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“Fight or Flight: A Tail of Two Mares” by Ta’kom Ironhoof (read by Solomon)
A bay walking horse feels conflicted after injuring a fling and herself. Her friend convinces her to get out of the dorms to help clear her mind.
Today’s story is “Fight or Flight: A Tail of Two Mares” by Ta’kom Ironhoof, the equine charmer. He’s the host of the ‘Dinner At Yiffany’s’ podcast, and his book, “Going the Distance” will be published in the near future, hopefully sometime in 2025.
Read by Solomon Harries, Cuddly Badger Dad.
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https://thevoice.dog/episode/fight-or-flight-a-tail-of-two-mares-by-takom-ironhoof
Transcript
You’re listening to Pride Month on The Voice of Dog.
Speaker:This is Rob MacWolf, your fellow traveler,
Speaker:and Today’s story is “Fight or Flight:
Speaker:A Tail of Two Mares”
Speaker:by Ta’kom Ironhoof,
Speaker:the equine charmer.
Speaker:He’s the host of the ‘Dinner At Yiffany’s’ podcast,
Speaker:and his book, “Going the Distance”
Speaker:will be published in the near future,
Speaker:hopefully sometime in 2025.
Speaker:All too often, we have in our pasts a time in which the world
Speaker:is without differentiation
Speaker:hostile, absurd, and purposeless.
Speaker:In reminiscence, of course, the difference is ourselves:
Speaker:without the ability to be our real selves,
Speaker:how can the world be anything other
Speaker:than hostile, absurd,
Speaker:and purposeless? Read by Solomon Harries,
Speaker:Cuddly Badger Dad. Please enjoy
Speaker:“Fight or Flight: A Tail of Two Mares”
Speaker:by Ta’kom Ironhoof The low roll of thunder sounded out from the sky
Speaker:as a gentle rain continued to soak everything.
Speaker:Almost rhythmically,
Speaker:the percussive beat of the rain from outside,
Speaker:mixed with the flapping of the curtains on the open window, only helped to deepen Joanna’s already depressive state.
Speaker:The bay walking horse with a Sabino coat
Speaker:had been having a rough time as of late.
Speaker:The constant rain made everything miserable.
Speaker:However, that wasn’t the main reason Joanna was in the dumps.
Speaker:Only a handful of days ago,
Speaker:she had almost killed the first person who she had dated.
Speaker:At the young age of 22, Joanna had finally decided that she might enjoy having a partner,
Speaker:her friend Kyra convincing her to go out with a guy she had known since grade school.
Speaker:Like most equines, Joanna was wary of strangers and flighty,
Speaker:so it seemed logical to date someone she had known for so long.
Speaker:Most of her current friends were those that she had known the majority of her life,
Speaker:interspersed with a handful that she had met along the way.
Speaker:Joanna’s mind went back to the conversation between Kyra and herself.
Speaker:“Gorgeous, come on.
Speaker:You’re a junior in college and been single this whole time!
Speaker:You NEED to have at least one fling before you graduate.”
Speaker:Unlike most equines, Kyra, the Arabian mare,
Speaker:was very much an extrovert and headstrong.
Speaker:Joanna snorted. “And just who would you suggest for this ‘fling’ that I should have, slick?”
Speaker:A sly smile slid upon Kyra’s face.
Speaker:“How about Theo?” Theodore Darby had been one of these “friends” that she had known for most of her life. They
Speaker:had attended the same grade school, high school, and now, college.
Speaker:She appreciated his normally quiet demeanor,
Speaker:his quick wit, and gentle soul.
Speaker:Yet it was only through the prodding of Kyra that convinced her maybe the pair should go out on a date.
Speaker:Joanna then heard, in her mind’s eye,
Speaker:the thing that convinced Joanna that she should go through with this plan.
Speaker:“Girl, I see the way you look at him.
Speaker:You know what they say;
Speaker:it’s the quiet ones who are the real freaks in bed.”
Speaker:Joanna sighed as the conversation played in her head once again.
Speaker:Had she not listened to Kyra,
Speaker:maybe Theodore wouldn’t be in a hospital at this very moment with a broken pelvis.
Speaker:Even worse, all of this could have been avoided.
Speaker:Joanna wasn’t particularly attracted to men.
Speaker:She only entertained the idea because Kyra had talked her into it.
Speaker:If only Kyra knew Joanna’s true feelings.
Speaker:For Joanna, Theodore was only supposed to have been a one-night stand and a cover story.
Speaker:She was too afraid of actually admitting to those around her
Speaker:she was a lesbian.
Speaker:Much worse, she couldn’t bring herself to admit to Kyra
Speaker:that the Arabian mare was really the apple of Joanna’s eye.
Speaker:She had seen other athletes ostracized and ridiculed for coming out.
Speaker:The topic always shifted to the others becoming nervous in the locker rooms, changing areas,
Speaker:or sharing a room for away games.
Speaker:As such, Joanna felt it best to just carry on with the way things were and not rock the boat. The bay mare could already imagine how awkward it would be
Speaker:if the rest of the soccer team found out.
Speaker:However, her mind also wanted to feel free,
Speaker:unchained from fear.
Speaker:“If they’re really my friends,
Speaker:they’ll accept me for who I am, right?”
Speaker:Joanna thought to herself.
Speaker:The counterpoint of the others plights swayed her attempt at positive affirmations.
Speaker:She felt a heat flush across her muzzle,
Speaker:her eyes grew wet with tears,
Speaker:and her throat ached as she tried desperately to hold back the tempest of frustrated longing.
Speaker:Joanna sniffled. Joanna felt her throat burn.
Speaker:Joanna could not keep it bottled inside.
Speaker:With an audible exclamation that echoed briefly throughout the room,
Speaker:the dam of emotions that Joanna had been holding onto finally broke,
Speaker:and the tears flowed freely down her cheeks.
Speaker:Not only had she lied to everyone around her,
Speaker:but she had injured a friend by using him,
Speaker:both literally and figuratively.
Speaker:How could she show her face around campus anymore?
Speaker:Could she face Theodore,
Speaker:explain everything to him now that he was hospitalized?
Speaker:Joanna, emotionally distraught,
Speaker:found no answers within the maelstrom of thoughts swirling in her troubled mind.
Speaker:Then, as if a lifeline reached out from the aether, a knock
Speaker:came from her door.
Speaker:“Hey, Joanna! Was checking to see if you wanted to go out tonight.
Speaker:Some others on the team thought since we don’t have a game, we should go out and relax a little.”
Speaker:The voice on the other side of the door was Kyra,
Speaker:the Arabian mare with a solid black coat.
Speaker:Joanna called back,
Speaker:“Come in, doors open.”
Speaker:The bay mare quickly sat up
Speaker:and attempted to make herself presentable before Kyra entered.
Speaker:However, she failed.
Speaker:Kyra, as soon as she looked at Joanna, knew something was wrong.
Speaker:“Hey! Hold up. What’s wrong, gorgeous?”
Speaker:Joanna continued drying her face,
Speaker:attempting desperately to make it appear as if nothing were wrong.
Speaker:“Nothing, slick. Still a bit upset about that guy and it’s just so dreary outside and my head hurts and…”
Speaker:Kyra interrupted.
Speaker:“Girl, don’t you worry about Theodore.
Speaker:That could have happened to anyone.
Speaker:Well, besides a real stallion.”
Speaker:The Arabian smiled widely, continuing.
Speaker:“Anyway, sitting around here won’t help you any.
Speaker:Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.
Speaker:Nothing helps you to forget a tragedy quite like a night of dancing, music, and friends.”
Speaker:Joanna let those words float around her mind for a bit.
Speaker:Kyra was standing here in her room,
Speaker:once again trying to convince her to do something she wouldn’t have otherwise.
Speaker:Then again, maybe what she needed was a change of scenery.
Speaker:Besides, they would go out as a group.
Speaker:No pressure. Just a fun night out on the town.
Speaker:The bay mare hopped off the bed, drew in a deep breath, and let out a sigh.
Speaker:“You’re right. Give me a
Speaker:bit. Be ready to go in, like, an hour, slick.”
Speaker:“You. Are. Precious. See you downstairs!”
Speaker:Kyra blew Joanna an air kiss before twirling around,
Speaker:the locks of Kyra’s mane flowing so delicately.
Speaker:Unbeknownst to Kyra,
Speaker:Joanna couldn’t help but to reach into the empty air to ‘catch’ the kiss;
Speaker:a treasure from the Arabian mare with the solid, shiny black coat. — “Girl!
Speaker:You are absolutely going to love this place!”
Speaker:Kyra exclaimed. “They’ve got the absolute best drinks in town!”
Speaker:Joanna was being pulled toward the bar,
Speaker:a giant neon sign with words,
Speaker:“The Un-stables”, shining its electric light,
Speaker:illuminating the moistened parking lot in a glow of pinks and blues.
Speaker:The rain only helped to diffuse its glow further than it normally would be
Speaker:and only slightly muffled the thumping beats coming from within the club.
Speaker:All of it was almost too much for Joanna,
Speaker:and her flight instinct was overtaking her.
Speaker:“I…don’t know if I wanna go…”
Speaker:Kyra could barely hear Joanna but stopped, interrupting her.
Speaker:“Honey, we’re already here,
Speaker:so just let the bouncer mark your hand.
Speaker:Besides, I don’t get to see you very often in a dress like that.
Speaker:If you still ain’t having fun after an hour, I promise I’ll take you back to the dorms.”
Speaker:Joanna knew Kyra would keep her word.
Speaker:Still, the uneasiness only faded slightly.
Speaker:“Well, alright.” Kyra was right about the dress, too.
Speaker:It was the rare occasion on which Joanna wore the sequined red dress she sported tonight.
Speaker:It made Joanna feel confident enough to follow through with going in and try to enjoy the evening.
Speaker:With that, the pair showed their IDs, got their markings, and entered the club,
Speaker:followed shortly by several other members of the women’s collegiate soccer team.
Speaker:Quickly, Kyra continued to drag Joanna,
Speaker:this time toward the bar.
Speaker:Behind it stood a rather tall, and lovely, female giraffe bartender.
Speaker:Her coat pattern had been augmented with streaks of silver around the dark blotches.
Speaker:“Hey Danica! Long time no see!”
Speaker:The giraffe whipped her head around,
Speaker:smiling widely as if she were seeing a long-lost friend.
Speaker:“Kyra! How’ve you been? The usual?”
Speaker:“Yeah, but make it two. My friend needs a drink.”
Speaker:Kyra looked back to Joanna, her smile coy.
Speaker:“She’s never been here before. Danica, meet Joanna.”
Speaker:The giraffe lowered her head down close to Joanna, grinning.
Speaker:“Well, aren’t you just lovely? I’ve heard about you…”
Speaker:“You have?” Joanna questioned, surprised by this admission.
Speaker:Kyra jumped in. “Hey, hey! No need to share that.”
Speaker:Danica raised her head back up,
Speaker:a knowing look on her face,
Speaker:though still a mystery to Joanna about what she meant by that.
Speaker:“No worries, you two. Drinks will be up in a second.”
Speaker:Kyra turned to Joanna and patted a barstool.
Speaker:“Come on. Sit. Take a load off.”
Speaker:The black Arabian mare was acting off
Speaker:and Joanna couldn’t help but to feel something was up. Doing as
Speaker:she was asked, however,
Speaker:Joanna took up a barstool but questioned,
Speaker:“How does she know about me?”
Speaker:“Oh,” Kyra paused, “I come here all the time!
Speaker:Sometimes, alone. Danica and I have become…friends.
Speaker:become…friends.” “Friends?” Kyra’s expression shifted to less jovial and inched toward nervousness.
Speaker:“Yeah, friends. You know,
Speaker:I’m here alone, drinking. Maybe have a bit too much.
Speaker:Start talking about school and the team…”
Speaker:“Oh, that makes more sense.” Joanna felt a bit of relief at this.
Speaker:Besides, the cliché of bartenders always having information had to be a cliché for a reason.
Speaker:Danica swung herself around,
Speaker:passing two drinks off to the pair of mares,
Speaker:both glasses filled with bright pink liquid that had a clear, yellowish liquid floating on top.
Speaker:Each also had a small umbrella that was accentuated by the black lights surrounding the bar area.
Speaker:“Bottoms up, girls.”
Speaker:Joanna looked questioningly at Kyra.
Speaker:“What is it?” Joanna,
Speaker:though she had drank alcohol before, was far from a connoisseur.
Speaker:The Arabian mare chuckled.
Speaker:“Danica calls it a ‘Sweet Pink Lemonade’.
Speaker:I call it delicious!”
Speaker:Kyra then, with one motion,
Speaker:downed the entire glass in one go.
Speaker:Joanna, with some hesitation, sipped her drink.
Speaker:Unexpectedly, the drink was divine to Joanna. Though
Speaker:the taste of the alcohol, whatever kind that might be,
Speaker:was there, it was quickly drowned out by the pink lemonade and sweet jelly topper.
Speaker:Before long, Joanna had also finished her drink;
Speaker:much faster than she had intended.
Speaker:Joanna called Danica over.
Speaker:“Hey, how much for the drink?”
Speaker:“On the house. Let’s just say, I own Kyra a few favors,”
Speaker:Danica said, with a wink toward Kyra and a coy smile.
Speaker:“Thanks, Danica!” Kyra answered.
Speaker:It was starting to really get under Joanna’s skin just how friendly Kyra was being with Danica,
Speaker:a bit of jealously creeping into her mind.
Speaker:Regardless, the bay mare had to admit,
Speaker:now that she had a drink in her system, she was feeling less tense about the whole situation. Maybe Kyra was right.
Speaker:Coming here was exactly what she needed to get herself back on track.
Speaker:The throng on the dance floor suddenly became more lively as a song with heavy bass began playing.
Speaker:It almost matched the rhythm of Joanna’s own heart beating in her chest
Speaker:and for once in a long time,
Speaker:she felt comfortable,
Speaker:especially sitting next to Kyra.
Speaker:Joanna pined so desperately for Kyra.
Speaker:She was such a beautiful mare.
Speaker:Her black coat was always so well-groomed and shiny.
Speaker:Her amber eyes were piercing.
Speaker:That deep purple dress fit so tight against her perfect body.
Speaker:Kyra was the truly gorgeous one among the pair.
Speaker:Her mane and tail, the way she smelled…
Speaker:“And those lips…” Joanna mumbled out loud, not realizing she had done so.
Speaker:“What? I couldn’t hear you,”
Speaker:Kyra replied. Joanna was suddenly brought out of her near trace-like state,
Speaker:embarrassed that she’d let that thought slip out.
Speaker:“Um…nothing. Was just thinking out loud…about the…music.
Speaker:the…music.” Kyra, nearly shouting over the thumping bass, said,
Speaker:“Yeah! It’s a great song.”
Speaker:She then grabbed Joanna’s hand,
Speaker:pulling her away from the bar.
Speaker:“Come on, gorgeous.
Speaker:Let’s dance! It’s why we came here!”
Speaker:Though Joanna was hesitant,
Speaker:the pair weaved their way through the crowd until they were on the dance floor proper.
Speaker:Besides a quick trip to the restroom,
Speaker:Joanna and Kyra spent the better part of the next three hours dancing together,
Speaker:their bodies moving in unison with the music.
Speaker:Soon enough, the fast, thumping club beats simmered to less and less intense music as the night went on,
Speaker:eventually leading to slow yet emotion filled songs.
Speaker:The pair of mares found themselves with each other’s arms wrapped around each other’s waists,
Speaker:neither sure if it was just the mood
Speaker:or the strong alcoholic drinks they had earlier in the evening.
Speaker:Chest to chest, muzzles held to the side of the others’ heads,
Speaker:they swayed back and forth,
Speaker:still in beat with the song.
Speaker:Kyra was the first to break their silence.
Speaker:“Hey…Joanna.” Her words were whispered and slightly slurred.
Speaker:“I…I got…a secret.”
Speaker:Joanna chuckled, “Yeah,
Speaker:what is it, slick?” For a moment,
Speaker:the pair simply continued to dance,
Speaker:neither saying anything.
Speaker:Kyra stopped her swaying,
Speaker:pulled her head back,
Speaker:and stared deeply into Joanna’s eyes
Speaker:before planting her lips squarely on Joanna’s.
Speaker:For a moment, the world stopped for Joanna
Speaker:and whatever effect the alcohol held over her
Speaker:instantly dissipated.
Speaker:As the 4th dimension of time once again progressed forward,
Speaker:Joanna’s arms dropped from around Kyra’s waist,
Speaker:her ears perked to their highest point,
Speaker:and every hair on her body stood on end.
Speaker:Joanna’s fight-or-flight instinct was at its peak.
Speaker:Flight won and Joanna turned,
Speaker:sprinting out of the club as fast as she could through the remaining crowd.
Speaker:As she crashed through the double doors leading to the parking lot,
Speaker:the cool, steady rain washed into her clothes, mane, and fur,
Speaker:replacing the sweat that had just began to dry.
Speaker:For the second time today, her mind was wracked by tumultuous thoughts,
Speaker:her own sexuality being front and center.
Speaker:Joanna closed her eyes,
Speaker:pointed her muzzle toward the sky,
Speaker:and allowed the rain the wash over her
Speaker:as the breeze shifted her mane about.
Speaker:The cool night breeze and rain helped her thoughts to focus
Speaker:and she could now think clearly.
Speaker:Kyra had…kissed her.
Speaker:Kyra had always called her gorgeous.
Speaker:Kyra…was beautiful.
Speaker:Then, from behind Joanna,
Speaker:Kyra called out,
Speaker:“Joanna! Wait!” The clack of Kyra’s hooves
Speaker:with each hoof-fall on the asphalt rang out as she approached.
Speaker:Out of breath from chasing Joanna,
Speaker:Kyra’s words were exasperated.
Speaker:“Joanna…I…I’m…sorry.”
Speaker:Calm and collected,
Speaker:Joanna lowered her head,
Speaker:opened her eyes, and turned to face Kyra.
Speaker:She stared at Kyra,
Speaker:the Arabian mare with the solid, shiny black coat and flowing mane and tail
Speaker:that she had secretly pined for ever since they had first met
Speaker:several years ago.
Speaker:Though there was a shutter of nervousness that ran through her body at what she was about to do,
Speaker:Joanna knew there would never be a better time than now.
Speaker:“Kyra. I’m gay.” The Arabian mare stood there,
Speaker:staring, her mouth coming slightly agape before a smile replaced the worried face that she once wore.
Speaker:Kyra stepped forward
Speaker:and threw her arms around Joanna,
Speaker:placing her mouth directly next to her friend’s ear,
Speaker:and whispered. “I am too, Joanna.”
Speaker:Relief washed over Joanna like the falling rain at hearing Kyra’s words.
Speaker:In an instant, all the worry,
Speaker:hiding, and fear drained out through the hooves Joanna had firmly rooted to the ground.
Speaker:In this moment, Joanna experienced a freedom that she had never known.
Speaker:Now completely soaked by the seemingly unending rain,
Speaker:Joanna reciprocated Kyra’s embrace,
Speaker:holding her tighter than she ever had before.
Speaker:Then the pair shared another kiss,
Speaker:more passionately than on the dance floor.
Speaker:As the pair’s lips separated,
Speaker:a round of applause began to ring out from the double doors of the club,
Speaker:along with various cheers.
Speaker:It was only then that Joanna realized Kyra had brought her to a lesbian bar
Speaker:and it explained why Kyra had been acting strange tonight.
Speaker:Then a question popped into Joanna’s head.
Speaker:“What about our teammates? Do they know?”
Speaker:Kyra shook her head in the affirmative.
Speaker:“Yeah. It was really Danica’s idea
Speaker:but I had help from everyone on the team.
Speaker:We all suspected,
Speaker:but because you were in the closet, we didn’t want to pressure you.”
Speaker:“What about Theodore? Why get him involved with all this mess?” Joanna questioned.
Speaker:“Well, you two seemed close and I thought,
Speaker:since you’ve been friends forever and I’ve never known you to date anyone.
Speaker:I had to know if…”
Speaker:Joanna cut Kyra off.
Speaker:“…if I even knew what I wanted?”
Speaker:“Well, yeah. I know it was underhanded, but I felt oddly compelled.
Speaker:Something told me this would be how I’d know.
Speaker:Considering you didn’t visit him in the hospital,
Speaker:was pretty sure I had my answer,”
Speaker:Kyra replied. “And tonight?”
Speaker:Kyra grinned slyly,
Speaker:“You know the saying, ‘You
Speaker:can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make her drink’.
Speaker:Though, sometimes, the horse will drink freely.”
Speaker:As the two embraced once again,
Speaker:Danica made her way over to stand inside the halo of the parking lot lamp surrounding the mares.
Speaker:The giraffe wiped a tear from her eyes.
Speaker:“Young love is so beautiful. Joanna,
Speaker:I’m so happy that you came here tonight.”
Speaker:Joanna released her embrace on Kyra
Speaker:but took her hand instead,
Speaker:interlocking their fingers.
Speaker:“Thank you, Danica.”
Speaker:Danica wrapped an arm around the pair of rain soaked mares,
Speaker:leading them back inside the club.
Speaker:“Listen, ladies, let’s get you two out of the rain and cleaned up.
Speaker:I think it’s time for a little celebration!”
Speaker:Joanna and Kyra reentered the club,
Speaker:got dried off, enjoyed some bar food and a few more drinks.
Speaker:Joanna wasn’t sure how things would go from here on out,
Speaker:but she knew she cared deeply for Kyra.
Speaker:It was also apparent that Kyra cared for her as well.
Speaker:There were still many doubts floating around in Joanna’s mind.
Speaker:However, the greatest uncertainty of her life was
Speaker:clear as can be now.
Speaker:Kyra, the Arabian mare with the solid, shiny black coat and flowing mane and tail,
Speaker:was now more than just her friend.
Speaker:However, one thing weighed heavily on Joanna’s mind,
Speaker:so much so that she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Speaker:“So, what about Theo? What should I do about him?”
Speaker:Kyra shrugged before downing another one of Danica’s ‘Sweet Pink Lemonades’
Speaker:before grabbing both of Joanna’s hands into her own, replying,
Speaker:“I’ll take care of that.
Speaker:Just got to explain everything to him.
Speaker:I’m sure everything will work out for him in the end.”
Speaker:This was “Fight or Flight:
Speaker:A Tail of Two Mares” by Ta’kom Ironhoof,
Speaker:read for you by Solomon Harries, Cuddly Badger Dad.
Speaker:You can find more stories on the web at thevoice.dog, or find the show wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker:Happy Pride, and Thank you for listening to The Voice of Dog.
