January Story Contest

The Herd of Starland- The Spying Stallion
By: Lululauren2000
Age: 10

Starland is a land far away. There is a horse herd that lives in this land. It is part of the 5 lands of horses, Starland, Acromia (a-crow-mia), Enlander, Hanwin, and Nevwhenyer (Nev-when-your). Every land has 1 herd of horses.  The Starland herd is probably the most powerful though.

******

Firelight, a reddish brown stallion, watched over his herd.  His herd grazed on the rare Star Grass, only available in Starland, where Firelight’s herd thrived.
“Firelight, come here!!!!” yelled a voice. Firelight looked around and saw one of his mares, Arabella, looking at him. Firelight ran down the hill towards the mare.
“What’s wrong?” asked Firelight when he was by Arabella.
“Jaylin is having her foal” Arabella answered.
Firelight sniffed the air. “Arabella, come with me” ordered Firelight.

Jaylin is Firelight’s newest mare. She was found wandering around the border of Starland. She was from Hanwin. Jaylin never really liked the herd so she ran away. Now she was going to have her first foal sired by Firelight. When they got to the spot where Jaylin was laying, a silver colt was next to her.
“He’s beautiful Jaylin!” exclaimed Arabella.
“His name is Stormlight” said Jaylin. Firelight approached the foal. Stormlight nipped him playfully. Firelight snorted. Stormlight suddenly put his head down in front of Firelight.
“You have a nice foal. When he’s older we will send him to Swan.” said Firelight. Swan was a gentle filly that was only 1 month old. Her father, Hudson, promised that the next colt born in Firelight’s herd would get her for them to find a land and start a herd, with her. Firelight’s lead mare, Mel, cantered up.
“A dark bay stallion has come to the herd, Firelight!” she yelled. Firelight raced towards his mares, his heart pounding. There walking around the mares was a bay stallion. The stallion squealed and glared at Firelight and Mel. Firelight charged at the stallion. Mel ran back to the herd. The stallion ran away from Firelight. Then he whipped around and charged towards Firelight. Firelight reared and struck out at the stallion. The stallion whinnied loudly and reared too.

Firelight ran towards the stallion. Firelight’s coat shined of sweat. He bit the stallion’s neck and swung his hooves towards the stallion. The stallion ran away, but before he left he took one look at the mares and took off. Firelight walked over to the herd.
“Mel, do you know anything about that stallion?” Firelight asked as his breathing slowed.
“His name is Coco Man he has a herd of two mares in a land he found called Crownami. (crow-na-ME) It is by Enlander.” answered Mel. Firelight calmed down a little. Enlander was far away from Starland. Arabella, Jaylin, and Stormlight came trotting towards the herd. Mel whinnied at them. The group of three horses trotted closer. “You had your foal!” cried Mel. Jaylin proudly trotted into the herd and showed off Stormlight. Mel watched the mare closely, knowing this was her first foal. Then Mel returned to Connie, a yearling who needed help with getting an apple from the apple tree. Lakoda, a black Arabian filly looked at Stormlight.
“I can’t wait until I have a foal.” She whispered.
“Firelight!” yelled a voice. Firelight whipped around and saw Hudson, his half brother, running towards him.
“I saw this bay stallion wandering around your land.” Hudson told Firelight. Firelight snorted and looked at Mel. He could tell his lead mare was worried. Firelight would usually leave Mel in charge of the herd but with her foal due soon, she wouldn’t be able to defend the herd as well. He could leave Latino, a two year old colt in charge, after all today was his last day in Firelight’s herd.

But he might not know how to handle a much older stallion. I’ll just have to stay with my herd. Firelight thought to himself.  Firelight circled his herd while on the lookout for Coco Man. Meanwhile, Arabella was watching as the foals played around in the field. Her own foal, Colorado, was fighting with Yonda, a young chestnut filly. Colorado challenged Yonda to a race.
“You’re on!” cried Yonda. The other three foals gathered around the scene. 
“Race Race Race Race!” chanted the foals. Arabella watched the four foals decide on where the race would be run. Finally everyone agreed on starting at the big oak and ending at Starland Lake. “Ready, set, go!” cried a blue roan filly named Aquamarine. Colorado took off with Yonda right behind. Lightning galloped next to them, making sure no one cheated. Colorado pushed himself harder.
“I have to win.” He whispered. Colorado looked at Yonda. She’s so like her mother it’s scary. Colorado thought madly. Vonda, Yonda’s mother, and Colorado’s mother were enemies. That made Colorado run even faster. Starland Lake was approaching. Arabella stood at Starland Lake race smiling as she watched the race. Vonda walked up.
“Hello Arabella. What are you doing here?” Vonda asked coldly. Arabella ignored the other mare and continued watching the foal race. She noticed that Stormlight was watching nearby, his eyes following the race. Jaylin walked up to him and tried to herd him back up the hill but the colt didn’t budge.
“Go Yonda!” whinnied Vonda. Arabella looked at Vonda and then turned back to the race. The foals were almost to the finish line.
“Come on Colorado.” Arabella mumbled. Suddenly Colorado swept across the spot that was marked as the finish line.
“It’s Colorado!” called Lightning. All the foals cheered. Vonda swished her tail and headed back to the herd, Yonda walking right behind her.  Suddenly Mel screeched. The foals ran up the hill to their mothers. Arabella and Colorado ran up the hill to see Firelight fighting Coco Man. The two stallion battled hard and wouldn’t give up. Jaylin stood there with Stormlight, not moving. No one noticed Mel walk down the hill alone and silent.  The battle continued.

Coco Man dodged Firelight's hooves but ran away from the herd because of the pain he was suffering. Firelight trotted back to the herd, sweat rolling off his body. He saw that Mel was not with the herd though.
“Where is Mel?” he asked franticly.  The herd scattered to see if Mel had been caught in the middle of the bunch of horses, but Mel was nowhere to be found. Then Lakoda spotted Mel down by Starland Lake.
“There she is!” the filly cried. Firelight galloped over to Mel and saw why Mel had gone down there. Sitting right next to Mel was a beautiful palomino filly.

Like the story? If you do, vote for it and I will write more!