5. The Great Christmas Present Hunt

The Great Christmas Present Hunt

It was Christmas morning and Tamarind was hyper. He had just been given his Christmas present and he LOVED it!

It was only a red sash...but it had a bell. He stopped by a puddle and admired his reflection.

He had been prancing around the field like an idiot since he got it and only stopped doing so when David took him into the school. Frowning in mock annoyance, he took it off him and put it around his own neck.

"Now Tam, what have I told you about showing off? I can understand if there happened to be a pretty mare in the vicinity but since there isn't you're just being a twit." Tam snorted and pawed at the ground impatiently which made David laugh. "Oh go on then." He put it back around Tam's neck and he whinnied happily. "But no messing about mind. This is only for today." Tam bobbed his head and the bell jingled. David rolled his eyes. Drama-stud. "Having any problems?"

David spun round. It was Abigail and her Jack Russel, Chip. David smiled. "Nope, none whatsoever. Merry Christmas!"

They hugged and Chip jumped up and yapped at Tam who looked positively puzzled. "Right." he said. "Now, I don't have your present on me..but...I can help you find it."

Tamarind caught his eye and jingled the bell again. "Well, with a certain stallion's help of course." He quickly bridled Tam and handed Abigail his reins and smiled. "I've set up a treasure hunt. All you have to do is follow the arrows."

Abigail smiled guiltily. "Oh David, you shouldn't have gone to all this trouble! I feel awful now!" She rubbed Tam's nose and laughed. "I'm not half looking forward to it though!" David chuckled and gave her a leg-up. "Ok, off you go. Tam knows where he's going." He gestured to his left and whispered. "Over there's a good place to start." He ruffled Chip's fur and set off out of the arena. "Good luck Abi! Come on Chip, let's go and watch."

Abigail and Tam trotted around the school to warm up before they did anything else as it was quite chilly outside.

After a couple of minutes, Abigail suddenly spotted the first arrow.

"This Way -------> " it read. Chuckling at David's strange sense of humour, she set off in the direction of the arrow until she found another...

and another...

and another! David and Chip looked down from their high vantage point on an old water tower and waited. She had almost found her present.

She may have been getting closer to it, but Abigail didn't know that! Ten minutes she had been searching and she still couldn't find anything.

Finally she got off Tam and started looking for it on foot. Tam started grazing and zoned out on the proceedings. Eventually she spotted the last arrow but it confused her.

It seemed to be pointing to an old shallow well. Surely that couldn't be right? Finally deciding that she must have missed an arrow along the way, she made to get back on.

"Oi! Look in the well!" a voice roared from above her. Tam got a fright, backed up a stride and then resumed grazing whilst Abigail squeaked. "David?! Is that you?"

David laughed. "Yeah, but that's not important. Look, do you want your present or not?"

Abigail smiled and waved vaguely at the sky. "Yes, yes I do. It better be good, that's all I'm saying!" She clambered up the rocks, peered cautiously over the edge and gasped.

"Eeeeeee! RABBITS!" I've always wanted some pet rabbits! However did you know David?"

David, who had climbed back down to ground level, smiled mysteriously. "I have my sources..."

"Eeeeeeee!" Abigail couldn't contain herself any more and afer hugging David senseless leapt into the air and cheered. Tam took a random spook at one of the rabbits and reared. David luckily, was holding his reins and was able to stop him. Chip wasn't bothered and after sniffing one of the bunnies, wagged his tail. "This is the best present EVER! Thank you SO much David!" After much celebration, they took Bubble and Squeak (the newly named bunnies) along with Tam and Chip, back to the yard where they all had some Christmas dinner and opened some more presents. It was a good day.