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ReGect and Ze were watching Moe instruct them on how to lunge a horse, excited for the day. They were standing in the grassy field holding their own horses, while Moe was demonstrating a little further out.
It seemed easy enough, and Moe gave them the whips to use and they both set out a bit apart in the field. Ze was having more issues than Regect was, as they were a naturally (unnaturally?) quick learner.
That was until Regect's horse set her head down and just started walking to the exit pen. Regect tried to hold onto the rope hard, and Moe was telling them to hold onto the rope, which they yelled that they were.
Then the horse just started pulling them. And that's when Regect figured out why they were called beasts of labour. Regect threw down the whip and grabbed onto with both hands. She got to the exit pen and stopped right at the gate,waiting for Regect to open it up for her.
"I see you're having some trouble there, Regect," Ze called out and Regect would've called back out, but they were beginning to feel... shameful that they did something wrong.
And it couldn't be too difficult, the other two had done it and were doing it just fine! So, they stayed silent. But luckily they weren't silent for long as Moe started honking again.
"You need to do it again, and make sure that doesn't happen again to not let her get away with it."
Fine. It shouldn't be too hard. And so, they went out to the field where they were, and tried again.
They did even less this time before she set her head and started dragging Regect along again. This time Regect clamped down as hard as they could on the rope and threw the whip down quickly- but the only change was how much worse the pain was in their regular hand.
Regect was at the exit pen once more, and shakily looked at their hand. Their fur was torn out of the palm, and the upper layer of skin was off in some places. They couldn't let them see.
It couldn't let them see the tears trying to form either, and so it quickly closed its eye window. It didn't have its mouth window open, so it may not draw attention from that action.
It let out a shaky breathe and Moe let out a tired honk, akin to a sigh, "Do it again, I'll watch you this time."
it almost started shaking, but it stopped. It didn't want to act so pathetic in front of them. It could do this. It was easy. It shouldn't be so weak.
It walked to the spot again, and noticed Ze had stopped, and was staring at it. It tried to ignore the shame bubbling up like acid. Moe was beside it as well, watching it carefully.
It couldn't mess this up.
It couldn't.
And so it started again. Everything went fine until once more the horse set her head down and started dragging Regect. It stabbed it's feet into the ground and tried to plant itself incredibly hard; it dropped the whip; it grabbed hard against the rope; it let out a small, choked sob.
Regect got dragged to the exit pen once more, and it was shaking. It really hated this. It hated how pathetic and sad it was being. Couldn't even do such a simple task.
It looked down at its hand and was glad that it had no eyes to show the tears that would surely be falling. The spots that had the top layer of skin off were now bleeding a golden blood, and around it was blistering.
It felt like it's hand was on fire.
Moe got over there and saw what happened, immediately asking if they were okay, which they said they were in the saddest voice. Moe told Ze to get over here and wait for a moment, and she got Regect's horse and began to lunge her.
Ze came over with his horse, and saw the wound, "Dude, are you okay??"
"Mm-hmm," Regect choked out, quickly hiding it's hand.
"You're obviously not! Look- that's okay. It's fine! I don't know how other entities are, but we ain't gonna judge you just 'cause you got wounded." Ze said and grabbed onto its shoulder.
Moe then let out a surprised honk and also got dragged over to the exit pen. "Ze, will you go into the house and help Regect? I gotta work with Raz and figure this out."
"I'm not a kid." Regect whimpered, body curling in slightly.
"Yeah, well, you'd get blood -or whatever that is- all over the house. Let's go, alright?" Ze said and grabbed Regect's other hand and began leading it out of the field and to the house.
Regect came with easily, not wanting to be alone out weighing not wanting to be seen like... this. Eventually they got inside and Ze instructed Regect to sit on the side of the bathtub.
Ze got out some bandages, vet wrap, and some ointment, but set them aside. "Can I see you're hand?"
"Y-yeah," Regect halfway expected Ze to hurt him, and tensed up as he reached out for its hand.
But Ze was extraordinarily gentle with it, which it probably should've expected. Anytime before that it had anything similar Ze was gentle, even through his words weren't always.
It whined as Ze looked though, the burning sensation worstening. Ze made a small noise, and for a moment Regect thought Ze was upset at him, and its heart stuttered for an instant.
Ze turned the water on and adjusted the temperature carefully then put a cloth under it. He waited until it was soaked and then gently out it to Regect's hand, which earned a hiss.
Ze cleaned out the burn, which made it hurt so much less. But when he removed the cool cloth it felt 10x worse. Ze carefully applied the bandages and ointment to the wounds, and wrapped it's hand in vet wrap.
"That's all I can do, I'll get you some ice though. That'll make it feel better for a while- but you can't use it much, got it? You gotta use less and less over time." Ze said and got up, offering Regect a hand.
"okay," Regect whimpered, taking Ze's hand in its golden one.
Ze took some ice and wrapped them in a paper towel and gave it to Regect, who took it in its burned hand. Immediately it felt significantly better.
They went and sat down on the couch, Regect curled against and leaning on Ze. "I'm sorry..."
"Hey don't be sorry! It wasn't your fault after all." Ze said, holding Regect tighter as they sniffled against him.
"But-"
"Shhhh. It's okay." Ze said, putting their hand where their mouth window would be if it was seen.
They stayed like that for a while, and Regect perfectly wheened itself off the ice and has no complications. Moe figured out a stud chain type connection with the lead rope connected to the halter would work with the horse (Raz), and they rode horses the next weekend instead.