Filly Heartlock
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Trail Dust Taster
Posts: 25
Likes: 35
Main Stable: Heartlock Cattle Co.
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Post by Filly Heartlock on Nov 15, 2023 21:26:42 GMT
 Life shaken upside-down by sudden news, Filly Heartlock must navigate through the difficulties of her newfound responsibilities as barn manager. Filly’s only rock in this mess is her father’s trusted employee, Javier. A young, aspiring musician who’s slowly come to realize that music isn’t his only love.
A love story between two people trying to figure out the highs and lows of managing a ranch and living up to its history.
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2024/01/20 |
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Filly Heartlock
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Trail Dust Taster
Posts: 25
Likes: 35
Main Stable: Heartlock Cattle Co.
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Post by Filly Heartlock on Nov 16, 2023 20:55:27 GMT
CHAPTER ONE
It wasn't the sound of the alarm that woke everyone up. It was the music Cousin Derek played on a daily basis that everyone was so used to by now. Still, Filly didn't appreciate hearing it at 6 in the morning. Tossing a pillow over her head with a grown, she tried to drown out the sound to no avail. Defeated, Filly sat up in her bed with a yawn and a stretch. She couldn't hear the obnoxious sound of honky-tonk blaring through the halls of the farmhouse, meaning that either her father or Cain had put a stop to it. Thank god, she thought.  Filly dragged herself down the stairs with sluggish steps and wandered to the kitchen, still rubbing sleep out of her eyes. She gave a few scratches to the old bloodhound sleeping in his doggy bed before leaning onto the kitchen island. "Mornin' Filly." her father's deep, croacky voice greeted her. His back was turned towards her, flipping something on the stove. " Yaaaaaaawn.....Morning." Filly poured herself a large cup of coffee, listening to the sizzling of the stove. "What's the agenda for today, daddy? Johnny needs to do some groundwork, I know." "Well." her father, Jeremiah, put down the pan he'd been holding over the fire. He put a small rag over his shoulder, and rubbed his hands together. "You know, I ain't young no more. I was thinking...no, not thinking. I decided that it's probably time for me to reitre." Retire? That's interesting, Filly thought. Her father hasn't seen the showring on horseback for good 6 years now. Where else could he retire from? " That's why I'm bestowing the barn manager position onto you." Filly almost spat out of her coffee, waking up faster than a caffeinated drink could never do as quickly. "What?" she stood there, bewildered.  A confused discussion followed after. Jeremiah would still retain ownership rights of the ranch. That would only go to her after his passing. The reason for the decision was simple, really. Nearing 65 years of age, it was harder for Jeremiah to keep track of all the horses and their needs. Filly, just barely 30 was more fit for this job. She kept mulling over this interaction in her head, even when she was doing the same loop around the arena in Johnny's saddle.
"Don't get too dizzy up there!" a voice called out to her, finally pulling Filly out of her spiraling thoughts. She pulled the palomino stallion to a halt. The voice came from one of the ranch hands, Javier, who was perched upon the fence. "Is something up?"
"Oh it's! Nothing...It's just, well. I got promoted, so to speak."
"Promoted? How so?"
To be continued. |
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Post by Christina on Nov 17, 2023 15:10:14 GMT
I see comments are allowed so I'm just going for it! I *love* that you took some photos for this. I really want to do that, too–I think it's just so fun to illustrate the story that way.
I have so many questions! I know, I know, more to be revealed, but like, has Filly always lived/worked at the ranch? Is she up to the task of taking on this big role? Is it even what she wants or does it conflict with her long-term dream for her life?
Also Cousin Derek waking everyone up in the morning like the ranch rooster 😂 Seems on brand for him!
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Filly Heartlock
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Trail Dust Taster
Posts: 25
Likes: 35
Main Stable: Heartlock Cattle Co.
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Post by Filly Heartlock on Nov 18, 2023 17:03:13 GMT
I see comments are allowed so I'm just going for it! I *love* that you took some photos for this. I really want to do that, too–I think it's just so fun to illustrate the story that way. I have so many questions! I know, I know, more to be revealed, but like, has Filly always lived/worked at the ranch? Is she up to the task of taking on this big role? Is it even what she wants or does it conflict with her long-term dream for her life? Also Cousin Derek waking everyone up in the morning like the ranch rooster 😂 Seems on brand for him! Filly's been living here since she was a baby! She grew up watching her dad and other people working, so she's perfectly capable of managing the barn, but she's not self-confident enough to do so. That's the main, i'd say, driving force behind the story (besides the lovey-dovey stuff  ) |
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Post by Christina on Nov 19, 2023 1:20:05 GMT
I see comments are allowed so I'm just going for it! I *love* that you took some photos for this. I really want to do that, too–I think it's just so fun to illustrate the story that way. I have so many questions! I know, I know, more to be revealed, but like, has Filly always lived/worked at the ranch? Is she up to the task of taking on this big role? Is it even what she wants or does it conflict with her long-term dream for her life? Also Cousin Derek waking everyone up in the morning like the ranch rooster 😂 Seems on brand for him! Filly's been living here since she was a baby! She grew up watching her dad and other people working, so she's perfectly capable of managing the barn, but she's not self-confident enough to do so. That's the main, i'd say, driving force behind the story (besides the lovey-dovey stuff ) And we *love* the lovey-dovey stuff! Excited to see how it all unfolds for Filly! |
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Filly Heartlock
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Trail Dust Taster
Posts: 25
Likes: 35
Main Stable: Heartlock Cattle Co.
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Post by Filly Heartlock on Dec 3, 2023 20:48:57 GMT
CHAPTER TWO
“And he just…gave the job to you?” Javier stood dumbfounded next to the stall, listening as Filly told him the events of the morning. Filly removed the tack from Johnny with lightning speed, rambling along. A way of releasing the stress, I guess, he thought “I KNOW! I’m not good at keeping track of things!! My dad has so many Excel tables, I’d definitely get lost in them! Oh god, what if I mix up the feeds? I’ll accidentally send one of them into colic-” Okay, she’s panicking. Javier had to de-escalate this somehow. “Filly, calm down.” He reached out, grabbing one of her flailing wrists. “As far as I know, you only have to make sure things are in order. Feeding is my job. Derek cleans the place, Cain turns the horses out and Tilly makes sure they’re not sick. We were helping out your pa’, and we’ll be helping you out.” That seemed to do the trick. Filly rubbed her wrist once Javier let go. “Well, uh…he failed to mention that. Or, maybe, I wasn’t listening.” She let out a defeated sigh, pushing a few strands of hair away from her face. “I am sorry that you had to uh, see this. It’s just a lot.” Filly’s tone turned from panicked to apologetic. Embarrassed even. “I can imagine. But yeah, just like I said. We’ll be helping you.” Javier gave an encouraging nod. Their ways parted for most of the day, Filly leaving the barn with Captain, that old geezer of a dog, scuttling alongside her. Javier was left to his own devices, and with nothing better to do, he opened Chick’s stall and sat down on the bedding. He went over today’s plans on his phone, one hand holding said phone while the other strummed a beat on his knee. The dark bay mare didn’t bother him apart from a few curious glances. He has band practice in the evening with a few of his highschool friends. As much as he didn’t want to go, that’s the only way he could practice. His friends were taking music in a whole different direction than he’s planning to, but he didn’t have the balls to actually say this to their faces.  As he aimlessly scrolled, he couldn’t help but have a strange, tingly sensation on the palm of his hand. I grabbed her wrist with this one. Huh. This seemed to be recurring. He usually gets these in his chest though. Ew, no, man. She’s literally your boss now. To be honest, in a way, she always was. And just like always, he shook this thought off. To be continued. |
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Filly Heartlock
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Trail Dust Taster
Posts: 25
Likes: 35
Main Stable: Heartlock Cattle Co.
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Post by Filly Heartlock on Jan 20, 2024 19:18:01 GMT
CHAPTER THREE
It took a day and a half for Ms. Newly-elected-barn-manager to scour through her father’s Excel tables, notes and other miscellaneous documents. Filly practically hunted down Tilly on her next veterinary visit and begged her to explain the various medicines listed. Filly sat at the kitchen table, opening a new document of her own. The mares have been cleared by Tilly and the stallions have been approved to stand as studs. All she needed now was to type up a breeder’s registry for the ranch. And as it turns out? Getting a hold of the AQHA and the APHA is a pain in the ass. The scent of mud and sand entered through the ranch house’s front door, and with it, Javier. Filly only glanced up for a moment, just to acknowledge his presence before burying herself back into her work. “Afternoon, Filly!” Javier greeted her, rubbing his shoes off on the doormat. Filly gave him a quick hi without looking up. “Still busy with the breeding stuff?” The redhead finally looked up again from the table, now meeting her father’s - and now her - employee eye-to-eye. “Yes, and I feel like my hair’s about to fall out! I’ve been trying to contact the Paint and Quarter associations for about an hour now. It’s either an automated email response or they put me on hold with a piano.” she sighed, slumping back against the chair. “Want some help with that?” Javier dusted his hands off and other parts of his clothing before entering the kitchen. “Yes! At this point I’m ready to accept anything.” The young farm hand walked around the table, next to Filly. He leaned over with one hand supporting him against the table. The musk that wafted through the door was practically, and quite literally, in her face now. “Did you get bucked off or somethin’? You smell like you ate dirt for lunch.” “I sure did!” Javier let out a hearty chuckle. “Rode Rango today. The sucker slipped out of my hands and the next thing I know? I’m face-first in the ground and Derek’s dying of laughter.” With Javier’s help, they managed to crunch down another hour of work into 30 minutes. Finally, I’m done for the day! Filly thought. With this out of the way, Filly could turn to different matters.  The ranches in the area are driving their cattle out tomorrow for the next few months. She needs to check the horses’ tack, the horses themselves with the remaining daylight. Doing it alone would surely take another hour or two. Javier’s already here, isn’t he? The farm hand wasn’t a live-in employee, like Cain. Cousin Derek didn’t count, he was family. He still has a few hours of work. “Hey Javier? You mind helping me check everything for tomorrow? I’d get it done quicker.” Filly asked, closing her laptop and stacking the papers back into the large black binder next to it
Javier luckily agreed. The two of them exited the farmhouse and made their way over to the paddock first. Jeremiah only planned to take out the gentlemen this time, so Filly opted to skip the ladies’ paddock overall. “Daddy tells me this is your first cattle drive. You nervous?” Filly looked back at him as she opened the metal gate. “Yes, ma’am.” Javier nodded, both as an answer and as a way of letting Filly in the pasture first. “I have to say, I am nervous.”
“You don’t gotta be! I always find them fun!” Filly clicked her tongue, clapped once or twice to get the horses’ attention. A few ignored her, but the rest came running. “Plus with Cousin Derek around, you can at least make sure you won’t be bored.” Even neighboring ranches knew Mr. Heartlock’s nephew and his personality. Plus his music taste. The checkup of both horses and equipment went by faster than the both of them initially thought. Filly bid farewell to Javier, relieving him from his work hours earlier. He has been a great help lately, she thought. Tomorrow’s hopefully fun.
To be continued. |
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