I just have to say that in this chapter there will be fluff. I had to put it in. I couldn't help it. It's not the best, but hey I tried. And I hope to get more reviews than I have in the last chapters. Its just a goal I'm making for myself.
Disclaimer-I don't own any Titans.
Starfire looked back. The whole fair grounds were a tiny dot from here. She remembered the mares splitting into two directions. Perhaps they shall find other horses. She thought.
Up ahead in the distance was the same hill they had been staring at for hours. It seemed as if every step took them no closer to it. The group was at a trot, but their pace seemed to be slowing. Starfire was getting tired and hungry. Besides, the sun was directly behind them. Soon it would be setting and they would have to stop for the night.
Beside her she heard Cyborg moan. "I'm hungry. There's no food out here!"
Raven snorted. "Look by your feet"
"That's nothing but grass! Hey! Do you mean that there's no meat out here?"
"Cyborg you are the meat!" Raven shook her head. Beside her Beast Boy was grinning as wide as a horse could grin. The prospect of Cyborg not eating meat for days was making his spirits high.
"Awww Man! I can't eat that green stuff, it looks to much like Beast Boy, and eating that would give me food poisoning!" Cyborg grunted, and he watched Beast Boy's grin turn into a frown. He wasn't going to let the changeling enjoy this moment.
"Perhaps if you think that you are eating meat, then it will taste like meat," Starfire suggested, hoping that it would avoid an argument between him and Beast Boy.
Cyborg looked at her and then tentatively took a piece of the grass. He chewed and swallowed. "I guess it'll do," he muttered.
Up ahead Robin stopped. "I smell water," he said. Starfire looked up and saw that up ahead was a dip in the ground. The group quickened their pace until they were at the edge of the slope.
Below them did a few trees surround a small fresh water pond, and it was at the base of the hill. Starfire stared ahead. The hill was bugger than she thought. She couldn't see over it. Still, it was something five horses could cross in a half-an-hour or less.
But they wouldn't want to do that now. Behind them the sky was painted in streaks of pink and orange. Night would be here, and it would be wiser to cross the hill tomorrow, and face what was on the other side.
Robin turned to the group. "We stay here for the night," he said. Cyborg approached the water's edge and flopped down beside it. He sighed with contentment, and while lying down began to eat.
Raven approached the water and started drinking. Behind her lurked Beast Boy, who seemed to move closer. Soon it became apparent that he was trying to knock Raven in the pond. As he was about to push Raven turned and said, "Don't even think about it."
"Aw come on Rae, Don't you wanna have fun?" Beast Boy pleaded.
"First. Don't call me Rae. I'm Raven. Second. No I don't want to join in your silly games, I want to return to normal and be home with a nice book and silence." She ended her statement with a glare.
"Fine, Raven, but you don't know what you're missing." Beast Boy then turned to a patch of grass, and began to roll in it.
Watching them amused Starfire. Then her ears flicked towards the left as she heard a noise. She turned to see that it was Robin's hoof hitting the ground as he stepped closer to a very stubborn patch of grass. He was grazing.
Starfire walked up to him. "May I join you?" she asked. He grunted 'yes' through his clenched teeth as he tugged at the clump of grass. She was happy. She didn't know why but being by him made her happy. She felt well... safe.
She stretched her neck to grab some food, when she saw Robin's head fling up. She looked and saw that the patch of grass had come out, but attached to it was a big clump of dirt. He spat it out, and she giggled. He looked at her, and she smiled a horse smile. They went back to eating.
After a while they were full. The sky was dark now. Stars twinkled above, and the moon let off a powerful glow. There were no blinding city lights, and would soothe any eye.
Glancing at the others, they saw that Cyborg was asleep where he lay down, Raven had her legs tucked under her neatly under a tree, and a little bit away Beast Boy was sleeping sprawled out. Robin and Starfire were the only ones awake.
Starfire decided to ask a question that had been nibbling at her mind for a while. "Robin," she said, "How long do you suppose we will be horses?"
He looked at her. "I guess until we find the lady who did this to us."
"But would she not still be at the fair grounds?"
"No. The fair would be done by now. Today was the last day. And besides, we couldn't go back. Who knows what the people might do?"
"So... we keep going east in hopes of finding her?"
Robin nodded. "But still, I can't shake the feeling that something will happen to the city while we're gone. Slade could come back or...I don't think the people will be safe while we're gone."
"I'm sure that they will be safe. Perhaps the Titans East will notice that we're gone and come help?"
Robin shrugged. "Maybe".
Then he turned his head so it was facing his shoulders. He started nibbling. The nibbling was supposed to get rid of an itch, but he couldn't reach far enough. He snorted in irritation.
Starfire walked up to him. "Let me help." She said, and started nibbling right below his reach.
"Thanks, " he said in relief that the annoying itch was gone.
"You are most welcome" she answered. Then the two lay down side by side and drifted off to sleep, as the stars continued to twinkle merrily, and the Moon passed over.
Starfire's eyes opened and she yawned. Robin was on the other side of the pond talking to Cyborg. She got up and took a drink, and lifted her head. Robin approached her and the pricked her ears toward him.
"Wake Raven. We're leaving soon." She nodded and walked up to Raven. She was still in the same position as when Starfire saw her when she went to sleep, her legs tucked neatly under her body.
"Friend Raven, please wake up. We wish to journey over the hill today." Raven's eyes opened and she blinked. She looked at Starfire and nodded getting up.
Beast Boy was already up and stretching. The others started up the hill, and he had to run a bit to catch up.
"Hey," he said, "You know how everybody tells us about 'The Tortoise and the Hare' and how slow and steady wins the race? Then how come we're always moving, and hurrying? All you ever hear is 'Hurry up with this' or 'Hurry up with that' and then you guys hurry to get up the hill and-"
"Beast Boy would you hurry up and get to the point?" Raven shook her mane as Beast Boy glared at her.
Wanting to stretch her legs Starfire started to gallop ahead. Soon Robin was following her. They we're having a mini-race to the top of the hill. Starfire was going pretty fast, but Robin was a male, and had leg size advantage, so he easily pulled ahead.
Starfire did not want to be beat. She went faster, and came up to him. They were neck and neck, Starfire laughing with joy. Their tails blew out behind them like a black and red flame, intertwining.
Soon they made it to the top, and Starfire could not help but gasp. Ahead of them was a desert almost, and the sun beat down harshly. There were plenty of bundles of sage grass here and there, but scarcely any water. Off in the distance on the horizon were mountains, and even in this time of year they had snow!
Soon Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven caught up and looked at the vast land. This was horse territory.
Starfire turned to Robin. "Why is there snow on the mountain in July?"
"Because of the high altitude, there isn't much heat up there." Then he turned to the rest of them "Whenever we see any water, or any grass we're taking it. We can't risk dehydration, or starvation."
The others nodded, and soon ,Starfire and him in the lead, made their way down to the bottom of the hill, and for the first time set their hooves on the ground that so many wild Mustangs had done before.
So there you have it. Oh yeah, the little piece of Beast Boy and they hurrying thing came from Fox Trot in the comics. So did you like my chapter? Please review.