The Black Stallion

Money

I hurried into the stables the next morning, ready to get a move on. I mean, Mark and his buddy West are plotting to steal my horse, so, I need to do SOMETHING. Now, I have already thought of hiding Pano Aka. And I realized that's near impossible. My new plan is to keep him in my sight as much as possible. And so that's what I will do.

"Hey, Aka, boy," I cooed as I entered the stables. He pricked his ears up, happy to see me. I stroked his mane, talking quietly to him as I readied his food and got fresh water. "You want out today, boy?" I asked him. He pawed at the ground impatiently, and I opened his stall door and carefully led him out of the stables.

It was such a beautiful day. There was a slight breeze blowing, tangling my long hair. I smiled at the green grass and gazed throughout the whole pasture, telling Aka what a great day he would have out here.

I let my hand slide from his mane. He immediately took off through the pasture, running so fast my eyes couldn't concentrate. He was a dark blur against the green of the grass, running at full speed. I smiled, and then went to fill the outside water trough. After that, I let the other horses out to graze. None of the others ran like Aka. They walked here and there, grazing on patches of soft green grass, but didn't run. I kept my eyes on Aka the whole time. Ever since Mark had visited, I had a conviction that he would be attempting to steal him. And sell him, too, for he was a pure bred and very expensive at that. I was scared out of my mind for Aka. I didn't want this to happen. If I hadn't found Aka, he probably wouldn't be in so much danger.

"Hey," I heard a voice behind me. I spun around, finding a smirking Hunter.

"Quit sneaking up on me like that, you-"

"Come on! I just said 'hey'! You're a bit uptight, aren't you, this morning?"

I glared at him. He took a step towards me, and I took two steps back, making sure to avoid contact with him. I knew what this could turn into, and I wasn't about to let it happen.

"Come on, just a kiss good morning-"

"Hunter!"

"Joking!"

I sighed, watching the blur of Aka's figure racing across the pasture. What was going to calm Hunter down, to the point to where he isn't trying to- well, to be himself. Crazy, immature and a jokester. He makes no sense. "You make no sense," I announced, voicing my thoughts.

"Oh, I'm the mysterious type, aye?" He said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"No, you aren't mysterious, you're just made of nonsense," I explained. That was how I saw him.

"I'm not made of nonsense! I'm pretty normal."

I snorted. "Ha! Keep lying to yourself, Hunter, and see how far that gets you."

"You don't believe me."

"Exactly."

We both simultaneously sighed. I looked at him, and he looked at me. "What?" We both said in unison again.  We both shook our heads and glanced away. "that was weird," I said.

"It's fate calling us, baby. We're destined for each other."

I rolled my eyes. "Wow, so romantic." I replied sarcastically. "Yeah, I am not destined to you. Please get that through your thick skull."

"Thick skull, huh? Well yours is thicker. Take that."

I sighed. "You need to work on speaking to girls and making good comebacks. You're terrible at both."

"Oh, not your kind of man, am I? I see how it is."

"Hunter, really? You'll never be my type. We are so... so different." I told him. and it was true. He might be joking around, but I had to explain to him that we are different. Too different.

"Opposites attract, baby."

"Would you STOP calling me baby!" I yell. I hated it when guys called me that, joking or not. I just didn't like it. Shoot me if you like, but I didn't like being called 'baby' by a guy I barely know.

"Wow, chill out. I'm messing with you."

Pano Aka came up, and I stroked his mane, talking to him lovingly. I loved the horse for reasons I didn't understand. And I felt his uneasiness, too. It made ME uneasy. That's why I don't want him out of my sight. "Why do you think, Hunter, that Mark is desperate to get Aka?"

"Money. It runs this world, Skylar. Don't let it control you like it's controlling Mark."

"I really could give a crap about money. It's so unimportant to me- it's only paper. Green paper with numbers." I told him, unconcerned. "Really not worth it, when there's so many other things worth living for. I mean, I know why I'm on this earth and it's for God, not for money. And to one day find the guy that brings out the best in me, have kids, get a career that I love, live for God, and then die. But only my body will die, Hunter. Not my soul. Money has nothing to do with anything more than my career. It won't run me like it runs this world, I can assure you of that. Love and companionship- that's so much more important." I took a deep breath and turned to watch his reaction.

"Wow, you have a lot to say on that!" He replied jokingly. "But I agree. It runs this world, but not you. I understand. Anyway, it's the whole reason Mark wants Aka. Money. So there."

It was true, everything he says about money. And that's the real reason Mark wants Pano Aka. And money was the real thief, the real thing that might pull Aka from me, eliminating the only connection without reason that I've ever had.

A/N: So I hope you liked the chapter. I know it was really short, but it was kind of just a fill-in chapter. Don't get me wrong, it's still important! but I hope you liked it despite the shortness. Comment and vote, so maybe others will read my story! Thanks for reading!

-J.L