The One That Followed (Lee Rang)

Chapter One

A young Youngsoon, only seven years old, sat against the light brown tree trunk, waiting for the wild Clydesdale she had befriended a while ago. Akabar. She had named him Akabar. He always wondered up the rural area she and her fox parents lived, and it never failed to make her excited and happy.

"Have you seen Akabar yet?" she heard her mother ask.

"No," Youngsoon answered, "He's usually here by now."

"Hmmm," her mother said, "Maybe you should go search for him. Maybe he's waiting for you somewhere. What do you think?"

"But he always comes here," Youngsoon replied.

"I know darling," her mother responded, "But maybe you should search for him today instead of him coming to you. You know I trust Akabar to bring you home at the end of the day." Akabar always came to the same tree each day, always looking for the young fox. Why was today different and so out of the ordinary? As much as she wanted to wait for her wild Clydesdale, she knew her mother was right. If he hadn't arrived by now, it was better to go searching for him.

"Ok mum," she eventually said, getting up from where she was sitting, "I'll be back later."

"I know you will be," her mother replied, a little smile on her face. With final words exchanged, the young fox began her journey to try and find the wild Clydesdale she had befriended. Trees upon trees, a large empty field or two, a sight she had become familiar with. Fields Akabar and his herd had galloped across, trees which they passed or rested under. Youngsoon was no stranger to Akabar's herd, she was pretty much the one outsider they had accepted and trusted. They made sure they did anything to make sure she was safe and out of harms way. Though, the only horse in the herd she rode was Akabar, he was the one that she trusted the most. The one that she had a connection with.

Youngsoon followed the familiar paths the herd often went down, the paths that she had went down numerous times with the horses. No fresh tracks, no evidence of any horses being here the night before or earlier that morning. There's no way Akabar and his herd would have gone a different path or direction. Something was off and she knew it. Either something bad happened to Akabar and his herd or the herd had gotten a little side tracked along the way to the usual meet up tree. Every step she took, the more worried she had become. Something was definitely wrong, she knew and felt it. With a few deep breaths, she continued to walk through open fields of untouched nature.

"Akabar!" she called out, in hopes the sound would travel, "Where are you? Akabar!" She looked in every direction in hopes she would find him or the herd in that direction. They certainly haven't gone that far. Sure, open fields and many possibilities of where the horses could go.

Green grass and fully leaved trees slowly became into dead grass and charcoaled trees. Instantly, Youngsoon was filled with panic and began to run in the direction of burnt grass and trees. When did a fire happen? And what caused it? That didn't matter at the moment.

"Akabar! Akabar!" she called out again, still running, "Please! Show me where you are! I need to know you're ok!" He might not have known what she had said, but it didn't stop her from hoping that Akabar had heard her. From mainly soft, green grass to dry, charcoal grass, she had gotten into the thick of the fire ridden mountain landscape. Any signs of life was completely gone. Youngsoon, as best as her small legs could take her, ran and ran continuously, only coming to a complete stop at what looked to be an animal laying completely still. Too big to be a lynx or any sort of k9. She was too far to see the finer details of the animal, but something told her it was who she was looking for.

Slowly, she took steps closer to the motionless animal, each step creating an agonising feeling and intensifying a detail. Fifteen steps away, a horse. Ten steps away, a bay horse. Five steps confirmed her worst suspicions. Akabar. Here was the Clydesdale she had gained the trust of, motionless, not even a single breath. Instantly, tears ran down her cheeks.

"Akabar!" she yelled, closing the gap between her and the horse. Kneeling down, she placed one hand on his shoulder and the other on his neck.

"Akabar, please," she said, her voice shaking, "Please get up. Please, this can't be." Nothing. Still motionless, no breath taken. Not even a single flick of the ear. Everything indicating he was no longer living. She shook the motionless Clydesdale, in hopes it wasn't actually happening. Yet, nothing changed. Akabar was still, motionless, lifeless. That was the moment it clicked in Youngsoon's young brain, Akabar was no longer alive, all due to a fire. A fire she didn't know even happened. A fire that had to be manmade, it wasn't hot enough for a natural bushfire. More tears began to fall down her cheeks as she wailed out in grief of her best friend. She wrapped her arms around the Clydesdale's neck, crying into his neck. Nothing more she could do, already he was gone. Every single wail she cried out, a sniffle or two accompanied it.

"I'm sorry," she said, in between wails, "I'm so sorry Akabar. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you. You didn't deserve to go out this way. I should've been here to help you out of this mess." Nothing but the sound of her wails flew through the rural landscape. The patch of fur dampened as her tears continued to run. Nothing could stop the tears from flowing. Her best friend was gone and he wasn't coming back.