Disclaimer: Still no ownership. Sadly.

Chapter 3.

The black mare stood protecting her rider. She would do anything to protect her, that included risking, or possibly sacrificing, her own life. She would fight with everything she had. She was that loyal to the human on the ground, that now seemed to be lifeless. She huffed and walked slowly towards the human form and softly pushed her with her nose, causing her to slide slightly towards one side, but not as much as to make her fall completely to the ground. The human was completely unconscious now. The horse could feel the smell of fresh blood coming from her human. It would attract wild animals soon if something else didn't happen. The horse didn't know what to do though, so she stood there watching over her until something would happen.
The darkness was starting to fall and the stars and moon came out from their daytime hiding place up in the sky as the sun took a break from its hard work in warming the people down on earth. Suddenly the horse could hear the howl of a wolf somewhere, not too far away. The mare immediately became on guard, her ears pointed towards the sounds, her eyes fixated on the surroundings and her nostrils flared to take in as many scents as she could that could mean danger. In spite of her instincts telling her to run away, she stayed behind to protect this human. Now she could see the glowing eyes of something between the trees. Several animals were staring at her. They got closer and closer, and she could start hearing the growls and soon also she could see the first shadows move around her. She knew she was in big trouble, and should run, but she couldn't leave her best friend on the ground unprotected so she did what she could to keep her safe from these beasts. She started moving about in a worried manor but stayed put.

The animals came closer and closer, but suddenly the horse could hear other hooves than her own. It sounded like another horse was coming towards her in full speed. She lifted her head and sniffed the ear as she pointed her ears towards the sound. The growling animals with the glowing eyes disappeared just as quickly as they had come and were now nowhere to be seen, but she could still smell them. The hooves came closer and closer. Soon she could spot a horse. It looked like another horse of her own gender. She neighed a soft neigh to make her presence known. The other horse slowed down and neighed back to reply that she knew she was there. There was another rider on the new horse's back. This rider looked a little like her own, but not quite. The black mare was on guard, but didn't make any noise or fuss at this point.

Callie let her horse gallop out of the city towards the pond. As she got closer she could hear wolves howl and it made her skin crawl. Maybe she should go back and not take that swim. She held her horse's reins in a tight grip, making her slow down. At that point they heard another horse neigh near the waterhole and her own horse continued towards the sound and replied. As they got closer Callie could see eyes in the forest. Glowing eyes from what seemed like an entire wolf pack, coming for its dinner. She hoped they would go away when they saw and heard her as she had no weapons with her. She was lucky and the glowing eyes disappeared from sight. She took a sigh of relief and as they arrived at the wateringhole, she could see another horse there. One that was saddled up, with a reins hanging loose down to the ground. She wondered who it belonged to. A black, beautiful mare that looked like it had been well taken cared of. She dismounted her own horse, held the reins of it and moved closer to the black mare, slowly and gently as to not spook it.
'There there girl' she mumbled and reached out her hand towards the nose of the strange horse.
'Leave my horse be' a woman's voice was heard and Callie jumped at the sound, startling both her own horse and the strange black horse. She looked around and noticed behind the black horse a shape, a figure that of a human. A woman it sounded like, but looked like a man. The figure was sitting down with her leg stretched out in front of her and the other in a bent angle and its back was leaning back towards the rock behind it.
'Is .. is this your horse?' Callie asked with a slight shiver in her voice. She had gotten scared at the sudden sound of another voice, and now she was slightly scared of the strange looking figure. Was it a man or a woman? She couldn't tell for sure at this point.
'What part of leave my horse be, did you not understand?' the person said.
'I'm sorry, I'm just .. ' Callie started but then she gained her posture and courage. She refused to be a victim of anything, not anymore.
'You just what?' the other person's voice was full of hostility.
'Nothing, I just thought the horse was a runaway or something' Callie replied, having her courage back, she now stood with her back straight and her eyes firmly planted on the figure by the rock. 'What are you doing out here by the way? Did you not notice the wolves? They were probably going to feast on both you and your horse.'
Callie felt the blood rush now. The hostility of the other person made all her blood pump. She had had enough of hostile people throughout her lifetime. She couldn't tolerate it no more. Not more than the men in the brothel showed at times, but that was mostly when they were drunk, and she was never alone in that. She had always Mark and the other guards there to protect her and the girls. Out here she was all alone, with nothing but her and her borrowed horse. No weapons, no guards, no Mark, no nothing.
'Don't you worry your little head about that' the person said and tried to get up off the ground, but made a noise like it was hurting somewhere and then sunk back down on the ground.
'Are you hurt?' Callie asked, choosing to ignore the remark.
'No, I'm perfectly fine' the figure said angrily.
'You don't look fine.' Callie shot back.
'Well I will be fine then' the person said a bit calmer.
'What's your name? Callie asked.
'You don't want to know.'
'Try me!'

There was a silence that lasted for a few minutes. Nothing happened during that time. None of the people or horses made a sound, or moved an inch. Complete silence. Then, after a very long minute, the other person broke the silence.
'Just call me Ari.'

A/N Is it Arizona? Or is it someone else? Read and review to find out.