Disclaimer: Uohhh…(* shakes head, puts hand to forehead, fakes frustration*)..I thought we'd alre- never mind. J .Ok, I don't own the Black, but I do own Spirit (aka. Free Wind) , Moon Dancer, Bella, Steele, Thunder, Northlight, Sandstorm, etc etc etc (sorry, too lazy to name them all right now)…:…

   Ok, I'll shut up and get on with the story…

Chapter 15

   I could feel my eyes bulging. "What ?!"

   Sir P stared at me. "You know…that black stallion? He was running inside the oval, on the grass, with the rail between you two…" He trailed off.

   "You could see him too?" I blurted, starting to pace.

   "Yeah…but I don't think the humans could. No reaction from the crowd, no reaction from the jockeys…" He snorted. "You would have thought all the humans were blind. All the other horses were too far behind you to have really seen him, but he did…" Sir P jerked his black-and-white-speckled head in Steele's general direction. "Gave him quite a scare, that black stallion did…" He glanced at me uncertainly.

   I didn't hear him. The black stallion had chosen to reveal himself at last…

   Well, at least that was proof that I wasn't going crazy.

   The sun was gone. Sparkling stars filled the heavens. This would be my sixteenth or seventeenth night in here. I'd been left alone, not seeing a single inch of training track the whole time.

   And that was all right with me.

   I was standing with my head down, my tail swishing slowly, dozing, like the others when a rustling noise woke me.

   I raised my head, tense.

   There it was again. It was coming from…somewhere from the lane up ahead.

   Now I was fully awake. Something was wrong. The humans had already done everything they usually did evenings. But now two of them were coming down the lane.

   I cantered to the gate to meet them.

   They were strangers.

   I knew that immediately. They weren't from the farm…so what were they doing here? Strange humans were only allowed to come in daylight. Unless…

   One of them opened the gate slowly. He reached out with his hand, trying to scratch my ears.

   I drew back as far as I could without taking a step, uneasy.

   "Hey boy…"

   That voice. Where had I heard that voice before?

   "Remember me? I met you at the racetrack…"

   Oh yeah…right…I'd forgotten. Sims' friend. The one trainer he'd allowed to see us on the night before the Kentucky Derby.

   I calmed immediately. He was all right then.

   The second human was creeping up behind him. I became nervous again. The human was reaching into something, pulling out–a rope!

   But our lead shanks were just hanging by the gate…

   I stiffened. Something was definitely wrong.

   "Let's get him!" The second human said in a hoarse whisper. His hand came up, over my head, holding the rope.

   I followed his hand with my eyes. Then, he began twirling the rope.

   "No, wait!" Sims' friend shouted.

   I snorted and started in surprise. My eyes fell on the twirling rope again, the rope the second human was preparing to bring down on my head, and an image flashed into my mind. An image of a colt, cowering beneath such a lasso, trembling…trembling…

   With that image, came the instant memory of the pain such a lasso was associated with. I remembered the lasso being flung around my neck. I remembered the whip going across my back…

   And I went wild.

   Rearing as high as I could, I screamed a warning and bolted across the paddock, waiting, ready to flinch from the expected whip.

   But there was no whip in sight. And the humans were already running!

   I trotted to the corner of the paddock and stood, breathing heavily. Winters had passed since my training sessions with Jim, but I still remembered everything. Everything…

   This human might not have meant any harm. But my reaction to the lasso was instinctive. And immediate.

   "Hey!" Moon galloped over. She touched her nose to mine. "You ok?"

   "Sorry…sorry I woke you guys up…" I was still staring back up the path. A light had gone on in a stable and two other figures burst out the door, running toward the two strangers. The strangers ran left and disappeared behind some bushes. The two humans who had chased them slowed, and headed our way.

   "Hey boy." One of the humans let himself into my paddock and approached me slowly. It was Dick.

   I let him scratch my ears.

   The other human turned out to be Sims' nephew. He was bended over, studying the path. He straightened, motioned Dick closer, and they began to talk.

   I stayed where I was. Sir Peppero came over, wide awake, and for the first and the last time, wasn't angry to be wakened in the middle of the night. His ears were perked up as he moved closer.

   "They weren't just going to see you," he snorted to me.

   "Wha–? Why? What do you mean?"

   "Think, Wind, think! What would they have done if they had gotten that rope around your neck?"

   "They would have…"And then it came to me. "They would have taken me away," I whispered, dropping my head.

   "Exactly. So it was a good thing you yelled. They weren't from our farm, and they would have stolen you. And my guess is that once they have you, they'll hide you for a while, then change your identification number and sell you again."

   He was serious. I gazed at him disbelievingly. He jerked his head towards Dick and Sims' nephew. " You don't believe me, look. Even the humans know it." 

   They were busy discussing something. Soon, both humans left.

   Sir Peppero stayed awhile longer, then moved off. But before he did, he glanced sideways and warned me again: "The stealers won't come back tonight. But you watch out. And when they do come back, make sure you yell plenty. I can't stand my favorite student being taken right from under my nose." He grinned and turned away.

   Favorite student !?

   I shook my head in amazement at his retreating rump and settled into a comfortable position, careful to keep my eyes as wide open as possible.

   But as night wore on, my eyelids felt heavier and heavier, and I just had to close them…

   With a jolt, I woke up and realize I'd been dozing. But everything was still fine…

   Maybe Sir Peppero was right…maybe the stealers won't come again tonight…

   This time, I half-closed my eyes and made sure to wake up every now and then to look around.

   Moon stood beside me all night, the fence between us, dozing like me, waking when I did, dozing…waking…dozing…

   I remember waking up less and less often, sleeping longer and longer.

   I remember watching Moon's silver head sway gently as she struggled to keep awake.

   But the thing I remember best is nickering to her, my eyes half closed, sleepy, so very sleepy, "Thanks a lot…and if I am taken away from here…I'll try to come back for you…"

   And I remember her soft answer before my eyes closed again: "I'll be waiting…"

   "Hey! Hold him!"

   The Iron Man's voi– sorry; the Blacksmith's voice was loud. I took a step away, even more startled than before.

   The intruders had come several yesterdays ago. I was still uneasy.

   Loud noises made me jump, and yelling humans like this one made me tense.

   It wasn't that I hated shoeing time. The Iro– sorry; the blacksmith's hands were firm but gentle, and he was normally nice and friendly, even soothing horses when we got rattled. And even though I didn't really like pieces of metal being nailed to my feet, the nails never hurt, we never got cut, and the shoes helped us run faster because they had clods underneath them for more traction. So, I usually just stood still, because that meant he finished his job quicker.

   But this was not normally.

   The blacksmith was ok. Chaya, as she stood holding the lead shank, was even better. But the dog was not.

   There had never been a dog around here before.

   But there was one now.

   And it was because of me.

   The morning after the stealing attempt, Sims had headed out and had come back with this very lively, very friendly, and very loud ball of fur.

   And now, it was trailing me everywhere, getting under my feet at grooming time, poking its' nose in my face at feeding time, and here, at shoeing time, letting out loud woofs every time the Iron Ma– sorry–BLACKSMITH–'s Metal-Headed stick hit the Metal-box-thingie.

   It was making me very edgy. This had been the eighth time( yeah I counted) I'd pranced away because of the dog, who could barely keep his excitement inside.

   It was like he had this super-sensitive radio receiver, and every time a human passed within two miles of him and sent radio signals bleeping, he would go head over heels with joy at meeting that human.   

   And right now, there were two humans here, not two miles away, but just inches from him, and he was going crazy at that.

   Talk about over-enthusiasm.  

   When I'd tried to bolt at the track when I'd first seen the dog, Chaya had shouted at Sims angrily, forgetting her usual respect, to "Get that animal away from Wind! He's about to bolt!", as I stood, wide-eyed, trying to decide if I should bound over him and race away or turn and go back the track.

   To my shock, instead of becoming mad like I'd expected, Sims had coolly replied that "That 'animal' is here to safe-guard that horse in the first place, so I would like it very much, Ms. Andrews, if you would keep your mouth shut and use your head first in the future." Chaya had glared after him, speechless and furious, and even though I couldn't see her, I felt her anger through the reins.

   And now, as the Iron Ma–fine! I'm tired of having to apologize every time I say 'Iron Man' instead of 'Ir–never mind. And now, as the blacksmith raised his Metal Stick, one hand on my hoof, holding the shoe, about to hammer the last nail in place, the dog followed his hand with its eyes and leapt upward, snapping playfully.

   That was enough excuse for me to snort and snatch my leg from the Ir–blacksmith's grasp.

   I stood, with all four feet on the ground at last, my knee aching strangely from having been held up so long.

   The blacksmith sighed and bent over, his hands on his knees, panting, his forehead glistening with sweat.

   "Never mind that last nail.  It's already in place; I don't think it would've needed that last time…" he shook his head. "Sure wish I could've made a-certain it won't fall off though…"

   He began packing up as Chaya thanked him and led me, the last horse shoed, away, the dog bouncing along, playfully yapping at my heels, no doubt thinking of using my hocks to sharpen his claws.

   I was edgy. Was edgy.

   However, as the next few days passed quietly and the stealers didn't return, I became more relaxed.

   The dog had finally been taken away after I nearly tripped over him at a training session, almost sprawling to my knees. He was now tied to a ring on the stable door, in full view of my paddock.

   Sims had me transferred to the stable, even though it was the middle of summer and I could have stayed outside at night. Here, with a horse across me and a horse beside me (I was at the last stall), I could sleep in peace. If needed, there were plenty of voices to raise a ruckus around; the dog was right outside the door, and one of the grooms was sleeping in the hayloft.

   With all that security, I was sure nobody would try anything.

   I didn't know how wrong I was.

   Midnight.

   My eyes shot open; I don't know why. Maybe it was just the wild horse inside me. In my stay here, my wild-horse-self had lain low, keeping a quiet profile. But now, with all these things, even though the tame-horse-me had relaxed, the wild horse inside wouldn't let me rest.

   And as I said, wild horses don't trust their instincts for nothing.

   Right now, I was awake, with no idea why. I looked around at Moon across the aisle, turned my head and saw a glimpse of bay as the two-year-old in the stall beside mine snored gently, heard some horse rustle his/her hay, watched the sliver of moon make the shadows nice and dar–

   I froze.

   The shadow had moved.

   Curious, I moved closer to my stall door, poking my head out over it.

   And it was then that my halter was grabbed.

   Sims' friend rose up, the stall door between us, his hands like steel on my halter forcing my nose down.

   I threw up my head, fighting him. He hit me, a glancing blow that made my head snap around, my face stinging.

   His partner, the one who had tried to lasso me, handed him a small object.

   Something was pressed to my nose. Tight. I whipped my head from side to side, desperate to get it off. It clung like a leech.

   That something was nice and soft. But it had a strange smell. I gulped in a air with my mouth and held my breath as long as I could.

   The stall door had opened and the stranger was inside, tying cloths to my feet. I didn't notice him, still trying to shake off Sims friend.  

   I whipped my head from side to side. My lungs were burning. I needed to breathe soon.

   Phew. I let out a breath and tried to gulp in another. Only I found I couldn't open my mouth. Sims' friend had a cloth tied around my jaw and over my nose. My teeth were clenched shut.

   Great. Just great. Now I couldn't whinny for help.

   Fine. I couldn't whinny. I had other ways of making noise.

   The stranger cursed and scrambled away as my hindquarters flew. But instead of the sharp crack I'd expected as metal hit wood with enough force to knock a man unconscious, all I heard was a muffled sound.

  The cloths! The cloths around my hooves prevented them from clopping, prevented them from making any sound, prevented them from waking anybody.

   Ok…this wasn't looking good…

   No choice. I had to breathe in through my nose.

   And once I did, something felt…that was funny. The air I drew through my nose, through the soft something smelt…strange.

   Yes, that was it.

   The smell. The air I drew in through my nose, through the soft thing held over my nose, was saturated with a smell.

   Such a nice soothing smell…strange smell…musty smell…

   I quieted. The smell worked its' way up my nose, though my mind…and I quieted.

    So…quiet. So warm…So nice and silent.

   I nodded my head dreamily. My hearing…all I could hear were muffled sounds, no sharp distinction or anything…

   I turned my head around. Two humans. I felt a spark of…what? Tension mixed with fear and excitement? die down.

   There was no need to be afraid. No need to be tense. No need to be alert. No predators. I was not the prey.

   I relaxed. These men were friends.

   So dreamy… so…so…dreamy…sleepy…I was floating on a sea of cloudy sensations. My mind was getting foggier and foggier.

   Blank…hazy…dreamy…sleepy…

   The face of a human swam into view. They had taken me from the stall…were leading me away…

   A door opened. Where was I? I was in a wooden cave…didn't recognize it…I saw the face of a filly across…the lines were blurry. She looked like I was seeing her through thick white smoke. I remembered thinking it was the most beautiful face I'd ever seen.

   My vision was going blurry. Lines became smudged, everything seemed to be shifting from one side to another.

   I got more sluggish with every step. My knees were swaying. My feet felt like anvils of metal. I dragged my hooves, shuffling. My head felt unnaturally heavy.

   I wanted to lie down. I wanted to lie down somewhere and go straight to sleep.

   There was a human holding me. Who was he? I couldn't remember anything. My mind wasn't working. I nodded dreamily and followed him docilely as he led me somewhere.

   Where was I? I didn't remember anything anymore. The human holding me cursed.

   "You idiot! You put too much chloroform on the sponge! Now he's going to pass out here and we have no way of getting him inside the trailer…" I couldn't hear anything anymore. No distinct sounds, just an obscure thug thug every time anyone made a noise. It was like my ears were covered with very thick earmuffs.

   Something was drawn across my hindquarters. I felt…something. Pain? A sting?

   Whatever it was, I really didn't care. I only wanted to go to sleep.

   The human tugged on my halter. What? Oh, ok. He wanted me to go faster?

   Fine. Fine. Anything he wanted. As long as I could lie down somewhere and go to sleep.

   I broke into a trot, the thick cloths around my feet often bumping into each other.

   A dark shape loomed up before us. What was it? But I didn't want to know what it was; I just wanted to know if it was somewhere where I could go to sleep.

   I was dimly aware of being led up a ramp. Inside was nice and dark and black.

   My hearing wasn't sharp anymore. But the last thing remember, the last thing I remembered before the door closed with a heavy bang of finality(even though all I really heard was a particularly loud THUG!), the last thing I ever heard or saw before sleep took me, was a high-pitched whinny coming from the stable.

   I remembered thinking it was the sweetest sound I'd ever heard.

   Then, my knees buckled and I fell on thick straw.

   Before I hit the straw, I was already asleep.