So, here is the next chapter!
Sadly, this story will soon be closing to an end. Just so you all know I only anticipate writing two more chapters after this one! Typically, I don't like to make my stories longer than 15 chapters to avoid dragging them on and on... and on... lol Anyway! Thanks for checking back! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Spirit or any characters. Just my OCs and this plot.

It had become dreadfully cold that night in the strange wooden pen, and when Breeze awoke the next morning, a glisteningly white layer of snow about two inches thick had blanketed the floor around her as far as she could see. Snow flakes danced gracefully in the air with the wind, landing on her coat and amidst her mane, forelock and eye-lashes. She breathed in the cold air, her nostrils puffing out hot air in return which appeared like smoke in the freezing temperature. Rain was still near by and so was Wander along with a few of the other indian horses who were standing perfectly still, heads lowered half way to the ground. They all stood close to one another for warmth. A few two-leggeds were up and moving through the camp, shuffling about in the snow in their mocassins, wearing thick animal coats over their shoulders. None seemed to pay Breeze any attention. Why was she here then? Why had they taken her from her friends...?

...

For Jim, his friend, and their pack of horses, the night had passed with much difficulty. The snow that had begun to fall impaired their progress through the prarie and for Jim, who was still recovering from his bullet wound, made his muscles become more sore and achey in the cold. Soon, the packing line was forced to stop their travels for the night and bed down in as good a camp as they could create. Red and Swish had soldiered on un-happily, both reluctant to leave Breeze behind, though perhaps more so with Red then Swish. The red stallion couldn't help but feel that somehow he'd let Breeze down by deserting her to strangers. But there was nothing he could have done! She had not heeded his warnings and therefore, deserved what had happened to her. That was how the red stallion reasoned with himself for the next several days. He found it was easier to be angry with the stupid mare, than sulk in sadness at having lost her.

...

For Esperanza, the winter came and went much like the previous ones in past years. Safe between the mountains and surrounded by familiar areas which they were accustomed to finding food in, the herd got along fairly easy. Still no sign of Spirit had been found, and while the lead mare was determined to continue believing that he would one day return, she was forced to focus on the challenges of every day herd management. Only once did the herd cross pathes with the buffalo, and luckily the large creatures were in no way agressive during the brief confrontation. Esperanza spent her days sniffing out fresh, clean water, finding shallow snow so herd members could paw the ground and find grass or other herbs available, and keeping several of the fillies and colts in line. No other stallion had been found in the area, which was strange, but fortunate since the last thing Esperanza wanted during these more difficult times was a power struggle. Esperanza's greatest trial was being patient, and remaing hopeful for spring...

...

Several days passed in boredom for Breeze. There was little she could do in her wooden pen aside from pawing the ground and chewing on the strands of grass she found. Every once and a while, one or two of the dark skinned two-leggeds would come over rather close to her corral, making her jumpy and a bit nervous, but they never entered. They just spoke back and forth to one another, watched her for a bit, then left again. Rain and Wander were around most of the time, save for when Wander's owner would come to fetch him and ride out with a few of the other indian horses. Whenever Wander would come back, he had the smell of dead animals on him, which lead Breeze to assume, that the humans had gone out hunting for meat, much like the wild big cats did. This made Breeze all the more untrusting towards these new two-leggeds, and far more eager to escape. She often thought of Red, and wondered where he was and if he still thought of her, but she'd accepted the fact that, by now, she would most likely never see him again.

It was on a clear, bright morning, that the two-leggeds actually approached Breeze's wooden pen, and one slid inside between the beams. Breeze was instantly on full alert. She pricked her ears forward in curiosity. What did that indian think he was doing? He now approached her calmly, extending a hand before him to extend it out to her. Originally, Breeze had no intention of getting anywhere near that hand, but then she remembered how gentle and unthreatening the other two-leggeds were when she'd been with the herd under Red. Those two-leggeds didn't bother her at all, nor had they ever caused a bit of a threat. Maybe these darker two-leggeds were much the same? Tentatively, Breeze finally decided to take a few cautious steps forward. When she extended her neck forward enough so her nose was only a few inches away from the indian's hand, she suddenly pulled back, nervousness taking her again. He had smelled funny and she wasn't certain if this two-legged was anything like she thought at all.

But then, the human smiled calmly, and took one more slow step towards her. With a relenting sigh, Breeze decided to try again. She put her nose forward and bumped the palm of his hand softly. Then, an unexpected sense of security rushed over Breeze's mind, reassuring her. She felt safe, and protected somehow, just at the one simple touch. She had felt the same thing when she'd let the old peg-legged Jim, get close to her, but this time it was slightly different. She could feel right away that this human, strange as he was, wanted to be her friend. From that moment on, Breeze began referring to that two-legged as Warm Hand. When he touched her, it was alwas gentle and warm, and with a confident, caring attitude. Breeze began to like this human, and he would come and visit her often, each time surprising her with a new thing to smell and to get associated with. One time it was a blanket, then it was a rope, and finally a strange colored liquid in a tiny wooden bowl. Breeze didn't mind the objects being around once Warm Hand had assured her they were safe, which was good, because soon... all three items she would adorn...

Alright! There it was! Fun fun fun! Bet you can't guess what will happen next? hehe... well a lot, so hold on tight! Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been super busy! Anyway, thanks for checking in and please review!

-StokinDembers