Shape-Shifter

Clues

"Faster girl!" I shouted to my beloved horse, Penny. "Come on, you can do it!"

She was running faster then ever before, I mean, she was an off-the track racehorse. Penny was a thoroughbred/ quarter horse cross.

She was a chestnut, with three socks and a stripe down her face.

She was my dream horse.

She could jump anything and everything.

And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING.

As I slowed Penny down, we approached the plains. She threw her head up in the air in excitement, then pranced in a little circle.

All of a sudden, I saw something rush past me. It was pure white. It was so fast, Penny didn't even notice.

She may be fast when she's running, but her senses, for some reason, are extremely slow.

I looked down into the plain, ignoring the fact that something weird is going on, and see maybe 8-9 horses grazing peacefully.

Penny pranced a little, wanting to go and greet them, but I turned her around.

Noticing that it's about to be dark, I push her into a smooth trot.

"I don't want to get in trouble, sweetie." I sooth. "I'm sorry, but maybe tomorrow."

Penny nickered, as if she was protesting to me. She threw her head up in the air, and pranced even more.

"Oh" I asked in an amused voice. "So you want to run, Eh?"

Penny threw her head up and almost bolted.

I had taught her how to rear on horseback a couple weeks ago, and we're getting used to it.

I held my hands up and pushed my heels into her side. She reared up gracefully, and pawed the air.

"Yeehaw!" I yelled.

She took off running, faster and faster until we got to the entrance to the barn.

I slowed her down, and looked over to the arena.

John, my brother, was lunging one of our new mares.

Every year, my family gets a new wild horse herd. They are imported from the north, down here to Texas. All of the horses are pure mustang.

John was lunging a mare named Montana, she was the lead mare of the herd. She was palomino, with 4 white socks, and a perfect star on her petite forehead.

We think she has Arabian roots, because of her dished face and intelligence.

John and I are keeping her, because she is so mellow. John wants me to ride her, since he has tons of work to do.

John has a riding program for English and western. I help him with the English, because it's what I love most.

I walk Penny over to the barn and dismount.

"Great ride today girl." I cooed as I patted her neck. "Tomorrow we'll jump in the arena."

I lead her over to the crossties, and undo her girth. I lay the girth on top of the saddle and move to her head.

As I slip the bridle over her ears, I can't help but notice that she has a red mark in the shape of two s's.

This was strange, but I ignored it. I put her tack away in the tack room and grabbed some brushes.

I first took the curry comb and rubbed in circular motions all around her beautiful chestnut body. Next, I grabbed the dandy brush and brushed in short bursts all over where I just curried.

After that I took the soft brush, and when I was brushing the inside of her hind leg, I noticed another strange mark. It was two s's again but this time, at the end of the second s, I noticed the word "shifter."

This time I ran out of the barn, to find John.

"John!" I shouted. " John, there's something weird going on with Penny."

"What is it Mel?" John asks.

"She has strange red marks on her lip and the inside of her hind leg." I reply.

"What shape?" John asks again.

"Two s's." I reply with a desperate tone.

John gasps, obviously knowing what's going on.

"What?" I asked, thinking there was something wrong with me. "What's wrong?"

"Shape" John starts. "Shifter."