"They have told me all my life to hate horses like you. But now-"
"Now what?" She said shifting so her long mane was out of her eyes, "what has changed?"
He sighed keeping a steady gaze on her brown eyes, "Now I'm not so sure."
_____________________...
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Arion watched over the herd that night. The patrol team guarded the border, sending soft whistles back and forth letting their team know their location. He doubted there would be any predators tonight. Arion kept his eyes open and alert, scanning the horizon. Every so often a foal would twitch in their sleep. His mother Summer walked up beside him.
"My shift." She said quietly so she would not wake the others.
Arion nodded and went down to sleep next to Sunny and Dusty. Sunny softly grumbled in her sleep and would twitch every so often. He smiled and stood next to them his eyelids going droopy.
"Arion."
He grumbled opening one eye.
"We have to go, patrol duty will be assigned soon," Dusty said smiling.
Arion pouted stretching out his long legs. His height was an advantage, and Milly said he would only get taller.
Storm called the herd together.
"Arion, gather a team of 10, you are river border."
The young stallion nodded and whistled to nine other horses. His long legs pushed him up the hill and his patrol spread out. There was a light mist on the grass that tickled his legs. Arion walked by Sunny who smiled as she passed him. Arion looked over to the snowy side, nothing seemed to be over there. He sighed, there may not even be a Snow Hoof Herd over there anymore. Maybe they all died of the cold. Arion continued to walk his blue eyes were alert scanning the other side of the River. River border was a smaller job usually assigned to the younger horses. It bothered Arion that his father did not trust him enough for the other boarders.
Suddenly through the snow, something caught his eye. No, it couldn't be. He stopped and tried to look closer. His eyes definitely were not deceiving him. There was a group of five horse and a foal. They stood on the snow bank staring at him with a careful gaze.
"ENEMIES ON OUR BORDER!" Arion cried rearing up tall.
The River Patrol raced to his side sending frantic whistles back to the herd. Storm raced up the hill with platoon looking at the sight he thought he would never see. A group of horses stood on the snowy side of the north. A light dusting of snow covered their coats. Arion had always known there was another herd on the other side, but it had been believed that they had died off. More horses skidded to a stop staring at the sight before them. No one from the River Stone Herd had ever seen a Snow Hoof horse in over 20 years.
"Is this real?" Sunny said, her brown eyes locked with Arion's.
He nodded, "Yes."
His eyes drifted back over to the other side of the River. Storm skidded down the hill and stood on the sand beach. The protector stallion carefully studied the horses, a smaller mare stood in the front. Her coat was black as night and her brown eyes made Arion shiver. Her gaze shifted back to Storm, she knew he must be the leader.
