Back with another Black Stallion story. I originally wrote this for NaNoWriMo 2021 and posted this on AO3. Just took me some time to bring it over here. This is an AU of The Black Stallion Legend. Thank you for reading, and feel free to let me know your thoughts.

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"Brice, stop."

"Goddammit, Jason." Brice groans, his lips still brushing over my chest, my belly.

"Seriously." My words come out in a rush as I shove his head away. "I heard something outside."

Brice huffs, ignoring me as he continues down to the button on my jeans. "You're paranoid. No one ever comes out here at night, you know that."

"Brice." I finally manage to shove him off me, rolling out of bed before he can pin me down again. I pull back the curtain slightly, and I swear there's something off in the distance, though I can't quite make it out.

I feel Brice's lips on the back of my neck, and I'm irritated at the distraction. "Stop." I point out the window. "See that?"

Brice rests his head on my shoulder, a puzzled expression suddenly crossing his face.

"You see it too, right?"

Brice pulls away with a nod, turning to find his shirt. "Guess we'd better go check it out." He crosses back, leaving the lightest kiss on my lips. "We'll deal with this and then we'll pick right up where we left off."

We bundle up and leave the bunkhouse, the cold air almost taking the air right out of our lungs. "This had better be good, Jason." Brice grumbles as he blows on his hands. He's forgotten his gloves again, and I hand him mine as we go investigate whatever might be out there.

The moon lights our way, a million stars splayed across the Montana sky. Big Sky Country, we call it out here. If it weren't for the mission at hand, I would appreciate it more.

A whistle cuts through the silence, and I hear Brice gasp. "Jason, did you see that?!"

I nod, though I don't quite believe what I see. A silhouette in the shape of a horse rears up in the distance, and that shrill whistle sounds again.

"That doesn't sound like any horse around here." Brice whispers as we continue on toward the figure.

"Doesn't look like any horse around here, either." I answer quietly, a million questions running through my mind as we slowly approach the animal.

Finally, we can just make out the horse. Bigger than any horse I've ever seen, black as the night that surrounds us. I spot a pair of ropes trailing on either side, attached to a halter, and I quickly grab hold of one as Brice grabs the other.

The horse is furious, pawing the ground before rearing up, and it's all we can do to control him. We manage to get him down, and I carefully move closer. If I can get close enough to talk the creature down, maybe we can get it to the barn to check it out further.

"Ssh, you're okay. You're okay." I speak in what I hope are soothing tones, scratching the animal's neck. This seems to calm the horse, and I get my first good look at it.

"Definitely a him." Brice calls out from the rear. "Intact stallion."

"Great." I mutter to myself. Keeping this creature calm enough to get him to the barn is going to be a project in itself. I feel a puff of warm air as the stallion nudges me.

"Think he'll let us lead him to the barn?" Brice asks.

"It's worth a shot."

The stallion allows us to walk him to the barn, the previous fight in him now gone. In the light of the barn, I can get a better look at him. Brice lets out a low whistle. "Damn. He's a beauty. Someone's gonna be missing him."

"If he's not from around here…" I trail off, imagining the possibilities.

Brice looks up, his eyes wide. "You don't think…?"

I shrug. "Maybe."

"Shit." Brice mutters. "Guess we'd better wake up the boss. Sounds like we're going out on a search and rescue mission."

We get the stallion settled into a stall and walk to the house. The house is dark, and I already dread waking up Earl for what might be a wild goose chase in the middle of the night. Brice and I nod at each other, and I take a deep breath before ringing the doorbell.

At first there's no response, and so I press on the button again, hearing the clanging inside. Lights flick on, and I hear Earl's gravelly voice. "Goddammit, I'm coming. Knock off that damn racket."

The door flies open, and Earl is in his pajamas and bathrobe, glaring first at me, then at Brice. "This had better be a goddamn emergency."

"There's a loose horse." Brice blurts out. "Big black one."

Earl's scowl only intensifies. "You boys bothered me in the middle of the night for that?"

"He's not local." I explain. "We're thinking maybe he escaped from whoever was hauling him."

Earl lets out a long sigh. "Goddamn. Goddamn."

"Earl, what's going on?" I hear Jill's sleepy, gentle voice.

"The boys found a damn horse running loose. No sign of the owner."

"Oh dear." Jill answers, appearing at the door. "Don't just stand there, boys. Come in."

"Thanks." I murmur quietly, nudging Brice in the ribs. He nods his own thanks as he closes the door behind us.

Jill gestures for us to follow her to the kitchen as Earl makes his way back to the bedroom, grumbling all the way. I soon hear another voice. "Jesus, what's going on?"

"The boys here found a horse running loose." Jill explains as Miranda takes a seat at the table.

"So?" Miranda mutters. "Put it up in the barn for the night. Someone's bound to come look for it in the morning."

"I doubt it." I answer sharply, a little sharper than I intend. "He has a halter with a set of ropes hanging from it. Probably got loose from someone's trailer."

Miranda lifts her head at that, a worried frown wrinkling her forehead. "You're thinking someone crashed."

"Yeah."

Miranda presses her lips together, the way she does when she's thinking hard about something. "It's awfully cold tonight. If they're out there, they'll freeze before morning."

I hear Earl sigh as he returns to the kitchen. "My guess is they crashed out on the county road. Brice, you and me will head out in the Jeep. Jason, Miranda, get a couple of horses and start retracing that horse's steps."

"I'll keep the coffee pot on." Jill chimes in.

Earl leans over to plant a kiss on her forehead. "Don't you worry. We'll all be back safe and sound. Probably have another lost soul for you to rescue before too long."

I can't help laughing a little at Earl's teasing. But it's true. The Lost and Found is supposed to be a working ranch, but in reality, it's more of a rescue operation for both people and animals. Jill likes to say that folks find the place when they need it the most. I know it was true for me, and for more than a few folks who have passed through here.

Soon we're all bundled up, Miranda and I headed out to the barn to saddle up a couple horses while Earl and Brice climb into the Jeep.

"Jesus." Miranda shivers as we walk. "It's even colder than I thought."

I laugh a little and pull her in close. She's just a delicate little thing, though she gets mad when anyone comments on it. Still, she's nowhere near as skinny as she was when she first showed up here at the beginning of the fall. And as she always likes to remind folks, she's a hell of a lot tougher than she looks.

She stops shivering, pulling away from me. Miranda's funny about being touched, though she seems to accept mine without much fuss. Probably because she knows I'm not going to make any moves on her.

"Holy shit." Miranda blurts out as we enter the barn. "He's huge!"

"Yeah, I couldn't believe it, either." I chuckle as I start gathering tack.

Miranda approaches the stall, carefully reaching out a hand to the stallion. He stretches out his neck to investigate, apparently finding her satisfactory. "Well, aren't you sweet?" she speaks to him quietly, reaching up to rub his nose.

That's a step too far for him, and he retreats back into the stall. "Okay, maybe when we find your person, we'll chat again."

We saddle up the horses and set off into the night. Miranda starts out walking, studying the stallion's hoofprints in the snow under the light of the lantern she grabbed on the way out of the barn. She's an experienced tracker, literally following in her grandfather's footsteps, and I trust her to lead the way. I ride alongside, appreciating the silence and the darkness, and yes, even the cold. It's peaceful, and if we weren't out on a search and rescue mission, this ride would be enjoyable.

"This way." Miranda points and I follow. Here the hoofprints are clearer, and there's only one set belonging to the black stallion. I know we're getting closer to the county road, though there's almost no traffic. It smells different here, more like fuel and exhaust. It reminds me of those months I spent hitchhiking before I landed at the Lost and Found, another one of Jill's rescues.

"Do you smell that?" Miranda's voice breaks me out of my reverie.

I inhale deeply. "Diesel fuel."

Miranda nods. "We must be getting close."

We ride on, and I start to notice more trampled down snow, pieces of wood scattered down the road. Miranda stops and picks up a piece, "HOPE" emblazoned on it in black letters. I take a deep breath, hoping that this is a good sign. I dread what we might find.

Suddenly Miranda mounts her horse and takes off, and I hurry to catch up. She disappears before I can do so, and I see why she was in such a hurry. There's a truck in the ditch, the engine still running, pieces of what was a trailer scattered far behind it.

I hear the Jeep pull up behind me, its headlights showing the scene more clearly. Earl and Brice climb out. "Where's Miranda?"

I point toward the wrecked truck, and Earl lets out a sigh as he ambles toward the wreck. I dismount and join up with Brice.

"You owe me." He whispers in my ear.

I can't help grinning at him. "I'll make it up to you."

He eyes me up and down, a slight smirk on his face. "Damn right you will."

"Brice!" Earl's bellow startles us both. "Radio the sheriff's department. Tell them to send an ambulance."

Brice quickly returns to the Jeep, and I continue on to the accident scene. It doesn't look bad at first, and I'm confused by what happened here. It's only when I get closer that I see the extent of the damage to the truck.

"Jesus." I murmur to myself as I carefully make my way into the ditch. The roof and doors are dented all to hell, one headlight is busted, the windshield is shattered. Somehow, the thing's still running, though I don't understand how.

"Jason, come down here." Miranda calls out. I follow the sound of her voice to the driver's side of the truck. What I find takes my breath away.

The driver is young, male, with bright red hair. His breathing is shallow, his face a mess of cuts from the broken windshield. Blood trickles from one nostril, his eyelids flutter as he slowly comes to consciousness.

Suddenly he seems aware of his surroundings, and moves as if to get out of the truck. Miranda and I both hold him back. "Stay put." I tell him firmly. "You're hurt. You've been in an accident."

He looks confused, blinking slowly as he turns his head to the passenger side. "There was…someone here. A girl."

Miranda and I look at each other. There had been no sign of another person, just that of the horse. "No, sir." She tells him. "It's just you."

He looks alarmed. "No, she was right here. Right here." He reaches out and weakly pats the passenger seat. He turns back to us. "I have to find her."

"You're not going anywhere right now, son." Earl suddenly appears. "We're getting you some help. Ambulance is coming to take you to the hospital."

"But what about…" he seems to search for a word he can't find. "…what about her?"

"If she's around, we'll find her." Earl assures him. "Just hang tight, okay?"

He nods, still seeming confused, and closes his eyes. Miranda takes off her coat and covers him, a concerned expression on her face, and Earl lets out a huff in exasperation.

"Sheriff's coming." Brice calls out. "Shouldn't be long."

"Good." Earl answers. "Go get that blanket out of the Jeep. This damn fool girl gave her coat to that boy. I'm not about to let anyone freeze to death out here tonight." Under his breath he mutters, "Jill will have my damn head if I let anything happen to that girl."

Earl sounds gruff, but I know he has a bit of affection for Miranda. We all do.

Brice soon returns with the blanket, and Earl exchanges it for Miranda's coat, handing the coat back to Miranda. Miranda shrugs back into the coat, shivering slightly.

Soon enough the wail of sirens announces the arrival of the ambulance, and Earl waves our small group back out to the road to talk to the sheriff's deputy. Somehow, between all of us, we manage to explain how we came to find the unidentified young man, his truck, and what remains of the trailer.

The deputy shakes his head as he scribbles in his notebook. It sounds incredible as we each tell our part of the story in turn. If someone was telling me the story, I'd swear they were bullshitting me.

"We'll see if we can ID the guy. If he's connected to that horse you have out there, we'll let you know." He tells Earl, who nods and shakes the deputy's hand firmly.

"You let us know anyway." Earl tells him. "You know Jill won't rest until she knows the kid's okay."

The deputy smiles and returns to his truck, and the rest of us return to the ranch. I can't get the image of that guy out of my head. Hurt, alone, probably scared half to death.

True to form, as soon as we get back to the bunkhouse, Brice picks up right where he left off, his rough hands sliding under my shirt, his mouth leaving a trail down to the button of my jeans. This time I can't seem to get into it.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Brice demands, moving to lay next to me.

"Nothing." I don't want to go into it, and Brice wouldn't get it anyway.

He runs a hand through my closely cropped hair. "Think I liked it better when you had that hippie hair. I can't do shit with this."

I can't help laughing a little. The hair had been the first thing to go when I showed up here, at Earl's demand. But I've gotten used to it now, and Brice doesn't really seem to object.

Brice frowns. "You aren't hung up on that guy we found, are you? I'm sure he'll be fine."

"He'd better be." I answer with a lightness I don't feel. "We have his horse."

Brice snorts and grabs me between the legs, and we're off and running, the excitement of the night finally fading away and giving way to an entirely different kind of excitement. Tomorrow's going to be a long damned day at this rate.