Hey, just wanted to let it be known that I have all of the horses in the future of this series planned out, and let me tell you something: This is gonna be a LONG series.
Chapter Four: Whinny
I had no idea where we were going. The only horses who may were my parents, and to be honest, I'm not even sure if they did.
I was lonely. Ember was busy leading the herd, Hidalgo was at the back, nipping at stragglers(a/n: I HATE it when people always assume that stallions always run at the head of the herd like they do in movies...), and of course, the other foals were never around to play. Foals were kept in the middle of the herd, since all of us were old enough to be away from our mothers' sides at all times.
I was constantly worried for poor Whinny. She would never make it through, I thought. She was so weak and tiny...
But time passed, and she stayed alive...
Barely.
To keep myself entertained, I kept my thoughts on Summer Sky. I hoped that she was alright. I wished that I had time to say goodbye. What had she thought when she found that I was gone? Was she worried, was she sad, or angry... But the scariest thing to think of was:
Maybe she was glad.
I didn't know why, I just knew that it would affect me a lot if she felt that way. Surely she would never...
But maybe...
No!
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Time passed, and we trudged on. Whinny's condition worsened. She was coughing, breathing hard, just not responding to her mother trying to stroke her with her tongue...
And finally, one night, I decided that I couldn't ignore her.
The wind was blowing, and snow was falling. Red Rock and Queenie were, once again, huddled up together, and once again, Whinny was alone.
I walked over to her and nickered. She looked up with her glassy eyes, fear mixed with curiosity and friendliness. My heart filled with sympathy. Poor filly. Seven months old, and still no friends. I sidled up to her, knowing that this may help a bit. Whinny snorted, then sighed.
She was shivering, just in the cold. A soft nicker came from behind me, and I looked up and saw my father, a look of pride on his face. I was helping a horse who needed it. I was making him proud.
The night went on, and Whinny grew weaker. I knew that my attempts were futile...
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I woke the next morning, and found that Whinny had collapsed in the snow, dead. I stared at her, and then heard soft crunching behind me.
There was Sage.
I felt so bad. The look on her face as she nosed her filly, that sadness... I had failed. But a muzzle rubbed against my ear, and I knew my father was proud.
Sage mourned for the rest of the morning, and finally, Hidalgo couldn't let her anymore. He nipped her to get her to move, but she whirled around to bite him, anger on her face. He laced his ears back, and after much 'persuasion' Sage was back into the herd.
But I knew that she was still mourning.
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Time passed, and we went on. I think that my sire finally had an idea about where we were going, so that assured us all.
Finally, after a month of traveling, we came upon it. A little valley that was safe from the harsh weather. A place for the herd to stay.
I watched as Ember visibly seemed to light up at the sight of this. Her stomach was swollen with a foal soon to be born in a couple months.
I hoped that we wouldn't have to do this next year. In our land, winter storms like that were rare.
As I galloped down to the lush grass, I saw Queenie and Red Rock grooming each other. And then, my gaze turned to Sage, who's head was low as she walked down. My heart burned with anger. Those two... if they had just helped me... maybe Whinny would have lived...
In my rage, I ran up and sank my teeth into Queenie's withers. The dun filly squealed in pain, and Red Rock turned to try to kick me. I twisted out of his range, and looked him straight in the eyes. Horses communicate a lot with body language, but with their eyes as well.
"You can't fight me," His eyes said, "Our father may punish you."
I lashed my tail-which was no longer fluffy and foalish- in anger. "Yes," My eyes hissed, "But one day, when we are older, I can promise you this. I will make you pay for your ill deeds."
But he simply whinnied in laughter and turned back to Queenie. I turned, snorting, and found my father gazing at me. There was that pride in his eyes. He didn't like Red Rock much either, something that was strange.
I realized that there something I was determined to do.
I am Desert Sun.
I will follow in my father's hoofprints.
I shall be great.
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I don't know why, but I just LOVE Desert Sun. Summer Sky too, poor Whinny as well...
