Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron 2 ~ The Story of Strider

Chapter 6 ~ Taken

Chapter 6 ~ Taken

Days, or weeks had gone by, I still had no idea where Phantom had taken his herd. I has become paranoid, thinking that every rustle of leaves was a whinny from Esperanza calling to me, the snapping of twigs a scream from Phantom. 

I was loosing hope, not being able to sleep, eat, nor drink until I found Esperanza safe and secure. I had slumped down beside a large tree and whinnied out once more, loosing hope.

"Esperanza! Where are you?" I call out weakly.

A shrill call back answers me, but I can not understand it. 

I toss my head thinking I must be hearing things again until I hear the whinny again, followed by some whoops of war. I tried to stand, knowing the horse was warning me to run, but I couldn't move, I was too dehydrated, and so hungry. I just fell onto my knees as a group of Natives came over and put ropes over me.

~~~

 I fought the ropes weakly as the Indians took me back to their village. I didn't want to be owned by anyone. But soon we arrived in their village and I was dragged into some sort of confinement. It was made of fallen trees and round. I trotted briskly around the confinement and snorted, whinnying for help, and talking to myself as the Natives watched me and scoffed.

"Esperanza, I need to find her, i'll never get out of here, i'll never find my sweet Esperanza. I'll-"

"Hey, newcomer. Calm down." A voice inturupts my nervous murmuring and I stop to look up.

Two horses were tied to the fallen trees by things around their head. A white stallion with grey stockings and muzzle while the other was a bright bay with white splashed all over her. They both had paintings around one of their eyes, and squiggle marks over their shoulders, with a handprint or two on their rumps. 

"Why should I? Horses were never meant to be kept as... pets!" I spat back, pinning my ears back at the horses. 

"But we are much happier there than on the range." The mare snorts.

"Here we get love, and treats that you woudn't have in the wild. Human love is something special." The wise, old stallion says.

"Maybe to you." I murmur and turn to look up at the now setting sun. "But the wild is where I belong, and it's still where me herd, and my Esperanza are. And now, I may never see them again."