A/N: This is the last chappie! Enjoy!
-/-/-/-/-/Silk/-/-/-/-/-
Silk was finally settling into being in her real home again. All the mares were being very kind, especially Ice. She silver mare made sure not to do anything too bold; she never really loved Spitfire anyways, he belonged with Silk. So things were peaceful for the herd as days went by. But both Spitfire and Silk knew that something was missing. They missed their first foal, Sky. They wondered where she could be; what she was doing; if she was alive at all. Somehow they managed to go on though. There would always be more foals…yet none would be like Sky.
-/-/-/-/Sky-/-/-/-/-
Sky skidded to a halt as the scene before her came into view. The painted stallion had neighed when a mountain lion had pounced onto him as he galloped past the shrubs. Now he had been forced to the ground and the lion was heading for his jugular, where it could finish him off. For some unexplainable reason Sky felt very angry that the lion would dare attack a full grown stallion; especially one so kind as this particular one. Instead of being hardheaded and immediately trying to get a mare, he had been very nice, and respected her. If something were to happen to him, well…let's just say he was a one of a kind.
Sky layed back her ears and raised her hooves up over the stallion and the lion. Careful not to misaim, she lashed out at the lion, keeping it away from the stallion's neck. At the same time the stallion was rolling, trying to get off of his stomach and find his hooves so he could get up. After a time Sky finally hit the lion with a fatal blow just as the stallion started to stand up, kicking the lion with his back hoof as well. With a double whammy finish, the lion rolled off of the stallion and lay limp in the dusty ground beside the shrubs.
The stallion had scrapes and such all over his body, and he'd probably be sore for some while Sky concluded after giving him a once-over. "You alright?" She said after they both caught their breath. The stallion nodded. "Yeah…I'm fine. Thanks for helping. I doubt I would be alive if you hadn't been around." Sky nickered. "Well…that lion sure got what was coming to 'em." The stallion laughed, "I'll say." Sky swiveled her ears, wondering what would happen next. The stallion smiled, "By the way, my name is Wind." He then turned and started off in the way he had been galloping in the first place.
Not sure if she was supposed to follow or if she was free to go on, Sky replied, "I'm Sky." After a look at the dead lion she decided to follow Wind. She was starting to want to live again; which felt very good considering she would have been sniffed out by the lion as she slept if Wind hadn't woken her. How quickly a horse could loose their life in the wild was scary. Wind led her out onto a plain covered with wild flowers of many colors. Sky trotted around with her head down, sniffing all the aromas in pleasure. She was actually forgetting about her miserable day before.
Wind grazed while she played. She was definitely a nice mare, and she acted like a filly, which was hard to find these days. Most mares would have already been stolen by a rogue who would breed with them and then leave her to fend for herself with a foal on the way. But not Sky. He wasn't sure what had made her so sad. She seemed pretty lucky to have her life so perfect at the moment. She was so spirited and youthful, but she thought like an adult.
"Why aren't you having any fun?" Sky whinnied after a little while had passed. Wind raised his head from the bountiful grasses. "I live here; I get to see the flowers whenever I want." Sky was a little taken aback. Wind seemed less content with trying to seduce her now that he had seen how brave she was. She wondered why…was it because she wasn't a very attractive mare, so young and naïve?
She stopped her prancing and strolled over to him. "So, you have no family?" He shook his head, continuing to graze unchanged. Sky smiled, "I'll be your family." Wind raised his head and looked at her. "Are you sure about that…" Sky frowned. "Well…if you don't want me to stay I can go on…there's gotta be some place where-" Wind stopped her by gently pushing her muzzle with his own. "It's not that I don't want you to stay; I just thought you wouldn't want to stay with a lone bachelor with nothing to give." Sky smiled, relieved, and nudged his own muzzle in return. "Of course you have something to give!" She batted his head almost in a scolding manner that he couldn't think of what he had to give. She nickered. "You have a heart."
-/-/-/-Next Year-/-/-/-
Silk's new foal pranced around jovially as the two rejoined the herd. Silk still didn't know where her firstborn was, but she could only hope for the best, and do what she could for her new foal. Spitfire cantered down from his post and nickered to her and the foal, whom was a speckled bay and white with an appaloosa pattern. Silk nudged her foal's side so that she would step forward to greet her father.
Spitfire sniffed her and decided she was perfectly healthy. "We're so lucky!" He neighed. Silk agreed. "I've already picked a name, just so you know." Spitfire eyed her curiously, "Well?" Silk smiled. "It's a little odd…but I want to name her Apple." Spitfire thought about the name for a second. "I like it."
Apple whinnied shrilly and lost her footing, which made her stumble down, only to land on her rump. Spitfire and Silk both laughed at the awkward little sight.
Sky cantered towards Wind happily. She had enjoyed her small break, but now she was ready to return to the mini-herd. Wind greeted her fondly and smiled. After giving him a horse-hug, Sky nickered, "So how was he?" Wind smiled. "A perfect…devil." Sky laughed, hardly surprised. Almost in answer a light brown and white foal danced towards them on his nimble legs. Wind stepped aside so Sky could greet the little bundle. "Hi Spindle! It's been a whole hour since I last saw you!" Spindle whinnied excitedly and nuzzled Sky's side cheerfully.
Not even a second later the foal nipped Sky's side and took off in the flower dotted plain. Sky neighed and bolted after him playfully. Wind stood and watched proudly. He was perfectly content with life this way. Just the three of them. Of course Spindle would grow up and want his own family in only a few years, but that was farther into the future than Wind dared to think. With a happy smile he cantered out onto the plain to join his mate and foal.
Sky looked up at the stars that night and wondered. What would have happened to her if Wind had never found her? Where was Silk right now? Did anyone from her old life ever miss her? As she gazed into the stars it was almost like she could feel their love falling down on her in beams of warmth. Yes, she thought, they did miss her. But she was completely satisfied with how her life was going so far. Hard times would come, but she had no doubt that she could face them full heartedly.
