Murderous deer
Marlene McKinnon stepped into the bustling stable yard, her eyes scanning the scene with a mixture of excitement and curiosity. She was late, as usual, but that didn't dampen her spirits one bit. With a confident stride, she made her way toward a few gathered by the stables, her gaze immediately drawn to the vibrant collection of horses.
"Hey there, folks! Sorry I'm fashionably late," Marlene announced with a grin, her Irish accent lacing her words with charm. "Hope you didn't start the fun without me."
A friendly-faced man, likely in his forties, turned to greet her. "You must be Marlene, am I right?" he said with a welcoming smile, his warmth mirrored by the woman at his side, presumably his wife. Marlene nodded, a self-assured grin tugging at her lips. "The one and only," she quipped. "Nice to meet you, Marlene. I'm Fleamont, the owner of this fine establishment. My son usually leads the groups," the man explained. Marlene shook his hand firmly before turning to greet the woman. "And I'm Euphemia. Welcome to the camp," she said kindly. "It seems you just missed the group for the first ride."
Marlene chuckled good-naturedly. "Well, can't let them have all the fun without me, can we?" she replied, her tone light-hearted. "No worries, dear. These things happen," Euphemia reassured her. "We've asked Dorcas, our regular vet, to guide you on your introduction ride."
With Euphemia leading the way, Marlene entered the stable and was greeted by a sight that momentarily stole her breath – the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Seriously, this woman was breathtaking, bordering on intimidating.
"So, this is Dorcas," Euphemia introduced her with a smile. "Dorcas, this is Marlene." Marlene extended her hand, met with a firm handshake from Dorcas, the rings on her fingers leaving a subtle impression on Marlene's skin. Searching for a cool and impressive opener, Marlene managed, "...hi," accompanied by a self-conscious smile that betrayed a hint of a flush. "Good afternoon," Dorcas replied in a voice that could only be described as alluring. Damn it.
"I've already got your horse ready. That way, we can leave immediately and hopefully catch up with the others before dinner," Dorcas added, and Marlene couldn't help but feel a magnetic pull toward this mysterious and captivating woman.
Marlene found herself drawn to both people and horses with a touch of uniqueness, and her mount was no exception. Spook, as he was aptly named, possessed a distinct charm with his multitude of spots – spots within spots, creating a mosaic of patterns across his coat. Despite not being the tallest horse, Spook's ears flopped with each step, a sight that never failed to amuse Marlene during their ride.
"I hope you like Spook; he's our only western horse," Dorcas explained, her tone carrying a hint of fondness. "We don't usually get western riders here, so our selection of western horses narrows down to just Spook."
Marlene tore her gaze away from Spook's entertaining antics. "Oh, I like him just fine. He's a character. And yours?" she gestured to Dorcas's Arabian mount. "An Arabian, right?"
Dorcas affectionately stroked her horse's coat. "She is, yes. Her name is Chili – rather silly if you ask me." A chuckle escaped her lips. "James always calls her Silly Chili because of her little quirks." After a brief pause, she added, "James is the main leader of the groups here."
Marlene couldn't help but be intrigued by Dorcas, wanting to prolong their conversation. "I was told that you're the vet here. So, are you, like, really smart then?" Her question elicited a chuckle from Dorcas, who responded with playful teasing, "Smarter than the buffoons who lead the camp." Her tone was light, lacking any trace of malice, and Marlene found herself smiling in response.
"I bet you are," Marlene added under her breath, her admiration for Dorcas slipping out inadvertently. Dorcas, ever observant, couldn't help but notice, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Are you ready to kick this up a notch? I think the horses would like to stretch their legs a little bit more."
Spook snorted enthusiastically, as if in agreement with Dorcas's suggestion, and Marlene couldn't help but chuckle at the horse's apparent eagerness. "Oh, definitely," she replied, matching the enthusiasm in Dorcas's voice.
Without much delay, Dorcas guided her Arabian horse into a steady trot, and Spook eagerly followed suit, still emitting excited snorts. The rhythmic sound of hooves hitting the ground created a peaceful ambiance, allowing Marlene to savor the experience as she admired Spook's floppy ears and the surrounding scenery.
"So, do you guys ride often out here?" Marlene broke the silence, wanting to engage in conversation.
"Most of the time, yes," Dorcas replied. "We avoid riding in the woods during late October and the whole of November, though. That's breeding period for deer. Trust me, you do not want to come across a rutting buck. They can injure you rather badly, and in some cases, they might kill you."
"Damn," Marlene muttered, absorbing the unexpected insight into the challenges of riding during specific times of the year.
"Does that happen often?" Marlene's curiosity was piqued by the unexpected information. She had always regarded deer as graceful creatures, not threats to human safety.
Dorcas paused before responding, her expression thoughtful. "Not that often. We always warn people before they venture into the woods, but every once in a while, it happens again. It's surprising how aggressive those animals can get."
Marlene nodded, processing the new perspective. After a moment, she couldn't help but interject with a hint of skepticism, "You must be a real idiot to get killed by a deer, though."
"Idiot or not, dead is dead," Dorcas retorted, her tone light but contemplative. Marlene glanced towards the woods, half expecting to spot one of these supposedly aggressive deer.
"It's June, genius," Dorcas teased sharply, her words carrying a playful edge. "You'll have to wait a few months to see these killer deers."
Their shared laughter echoed through the air, a moment of lightness amidst the conversation about potentially lethal deer encounters.
"Oh, look," Dorcas suddenly pointed out, diverting Marlene's attention to the approaching group on the other side of the path. "There, on the other side of the path, those are the others. They're just returning, but we've got a whole ride left."
Marlene's eyes scanned the group, and then widened in surprise. "Oh my god. What is he doing here?" She exclaimed aloud, unable to contain her astonishment. Without waiting for an answer, she called out, "Oi! Idiot! What are you doing here?"
A grin spread across Marlene's face as Sirius's expression lit up with recognition. "What?" he called back, equally surprised. "Marls? How did you end up here?"
Dorcas waved casually at a few of the people in the group before chiming in, "It's not teatime, ladies." Her comment elicited snickers from the two individuals at the back of the line, a tall boy and girl who seemed to be enjoying the banter.
"The guy at the front of the group mentioned something about us having to be back on time for dinner," Marlene remarked as the long line of riders disappeared around the corner.
Dorcas shrugged nonchalantly. "We'll decide that for ourselves, won't we?"
And decide they did, for by the time Marlene and Dorcas returned from their extended ride, they were indeed a little late for dinner. The setting sun cast long shadows over the stable yard as they dismounted, the late afternoon adventure having stretched into the early evening, a testament to their shared determination to enjoy the ride on their own terms.