Wind Runner

Chapter One; Broken Roses

*16 years later*

"YOU GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT RYDER ARI PARKER!"

I stormed outside, muttering under my breath. My mother thought she could keep me inside all the time, she never let me outside, never let me do anything! I was tired of it. My leaving the house for a few hours was becoming quite common now. I found it more relaxing to get away for a few hours outside than going to my room.

I followed a familiar trail, negotiating the trail by scent and feel. Though my world was dark, I could do most everything a regular person could do. I learned to look right at a person when they talked. And if it weren't for my bright blue eyes, people would never know I was blind. The best thing was, that since my sight was terrible, my other senses were much stronger. I could smell very well, and could follow the most difficult trails. I was sure that I could be a good fighter, but my mother never let me train much anymore. All she let me do was sit inside all day, and when I went outside, I had to have at least one guard. It was maddening.

I looked somewhat like my mother, I've been told. She was around 5'6 or so with brunet hair, olive skin and multi colored eyes; blue and brown. I knew because she'd told me how she and all my family looked. Her horse form was a silver roan at nearly 16 hands.

At 16, I was tall, 5'8, I had reddish brown hair with tanned skin, and a fair complexion, no freckles or blemishes really, and my eyes were a bright, icy blue. I knew how I looked because my mother had a witch give me a mental picture of myself. If you are wondering why a witch doesn't just fix my eyesight, you need to know that natural blindness cannot be fixed. Especially if one is born blind, like I was.

As I stalked along the path, a faint, familiar scent drifted past my nose. I stopped and raised my head, a mental scent picture of my surroundings forming in my head. A shape was crouching in the bushes behind me.

"Come out AL, I know you're behind me."

I heard a low curse then I sensed my brother step next to me. AL was my twin, we were born four months apart, but we were still considered twins. I was older. AL had brown hair and grey eyes like our dad. Our features were similar, I suppose. We had one more brother, a four year old named Jess. Jess was like our opposite. He had black hair and brown eyes. He wasn't tanned, nor was he pale. He was not very tall, and had a freckle mask across his nose and cheeks.

"Did mom tell you to follow me?"

My voice was bitter, I hated when my mom thought I needed to be watched over, much like a baby. I sensed my brother shift uncomfortably before answering.

"She just doesn't want you to be hurt or kidnapped, you are the heir to the third largest herd in the US."

I rolled my eyes, then looked at my brother. I knew it made him uncomfortable when I looked at him as if I could see him. It made everyone uncomfortable. That's why I did it.

"Well not many people seem to believe that I can be a leader."

His silence verified my sentence. Many herd members did not believe a blind girl who hadn't yet shifted could lead a herd. Let alone the third largest in the US.

"Look AL, I just want some time to myself without someone following me."

I sensed that AL was uncomfortable, but he sighed in surrender.

"I'll just stay away from the house, call me when you're heading back and I'll follow you so they think I was watching you."

I grinned and hugged him tightly.

"Thanks AL."

He grumbled and nodded, then disappeared into the woods. I scented the air the make sure he wasn't going to follow me then I turned and followed the trail to my secret rose garden.

I inhaled deeply, the scent picture forming in my head. The roses were in full bloom, coloring the air with wonderful scents. I had created them by crossing the most fragrant flowers with the prettiest. I knew how they somewhat looked by the scent images their smells created in my head. And my crosses always showed up silver in my mind, and so they were named Silver Angles. Yet I had not bred thorns out of the flowers. I thought their thorns beautiful, even if I couldn't see them.

I spent the next hour tending the flowers, pulling weeds, and watering them. I was relaxed, not paying attention to my surroundings at all. Which was how I never sensed the attack coming.

They knocked me to the ground with a wicked hit to my cheek. They surrounded me with sneers and expressions of disgust. I scented the air, trying to find where they were. But they had masked their scents and I was even more blind than usual. "You shouldn't have ever been born, you're weak, unfit to lead our herd. No male will ever want you, a blind, weak little girl."

"Ha! I bet she doesn't even have a mate. Why would the Wind Goddess give her a mate? She's weak, and pathetic!"

I growled weakly at their words, trying to find where they were.

"She can't even shift, I bet she never will."

I flinched, their words were familiar, but these barbs were worse than usual. They sneered at me, then one kicked me in the stomach. I gasped, doubling over in pain. They laughed, a cruel sound. Then they all began kicking and hitting me. I simply lay there, tears gathering in my sightless eyes. Then one called out, having found something.

"Hey! Look what I found! Blindy has a wittle wose garden! How pathetic!"

His mocking baby words turned cruel, and my heart clenched at the thought of them finding my roses. I sensed them moving away, away towards my roses. I tried to stand, but my bruised and battered body wasn't up to the task. I collapsed back to the ground, whimpering for my roses. I heard a snap, then a curse. I smelt the metallic scent of blood as my roses fought back. Then they found they could stomp the roses. I cried out weakly, trying to save my roses. But my cries were ignored. It seemed like an eternity before they left. I scented the air desperately, and the image that came to me brought the tears down my cheeks. The silver roses lay scattered about, crushed and broken. I pushed myself up, and tried to find some roses I could save. Thorns cut my hands, but I ignored the pain along with my battered body. I almost gave up, but then I found one tiny little bud, with its roots still barely attached. With shaking hands I picked up the bud, holding it close to me. Then I sensed another tiny bud. I held them both carefully, then shakily stood. My legs trembled, but I made it home.

I slipped into my room, finding two small pots that would care for the roses. I planted them then watered them. Afterwards, I collapsed into bed, and slept the sleep of the exhausted.