prologue
A black stallion walked menacingly into the clearing, his eyes were full of hatred, almost despair, but not a weak kind of despair, an evil kind.
A bay mare entered the clearing also, defiant of the black stallion.
"So" she said, narrowing her eyes "you kept your word, you came".
"Yes, I came" he replied coolly "although it may come to your disadvantage; you're a fool Lataria, a fool I tell you."
"Not as much as a fool as you, trying to take over the whole of the Pearl Water Mountains, you should have known we'd all despise you" retorted Lataria.
"Ahhh" he said quietly "many do not despise me you see, they follow me, and that may prove to your disadvantage". Just as the black stallion finished his sentence 5 other horses stepped out of the woods.
"Lying filth" snorted Lataria "I should have known you'd find a way to break your word, you're a dishonourable little skunk Vargus Stormheart"
"And you Lataria Clearwater are not a true horse. True horses fight for survival, not their honour" vargus turned round to the 5 horses behind him and with a flick of his tail he said "secure her" .
The five hoses bolted across the clearing and stood round lataria, threatening to "kick her into tomorrow "if she moved.
Just then they heard the drumming of horses' hooves and the crow-like voices of two-leggeds approaching.
"Don't move, any of you, until lataria is captured by the two-leggeds, if you do run off I'll tear you all to shreds" shouted Vargus who then galloped away.
"Coward" lataria muttered under her breath. To any other horse the situation she was in would have been terrifying, but she had "two-legged disposal" down to a fine art. The two- leggeds came rushing in, expecting the horses to run off, they suddenly stopped their horses in confusion, were these equines so easily caught? Their confusion only lasted a minute though, they soon brought out their tethers and looped one round the neck of a young paint horse, the paint hose squealed in terror as the brown tether went around his neck and he was pulled away form the rest of the group.
Another two-legged was eyeing lataria up now, ready to throw a tether round her neck, but she was ready for him. as soon as it slipped round her head she bolted, dragging him ,and his horse, up the hill on the opposite side of the clearing to where she had been captured, the two-legged's horse bucked, and her capturer was thrown into a thorn bush.
The two-legged's horse ran after her and shouted "Lataria".
Lataria turned round in confusion, how did this tame horse know her name? Then she turned round and saw the horse's face, despite the two-legged made contraption that was on his face, she recognized him a once, and a look of joy spread across her face, it was her mate, rock.