The next little while passed interestingly for me. The stranger… I did eventually learn his name, but he was always "the stranger" to me… rode me, and I hated him with all my heart. But he was a good rider, and I had to give him some credit for that. But his hands were hard, his voice was hard, he cursed me up and down when the sheik wasn't there, but was was honey sweet when he was.

I galloped for him only because I found comfort in doing it. I was unhappy with him, but I loved my blazing speed. There was nothing quite like stretching out as long as I could, my hooves pounding into the turf as fast as I could go. I had tried bucking as I galloped, but I soon found that the stranger would stop me as soon as I tried, and besides, he had a very good seat. I soon learned that if I galloped, he was more likely to leave me alone.

Sometimes though, he would kick me for all he was worth, but keep a hard hold on my mouth. I didn't understand what he wanted! Did he want me to run, or stop? Sometimes I just went, my head curled to my chest as he pulled back while kicking me. Sometimes I braked and he would yell at me. Often times I swerved all over the place trying to decide what exactly the idiot wanted. He liked to yank my head out to the side, but seemed to do it subtly, so others wouldn't notice what was going on, and then I looked like the fool for weaving around.

He would complain to me to my master, how unpredictable and dangerous I was, and was he absolutely sure that he wanted me to race? But the sheik was firm. I was to race, and the stranger could handle anything I threw at him. The important thing was to make sure I was fit and ready, that I did not fight another horse, and that he stayed on.

My master did frown sometimes when I came back very wet. Then I had to be walked carefully for a long time, for in the desert, water was always a premium. Of course we horses always got as much as we needed, but bathing us was generally kept to a minimum. I remembered when Alec gave me my first bath. I had been horrified at the amount of water gushing out of the skinny thing, which I learned was a hose. Henry certainly had had a time of it holding me as I spooked and danced about. Finally, Alec had gotten a cloth and soaked it in the water and wiped my body with it.

It's funny he's scared of it, Henry. He swam in an ocean, and yet doesn't like this.

No, Alec, horses are strange sometimes. But don't forget Alec, he had to swim or die. I am not sure he's ever been washed from a hose before. His instincts tell him nothing about it. For all he knows, it's a snake, and you told me he killed those.

The voices floated out of the past and I pricked my ears. I had eventually learned to accept water sloshing over me and then the feeling of Alec's fingers scrubbing some white stuff on me. My coat had turned even shinier and I felt good afterwards. Now I wished that I could get another bath, but the walking cooled me anyway. Then Tabari would carefully groom me for a very long time, and turn my dried sweaty coat silky and smooth. With lots of grooming, far more somehow than even Alec had, she would turn it glossy.

I did not work out every day. The days I did not, I often trailed behind Jôhar. I liked the pale mare and she liked me, very much. We had become friends once again, although the sheik did not permit us to be turned out together. However, sometimes I would be let out with the rest of the geldings and mares with foals into a small band where the grass was fresher and greener. It still was nowhere near the greenness of my old place, but it was very nice.

To my disappointment, none of the mares were in heat, but I liked one brown mare who had a very pretty filly foal at foot. I nosed the filly and snorted softly. Although I had never met her, she seemed familiar somehow. Finally I decided that she was a half sister of mine, and my sire must have sired her. I snorted again as the mare pinned her ears back at me for getting too close and friendly with her foal and I moved off again.

The roan had joined me at this point and was grazing alongside me. I didn't mind him now at all, and was glad for his familiar company. I sniffed noses before squealing then prancing off. I suddenly bumped into a flaxen chestnut gelding. He screamed and lashed out with his heels. I screamed right back at him and gave him a stallion version of a glare. The idiot didn't seem to realize he was a gelding and pranced right up to the brown mare and tried to flirt with her.

The mare quickly pinned her ears back and wheeled with her hindquarters to the chestnut, threatening to kick while keeping her foal safe. The chestnut still leaned forward and tried to nibble at her, only to get heels in his face. Again the stupid horse tried to get the mare's interest, and that's where I stepped in. I whinnied sharply and slammed into the chestnut's side to get him away from my brown mare. He was rather startled, but started to kick at me.

We started to fight in earnest when I felt something along side me also give a good kick. Turning my head slightly, to my surprise, I found the roan had joined the fight, putting himself in between the mare and foal and the chestnut. Faced with two angry horses, one a stallion no less...the flaxen chestnut saw in a moment that he was beaten. Now he turned tail and dashed to the other side of the band.

We had a good bit of fun keeping him out of the herd as punishment. He ran back and forth, trying to get back in, as his instincts said. But since I had stated myself as leader, he was not allowed back in. Finally, he gave in. I saw him lick and chew with his mouth, the ear flick in towards me. I waited a little longer and now the chestnut's head would drop to the ground as his trot became slower. That satisfied me and I turned away from the chestnut and stood beside the brown mare. I didn't even react when the filly poked me curiously.

The chestnut stopped dead, puffing slightly. He looked my way then at the other horses in the band. He hesitated, unsure of me. I did not look at him but rubbed my head on the brown mare's back quite unconcernedly. Eventually the chestnut stepped towards the band, and then sighed in relief when I allowed him back in.

My master had watched me very carefully with this entire thing, then laughed when the chestnut meekly began grazing. He rode up to me on his bay and spoke kindly to me. I flung my head up at his voice and trotted over eagerly. He had a little treat in his hand and I lipped it up after playfully nipping the bay.

"Shêtân, you devil!" he instantly scolded me but then smiled. The sheik was satisfied that I would not cause problems out here and that I seemed to settle quickly. Therefore I was allowed to stay out here with the band now that I had proven myself to the sheik that I would not be stupid and go after the other horses. I was glad to be a part of a band again, and have mares of my own. I did suspect that when these mares showed heat, I or they would be taken away until the proper time as deemed by my master. I remembered well myself as a leggy foal and seeing such things. I had never understood it, but I trusted my master to know what was best.

I grazed all night next to the brown mare and her frisky filly. It was very nice, having her on one side, and the roan on the other. The flaxen chestnut stayed well out of my way. The only thing missing was my white mare. Although there plenty of other greys here, I missed Jôhar. She was mine. The one I wanted most. But I had her friendship, and as soon as Tabari would come out to ride, I would gallop over and tag along gladly.

This continued for the next few days: grazing, watching over the band, getting my gallops with the stranger, riding out with Jôhar, getting fed and groomed by either Tabari or the sheik. Life was very peaceful. Once in a while, I would scent the chestnut stallion, or hear him scream, but he was always very far away, so I did not worry. All was at peace and right with the world.

Until one day a familiar scent came on the breeze from up the clefts of the rocks.