Pony Tales - Clover - Day 05.75

Their forward motion did not last long. Clover walked forwards as she had always done her whole life. Arms swaying, stepping forward with little to no meaning. The two cracks of the whip came almost immediately after they had started, "Clover, what kind of walk is that exactly?" Hayley said sharply, walking over to her and grabbing her by the shoulders, tugging them back and forcing her chest out, "Stand straight and proud."

The crop came off Hayley's belt and snapped sharply at the bottom of her chin, "Chin up!"

Another crack hit the back of her thigh and she winced, "Ow!" The look Hayley shot at her words could have melted a block of ice, "Say something else, and you'll be on this circle until sunset." She warned. The crop snapped sharply against the back of Clover's thigh again as Hayley continued, "Knee's high! Pretend you're trying to slam them into your chest. Otherwise, you just look like a sloppy human walking amongst ponies. Do you want to be a pony or not Clover? Yes or no."

Clover winced at the second sharp strike and turned her eyes to Aria sitting to the side. It didn't last long, Hayley grabbed her chin, forcing her to look back at her, "Mistress Aria isn't going to save you. You're in the circle with me. You'll focus on me. Now. One more time, Do you want to be a pony?"

Clover had a hard time keeping the woman's gaze, her mind getting lost in a confusing myriad of emotions. It was a strange feeling as the trainer took control like she was going into some sort of almost bubbly headspace. She knew she ought to obey, and so she did. She raised her foot and stomped it down on the ground as best she could.

Hayley gave Clovers's face a sudden shove and nodded, "Good. Then act like one. Lift those legs and don't you dare lower them." Hayley walked back to the center of the circle, clipping her crop once more to her belt and drawing out her whip again, "Alright ponies. One more time. Are you ready?"

Clover stomped with a tiny bit more confidence alongside the other ponies.

The whip's crack resounded through the air.

To the side, Aria watched with interest. She understood the confusion and hesitance on Clover's face. This was all so new to her. But she'd known what she was signing up for. Lest she'd not be here. When Clover had turned her gaze to her, she'd immediately looked away, paying her no attention and offering no support at that moment. It was a learning moment, not a moment to be coddled. Once Hayley had finished the small 'lesson' and cracked her whip a second time, Aria let her gaze follow Clover closely.

Clover stumbled forward on her first step as she launched her step high up, overbalancing a bit. It took her a full circle to figure out some sort of smooth rhythm, watching the other ponies and trying to reproduce their movements. The path stung her feet and already the sun was lighting her up like a candle. It only took two full laps for a sheen of sweat to glisten on her and soak through her shirt. She stumbled a little as two cracks of the whip came and stopping, nudging her feet together like the other three.

"You're a quick learner Clover. Try to find a smoother motion with your legs, don't kick up so aggressively." Hayley commented, not offering anything to the other ponies because they were all senior ponies, they knew this stuff inside and out and could do it without even thinking. Plus, she didn't have to pay attention to EVERY animal, did she?

Hayley rocked her head back and forth a little bit and looked to Aria, "She's signed all her papers?"

Aria nodded, "Yes. But her official term doesn't begin until tomorrow. This is just a bit of a playful introduction."

"Hm.." Hayley mused for a moment. She walked to a nearby fence holding several leather implements and picks up two small loops of leather each with a single buckle. She walked over to Clover, "You're overbalancing because you're swinging your hands. So..."

She stepped behind Clover, tenderly tugging each of her hands behind her back. She was slow, gentle. Constantly waiting to see if Clover resisted. Safe, Sane and Consensual was important here and if there was ever discomfort, things would stop immediately.

Hayley spoke as she guided Clover to clasp her arms in a U-Bind shape, "I'm going to secure your arms here. It should help you balance and help you understand how to move a bit more. Ok pony?" She let the question hang.

Clover, having leaned into things more and feeling amiable lifted her foot and stomped gently. This trainer was about to bind her. It was both terrifying and exciting. She was feeling more like a pony by the second. From the side, she saw Aria's wide smile at her expense, though the woman was a little distracted as she spoke with the red-headed pony from before who was looking a little huffy.

Holding her arms in place, Hayley would take one of the two loops of leather and wrap it carefully around each of Clover's wrists, securing her arms together neatly in a U-bind. She would cinch them up, but not enough for the leather to bit into her skin too badly.

"Feel ok Pony?"

Clover tested the limits of the strong leather and stomped her hoof once almost instantly. She blinked at how quickly she was becoming comfortable. From behind her, Hayley giggled, "Someone is beginning to become a real pony." She patted Clover's flank and nodded in approval, "Alright! Let's try this one more time! We're going to add a few new commands this time!" She walked to the center of the whip circle leaving Clover standing and testing her bonds a little. Heck, Clover had almost forgotten she was in nothing but a sweat-soaked t-shirt and panties.

The crack of the whip came again suddenly without any sort of ready. All four of them moved forward in sync. At first, Clover found it a bit strange to balance but as she took the advice given into account and stood straight she found the high-knee walk of a pony a lot easier to balance with her arms behind her back.

"Very good Clover." Came the reassuring call from Hayley who watched the new pony closely.

A bit of a sly grin slipped onto Hayley's lips as she raised the whip and cracked it three times in quick sequence. She waited for the results.

Clover had at least understood that meant from watching the other ponies work before. That did not mean it was easy in execution. She planted her lead foot, but failed to stop her forward motion quick enough, overbalancing and taking a sharp tumble towards the thankfully forgiving dirt path. She hit the ground with a resounding 'oof' as it blasted the air from her lungs. She hadn't been able to catch herself without the use of her arms.

Two sharp cracks of the whip quickly followed as Hayley crouched down and looked at Clover, "You ok Clover?" She asked softly.

Clover was a bit jumbled from the fall. Shaking her head a little bit to clear her head and forcing her lungs to draw breath again. Overall, other than a bit of all-over pain she seemed relatively ok. She winced a little bit and tapped her hoof on the ground regarding Hayley's question.

"Then get up. Because nobody is going to help you Pony."

Clover tugged at her wrists gently. Getting up would be hard. She dragged her knee's through the rough dirt, tugging them up under herself into she could sit up slowly, sitting atop her knees as she had been earlier. From there she rocked to one side, planting one foot and then slowly easing herself to her feet a bit shakily. She was now covered in dirt. So much for her shower earlier. She blew a few strands of messy blonde hair out of her face.

"Won't do that again will you Clover?" Hayley asked with a chuckle. She cracked the whip once and then immediately three more times. This time Clover was prepared. She planted her lead foot and turned on the spot, forcing herself to stay upright and turn. A slight whistle from Aria at the side had Clover smiling just a little bit. Weirdly happy that Aria was pleased more than Hayley. She furrowed her brow at the thoughts, nearly walking into a pony in front of her and missing the two snaps of the whip to stop.

"Clover! Get your head out of the clouds and pay attention!" Hayley said irritably. She shook her head, "Everyone spread out to four cardinal spots. Clover, stay where you are." The three other ponies spread out so they made up the four points of a compass. The next whip crack came and they continued.

They spent a good hour on the whip circle. Walk. Stop. Turn right. Turn Left. It didn't take long for it to become automatic in Clover's head and by the time Hayley determined their time was up, Clover was practically collapsing. The other ponies were panting and sweaty. But Clover was drenched, her shoulders drooping heavily and her breath coming in ragged gasps.

A soft pat of her flank came from Aria, standing next to her suddenly and smiling, "It only gets harder from here. Don't keel over on us yet Clover." Aria looked to Hayley and said, "Water break before you take them back to the barn."

Hayley nodded.

During their time working in the circle, the redheaded pony had tugged a cart overloaded with buckets of water. Each bucket had a small label on it with a name attached to it. They were laid out on a bench to which the other ponies hurried to, dunking their faces in and drinking greedily at the icy cold water. There was a lonely bucket at the end with a strip of Duct tape on it and the name 'Clover' written across it in bold black letters.

Aria gave Clover a slight push towards the buckets, "Drink up Pony. Or get dehydrated. The choice is yours."

Clover blushed brightly and let out a tiny sigh, walking over to the bucket with her name on it and staring at her reflection looking back at her. She was a mess. But she was also...alive. More so than she'd been in a long time. She offered a smile at the person looking back at her. At Clover, the pony. The other ponies looked over at her, the one next to her, Holly, nickered at her encouragingly. Clover blew a few strands of hair out of her face and leaned down.

She too dipped her head into the bucket and took a long sip of the icy and refreshing water, as a good pony should.