34. Gathering storm

WILLOW’S POINT OF VIEW

The stables hum with the usual noise and chatter, as hay and horses give off their familiar scents – scents I’ve come to love. Today, I’m on brushing duty. There’s something oddly soothing about the brush moving rhythmically against a horse’s coat, seeing how shiny it gets, it’s like a living masterpiece of muscle and power.

Harper is still a bitch, but I’ve noticed some subtle changes. Our recent cohort training sections have been pushing us together. The exercises require us to rely on each other for defense and attack, to protect, and to be vulnerable.

And then there’s the strategy sessions, where we sit together, maps and plans spread out in front of us. Our voices overlapping and our ideas clashing and merging… We’re learning to value each other’s perspectives, to listen and compromise, to create plans that use both our collective and individual strengths.

Somewhere along the line, the shaky foundation of trust was built, and it’s kinda awesome.

The pas