{"sf1_id":409913,"sf2_id":"4nA3axAe","title":"\"There's A New Horse In Town\" The Story So Far.","author":"Claymore","words":5038,"posted_at":"2012-07-31T05:53:00.000Z","tags":["Anthro","Bromance","Clean","Clydesdale","Equine","Horse","Relationship","Romance"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/409913-there-s-a-new-horse-in-town-the-story-so-far","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/4nA3axAe","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/02/31/0231584d-a051-4155-b6b9-f588e31a4a5a","description":"The scattered elements of the story so far have been collected here for greater continuity.","content":"(Minor language content and thematic elements give this work a MILD PG rating.) \n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Chapter 1\n\nPicking Up Supplies\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Backing his ancient Chevy into the loading dock of Sam's Feed \u0026 Tack, Claymore Highfield squinted at the rearview mirror.\u0026nbsp; \"I think I'd better get my eyes checked next time I'm at the vet's office,\" he muttered to himself, shutting off the engine and pulling the parking brake lever.\u0026nbsp; He swung out of the cab and checked his list, wondering what the store would be out of this week. \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;There was an ample pile of 100 pound sacks of coal, he noted; big shock, here in the middle of coal country.\u0026nbsp; Grit for the chickens, sack of sweet feed, some Timothy hay, Sam had the usual supplies in stock.\u0026nbsp; Welding rod and hot-rolled mild steel were probably going to be the usual headache, however, since manufacturing had largely shifted to secessionist Western States of America; no wholesaler liked paying the high tariffs to obtain these 'imported' products, which reduced their profits and made supply spotty at best.\u0026nbsp; With a resigned sigh, Crawford Corners' resident Clydesdale blacksmith climbed up the loading dock steps and walked into the store.   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Almost immediately he snorted, shaking his head in disbelief.\u0026nbsp; He knew he'd seen another equine in his mirror, and that was him right there at the counter!\u0026nbsp; Sam caught Claymore's eye, waving as he laughed and motioned him over.\u0026nbsp; \"Clay!\u0026nbsp; Look at this, another relative of yours dropped into town!\"\u0026nbsp; Starting to explain -- again -- that he was not related to every equine anthro on the planet, Clay shook his head good-naturedly and ambled over to the counter.\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, probably on my Mother's side, Sam, I got a big ol' family tree you know.\"\u0026nbsp; He turned to the bay stallion in front of the register, smiling and holding out his hoof.\u0026nbsp; \"Claymore Highfield,\" he smiled, nodding in a friendly manner.\u0026nbsp; \"Better yet, just call me Clay.\u0026nbsp; It's nice to meet you.\" \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;The stallion grinned, looking at Clay's hoof before taking it, perhaps a little gently, and squeezing it.\u0026nbsp; \"Kimimaro,\" he said, not quite looking back up.\u0026nbsp; \"But I usually go by Kimi, at least to my friends.\" \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Clay noticed Kimi's ears drooping to the sides of his head and found the younger stallion's apparent shyness immediately endearing.\u0026nbsp; \"Well, it's good to meet you, Kimi, always nice to run into another member of the herd!\u0026nbsp; I'm guessing you're a college horse?\" \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;The young stallion looked mildly surprised but nodded, starting to respond \"Yes, but how did you ...?\" \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Gotta watch out for Claymore, young man!\" Sam interrupted.\u0026nbsp; \"He's known as the 'Smithin' Magician' around town, and he'll read your mind.\u0026nbsp; You just make sure to hang on to your wallet -- he's got very talented hooves!\"\u0026nbsp; The portly feed store owner had stopped writing the sales slip, waving his pencil for emphasis as he teased.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Well, I certainly like that better than some of the other names I've heard people were calling me,\" Clay snorted with a laugh.\u0026nbsp; He smacked his hoof lightly at the bag of feed Kimi was purchasing, \"But really, mind reading had nothing to do with it.\u0026nbsp; I saw the 'AnthroChow,' you're about the right age, Crawford's Corners is an easy commute to the State College.\u0026nbsp; It was just an educated guess.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;The bag of AnthroChow on the counter was a sort of low-grade granola marketed to anthros that had become widely popularly among humans, especially students.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Far less sweet than typical granola, it could actually be served either sweet or savoury.\u0026nbsp; It was nearly as cheap as the ramen soup that formed much of the average college diet, higher in protein, and like ramen it was versatile and easy to prepare.\u0026nbsp; While it had been derisively known as \"College Kibble\" when he was in school, Clay usually had a sack of it in his own pantry.   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"It was a good guess!\u0026nbsp; My family was hoping I'd stay in Massachusetts, but I really needed a change of scenery.\u0026nbsp; And so far, I'm liking Pennsylvania; little nervous about starting the new semester, still getting to know my way around, you know!\" \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Clay nodded, smiling as he spoke.\u0026nbsp; \"Few of us use the old name for the state anymore, Kimi.\u0026nbsp; But I'm sure you'll do just fine.\u0026nbsp; Economy's not quite what it should be yet, but you'll find the town is a pretty pleasant place to live, I think.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Sam slid the finished sales slip across the counter at Kimi, \"That's eleven-seventy, young man.\u0026nbsp; And maybe you want to let Clay take a look at your note before I post it on the bulletin board!\"   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Note?\" Clay snorted, his ears instantly perking forward.\u0026nbsp; Though horses are naturally inquisitive, Claymore had made curiosity into an art form over the years.\u0026nbsp; He was suddenly interested in the file card on the counter near Kimi's right hoof.   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"No, it's nothing, really.\u0026nbsp; Just came in to get my feed is all, and I saw the bulletin board.\u0026nbsp; I really should get going.\"\u0026nbsp; Kimi seemed a bit flustered as he snatched at the file card, tucking it into his shirt pocket. \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Well, it's nothin' to me then.\u0026nbsp; Sam, I'll go ahead and load what I need in my truck.\u0026nbsp; I hope you got that half-inch bar stock I asked about!\"\u0026nbsp; Clay nodded at the new horse, giving a slight wave as he turned away, \"Good to meet you, Kimi.\u0026nbsp; Hope to see ya around town!\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"I'd like that, and hope so too!\"\u0026nbsp; Kimi smiled, hoping his cheeks weren't quite as red as they felt.\u0026nbsp; When the Clydesdale was out of earshot, Kimi pulled out his wallet to pay for his feed.\u0026nbsp; As he did so, he couldn't help asking a question.\u0026nbsp; \"Sir, why did you think Clay would have been interested in my note on your bulletin board?\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Sam took the twenty Kimi offered, casually responding as he made change.\u0026nbsp; \"He's a got a large house not far out of town, and I know he's taken in roommates previously.\u0026nbsp; There was a horse passing through town last year, car collector or somethin', I know he was rooming with Clay for a while.\u0026nbsp; Although,\" Sam placed some coins and several bills in Kimi's hoof, \"I hear it did not end well.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Kimi took the change, a puzzled expression coming over his muzzle.\u0026nbsp; \"What do you mean?\u0026nbsp; Was there violence involved?\" \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"No, no,\u0026nbsp; nothing\u0026nbsp; at all.\"\u0026nbsp; Sam tore a carbon copy off the receipt pad, handing it to Kimi.\u0026nbsp; \"Clay's pretty even-tempered, in fact.\u0026nbsp; It's just that I heard he'd gotten pretty attached to this horse -- not sure all the details there, none of my business anyway -- but the guy just up and left one day.\u0026nbsp; Friend of mine over at the diner said Clay seemed pretty mopey for a long while after Brad moved on.\u0026nbsp; I imagine it gets lonely out there in that farmhouse of his, and if you're one of, um, you know, an anthro? Not so many of you guys around, you know.\u0026nbsp; Here in Crawford Corners, at least.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Kimi nodded, taking the receipt and stuffing it in his pocket.\u0026nbsp; He thought about pulling the notecard out and posting it on the feedstore bulletin board, but changed his mind.\u0026nbsp; He was paid up at the hotel through the next week anyway, and that was ample time to find out whether that Clydesdale was interested in a new roommate.\u0026nbsp; \"So, does Clay still visit the diner here in town?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; CHAPTER 2\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Breakfast At The Crow's Nest  \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Pushing the glass door open, Claymore was surprised to find the diner packed so late on a Thursday morning.\u0026nbsp; Until he remembered what day it was.\u0026nbsp; \"Pheasant season, what a gigantic pain in the ass,\" he grumbled silently.\u0026nbsp; What actually bothered him, of course, was that few of the hunters streaming into the area had need of his services; the seasonal population uptick mean virtually no extra income for his shop. \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Clay-MORE!\u0026nbsp; Over here, honey!\"\u0026nbsp; Shirley Merck's shrill voice, as usual, carried above the din and assaulted his ears.\u0026nbsp; He winced slightly, but forced a smile as he turned to the diner's proprietor and head waitress. \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Hay there darlin', how are ya today?\" he neighed, waving as she approached.\u0026nbsp; Whatever his opinion of Shirley, there was simply no denying she was one of the friendliest humans he knew.\u0026nbsp; He gave her a light peck on the cheek as she took him by the arm.   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Got somebody over here wants to meet you, Clay!\u0026nbsp; Come on and say hi, he's been waitin' for you since seven this mornin'!\"\u0026nbsp; Shirley had that too-eager grin on her face that could only mean she was up to something.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Claymore sighed, giving Shirley 'the look.'\u0026nbsp; She was a very friendly divorcee, and when she wasn't hooking up herself, she was hooking others up.\u0026nbsp; Or trying to, anyway.\u0026nbsp; \"You know, if Brad's back in town, I'm just not... .\"\u0026nbsp; Shirley cut him off in mid sentence.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Oh, now shush!\u0026nbsp; Nobody said nothin' about old Brad, I said somebody!\u0026nbsp; Come on over here and be friendly!\"\u0026nbsp; Shirley was pulling him by the arm, through the crowd to a table in the back corner.\u0026nbsp; There, grinning as sheepishly as he had two days ago at the feed store, sat the young bay stallion.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Hi again, Clay!\u0026nbsp; I hope you don't mind, I thought it would be nice to... .\"\u0026nbsp; Kimi's words trailed off as he slowly began stirring his coffee. \"I thought, maybe it be nice,\" he stammered slightly, clearly not having much of a plan beyond running into Clay at the diner. \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"You thought it would be nice to stalk me?\" Clay laughed, swinging into the booth on the seat opposite Kimi.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"The usual for me, please, Shirley.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I said I hoped to see you again, and I meant it.\u0026nbsp; Now, you ordered yet, Kimi?\"   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"No, but, just a, I don't know, a cinnamon roll, ma'am?\" Kimi asked.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"You got it hon!\u0026nbsp; Now don't let this old horse snap at you, he's pretty friendly once you get to know him.\u0026nbsp; Aren't you, stud muffin?\"\u0026nbsp; Shirley playfully smacked a menu on Clay's shoulder, causing him to snort in a mock threat.\u0026nbsp; She merely smacked him again, laughing as she walked away from the table.   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Kimi, it was nice chatting with you briefly the other day, and I hope I didn't seem stand-offish at the feed store. \"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Clay smiled warmly at the younger stallion, dropping some sweetener into the massive mug of coffee a busboy had brought to him.\u0026nbsp; \"You know, after I left Sam's place, I thought maybe I should have asked you out for a bite or something, just didn't occur to me.\" \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;The thought actually had occurred to Claymore, but he'd quickly put it out of his mind; he certainly didn't believe a college-age stallion would have any interest in a friend of his age.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A casual observer could easily have seen that Clay was clearly smitten with shy young horse, but he would\u0026nbsp; have blustered and denied such a thing.\u0026nbsp; Long a favourite subject among town gossips, who assumed that\u0026nbsp; because he was a stallion he was easy and promiscuous, Clay was actually celibate.\u0026nbsp; He had been since Cheryl had left him many years before, in fact, a relationship with a human female that left lasting marks.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"It did occur to me, Clay,\" Kimi grinned, \"in fact, I asked the feed store guy the best time to catch you here.\u0026nbsp; Oh my god!\"\u0026nbsp; He laughed, quickly covering his muzzle.\u0026nbsp; \"I AM stalking you, aren't I?\"\u0026nbsp; There was a bright reddish hue to Kimi's cheeks.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"I know how to treat stalkers, bud.\u0026nbsp; With duct tape and a shovel!\"\u0026nbsp; Clay winked at stallion, whose eyes had suddenly widened.\u0026nbsp; \"Joking!\u0026nbsp; Just kidding!\u0026nbsp; Relax, buddy, I was just yanking your chain!\" he teased.\u0026nbsp; Shirley had walked up, and he whistled as she sat a massive platter down in front of Kimi.\u0026nbsp; \"Oooh, now look at that-THAT'S a cinnamon roll!\"\u0026nbsp; The steaming hot pastry was so huge it spilled over the edges of the plate, dripping with melted butter and sugar creme frosting.\u0026nbsp; Clay caught a whiff of the raisins and cinnamon, and nickered,\u0026nbsp; \"Let me know if you need help with that!\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Claymore! Mind your manners, horse!\" Shirley barked, setting an equally large platter in front of him.\u0026nbsp; \"You've got plenty to eat on your own plate!\"\u0026nbsp; Indeed he did, as there was ample food even for a Clydesdale's appetite; four massive biscuits smothered in milk gravy, surrounded by home fries hot off the grill and cheesy scrambled eggs, all topped with a pile of sliced jalapeno peppers.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; It was more than he usually finished at once, and usually made lunch as well as breakfast.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Besides, if your hooves ever need somethin' to grab at, you know where to find me!\"\u0026nbsp; She lingered just a little longer than she needed to, her name tag perched just inches from Clay's muzzle.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Clay laughed good naturedly, and while he thought about saying, \"Yeah, I know where the line forms, Shirley,\"\u0026nbsp; he refrained and merely nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I do, Shirley, and you're a fine lookin' lady.\u0026nbsp; But c'mon, a stallion's gotta eat, too!\" \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"She seems nice,\" Kimi said, picking up his fork and starting on his roll.\u0026nbsp; \"Really seems to like you, too, Clay.\u0026nbsp; She was seriously coming on to you!\"\u0026nbsp; Kimi laughed a little self-consciously, then added, \"Oh my god, that is so not my business!\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Clay waved his hoof a little before picking up his coffee bucket.\u0026nbsp; \"Hay, don't worry about it, I'm uh, pretty much an open book around my friends.\"\u0026nbsp; The smile he gave Kimi was friendly enough, though had someone else asked the question he would have frowned instead of shrugging it off.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Taking a drink of coffee, his tone became just slightly serious.\u0026nbsp; \"She's got a bit of a reputation.\u0026nbsp; Not really my type.\u0026nbsp; How's the roll?\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Nodding his approval, Kimi grinned and cut off another bite of the pastry.\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, it's great!\u0026nbsp; I'm not sure I'll be able to finish the whole thing.\u0026nbsp; Reminds me of my Mom's cooking, actually.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, they do it up right here at the diner, mostly homemade.\u0026nbsp; Shirley is very talented in the kitchen.\"\u0026nbsp; Clay bit his tongue to keep from adding the other rooms in which he knew Shirley to be quite gifted.\u0026nbsp; \"I've been eating here since,\" the stallion gazed towards a distant memory, his eyes squinting slightly.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, gosh, since I came to Crawford Corners.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Really?\u0026nbsp; When was that?\"\u0026nbsp; Kimi's eyes went wide, giving him a startled look which was rather accentuated by the fork frozen halfway to his muzzle.\u0026nbsp; Giggling slightly, he finished the bite on his fork before continuing.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm a history buff,\u0026nbsp; and, heh, sort of nosy.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"No need to worry, kid, I don't mind talking about my history.\u0026nbsp; The problem is getting me to shut up!\"\u0026nbsp; The stallion stirred more cream into his coffee, catching Kimi's friendly gaze out of the corner of his eye.\u0026nbsp; There was a pleasant manner about him that Clay found engaging, a sort of optimism or good-naturedness, something Clay couldn't quite put his hoof on.\u0026nbsp; Whatever it was, the kid was likeable and easy to talk to -- qualities that were sometimes short around town.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Near as I can figure, it was sometime around 1966 or so, several years After The Bright Light and... .\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Wait, the what?\" Kimi interrupted, his head tilting at an odd angle.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"The Bright Light, Kimi; I didn't know what else to call it when I was young.\"\u0026nbsp; Clay settled back in the booth, resting the coffee bucket on the table.\u0026nbsp; \"I was still qaudruped then, there were no anthros.\u0026nbsp; I was a late foal during what I later learned were attacks hit US soil, one of them not too far south of here in what was still Pennsylvania.\u0026nbsp; The 'Bright Light' was caused by a jet crashing to the ground, an intentional crash that we eventually learned was meant to unleash the Minsk Virus.\u0026nbsp; All I knew then was horrid squealing and stampeding as flame rushed toward our paddock.\u0026nbsp; My dam threw me into a stock tank, and I survived the fireball.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Did she... ?\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"She died saving me, Kimi.\u0026nbsp; I was protected by the water in the tank, at least from the blast.\u0026nbsp; I stumbled from the area, totally disoriented.\u0026nbsp; It seemed like I couldn't get out of the blast zone, because as far as I wandered I saw wreckage and debris.\u0026nbsp; It was the virus, spreading and killing people that left everything so bleak.\u0026nbsp; The first responders spread it to their colleagues, families, and survivors, and the virus just rippled out from there.\u0026nbsp; Much of the surrounding area quickly became a ghost town.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"I remember reading about this in history class, Clay.\" Kimi looked somber as he spoke, nodding a little bit.\u0026nbsp; \"Wasn't the virus unstable?\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Yeah, that's what we found out.\u0026nbsp; The instability caused it to mutate quickly, which decreased its lethality.\u0026nbsp; The farther away in time victims were from initial victims, the greater their chances of surviving infection.\u0026nbsp; Eventually the virus morphed into a non-transmissible form and died out from a lack of hosts.\u0026nbsp; Or at least, no new cases were reported about 8 months after the strikes, and quarantines were lifted just two years after that.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The Soviets were evil, but not terribly competent.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The damage they managed to inflict was brief, local, and harsh, and I count myself one of the lucky ones.\u0026nbsp; Human DNA responded very differently to the virus, and some of the poor bastards I saw mutated,\"\u0026nbsp; Clay paused, pursing his lips.\u0026nbsp; \"Let's just say they would have preferred having died.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Yeah, one of my Dad's friends is a mutated human, Clay.\u0026nbsp; He seems kind of withdrawn to me, even though his mutation is pretty mild.\u0026nbsp; Some facial scarring and bumpiness on his forehead.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Mm-hmm, one of the lucky ones.\u0026nbsp; He still has bones.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Kimi made a slight face indicating a lack of interest in further details about human mutation.\u0026nbsp; \"So you became a first-generation anthro?\u0026nbsp; That must have been intense, Clay!\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Well, if by 'intense' you mean 'scared the hell out of me and caused nearly two years of confused wandering,' yeah, you're right,\" Clay snorted.\u0026nbsp; Shirley interrupted with an offer of more coffee, filling Clay's cup and leaving the check on the table.\u0026nbsp; \"Whenever you're ready, hun,\" she said, \"and you know I wasn't talking about the bill!\"\u0026nbsp; She winked at Clay, giving his shoulder a squeeze that was a trifle more than friendly before she walked away. \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Kimi laughed as he reached for the check, \"Man, she's so into you!\u0026nbsp; Now, what's my portion of the...HEY!\"\u0026nbsp; He laughed as Clay deftly snatched the small greenish paper away.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"My treat, colt,\" Clay neighed, pulling out a well-worn wallet and counting off several bills.\u0026nbsp; \"I've enjoyed the company and,\" he paused, smiling before continuing.\u0026nbsp; \"You know, I look forward to getting together again.\u0026nbsp; You know, if you might be, uh, well whatever, you know.\"\u0026nbsp; The older stallion sounded as though he was a bit tongue-tied.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Oh, no question, I'd love to!\u0026nbsp; I mean, I'd really enjoy that, a lot.\"\u0026nbsp; Kimi laughed, a lighthearted chuckle that was easy on the ears.\u0026nbsp; He nodded at Clay, his head bobbing just a little bit.\u0026nbsp; \"I'd certainly like to hear more about the early anthro days, Clay, and it's been a pleasure.\"\u0026nbsp; He got up from the table, extending his hand.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Well then, it's a da...uh, well, it's settled then.\" Claymore scooted out of the booth, standing to take Kimi's hand in both of his and shaking it warmly.\u0026nbsp; \"Maybe this weekend if you're gonna be around.\"\u0026nbsp; He took a card from his wallet, handing it Kimi.\u0026nbsp; \"Give me a call if you're gonna be free Saturday or Sunday.\"\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"I think I just might do that,\" Kimi thought as he looked at the card, which had Clay's cell number on it.\u0026nbsp; \"See ya soon, Clay!\" he nickered.\u0026nbsp; Before turning away, Kimi impulsively gave the startled Clydesdale a quick hug.\u0026nbsp; In a move that was surprisingly agile for such a plodding work horse, Clay's arms wrapped for an instant around Kimi.\u0026nbsp; \"It's nice to know you, Claymore,\" Kimi neighed in a warm tone.   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"All right, all right kid, people talk about me enough as it is,\" Clay muttered.\u0026nbsp; His tone, however, was more playful than scolding, and it seemed to Kimi as though there was a slight bit of redness showing in the gruff stallion's muzzle.\n\nCHAPTER 3\n\nLet's Do Lunch\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Fidgeting with the pencil, Claymore stared at the drawing on his sketch pad.\u0026nbsp; The latch design he'd come up with was workmanlike, but it was missing panache.\u0026nbsp; Although he had the pragmatism typical of a Clydesdale, Clay was also something of an artist at the anvil, and 'plain' just didn't suit his style.\u0026nbsp; Part of the reason for his shop's modest growth was the fact that his work both looked good and worked well.\u0026nbsp; He was scratching a few more lines on the page when his cell phone jangled suddenly.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Hay, this is Clay, can I help you?\" he neighed after flipping open his phone.\u0026nbsp; The interruption was especially welcome when he heard the caller's voice.\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, Kimi!\u0026nbsp; How ya doin'?\u0026nbsp; No, no, not a problem, glad to talk to you.\u0026nbsp; I'm just doodling with a design right now.\u0026nbsp; What's up?\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Leaning back in the ancient wooden desk chair, Clay swiveled to put his hind hooves up on the desk.\u0026nbsp; His mood, though slightly perturbed by the drawing's lack of progress, instantly relaxed as he listened to the young stallion.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He rocked back and forth in the creaking oak chair, snorting and twitching his ears as the two made small talk.\u0026nbsp; At one point his ears perked suddenly forward.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, I'm glad to hear that, and yeah, I drink an occasional beer,\" Clay said, nickering softly and without a trace of irony; he might as well have called the Monogahela River a pretty good sized ditch.\u0026nbsp; \"Well, listen that sounds good, you want me to meet ... oh, sure no problem.\u0026nbsp; Pick me up at the diner then.\u0026nbsp; I'll see you Sunday morning at eleven!\"   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Closing his phone, the Clydesdale sat upright in his chair.\u0026nbsp; It wasn't often that he had plans for a Sunday morning, and the prospect had livened him up a bit.\u0026nbsp; After Brad had left town last year, he just hadn't felt much like socializing and besides -- Crawford Corners wasn't exactly known for its anthro population.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A picnic on Sunday sounded like a great way to get a little better acquainted.\u0026nbsp; \"Although,\" Clay mused quietly to himself, \"things are gonna go a little differently this time around.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Sunday dawned bright and cloudless, a perfect midsummer morning that was only just warming up as Clay settled on the bench outside the Home Cookin' Kitchen.\u0026nbsp; He sipped his coffee, glancing at his watch and noting he was early.\u0026nbsp; A moment later a beeping horn caught his attention, and he waved at the driver.\u0026nbsp; \"Figures,\" he thought, smiling as Kimi parked, \"one of those 'green' cars that's easy on the environment.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Clay, good morning!\" Kimi nickered, laughing a little as he got out of his car and waved.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm not late, am I? Gosh, I hope you haven't been waiting long!\"\u0026nbsp; Dressed in faded jeans and a casual, brightly coloured shirt open at the collar, the horse looked like he was dressed to go to class.\u0026nbsp; His walk was jaunty as he stepped over the Clyde, who rose to greet him.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"No, I'm early Kimi, and I just got here, thanks.\u0026nbsp; Only had time to get my coffee and sit down.\"\u0026nbsp; Reaching out his hand, Clay shrugged and held out his arms for a hug instead.\u0026nbsp; \"Might as well get this over with,\" he teased, a pretend scowl twisting on his muzzle.\u0026nbsp; \"Just don't expect any kissin', bub, I'm not... .\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Laughing as he gave the Clyde a gentle hug, Kimi snorted.\u0026nbsp; \"Not what?\u0026nbsp; Friendly and a decent stallion?\u0026nbsp; And by the way, too late!\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Too late for what?\" Clay blustered.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"This,\" Kimi neighed, pecking Clay lightly on the side of his muzzle.\u0026nbsp; \"Now, how's about you show me that picnic spot you told me about, Mr. Tough Stallion?\" \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What?\" Clay bellowed, followed by a booming laugh.\u0026nbsp; \"What the heck?\u0026nbsp; Hay, I told ya, I don't need anybody talking about me in this little burg, wise guy.\"\u0026nbsp; He shook his head, trying to remove the rosy shade he knew his cheeks were turning.\u0026nbsp; He gave the horse a quick pat on the withers before releasing him with a soft and cheerful neigh.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, you said they're already talking, so now they have something to say.\u0026nbsp; Problem?\" Kimi teased, quoting from one of those stupid yet catchy Internet memes. \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Um, sure, 'Y U NO PAY ATTENTION,'\" Clay chuckled, doing the best he could with what he knew about popular memes.\u0026nbsp; \"That's gonna cost you, and I expect payment in BEER!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, yes, you're just a big, scary horse, aren't you?\" Kimi teased, grinning at Clay as he pulled back.\u0026nbsp; \"And look at you, all up to date on Internet stuff like that -- the way you talk about yourself, I half expected you to show up with a walker or a cane, Gramps!\"\u0026nbsp; Kimi turned, heading back to his car.\u0026nbsp; \"Come on now, I didn't bring any beer but you're gonna like the lunch I packed.\u0026nbsp; That is IF we ever get to the park, Clay!\"   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Yeah, yeah, you young 'uns, always in such a consarned hurry!\"\u0026nbsp; Snorting playfully, Claymore trotted along behind Kimi, heading for the passenger side of the stylish, if rather small, car.\u0026nbsp; Though newer, there were a few dings on the side, as though driven too close sometimes to a fence post or telephone pole.\u0026nbsp; \"Cozy little buggy you got here, Kimi, but where am I gonna sit?\"\u0026nbsp; Clay quipped.\u0026nbsp; There appeared to be little room for Kimi, let alone a passenger in the front seat, although in the tiny luggage compartment there was a large wicker basket covered in a red check cloth.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Uh, on your butt?\" Kimi grinned, opening the door.\u0026nbsp; \"C'mon, I've carted my neighbour around, and she's huge Clay -- if she can squeeze in there, I know you can!\"\u0026nbsp; Kimi shut the door after Clay pryed himself into the passenger side, then trotted lightly around to the driver's side.\u0026nbsp; Hopping inside, he buckled up and started the engine.\u0026nbsp; \"So, where to, old timer?\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Go west, young man.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \"Funny! Now, really, which way to the park?\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \"Like I said, go west.\u0026nbsp; You'll turn right,\u0026nbsp; just ahead on Greeley Avenue.\u0026nbsp; Park's a couple of miles west of the diner.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, like Horace Greeley, go west, okay, I get it!\" Kimi noted, easing the vehicle into traffic.\u0026nbsp; Its acceleration was not only much smoother and quieter than Clay was used to, but also slightly more robust than he'd suspected on seeing the 'green' insignia on the bumper.\u0026nbsp; Kimi turned on the radio, tuned to an Indie rock station.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm guessing this isn't quite your style, Clay?\u0026nbsp; You can change the station if you like.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Nah, no worries.\u0026nbsp; It's a short ride, and I'm sure I can handle...this...for a couple of minutes.\"\u0026nbsp; He was bobbing his head slightly, listening to a sort of ballad that wasn't bad at all.\u0026nbsp; Not Tom Petty, certainly, but worth a listen.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The car rolled through the leafy, quiet neighbourhood west of downtown, climbing upward along a gentle slope.\u0026nbsp; As they left the town limits, the trees became slightly thicker, and their short trip took them through the more wooded hilly area of the county.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Is that it, Clay?\" Kimi asked, indicating a large green sign ahead. \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \"Yup, Cooper Point Reserve, ahead on the left.\u0026nbsp; Pretty fancy name for clearing on top of the hill with a few barbeque pits, but it's a nice place.\u0026nbsp; So, what's in the basket, horse?\u0026nbsp; I haven't eaten in four hours, you know!\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Kimi laughed as he merged into the left hand turn lane to enter the park, \"Oh, you'll find out soon enough!\u0026nbsp; Now, where can I park this-oh, nevermind!\"\u0026nbsp; He'd spotted the nearly-empty lot and found a shady space under a massive red oak tree, pulling in and setting the brake.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He hopped out, putting his hand over his eyes like a visor as he looked around the park.\u0026nbsp; \"This is beautiful, Clay, what an amazing view of the valley!\u0026nbsp; I'll bet it's even more spectacular at night.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"It really is.\u0026nbsp; There's a rock quarry just beyond the base of the hill to the west, and you can see quarry lights reflecting in the pond.\u0026nbsp; Beyond that, over the trees the city lights from State College are clearly visible, and it's beautiful on a moonless night.\u0026nbsp; There's a bench over there,\" Claymore gestured to his right, \"sometimes I'll come here and just sit and think for a while.\u0026nbsp; Now, how about we find a table?\"\u0026nbsp; His nostrils were flaring as he tried to smell just exactly what Kimi had prepared for lunch.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"C'mon, Clay!\u0026nbsp; It's a PICNIC!\u0026nbsp; Look, I brought a sheet and everything, I want to sit on the ground and eat.\"\u0026nbsp; Kimi held the large basket up, showing the checked sheet but nothing of the basket's contents.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Claymore huffed, shaking his head.\u0026nbsp; \"Share with the ants, huh?\u0026nbsp; All right, if you inisist, just over there should be as good a spot as any then.\"\u0026nbsp; Pointing to a clearing with a clear view of the valley below, Clay was already heading there.\n\n  \n  \n\n"}