Disclaimer: Terri Farley owns The Phantom, Sam, River Bend Ranch and Jake. Cos if I owned it Sam and Jake would be together 3

Sam reached out a pale peach hand and pressed it against the horse's silver shoulder. Her blue eyes traveled from the cracked blue hooves to the silver pointed ivory ears. It was him, her Blackie. "Zanzibar" she murmured, her auburn hair flying around in a gust of night wind. The stallion's intelligent brown eyes stared into her. Sam could have cried at the pure beauty of the young mustang stallion. His pale coat was lightly dappled with molten silver craters of silken hair. The Phantom, her Phantom. His nostrils flared wide, taking in the wind and a world of new scents. Sam cast a glance back at River Bend Ranch; no one had come looking for her yet, that was good. The gorgeous horse cocked his dished Arabian like head and whinnied lowly. His tiny velvety ink black muzzle bumped Sam's neck and her heart soared. Blackie still remembered her. Suddenly memories of a lanky pure black colt wearing a makeshift red fabric hackamore bridle filled her head. She smiled sadly; though they still had a bond, freedom would always separate her from her horse. The mustang nickered again and this time Ace answered his neigh from the barn. Sam breathed in cooling August air and sighed. This is where she belonged, on the ranch, with horses. The Phantom was being particularly tame tonight. Sam walked across the bridge that ran over the La Charla River and the Phantom followed. She stood on a large rock and took in a deep breath. At first she just put weight against Zanzibar's back, so he'd know the feeling, the stallion didn't startle. Slowly and steadily Sam lowered herself onto the wild mustang's back. She grabbed handfuls of his long, tangled silver mane in her hands. The Phantom walked around, snorting at the feeling of the girl on his back. Sam laughed giddily, just then Blackie burst into a flowing trot, then a canter and finally a heart stopping, jaw breaking gallop. Sam leaned forward on the horse's neck like a jockey; his mane flew in her face. Eventually Sam raised her head to see where they were. The Phantoms secret cave. She sighed and smiled, this was the most amazing place in the world and Sam absolutely loved it. Hours later Sam was back on the bridge that crossed the La Charla. The Phantom stood before her. Her eyes, again, ran up his body, taking in the lovely horse's sight. His legs were long and muscular, his chest large with great lung capacity, his neck was arched like a Swan's, his body was long and lean, his tail highest like a fountain spurting forth from his gently sloping croups. His mane was windblown and dirty, and his head, dished as an Arabian's. "Goodbye Zanzibar" she whispered into the bur filled mane. The stallion gently nuzzled his girl, then he fled, going back to the herd he protected. Sam had a smiled plastered across her face. When she turned around the smile was wiped off of her face. There was Jake, standing in the ranch yard, his long black hair blowing away from his russet skinned face. "Hello brat" 'Crap'