Spirit: Stallion of The West
A sequel to Spirit: Stallion of The Cimarron
Spirit, Rain, Fugitive, Strider, and Esperanza © DreamWorks
Boomer, Athena, National, Anthem, Trail Winds, Wings, and all other non-DreamWorks names © Me
Chapter 1
Wind In The Grass
Spirit stood atop the hill where he had once stood upon with Rain by his side. But now, Rain was nowhere in site and Spirit knew well why. Rain had gone off in the grass about a day or so ago, alone, to give birth do Spirit's foal. Spirit listened well to the noises that came from far away, but he knew that Rain hadn't strayed far. She was probably a few steps away, somewhere near so that if she needed support she could have one of the mares or Esperanza, Spirit's mother, help her. Suddenly, the mares below him pulled their heads up from grazing, listening intently. A shrill cry broke through the silence, and the mares neighed and whinnied with joy. Spirit cantered down the slope to his mother, who greeted him. She nuzzled him and pointed her nose toward some bushes by the far side of the field. He trotted over, just in time to see his beautiful mate stand up.
Spirit embraced Rain as he had done when they had first fallen in love. His neck laid on hers, their eyes closed. When he left her, opening his eyes, his gaze met two pairs of eyes. Spirit looked shocked. He cocked his head, peering at the two foals laying in the grass under him. One foal was Rain's chestnut color, with Spirit's stockings in white and Rain's mane and tail coloring.. The other foal was Spirit's palomino color, but with a stripe down his nose and had Spirit's black mane and tail. The two foals stared at him, looking as Spirit did when he had first come into the world. He locked his gaze on Rain.
"Are they ours? Both of them?" He questioned.
"Yes, both ours. And they're both male." Rain smiled, but Spirit didn't look pleased. Twins? How could he have twin colts? He was astonished. He turned his head to look behind him, and noticed that the entire herd had come closer to them. He looked at Rain again.
"What are we naming them? They must have good names to come from such an honorable sire, and such a beautiful dam." Spirit said quickly.
"Why are you rushing, Spirit?" She giggled. "Well, if you'd really want to know, I was thinking we could name the chestnut one Wings. And the palomino Boomer. They are both very good names." She seemed untouched by his unhappy gaze. He tossed his head in agreement and trotted toward the herd. The neighed and whinnied as he approached his mother, who stood in the center of them.
"You're now a grandam. Of two beautiful colts." He stood tall, but not proud. There where whispers among the other mares. He could hear them saying things like 'Twins? What a rarity.' or 'How could he have let this happen?' Esperanza snorted to hush them. She looked at her son lovingly.
"Congratulations to you, my son. You're a sire. Of two beautiful colts. Just look at them."
He turned to she Rain walking toward the herd with Wings and Boomer. The mares whinnied in approval of the colts. The colts held their heads up high, walking unsteadily alongside their mother. Esperanza nuzzled Rain. She looked down at the two foals, barely able to stand by themselves.
"What are their names?" asked a black pinto mare. With the approval, Spirit had lifted his head high and proud. He answered the mare's question.
"The chestnut is named Wings. And the palomino is named Boomer. Only one is to lead on after me, the other must find start his own herd. When they are older, and start to show their better qualities, I will choose an heir. Now, I must tell the West about my sons." And he cantered up to the top of the hill. He stood proud and tall and neighed the loudest he could. All the mares neighed with him and he reared up as his friend, the Eagle, flew above him and screeched the word to the West of the birth of Spirit's colts.
(-----)
"Stop it, Wings!" Boomer shouted, as the romped around in the grass. Both Boomer and Wings were about a year old, and they had already been practicing being leader of a herd just like their sire. They and the other foals of the herd played together and Boomer would be the leader of two or three foals and Wings the leader of three or four. They would play fight with each other to see who was stronger, and clearly, both were of equal strength.
Rain heard Boomer shout and trotted over to see what was going on. She smiled to herself as she saw Wings nipping at Boomer's rear and tail.
"Wings, what are you doing?" She said, calmly. Wings stopped. He looked at his mother with an innocent look on his face.
"Nothing, mother. Just playing. Boomer's just being a weakling again, complaining about everything." He flashed his teeth at her and batted his eyelashes. Boomer rolled his eyes and planned to kick Wings after their mother had left them alone. Rain looked at the darkening sky.
"Come, now. It's almost sunset and it's time for two colts I know to get to bed." She turned and walked off, Wings and Boomer trailing behind her. They argued, but were soon quiet as the saw their father, standing proud atop the hill, watching over the herd. He caught site of them and walked down to greet them. He nuzzled Rain, then bent his neck down to nuzzle his colts.
"You two better go to sleep tonight. If you don't...you now what I'll do." He winked at them. Boomer and Wings giggled and trotted off into the center of the herd. Spirit looked at Rain. "I must talk with you." He said, and turned up the slope. He stood facing the mountains in the distance, away from the herd. "I have heard, from the Eagle, that there is a herd moving this way. The Eagle told me that they are a small herd, of free Indian Ponies. Like you used to be. But, we must be wary, for he has told me some were war ponies, that can be dangerous. Just be on the lookout for them." He turned back and walked down to the herd, nodding at each mare, and each foal. He walked over to his sons, and fell asleep over them, Rain by his side.
(-----)
By the next morning, things on the plain had definitely changed. The Indian Pony herd had come closer to The Cimarron herd. Spirit had gone off early in the morning, to greet them. He proudly galloped over, then came to halt a few feet away. He neighed to them. The horses picked up their heads and neighed back. A brawny dun came out of the herd, followed by a snow-white mare. The dun approached Spirit and bowed. Spirit bowed back. He nodded to the mare, who stood motionless. The dun spoke.
"Good day. I am Mahpyua Luta, or 'Red Cloud', and this is my mare, Cahotska, or 'Frost'. Are we invading your territory?" He looked grief-stricken.
"No, you aren't. My name is Spirit, Stallion of The Cimarron herd. I heard about you from my friend, The Eagle, who told me you had been set free by your tribe." He smiled weakly. The dun shook his head in a 'yes' gesture.
"Correct, we were set free by our tribe because most of the two-legged were dying of disease. So their leader let us free." He motioned to the stars painted on his shoulder. "They will wear away sooner or later. Anyway, I was wondering if my herd could follow with your herd for the time being. We'll stay separate, but will follow along with you." He studied Spirit's face for a while. Then he added "You could just show us around."
Spirit walked till he was face to face with Chief. He studied the duns' face, looking for trustworthiness within. He backed away and neighed. "Sure, why don't you bring your herd down a little farther? Then we can see how it all goes. By the way, do you have any foals?" The mare turned and galloped back to the herd. Spirit felt guilty, so he asked Chief what was wrong.
"I'm sorry if I'm being nosy, but why did Frost run? Did I say something wrong?" He looked sorrowful, and couldn't help lowering his head a little.
"No, you didn't say anything wrong. We have two foals in our herd, females. But, you see, Frost is going to have our first foal in a few days, and she's very afraid of losing it. She's seen other mares in our herd lose theirs. It's very nerve wracking." He turned his head to see the sun setting.
"You should round up your mares and bring them toward my herd. They'll be safe there because they'll have two stallions watching out for them." He said, and galloped off. Chief rounded up his mares and galloped toward The Cimarron herd. He made a sharp left and drove them down the hill and stopped them a few feet away from Spirit's herd. They grazed for a while then ended up closer Spirit's herd. The herd did nothing but some mares ended up merging with The Cimarron herd. Spirit nor Chief noticed until it was time for The Indian Ponies to move on.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Spirit. I will send word of the birth of our foal. And hope we may cross paths again." Chief smiled. He reared up and galloped to collect his mares. He stopped, though. He noticed that a few were missing. He called to them. They came out of Spirit's herd. Chief and Spirit laughed. Spirit reared up and whinnied as Chief and his herd galloped off into the West.