I.

 All racehorses were getting prepared. Jockeys fastening their helmets. The trainers led the horses in one more circle, repeating a mantra of: "We can do it! You'll do it! Get them, boy!" patting the racer on their shoulder or rump.
 Kai was trying to calm down, inhaling and exhaling carefully so he wouldn't get too excited. Being too pumped has always made his legs week and shaky. He shook his head and still felt his heart beating more and more. But the atmosphere has gotten into his blood. It has started with a shiver in his breasts.
 "You're good... it's good..." he exhaled deeply. But his vision was impaled by other horses heatedly banging against the gate and everything else around them. The construction was shaking and the clang and rattling was making him and others nervous. He looked around furiously as there were still new horses being led in and the back door snapped behind them.
 "It's ok, boy, calm down!" Martin petted him. He saw the nervousness in his movement. It was making him week even before the start of the race.
 "The Obscuras are coming!" a horse shouted from the other side of the starting line. And it was true. Some of the racers calmed down and watched carefully, others became more furious.
 A pale spirit made of sand was getting close to the box next to Kai. He hoped they will lead him anywhere other than next to him.
 His heart was beating heavily, when he looked up to the face on his left. A cold expression, dark eyes being fixed forth, where there was the finish line. Not a single move of nervousness, not a single wink or sign of breath. He stood there, but it felt like he was a ghost or anything else except a living being.
 They were saying the Obscura stable was the best one ever. All the top racers were Obscuras. And being in a race with one of them meant you were competing for the second place. It was everyone's dream to beat them, and everyone's fear to dare to do it. Those soulless eyes, Kai thought to himself.
 The signal roared and all the horses were gone. Kai woke up and freaked out.
 "Come on, boy! Come on! Go! Go! Go!" Martin shouted, holding his self back to not use the whip.
 Kai rushed out but had a feeling his legs were slipping. But to be honest, the sudden shock has made them quite sturdy.
 "Close Encounter has missed the start!" rumbled through the race track.
 "You can do it Kai!" Sydney shouted. She and Martin were owners and trainers of Kai.
 Kai was breathing frantically, trying to take all the oxygen needed to pick up speed. He was used being a middle-front runner and now, in the last spot, something was pushing him towards his favorite placing.
 With dirt and mud flying all over the place, Kai has seen the running herd from behind many times. Now he was unable to reach his desired spot. Maybe he would be able to do that, but Martin held him back - he probably (hopefully) knew, what he was doing.
 "And coming behind the first bend, Claér Obscura still in the first place..."
 Kai looked to the left; exactly behind the turn the spirit was running easily like it was an everyday walk. Now Kai realized, the jockey is all dressed in white so it even strengthened the impression if them being supernatural.
 "And Close Encounter still in the last spot..."
 "We know that, maggot!" shouted Martin.
 "Come on, why don't you pick up the speed!" prayed Sydney behind the binoculars.
 "Claér Obscura leading the race around the last bend, Picked up Pi-Pkd-Picked-up, oh god, way behind him..."
 Matin has suddenly incited Kai to run.
 "I know, it's into a turn, buddy, I'm sorry."
 "I'm... doing... what I... can," Kai answered between breaths.
 The time to speed up was coming up for the back-runners.
 Old friends Red Rain Runs and Runs Under Rain were running side by side.
 "And... when... you... bite off... the green leafs... regularly... it won't... be... sour..." he spoke between jumps.
 "Oh, really..."
 Kai outran them both.
 "Oh, shit!" lamented Runs Under Rain, but he couldn't do anything. His jockey gave no orders.
 Kai got to the zone of speeding up. All the horses from the rear were spreading across the field.
 He breathed heavily and felt a little pain under his ribs but continued. He wanted it. He wanted to do it. Every racer gets blind and deaf behind the final bend. Slaloming between more and more horses he got in his personal trajectory to the finish. Directly in front of him, the spirit ran to the center far ahead of them. If a horse did that, it meant something like "watch this, losers". This gesture was considered extremely rude between the racehorses.
 Time slowed down. Kai had a feeling all the horses stopped and watched the Obscura win again. The whole field was covered in brown and gray, but the cream-gold spirit in the front running through orange light, giving them acknowledged they are good for nothing. Again...
  Kai never raced against an Obscura personally, they were all in the highest league. This one must have been a newbie but was no worse than all the others.
 "Claér Obscura in the first place, Rabid Bunny in second, Precious Tommy in third..."
 Martin slowed Kai down and took off his helmet: "So, where are we?"
 "Picked up Pickup in fifth spot, Close Encounter in sixth..."
 "Sixth," he sounded upset, "out of 14...  That's not bad..."
 "Yes it is bad..." Kai rumbled.
 "Not bad at all..."
 "Stop lying to me..." Kai walked loosely now.
 "After that start... good job!" he patted him.
 "Simply, I failed..."
 "Hey, Martin!" Bob, a friend of Martin's came towards them, "You fucked it up, as always!" they high fived, "Good work, buddy!" he patted Kai.
 Kai rolled his eyes and sighed. Something light caught his attention and so he looked up. They were taking the Obscura away.
 "Hey, Kai!" shouted Rodger, named Rabid Bunny.
 "Hey, Rodger! Congratulations on the second place!"
 "Second? Against the Obscura every second place is the first place!"
 "Ah, yeah..." he tried to laugh.
 "Hey, I wanted to tell you, I admire how you listened to your jockey! I wouldn't be capable, if I were in your spot!"
 "Uh, ha ha, thanks!"
 "See you in the treadmill!" he shouted from a distance.
 "No! Hey, I was first!" pushed Runs Under Rain Red Rain Runs.
 "No! I was first!" Red Rain Runs pushed him back.
 "No! I was more first!"
 "No! I was!"
 "You two shout up you whiny babies!" grabbed their trainer their reins, "You were both last!"
 "He was more last!" shouted Red Rain Runs.
 "No, you were!"
 "He does not understand us!"
 "I know, but you were THE last!"

 After that in the treadmill.
 All the horses were walking calmly. Some of them even had feedbags.
 "Hey, nice run there, Rodger!" shouted Picked up Pickup.
 "Thanks Pick!"
 "Yeah! Great work! I thought I'm gonna win for a second!" Tommy said.
 "That second was long enough for me to outrun you!"
 "Guys, guys, is the "oh mightiest prince" among us?" Tommy asked.
 "Um, I don't know, I don't see him," Kai said.
 "Who's in the front? Hey! Carrot!" Pick shouted.
 "Yeah?" he answered but sounded muffled.
 "Is the "oh mighty guy" in here with us?"
 "Idntkhuyurtakungabu..."
 "Hey! You've got that piece of shit on your face! I don't understand!"
 Carrot started to shake his head.
 "Answer the fuck!"
 "Do not swear so fucking much!" shouted Carrot, freed from the feeder. It was now hanging under his jaw.
 "Answer, damn it!"
 "Who are you talking about?!"
 "Guys... I think you are being too loud..." Kai said silently.
 Rodger, who walked in front of him, laughed.
 "The fucking Obscura! You deaf or what?!"
 "So say it normally for god's sake! I don't understand your codenames for everything!"
 "'Cause you're not fucking listening to me!"
 "Don't swear so much, it's annoying!"
 "So is he somewhere around you?!"
 "NO!!"
 "Thanks!! Fuck!"
 The horses had to laugh. Imagine the Obscura was there with them all the time... Thanks god he was not.
 "But Pick, I think he is speaking for all of us. You are being very impolite and that is very unpleasant to hear."
 "Shut your fucking British rumbling Diamond! You think you white and Brrritish you know everything, huh?!"
 "Oh, Pick, dear friend, your English concerns me."
 "You think you know speaking, but you don't!"
 All horses giggled shortly and then remained silent. Only subtle squeaking of the treadmill could be heard.
 "Guys?" spoke Kai, "have you ever wondered what humans think we talk about?"
 "..."
 Laughter plagued the whole circle.

 "Hi there, Kai!" smiled Rosie.
 "Hi!"
 Rosie, or Thorn Rose, was Kai's best friend and teammate. They were training together since Martin and Sydney got engaged.
 "How was the race today? I haven't heard the undoubtedly interesting narration very clearly."
 He sighed: "Well, you know, I've got a bad start and landed seventh."
 "Sixth," she corrected him reprovingly.
 "Yeah."
 "And?"
 "And what? Me and guys had a quite nice run..."
 "And?" she urged.
 "Oh... We were competing against somebody from the Obscura... No big deal..." he went deeper inside his box.
 Rosie inhaled and held breath while she remained excited and worried at the same time.
 Kai took a drink and listened if she says something.
 "That means... I'm gotta race against somebody from the Obscura!" she sounded kind of thrilled, "Yohoo!" yes, she was indeed thrilled...
 "What's so great about that? We're racing here for placing so we get to a higher league. You are excited you'll inevitably lose?"
 Rosie stopped jumping in place and dancing: "Lose? No! You know what opportunity this is?! I can beat the Obscura!" she saw all the fame and glory ahead.
 "Beat them?"
 "Yes!"
 "Rosie..." he walked to the side of his box to get close to her: "wake up," he sung.
 But she willfully shut her eyes and dreamed on.
 "It's your first race, Rosie," he whispered into her ear.
 "And what? You mad?"
 Kai snorted.
 "Just imagine! Thorn Rose, a wannabe racehorse, defeated an Obscura in her first race ever! Everyone will know me!" she jumped of excitement.
 "Sometimes... I want your enthusiasm..."
 She giggled and bounced again.
 "Good night, Rosie," he went inside.
 "Night!"
 The sun was almost gone. Their boxes had entrance from the outside. It's warm at night during this season so the horses can stay here without worries. Rosie watched the sky.
 "And Kai?" she whispered.
 "Yes?"
 "Will you mind if I get my own caravan after I win?"
 "Rosie..."
 "What?"