You'll never catch me alive!

Chapter 1 ~ Bright moon

I snorted quietly and swept my eyes over the herd. My black coat shined in the bright moonlight. Usually, I was close to invisible during nighttime, but this night the moon lit up the field like a nighttime sun. Everything was quiet, except from a coyote howling in a distance. The herd slept calmly and happily. I had the first guard this bright night, and I wouldn't let anything get near my herd. Even though the night was quiet, the moon was bright and the herd was sleeping happily, I could feel that something was wrong. I listened for paws against stone or the wings from a desert eagle. Nothing. But my instincts kept on telling me that something was wrong and it made me tense.

I lived the life of a ordinary wild horse, even though I wasn't born in my herd. I loved the life I lived. My hoofs against the stone, running along with my herd. Oh! I could almost hear my hoof beats as we ran through the desert. Wait. I could hear hoof beats.

I listened carefully, and yes. Hoof beats. The sound aimed closer and I was petrified. When the hoof beats couldn't be further away than the cliff, I was able to move again and I quickly neighed loud and made the whole herd wake up. I nearly forgot my motto and the only important thing was to save my herd. When the riders showed up from behind the cliff, everyone started running, but I was, again, petrified. Winter, the second-in-charge stopped and neighed at me.

''Dark! Run!''

But I couldn't. The riders came closer in full gallop and I finally was able to run. So that's what I did. I ran for my freaking life. I could hear the riders shout:

''That mare! Look at her! She'll give us plenty of money'' someone shouted and the riders made their horses go faster.

I ran and ran, until I came to the ravine. I had nearly reached the other side of it when a big metallic thing showed up, blocking the way. I turned around and saw the riders blocking the other escape. I was trapped! One rider started swinging something rope-alike and threw it my way. I jumped aside and the thing fell on the ground. Suddenly, more ropes started flying and one caught my neck. I squeaked in panic and started jumped around, shaking my head, trying to get the damn thing of. I heard someone laugh and I kicked in the air with my back hooves. Someone took the opportunity and I felt a rope tightening around my back hooves. I tried to keep balanced but after a couple of seconds I hit the ground. One man started laughing at me and a rope flew around my front hooves and tightened. With my ears pinned back showing my teeth I tried to get up, but I couldn't! A man jumped off his horse and walked up to me. He lifted his leg and put it on my black body, lifting his arms in victory. The others laughed and I managed to bite the man in his leg. He jumped away and mounted his horse. I could hear him talk to the others.

''She is fast like the lightning and her coat is as black as the night itself, but we caught her! Let's bring her to Jackson and let this mare make money for us!'' The man said, smirking at me.

Loads of ''Yaa!''s and ''Yee-haw!''s was heard from the men standing or riding around me. The men threw ropes around my neck until they were sure I wouldn't be able to escape. Then the ropes around my legs finally disappeared and the men forced me to stand up. They kicked their horses, making them start walking, but I used all my strength to freeze and don't move. One man pulled up a long, thin thing. He lifted it in the air, and smashed my rump. The pain shot through and made me jump and try to run, but the ropes around my neck stopped me.

You'll never catch me alive... So much for that motto. I lifted my head, and let out a long, sad neigh. A neigh of lost freedom. A neigh of being caught alive...

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So.. Yeah! I hope you like the book so far and If you do, please comment or vote and I'll be a happy author! I don't know what to say... Thanks for reading this A/N!

I'll write like this when a horse is talking and like this when a human is talking 🐎

2 votes for chapter 2 ⭐️

Love,

Z