Chapter 13

There's So Much To Be Said & Done

Summer was coming to an end; the hot warm weathers were still raging on the territory but not for long. To be honest, I was relieved. It had been an incredibly sweaty few months and I couldn't wait for the cool, breezy Autumn days. Few more weeks, Rain...few more weeks.

This morning, Little Creek woke up in high spirits. He was happy and excited that finally his training with that mustang was going somewhere. My human was especially proud of me, believing that I was the one who had 'tamed' the wild horse. In some ways, he was right. My mind immediately went back to yesterday's occurrences...When that stallion told me that he had stayed here for me. "I did it for you, Rain."

What did he mean by that? Could it be...

Ugh, I needed to have a better understanding of that mysterious stallion. His late behavior had touched me so much that I was beginning to feel ashamed of my own thoughts. I had spent all night thinking about HIM! Why!? Since when?! And even now, when I was in my favourite human's company, I was still meditating on him. That won't do!

I snorted unhappily, shaking my head in the process. Little Creek, who had been gently and lovingly brushing me, looked up at me curiously. "What's wrong, girl?" He asked in his softest voice. "Are you upset that I hadn't been paying much attention to you lately?" I sighed, if only he knew the real reason of my frustration and confusion.

"You're still my favorite girl, Rain. My number one." He smiled, kissing me on my nose. My eyes sparkled and instantly I brightened up again. Once he was done caressing me and combing my mane, he led me to the round pen where the mysterious mustang was confined. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't looking forward on seeing him. Which was so strange and so very unlike me.

There he was. Standing all tall, proud and yet at the same time so calm.

Tying the rope over our necks Little Creek beamed joyfully. "Go, have fun." He said to us, as he opened the gate of the round pen. The mustang and I trotted off quietly and began walking and wondering around the village as usual.

Even though, I had shown him most of my homeland, there was still a great deal of things that shocked and surprised him. For example, why were dogs licking the two-leggeds? Why were the horses covered in paints and feathers? Why were the offspring of humans running around so happy all the time? And many more similar things that made him stop more than once to observe again and again. I remained silent for most part as did the stallion.

Whole day I tried to avoid Great Conquest as much as possible. He wasn't around either and that partly made me relax. I guess he too was trying to stay away from me for a little while. As we passed Dawn, Blossom and Wind, the three horses stared at us wide eyed. Unable to comprehend how exactly did I manage to find the escaping mustang. After all, the last they had seen him was when he galloped away. I chuckled slightly to myself. They really had doubts about me, didn't they? Thinking I wouldn't be able to stop him from leaving. That thought brought me back to reality. In truth, I hadn't done anything at all. It was the stallion himself who had returned willingly.

We strode a little further away from the bustling camp of the village and towards the open meadows, where there was more tranquility. The fields were beautiful and everything around us was so peaceful and quiet. I decided to use this privacy and take the initiative. "Thank you..." I began with a soft nicker, turning back to the stallion. "For everything you did...yesterday."

The mustang caught my eyes and with a slight smile, nodded at me.

Alright...so he really wasn't in a mood to talk, was he? Again, I continued to take few more steps when it came to understanding him better "You know, it hardly seems fair that you know my name and I don't know yours" Mischievous expression appeared on my face and I noticed how the stallion swished his tail in amusement, his eyes all bright.

Maybe he was waiting for this all a long...for me to show interest in him. I was beginning to feel that after our many unpleasant interactions, the stallion had decided to leave me be until I was the one willing to get to know him.

"That is, if you have one." I added before he could make a reply.

"I've been called many names." Started the wild mustang, "but my birth name has always been Spirit."

Spirit...I had never heard a more appropriate name for someone till now. He truly was a free Spirit. His accurate name complimented everything about him.

We were both silent for couple minutes until Spirit looked up towards the small hills. "What's that place?" He asked curiously. I was about to respond in an excited manner and even show him the place when I caught myself in the act. No! I wasn't going to share my favorite and private getaway with him. This was getting out of hoof! I was beginning to feel so strange...

"Nothing big." I nickered in a cool tone. "Just some apple trees."

"Can we check it out?" Questioned Spirit, leaning forward towards the place.

"Maybe some other time." I snapped coldly and nudged him away from it.

Again, we became quiet as Spirit obediently followed my lead and we moved towards the open pastures.

"You don't like me." He stated after a small interval.

I stopped walking and turned around to face him directly. "It's not that. I just don't know anything about you except your name." I explained honestly. "It's hard to trust someone as mysterious as you."

A look of comprehension appeared on Spirit's features as he nodded at me in understanding. "Trust needs to be earned. So yes, I know that feeling, Rain."

Ugh! I found it so enchanting when he addressed me by name. What on earth was happening to me?! What was he doing to me?

"What is that you'd like to know?" Spirit asked, surprising me in the process with his sudden desire to share his stories.

"Well, for starters..." I let out a small nicker. "How did you come to know Little Creek?" I had been waiting for this for so long! Finally, the mystery was about to be revealed.

"You mean your precious two-legged creature?" Confirmed the dun stallion in amusement.

I nodded eagerly, not playing attention to his slight sarcasm.

"At the cavalry camp."

"The wooden fortress?" I asked surprised.

"Yes, that one. We were both tied to the opposite posts." Explained Spirit, stomping his foot in irritation as he recalled the bad memories.

"You were captured?" I concluded with a questioning gaze.

Spirit paused, realizing that this would take a long time. With a deep breath, he decided to start from the very beginning and tell me everything that befell on him up till our meeting.

"I was born free to a herd of Cimarron, where the sky and wide open ranges is as limitless as the sun that shines over our lands. I was a mighty mischievous colt...I still don't know how my mother handled my stunts. My father, well...he was long gone when I was born. He had left my mother in charge of the herd while he went off to face the predators that endangered the very existence of my family. That was the last time my mother saw him alive." There was a painful silence and my heart went out to him instantly, realizing just how similar our situations were. Neither of us got the chance to meet our brave fathers.

"Well, I grew from colt to stallion as wild and reckless as thunder over the land." He continued narrating. "I used to race with my best friend Bold Eagle, believing that if I won him with my speed, there wasn't anything I couldn't do. Yes, I still believe I can fly." Spirit paused and chuckled. I raised my eyebrows at him with an "oh really?" look.

"I did win the race." He smirked, cocky expression painted on his countenance.

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head with slight amusement. "Is that supposed to impress me?"

"Are you impressed?" Spirit questioned brightly.

"No!" I snorted, which was an obvious lie and I began to fear that I didn't sound convincing enough. I mean there weren't many stallions who could brag by saying that they outran a soaring eagle. It was mighty impressive.

"Like my father before me, I assumed the role of the leader." Carried on Spirit. "And all was well...until one night."

To be continued!

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