Wildfire Summer

Highway to Freedom

       "More horses!" Zora Whinnies excitedly and takes off at a trot despite her injured hoof.  "ZORA WALK!" I bolt after her. Just because her hoof was feeling a little better didn't mean she could take off like that. I had to protect her after all.  Whiskey flew past the both of us at a break neck gallop towards the horses Zora had spotted. The taller of the two horses was a buckskin pinto and the smaller a pale palomino.  Whiskey had halted and was greeting them as the rest of us caught up to him. I nipped Zora's shoulder, "Don't take off like that again. You're still lame, all that is going to do is injure you further."

         "Zora, Breezie, Puddle Jumper, this is Hickory and Sitron." Whiskey introduced the two newbies to us. Sitron, the pale palomino colt was obviously an Arabian. His face had a simple dip, complete with delicate little ears and very fragile looking legs. His only marking were a small diamond shape star and a snip between his nostrils on his grey velvet muzzle. Zora was instantly taken to him. He was a yearling, just a tad older than her, but he was another youngster for her to play with. She nipped at him playfully and he nipped right back. I take in the view of Hickory next. My, what a looker! His pelt was a sooty gold in color. His face looked like he dipped his head in white paint, and he had the most drop dead gorgeous blue eye I'd ever seen on a horse. Zora's blue eyes were the color of a clear blue stream, but Hickory's were the color of the ice that covered that stream in the winter. He had solid points on his legs, and beautiful feathering. Not as much as Zora but enough to know whatever he was, he wasn't purebred, not with the lean build that accompanied the rest of his body. His multi colored mane and tail had a curl to them and the tobiano pattern on his pelt has such exquisite mapping, it looked like someone had traced the outlines of them with a lighter gold than the rest of his pelt. "Hickory, what breed are you?" I ask, my curiosity killing me. "Friesian Sport Horse" He replied. "Fire make you run too?" Zora asked Sitron. "Nope, the storm blew  a tree down on our fence. We are merely exploring! Though, we seem to have wandered too far and can't find our way back now....", his voice trailed off as he looked back behind them. "Well,  you can join us to go find people to get us all back home", Whiskey says. "Sounds good!", Hickory replies.

 The next morning we had made it to the road side. Cars zipped by not even giving us a second glance. Zora was on edge. She did not like the cars. Sitron pranced nervously next to Hickory, and Zora who had been glued to his side since we met them had left him to glue herself to my side once again. I had to admit they spooked me a little bit too, but I had to be brave for Zora's sake.  Whiskey took the lead as we headed the opposite way that all the cars were headed. If the cars were going back that was shouldn't we go too? Oh well, I suppose Whiskey might know something we didn't. Maybe he recognized the scenery. Smoke had started to fill the air again. We must be getting back into fire country.

   Hours passed and soon dusk was upon us. Having traveled all day without any water, we were all in desperate need of some, especially from breathing in smoke all day. The water however, was on the other side of the road. We stopped and waited for a good moment to pass. Whiskey and Sitron would cross first, as the big mustang had some sort of calming effect on the young one that not even his pasture mate could do. Puddle Jumper and Hickory would cross next, and then Zora and myself. "OK Sitron, after this semi, if we run as fast as we can across, we will make it okay?" Whiskey tells the colt who nods. The semi barrels past and Whiskey and Sitron make their run for it. Four lanes was all that separated them from safety.  Then, the unthinkable happens. Whiskey stumbles, and Sitron panics and freezes next to the stallion as he starts to regain his footing. It all happened so fast. With the sun, the oncoming car must have not seen Whiskey and Sitron till it was too late. We had all been too busy watching the two, none of us had thought to look for cars.  The car collided with Whiskey, who had just regained his footing, with a sickening crunching sound. Sitron had skidded to the side but was still hit by the passenger side of the car. 

   The wreck was enough to stop all traffic from both ways. I bolt to Whiskey, telling Zora to stay behind with PJ. Hickory heads for Sitron. Sitron was standing, but his front right leg was bent awkwardly and there was lots of blood running down it. I seen him sink to the ground right as hickory reached him, the pain too much. I reach Whiskey who was down. The whole front end of the car was smashed in, and as for Whiskey? He was a mangled bloody mess. He lifts his head weakly looking to me. Time stands still when a friend is hurt and there is nothing you can do for them. I drop my head to his. " Whiskey! Where do you hurt? Can you stand? Please say you can...please say you are alright...." "Breezie! Enough! Everywhere. I hurt everywhere. I can't stand..." He interrupts me before his head sinks back to the pavement. I watch him...his breathing is too slow. "Hang in there Whiskey.... you'll be alright" I say as I lift my head, my ears picking up the faint sound of sirens. As the vehicles with the flashing lights get closer, I can make out other vehicles following them with horse trailers. The siren people head straight for the car, and the trailer people head straight for us horses. Vets. They must be vets. " Breezie....." Whiskey says weakly. I drop  my head back down to him. " I know the outcome. I'm going home..." he closes his eyes in pain. Zora bolts over to me as more people are appearing and trying to capture us horses. Puddle Jumper goes willingly and is loaded into a trailer.  "Zora, tell Whiskey good-bye and then let the people put you in the trailer." I nicker to her. "Why?" She asks. " I am going home", Whiskey whispers. "Are we going home too?" Zora asks, not quite understanding. " Soon. Now come on... give him a nuzzle good-bye."

      I refuse to leave Whiskey's side until the vet pulls out a needle from her kit. As she readies it Whiskey lifts his head in one last effort. " Thanks Breezie, take care my friend." I nuzzle his muzzle and help him lay his head back to the pavement. "You too Whiskey. Enjoy your freedom." My heart breaks as the needle is inserted and the fluid injected. A few seconds later Whiskey jerks and then is still. He is now on his way to endless freedom in mountains made of gold. We had barely known each other but I would never forget him and all he did for us. I nuzzle his lifeless body one last time and then turn to the person who was standing my my side and allow her to halter me and lead me to the trailer with Puddle Jumper, Zora and Hickory. I look over to see Sitron still on the ground as well. I wonder if he can be saved. Suddenly Zora's injured hoof seems so simple. If Sitron lived, he would probably be confined to a stall or a small pen the rest of his life. There would be no running and I'm sure walking would cause a great amount of pain as well. His owners wouldn't want that life for him. Before the trailer door is closed on me I catch a glimpse of a needle in the person's hand at Sitron's side. 

      The trailer ride was a silent one. Sitron and Whiskey's owners would never see their beloved horses alive again. We were the lucky ones. We would have owners again whether they were the same ones, or different ones. We would hopefully live long happy lives. Sitron and Whiskey were gone too soon. I wonder what is in store for us now. We were back in the hands of people finally after goodness knows how many days of living wild. After so many days of running and dreaming of finding people to help it was finally a reality. Now only one question runs through my mind, where was this trailer taking us?