Chapter 1 - Longing
The Black lowered his head and grabbed a small bit of hay between his teeth and chewed. He brought his head up to look out of his stall, and Alec was nearing. He grew excited and his heart skipped a beat. He whinnied softly.
"Morning, Black!" he said cheerfully, gently stroking the Black's muzzle. To Alec, it seemed as if he was smiling. "You ready to get a workout?" he asked, unlocking the stall door and letting the Black run out into the pasture. Alec tried to chase him around the rectangular-shaped pasture, but he didn't succeed.
"Wow, boy, you sure are energetic today!" Alec said. The Black stopped and Alec hugged him tightly. The Black lowered his head into Alec's shoulder.
"He's always energetic," Henry said, hopping over the fence, nearing the two. The Black brought his head up and nudged Henry in the back gently, pushing him forward. Henry smiled and grabbed him and gave him a bear hug (well, in this case, a horse hug).
"Morning, Henry. Where are we taking him today?" Alec asked as the Black came up beside him. Alec stroked his back as they spoke.
"I figured we'd take him down to the creek and let him relax today. Race season is over," Henry said, pouring some water into his trough. The Black drank some gratefully.
"I'm sure he'd like that," Alec said, patting him on the right hindquarter gently. He didn't move.
"Well, we don't have to take him right now," Henry said. "Maybe at around 11."
"Okay," Alec said, grabbing a brush for the Black.
"Well, Im'ma go clean out his stall. It's my turn today," Henry said, walking over to the Black's stall.
"Kay, Henry," Alec said, stroking the Black's soft, velvety muzzle. The Black froze, enjoying the moment. Alec laughed. "You like that, boy?"
The Black seemed to grin as his ears went back with relaxtion. Suddenly, his expression turned upside-down and he sniffed the air. Alec stopped stroking him immediately as the Black ran over to the far side of the fence that overlooked the wide-open wild country plain.
There was a herd of wild horses running across the plain, their scent filling the Black's nose with uncertainy and longing. Longing to be free once again, and uncertainy at the thought of actually leaving. Did he really want to leave the boy that he loved dearly to just run free with his own kind?
The Black stopped his thoughts and focused in hard on the horses running across the field. The leader, a strong, headstrong, protective stallion, whinnied his triumph call as he halted his pace on the hill and his herd ran into the field that the hill overlooked. His mane blew in the wind and his pure white coat rippled.
Alec watched curiously as the Black became a whole different horse. He reared up onto his back legs and whinnied, his sound heard for miles and miles on end. The leader looked up, his ears back and his eyes filled with rage and fury at the scent and smell of another stallion that could threaten him, and take away his mares. The Black soon after matched his expression and turned around to meet Alec once again.
Alec furrowed his brow and patted the Black's right foreleg gently. He reached down onto the ground and grabbed his halter, clipped it to the Black's bridle, and led him into his stall as the Black continued to stare at the herd down below.
End of Chapter 1
So how'd you like it? Anxious to see what happens? Review and maybe I'll update faster!
