Chapter 14

That rainy spring night, Flight Angel's heart galloped across the land. No longer did she lay shivering on the cold, rocky bottom of the creek bed, or feel the searing pain of the gunshot wound in her withers, but instead her mind enveloped her sleep, taking her far, far away.

At first, she recognized blurs or color. A racing pad, a jockeys jacket, a flash of white rail, the silver sheen of a frothy bit. Suddenly she realized she was at the track, and instantaneously, the pictures became more vivid. The soft colors of the paint that led her to the gate came into view, and then finally the gate itself, glowing green in the morning light. In an instant she was running once again, the bell ringing in her ears, the entire race ran a dreamy blur. Except the line, the flash of the blinding camera, and in slow motion she wrote herself into the records of history.

But suddenly there was another flash. Her face felt hot and her hooves tingled with a burning heat. A fire. It enveloped her, she was screaming. Gypsy Caravan was there, amongst a ball of burning flame, her eyes rolling white with intense fear.

"Gypsy!" Flight Angel screamed, and choked as the fire burned her straining lungs. "Gypsy run!"

The bay disappeared behind a wall of fierce flame, and Flight Angel struggled to keep herself standing. She was strangling, the smoke was burning her eyes, and pulsing fear throughout her entire body. For a few more moments, she struggled, backing and spinning on her haunches but there was no way out. Slowly, she laid herself within the blanket of glowing orange, and her eyes closed in defeat. Then all at once, her world became dark.

It enveloped her, caressing her body with a cool, comforting security. The fear drained from her body as she floated in mid-air, her legs dangling before her as she was lowered deeper into a dark abyss. Gently, she felt earth gather around her with a refreshing coldness. And as she moved her legs, she realized, although she could see nothing, that it was sand.

Slowly she lifted herself to her feet, shaking from her the granules of sand like a sheet of water. Suddenly she gasped as something brushed against her, and the fear rushed back within her veins. Her nostrils fluttered, and although her muscles tensed, she had nowhere to run. The darkness kept her.

A shaft of light unexpectedly fell upon the sandy floor a few strides from where she stood. And although it perplexed her that this light had no source, she could do nothing but stare at it's remarkable beauty. Flight Angel's eyes clouded as before her, this light began to dance like a bright reflection upon a dark pond surface. Then suddenly, a figure swept through the illumination, and disappeared once again into the darkness, but instead of fleeing, Flight Angel stepped foreword. This presence was somehow drawing her towards it.

"Hello?" she whispered, only to hear the faint response of her own echo returning to her. And although no one answered, more shafts of light appeared on all sides of her. She spun in confusion as they leapt through the darkness, and fell silently upon the sand-covered floor. A wind tangled her wispy forelock, and her pupils dilated as before her, the figure emerged.

It was a stallion, black as night, and the most beautiful horse Flight Angel had ever seen. Although she could almost say she recognized him, he was nothing but a shadow, and his form rippled in the softly blowing breeze. A specter of what she thought she knew.

He must of seen her standing there, gaping stupidly at his immaculate form, but if he did, he showed no sign of it, for after a moment, he began to dance. He lifted his fetlocks high into the air, the sand swirling and falling around his ebony hooves. His neck bent left and right as he circled, his beautiful form showing no flaw, no hesitation.

The stallion leapt like a lippizan, and fell from the shaft of light only to reappear in another. Flight Angel found herself spinning with him, her eyes unable to tear themselves away. His massive form pawed the air as he cantered collectively, his long mane and tail dancing with him in the shadows. Slowly he slid to a stop in the light before her, and lowered his head in an impressive bow. She gasped as his mane fell away from his face, and she realized his eyes were golden brown.

"Blackbird!" she exclaimed delightedly as she cantered towards him. The specter froze at attention, his eyes gleaming at her in the incandescence. She halted before him, afraid to enter the billowing pool of light. He lowered his head, his eyes expressing welcome as he backed slowly from her. With caution, Flight Angel placed her hoof in the illumination, and gasped as she realized that the beautiful light, was cold.

The black stallion nodded his approval, and slowly she took another step. The light blinded her, but his presence pulled her, and in a moment, she was standing right before him. She watched his delicately carved nostrils flutter in exhaustion from the dance, and his hard muscles ripple beneath his flawless form as he strained foreword. But his eyes were saddened, and full of longing, and she could not understand why he had brought her here. Why this place even existed. A tear rolled down his cheek, and without even thinking, Flight Angel wrapped her neck around his.

"I forgive you Blackbird, please don't leave me again" she whispered. But before she could take her next breath, he was gone, and she was desperately alone once again.

A/N: I'm sorry it has been so long everyone, but here you are, chapter 14. It's a dreamscape just in case you couldn't tell, and yeah, it has some significance. I don't like it, I think I rushed it too much but let me know what you think! Next chappie should come very soon!