January Story Contest

Chasing All Home

By LongTail and Nova

Age 23

 

           He sniffed the air cautiously. What? What? What was that smell? He sniffed again, harder, trying to recognize the scent. He was suddenly startled by his realization to the smell. Man. The people who took his foals, took his mares, took his family. But now there was no one but him to be taken. Suddenly, he was running, away from the smell. Smack! Into the wooden fence that lined his home. He neighed and screamed, kicking at it ferociously. No way to get out, there was never a way. Exhausted, he lay on the ground, thinking hard about what he had lost, but had he lost them, or they lost him?

           The man – creature, the gentle one, lifted the huge stallion’s head, the grey dapples and sterling silver mane catching the sunlight. He tried to slip a halter over his head, but the stallion would have none of it. With a neigh, he reared back and took off around the small paddock, snorting at the man - creature whenever he took a step near him. The gentle man – creature sighed sadly and left the paddock, to let the stallion settle and hopefully he would be able to try again.

           The stallion woke from his sleep with a start. Another horse, here? Yes, yes it was. A mare, by the smell of it. Moon, Moon was here. He neighed to her, and ran towards her. They nuzzled each other, and settled down to eat the small amount of grass and hay in the paddock together. That’s when he noticed. On Moon’s delicate, Arabian face, there was a blue rope halter.

           The stallion sighed, and Moon pushed him forward forcefully towards the human. The human, holding the halter, stared back at them in surprise. He slowly lowered his head to the gentle boy, and let him slip the halter on. He remembered his and Moon’s conversation:

“Let him halter you, you know you will never be let to do anything if you don’t.”

“We are wild horses Moon, we can’t be pushed around!”

“Then trust him, and don’t let him push you around.”

 

Now, here he was, having a halter put on. He sighed. This was not good.

          

The small boy walked his new horse, Tanner, around the ring. Moon watched him proudly from the paddock next to the ring. She whickered encouragement at him, then turned back to the old gelding in the pasture, Bingos. The dappled grey mustang carefully walked his precious cargo around the ring while Gavin’s father watched carefully. Tanner was being patient today, even with no weight on his back (barely, anyway.). Suddenly, something caught Tanner’s eye. Wild mustangs, running free, on the plains near the little farm. He stopped, and every muscle quivered in his body. He wanted to go with them so badly, but he knew he might hurt Gavin when he bolted. He sighed heavily, and then started to walk forward calmly again, choosing the new life he now shared with Moon and Bingos, Gavin and his father.

 

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