A Leap of Freedom

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Cher Ami reared back on her hind legs, ready to take the jump. She cantered with her back legs while her front still was in the mid air. C.L looked at the Arabian and made her to understand what they were about to do. The mare was fearless and laughed to the danger, ready to follow. Kei on the other hand was in no position to think clearly, everything was happening to fast! When Cher Ami’s front legs hit the ground with a hollowed thud, she started to gallop towards the wall and the Arabian bursted off with a enormous engine. Kei almost fell backwards by the power but managed to stay put. She grasped after some mane which she could hold on to when they jumped over the stonewall. Cher Ami and C.L left the ground and took the jump. Cher Ami jumped like a pro. It was obviously not her first jump in her life. She and C.L had for sure jumped over many stonewalls before this one.

The Arabian stomped away her weight beneath her and leaped over the jump, just a leap after the Friesian. Kei held on. Together they soared over the wall, side by side. C.L was in perfect position in the saddle. Cher Ami didn’t bother the saddle which was resting to her shoulders on C.L‘s arm, the weight different from the other side didn’t cause any problem. The Arabian opened her mouth and snorted loudly as they was in the mid air.
They landed safely on the other side and Cher Ami with C.L galloped with energic leaps, pounding the earth beneath her. The Arabian with Kei didn’t pound as the Friesian, she danced. Her leaps was lightly and swift. Kei looked back at the main rode and realized that C.L had been right. A grey pickup which belonged to Benjamin pulled up to the stable. C.L looked back at Kei and the Arabian when they gained on them. Cher Ami found a new gear and was now bursting through the grass, making the dandelions seed burst up into the air. She was powerful, and she knew it. She wanted to show the Arabian that she was no slowpoke. But the Arabian didn’t let the other mare shine for long. She moved faster and ran with perfection, as if she knew every hole and ditch in her path and avoided it. The light rider on her back didn’t mind her. She got closer and closer until the two mares ran side by side.

The tempo was furious! The two mares pushed each other to the limit and they ran like the other one was the others shadow. It was hard to keep the balance on the Arabian, but Kei didn’t give in to the thought of stopping. Afraid the C.L would change his mind and send her home if she slowed down the pace.
They flew over fields and forest, without any thought of stopping. Kei couldn’t understand how Cher Ami could canter without pulling a sigh. The Arabian had started to snort from time to time, and pulling deep breaths to keep up with the Friesian. Cher Ami kept on going in the same pace, she never changed tempo, always the same flowing pace.

”You don’t have to shine…” Reminded C.L the Friesian when he realized that Cher Ami was about to brake the Arabians mental health by forcing her to keep up the pace. ”Slow down”.
Cher Ami slowed, but only a little.
”I don’t like to be synced…” she replied with a bitter mind.
”She soon learns to keep up. But until then…” Cher Ami listened… ”Don’t shine!” and she laughed overpowering in his mind.

Kei was relieved when C.L finally cut the pace and Cher Ami left a field and walked up on a abandoned graveled road, followed by the Arabian and Kei. They stopped on the middle of the road and C.L jumped off Cher Ami. Kei glided down the Arabians side and sighed when her legs screamed beneath her as she landed. C.L threw the Arabians saddle up on her back and tighten the girth around her belly. The Arabian was sweaty and wet after the gallop.
”How’s it going, Arabian?” C.L tried to communicate with the black mare and felt her mind touch his.
”Never better.”
C.L gave her a quick pat, returned to Cher Ami and started to walk next to her. Her reins dangled from her sides as she walked without C.L’s interfering. Kei got a hold of the Arabians reins and led her also, following C.L.
- So, some walk…? Asked Kei with a glimpse of hope. C.L nodded and looked at her. He smiled faintly as he returned to look at the road ahead of them.

Cher Ami was irritated about the walk. She snorted more and often. She often looked to the sides as she walked, and when she saw something that might be dangerous, she pulled her head high, reared a little and neighed. C.L got irritated on her after a while. He smashed his hand hard into her saddle so she jumped to the side. Kei had never seen C.L behave like this to his Friesian. When he noticed Kei’s glances on him and Cher Ami he wrote in his book ” She is impatient and bored. I have tried to ask her to stop, but without success”. Kei nodded.
- When will we be back?
C.L looked as if her counted something in his mind and he wrote ”All from a couple of months to a year… It’s hard to say”. Kei accepted his answer and they continued to walk down the road.

To Cher Ami’s delight they were soon back in her preferred tempo, galloping. The Arabian didn’t give in and followed the Friesian, but with rapid breathing. They ran together. As they ran, Kei couldn’t help but wishing that she sat on Cher Ami too. Close to C.L in the saddle, like before. C.L noticed Kei but looked down at the Arabian and focused on her. Both horses stopped on his unspoken command close together and pulled up. The Arabian held her head close to the ground as she breathed heavily. Kei caressed the mares shoulder while she looked at C.L.

Kei was surprised when C.L held out and offered her his hand. She hesitated at first but took it anyway. C.L helped Kei from the Arabians saddle into Cher Ami’s without letting her touch the ground. She sat now behind C.L in Cher Ami’s saddle. C.L wrote quickly ”She needs to rest”.
Kei nodded and understood why the Arabian needed to rest her back. C.L got her reins and Cher Ami started to trot with the Arabian close to her. Kei held on tight to C.L as they disappeared into the distance.

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Oh God... this killed me... Something very special... like nothing you ever seen of C.L or Kei before... It was so hard with the angle and the poses...

But, I hope you like it. Have a pleasant reading.
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Tools & Info
Reference: Many diffrent References
Estimated time: About 5 hours
Tools: Wacom bamboo tablet & Photoshop CS
Layers: About 30 layers
Photo's in picture, mine.
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