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Chapter 32

The Black Stallion

"Under the moonlight you see a sight

That almost stops your heart."

- Thriller by Michael Jackson

Pastoral black silhouette entranced by the pastel shades of blue, faded pink and amber. A tall lone evergreen stood etched in its surrounding while the sunset burned, lighting the territories of the Lakota settlement with red and golden glitters. By that tree stood the blazingly handsome stallion as though carved of the wind and sun itself. He gently pressed his dark nose against the outstretched hand of his human friend – his brother under the sun. Both of them saying temporary 'goodbye' to one another.

"Don't worry...free Spirit." Whispered the Lakota boy, stroking his muzzle with deep affection. "I will take great care of your little family. I promise, my brother." He allowed a soft, assuring smile tuck his lips. "Once again, thank you for looking out for me. You will forever be my best friend and I give you my word - the word of a Lakota akicita - no one will take away your freedom. Run wild and run free forever, my wonderful brother of the wind and sky."

With that, Little Creek wrapped his arms around Spirit's strong neck and pulled him into a fond embrace. The stallion blew gently through his nostrils, comprehending and sensing every word that was uttered from his two-legged brother. The sunset had brought a certain lonely feeling to Spirit, as he realized that unfortunately, he had to rip himself away from Rain, their colt and even his human friend once again. He loved his freedom and his wild homeland, but without a certain young mare and now also without the tiny fruit of their love, his heart was doomed to remain empty. In fact, it seemed to him that he was actually leaving his very heart behind. It was a beautiful warm, spring sunset and yet to Spirit, it was only filled with the haunting memories of what he used to have in the village. It made him wonder where this lonely feeling flowed from... Perhaps, it was because when the one is with an individual they love, they're more enraptured in their beauty than the sky's. But when the heart is alone, the one only has the colours the sunset paints for comfort, instead of the sweet touch of a beautiful lover.

There was also something very different about the manner with which Little Creek chose to convey his emotions. There is no lying to the sensitive nature of a horse, especially one so attentive and thoughtful as Spirit. He could tell that their exchange, despite the friendship and mutual fondness they had for each other, was different this time around. Little Creek was not making an effort to listen, read and understand Spirit's feelings on the matter at hand. He didn't care to know what he thought of leaving his family behind, but rather Little Creek tried to convince Spirit to understand him instead and accept his decision. It was obvious to the stallion that the human friend of his was too excited at the opportunity of finally 'proving' himself to the tribe to consider what truly mattered. Spirit knew deep down in his heart that if Little Creek analyzed the circumstances more, without focusing about his tribe's ancient beliefs, customs and traditions, he would realize where both Rain and the tiny colt belonged.

For now however, the golden-dun stallion had to satisfy himself with the promising words that his friend spoke and simply trust him when he said that he would take good care of both Rain and the colt.

While Little Creek and Spirit were exchanging their goodbyes, Rain had led her newborn further away from the two individuals, giving them both space to interact with one another in private and without any distractions. Besides, she and the foal had already said their goodbyes to Spirit, and she didn't feel like doing it again and dragging the whole process even more. The sooner he left, the easier it would be for everyone. She was silent, as her sparkling eyes settled on the distanced figures of Little Creek and Spirit. Instantly she remembered that one evening where her human and the wild stallion had bonded for the first time in the round pen, and that memory warmed her soul. She had been so full of hope and optimism that lovely evening...so much had changed since then.

Her darling foal was exhausted from the overwhelming first day of life and had reclined on the grass in front of her hooves, restful little snores could be heard from him. She watched him sleep soundly with a huge smile plastered on her face. She was so enthralled with the stunning small creature. How beautiful he was! And to think, he was her son. How was she capable of creating such an exquisite life? It was indeed a miracle. The longer she observed her adorable offspring, the more determined she became to be a good mother to him.

After few minutes of admiring her lovely colt, Rain's sapphire eyes wandered over to a chocolate coloured mare that stood on the outskirts of the village, patiently waiting for the stallion to finish his farewells and join her to go on their way. Her silver mane was swaying gorgeously in the evening sunset, her gaze was only fixed on the handsome stallion.

"You must be Nova, right?" Rain nickered to her, tossing her flaxen forelock from her blue eyes.

When the wild filly noticed that she was being addressed, she shifted her gaze to Rain and slowly and quite reluctantly walked over to her. It was rude to not respond to a question and moreover, remain so far off when someone called you, be it a stallion or a mare. Truth be told, she wasn't all too thrilled about having to converse with Rain, but apparently she didn't have much of a choice.

"Yes, that's right...I am Nova." She forced a fake smile on her countenance, as she neared the beautiful paint.

"Nice to meet you, I am Rai-"

"I know who you are." The wild mare cut her off coldly.

"Oh, okay, well..." Rain found herself slightly surprised once noting the cool and unfriendly demeanour of the mustang filly, but she decided to ignore her impolite manners. She was probably wary of domesticated horses and the two-legged environment. It was natural. "I just wanted to thank you for helping Conquest and I get to the village."

"Please, cut the crap!" Nova snorted suddenly.

Now Rain was shocked. "Ex-excuse me?"

"There's no need to play all sweet and nice with me, considering I already know the type of mare you are."

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Rain stammered, batting her lashes in confusion. It was safe to say that she definitely did not anticipate such a reception from the strange mare.

"I don't like you." Plainly and honestly spoke Nova. "I don't appreciate conceited, haughty, selfish mares."

"You don't even know me." Rain gasped, fighting hard against the insulting words of Nova that were stinging her. "Why are you making such untrue assertions?"

"Trust me, I know all there is to know. Heck, I've witnessed it with my very own eyes!" The wild mare exclaimed angrily, swishing her long tail in irritation. "You take pleasure in breaking hearts and making everyone bend to your whims. Just few days ago, you ruthlessly shattered Spirit's heart AGAIN and very rudely kicked us out of the village, but no wait...then all of a sudden, you changed your mind again and summoned us back! You want everyone to comply to your wishes whenever you want it and however you want it. And I'm so sick of it. I am utterly fed up with your incredible selfishness and unfeeling heart." She spat mercilessly, her ears lay flat against her skull.

"Who do you think you are, anyway?" She continued, not giving the stunned Rain a single chance to speak up in her defence. "You think the whole world revolves around you. You play with the feelings of Spirit and even Bolder, and when you get called out for it, you assume this phoney innocence. How cruel can you get?" Nova questioned in rage, her sealed emotions at last bursting with irrepressible fury. "You referred to me as Spirit's toy! You're framing him as if he were a brute using mares simply for his–"

"No, that's not-" Rain shook her head, unable to stay quiet any longer, but did not get an opportunity to express herself.

"Lips moving still talking!" Nova lashed out, she glared at her with narrowed eyes. "And you know what amazes me the most? On top of it all, you are so freaking spoiled! You know, some of us actually have real problems to deal with...like seeing our families captured and having to witness the death of a loved one but NO! Poor, pampered Rain has more important issues: the stallion, who would gladly DIE for your love, paid attention to another mare as was expected of him. Oh no! How will you ever survive, you selfish brat?!" She mocked furiously. "So you decided to run off and keep TOYING with Spirit's feelings. You've shattered his heart time and time again! One day you're hot, the next you're cold. You don't even know what the hell you want! But dang, it's fun for you to see how everyone worships the ground you walk on." Inflamed Nova carried on with her long-concealed speech. It seemed as though the resentful feelings she harboured towards Rain had been very restrained and all of a sudden, they finally erupted, exploding out of her and she didn't know how to close the gate. Her breaking point was that afternoon when almost the entire village ignored the stallion, as though he was nothing but a pesky obstacle in their way.

"I love Spirit so much." Nova confessed to her, tears streaming down her cheeks. "And it hurts me to see him so broken because of an arrogant and evil witch! You torment him emotionally, while your savage bodyguards inflict him physically. Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?" She sobbed, her voice choking in her throat.

Rain's sapphire eyes were filled with liquid water and her lips trembled. "Wh-what do you mean by 'physically'?" She couldn't stop herself from crying.

"I mean your war stallions! Those domesticated freaks almost mutilated him few days ago and ALL because of you! You selfish shrew!"

"They...they wouldn't do that." Rain stuttered, overwhelmed with everything she was hearing from the enraged mare.

"Enough with that naive act." Nova ordered harshly. "Just stop...please, stop torturing him. Fine, you don't love him anymore, but why are you playing with his feelings? Let him be happy with the one that truly loves him."

"The last thing I want is to cause him pain." Rain admitted as watery liquid escaped from her crystals. "I really don't want to be selfish–"

"Well, judging by your actions that's exactly what you are." Nova told her flatly, staring at the paint mare with great dislike. "This will probably sound severe, but honestly...I much rather hang with a mare like Misty than with you." Disdain in her tone was clear as mud.

Rain's overflowing sensation of guilt and sorrow quickly transformed into anger at that last statement. "You don't know what you're talking about!" She fumed. "Misty is capable of horrible deeds!"

"I've heard how vile she can be..." Agreed Nova with a nod. "which further proves my point about you two. This Misty mare is evidently a witch, but at least she isn't hiding her true intentions. She is a dangerous wolf and that's precisely how she presents herself to others, while you on the other end, pretend to be a sweet, innocent, little lamb, when in reality you are just as heartless as she is!"

Rain was staggered, her voice seemed to get lost somewhere, for she couldn't scrape out a single word. The immense venting from a mare she didn't even know personally, really submerged her with burdensome feeling and she was absolutely stupefied.

"Nova! Let us go!" Spirit's loud, thunderous neigh terminated the wild filly's raging speech. She threw up her head and answered to the stallion, who was presently waiting by the hillside, ready to journey back to his homeland.

"Coming Spirit!" With a final glare of hostile scorn, Nova snorted at Rain and galloped off towards the golden horse. But not before cautioning the paint with a low, threatening tone. "I won't let you hurt him anymore. Stay away from Spirit, you hear? You don't deserve him."

The paint mare watched the two untamed mustangs depart from her village with lots of tears building up her eyes. She hung her head, the flaxen forelock draping over her as a silky veil. So many emotions were racing through her in that second, that she did not know how to handle them.

"What was that about?" She heard Great Conquest's nicker, as he trotted up to her. "Nova seemed rather pissed."

Rain remained silent for a minute or two, her swollen gaze settling on the resting little colt again. "Did... you hurt Spirit?" She blurted afterwards, her cool glare now focusing on the grey stallion.

"What?" Great Conquest was taken aback by her unexpected question.

"Did you and the others brutalize Spirit when he brought Little Creek back in the camp or not?" She demanded, fresh set of tears spilling from her blue eyes.

The war stallion groaned in annoyance. "As I told you before, we asked him nicely to go home but he wouldn't listen." Great Conquest went on to explain, justifying himself.

"And that makes it okay for you to hurt him?!" Rain gasped, a big lump caught in her throat.

"We simply restrained his movements, that's all. Come on, Rain...did he look 'damaged' to you just now?"

"How could you?" The mare shut her eyes for second and sighing heavily, she lowered her head to the sleeping colt, lovingly nosing him to stand up. "Let's go, sweetheart." She encouraged her son to rise and guided him towards the fields.

"Rain, wait!" Confused Conquest called after her.

"I wish to be left alone." Silently wept the mare.

By the long, dark trees and bushes that encircled the rolling hills of the Lakota settlement, was a horseman camouflaged in the branches.

"Hmmm... Johnny would love to hear this." He grumbled as he studied the beautiful paint mare and her tiny colt from the distance, and snapping his gelding into a gallop, swiftly rode away from the area before anyone would notice his unwelcome presence.

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees, and the moon, peeking from the black clouds, was ghostly pale in the misty night's air. The stream was a ribbon of moonlight flowing over the moor. A far-off howl of a wolf shook the young horse to his core, as he stood by the bank of the little creek barely supporting his weight. Still he could not put his right leg down without experiencing an unbearable pain, and his strong, muscled frame was scarred, bruised and torn with brutal bites and kicks. Despite the ache all over his body, the young stallion was grateful to at least be able to heave himself up from the ground and get a drink of water. The moon was high, glowing with a dimmed, almost fading light. There was silence – unearthly silence for a moment. And then it came again...an eerie neigh of a desolate horse.

"He who stands alone is one with the Ghost..."

Bolder trembled, he lifted his head up to the dark sky and for some odd reason, could sense otherworldly spirits in the windy fog. Their whispers could be heard as they floated and drifted slowly across the lands.

"...One with the Ghost...the Ghost..."

The young stallion snorted in disbelief, his eyes trying to adjust to the strange glow of the moon. He could discern sinister shadows in the misty moonlight and one of them was strangely familiar: A black stallion appeared and vanished in front of him as quick as lightening. Bolder jumped back at the unprecedented sight, but then a realization hit him and he eased up. Somehow he knew that this valley was the Ghost horse's. It belonged to the black stallion, in some mysterious and unexplainable way. After all, wasn't this black spectre the one that led him here in the first place? But why the Cimarron lands? Could this Ghost be...

Pounding sounds of multiple hoofbeats snapped the lone horse from his puzzled, pondering state of mind. He weakly turned his regal head and found himself staring at the three familiar stallions and two mares. He identified his own gallant father, grumpy uncle and respected Cloud in an instant. He also recognized Misty, considering the dark mare was the first horse he saw when his lashes first fluttered open and behind her, trotted the palomino mother of Spirit, Esperanza. She was such a beautiful mare, despite her age. Still strong and classy as always. Even a young horse like Bolder couldn't help but admire her.

"My son!" The relieved Flint exclaimed, as he jogged up to him and breathed in his scent. "What have you done to yourself, colt?"

"F-father." Bolder smiled, surprised at his sire's show of affection.

"How are you feeling, Lone Stallion?" Questioned Cloud, still bit hesitant to get too close to him in case the terrifying curse was lingering in his system.

"A lot better, thank you for asking, noble Cloud." Courteously answered the blood-bay and bowed his head to him in gratitude. "I want tell you how much I appreciate that you took the time to heal me, instead of getting rid of me. Not many would take such a risk... I don't know how to properly thank you."

"Well," Uncomfortably cleared his throat the stallion. "actually, you must thank Misty, she was the one who insisted that there was still hope for you."

Bolder's gentle eyes shifted on the black mare with shiny white shocks on all four of her legs. "In that case, I owe you my life, Misty." A soft smile grazed his lips. "Thank you." He told her and nodded in acknowledgement.

"Your welcome, Moonshine." Grinned the black mare with a cheeky gleam in her eyes.

"So what the hell happened to you?" Interjected Azogar, studying all the numerous cuts and wounds on his nephew's body. "The mad wolf's curse wasn't activated in your system and that's how the plant healed you?" He raised his brows skeptically. "Or were you infected at all?"

"Let's not overwhelm him, he's still very weak." Esperanza chimed.

"No, that's alright, lead mare of Cimarron." Bolder spoke to her with a gracious smile. "I may be weak physically, but I can still answer your questions."

"My son, how did this happen to you?" Flint threw in right away. "What sort of predator attacked you?"

"How did you get away from him?" Azogar questioned eagerly.

"It's very important that you tell us all of the details." Cloud joined.

"Can't believe the herb actually worked." Misty muttered to herself, as the three stallions continued interrogating Bolder.

"What did you say?" Esperanza overheard her remark and stared at her in shock.

Misty glanced at the lead mare with an amused smirk on her face. "Touch of the Teardrop obviously has effective healing powers, but I was unsure if it would be able to cure the mad wolf's curse."

"So you lied to us?" Esperanza's mouth dropped. "You yourself had no idea what you were doing and merely experimented?"

"Pretty much." Nodded the mare innocently, quite proud of her accomplishment.

"Unbelievable." Spirit's mother murmured and shook her head. Typical Misty strikes again!

"So let me get this straight:" Flint's voice suddenly rose in wrath, as he regarded his son with uncontrollable anger. "You risked your life for a two-legged and his domesticated filly pet, then got into a fight with another two-legged's stallion and then a predator carrying the curse of the mad wolf almost devoured you? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?!" Shouted the stallion so explosively and so loudly for the very first time in his entire life. He was maddened with rage and infuriation.

Flint rarely got this mad, but when he did...it was never a good sight to witness. Even Cloud and Azogar jerked backwards. Esperanza and Misty cowered in fear, but young Bolder stood his ground, not even flinching. He had dealt with so much over the past few days, that his wrathful sire did not represent anything frightful anymore.

"Calm down, father."

"I almost lost you! Don't you dare tell me to calm down, you foolhardy child!" Rebuked Flint, his eyes throwing fire.

"You are an utter DISGRACE!" Azogar spoke up, not wanting to miss an opportunity to bring his nephew down. "Can't believe we are sharing the same blood." He snorted in disgust.

"Yeah, I can't believe it either." Bolder muttered under his breath and rolled his eyes.

"My noble stallions," Cloud coughed, hoping to get their attention and somehow calm the tense atmosphere. "once again we are growing overly temperamental. Let us not forget the importance of this meeting. The source...we need to know about the source. You can discipline your son later, Flint. What has been done cannot be changed." He calmly said to the brown horse and then looked at Bolder again. "What kind of predator attacked you? A wolf? A cougar?"

"A grizzly bear."

The petrified expressions of pure terror that followed Bolder's response could make an individual's blood curdle. There was no life left in their horrified faces...every last one of them froze in trepidation as though they were gaping at their death already, their lives flashing before their very own eyes. All colour drained from the listeners and Azogar especially, looked as if he was about to kill himself before the infected bear got to him.

"Okay...um...wait a minute, this can't be true, this can't be right." He prattled in panic, quivering all over. The rest of the group still couldn't find it in them to speak up. "If it's a...if it's a...a bear...and not just any bear, a fucking cursed GRIZZLY, how on earth did you even survive?" Demanded the hysterical uncle from his nephew.

"You won't believe me if I told you." Rasped out Bolder.

"TRY ME!" Screamed Azogar, completely losing his composure because of the extreme stress and anxiety. He was very close to having a panic attack.

"Our very own kind frightened away the bear."

"What? You mean a horse?" Cloud broke his silence at last, his eyes were wider than the untamed landscapes of the west.

"Yes."

"What sort of horse possesses such strength?" Flint rejoined, his paled countenance somewhat reviving.

"You mean to tell us that a simple horse scared off a vicious, cursed predator?" Misty snorted, not buying his words even for an instant. "Yeah right, try again sweetie. I think you hit your head on the ground way too hard." She cackled.

"It was not a simple horse, but rather a phantom." Bolder whispered his reply, he himself just as confused as everyone around him.

"And that confirms it...you lost your mind." Misty concluded, pouting at him in fake sympathy.

But the palomino lead mare of the Cimarron herd had grown rather grave at Bolder's strange statement. "What did this phantom horse look like?" Esperanza inquired nervously.

"He was a Black Stallion."

Just want to give a quick shout out to my newest reviewers Sabrina, Owen O'Henry and Yubel578. I really appreciate every single review and am incredibly grateful for all of your support! It never goes unnoticed. Also huge THANK YOU to Reader313 who contacted me from Switzerland and loved my first story "Loyalty and Love" so much that asked for my permission to translate it in German and post it on their fanfiction site for those who can't read English. I'm excited to see how that turns out!

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and share your thoughts with me. It's super motivating and helpful. Stay tuned for more.

Happy Sunday!