Ok, for those who wanted it, here's a would-be part two

Ok, for those who wanted it, here's a would-be part two. It's quite a jump, but I couldn't get myself to write or my mind to even conceive of a transition part yet. It may come soon though, along with a revised version of the first chapter. It's just going to take time because I need to research and stuff and I'm lazy. Any way, on with the show! Oh, and to reply to a review, I just like black horses. I grew up on the Black Stallion and Black Beauty and stuff, so in my mind, black is the best color for a horse. Enjoy.

Alec walked the Black through the gap leading away from the track. He unsnapped the chinstrap to his helmet as he pulled the Black up beside Henry. Alec exchanged Henry's happy smile, trying to keep the Black in one place.

"If he runs like that in the race, the gold is ours!" Henry exclaimed as the Black pranced around him. "Why don't you check out the trails around here. You both deserve a good break."

"Whatever you say, Henry," Alec called back, his cheeks flushed from the exhilarating ride. "See you back at the stable in a while."

Alec led the Black away from the hustle and bustle of the track. He guided his trusty black stallion along one of the many trails at the Georgia Horse Park. He closed his eyes and concentrated only on the swaying movement of his horse's walk. He breathed in the fresh, pine-scented morning air. It was enjoyably cool in the shadows of the forest. It felt good to get away from the routine and excitement of the track and stable. It was just Alec and the Black. The way it had been in the beginning. On the deserted island that the Black had brought them to after the Drake sunk. He could still hear the hoof beats of their first exiting ride. The hoof beats sounded too clear to be from a dream. Alec opened his eyes suddenly and listened to the world around him. The hoof beats were still shattering the morning silence.

"Left side! Comin' through!" someone shouted from behind him. Alec turned in his saddle just as a black horse galloped by, taking the Black by surprise. The Black shied to the right, nearly slamming Alec into a huge pine tree growing at the side of the trail. The Black stood still; his nostrils flared and ears pricked forward. He watched the phantom horse and rider gallop away, his muscles trembling with excitement. He raised his elegant head high and let out a shrill whinny. Before Alec could react, the Black snatched the bit between his teeth and bolted after the runaway horse.

Alec was helpless. The Black was ignoring Alec's signals to stop. Instead, the Black lengthened his stride and increased his speed. All Alec could do was to sit back and wait for the Black to drop the bit. He watched as the gap between them and the mysterious horse and rider closed slowly. The Black switched leads causing the gap to suddenly close more quickly. As the Black rapidly approached the runaway, Alec finally got a good look at the horse and rider. The horse was midnight black with a white triangular star whose corners overlapped her dark green eyes. She had a white patch on her back that would be perfectly covered by a saddle. Behind the white patch were two parallel scars that straddled her rump. She appeared to not be a purebred, but actually looked like a smaller version of the Black. This filly had the conformation for racing.

The rider, however, did not look like the typical jockey. He was short, a little taller than five feet, had a muscular body, and wore the typical horseracing helmet, but the rest of his appearance was wrong. Instead of wearing the typical riding boots, skintight jophers, and white polo shirt, He wore ragged black tennis shoes, jean shorts, and a black T-shirt with the Olympic logo on it. Despite his apparel, the jockey had a good seat and riding position. As Alec drew closer to them, he noticed a long, brown braid running down the middle of the rider's back. At that moment, the rider glanced back directly at Alec. The rider was a girl! His heart leapt as her bright green eyes seemed to search his soul. Memories of Pam filled his mind and were replaced with this new image.

Alec watched as the green-eyed girl collected her filly without any movement. Filly and rider soared over a fallen tree across the trail in perfect unison. They landed smoothly on the other side and seamlessly galloped down the rest of the path. Alec watched on in awe as the horse and rider disappeared around a turn. He was then jerked back to reality. The log loomed across the path. Alec couldn't stop the Black in time, even if his horse was listening to him. The only path of action was to jump over the log. Alec tried one last time to slow the Black, but he still surged forward. Alec remembered the actions of the other rider and attempted to mimic them. He sat up straight and stretched his legs around the Black's belly. They quickly approached the log. Alec thought out the strides and soaring over the jump.

"One, two, three…and lift off!" Alec whispered. He leaned forward at the same moment as the previous rider, but a different situation occurred. The Black skidded to a stop, throwing Alec up onto the stallion's arched neck. Realizing that he could not stop in time, the Black hurled himself over the fallen tree. Alec grasped desperately at the Black's flowing mane to keep his balance as he was nearly thrown off backwards. They were in midair over the log, which looked a whole lot bigger and wider than before. The Black landed hard and stumbled, jarring Alec out of the saddle to the left side. Alec clung to the side of the black stallion's neck and tried to pull himself back onto the saddle as the ground swiftly moved past him. The turn approached quicker than Alec expected. He was caught by surprise when the Black leaned towards him as he went around the left-hand turn. Alec slid off his horse and landed in a ball among the underbrush along the side of the trail. He watched the Black gallop away, bucking and kicking.

Alec sat up painfully and listened to the fading hoof beats and shrill whinny. He rested against the trunk of a nearby tree and sighed. "Some break," he muttered.

Alec let out a big sigh. How was he going to explain this to Henry? He could just picture it now. Famous jockey Alec Ramsay returning from a leisurely trail ride covered in dirt and brambles. And horseless. This is so embarrassing! Alec thought. He wouldn't hear the last of this from Henry or the other jockeys for awhile. Alec rose from the ground with the support of a nearby tree. He winced slightly at the aches and bruises acquired from the fall. He grimaced at the thought of how much his body was going to hurt tomorrow morning.

Alec glanced down the trail. There was no sign of his horse. He whistled, but the Black did not reply. Alec gave a big sigh and started to tramp down the path. He had lost all hope when a piercing whistle came around the corner. Alec stopped and whistled back. He waited. And waited. A long high whistle sounded around the corner with the Black following. The Black pranced toward Alec under the guidance of the mystery horse and rider. The Black whinnied at Alec and then bumped his head against his owner's chest.

The mystery rider glanced down at Alec and then at the black stallion. She smiled at him and tossed him the reins. "Lose something?" she asked him jokingly.

Alec could feel his face burning, but he did not know if it was from anger or embarrassment. "Yes. Well, um, thanks for bringing my horse back," he mumbled.

"Your welcome. I figured he was ours. Unless you are into taking trail rides without horses. He gave me quite a chase. He'd make a terrific racehorse. Probably give me a challenge in this upcoming race."

"We ARE in the race!" Alec replied through clenched teeth.

"Oh," she commented sheepishly. She blushed underneath her tan. "I'm sorry. There are just so many horses here and I assumed that you were in the Equestrian part. Although, you obviously aren't in jumping otherwise you wouldn't have fallen off. You know, that was dangerous jumping an untrained horse at that speed. You're lucky that you or your horse didn't get hurt."

"Well, you should learn the rules around here! How could you do such a reckless thing! Nobody gallops on the trails! That's what the training oval is for! If you had gone by someone of less experience THEY may have been seriously hurt!"

Alec swung himself into the Black's saddle and spun him around to face the girl. "You should be more careful and considerate to the other riders!" Alec kicked the Black's sides with a thud. The Black reared at this sudden and harsh treatment and galloped away. The green-eyed girl stared quizzically at the departing jockey.

She turned her filly toward the trail leading to the stable. She glanced over her shoulder and sighed. "Hypocritical jerk," she muttered and trotted off to her temporary home.