Misty and Pretty Baby were tied next to each other.
Baby looked into Misty’s eyes and they tried to smile at each other.
They turned in alarm as they heard Copper screaming again.
Antonio had her by the nose ring, twisting it.
“Stand down, Copper,” he ordered.
Tears and bloody snot were running down her face as her feet kicked out at Diablo who was trying to approach with her harness.
Antonio twisted again and she shrieked.
“Stand down!”
Copper stood still, sobbing through the gag.
Diablo cautiously walked towards her.
“Come stand by me, Diablo,” Antonio ordered.
Diablo stood beside the trainer.
“That’s a lot of fuss.
Your friends are already harnessed up and waiting on their training because of you.”
Copper sniffed.
“You are going to be trained separately, away from your friends until you learn to behave.
Now, Diablo is going to get your rigging on.
If you so much as move, I am whipping you myself.
Do you understand me?”
She nodded miserably.
Diablo tightened her rigging while Antonio explained the unique way the harness reins could be pulled painfully against her breasts and shoulders.
Two small strips ran through the nipple rings sawing across the newly pierced flesh.
Becka glanced at Danielle and Paige, making sure they noted her insubordination with the admiration their captain deserved.
They were standing by a post trying to communicate with their eyes.
Danni leaned over and rubbed her head along Paige’s shoulder as Paige tilted her head down towards her in acknowledgement.
What the hell?
Becka thought.
Antonio gathered Baby’s lead rope and Arturo followed with Misty in tow.
As they passed by Copper, Baby actually sidestepped, skidding sideways to avoid her, and Misty gave her wide berth as well.
Becka’s eyes filled with pain and animosity.
How dare they?
She felt completely alone.
Diablo watched the scene and noted Copper’s response.
He stroked her arm.
“Trainer, I’m taking Copper for a walk,” he called to Antonio.
The trainer studied the dejected mare’s stance and nodded.
She needed out, or she would be broken.
He hoped Diablo understood how important his little chat with her would be.
“Come on, Copper.”
He led her slowly out the back of the arena.
They followed a path meandering through the woods, and Diablo walked her in silence until they came to a clearing with a small pond.
Wetting a clean rag with water from the bottle in his pocket, he gently wiped her ruined face.
“I suspect you need a good cry, and I suspect you don’t particularly want your friends to witness it.”
There was a large flat rock at the edge of the pond, and Diablo patted the space by his side as he sat.
Cautiously, she joined him.
“This is one of my favorite spots to sit and think about stuff.
No one’s going to see you here, so I think you need to let it all out before you explode.”
She studied him warily.
Resting his head in his hands, Diablo said, “I used to be Eddie Carson.
A couple of friends were with me taking the summer off and messing around at a Goth club just outside of Saint Louis.
We met this really cool guy at the club.
The dude had money, that was easy to see, and he kept buying us rounds, asking if we wanted to hang at his place when the club closed.
We were all kinda’ drunk by then and hadn’t made any plans, so we agreed.
The dude, was Master Chayton.
He dropped my friends off on Devon’s Island and brought me back here.
That was five years ago.”
“I guess what I’m trying to say is, they’re smart.
They take people who aren’t doing much that will be missed and don’t have a lot of people who will spend too much time looking for them.
Chayton whipped the shit out of me for weeks until I finally got it through my head.
No one’s going to rescue you and you aren’t going to escape.
Compared to some of the other places I’ve seen in their little world, this is a pretty easy life.
If you can’t make it work here, it’s all downhill.
Every year I freak out until the auction is over, thinking the Master’s going to sell me off.”
“You’re my chance, Becka.”
Her eyes widened when he called her by her name.
“I’m your chance.
If I become a trainer like Antonio, Chayton will keep me around.
If you play to their pony fetish, you’ll stay around.
Believe me, you don’t want to end up at the auction.
That’s not a threat, it’s reality.
This island doesn’t put up with trouble makers.
They like their little world calm and everyone playing the same game.
You need to forget Becka.
You’re Copper now.
Your friends have already figured that much out.”
Becka’s tears started rolling, resignation finally registering.
Diablo pulled her close.
“You’re special.”
He ran his fingers through her auburn curls and felt a shuddering sob against his shoulder.
“I saw that in Vegas by the way the other girls looked up to you.
That talent can be used here.
It’s not the same, but it’s better than ending up as a pump whore in one of their brothels.
Work with me, Copper.
I’ll get them to take that damn harness off you and we can really show them something.”
Becka moaned softly and Diablo felt a flash of guilt.
Everything he had told her was true, but his words had broken through her defenses and he knew he had removed all hope.
Now, he had to build her up again and bring back her confidence and drive.
“Don’t be angry with your friends.
They need a leader and you aren’t allowed near them.
You know Baby and Misty aren’t as strong as you are, and they’re just figuring out their own way to survive, the same as you will.”
Becka looked up apprehensively.
“Are you ready to show them what a leader can do?”
Becka nodded and stood.
The many days and nights of fear and isolation had drained her, and she would do anything if he would just hold her and make her feel safe again.
Antonio watched them closely when they came back to the arena.
Pretty Baby and Misty were at the wheel and Arturo was watching the slow, steady pace, giving Antonio time to study Copper.
Diablo had cleaned her up, but her eyes were still slightly swollen from crying.
Talking quietly to the sullen pony, Diablo was gesturing with the whip in his hand and Copper nodded.
Diablo attached a long lunge line to her bit ring, motioning her to walk away from him until the line was taut.
She stood still at the end of the long lead, watching her trainer and waiting for instructions.
He snapped the whip once and she began to walk in a large circle.
Following her course, Diablo turned with the other end of the line in his hand and snapped the whip again, watching as she picked up her pace.
“Up, up,” Diablo called and Copper’s knees came up smartly.
“I’ll be damned,” Antonio murmured.
Arturo looked over and shared Antonio’s surprise.
“Whatever he said to her seems to have worked.”
Copper worked hard for the rest of the afternoon, without complaining or balking.
Her eyes sparkled when Diablo called call her over for water or to caress her cheek and tell her what a good job she was doing.
Sometimes he would stop to correct her pace or position and she waited patiently, making sure she understood his instructions.
By the time Copper got back to her stall, she was sore and tired.
Paxton was waiting for her in a defensive position ready to deflect a kick or lunge.
She walked over to the table and waited, and Paxton squinted his eyes.
“What are you up to?”
Copper shook her head and stood still again.
The groomer cautiously helped her up on the table and removed the ring gag to brush her teeth.
She loosened her jaw, stretching unused muscles.
After he finished, she quietly opened her mouth for him to re-insert the device.
Diablo came in and Paxton noticed the desire shining in her eyes.
Falling for her trainer,
Paxton decided.
He never would have thought it of Copper, though it was a common occurrence among the ponies.
Diablo checked for damage around her nose ring.
“I’ll see you a little later,” he whispered.
She rubbed her head affectionately on his shoulder.
Paxton was amazed at the obstinate pony’s change in behavior.
He gave her a long massage, working the kinks out of the over-taxed muscles in her legs.
The ponies were now leashed by the rings through their noses instead of their collars.
Paxton secured her to the wall for her dinner, and as she knelt over to take the first bite he pulled her back.
She looked up in confusion, and then her eyes widened at the sight of the honeyed sugar.
She watched, mesmerized, as the surface of the meal was covered.
Paxton could see the delight in her eyes and he ran a hand through her curls.
“Trainer’s orders.
He said you did a good job today.”
Copper swelled with pride and knelt down to devour the sweet treat, working awkwardly around the nose ring and the lead.
Returning half an hour later, Paxton retrieved her empty bowl, wiped her face and leashed her by her mattress.
After he left, Copper stared at the stall door willing Diablo to come back.
A long while later, the door finally opened and the handsome trainer approached her.
“How you doing?”
She nodded.
He lay down next to her and she scooted up against him.
He had only tried to be with her one other time, and it was such a battle he decided it was not worth it.
“You gonna’ behave?
I can make you feel real good,” he murmured.
She snuggled her head under his chin.
“It’s easier this way, don’t you agree?”
He felt her sigh.
“Well, you’re in luck, Copper.
I’ve been stuck with guys for a long time, so I think I just want that fiery red pussy of yours tonight.”
She had been nervous about this moment and she tried to roll her shoulders, wanting out of the tight arm sleeve so she could hold him.
“No, the sleeve stays on.”
He ran his fingers lightly over her shoulder and felt her squirm with desire.
Antonio had been right.
After wearing down her defenses, the misery of her isolation had sunk in and she was craving attention.
Still, he had to maintain the chain of command.
He was her trainer and he knew that soon, her only desire would be to please him.
Nervously anticipating his next caress, Copper felt liquid sliding from her core.
She could not remember ever being so hot for a man.
Thinking of his earlier talk with her by the pond, she felt sorry for him.
All his friends had been taken away.
At least she could see Baby and Misty.
It scared her to think he could be sent away if she did not perform well.
Never mind what could happen to her, he was the only one who had shown her kindness since she had been on the island.
She felt his soft brown curls brush along her chest as his mouth sought her breast and he gently sucked the pierced nipple.
Copper felt a slight throbbing pain, but mostly pleasure.
She thrust herself forward so he would know he was not hurting her.
His hand was massaging her bottom and she felt the heated response between her legs.
Please let him stay all night,
she silently pleaded
.
Just to hold me.
His hand found the wetness of arousal and he smiled as he imagined her passion as demanding as her previous stubborn behavior.
Her hips moved towards his hand, encouraging his movements.
A finger delved into her moistened depths and she moaned.
Carefully separating her folds, Diablo lowered his head and his tongue rolled leisurely along the slick path.
He inserted another finger and began a slow, pushing dance inside her while he nipped and sucked her stiffened clit.
She started panting through her gag and her juices flowed freely past his fingers.
Sitting up, he opened his pants, removing his hard length.
Fingers caressed her hip as he plunged into her heat with one thrust.
“Ooomph..Oooh,” she moaned using the muscles in her strained thighs to take more of him.