Nathan came through, opening the inner stall door, so Onyx could roam the vast barn aisleway, and didn't feel so trapped. He hopped the stone wall dividing the house and barn, and began boiling water and gathering medical supplies.

Onyx left Cheveyo so he could rest and followed Nathan. She stopped a little ways away and watched the boy as he moved around gathering different things. She felt the wind get a little stronger, but she could tell that the storm wouldn't start for a couple more minutes. She whinnied and stepped closer to Nathan, telling him the storm was getting closer.

He nodded, and carried a bucket of warm water into Cheveyos stall, putting down the supplies, and shutting the doors tight, going through the other stalls and locking the other doors, as rain began to pound on the roof and walls. He knelt next to Cheveyo, picking up his leg and placing it in the hot water, gently massaging the tendon and joint.

Onyx stood in the barn's aisle way, her ears flicking. The rain hitting the barn was loud and made her nervous. Cheveyo flinched when Nathan placed his sore ankle in the hot water, but relaxed when he felt the pain fade slightly. He nickered and nudged Nathan, telling him thank you.

"I'm not done yet." He laughed softly, still massaging his ankle. "Ill have to wrap it up."

Cheveyo flicked his ears and snorted, not really understanding. Onyx snorted nervously as she heard distant thunder.

After about 10 minutes Nathan gently moved Cheveyos hoof from the water, pushing the bucket aside. He grabbed a white bandage, wrapped it around the stretch of ankle once, and then placed heat pads along the inside and outside, before wrapping the ankle with the rest of the white bandage and pinning the bandage in place. He grabbaed some blue bandage, and wrapped that over the white, and then gathered the rest of the stuff and dumped it on his kitchen table. "There boy." He said. "It'll be awkward, but you'll feel better." He gently stroked Onyxs nose. "Calm down girl. Its alright."

Cheveyo sniffed the bandages on his ankle and snorted. He tried lifting his leg and the extra weight made it feel heavy. Onyx pressed her nose against Nathan's hand and snorted softly. She had started to calm down, but then the thunder got closer and she tossed her head nervously.

"Don't worry girl, we're safe in here." He reassured her, stroking her forehead. He opened a box, pulling out a grooming kit. "And you could use a good brushing." He grinned at the mare.

Onyx calmed down enough to keep from moving around and stood still for Nathan. She watched as the boy went and picked something up out of a box. She whinnied, asking him what it was. Cheveyo stretched his sore leg out and snorted softly. He slowly drifted off to sleep, the struggle in the water making him tired.

He smiled as cheveyo drifted to sleep, then picked up a curry comb for Onyx to check out. "Ill make you clean as I can without washing you."

Onyx sniffed the curry comb and snorted softly. Her ears flicked forward to listen to Nathan.

"Good girl." He gently began brushing her, starting on her neck. He put little pressure on the brush, and moved it in small circles, making chunks of mud drop and loosening the dirt in her fur.

Onyx stretched her neck out, enjoying the attention.

"See, girl? Being groomed is nice." He laughed softly, continuing along her back and down her shoulders, stomach and hindquarters.

Onyx snorted softly. She enjoyed the feel of the curry comb and Nathan was being gentle. She could remember one day when her old owner had come home drunk and decided to 'groom' her. He had dug the hoof pick into her hoof and she had kicked out, barely hitting his leg. He had gotten angry and threw brushes, combs, picks and any thing else he could find at her. She shuddered as the curry comb moved over an old scar from that day when the sharp side of one of the things thrown at her had cut open her skin.

He finished currying her, and picked up the hard brush, thoroughly brushing out the dirt and hair the curry comb had loosened. He bushed down along her legs, and sighed. "I need to wash you." He went through the wrought iron gate, latching it behind him. He picked up two buckets and went into the bathroom. He came back out with them full of warm water. He grinned. "I think you'll like this." He put one down, and slowly tipped the water over her back and neck, soaking her with comfortably hot water. He pulled out shampoo and a brush, and poured shampoo over her, lathering it up. The suds turned brown quickly, so he poured on more lavender-scented shampoo over her back. Soon she was coated in foamy bubbles, from her poll to her fetlock.

Onyx felt the water roll off her back and her ears flicked. She felt Nathan pour shampoo on her and stood still as he lathered it. She turned her head around and sniffed at the bubbles on her shoulder, snorting when they went in her nose. She tossed her head and shook herself, sending foamy bubbles everywhere.

Nathan laughed. "Hey!" He poured the other bucket over her, washing off the remaining bubbles. He left a little water, and got a clean sponge, and began spongeing clean her face with the warm water.

Onyx flinched and pulled her head away from Nathan when he started washing her face. The water stung the raw spots from the halter and made them hurt.

"Shh. It'll hurt, but I have to clean it before I put medication on. That'll soothe it, you'll feel better." He spunged the parts that weren't raw.

Onyx flicked her ears, listening to Nathan. She kept her head still, but her eyes showed that she was nervous.

He nodded. "Its alright."

Onyx snorted softly and nudged Nathan's hand.

He gently rinsed her face, careful around the tender spots. Her coat was almost dry in the warm air of the barn, and she looked beautiful. He stroked her neck, dropping the sponge in the empty bucket.