A/N: This chappie is for HorseSpirit!
SpitFire cantered over rise after rise. He stopped when he was so far away from the herd, he couldn't even tell which direction he had come from. He tested the air and caught a whiff of a bachelor band. He headed for them, praying it wasn't the one Spark was in. Spark would never let him forget being kicked out of his own herd. SpitFire wondered if Don Juan would be Silk's stallion. He cringed, even though Don Juan was nice, he was jealous of anyone being with Silk. He remembered what Spirit had neighed as he was galloping away. He was almost too confused to hear, but he did. He had told him that he wasn't Silk's father. SpitFire now knew there could be, could have been, a future for him and Silk. He sighed as the wind guided him towards he bachelors.
There they were. They were grazing by a pool of water peacefully. None looked to be older than four or five years. SpitFire was a two year old. He cautiously walked towards them. A palomino tossed his head up and neighed. SpitFire neighed in return. The other bachelors looked up as well. SpitFire counted them all to find there were only six in the group. The palomino trotted towards him with his ears forward, a greeting. SpitFire cocked his own ears forward in return. A few of the other bachelors followed the palomino as he stopped in front of SpitFire.
"Hi, I'm Sun Rise, and you are?" SpitFire tried to be friendly, though he was nervous, "I…I'm SpitFire. May I join this bachelor band?" Sun Rise nodded his head and introduced the two other bachelors who had trotted up. One was a bay and the other paint. "This is Earth and Spray." Sun Rise neighed. Earth and Spray tossed their heads in greeting. SpitFire felt happy as three stallions seemed to like him.
SpitFire later learned that the three other bachelors were Stalker, Indian, and Red. Stalker was a dun with a dorsal stripe down his back. Indian was a chestnut, and Red was a flame colored chestnut.
Stalker was the oldest, 4 years old. SpitFire was the youngest.
He followed Sun Rise, Earth, and Spray down to the pool and took in a long, refreshing drink. He then waded into the pool and began to roll in the water. It cooled his sun heated back. That night SpitFire starred up into the sky. Was Silk okay? Was Don Juan leader yet? He longed to be with his family again. An image entered his thoughts he just couldn't get rid of. It was Silk, galloping around as a filly. Her black coat shone in the sun light and her speed was outstanding.
"You miss her?" Red neighed as he walked over. SpitFire had been standing alone. "How did you know?" SpitFire replied as Red starred up into the sky with him. "A horse only has that look for two reasons. One, he misses his home, or two he has lost someone, most likely a mare." SpitFire nodded. "It's both for me." Red sighed a horse sigh and looked gravely into SpitFire's eyes. "I could tell. C'mon." He turned back towards the other bachelors. SpitFire looked into the sky once more before following Red.
The years flew by. SpitFire grew stronger and taller, finally. He looked almost stronger than Spirit himself. He probably was now. He was now a five year old. Stalker, Red, and Spray had found mares and left the bachelor band. It left Earth Sun Rise and SpitFire. But SpitFire wanted to find a herd. He thought he was ready. One morning he woke up and started leaving. Of course Sun Rise and Earth followed, thinking he was only looking for new grass. SpitFire made his way to the top of a rise and tested the air.
There was a mare in heat close by. But it wasn't the mare he was trying to find. He remembered where home had been those years ago. He lowered his neck and began galloping away. He soon heard Sun Rise and Earth stop following him and he knew they understood now.
SpitFire finally stopped by a river and started panting. He took a long sip and raised his head again. "Trespasser!" a neigh sounded. SpitFire turned to see a bay stallion glaring at him. It was Don Juan.
