March Story Contest
The Gray Stallion
By: Haily horse
Age: 10Once there was a herd. And it had a young mare named Emma for a lead mare. Emma was a 6-year-old mare. Her mom was a lead mare, so when her mom died, she had no choice but to lead the herd. Her dad a found a another mare and had a foal but the mare didn’t like the herd so she, and her foal and Emma’s dad, went to join another herd so Emma was left alone, in the middle of nowhere with her herd.There they were galloping across the country, looking for some food.
And all they could see was dry, dead grass, no fruitful trees, no shade, no water, and no shelter to cover them when it rains. Emma found a good meadow straight ahead.
"How is the herd doing?” Asked Emma. All she got for an answer was groaning. It was hopeless her herd did not seem to like her. She had to delete lots mares in the herd, because they wanted to be the lead mare.
"Its ok! I see a meadow straight ahead!” yelled Emma. She couldn’t bear to see her herd upset. Soon, they got to the meadow. The whole herd lay down in the meadow, they were so exhausted! Emma longed for a stallion.
At night, another mare named Crystal came. She had escaped from England and was looking for shelter. When she found Emma’s herd, she thought she would have shelter. She walked up to Emma and gave her a nudge and Emma woke up startled.
“Who are you?” she asked wildly. She knew she had to stay calm cause a lead never gets nervous, she longed for her mom to be alive.
”Shh! Keep your voice down.” Crystal answered.” I escaped from England from other mares trying to get me to go away. Are you the lead mare?”
Emma looked up at Crystal; she thought Crystal would be 4 years old. “Um………. yes.” answered Emma.
Crystal went closer to her. “Can I stay here?” asked Crystal.
Emma was delighted. She had another mare in her herd! ”Sure you can stay here! Why do want to come here?” Answered Emma.
“I didn’t have any shelter, food or water for 3 weeks I don’t know I survived.” Crystal answered. That night the two mares slept and slept until morning. The herd started eating. When the herd finished breakfast, Emma told a mare to keep watch. Then she took Crystal to places she wanted Crystal to know about. First she took her in the forest. “You shouldn’t go in here unless you’re with a stallion or lead mare. I know these parts and the way out of them. My mother used to show me all this when I was little.”
Crystal looked puzzled.” Why do you have to be in this forest with a stallion or lead mare?” Crystal asked. They heard dogs barking, and rustling in bushes.
Emma looked at Crystal and said, "That’s why! Run!”
She and Emma ran as fast as they could when they got out of the forest, they waited for the barking to stop.
”Why did we run? I don’t get it.” said Crystal.
Emma moved closer to Crystal.” Because that barking,” She glanced at the forest.” that was dogs.” Emma completed.
“What about the rustling?” Crystal asked. “That was deer. They come every now and then to try to get all horses out of the forest.” Emma answered.
“Why?” said Crystal? “Because they found that horses were more powerful than them. And more horses took over the forest taking all the shelters. So the deer started to loose their dears. So they tried to get all the horses out of the forest. That’s how mom died. She got hit by the deer.”
Crystal felt sorry for her.” sorry your mom died Emma.” she said.” My mom died in a fire in England during world war ll. By then I was only a baby.”
Emma glanced at the forest there was no more rustling or barking. “Come on, its safe to go inside now.” She said. The two mares went inside the forest. They were quiet inside there.
When they got out of the forest, they walked some more. In one hour, they saw they were in a beautiful meadow oh with lots of fruitful trees and plants, tall green grass, lots of tasty flowers, and so many places for sleeping.
“What is this place?” asked Crystal, she was curious.
“This is the beauty meadow. It’s where I want to tacky my herd someday. But I can’t until I have a family.” answered Emma.
“ Why when you have a family?” asked Crystal. Emma looked at Crystal.
“ Why do you think?” said Emma.
“Oh yeah! The deer and the dogs.” said Crystal.
“Come on, let me show you some more.” Said Emma. So the two mares kept going. Emma stopped at a tree.
“Why are we stopping?” asked Crystal.
” You can’t go through the tree and the sides of it.” Answered Emma.
“Why?” asked Crystal, now she was getting really weirder out?
”Because it’s a secret wall.,” said Emma. She studied the tree up and down.” It’s a trap. Run!” yelled Emma starting to run.
When the two mares got out of the forest, Crystal looked puzzled. “Why did we run again?” Asked Crystal.
“You know why!” answered Emma. Maybe having Crystal in the herd wasn’t a good idea, thought Emma.
“I don’t know why! Why?” Crystal shot back.
“Keep your voice down!” said Emma. “ The traps are made by humans.” Began Emma. “Humans like to set traps because they want to have horses.”
Crystal was afraid she wouldn’t finish. “Go on.” She said. “Why do they want horses?”
“Because!”
“Because what? Why wouldn’t you tell me? I thought we were friends!”
“And we are friends.” Said Emma. “So, let’s try not to break up our friendship.”
“But I thought that you would tell me secrets.”
Emma sighs. “Crystal, its best if you don’t know. I don’t want you in here…”Emma broke off. “Come on lets go home. “Ok” said Crystal.
So, the two horses walked home. To Emma’s surprise, She saw that the herd went to a cave. The mare she put in charge was bored and led the herd into a cave. She followed the scent of her herd until she found the cave. The herd was happily eating.
Emma’s heart festered in anger. The mare shouldn’t have left! She thought. And I shouldn’t have taken so long! She stomped up to the mare she put in charge.
“ Why didn’t you tell me you were going to leave?” demanded Emma.
“Why did you take so long!”? Shot back the other mare.
Crystal overheard this argument and marched up to the two mares. “ Break it up, its fine this cave was made for lost herds or horses.” Said Crystal.
“You stay out of this!” Shouted Emma.
“I’m going to go find a new pasture!” Snorted Emma.
“Hey wait!” Called Crystal. “I’m coming with you!”
“no crystal! your in charge!” Shouted Emma. With that she left, leaving Crystal behind.
“Wait!” Crystal shouted after her,
But it was no use. Emma walked out of sight.
Meanwhile, Emma was walking all alone. I wish I had someone with me, she thought. It is creepy out there. Emma saw a good pasture it was filled with good green grass. But she saw a note and it read:
Caution! No trespassing
“Oh man!” yelled Emma. She went on looking for more pastures. Suddenly it started to rain.
“I better get back.” She thought loud. She started for her cave but she didn’t know where she was going. the rain started to come down harder and lighting flashed, and thunder rolled!
Now she really wished Crystal came with her. It was the worst thunderstorm Emma has ever seen! Lighting flashed around making little light.
“HELP!” hollered Emma. She was really scared, She was going in circles trying to think bout what to do a lighting flashed in front of her. She let out a squeal she didn’t know she could make. She ran back and forth looking for help, but before she could get away, lighting hit her rump. She fell down, then got up. Emma screamed, squealed, whinnied, and made lots of noise looking for help. Then thunder came one was so loud Emma fell down it was the storm of her life.
She ran into a tree and BAAM! just like that she fell down. She muttered one more thing: “ At least the herd is safe.”
Then with that She fainted from wounds, cuts, fear, and a headache. She was all alone lying down. Lots of other animals passed by they thought the mare was dead, But she wasn’t. They kept on trying to wake her up, but she didn’t.
They all thought the same thing: She was lost.