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(No problem!) - Dusty was ready for Sky to say something like, "Let's go swimming!". Dusty shivered at the thought. Just splashing through the small creek a few minutes ago was almost too much for Dusty and his fear of water. When Sky suggested racing, Dusty sighed in relief and his eyes lit up in excitement. "That's a great idea! How did you know I love apples?" He asked, imagining the sweet and tangy taste of the fruit when he would bite into it. He tensed a little when Sky mentioned wolves, and his eyes scanned the forest that she had mentioned. When Dusty realized Sky was teasing him, he shot an offended yet playful look at her, and got ready to run. "Now that's just mean! We better remember to find a safe place to sleep tonight, away from wolves. Let's race for the clearing on three. Though..." Dusty said, musing, "It's kind of unfair that you know where the finish line is and I don't..."
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Sky smiled even brighter at Dusty's first response "You do? They're my favourite thing to eat! Lucky guess, I guess?" She asked with a chuckle. When he tensed up, she lowered her head to hide the growing grin but soon enough he picked up her joking around, and that made her crack up a laugh as she got prepared to run, lining up beside him, she side glanced him "Well, best thought I'd warn you" She added sarcastically. She looked ahead at the forest then glanced at the grey rabicano stallion "Well, the finish line will be under the first apple tree" She said quietly, nodding at his count down idea "Three... Two... One GO" She sped up the last number then took off at a gallop, letting her front legs pull her forward and her back legs propel her
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Dusty smiled at Sky's words, and nodded when she explained the finish line to him. "Gotcha. The first apple tree." Dusty closed his eyes and settled, feeling the power of his body, ready to run when he asked it. When Sky began counting down, his eyes snapped open and he prepared to run. Dusty was caught slightly off guard when Sky said go earlier then he thought, but Dusty still bounded forward, propelled by his back legs, going faster then he had in a long time. Dusty smiled, feeling like he was in that dream again, soaring across the plains, hardly touching the ground. He was gaining on Sky, but she was still very fast. Dusty concentrated on getting his legs to work in unison, slowly working his way closer to Sky.
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The cream and white mare ran as fast as her legs would take her, feeling the wind whip on her face, through her mane, and across her body, one hoof after another at a quick pace. She glanced back, seeing Dusty catching up with her, she smiled at this and looked forward again, ever so slightly slowing down so he could get ahead of her, acting like she was losing her breath so he didn't get suspicious. She didn't care about winning or losing, it was all fun, and she just wanted to sink her teeth into the apples
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Dusty knew when someone was being nice, and Sky was definitelly trying to let him win. But Dusty wouldn't let it happen. He had just met Sky and already they were friends, so he couldn't win this race. Dusty slowed to match Sky's speed, but where he was still a few strides behind Sky's pounding hooves. Dusty's mouth watered at the thought of an apple after only having eaten grass for the last week or so.
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Sky kept her speed, waiting for Dusty to overtake her, but after a few strides he hadn't, she looked behind and somehow he was still just behind her, at first she was slightly confused, but she quickly understood that Dusty must've figured out what she was doing, she looked forward again, a light smile taking over her face as she picked up her speed again, weaving through the trees, soon seeing dots of red and green laid on the ground a few strides ahead, and up in some trees -Finally the apples!- Sky thought to herself as she slowed down passing the first apple tree, she instantly dropped her head and inhaled a apple "It's been way too long my delicious friends" The mare quietly muttered to herself, then grabbing a green apple, turning and tossing it towards the stallion "Here, help yourself! There's plenty, it's almost like they never run out" She giggled at the thought, lowering her head and picking at the red ones
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Dusty hadn't run in a while, or even had decent excercise, so by the time they reached the apples he was pretty winded. He tried not to let it show as he chuckled at how happy Sky was at eating the apples. He reached down and plucked one from the ground himself, and took a bite. The sweet juiciness of it all was so delicious that he nearly fell over. A green apple hit his hoof and he was confused for a second, but then he realized Sky had threw it at him. Dusty grinned and threw it back toward her, then continued to search for apples that weren't infested with worms.
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Sky ate at least five apples in the span of 3 minutes, when the apple was tossed back, she caught it, engulfing it in two bites, realising she must've looked like a slob she smiled awkwardly "Hehhh sorry I'm eating so quick, it's been a short while since I've tasted these" She explained knocking a apple with her hoof before eating it
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Dusty was happily munching on a green apple with two brown spots that he avoided when he heard something. He looked up, ears twitching. It sounded like a twig cracking. "Sky?" He asked quietly, his voice trembling.
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