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Chapter 28

The Curse Of The Mad Wolf

"Knew he was a killer first time that I saw him
Wonder how many girls he had loved and left haunted
But if he's a ghost, then I can be a phantom
Holdin' him for ransom"

– Ready For It by Taylor Swift

"If Spirit saved Little Creek, and you and that wild filly helped me get to the village...then...what happened to Bolder?"

"Bolder?...I'll be honest, Rain...I completely forgot about him." Great Conquest spoke up hesitantly, after an interval of short silence. He lowered his head, unable to escape the feeling of shame that suddenly seemed to flow through him. "Let's hope he's okay. I mean, he's been a wild horse all his life. He can surely take care of himself. I'm positive." He attempted to sound somewhat convincing, comforting not just the worried mare with these words, but his own self as well. There was a pregnant pause. Was Rain even listening to him? The grey war stallion halted in his steps and turned to look at the quiet, young mare, who had failed to respond to him. "Rain? Are you alright?" His ears flickered towards the beautiful paint.

"Um..." Rain looked as though she had been chained to one spot, her legs were immobile. "...Conquest?"

"...R-rain?" The stallion furrowed his brows in uncertainty.

"I...I think..." She commenced, her voice scarping out of her throat timorously. "...I think my...my water just broke." Her blue gaze pierced the confused Great Conquest.

"Impossible!" Dismissed the 'all-knowing' stallion. "You weren't even waxing."

"But my water broke!" The mare said forcefully, becoming all anxious and agitated.

Silver Moon and Aranda, who had been grazing few feet away from the two horses, but still kept watchful eyes on the heavily pregnant Rain, hastily rushed to her side as soon as they noticed her state. "Oh dear!" Exclaimed Aranda in excitement. "The foal's coming!"

"You're okay, Rain...you've got this." Silver Moon assured, giving her an encouraging nuzzle.

"What are you two talking about?" Great Conquest scoffed, staring at the mares with a dumbfounded expression.

"I'm in labour, you idiot!" Rain cried at last, yelping in pain and discomfort.

"What? Isn't it early?" Wondered the stallion, but nevertheless raced towards her, trying to support her weight as his mind finally started to process the thrilling event. "Lean on me...okay, okay! It's happening! It's REALLY HAPPENING!" He announced, overwhelmed with anxiousness. The foal was arriving, after all!

Rain moaned, razor-sharp ache doubling around her swollen belly. Bracing herself against the excited stallion did not relieve the severe tension in her abdomen. Part of her began to worry that an early delivery could be dangerous for her coming foal. But another part of her was so ready for the throbbing and painful heaviness to leave her body, her muscles and bones. The awful soreness and ache...it was tearing her open inside. She haunched over, dropping her head and tucking it towards her huge stomach.

"Hey Rain! Look at me," Great Conquest attempted to lift her chin. "Take deep breaths, deep breaths. In and out, in and out." He demonstrated, rapidly losing his composure with over-excitement.

"Yes, that's it. Remember to breathe!" Enlivened Silver Moon added.

"Breathe, Rain. Breathe." Aranda's voice rang out.

"Yes, in and out. Inhale and exhale!" Frantic grey stallion mentored, as the other Lakota horses curiously trotted towards them, flocking around Rain.

"I'm TRYING!" Snapped the frustrated mare, scaring the restless horses with her angry outburst. Pain...that's all she could think about. There was so much pain. Burning, tearing, gripping, white, hot pain. And Great Conquest's hysterical fussing was definitely not helping! She sucked in her breath, attempting to exhale the air from her lungs rather slowly. She felt submerged with everyone encircling her, uttering different words of encouragement or advice. It was all too much! She needed to get away from them! She needed privacy! The aching sensation temporarily faded from her stomach and Rain found herself sighing in relief.

"I'll do this on my own." She collected all of her strength, panting hard. "Leave me in peace...all of you."

"Yes, of course." Aranda agreed almost immediately. As a former wild horse, she knew that mares required tranquility and bit of seclusion while giving birth. "Clear the way, everyone! Let her get some air. Nature will take its course." She told the other Lakota horses, as Rain plodded towards the apple trees, hoping to be left in solitude.

"We'll wait for you here." Silver Moon smiled in happiness.

"But what about Little Creek?" Great Conquest asked, looking all frenzied. He was certainty not thrilled about having to be forced away from Rain's side. He figured it would be a lot safer if at least her caring human were there, watching out for the paint mare in case of emergency. "I'll alert him!"

"No!" Rain's ears instantly lay flat. "He's healing. Let him rest." As she said this, the uncomfortable pain stung her again, returning to hurt her belly once more. "Just..." She groaned, focusing on her strained breathing. "...get...S-spirit." She gasped out.

The heat, the horrible, aching sensation send shivers around her body, her stomach was hurting so bad that she could barely concentrate on anything else. The contractions were simply too harsh for her inexperienced physique. In her desperate grapple to withstand the pounding cramps on her swelled up stomach, she could think of only one thing that would solace her. "Call...Spirit...catch up to him. I'm sure he hasn't gone too far." The pain subsided again, giving Rain a moment to speak. "I need him...I want him here."

"Spirit? What? Why?" Great Conquest frowned in displeasure, quite taken by surprise with Rain's unexpected request.

"GET THE FATHER OF MY FOAL, PLEASE!" Screamed the young mare on top of her lungs, as the throbbing, torturing ache rushed back to inflict pain on her yet again.

Realizing that Rain's demand was truly serious, Great Conquest nodded nervously. "Right!" He stumbled and gulping in anxiousness, turned to River and Blaze. "You heard her! Get the sire!"

"You want us to go?" Blaze questioned reluctantly, staring at him wide-eyed.

"Go ahead, damn you!" Burst the impatient, grey stallion.

"Like now?" River asked in confusion.

"No, tomorrow!" Sarcastically ridiculed the flustered war horse. "YES, NOW! You absolute MORONS!"

Luckily Great Conquest had to shout no more because the two horses exploded in to a swiftest gallop they could master and flew out of the camp, desperately attempting to overtake Spirit.

The ancient legend says that on a distant hill, he watches the pack...his pack, as they wander through the flatlands below. Once upon a time, he was a strong and fearless leader, who commanded their respect, but as age became his enemy, a new alpha male has taken his place. The scars he bears tell of a time when strength and dominance were his closest allies and obedience ruled his realm. Cast out and away from everything he held dear, he is now called the LoneWolf as he drifts in solitude, his heart heavy and oh, so empty. The chill of the wind cuts through his once prized coat while he gazes upon the pack one last time. Big white wolf, is king no more. He has become nothing but an outsider, whom his family and friends now reject. As time begins to slip away, he knows his days are numbered. His heart once held love, loyalty and companionship, now it is slowly growing into a shred of ice and getting darker and darker. Love has transformed into hate, loyalty has faded into treachery, and he no longer seeks friendship but craves blood. A word has spread across the lands that there is a cursed wolf roaming in solitude. At night he howls no more but like a silent hawk swoops on his own kind. He has become mad, some say...his bite results into same madness. Foaming, growling with red, blood-shot eyes, he knows he is meeting his end. But he won't be going alone...he will be taking as many creatures with him as he can. If he is cursed and doomed to this misery, so will everyone! "It's the mad wolf's curse!" Caws the golden Eagle in the limitless sky. "Stay away!" But who can predict when the night arrives and he attacks? His sharp bite has the ability to curse others...it causes the same mad havoc on any animal that falls prey to his vicious teeth...be it a carnivore, omnivore or a herbivore. Woe to those who catch the Curse Of The Mad Wolf! For they are bound to go as mad as he...they are bound to curse others as he...they are bound to meet their demise as he...

A pale, gleaming palomino stallion was standing in the middle of the Cimarron valleys, half of his attention was fixed on his own herd and Spirit's herd, and the other half was focusing on the young Lone Stallion that was still lying unconscious on the bank of the river. He had asked Blizzard and Snowstorm, coming three year old colts from Spirit's band, to guard the son of Flint closely, while Misty, Goonda, and Scarlet, accompanied by Lightening, had gone off to find the special herb. He wondered if he was risking the safety of his family by listening to Misty. His mind couldn't stop thinking about the ancient legend of the mad wolf's curse. There was a reason why all the living animals feared that disease so much. It was incurable...or perhaps, no one tried to cure it until now? Anyone that became affected by the curse was quickly killed before they became dangerous to the society.

Cloud's heart was racing like no other. What if Bolder started to show signs of aggression and were to bite one of the herd members? He hoped that the mares and the colt would return soon with a good news. After all, if Esperanza had allowed them to go and find the plant, who was he to object? Misty was from Spirit's band...Cloud did not have a final say over her. But he was debating whether it was a reasonable decision to have his own family involved in a hazardous undertaking like that. These doubts caused him to send word to Flint, the father of the cursed stallion. He deserved to know about the type of situation his firstborn was stuck in. Just then, Cloud's train of thought came to a sudden stop, when he noticed his beautiful, strawberry appaloosa lead mare, Wildflower, making her way towards him, with Esperanza jogging by her side. From what he could see, both of the mares looked rather unnerved and troubled. Who wouldn't after these frightening events?

"Cloud," Nickered Wildflower, giving him that familiar look he knew too well. She had the same expression every time he did something that displeased her. "Esperanza tells me that you have decided to spare the cursed stallion. What are you thinking?" She demanded, glaring at him in disbelief. "Wisdom has abandoned the lead mare of the Cimarron, but we will not be following her path."

"There's still a chance for him to survive." Insisted the creamy mare. "There's this –"

"Herb. I know." Cut in Wildflower, rolling her eyes at Esperanza. "What makes you think it will work? No one has tried to heal the curse of the mad wolf before. This is reckless and stupid!" She snorted.

"Calm down, Wildflower." Cloud chimed tactfully. "I realize you're worried, but getting upset won't solve the problem."

"You're right." Nodded his lead mare in agreement. "You know what will solve the problem though? Getting rid of that infected horse!"

"Don't you think that's a bit harsh, considering that we may be able to heal him?" Esperanza spoke up. "Imagine the pain of his mother and father when they found out–"

"If we don't do this, he will endanger our own children!" Wildflower argued back. "But wait...why would you care? Your son isn't even here, so that's not a problem for you." She narrowed her eyes at Esperanza angrily.

"Wildflower!" Cloud snapped at her. "Know your place!"

The mare immediately quieted down, however the tensions between them were truly rising high. Sighing, Esperanza commenced with a soft tone. "I know that this isn't simple. It's hard for all of us. I too have a responsibility for my herd, you aren't the only ones. Now is the time to come together...we can't be against each other. Not now, not ever."

"Esperanza's right, my dear." Cloud turned to his lead mare, after a moment of silence. "Let's wait for Misty to come back. If the cure won't work, we'll go back to our first plan. Alright?" He nuzzled her affectionately.

"Alright." The mare sniffed. "I'm just so scared."

"We all are." Esperanza told her softly. "But we must stay strong."

"You are right. I'm sorry, Esperanza." Wildflower nickered apologetically. "I don't know what came over me."

"It's okay...I understand." The lead mare of the Cimarron band flashed her a kind smile.

"By the way," Cloud cleared his throat. "I have deemed it necessary to inform Flint about his son's severe state. I asked the meadowlark to send word to him."

"Yes, he deserves to know." Esperanza replied, her eyes were downcast in sorrow.

"I'll see how the rest of the band is fairing." Wildflower excused herself and rejoined the herd members, while Cloud and Esperanza stood side by side, both of them lost in their contemplations.

"If that herb does indeed work, and if that young stallion somehow manages to heal, we still won't be out of the woods yet." The stallion began gravely, thinking hard on what to do. "That's what worries me the most."

Esperanza stared at him in horror. "The source? You're concerned about the predator that bit him."

"Yes." Nodded Cloud, looking even more disturbed. "There's a mad predator on the loose, that won't shy away from attacking any creature and transmitting the curse."

"Do you think it's a wolf?"

"Not sure...the claws were deep, the bite was pretty nasty...any predator can leave a mark like that, especially if they have the mad wolf's curse."

Esperanza's stomach dropped, she tucked her tail between her legs, her heart lurching within her chest.

"I fear if we won't find the source of the curse and stop it, we'll all be doomed. It's just the matter of time."

"You want to kill the predator?" Gasped the palomino mare.

"It's the only way. Whatever specie it is... it has already grown far too dangerous. No cure can save it." Cloud went on to explain. "Helping the Lone Stallion is one thing, but curing him will be utterly pointless if whatever is spreading this curse by these vicious attacks is still out there."

"What if Spirit runs into it?" Esperanza whimpered suddenly.

"No, he is safe in the village." The stallion shook his head, quite confident of what he was saying. "Don't be concerned about him."

Cloud and Esperanza remained silent; both of them wondering how on earth could they – prey animals – kill a ferocious predator that had the curse of the mad wolf. But it needed to be done somehow...some way...

Fire.

He felt like he was tossed into the depths of fire.

Sweat was continuously dripping off his blood-bay coat, the warm sun was shining brightly, making his burning sensations even more intolerable. His head was pounding as though sooner or later his brains would explode from the intense pain. His bitten areas were so itchy, but he was so weak that he was unable to scratch himself. His mouth and throat had become increasingly dry. Water! All Bolder could dream about was a tiny drop of water. It was pointless. He couldn't move. It was so agonizing and torturous to be this close to the river and yet, so powerless to reach it. His entire form was trembling...he wanted to stand up, but he could not even open his eyes. Where was he? From time to time, his lids would flutter lazily and with a very blurry vision, he would see the silhouettes of two young horses, keeping watch on him. Then everything would go blank once more. Voices! He could also hear strange voices...some seemed to be almost real. There were mares and a stallion discussing something in a heated conversation, but it was faint and so vague to clearly understand what they were saying. Before Bolder knew it, the voices died down and completely faded. The most persistent sound, however, that always buzzed in his ears was the echoing, haunting neigh of a strange stallion. "He who stands alone is one with the Ghost..."

Then the eerie images from his latest memories swirled before him, even with his eyes shut tight, he could not escape from seeing those odd pictures. The hallucinations were utterly chilling. His spirit stood, watching his own, physical figure fighting a raging stallion. The stallion he sparred with was savage...he looked different from the horses he had seen. His body was very slim, his muzzle was dished and pointy and he was so merciless. He had broken the fence so easily and had whirled himself on Bolder so swiftly, that he had not even managed to blink. He didn't have time to register what was happening. The fight was exhausting...Bolder remembered that in that moment, all he could think about was Rain. Where had she gone? Spirit had asked him to save her. Wasn't she supposed to be in the other paddock? The man's stallion was so nimble that Bolder could not strike him properly. He was out of the way as quick as lightening and the distracted Bolder had a hard time defeating him. And then it suddenly happened...the fierce predator had launched on them. The two-legged's swift stallion had darted out of the way in time and disappeared somewhere in the forest, leaving the worn out Bolder to face the enormous, foaming, maddened grizzly all by himself. He was bitten, he was pounded, crashed, banged, and just when he started to think that it was all over, a strange spectre of a horse that emerged out of nowhere, scared off the ferocious bear.

He was no regular horse. The black stallion had a ghostly, supernatural appearance. He breathed fire, his neigh was petrifying and one look from him send the enraged predator running for his life. Bolder had seen the vision of this black stallion before. He had seen it in a cave, tried to race after it with no success...and he had also seen it leap from a cliff. This was certainly some sort of a spectre. A phantom...nothing more. The black stallion led him through the night, and Bolder was too hurt to question the otherwordly happenings around him. All he could see was that the horse's hooves weren't touching the ground...he was floating like a Ghost. These were the dreams, memories and hallucinations that very sick Bolder kept replaying in his mind again and again. "Ghost...one with the Ghost..."

"Well?" Expectantly stared Cloud at Misty.

The three mares and the colt had just returned from their short expedition, and Cloud was impatient to hear good news.

"This is it." Said Misty through her teeth as she held the plant in her mouth.

"We have to place this on the stallion's wounds." Scarlet explained softly.

Cloud nodded and led them down to the basin where Blizzard and Snowstorm were guarding the agonized creature. Esperanza eagerly followed after the small group.

"Here, I'll put it on him." Cloud told Misty and took the herb out of her muzzle. "Stay back, you're pregnant. If he bites you, you'll be screwed."

Misty rolled her eyes at the stallion's blunt statements, but still complied to his orders. "Try to press it right on the bite mark." She directed.

Once Cloud gently placed the healing plant on the stallion's gashes, he turned to Misty with a suspicious glare. "If this proves to be one of your tricks, I swear, I'll make you regret the day you were born."

The black mare scoffed. "You still don't trust me?"

"No one does. You tried to kill Rain!" Cloud exclaimed, pinning his ears at her in hostility.

"And how many stallions have you tried to kill?" Misty retorted with an all knowing smirk.

"It's not the same thing!"

Misty let out a bitter laugh. "Do you guys smell that?" She turned to the other horses, that had remained quiet in this exchange. "It smells of hypocrisy in here."

"...ah...ghost horse...rain...spirit...I have to save..." Delirious mutterings from the unconscious Bolder, snapped both Misty and Cloud out of their tense argument. They perked their ears forward, straining their hearing and observing the tormented young stallion more closely.

"Shh...it's okay, Moonshine." Misty nickered sweetly. "You're okay. I promise."

"Did he say Spirit?" Wondered Cloud in confusion, as he caught some of the fragments from his disoriented mumblings.

"I thought I was the only one who heard it." Esperanza said, nearing them with anxiousness.

"Oh relax! Not everything is about your precious Spirit." Misty groaned. "He is incoherent. Let's not take his every word seriously."

"So what now?" Cloud snorted. "How do we know if he is healed?"

"We'll just have to wait." Misty responded, not ripping her eyes off of the blood-bay stallion. "Usually it takes a day or two to notice a positive change."

It was definitely not what Cloud wanted to hear, but what else could he do? Begrudgingly he nodded and started to lead the group back to the main herd.

"I'll stay with him." Misty announced all of a sudden.

"Out of the question!" Cloud barked. "You're in foal. Don't be stupid."

"Someone needs to monitor him." Insisted the black mare.

"Which is why Blizzard and Snowstorm are staying here!"

"Blizzard and Snowstorm need to get a break and besides, poor colts know nothing about assisting a wounded, not to mention, cursed stallion. I can handle this." Misty spoke in determination.

"Fine, do whatever you want." Cloud was too tired to argue with the stubborn mare. "But if something happens, you're responsible."

As Cloud, Scarlet, Goonda, and the three colts strode back to their base, Esperanza lingered behind, curiously watching Misty.

"I don't understand," She commenced, her gaze settling on the head-strong black mare. "why are you set on saving him? You, of all horses?"

"And why not? You don't think demon has a heart?" Misty smirked with an innocent shrug.

Esperanza did not answer, but her silence conveyed just how confused she was at Misty's actions. How was it that this mare was the only one who stood up for his life, while everyone else, including Esperanza herself, was so quick to sentence him to death?

"I think he's way too handsome to die." Misty answered plainly.

"So, if you didn't find him good-looking, you'd condemn him to death as well?" Esperanza raised her brows.

"Pretty much."

The gasp of the lead mare caused Misty to giggle. "What? Ugly stallions shouldn't be adding to our gene pool. It's as simple as that."

Typical Misty! Esperanza shook her head and trotted off towards the rest of the herd. Misty was crazy! But at least, her bizarre and selfish motives were somewhat helpful to the innocent soul.

The sunset came, woven of soft light, and tender colours persisted late. Misty lifted her head from grazing and studied the beauty around her. Gold were the great trees overhead, gold the leaf-strewn grass, meadow and wood and stream and all the world seemed to lacquer of gold, expectant as a dream. It had been a while since she paid any attention to nature's glory...she never particularly took interest in it. But now, as she stood next to the unconscious young stallion, by the bank of the river, she realized that life was good and freedom was even better. Only now she began to dwell on how lucky she was to no longer suffer under the abusive band stallions she used to have.

"Look at you, saving lives from the womb." She spoke to her unborn foal for the very first time. As if hearing her, the foal twitched in her stomach, giving her a small kick.

"And what does that supposed to mean, you little devil?" She said, quite amused at the tiny life inside her. "Now, now...don't bother mama...wait a little longer. Give me two more days, okay?"

"...the ghost...I am..." Grunted Bolder, as he began to stir from his reclined position. "...have to..." He opened his eyes, his auburn mane all tousled, his body shaking.

"Hey...shh...lie down." Misty turned to him, angling the herb in the correct spot again. "Stay there, Moonshine. Don't move, or else the cure won't work."

Bolder glanced around, shifting his stiff neck towards the river. "Water..."

Getting up was out of the question, but the black mare knew that the stallion needed at least a drop to quell his extreme thirst. She lowered her muzzle to the river and splashed it on Bolder's face, hoping that his burning sensations would be relieved with the cool, fresh water. "That's all I can do for now."

"Th-thank...you."

"Your welcome." Misty smiled. Genuine smile? Well, that was new!

Again Bolder tried to move, he was growing restless by the second. "Ghost...I'm one with the... g-ghost..."

"Well, if you're a ghost, I'm a phantom." Winked Misty and gently pushed him back on the ground. "I can't let you go, sweetheart. You need to heal first."

Who knows? Maybe she wouldn't be able to let him go at all? If only there was a way to keep him with her forever...if only.

I am making a fun contest! Everyone willing to participate has to write their username or nickname, so that I can differentiate you from 'Guest'. Anyone that guesses Spirit and Rain's foal's gender correctly and provides good, supporting details as to why they think if it's a colt, filly, or even twins, will have the opportunity to help me pick out the foal's name! First one to guess correctly and provide sufficient supporting details will have the honor of naming the offspring! Remember, anyone that is a guest and wants to participate, should write their name so that I can announce the winner properly. Write your thoughts in the reviews section. Do not private message me about it.

Also, DO NOT reference or use spirit riding free as an example. I do not like that show at all and do not consider it as canon. So, anyone claiming that it will be a colt because of that show will lose for sure! No offence to those that like the series though. But it has nothing to do with my stories.

Good luck and hope you'll have fun guessing!