Wind whipped his hair across his face as he urged his horse Dawn on. Behind him he could hear the hoof beats of another horse drawing closer. His friend Thalia laughed with glee as she passed him just as they came into the stable yard.
'I did it. I beat you.'
Her brown eyes sparkled with merriment as she tugged at some stray hairs, attempting to force them back into her plait.
'You did, fair and square.'
Her joy over the rare win made it difficult to remain grumpy at his loss.
'Where is Hubert?'
He wandered back to the yard gate and searched for his brother. There he was, on his own horse, coming in at a slow jog. Although he loved riding as much as they did, and was most certainly the better rider of the three, he rarely took part in their hare-brained races, preferring to just enjoy his time away from their tutor.