Chapter 13 - The New ProtocolBack at the university, transformation was underway. Dean Thorne appointed Chloe Bennett as the student director of the newly established Equine Ethics and Rehabilitation Clinic, funded through independent animal welfare grants.
Rachel spent her afternoons in Barn 4. The cold, prison-like iron bars of Stall 4 had been removed, replaced by an open, Dutch-door design with cedar paneling and bright daylight skylights.
Goliath’s neck had healed remarkably well. The swelling was gone, replaced by a neat, clean scar where the new dark hair was already beginning to sprout. He no longer pinned his ears when boots crunched on the gravel outside.
"He gained forty pounds this week," Chloe reported, leaning over the half-door with a clipboard. "His cortisol levels are within normal range for the first time since he arrived."
May you like
Rachel stepped into the stall without hesitation. Goliath turned, nickering softly, and rested his velvet muzzle against her chest. She scratched him gently beneath his jaw, feeling the deep, steady hum of his contentment.
"Animals don't hold grudges," Rachel mused, watching the horse close his eyes in peace. "They only ask for truth. Humans are the ones who complicate survival with malice."
Related Stories
