A/N: So like most of these, this came from a strong and me in a very content mood. So, here ya go.

Disclaimer: I own none of the recognizable characters. They belong to Disney/Pixar.

One of his absolute favorite things to do, was run.

It felt amazing to do it. He always felt like he could escape anything when he was doing it. His long stride stretching and reaching as it allowed him to fly across the ground. The quicker the strides the faster he could move. And he was a master at moving fast. At least that's what the paper and magazines and TV said.

But he was pretty much only used to running full speed when he had a rider. When Talia was on him. When Doc, Jackson or Cruz was with him - or sometimes even Finn. He rarely got to run on his own. Being famous, most of his time was spent keeping with the press or training or preparing or whatever Doc or Talia wanted him to do. When he got a moment of free time, it was when he was sleeping.

So today, he slipped free from the confines of Radiator Springs before dawn. Careful not to wake Doc, or Sheriff as he passed the sign the old Paint stallion always slept by. Once he was away from all them, he trotted down the road.

Once he reached the intersection, he slipped down a path he had found not long ago. With only the moonlight reflecting off his coat, he left the safety of the road and onto only-semi-familiar ground. He picked his way across the ground, careful to step over logs and sticks or anything that could make noise in case something was sleeping nearby.

He wasn't worried, no. He could outrun anything. He just didn't want to wake anyone else. It was to early for anyone else to be up.

Pausing, he looked up and into the starry sky. The moon was going down, but wasn't low enough (or the sun wasn't high enough) to begin a sunrise. And it was a relatively clear night - most of the stars were visible. Sighing in contentment, he dropped his head and continued on.

He soon came to a dip in the land. A very steep decline that lead right into a forest. Leaning onto his haunches a bit more, he half slid and half walked down the hill. Rocks fell front beneath his hooves and tumbled down the rest of the way, but he didn't pay attention. He didn't care.

He reached the bottom and continued on his way. Flaring his nostrils he took in the peaceful scent of the forest around him. Pine needles, crisp air, the beginning smell of mist, fresh grass and flowers and deer. It was calming, he felt the stress he hadn't known he'd been carrying just evaporate. Leaving him feeling relaxed, calm.

It was rare for him to feel like this. He was normally hot, ansty, eager and excited - nothing close to calm or relaxed. He was stressed when put under too much pressure or surrounded by too many people and horses. It brought back painful memories and he had panic and anxiety attacks before. But here... he could feel stressfree and calm and everything he couldn't feel when he worked.

Yes, he was happy and eager and honest when he worked. When he raced and did what he did best. He loved it, looked forward to it, like most racehorses did. However everyone needed a break, so when he felt the stress climb to high he came here to free himself.

He didn't realize how far he'd walked till he came across what he was looking for. A meadow, stretched wide and far covered in dandelions and the smell of bunnies and foxes, and deer. He looked across it, red ears pricking. It looked so eerily beautiful. With the moon casting a silver shadow over the field and small shadows over the slight rolling hills in the middle of the field.

The field itself stretched so far. It was so wide. Probably wider than the town he lived in. It was big and he could stretch and run and buck and do whatever he please without having to worry about rails or buildings or other horses because there was no one else here. Nothing in his way keeping him from what he wanted.

He felt the telltale excitement wash through him - but here he didn't have to wait for a cue to go. He didn't have to contain it. He could just go.

Without another thought, he launched himself off his powerful hindquarters and sprinted forward. He settled into a quick pace, the wind washing through his face and whipping his short, bright yellow mane back and his lacing its way through his tail like a ribbon. The wind cooled him, took away the rest of the stress. He felt himself relax, the tension in his muscles gone. And when he was free of tension, he could really stretch - really run and feel exactly what he could do.

So, he ran.

He kept his head high or low or in the middle. Outstretched or in to in his chest as he ran. He reached the far end in a few minutes tops, but easily turned to run the length of it. His ears pricked again and he slowed for a moment. Only a moment as he took in the open range and actually let himself go. Talia wouldn't allow him to do this on the track, she said it was 'too risky to test your stamina like that'.

He stretched and stretched and stretched his stride till he couldn't possibly reach any further. With every stride the excitement built and he found his strides coming faster, longer. His nostrils flared, blue eyes flashing with uncontained energy. He let himself run.

It was no question as to why people called him Lightning.

He was a blur as he speed across the field. The chest high grass doing nothing to slow him or contain him. Some burdocks nipped at his chest and belly, but he didn't care. They were off almsot as soon as they attached themselves to him. The grass tickled his belly, and he bucked big. Arching his back and tossing his head and kicking out. Something that would've off seated Talia with ease, and something he never did while she was on. Something he didn't do in general, while others were around.

He did it again, a few times, before reaching the end of the field again (wow really? He was running faster than he thought) and cut through to his side as sharp as he could. It slowed his momentum, but he sprung right back to full speed. He threw chunks of dirt from underneath his hooves as he flew towards the tallest hill in field, climbing it with ease, his muscles bunching as he did so.

Once on top, he stopped. Lightning surveyed the field around him. He wasn't even breathing hard, no sweat on him anywhere. No sign of how fast he had been running except the gleam in his eyes he got when he could run as fast as he wanted.

He stayed on top of that hill, watching the sun begin to creep its way over the horizon. The sunrise was beautiful, shades of deep blue and purple and orange mixing together. The forest would be misty on his way back, and would add to the beauty.

Sighing, he turned back towards the entrance to the forest and walked back to it. He needed to go, they'd be wondering where he was. When he reached the beginning of the forest, he hesitated and turned his head behind him.

His white star on his face glinted in the sun, the red of his butt making it seem like he was on fire. However he wasn't paying attention to that - just the pure white figure in the middle of the field.

He always saw it when he left. He knew exactly who it was.

He whinnied his greeting that he knew wouldn't get a return. The figure just stood, swishing her tail and watching him. He looked back in front of him, into the misty forest, before looking behind him again.

His mother was not there.

Contentment settling in him again, he set off into the forest. Trotting back to his home, the taste and feel of freedom still sticking with him throughout the journey back to his home.

A/N: So, I really enjoyed writing that. Actually, I might do more of these fluffy with a little little hint of angst Oneshots. I enjoy them. Also, his mother is dead, so what he saw was either a ghost or his imagination, you can decide. Hope you enjoyed!!