Okay I've been doing a lot of writing today despite my major writer's block on all my stories so wish me luck please!! Oh yeah and review!
Disclaimer: Don't own anyone.
Paint in the Wind Chapter 5:The Plot Thickens
Everyone stared in a stunned silence as Shanks and the town Veterinarian climbed over the white fence and attempted to lasso Zoro. They each landed a rope around his neck and tied the other end to the lowest board on the fence. He continued his wild bucking as he attempted to break free of the ropes around his neck. The next thing lassoed was two of his legs. One in the front and one in the back. Both on the same side. The two ran to the opposite side and pulled on the ropes as hard as they could, yanking his legs out from underneath him, and bringing him to the ground.
The Vet immediately ran over and removed a needle from his black bag. He carefully injected Zoro and soon the Wild Horse lay still.
The first thing they did was cut the wire like rope from around his neck. They then cleaned and bandaged the deep cut it had caused. They then moved around his body cleaning and bandaging each wound they came across. The one that exposed his ribs was given special care. After his wounds had been cared for Shanks went into the barn and came back with a large sponge. He filled a bucket with water and began to scrub Zoro while the Vet cut his mane and tail with a pair of shears.
After they were finished they untied him, filled the water troff, and placed a bale of hay inside the pen. Both then simply stood for a moment, outside the pen, and looked on him.
"He is a beautiful creature." Shanks said as he gazed on the, now clean, Stallion.
"He is indeed. I have to be going now. Good luck with this one Shanks." The Veterinarian responded as he walked away.
Luffy and the others walked warily towards the edge of the pen as Shanks opened the gate and the two walked out of the white pen after releasing Zoro from the ropes. They couldn't help but stare, jaws slackened as they beheld Zoro's unique fur. His mane and tail were the same sea green as his wild eyes and he was revealed to be a paint. White fur stretched across his thin body while sea green splotches stood out on him as he slept in the pen.
Shanks walked back into his house and retrieved a sack full of large red apples. He took this back out to the pen and set them in a pile next to the large stallion. He then walked back out and into the house to sit down and rest from the day's adventures.
Luffy squeezed through beneath the boards of the white pen and tentatively approached Zoro in the middle.
"Luffy! Get back we don't know when he's gonna wake up!" Usopp cawed to Luffy as he flapped his wings in a panic.
"Don't be such a coward Usopp." Luffy barked back.
"Just be careful." Chopper added.
Luffy inched forward carefully as he examined the stallion. He was even bigger than Chopper. A Mustang, a real Mustang. Would he hurt anyone? For some reason Luffy trusted the stallion and understood his behavior toward Shanks. Whether this great horse cared to admit it or not he was scared and angry. Zoro was still an amazing creature beside that.
Zoro snorted weakly as he came to his senses. Slowly the haze around him cleared to reveal the same dusty pen that Twoleg had dragged him into. Luffy was standing a little ways beside him and he felt different. Not in as much pain and the mud that had caked onto his fur and mane was no longer pulling at him. Also the delicious aroma of fresh apples reached his nostrils. How long had it been since he had eaten? Since he had tasted fresh apples or juicy grass? Not since that group of Twolegs roped him that was for sure.
He leaped to his hooves and an annoyingly frightened squawk reached his ears as the ears swiveled atop his head. He snorted as he turned and caught the stink of fear. He wrinkled his nose at the unpleasant stench the green bird was making but tolerated it as he trotted over towards the apples. As he snatched up the first he couldn't help but catch the smell of the Twoleg the little pet had referred to as Shanks. What was his name again? Oh, yes. Luffy.
Why would anyone trust a Twoleg as much as he did? Why? Maybe, just maybe he was wrong about them.
He licked his lips graciously to savor the juicy flavor of the apples. They were the biggest and the best he had ever tasted. They were extraordinary! He turned to the creak of wood to see the Twoleg walking back out of his dwelling and toward the pen.
"I'm going to try something okay guys?" He said as the approached the pen slowly.
Zoro froze in the center and stared at Shanks with wild eyes as he approached. Shanks very carefully climbed over the fence and began to gently lower himself down. The slow movements did not alarm the Stallion and seemed to make just a little curious. With one last board he slipped and fell to the ground landing on his feet but startling Zoro. The horse neighed and charged at the man who scrambled underneath the border of the fence but, before he could make it Zoro smashed a hoof onto his shoulderblade. It wasn't a hard hit but it had enough force to knock Zoro the rest of the way beneath the boards. This made the rest of the animals hiss, squawk, and growl.
Zoro reared with a loud neigh and hit the side of the pen causing the boards to crack. Robin squeezed beneath the boards and snapped at Zoro driving him away from the edge.
"Robin! Get out of there." Shanks called after Robin who immediately obeyed. "Sorry Zoro, that was my fault." He whispered to Zoro as he ran and bucked around the pen. "It's been a while since I've worked with horses guys. There's going to be some mistakes."
Shanks rubbed the growing red spot on his back tenderly before taking off his shirt and stretching his neck to get a better look at the deep purple mark and the crescent shaped cut where Zoro's hoof had dug into the skin.
"We'll try again later. Come on guys."
One by one they all left Zoro and walked into the house but Chopper simply stayed in his large open pen and stretched his neck across the small space to try and calm Zoro by offering some hay but the wild and frightened horse didn't see the kind offer.
From the border of the forest four glistening and sad orbs watched Zoro as he ran wildly around the open pen.
"He must be so scared." The female said.
"There's nothing we can do. He's with Twolegs now and we are entirely too close to their dwellings."
"We have to do something!"
"Kuina! There's nothing we can do!"
"I guess you're right Erin but.....oh Zoro was going to be the leader of the herd. What are we going to do without him?"
"We can talk to the Alpha but I don't think there's anything even he could do."
"Maybe if the whole herd worked together!"
"Kuina these outlandish attitudes and outspoken attitude are going to get you into trouble. We cannot help your friend! Now come on we have to get back." The large white stallion snorted as he turned and began trotting away.
"But he was so much more than my friend." the black mare said to no one as she galloped to catch up with her friend.
The sun sank lower into the horizon as the day came to an end and four greedy eyes stared down at Zoro from were they were hiding and a plan was formulating inside cruel minds to reclaim their stolen property without getting themselves into trouble as well while the wind whispered foreboding prophecies of what was soon to come.
I would like to give a big round of applause to mimifoxlove for helping me with this story and I have used some of her ideas so give credit to her too!!! Love all you guys! See you in the next chapter.