Captured and Isolated"

Gold went angry when men put rope around his father. Gold galloped to the fight and kicked one man and his lifeless body fell down to ground. Young stallion tried to bite another man, but one screamed and showed the dead men. Then humans put rope around his neck too and Gold went angrier. Why these ropes? Why are they trying to hold stallions? Palomino coated horse didn't knew that. He just knew that it was nothing good. Strider neighed and tried to get out, but it was pointless. Gold started to attack men again, but they beat him with little stick. Gold neighed again. Then they started to pull both Cimarron souls to The Plains. Strider saw Freezer in Forest, and sighed, then started to kick and buck.

See, these ones are good! Laughed one man

I see that they will be hard to rid. Another one sighed.

But look at that black one. He is lovely…Man feasted his eyes.

Then domestic horses started to really pull wild ones. Strider fell on ground. Gold attacked men, when they tried to get him up, and men beat him with stick. Gold tried to push men away, but the sticks hits didn't stop. Gold showed back and pissed on men, hearing his screams and yells, Gold made a horse chuckle. Then men kind sighed and put down their possessions. It was nearly night, and they were hardly gone to beginning of Plains. Both wild horses were tightly attached to log.


Three Days Later

They walked to front, nowhere else. Both wild stallions were tired, because this day's road was especially long. Strider sighed and slowly walked. He saw that they were around The Plain end.

When they crossed line, what detached Plains form Hardened Lands, wild horses started to worry.

Hardened Lands were place where nobody lived; it was very big and 'sunshiny' place. There lived only some crazy eagles and coyotes. To cross this place alive was impossible – there were no food, no water and much coyotes with 100 miles around. And this wasn't rainy season; this was dry one, so sun will be hotter than ever. Black and palomino stallion looked at each other with lack of understanding and fears in eyes. Strider nuzzled his child, and then suddenly black stallion reared head. In his mind was storm. Child. Child! Foal! He left Esparanza alone pregnant! Strider started to kick and buck, to get out of the ropes. He had to be with his mate, Esparanza! He pulled men, who tried to get him back. Strider neighed loudly, then fell on ground.

That day night he saw a horse. Wild. He nickered and told him what to do. Horses name were Snow, and it was stallion. He watched snow galloping away in silent night, and then sighed. Gold asked him what happened, and Strider told him.


After two days.

Esparanza cried, standing on waterfall. She was sad, till heard another stallion near her. It was strange, and she snorted, and backed away. Stallion's name was Snow. Snow told her, what happened, and told her what to do. Only hope was Freezer.

Esparanza bowed and smiled through tears. When she started to trot away, Snow galloped to her and neighed, then made sad eyes. Ok. Esparanza sighed. He can stay. She gone to Freezer and black army horse accepted. He had to rule over two herds- Cimarron and Forest.


Strider saw a big fortification, and started panicking. That building didn't look welcoming. Black stallion hit another horse, and tried to get out of rope. Gold sighed and dipped head. Then he looked up at his panicking father. That was imminent. Nobody can escape ropes. Gold slowly started walking to the building, he didn't want to be hit with stick (other horses called it whip). He snorted and looked at his father, then neighed. Strider suddenly turned head to his son and nickered. He trotted up to him and neighed loudly. Gold neighed back, with despair of abyss in face. Strider started panting, and then loudly neighed, snorted and walked back. Gold could swear he saw tears in invulnerable stallion's eyes. Gold nickered and then they started going in the fortification. He was in front, and he scrutinized the building. There were many men with sticks in hands. These sticks where different from whips. They were straight, and sounded horribly. Nobody hit anybody with these sticks. Gold looked at other side and saw terrible sight. Brown horse neighed and killed one man, hitting with his hind legs in men's stomach. Man groaned and fell on ground, didn't move. Then there came one men, called 'colonel' and themed the stick to brown horse. Then he clicked, and again was heard that thunder-like sound. Horse neighed painfully, and fell on ground. Of his neck came blood and he didn't wake up. That meant brown horse is dead.

Gold didn't move, and suddenly he felt a whip on his back again. Palomino horse groaned, then started moving to a building, where horses staid. It was called 'stable' and so Gold moved in it. He looked backwards. Phew. His father didn't saw anything from terrible horse death, he wasn't yet came in. Gold looked again to front, and now he was tied up in stable. Horse nickered, and some men bring him food and water.

He looked up at sky. Dusk came, and palomino horse fell asleep.


Week was gone now. Gold didn't really like it, but he was ridden. But his stubborn father didn't want to be ridden, he staid wild. Gold looked around. He was at meadow, what was near fortification. Stallion started grazing, when saw a mare coming up to him. Gold nickered, then nipped his flanks and ticked over. Mare nickered, and sniffed him. Palomino stallion sniffed her too, but her scent was too aromatic. She was coming in heat. He nickered quizzically, and mare neighed. Her name was Mint.


Strider neighed. He stood in post and cried out why he ever came closer to the whistling sound. It was his fault Gold was captured- His foal just came to help him. Older stallion shook head and watched sun. He wondered what happened with his herd when he left. Has some other stallion got the Cimarron herd? No, no, his father won't let. Yeah. If Snow got in there, then Freezer is leader. Black stallion sighed at nonplus. Strider most worried about Esparanza. There were gone another 5 months. She must be at mid-pregnancy. Strider stomped hoof and sighed again. What with young foal? Black stallion watched the sky. He doesn't know anything. Maybe she is not even pregnant.


Gold licked Mint's shoulder. Mint nickered and licked him back. They were together for about month. Now they will become mates. Gold licked her back, and Mint responded with soft moan. Gold then mounted her and mated with bay mare.


Esparanza licked her stomach. She was fatter than ever. Not fatter but…pregnant. Yeah. That would be the right word. She was in 7th month, and still waited for Strider to arrive. But he didn't. Maybe he won't come back ever. Anyways, Freezer was good leader, but many bachelors wanted to get Forest or Cimarron herd, so Freezer let Wolf to be co-leader. Black stallion didn't have time to defend both lands. Where was Gold? About Gold she didn't worry, because he was smart, clever and will stand down for a moment, to later be free. Gold could make his way out. Strider was completely different- he was stubborn and he would never stand down. Even if it means death. About that she worried the most. Snow told her what happened to him- one time he was in that place too. But he escaped. Palomino mare slowly trotted to Sunshine, her mother. Mother was sad, because of Feather's death. Esparanza didn't knew what to say. On one hand, Feather was her granny on other- she never spent time with her. But Sunshine did. She looked at starry skies, and nickered. She laid down, grass stalks stroking her neck. She already closed eyes, when heard warning neigh. That was Wolf, he was warning for something. Suddenly he saw gray stallion running in clearing. He looked scared to death, and he reared up, neighed and galloped away. Glory, Spice and Fog got up fast and followed Wolf. Cinnamon wanted to help Esparanza get up, but pregnant mare send her away. Cinnamon looked behind Esparanza, neighed in fears and galloped away like thunder. Finally Esparanza got up and tried to run, but it was hard to do, because of foal in her belly. She panted and snorted, and felt Sunshine cantering right behind her. Sunshine was slowest mare in all herd, even slower than pregnant Esparanza, and she was panting harder. Suddenly Esparanza heard that thundering sound, and soft sound of body dropping on ground. It wasn't her body. It was her mothers. Esparanza turned around and trotted to her mother. She tried to get up, but blood spilled of her neck, and she nuzzled her filly for last time, then her head thumped on ground. Sunshine was dead. Esparanza neighed, when saw the same whistling sound, and galloped away as fast as she can get, galloping for her life. She even drew ahead of Cinnamon, fastest mare in herd, who was very surprised. Cinnamon didn't knew what frightened pregnant mare to ran that fast. It was something serious, so Cinnamon started galloping faster. Esparanza panted, and her eyes were fear and tearful. She looked like escaping from death. Finally they all got in Forest, and trotted in Forest clearing.


John whistled, riding in horse. This deer herd was very weird. They galloped, not jumped like normal deers did. Then Alexander shot, and the thinner doe dropped down. But fatter, obviously pregnant doe walked to her and then did something, before running away. First he saw her bristly tail. He had some suspicion that it was horse, but he continued riding. Then they stopped at doe's dead body, and John scrutinized it, then widened his eyes.

Alex, you idiot! You shot horse! He yelled.

What? Alexander misunderstood.

The herd we were following wasn't herd of deers you blind dog! It was horse herd! John yelled. Okay, now you will never-ever hunt. Horses are very useful. Now nothing, let's go home. John sighed and flogged along and both man rid home.


Cinnamon nickered to her, and looked at horses. She saw that one horse is missing. It was Sunshine, and bay filly sighed. She trotted to Esparanza and nuzzled her. Others did the same, and then they slowly went back. This time Freezer was going with them, checking for any danger signs. Esparanza looked at her mothers remains and panted. She closed eyes and tear came out. She neighed painfully and laid down side by side her. Other horses dipped their heads and sighed, then started whining. Yes, they started these long, painful but not loud neighs. Everybody sighed, and then all went to their lands. Freezer and his patrols checked the land, and came back. It was safe now. Esparanza sat with her mother, then sighed and stood up, slowly going back to herd. Mother offered herself. If there wouldn't be Sunshine, she would be dead. And her unborn foal. Esparanza thanked her and trotted back to herd.


Gold nickered and nuzzled Mint. They played in meadow, raced around and neighed. Suddenly out of there came men, and tied both horses in the stables. Then all meadow horses. Every body wandered what will happen. Nobody knew what, so they just started nipping, cleaning and talking. Palomino stallion nipped his mate's mane, and then they both licked each other. He sniffed her tail, and then snorted and sneezed. Gold watched what will happen. He looked at post, and there stood his father. He was skinny, but he still was unbroken. Weak, but stubborn. Never backing down. Black stallion neighed, and then there came Colonel with stick and themed to his father. Gold remembered what happened to horse, what killed men, when they just came in. Gold neighed loudly and painfully, not wanting that to happen.


Esparanza panted. She laid down in meadow, and her belly was more fat than ever. She was now giving birth. She neighed painfully, and the foal came out. She looked at him, and recognized her father. Palomino mare looked at dun foal, and licked it.


Gold neighed, watching his father remains. Palomino stallion laid down, then looked at Colonel. He will pay for it.