from Halloway has any issues with Bob, you come straight to me," Mia instructs Becky.
Becky frowns in confusion as she utters, "Uh?"
"Bob saved Firefly. I owe him everything," Says Mia. "From now on, wherever Bright Fields goes, Bob goes too." She steps forward as Susie grabs her horse's reins. "We may not have the stables, we may not even have the money to rebuild, but we are more of a team than we've ever been! We'll train here, at Halloway, and Marcus will be our instructor. We will go to Nationals and we'll use the prize money to fix Bright Fields!"
"Yes!" Marcus cheers.
"Go Bright Fields!" Says Becky.
The grin fades from Zoe's face as she looks behind Mia and demands, "What are you doing here?" We look to see James approaching us with Callum.
"Didn't Callum tell you? I'm Halloway's new trainer." Gaby flicks her eyebrows up at this. It seems as though she didn't know either. "Nationals team, get tacked up and be ready in five. We've got a competition to win."
Gaby goes up to her brother as she sighs, "What are you really doing here?"
"I came back for you," Says James. "We're family. This time, I'm gonna be getting us both what we want. What do you say?"
Zoe tells her, "You don't have to do this."
Gaby says, "I'm in." She starts to walk away with James as they glance back at us.