The Crimson Promise

Never fear I am here

I watched the gelding's sides fall and rise gently as he slept. It has been thirty whole painful minutes and he still wasn't waking.

"Amy, are you sure you want this one, his scared and well ugly." My mother said, trying not to hurt my feelings. I sigh for the hundredth time. She has been at me all night about this. And I've never bothered to answer. So I just stared at Leo. Thinking how such a beautiful animal could end up here. Alone and Forgotten. It shook me to the core at how humans could treat horses, after all they did for us.

Suddenly Leo's breathing is fast and he slips his head back and struggles to his feet. A sharp painful whinny escapes his throat, sounding more like a demon than a horse. I pulled on his rotten halter and prayed it didn't snap. He came to his feet and he swished his tail, annoyed. I pat his face as my grandmother and mother are off to the side looking nervously from me to the gelding.

I place my face on his and breathed in his warmth. He was going to be OK. The gelding stuck his nose under my arm and found comfort. The boy from earlier had return, he held a new halter and lead rope in his hand.

"You might need this one more pull and that thing is going to snap." He said and I grab for the halter.

"Thanks." I said and then gently place the halter on his head after cutting away the old one. It was a solid blue color, simple and nothing fancy but I couldn't help feel pride swell deep in my chest as the clean halter transformed him. Sort of. His fur was still matted and his mane and tail so tangled they'd need to be cut. His hooves were OK, other than a crack in on of the back ones. And then the cut from the Butcher but that will heal.

I just then realized I have no way of getting him to my grandmothers. My face flushed red as I turned to the boy.

"Um....could you help me with something else?" I asked hopefully.

He stared at me a moment and then smiled, "Let me go tell my dad." He then turned and walked away.

"I want to ride with him." I said my voice not faltering.

"No way Amy I don't know him and neither do u, he could be a mass murder or something." My mom said her her face lined with worry marks.

"I will be fine and I want to stay with Leo." I said turning to look at the gelding as he munch some old hay.

My mother sighed again!

"Whatever have your phone on you at all times and I have to meet his dad before anything happens." She said hands on hips.

"Deal." I said.

I smiled a real toothy smile. It was the first time in ages that I had smiled like that. It made me feel bright and overjoyed but nice way to feel.