The eagle soared through the air, over the miles and miles of grass below him.
Spirit, a Mustang stallion galloped along the grass beneath the eagle.
They were racing to the hill again!
Spirit was increasing his speed, minute by minute.
He jumped the last few steps to the hill, but the eagle had already won-by a beak!
"I won this time, Spirit!" Eagle called.
Spirit reared up and neighed, before flopping down to the floor, and relaxing.
"I let you win!" Spirit breathed.
"Sure you did," eagle laughed.
"Well, I'm not as strong as I used to be." Spirit replied, reasonably, "I've been half-tamed. Man could say I'm broken."
Eagle gazed sympathetically at Spirit.
"Spirit, you know you're the strongest horse on the cimarron. You have made a great impact on all of your herd, if it weren't for you, then the humans may have built the railway up here."
Eagle said, winking.
Spirit nodded.
Suddenly, a high-pitched whinny filled the air. Spirit turned one ear backwards to listen.
It was Rain!
Spirit gasped, and turned to gallop back to the herd.
"Sorry eagle, I have to go. See you soon!" Spirit cried as he galloped back to his herd.
Rain was nuzzling a foal by the time Spirit returned to his herd.
His heart sank. He was too late to comfort Rain, but he was happy at the same time; he had a new daughter!
"What shall we call her?" Rain asked.
Spirit licked the filly, and replied: "How about Summer?"
Rain nodded. "Summer it will be!"
Summer grew to be a strong and inquisitive filly. She loved to race with her father and the eagle, and she was the most beautiful filly in the herd; she had dun fur with white patches and a single brown leg.
Even though she was the prettiest, and the leader's daughter, she had only one friend out of the nine foals in the herd! A plain grey filly was the most popular, and the only nice thing about her was her cream mane and blue eyes, which contrasted well with her white fur.
Her name was Belle.
Belle took great delight in picking on Summer, and her friend Black Magic, who was a black filly with a white star on her forehead, and lovely hazel eyes.
One day, Summer just couldn't handle this anymore…
"Perhaps I should rip your mane to pieces and throw it in the river! Then we'll see who's the pretty one!" Belle cried.
"You wouldn't dare!" Summer snarled.
There began a fight between the two fillies, and of course, the other foals, except for Black Magic, cheered for Belle.
Summer won by kicking Belle hard on one of her back hooves, and Belle fell to the floor.
"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, YOU-YOU… MISFIT!" Belle shouted.
Spirit heard her and came over to see what was the matter.
A look of shock spread over Summer's face at what Belle had just said.
"Summer, are you okay?" Spirit asked.
Summer shook her head and ran away at a full gallop, tears streamed down her long nose.
She had no idea where she was going, only that she wasn't going to stay in the herd.
Belle was right, she was a misfit, and Summer couldn't argue with that.
The next thing that Summer knew, was that she was running through some large wooden gates, and in to a strange place with lots of stables and fences.
The gates shut behind her.
"What's this? A horse came here with no humans?" A human voice called.
Summer turned around to see a tall man in a navy stetson hat and navy cavalry uniform.
She backed away, frightened.
The man walked towards her and put a headcollar over her head.
"Funny," he remarked, "I didn't know horses could cry, this one looks pretty upset to me." He softened at the sight of the bewildered filly.
"We'll take good care of this one. Unlike the last leader you lot had, trying to tame a mustang!"
Summer remembered what her father had told her about the cavalry, this must be it, she thought.
The Colonel that Spirit had described was different, so this must be a new Colonel, and a kinder one at that!
Summer was placed in a stable next to an iron grey colt, the same age as her, and she had some hay and fresh water delivered to her new stable.
Summer chewed the hay contentedly.
She already liked this new home, no more bullying by Belle, no more loneliness…. Then Summer paused,
"No more mum and dad!" She whispered.