Red Outlaw

Retaliation

Now we can slow the story down again, cause everything about this part is better than the last.

They make it back to the treeline and race there.  Red's heart was poundin' through his chest, but he gathered strength from somewhere deep inside and push to be first. He look behind him and seen his pa go down before any others did. He was laborin' in breath, sweatin' real hard, and his ribs was pokin' out real thick. When some horse jostled him, that was his end.

So Red make it to the meadow first. He tracked down all a his mares, and gathered em up. Blaze helped him by whinnyin' real loud. She ain't never been on the meadow in her life yet, neither had these others. And Red wanted the best for all a them.

He seen her too, and in the frenzy and confusion, he wanted her. She was all beat up, her bold black coat a dingy grey. All a Dusty's mares had been beat up on by him. Red looked for Dot and whinnied, and this time she whinnied back.

So he shove all his mares into the meadow and run to her whinnyin'. Dusty wouldn't let her go easy, Red knowed cause he tried to get her last winter and got into a fight. But in the midst of a huge race with dust flying into every horse's eyes, this was their chance. Red got to her and pushed her on, stoppin' right in the front a the meadow opening. They touched noses, but there was no time for pleasantries right now.

It seemed all them was confused why Nightshade wasn't up there. But his dead body had been trampled in the frenzy. It was Red's turn now.

Rememberin' everything his pa teach him, Red stood tall and snorted, bowing his neck. He looked all around and swiveled his ears, just like his pa used to. After a minute the confusion settled down and his first challenger approached. It was Dusty.

Every muscle in their bodies was tense. They fought before. But it would be differnt this time. Steam come out their noses in the chilly air, and every horse watchin' stood stock still.

Then, everything happened all at once. Red seen his pa be smart. And he was smart too. He snapped for Dusty's neck but he move too quickly. Red spin to face him but Dusty was already lungin' for his side, deadly hooves brought down with crushing force. Red's ear burned where it been torn up by him. Each moment this fight lasted he got angrier and angrier.

Finally, he get the upper hand and latch onto his half brother's ear. And he didn't let go till it was nothin' more than a stump.

When Dusty run off like a colt chased by a cougar, he give the other stallions a stare down. If looks could kill, they'd all be dead.

No others challenged the nineteen hand Red Outlaw that year. And he never had a hard time with intimidation after that either. He was a monster, a legend, a beast - he was the Red Outlaw. Impossible to tame, impossible to beat, impossible to catch. Even by the legend of the Horse Killer cougar.

That summer, Red had four foals born to him. Blaze give him a chestnut daughter with one white leg called Sock. Hazel a little grulla filly with barring called Stripe. Ebony a dun filly called Sandy. And Dot had a little colt, and even though it wasn't his baby, he still take care of it.

This was the happiest summer Red had in years. They spent their days grazin' on the plentiful tall grass of Red and Dot's childhood, and he and her had a proper reunion. They sniff eachother's noses and come real close, reachin' for their withers. They had a good scratch, the best Red felt in forever. From that day on they was never far apart.

That summer, Tawny finally got rid of those six babies, only to have six more. She had to eat, and she had her eyes on Dot's little grey colt Silver. Silver was playin' with the other foals, chompin' on their tails with his gums and havin' a hoot like Red used to.