Hey all, couldn't help myself. It's a crossover with Spirit: Stallion of the Cimaron, hope you enjoy this.
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Alfred was out west, making his rounds of the various forts positioned out there to keep the settlers safe. He personally thought it wasn't necessary but his government felt else wise. It was just after dark as he was approaching the next fort he would be looking over. Usually he would have stopped for the night and rested, but he was close enough that he felt it would be better to be in a real bed that night.
"Hello in there!" He called out to the men on watch.
"Who's there?"
"Colonel Alfred Jones. Here to inspect the fort."
He stood out there for a few minutes as they watchman checked with his superior that they were expecting him. Not long later the gate of the fort was being opened and he was being invited in.
"Well lad, I must say, I'm surprised you're arriving so late."
"I was pretty close when the sun started to go down so I just continued on."
"Hmm. Well it's probably for the best. There have been reports of hostiles in the area. We wouldn't want anything to happen to the government's official." It was then that the resident colonel noticed his lack of entourage. "Odd though that you travel alone."
Alfred chuckles and dismounts his horse. He grabs his saddle bag and rifle from the saddle before handing the horse off to one of the hands with a pat. "I find it better to travel by myself, and light for that matter." Just then he notices the horse and native both tied to separate posts in the yard of the fort. It was dark so he couldn't see much of either. He nods his head in their direction. "What's with those two?"
The colonel looks at the two in the yard, scoffing slightly. "We caught the hostile earlier today near our supply wagons. He wouldn't talk so I had him tied to that post."
"And the horse?" Alfred was already frowning from the native's treatment, he wasn't sure he wanted to know about why the horse was being treated in such a way.
"It's wild. We've been having some trouble breaking it." The colonel put a hand on his shoulder and led him to the barracks. "You must be tired, lets find you a place to rest."
Nodding Alfred lets himself be led away by the colonel, sparing a glance back at the two prisoners.
It was early the next morning and Alfred found himself laying awake in his borrowed bed. He had been awaken by a wolf howling outside the fort. Normally that wasn't enough to keep the young nation awake at so early an hour. No it was that whenever the wolf howled it was answered by a hooting owl that was within the fort. Even if it wasn't something the soldiers would pick up on, he knew that the native in the yard was calling for help. He hoped he would be able to get out before the morning. He didn't really want to see how the colonel thought it was best to deal with hostile natives. Before much longer he heard the bugle sounding. Alfred let out a groan, he doubted the native had gotten himself free by now.
Rolling out of bed he shoves his feet into his boots and then heads out to the arriving there he sees the horse being saddled and the colonel was looking ready to ride him. Shaking his head Alfred looks over at the prisoner and sees a glint in his hand. It seemed he had gotten his hands on a knife. Alfred was glad, but then he looked back at the morning's spectacle. It seemed that they were ready to break the stallion. It saddened him, it was such a spirited horse, it didn't deserve such rough treatment.
Alfred watched as the colonel roughly broke in the stallion. He sadly shook his head as it seemed the colonel had won. That was until the stallion did something no one would have expected, he threw the colonel. It took everyone by surprise. The men then seized the horse as the colonel ordered it held still. Alfred made to stop him as he drew his gun and took aim. He was slower than the native however that choose that moment to jump into action. The following scene was one that had ALfred nearly rolling on the ground laughing. The horse teamed with the native and sprung the other horses from the stable. The made a mockery of the soldiers before bolting out the gate. Alfred really wished he could go with them as he watched them ride off.
Alfred stayed at the fort for a few weeks, settling into the routing of the daily life there. Nearing the end of his stay the colonel gathered the soldiers together. They had located the camp of some Lakota nearby. Alfred frowned at hearing the plan to attack them. It wasn't like they were causing any problems, they just had land that the settlers wanted for themselves. He hated that his government would be so callous about the native people of his land but his voice was lost amongst the cries of so many others.
Alfred sought out the colonel after the men were sent to prepare themselves and asked to accompany them during the attack. At first the colonel was apprehensive to let the young government official come along. Alfred was very persistent though and convinced him to let him go along.
Going along was not what he expected. Sometime Alfred hated that he appeared so young. He knew he didn't look much older than 16 but he was much older. So here he was stuck at the back of the cavalry. He found it rather degrading but put up with it none the less. When they reached the crest of the hill over native's camp Alfred nearly cried out in warning, but it was not fast enough. They attacked before he could do anything though. He couldn't bring himself to ride down on the people scrambling before the soldiers. Then he saw that stallion running about. He watched it cross the village and head for the river. There he saw the colonel with his gun drawn on the native that had escaped with the stallion. He rushed his own horse into a gallop toward them as the horse the native was on reared and the colonel let loose his shot. It sent both horse and rider into the water. The native managed to grab hold of a rock in the raging river while the horse was swept downstream. The stallion knocked the gun from the colonel's hand, sparing the native before rushing down after the other horse. Alfred watched in amazement before he noticed the colonel scrambling to go after the escaping native.
"Colonel! That's enough, let him go."
The colonel shot him an angry look, "Not to be rude, but you're not the one in charge here young man. You may be a government official, but that's all you are."
Alfred let a frown cross his face before turning his horse away. Heading up stream a bit he made to cross the river.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm going to make sure things don't get worse" WIth that he rode off to follow where the native had run.
It didn't take him very long to catch up to the man and once he did he made sure to show that he meant him no harm. What probably made it more convincing was him getting off his horse and speaking in the Lakota's native language.
I twasn't but a few hours later that they came across the two horses, but they were too late to help the stallion. Alfred scowled after the soldiers hauling it away but he knew the horse they had left needed help more. Besides, he thought to himself, that stallion seemed to be able to take care of himself. Turning back to the native, he learned his name was Little Creek, he saw him hovering over the injured horse. Heaving a sigh he stepped over and knelt beside them.
"I can help you get her to someone that can heal her. She needs to get out of the water first or it will only get worse."
"Yes, but how?"
Smirking Alfred stood slightly before heaving the beast of burden out of the river and onto his shoulders. Sometimes it was fun to show off his strength as the reactions he got were always rather entertaining. With a bit of coaxing he got Little Creek to lead him back to his people where they were summarily stared at. Well Alfred was stared at for carrying a horse. Leaving the mare with the healer he followed Little Creek as he began to gather some supplies.
"Where you going?"
"I am going to repay my debt. That mustang saved my life, the least I can do is see him be free."
Alfred nods and goes over to his horse, which had followed him to the village. "Hey there Liberty, I'm going to leave you behind for a bit." He reaches up and unsaddles the horse, taking the bridle and bags. He speaks with some of the villagers and asks them to look after his things he can't take with him before throwing the saddle bags over his shoulder and slinging his rifle across his back. Then he pats Liberty one last time before letting her run off. He knows she'll come back when he needs her. She always does.
"You ready to go then?"
Little Creek stares at him as if he is the strangest thing on the planet, which he supposed wasn't too far from how the other viewed him.
A few weeks later found the pair nearing the work camp for the railroad. It was also about then that all hell broke loose as the forest seemed to burst into flames around them. They ran from the flames and came across the stallion, nearly choking on a chain wrapped round his neck and tangle on a tree. Little Creek quickly cut the stallion free of the branch the chain was tangled on while alfred grabbed the chain and they led him out of the fiery forest. They found themselves at a cliff and jumped into the river below.
Sufficiently safe from the blaze Alfred watched as Little Creek removed the chain from the stallion's neck, telling it to leave, that he was free. Just as he was doing so they found themselves with soldiers bearing down on them. They all ran, but the shots fired by the soldiers caused Little Creek to stumble. Before Alfred could do anything the stallion was scooping the boy onto his back and would have gone for Alfred as well but Liberty came flying down toward them and he mounted his own steed.
They ran. Over the plain out to the desert. They weaved through a gorge and managed to pick off several of the mounted soldiers. When they were left with only the colonel and two others they found themselves at a cliff drop off, with seemingly now where to go. Then the stallion lead the way up a pinnacle of rock to a platform above the soldier's heads. Once up there Alfred realized there wasn't another place they could run to from up here. Then he saw the stallion preparing to run and saw what he was planning. Following his lead he made himself ready at his side. They bolted across the flat top rocky hi-rise, Alfred mere paces behind the other two. The stallion leapt and so did Liberty. It was wonderful, it felt like they were flying.
The landing was a bit rough but all managed it. They looked back across the gorge to the soldiers and ALfred watched as one pulled his rifle on them, only to be stopped by the colonel.
"Leave them be."
"But sir."
"I'd listen to him soldier." Alfred smirks across at them as Little Creek and the stallion get up. "If you shoot I'll be sure to take every one of those bullets. There will not be more blood shed, these two have earned their freedom."
Little Creek understood and they both mounted and rode off.
It wasn't long before they found themselves back at the village, reuniting the stallion with the mare he had tried to protect and save. Alfred could tell how happy he was to see the mare. He watched as Little Creek removed his mark, the feather, from the mare and let both the stallion and the mare run free. He even named the stallion, Spirit that will not be broken. With a heartfelt good bye he waved them off, but before they would leave Spirit came up to Alfred and nudged him. Resting a hand on the horse's head he bid his own farewell.
"You deserve what freedom you were born with. I'm sorry that the humans of this land do not understand this." He knew he was understood and the two horses left, running off into the sunset.
Once they were gone Little Creek turned to Alfred, hand held out. "Thank you. Though you did not owe it to me or to Spirit."
"I didn't do it for any reason other than I felt he deserved to be free. I suppose that I may have done it because the two of you reminded me of myself."
"You are a strange man Alfred Jones."
"Yeah, but this land was built to be free."
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That ending may have sucked, royally, but hey I hoped you enjoyed it. This is a cross over with Spirit so you should know that movie somewhat if you don't already. This should really be at the beginning though because I have spoilers. Screw it. Please review.