Star Stable: Wildwoods

Chapter Nine: The Forgotten Fields

A month after Erika has been working at Jorvik Stables and taking care of the animals there. But on breaks, Erika and Geist enjoys exploring the Harvest Counties and Goldenhill Valley. Though, sometimes she helps some of the people she comes across as a messenger and deliverer. She has became acquainted with the Goldspur family and the Sunfield family.
Other than making lunch for Jakob (the grandfather of the farm) Erika often helps Angus and Idun babysit their young twins and Geist likes playing with the two kids. Now Erika was picking up some grain sacks and delivering it them to the windmill. The family always appreciate it when Erika can come and help during the evenings since the sun is so hot during the day.
Idun greeted her as she walked towards the grain sacks. "Always a pleasure seeing you around here Erika. You know we appreciate your help very much, here take this for last week." Idun smiled and handed her a bag of shillings. Erika opened it leather pouch to see how much there is and was shocked to see so much shillings in the pouch.
"Whoa. You really don't need to give me this much," Erika said, rather surprised and honored.
"Nonsense my dear," said Idun with a smile. "You've earned it."
Erika smiled softly as she accepted the gift. "Thank you Idun."
As she rode down the road on Geist, she encouraged her mare to take the road to Greendale. But in the forest of Greendale, a splash could be heard as a horse galloped through some puddles. Galloping into the depths of the forest was Erika riding on Geist racing through the forest. A little cluster of light rain clouds had passed through the evening, dampening the ground and filling the air with the scent of fresh rain. The distant mountains were delicately sprinkled with the fading mist from the rain, like faint white frosting on cake slices.
They were running together, as though they're one in the same. Erika was intensely aware of Geist's movements underneath her. She raised herself up slightly as the grassy ground disappeared underneath them for a bit. Geist had leapt over a log. She felt her hair flowed behind her. She almost felt as if she and the mare were both flying. She tightened her grip on the reins and Geist slowed down for a moment, long enough for her to regain her balance again and calm down her excitement. Erika took a deep breath, calming herself down and nodded to Geist, who nickered softly and continued the ride.
The branches rocked to the silent rhythm of the breeze and leaves were carried off by the wind, spinning and twirling like tiny dancers as they fell. In front of her was a grassy field and a small waterfall that was making a river. She could also see a few woodland critters scampering through the clearing as they returned home. Some foxes went into a burrow. They spotted a couple of deer bounding away. Squirrels and chipmunks scattered about, grabbing their acorns to stash inside their tree-trunk homes and went into hiding. From above the birds started flying back to their nests. It was calm and peaceful around them in the gentle forest clearing.
The sunlight had captured Erika on Geist within in the depths of the forest. She jumped from hill to hill, climbed over some log bridges, and galloped through the woods gracefully. She was taken in by the beauty of the natural world. She couldn't remember the last time she saw a forest. There were some things she couldn't remember, but for the first time, she was partly thankful for her forgetfulness as it allowed her to experience a forest as if it were for the first time all over again.
Erika soon rode out of the woods and started heading across the bridge, secretly planning on going to the Forgotten Fields.

Once she had traveled across the shall parts of the river and were now on the top of a grassy hill, the ocean shimmered in the early morning sunlight. Fresh, grassy fields with rolling hills surrounded the area, which was specked with trees, boulders, and grassy ditches. There was a dot on the plains, a mass of brown that was moving across the fields.
She gasped in amazement when she saw a herd of horses stampeding as fast as the wind, their hooves thundering against the earth like a massive thunderstorm. They varied in color — some were bay, a few were chestnut with white markings, a couple were light gray and/or white, one or two were dappled buckskin, others were chocolate brown or bay with white markings. But she soon caught sight of a magnificent stallion running ahead of the herd. His sleek coat is pure golden palomino, like the color of the morning sun completed with a white mane and tail flowing behind him like a pair of rivers. He pulled ahead of the herd, managing to keep ahead of the herd. 
Erika hummed thoughtfully at the sight of the stallion. She heard many stories and legends about the wild horses and about Jorvik. She has been curious about Jorvik's legends and the island's legacy.
Erika hummed thoughtfully at the sight of the stallion. But she made no attempt in trying to catch the wild stallion or any members of the wild stallion's herd. The stallion nodded in a firm understanding before he spun around and galloped after his herd.
She and Geist both watched as the wild horses galloped across the nearby river. Erika sighed in relief and it encouraged Geist to trot down from the grassy hill and continue the galloping ride. Erika laughed and whooped excitedly when her eye caught on a familiar sight. She spun Geist around and made her slow down to a careful trot on the trail that's made on the gorge. Her eyes softened when she recognized the unfortunate Drews' abandoned farm.
Erika pulled out her pouch of shillings from her satchel and looked around curiously, searching for a certain girl and yet no sign of her. Suddenly, the peace and quiet had ended by a snort.
She looked over her shoulder and watched as her other friend had joined her. "Tristan! I was beginning to wonder when you'll arrive." The mentioned boy smiled at her warmly from his proud dappled gray stallion (aka Sven).
"Sorry, I was a little busy," admitted Tristan.
"Understood." Erika nodded. "But do you have it?"
"Yup. But do you have it?" Tristan gave her curious glance.
"Same here." Erika smiled before she became serious. "But where is she?"
"I don't know." Tristan also looked concerned, but a glimmer of mischief went in his warm amber eyes. "And speaking of which, how did you meet her?"
Erika bursted out laughing, her eyes shone brightly as she remembered the memory. "I was out riding Geist towards Moorland Stables when this mischievous pony had came out of nowhere and I ended up chasing him into Greendale. When I finally caught him, I've met this young girl named Maya Dew." Her blue eyes twinkled with amusement. "When she joined me, Maya thanked me for catching Lynx and our introductions were made." But her expression became serious and glanced at the abandoned houses. "But as a few days passed after we met I've been hearing strange rumors about the Forgotten Fields and decided to check it out with Geist. That's when we accidentally stumbled upon this farm." Erika patted Geist's neck and a smile was exchanged between the the two partners. "I saw Maya looking after the sheep with Elli (though, I didn't know her name at first). Maya had saw me and Geist watching. She told me what happened to her farms with GED and her family's misfortune." Erika sighed as she gazed at the farm surrounding them. "After hearing that story, I've been donating some of my shillings to Maya's family's farm to help her."
Tristan's curious expression became heavy with understanding. "I understand Erika. That's pretty generous of you."
"Thanks Tristan." Erika smiled at him warmly, in which he returns. "But it looks like I'm not the only one." Tristan smiled softly as he revealed his pouch of shillings.
Suddenly, the chatter between the duo had ended by a snort. Tristian and Erika both watched as their other friend had joined them too. The person was none other than Maya Dew riding a spirited palomino mare Finnhorse (aka Elli) bareback.
"Hi Maya," greeted Erika as Maya gave her a smile. "Hi Elli." Elli nickered eagerly.
"Hey," Tristian said with a smile. "Are you two okay?"
Maya dismounted Elli and petted the mare's face. "Yeah. We're okay. Thanks Tristian."
"We have our gifts for you." Erika dismounted her mare and took out her pouch of coins, as did Tristian.
"But... you guys—" Maya had started uncertainly.
"Maya, these shillings were give to us for our efforts." She gazed at Maya like a sister would. The blue in her eyes seemed to grow softer, like that bright haze of blue just above the horizon as the sun continued to rise. But a gentle breeze soon blew and caused her hair to cascaded behind her, scattering golden gleams of light. "Now, it's about time somebody should give you these shillings for your efforts."
At first, Maya was frozen in shock, which worried the two riders and the three horses. But then Maya snapped out of her frozen state and hugged her two friends. "Thank you." Her voice was soft and full of joy. "Thank you... (Maya released her grip on them) all of you."
But watching them from the path was Alex and Linda, both on Tin-Can and Meteor.