The bite gave her taste of blood in her mouth. She hated it. Everything about this was stressful. She couldn't think fast enough. Every time she moved it was like being controlled by strings through someone else. She was glad she had never fought before; she hoped to never again have to. She wasn't smart enough for this. When she reared she felt a sticky wetness begin to drip down her withers and shuddered. The blood was going to stain the bleached portions of her coat and she was pissed. The physical pain would never hurt her as much as knowing that her beauty was fading with each moment- even if some of the ugliness was only temporary.

As the stallion released her mane the mare sighed in relief, keeping her ears glued to him in fear. She wanted to move but the pain in her right forelimb was so intense she practically forgot what she was doing. She was no seasoned fighter, forgetting pain was not easily done. Her emotions were so confusing she wanted to cry. There was no time for crying, though. In seconds the stallion was moving again.

She watched, amazed, as he lifted his body with ease into a buck and twisted on the icy ground. In a frenzy, she tried backing away but her left front hoof slipped in blood that had pooled around it and stiffness from swelling in her right front limited the bending that her fetlock and pastern joints could do. She barely managed to move a half step backwards before his hooves met her left shoulder's flesh. The thick muscles there protected her bones, but the bruising was swift and painful. She couldn't stop another scream as pain rushed upward and she winced. At least her weight had been on her left hoof, preventing her from stumbling to the right and damaging her right limb further.

Before she could think, he was gone again. As he turned, Kahlua shifted her weight to her hind end, relieving her forelimbs of some pressure. She could feel stiffness settling into the swollen flesh of her right pastern, the cold air hardening the muscles. In fear, her eyes widened. The whites of her eyes showed and her pupils were dilated to counteract the terrible darkness, the icy blue of her iris barely visible between. “Attack.” She stiffened. The fear was paralyzing. She could only imagine what was coming.

The stallion charged ruthlessly and she could only think to protect her front half, it being badly damaged already. As her weight was already on her hind end, she guessed she would be able to use her lighter frame to her advantage. As he came within striking distance she lunged forward a step. His bite met with the right side of her croup, bruising the area and causing her to tense. The bite would cause some stiffness, but was negligible compared to her other injuries.

Seeing him rear, the mare swung her hind end to the left, his hooves scraping down her right thigh and tearing flesh. With all her attention on the stallion she had forgotten the dog. His teeth dug viciously into her right gaskin as she finished her 90 degree turn. “NOOOO!” She screamed before violently kicking her right hind. She hoped her hoof would hit the dog. She hated that dog. The movement of her limb caused the stallion's hooves to tear up more flesh than they would have otherwise and the sting was painful. Blood began to trickle down her right hind from both bites. The injuries would sting as she moved her hind limb.

If the stallion had not moved, they would be standing in a T, her facing his right side. Frustrated, the mare reared lowly again. She attempted to slam her left front hoof towards his right gaskin. At the same time, she lowered her head and tried to bite his stifle just above where she was aiming her hoof. She made sure to let her left front hoof bear the weight of her body as she landed, protecting the right from further pain. Limited by pain in her front end, the mare was confused and fear forced her into irrational choices; though, perhaps, they would confuse the stallion. She could only hope. Rocking her weight back onto her hind end, she lunged forward. She hoped he had not moved far. If he hadn't, her chest would slam into his right rib cage. Simultaneously, she bit again. She knew bites caused little damage, but she was neither war minded nor creative. She tried to grab his withers then landed again on her left front. All of the motion caused increased bleeding at her coronet band. “I HATE YOU,” she screamed, her chest heaving as she fought for air.

[Post: 3/3, 800 words; summary: Kahlua is kicked in the shoulder. She moves forward as Rico charges, getting bit in the croup. As he rears and the dog bites she swings her hind end out to the left, taking the full dog bite but only getting scraped by Rico's hooves. She kicks at the dog, then rears and tries to attack Rico's right hind gaskin while biting at his stifle. She then lunges forward, trying to hit her chest into his rib cage.]