Several hours had passed since the race, but the buzz hadn’t died down. Jovial Merriment was still basking in her victory, lounging near the paddocks with yet another medal shining at her chest. The others were scattered, some stewing, some pretending not to care. But the glow of her win lingered in the air like pollen.

She didn’t look up as footsteps approached, but her smirk grew sharp.

“Well, well... took you long enough to show your face. What’s the excuse this time?”