Okay! Chapter 5 is here! Thanks readers for sticking with me this far! The action is just beginning! Disclaimer: I do not own Spirit, just my OC and story idea!
Time was of the essence. Breeze had a choice to make and she had to make it quick. Her head swung from looking toward the herd, and back to the direction Wander had gone. How frustrating! Why did he have to be so annoyingly uncooperative? If he had just stayed but a moment longer he would have been able to see there was no danger. The wind suddenly picked up harshly, blowing and tearing at the mare's main to recapture Breeze's attention as if it were mad at her for having lost some focus. Wander was now long vanished into the forest! Shaking her head in great frustration she took off, her rump muscles tightening as she burst across the field, desperate to catch up. Her legs carried her quicky across the plain until she too had reached the entrance of trees. The sunlight dampened dramatically, as the branches above her head were so close they snuffed out much of the sun rays fighting coming through to the forest floor. Was it just her or was this section of woods darker than she had remembered? Perhaps it was because the sun had shifted through the sky that there were so many shadows...
It didn't matter, for she was putting all her attention on running her heart out to catch up. Her feet hammered at the dirt floor, flinging up mud and leaves in her wake. She was practically certain Wander was not too far ahead. A sudden fallen tree blocked her path, requiring that she push with all the strength in her hind legs to soar over it. It was after she landed that she shook her head, nearly having fallen over but having recovered just in time. Her mane she tossed out of her face to look forward at the path ahead. That was when she noticed she was lost. Sliding to a despairing stop, Breeze puffed nervously through her nostrils. Her first instinct was of course to lift her nose and smell the air, but the wind was unfamiliar and brought scents of all sort of things that she did not recognize. She now stood, trying hard to decide on which direction to go! Wander was far out of sight now and with so many trees stemming up every which way she could see no sign of him. Her head lowered significantly in overwhelming fearfulness.
With ears twitching back and forth incessantly, Breeze pondered what to do. Wander was now gone, along with her last chance of finding a substitute stallion for the herd. A twig snapped and Breeze's hooves nearly jumped off the ground at the unexpected sound. She whirled, snorting wildly to see it was nothing but a bunny scampering away. Her chest heaved up and down in heavy breaths, letting the adrenaline temporarily dissipate from her body. Well... what could she do now but return to the herd? She didn't really have any other choice it seemed. Another twig snapped. Breeze wasn't as concerned about it this time but she did think it odd that the sound had come from a tree above her. Lifting her head slightly to glance above, the corner of her eye caught the swish of a long, tan tail. A rush of sudden fear surged through her body and her body naturally sprung away in fright. She was too late however, for the mountail lion was jumping out from the tree right as she had turned to jolt away. By the time her hooves were flinging up dirt, the lion had landed on her back!
The evil creature's claws dug into her skin without mercy and she began bucking wildly, desperate to dislodge the vicious animal from her back. She was absolutely terrified and could not stop rearing and bucking over and over again. But the lion would not be shaken so easily. It dug in deeper, clinging hard and began biting at her shoulder. Breeze whinnied in pain and began rearing all the harder. She found herselef coming next to a tree amidst her chaotic whirling of hooves and attempted bucking up towards a close branch, looking to knock the large cat off and end the painful torture. The branch struck the cat in the back, causing the lion to roar angrily and lessen it's grip on Breeze's back. With another kick, Breeze was free and she began to run for her life. The mountain lion did not pursue long however, for it had received a strong hit against that branch and was now tired from having to hang on so long during the mare's unhelpful kicking fit. Still Breeze ran, too frightened to stop or slow.
Thoughts of where she was going or when she would stop were farthest from her mind. The dark chocolate colored mare ran her heart out, her flaxen mane and tail flying in the wind, the tree leaves whispering of her marvelous speed as she blew by. Breeze did not know how long she ran but it felt like days. She did not slow until she knew for sure she could not lift one more hoof. Her breathing was loud and laborious, sweat soaked her neck, chest and belly, mingling with the blood stains which had dripped down her hide from the mountain lion's claw work. Breeze teetered to a slow, and still huffing and puffing, nostrils flaring sought out the smell of anything familiar. But it was completely strange bush land now. A large bushy valley was before her, with bright red rock canyons reaching out to the sky in the distance. She had reached some sort of desert, which wasn't helpful considering she was very thirsty right now.
Taking a deep breath, she sucked in the scents of the valley for any sign of the cool distinct smell of water. It took some time but eventually, she caught it in the wind. It was up ahead, in those canyons. She blew through her lips with some reluctance but her longing for water over came any fears and she began to walk across the valley. At first glance, one might have thought the desert was completely vacant of all life, but Breeze knew better. Every once and a while a jack rabbit would spring from a bush and jump away, spooking Breeze for only a second but enough to keep her constantly alert. At one point, when she stepped near a shaded rock she heard the disturbing sound of a rattler, which made her jump. But the ugly snake did not lash out to her relief. None the less she quickened her pace. The sun was shining down hot on her dark brown back and, if possible, it was as if the sun was draining her of strength. She had to keep moving. The shade of the large, towering rocks was not far ahead and they beckoned to her most invitingly. Almost there...
There is my latest installment! Hope you enjoyed it and will be back with more soon!
PREVIEW: Does Breeze have what it takes to carry on in the desert or will she need the help of an unexpected and odd stranger to save her life?
Please review and look forward to hearing your opinions!