"History of West"

It was bright sunshiny day with no clouds. Skies were deep blue that day, and under that sky was lovely green meadow. In meadow rested horse herd. On a rock near mares stood big, dun stallion that looked out at the meadows. His name was Lightning, and he was as fast, precious and deadly as the weather named like him. His neigh was deep and loud like waterfall. Lighting was obviously born leader. Stallion looked tightly at some black spot in bushes, then recognizing it, shook head. He sighed and closed eyes.

That black spot in bushes was a yearling colt from nearest herd- The Forest herd. And colt's name was Strider. He was bigger and stronger than other foals in his age. Strider watched heard leader, and waited for it's acceptance.

Strider lifted head and opened eyes. This time will be the last one. He neighed loudly and nodded. Strider squealed highly, then jumped in air and galloped in meadow. There was another foal waiting for him.

It was Esparanza, Lightning's and Sunshine's daughter. Esparanza was 8 months old palomino filly. She was beautiful as river.

There were some other foals in heard like:

Cinnamon, newborn bay filly,

Wolf, yearling grey colt,

Hope, yearling dun filly.

There were some mares too:

Sunshine, young palomino, mother of Esparanza,

Fog, mid-aged grey, mother of Wolf,

Feather, elderly palomino, mother of Sunshine and Fog.

Spice, young bay, mother of Cinnamon,

Glory, mid-aged chestnut, mother of Hope.

These were all horses of The Cimarron herd, led by Lightning.

Esparanza whinnied, seeing her old friend coming. She jumped up and gone to him and they both nuzzled each other. Wolf raised ears and stood up, he whinnied softly. He started wrestling with Strider. Esparanza rolled her eyes and looked at them. Wolf was faster, but Strider was stronger and so they played fight. Each time Strider wanted to push Wolf to ground, he dodged, and each time Wolf wanted to make smart move with pushing Strider up, black foal defended. And so they played.

Esparanza didn't look at fighting, instead of that she grazed. She didn't like fighting, that was so brutal and aggressive! Young filly looked up at her father.

He stood on that rock like his father Thunder before him, and before Thunder –Storm, and before Storm… The herd was together With Forest and Plain herd, what made biggest herd ever- Old West herd. And there were three leaders of that- Spirit, Soul and Halo.

Esparanza smiled and walked to Spice. She sniffed filly under her, Cinnamon. Cinnamon had disproportionate long legs and little body. Palomino fillies and bay fillies noses touched, and they both laughed. One with deeper, more mature laughs, one with squealing, high pitched and childish laughs.

Then there came dusk, and Strider had to go. He nuzzled everybody and ran away.

Next morning black colt was crossing the territory lines between The Forest Herd and The Cimarron Herd. Black yearling was trotting and humming, closed his eyes. He shook his head from one side to another in rhythm. He was so carefree as winds brushing over plains. But after some minutes in front of him ran big dun stallion, which neighed very angrily. It was Lighting.

Strider stood there with his jaws open, watching the leader's anger. He just took a breath as "Aagh!" And before he could do anything, mature stallion hit him with his head.

Strider didn't want to get in fight with Esparanzas father, so he ran away as fast as he could. But Strider wasn't fast and soon Lightning caught up him. Strider neighed in fears and tried another way, but Lightning was again on his hoof marks. Lightning was almost side by side with Strider, and tried to bite colt, but unsuccessful. Then stallion reared up in front of Strider and raised his leg to kick him. Strider's life or death was decided, till-

Big black stallion ran in Lightning. It was Freezer, Friesian army horse, who escaped and gained this herd two years ago. Freezer hit Lightning with his hoof and neighed warningly. Lightning was on his land.

Freezer was more smart and clever than most of stallions. He was born in army, and ridden there, till his owner died in war with the natives. Then he escaped the battle field and came here, fought with The Forest Herd ex-lead stallion Wind, and won. He kept the old stallion, and when there was raised his son, Crater, he didn't kiss him off lands. He let him stay, and made rank – warrior. Also, Freezer let stay any stallion who wanted to, but who didn't want to become lead. So he had some stallions that will fight against any enemy with him.

Freezer neighed loudly three times – and after few minutes of fighting here galloped five stallions. They all fought, till Lightning made a sorry neigh, and galloped back home. Freezer and other stallions cheered and then warned Strider to never go to Cimarron alone. Strider accepted, and then followed older stallions.

Near the strict territory lines in Cimarron side grazed three horses. One was palomino mare, other was grey stallion, and last one was dun mare. It was cold, foggy day, but they didn't complain. They came to meet old friend. After half an hour to the, cantered almost grown up bay filly. They lifted their heads, and nickered, then bay filly grazed too. Palomino mare nuzzled filly, and they started conversation about weather.

About another half hour everybody was grazing. Suddenly Esparanza perked up her head and raised ears. She stared at Forest, and whinnied softly. Palomino mare jogged dun one and so Hope raised her head too. She nickered and looked at Forest closely. Cinnamon came closer and neighed happily, jumped in air and trotted to Wolf and pulled his mane. Wolf raised head of grass stalks and snorted. Bay filly waved head to the Forest. At first wolf just grimaced and rolled eyes, he started lower head to grass, when he saw black stallion. He looked up at him, and suddenly raised head again. Wolf neighed, and they all run to each other, and stopped before territory lines. They all sighed but optimistic Cinnamon. Cinnamon jumped in air and crossed line. She nuzzled Strider, and licked his mane. Then Esparanza came across line, and then both left too. They all nuzzled each other and cheered; everybody was happy. Esparanza and Strider especially…

After some moments, Lightning galloped through Cimarron, and the sight what he saw was breathtaking in negative.

Treaty was broken!

He neighed warningly and trotted to nuzzling and happy young horses. Lightning stomped hoof and stared at Strider. Old, dun stallion blamed Strider on his fault at breaking treaty. But Strider was on different thoughts; it wasn't him who had crossed the line!

Esparanza tried to manage out this conflict, but Lightning snorted at her dangerously. So they continued the conflict- both thought the crossing lines was opposite's fault.

Cinnamon sighed and nuzzled Wolf. Hope sighed too, then nipped her flanks and lowered head. Esparanza went angry. Palomino mare snorted and tried to dodge away, but her father saw that and went really mad and bit his own daughter. Esparanza screamed at pain- yes horses can scream, and galloped away. Strider went mad and tried to fight old leader, but he lost.

Esparanza lied to father that she is asleep, and galloped to the Waterfall- only neutral place on West. She was crying, when Strider, who was near, comforted her. Esparanza nuzzled him, and licked him on cheek, and after some moments this went to something more. Strider mated with her.

Strider went really mad. Lightning didn't believe his daughter was pregnant, and didn't want to send her away. Strider was stubborn, and so was Esparanza. But Lightning didn't want to hear a word about it. Strider shook head. He was much less stubborn than that old crack. And so Strider had an idea. Young stallion crossed territory lines and came in herd. He saw Lightning's expression, and he told him he want to claim Cimarron. Lightning laughed and accepted to fight with Strider.

After some moments, they were really fighting to death. Strider hit Lightning, Lightning hit Strider, till younger stallion remembered that Wolf's move. He slipped under the old dun stallion and suddenly jumped straight in air. Old Lightning landed on ground heavily. Strider raised his legs and kicked Lightning, who was laying on ground. Lightning gasped for air, and after heartbeat, ran away with his life-long mate Sunshine.

Then he nuzzled his new mate and new herd. Everybody neighed in happiness.

Young, few months old palomino colt raised his head from grass. He whinnied, and trotted to his father and they walked around the meadow. Young ones name was Gold. He was Esparanza's and Strider's colt. Father showed him his lands and introduced to his grandfather Freezer, Freezer was very welcoming.

Strider went to Waterfall. Esparanza stood here, happily. Strider came to her and nuzzled her, and she nuzzled him too. She licked his neck, and Strider felt temptation, and licked her shoulder, then back until tail. Esparanza flicked up tail, letting him. Black stallion mounted Esparanza. After that they licked each other and then gone back to Cimarron.

Fast, grown up palomino stallion ran around Cimarron. He neighed loudly, and was happy as newborn colt. He played race with his father, Strider. Young stallion was much faster, but can't blame Strider as 'old' or 'slow'. Strider was now 10 years old, and he ran like 3 years old. Strider watched his son. Of course, Gold won. Gold always won and he was fastest stallion in all Cimarron. He reared up and started playing fight with his father. Suddenly they heard report. It sounded like thunder over land, but there were no clouds. Gold came closer curiously. They heard whistling and thumpering louder and louder, and right in front rid some men on horses. Both wild stallions neighed and galloped as fast as they can, through Cimarron. Mares were starting running either. Suddenly Strider felt rope around his neck. Whistling men were laughing at Strider. Gold couldn't leave his father like that, and kicked men. Men threw a rope around his neck too. Esparanza watched as the intruders took his mate and foal away. She cried.

There was heard a shoot in air. Gold neighed loudly- he saw how his father lays down, and there spills blood out of his neck. Palomino stallion cried- he couldn't take it. He laid down and cried out. There was completely silence but his cries. Some bay female tried to comfort him. That was Mint, his love of life. Gold nuzzled her and then looked at Colonel. He hated him. He will kill him one day.

The End