The Homeless Horse

Chapter 25 (Final part of chapter)

I helped Ranger wash off in the stream, before we walked away into the forest.
"Ranger, not all humans are friendly. Some will hunt us, and some will try to capture us. We don't have easy lives, but that is why we are wild. The wind in our manes, the triumph in our voices, that's what makes us wild. Trust me, my dear boy, when we arrive, you will never want to turn back. Not ever." I say, as we jump a fallen log.
"Oh." He replies.
--days of travelling later--
We wake to a gloomy, stormy morning. It's cold and the wind is as wild as a mustang. As we begin to walk off, rain falls quickly and heavily. The ground quickly becomes muddy, and Ranger slips. I grab his mane before he falls.
"Be careful, Ranger. A storm is no joke, not here."
We begin to trot lightly over the muddy ground, squishing under our hooves and thickening with every stride. After a few hours of travelling, and Ranger slipping over twice, we arrive at a pasture, full of shelter and long grass. But not before a large, deep, running river. The water is quickly dirty, and I cautiously step into the water. The cool, tasteful liquid splashes up my legs, and my tail is swept from behind me. I turn back before I get shoulder deep, Ranger would never make it through.
"The river is too strong, you'll lose your footing." I mumble, trying to see another way. We walk further up the river bank, where it only gets stronger and deeper.
"Mum, will we get through it?"
"No, you won't."
"But I'm old enough to-."
"Ranger you are not going through that water, you will die! Any foal foolish enough to with perish and so will their idiotic leaders!" I scream. He backs up, with his ears back. He slowly and sadly walks over to a large tree. I sigh, and try to cuddle with him, but he moves away. I ignore him.

I'm woken by screams of fear. I jolt up, desperately searching for Ranger. I see a black figure splashing on the sides of the river, chasing the violent water.
"Mum, help! Help!"
I rush over, but he's not in the river.
"What, Ranger?" I ask, as he shoves past, cantering beside the water.
"Don't you see him?"
"Who?" I ask, following him. And then I see it. A young palomino, drowning in the water. I don't take any time to think, and rush in. I fight the strong water, as it harshly sweeps me down, towards the rocks and falls. I frantically kick, seeking the ground. I finally hit the gravel with my hooves, and begin to climb up, against the nearly life-taking water. I grab the foal's mane in my mouth, as it throws it's legs onto my neck, and I try my best to climb to the other side, but the water is too strong. I'm pushed under.
"Mum!" Ranger screams endlessly.
A large wave throws over my head before I can gasp for air. Everything goes black.

I wake up, wet and cold, with Ranger licking a wound on his hind leg. I grunt, and stumble to my feet.
"Ranger? How'd I get out?" It's only then that I realise he, too, is wet. Soaked.
"I saved you." He mutters, facing me and placing his leg back on the ground.
"And you saved him." He adds.
"What?" I question, as a small palomino colt flies through my legs. He dances about, smiling happily and licking Ranger.
"Oh, my." I exclaim. "And who would you belong to, my darling?" I ask, reaching out with my nose. He sniffs me.
"My Mummy and herd were here but then they lost me and I walked off and now they're searching for me and you saved me." He blabbers. I laugh.
"You must be cold, child. Come here." I say, snuggling into him, and licking him dry. I begin prancing around with the Colt, having fun and chasing each other. Suddenly Ranger pricks his ears.
"Mum, do you smell that?" He asks. I stop, and smell the air. A familiar scent fills my nostrils and a rush of excitement flows through my veins.
"C'mon!" I shout, galloping off further into the pasture. We gallop for kilometres until I see it. See him. An older stallion, tending to his herd, full of chestnuts, bays, blacks, browns and paints. But I am forgetting the most important

Palominos.

I can't hold my excitement, and I scream out, rearing and prancing. The stallion lifts his head and searches for me.
"Amazon?! Amazon?!" He calls, his strong, godly voice echoing through the horses. He bursts into an excited canter, running through mares and playing foals, and finally he stops, staring at me.
"Amazon..."
"Father!" I cry, cantering over to him, and embracing him in a hug through our necks.
"I thought I had lost you forever. You were my darling bear, my only foal of your dear mother, and you too left my life. But now your here."
"Father, I missed you. And I'm sorry. I love you..."