A/N: Here we go. How will the fight between Romeo and Paris end? Will Juliet ever awaken? How will their love story end? The answers lie ahead, so I won't keep you busy with a long Author's Note. Enjoy!

Chapter Eleven

The day had become so hot that the horses of Prince's herd took refuge under the trees surrounding the clearing, relaxing and dozing in the shade. Benvolio stood beside Rosaline, swishing his tail to help keep the flies off her body. She smiled at him in thanks and returned the favor. They didn't speak much: talking took energy, and they were both feeling lethargic and lazy with the heat.

At some point, Rosaline broke the silence by murmuring, "Paris is leaving again."

Benvolio followed her gaze in time to see the chestnut stallion slip into the forest and out of sight. "Still looking for Juliet?"

"Mm-hmm," Rosaline confirmed, tossing her mane halfheartedly. "Hope she and Romeo are on the lookout."

"Me too," Benvolio agreed, and another silence fell between them. The minutes wore on in peaceful contentment. Rosaline closed her eyes, thinking that she might take a quick nap, but just as she decided on this course of action, Benvolio huffed and she looked around at him, curious. "I was thinking about going to the stream for a drink," he said conversationally. "Would you like to come with me?"

Rosaline considered for a moment before she smiled and replied, "Sure. That sounds nice."

So they walked deeper into the trees, passing Montague on their way. He was standing listlessly, his eyes fixed straight ahead but not seeing anything. Benvolio felt his heart constrict in pity, but he said nothing. He'd tried to do as Romeo asked and done everything in his power to comfort the poor stallion. But nothing had helped. It seemed like nothing less than actually seeing Romeo again would lift Montague's spirits, but neither he nor Rosaline had thought it wise to let him know of his son's location. The more horses that knew, the greater the chance that Capulet or Paris would learn of where Romeo and Juliet were hiding, and until they had a plan to reconcile it was best that their whereabouts remained as secret as possible.

As they walked, Benvolio wondered how his friend was doing. He hadn't seen Romeo since warning him and Juliet of Prince's search parties, and he missed his colthood playmate intensely. Still, it was more important that Romeo was happy, and obviously nothing could make him happier than being with Juliet. He could only hope that someday he and Rosaline…

His thoughts ground to a halt, and he glanced over at the mare by his side. The sunlight filtering through the trees made her speckled coat shine, and her mane and forelock were lifted by a pleasant breeze. She was beautiful, so beautiful that it hurt to look at her, yet he found he didn't want to look away. The sight of her filled him with joy and made his heart feel so light he thought he could walk on the clouds if he wanted.

He was in love. He knew it now for certain. He wanted to be with her always, and each moment they were apart felt like it would never end. He thought he understood now why Romeo had seemed so distracted lately when waiting for the time he and Juliet could be reunited. Rosaline was all he could think of when she wasn't around him, and when she was by his side he could barely think of anything besides his delight at her presence.

But how was he supposed to tell her? What if he confessed his love to her and she rejected him, told him that she didn't feel the same for him? That would utterly break his heart. Or worse, what if she actually laughed at him? No…no, she wouldn't do that. She wasn't a cruel horse. She would likely let him down gently, as kind as she could be. But the rejection would still be worse than any torture imaginable, worse than wolves or wildcats or bears. He couldn't tell her…not yet, anyway. Not until he was more certain of how she felt about him. Or maybe never. He just didn't know…

Rosaline gasped, jolting him from his thoughts. They had reached the stream, its crystalline waters burbling placidly along, the sun reflecting off the shimmering surface. It would have been a peaceful, beautiful scene…

…except for the body of a horse lying on the riverbank.

They rushed forward, their ears laid back in fear, hearts pounding. It was a mare, and she had a red coat. There was blood trickling down her face from a gash in her forehead.

"Juliet!" Rosaline cried. "Oh no…Juliet! Wake up! Please, Juliet, wake up! Please don't be dead, you can't be dead!"

"She's alive!" Benvolio said. "Look, Rosaline: she's breathing! She's alive!"

Rosaline let out a short cry of relief. "Thank goodness! But what happened to her?"

"She must have been attacked by something," Benvolio replied, looking at the cut under Juliet's forelock. "Let's try to revive her. Maybe she'll remember what happened before she passed out."

Rosaline nodded and turned to the stream, dipping her muzzle in and splashing water onto Juliet's face. The red mare gasped and spluttered, her eyes opening blearily. "Wha…?" she mumbled. "What…happened…?"

"We were hoping you could tell us," Benvolio answered, exchanging a worried glance with Rosaline. "Do you remember anything that happened before you were attacked?"

Juliet tried to stand and winced as her head throbbed painfully. "I…I don't…" She paused, thinking. "There…there was a horse…I didn't get a good look, but…I think…I think he had chestnut-colored hair."

"Chestnut?" Rosaline repeated sharply. "You mean like Paris?"

Juliet looked up at her, eyes widening in confusion and worry. "Yes."

Benvolio reared onto his hind legs and whirled around. "Rosaline, stay with Juliet," he said sharply. "I'm going to get my father. He needs to know about this."

Rosaline nodded, and Benvolio hurried away, vanishing between the trees as he galloped back to the clearing. Turning her attention back to her wounded friend, the Appaloosa mare asked, "Where's Romeo? Was he with you?"

"No." Juliet tossed her head and winced again. "He's not feeling well, so he told me to go on to the stream without him. Oh my poor dear," she added with a moan, "he must be so worried right now…"

But Rosaline's heart was pounding with an ever-growing sense of horror. If Paris had found Juliet here at the stream and attacked her, what would have been his next move? Would he have returned to the herd, content? Or would he have known that Romeo couldn't be far away from Juliet? Could he possibly have known his rival was nearby? Had he gone looking for him? And if he'd found him…what then?

She hesitated for half a second, unsure of what to do. Benvolio had asked her to stay there. But this could very well be a matter of life and death. Hopefully Benvolio would know where to search for them.

"Juliet," Rosaline said urgently, "come on, we have to go."

Juliet's eyes widened. "What's the matter?"

Rosaline snorted impatiently. "Juliet, if you were attacked by Paris out of jealous rage, then where do you think he'd head next? Don't you think that, if he hates one horse more than any in the world, then it would be the one that won your heart and took you away from him?"

Juliet blinked several times as Rosaline's meaning sank in. Then she cried out in terror. "You don't think…you're not suggesting that…" She couldn't even complete the thought. It was too awful for words. "We have to go back! We have to get to Romeo right away!"

Rosaline nodded. "Let's go!"

The two mares cantered through the forest, weaving their way among the trees as they hurried back to the little glen where Juliet had been living with her Romeo. She hoped and prayed that they would find him there as she had left him, alone, perhaps waking up from a nap, smiling at the sight of her, nickering her name in welcome, alive…

As they drew nearer to their destination, their ears started to pick up new sounds, sounds they could hear even above their own snorting breaths and the pounding of their hooves on the ground. Grunting, heavy thuds, squeals of pain, shrieks of rage…the noises of fighting horses. Juliet felt her heart plummet.

They burst into the clearing, and their worst fears were confirmed. Paris was there, his ears laid back and teeth bared in fury, lashing out with sharp, lethal hooves at Romeo, who fought back with every ounce of strength and rage he possessed. Both stallions sported numerous cuts and bruises, and blood trickled down their sweaty, heaving sides. Romeo's cheeks glistened with tears, and his breathing was punctuated with sobs. His attacks were wild and uncontrolled, as if he were fighting blind, or if he didn't care how badly he was wounded as long as he caused his opponent as much pain as possible.

Juliet observed all this in less than a second. Then she cried out, "Romeo!"

Her mate looked around at the sound of her voice, and his eyes widened as he froze in mid-rear. He looked as if he didn't believe what he was seeing, as though he thought he must be dreaming. His lips moved, and Juliet saw them form her name, though the word itself was lost to the wind. In that endless, timeless second during which they gazed upon each other, she saw an unspeakable joy and relief flash in his eyes. In that moment, that solitary moment, they were together again, two souls joined as one.

Then the moment passed, and Paris, taking advantage of Romeo's distraction, shoved the stallion, forcing him to the ground with a heavy thud. Romeo gasped, winded, as Paris rose above him, eyes alight with terrible fury and triumph as his hooves flashed in the hot afternoon sun. And in that second, Juliet knew what was about to happen, knew what Paris intended, and there was nothing she could do to prevent it. She lunged forward, knowing she would never make it there in time, screaming, "Paris, NO!" while knowing it would do no good.

She was right. Paris drove his forefeet down, putting as much of his weight behind them as he could, and his hooves buried themselves in Romeo's side.

There was a terrible cracking sound that reminded Juliet fleetingly of a tree branch breaking in a heavy wind. She just had time to connect the noise to what she had witnessed, time enough for her heart to stop beating…

…and then Romeo let out a roar of utter agony, pain like nothing he'd ever felt before, hot, searing pain that had neither beginning nor end, pain that filled him, engulfed him, consumed him.

The sound of his scream faded, and his head fell limply to the earth. He lay utterly motionless, making not even the smallest sound. He didn't even seem to breathe.

"Romeo!"

Juliet rushed forward, completely ignoring Paris, who stepped back with a look of cold satisfaction in his eyes. She dropped down beside her mate, searching frantically for any sign of life. His side rose and fell jerkily, blood pouring down his belly from a terrible wound left by Paris's hooves. "Romeo, oh Romeo…! Open your eyes! Look at me, Romeo, look at me please!"

Romeo's eyelids twitched and then opened, and their gazes met. He smiled weakly. "Juliet," he croaked. "You're alive…thank goodness…I thought you were…" He inhaled sharply and cringed as the pain inside him flared fiercely.

"Yes, I'm alive," Juliet assured him, fighting to keep her voice level. She could feel it trying to shake. "And we're together, all right? You and I are together now, and we always will be. You're going to be okay, Romeo, I promise."

Romeo coughed, a horrible sound that made Juliet think for a moment that he was going to expel his lungs from his mouth. "I'm sorry, my sweet Juliet," he said. "I was such a fool…I'm so sorry…I love you…"

Juliet stiffened. "Don't do that," she said. "Don't act like you're saying good-bye. Romeo, you can't…you're going to be okay, you have to be! I can't live without you! Please, Romeo, please hang on, just hang on! Stay with me!"

Romeo blinked several times, though his eyelids didn't reopen all the way. "I…I'm having trouble…seeing you…" he murmured in between ragged, uneven breaths. "You're becoming…kind of fuzzy…"

Juliet's heart contracted. "Romeo…" she moaned quietly, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Juliet," Romeo gasped, convulsing again as another burst of pain throbbed through his body, "please…tell me you…love me…I need to…hear you say it…one more time…please my love…please tell me…"

Juliet sobbed, her tears spilling over and spattering on her mate's face. She wasn't sure he felt them, for he didn't react at all to their touch. "I…I love you, Romeo," she said tremulously, reaching down to press her muzzle to his. "You are my world and…and…and I love you…so much…"

Romeo smiled. "Thank you…Juliet…my love…" He closed his eyes. They did not open again. His breathing slowed…slowed…then stopped with one final exhalation. His smile faded and his face cleared of expression. His body relaxed and moved no more. He was gone.

Juliet's eyes widened and her lungs froze mid-breath. She stared down at her mate's body, shaking her head in denial. "No," she whispered. Then again, louder: "No."

There was a beat.

And then she screamed the word, screamed her grief and despair to the entire forest, screamed so hard that it hurt her throat. It was a sound that was filled with unspeakable sorrow, and it struck the heart of every creature that heard it. She screamed until her voice gave out, and then she started to cry, burying her face in Romeo's shoulder. "Romeo," she whimpered, "oh Romeo, tell me you love me. Say it again. Open your eyes and look at me and tell me you love me. Say something, for the love of Equus say something! Anything! Just open your eyes! Breathe! Don't leave me, please…don't…don't…"

She could say no more but cried harder than ever, her whole body shaking with her sobs. It was all over: their love, their determination to end their fathers' hatred, everything. Every smile, every sweet touch, every tender nuzzle, every traded whisper, all of it was gone now, lost to death that snatched her mate away from her. The future she'd prayed for, the life she'd wanted to live with her beloved Romeo, the foals she'd hoped to have with him, all of it was now dust and useless wishing. Romeo was gone, and with him went her entire world.

Behind her, Rosaline stepped forward, her own cheeks streaked as well with tears. She reached out with her muzzle to touch Juliet's shoulder, the only comfort she could give. But Juliet gave no notice. Indeed, she didn't even feel her friend's presence.

She did, however, notice the sound of running hoofbeats. Her ears swiveled backward, and she looked around in time to see Benvolio charge into the clearing, followed closely by Prince, Capulet, Lady, and Montague. There was a moment of stunned silence as the new arrivals surveyed the scene. Then Montague shouted, "Romeo!" and hurried to his son's side. "Oh no…no, Romeo! No it can't be! You can't be dead! You can't! Oh my son…my son…!" And he too dissolved into sobs, joining Juliet in her grief.

There was the sound of a short scuffle and a squeal of pain, and Juliet looked around in time to see Paris retreating from Prince's hooves. "Get out of here," Prince snarled, and there was such venom in his voice that Juliet couldn't quite believe this was the same horse who had looked after her and her family for as long as she could remember. "I don't ever want to see your face again. Go."

Paris took several steps backward and glanced at Juliet. For a second, their eyes met, and Juliet stared at him. There was something in his gaze that she couldn't place: she was too heartbroken to figure it out. Was it regret?

Then Paris wheeled around and galloped away. She never saw him again.

When Paris was gone, she returned her eyes to her mate. She tenderly reached out and brushed his forelock out of his face. His expression was peaceful. He might have been sleeping, ready to wake at any moment.

But he won't, she thought, and the reality hit her like an avalanche, burying her under the crushing weight of her grief. He'll never wake up again. Because he's not sleeping. He's…he's…

Her thoughts failed, and her tears resumed. Sobbing uncontrollably, she and Montague continued to cry over Romeo's body, watched on in silence by the other horses as the hot afternoon sun continued its merciless, uncaring path across the sky.

A/N: …well, really what did you expect from a Romeo and Juliet adaptation? A happy ending?

The last chapter will be up on Tuesday, which – perhaps appropriately enough – is Valentine's Day. I hope you're enjoying the story!