The Homeless Horse

Chapter 30

The fear of losing my beloved colt to a bear frightened me. Was that dream a vision? Or a warning? But surely, if Spirit had come all this way to find the mare he had despised for abandoning him was it really just my purpose? Kuno has been in my life since I was born. He destroyed my perfect future, and he has been the fuel to the fire burning inside my heart. I stumbled towards the creek, and lowered my head to drink before turning back to him, head high.

"Kuno has been the one thing stopping me from finding my true purpose. But I have a colt, and there are things that come before choking him in his own blood. But I will do it. Not for you, not for us. For my mother. For she hasn't died in vein."

His eyes sparkled and he stood beside me. He didn't have to say thank you, because he already had. Through his heart.

I trotted through the creek, the chilled water flowing through my strong, colour-splatted legs. He followed me through, lifting his head and peeking into the distance.

"Who are you staying with? Who gave you your foal?" He asked half-heartedly.

"The foal, Ranger, is an orphan. I knew his mother. And I found my father again." I replied. He pricked his ears.

The father he had never seen, the father he had never met. My father. The one who thought I was dead, and never looked for me. The one who caused me and Spirit to meet.

"Your father?" He questioned, as we walked towards the large, palomino rump protecting the herd from the high-grounds.

My father turned and looked at me, and then at the strange stallion. He raised his head, and kept his posture strong.

"Who is this stallion?" He grunted, inspecting Spirit.

"An old friend. He was the one who's mother took me in and gave me a family." My father immediately released his strong posture. He respected Spirit and Esperanza for what they did for me, as he would forever.

"Nice to meet you, Young Man. I am very grateful for what you and your family have done for my daughter; I thought I had lost her forever. "

Spirit nodded slightly, appreciating his hospitality.

"I'm sorry to come at such a time, Sir, but a great tragedy has fallen upon our kind. My herd was brutally murdered by a bear-."

"Kuno..." My father interrupted.

"Indeed. The bear who killed Amazon's mother. He wants us all dead. He won't stop until he's wiped out our entire kind out here. I need your daughter's help to stop him..."

*Later that night*

Spirit and I were strolling through the thick trees, discussing what we've missed in each other's lives. I stare deeply into his eyes as he rubs his front leg with his muzzle. He looks up and notices me staring.

"Amazon... I have to be honest. No matter how much I wanted to hate you, no number of mares could make me forget my feelings for you. Ever since I was a foal, I was raised knowing I was going to be as successful as the greatest stallions to ever live around here. But no matter what I was told, how I was raised, I only ever wanted one thing... You."

I choked. Did I feel the same? Did I really reject every other stallion for Spirit but deny my love for him?

"Spirit, I can't explain how I feel for you. I don't know if I hate you, or if I like you... Or if I want to forget you. But I think that's what love is."