Chapter Four

Someone Else Before

"Whaa?" I slurred.

"Iuh, love you too Lady Fire."

"But…Rain?"

"I can't explain it either." Spirit said. I looked at him and it looked like he was searching himself for some sort of answer to why he said it back.

"Rain was there for me and she loved me and I thought I loved her back. In my mind I remember you at the Calvary almost as my escape. When I was tied to that post, I could feel that…you felt for me. I remember looking at you, feeling something I never felt before. Then I escaped, I met Rain and…I thought that she was the one I wanted, but all along…it was you." Then Spirit looked back over to me.

I was totally speechless. What a mess we just got each other in. I loved him, he loved me, and then there's Rain. I'm the other mare. What is she going to do to me? What is she going to do to Spirit? What's happening? It was perfect, but so…not perfect. I was stuck in such a deep reverie for a second I forgot that Spirit was standing there.

"Lady?"

"Huh? Oh, Spirit. What are we going to tell Rain? She's got to know."

"I don't know what to tell her. What are we going to do?"

"Spirit, we have to think of something."

"Spirit!" Rain called from a distance.

"Oh, crap," Spirit exclaimed.

"GO! Just act like, normal. We'll tell her tomorrow!"

"O..,kay…" Then I watched Spirit lope back to Rain.

"What am I going to do?" I said to no one in particular.

Spirit's Point of View

"Hey, Spirit. What was that about?" Rain said suspiciously.

"Nothing, Lady thought she saw something." I said thinking on my feet.

"Oh…"

"Let's get some sleep." I suggested

"Spirit…I had something else in mind." Then Rain gave kind of a seductive look.

"Uhhh…."

"Come' on Spirit, the woods are right over there, and your mom is watching the herd. Come' on" Then she moved her head, suggesting the woods a ways off.

"Uhh….Rain?"

"What? What's the matter?" Rain said with a hint of frustration in her voice.

"Iuh…think we should wait."

"What! Wait? Since when do stallions want to wait!"

"Well, you see…Iuh, really care about you so…I want it…to be, uh, special."

I looked at Rain, just hoping she bought into the excuse I made. Then I glimpsed over to where Lady Fire was sleeping and I saw her watching us.

Rain sighed deeply, "I guess that's sweet. Let's go to sleep." Again hinting she was disappointed. I then sighed too, but this was a sigh of relief. I got us through one night, but I didn't know how long I could keep this up.

Back to Lady Fire's Point of View

I watched them talking, hoping that Spirit could get himself out of that mess, and when I saw him and Rain lie back down I let out the breath I was holding the whole time. When he did lie back down I saw him glimpse over at me. The split second we made I contact I could see relief, fear, and love all sparkling in his deep, warm chocolate brown eyes. I only wished I could be lying by his side and was sure he felt the same way.

The next morning, before everyone was awake, Spirit came over by me and woke me up.

"Lady, Lady! Wake up."

"What? What is it Spirit?"

"Come with me, I have an idea."

"Okay, but where are you taking me."

"Just come, and be quiet about it. I don't want Rain to wake up."

So I walked behind Spirit, wondering where he was taking me. He led me to a high rise looking over the herd. There, Esperanza was standing and watching.

"Mom?"

"Oh, hello. What brings you here?"

"Mom, I'm in a really tough situation and…" Then I walked up beside him.

"It involves me." I spoke.

"You two young spirits, why do you seek my guidance?"

"We uh…" Spirit started out.

"He loves me and I love him and we—" I spoke.

"I saw it all along, and now you need a way to tell Rain, and not hurt her."

"Uh, yeah." We both said at the same time

"Well that's not going to happen. No matter how you tell Rain, it's going to hurt her deeply. She left her homeland and somebody she loved to be with you and now you love somebody else."

"Well when you put it that way…" Spirit snorted slightly and rolled his eyes.

"But…you can't help the way your heart leads you. You just have to listen better, son."

Spirit let out a snort.

"Tell her the truth, children. It's the only way you can be completely honest with her and yourselves."

I sighed, "This is not going to be easy."

"No it's not. And you shouldn't be there when Rain finds out. It's Spirits job to tell her, not you. It was he who got himself into this, now he needs to fix it."

"Put the blame on me, will ya."

"Spirit…"

"I know, I have to do this."

"And you better do it now," Esperanza looked behind them.

Spirit and I both looked behind us and Rain was waking up. I stood by Esperanza and Spirit left to talk to Rain. This is what I heard:

"Rain, we need to talk." Spirit started out.

"Spirit? What's wrong? What's going on?"

"Rain, there's no good way to put this, but…I'm in love with someone else. I met her at the Calvary."

"You, you! I can't believe you're doing this to me! After all I've done for you! I left everyone I ever loved, ever knew to be with you! I was there for you! And this is how you repay me? You loved someone else before?" Tears were falling from her face as she said this.

"Rain—"

"WHO IS IT? You owe me THAT at least!"

"It's Lady Fire."

The knot in my stomach grew tighter when I heard my name mentioned. Just what was going to happen now?

"Well, I hope you guys have a nice life," Rain cried, the she trotted off.

"No, Rain come back." Spirit yelled.

"Don't worry Spirit, I'll come back one day, to show you how happy I am without you!"

Rain's cry pierced throughout the valley. Then she broke into a fast canter into the sunset. All was still. Everyone in the herd had saw what happened and some were even mad at Spirit.

"Rain…" Spirit whispered. Then a tear rolled down his cheek.

I walked up to him, trying to understand what he could possibly be feeling right now. What I did know is he did care for Rain, but he didn't love her. So seeing her go was a major loss to him and even the herd. She was there for him through the hardest times of his life. Rains hoofbeats echoing in Spirit's ears continued on and would always stay there. No matter what I did, Spirit will always subconciously blame me for his lose of Rain.

"I know this must be hard, Spirit, but things will move on." I whispered so only he could hear.

Spirit turned his head and wrapped his neck around mine. The herd was all watching, but Esperanza ushered them away from us.

"Spirit, it will be okay."

We stood there just holding onto each other, the sun casting a golden shimmer on what right now, seemed such a dark place.

A/N: I know, tons of dialogue. It was necessary though and it won't always have this much dialogue. I just want to thank CrazySparkles for helping me get through one of the toughest writers blocks I have ever had! Thank for helping bring back into focus the real reasons I write and why I love to do it. I just lost myself for a little bit.She knows what I mean! )