No Longer Are We Free

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter twenty five ~ edited

I stared at Caleb in shock and worry. I hardly noticed that Liz handed over my halter and lead to Caleb, until I felt it being put on my head. I stood calmly while my heart and brain worked over time.

I needed to talk to Midnight.

Caleb led me out of the paddock and I was tied up outside the round yard. He leaned against the wooden post and stayed silent. I glanced at him. Liz returned with my tack and Caleb saddled me up in no time, and we were off for our ride. It was awkward. If he knew I was a shifter, why was he riding me?

"I need to talk to you, let's get a safe distance away from here to talk." He whispered. I nodded my head and jumped into a canter.

We stopped fifteen minutes away and by the time Caleb dismounted, I was ready to drop dead. I was so tired and out of breath. My sides heaved and sweat soaked my coat. I cantered the whole fifteen minutes. On my account of course. I wasn't paying attention and ended up ignoring Caleb's attempts to get me to slow down.

"Shift back." Caleb said. I looked at him, hesitant, before I remembered I could trust him and pictured my human form, shifting.

It had been ages since I was last in my human form and I stumbled from standing on two legs. Caleb caught me and I laughed quietly.

"It's been a while since I've walked on two legs." I said. Caleb smiled. "Last time was probably leaving the horse farm." Caleb's smile slipped off his face.

"Oh." He said, before his smile returned. He grabbed my hands. "You're much prettier then I expected. Younger too."

I giggled. "Don't you remember that time I was at the farm? You guys went out fishing, leaving Tim and me behind? Ring any bells?"

"I remember you." He said. "How have you been, Summer?"

"Wow. He even remembers my name. I'm impressed." I said with a laugh. Caleb chuckled. "Yeah, I've been fine. I'm a mighty fine show jumper and Midnight is a mighty fine grump." The smile slipped off Caleb's lips again. I frowned.

"Midnight? Is he the black stallion?" I nodded.

"His name is Seth." I said. Caleb nodded. I frowned. It felt strange calling him Seth. I was so used to saying Midnight.

"So he's a shifter, like you?" I nodded again, this time with a smile.

"He's the reason I am one." I said.

"I need to tell you something, that I'd appreciate you tell Seth. But first, I bet you're wondering how I know about you?" He asked, sitting against a tree.

I smiled, sitting next to him. "Well, Mr Wolf, I can tell - well, more like smell - how you know. Plus Midnight told me. You're a werewolf, Caleb." I said. "I know about you." He looked up at me surprised. "Oh and by the way, sorry but I called you a dog. I didn't know about werewolves and I asked if Midnight ever realised that you smelt like a dog." He laughed.

"As long as you don't call me a mutt, I can deal with being called a dog." He said. I smiled.

"Now, what do I have to tell Midnight?" I asked. Caleb frowned and fell silent. "Caleb?"

"Well, a few days ago, two other shifters-"

"Star and Shadow?" I asked, cutting him off, excited. He nodded. "How are they? I miss them so much!"

"Well, they attempted to run away, stupidly - no offence - in their horse forms. They jumped the fence and ran straight to the national park. There were Rangers and there was a cull-"

I gasped and stood up. "No." I said, shaking my head. "Were they shot?" Caleb stood up, looking at me with sad eyes before he nodded. "Please don't make me tell him." I choked out a sob, looking away. "They're okay though, right? Please tell me they're okay!"

"I chased after them in my wolf form but when I saw they were shot, I couldn't go to them." I looked into his eyes. "The Rangers shot them again." He whispered.

"No." I whispered. I stepped back. "No!" I shouted. "Y-you have to t-tell Midnight your-yourself! I-I can't... I can't tell him his sister and friend were killed!" I dropped to my knees. I didn't know Shadow long, but Star was a good friend. She was family. And it hurt. Sobs wracked from my body. "Oh god!" I whispered. Please let this be a dream. A sick nightmare. Anything but reality! "No." I whimpered. Caleb kneeled down and gave me a hug while I cried.

~*~

We sat against the tree in silence until I calmed down and stopped crying. Caleb distracted me by telling me about his pack and how much of a moron his brother Brent was. I would laugh sadly every so often and Caleb would smile, continuing on, knowing he was helping me feel better.

It turned out his pack was back where I lived, Texas. He said if I ever wanted to leave, he'd take Midnight and me back home. I told him thanks and I'd think about it. Stacy had become my friend. A really good friend. And I hated goodbyes.

"We better get back or they might think you're stealing me." I said, standing up. Caleb did the same.

"Good idea. Don't want to be taken in for kidnapping."

I laughed, "Horse Napping, you mean?" He nodded and I smiled, before shifting. Caleb shifted into his wolf form and my ears shot forward. His pelt was a dark brown. He was actually really cute as a wolf! I stared at him and nickered. "Can you hear me?" I asked, hoping he could.

"Yes I can." Caleb answered.

"Sweet!" Caleb chuckled. "Why did you shift? I'm fine carrying you."

"Thought we could race." Caleb said. I pawed the ground and faced ahead.

"You're on! Call it!" I said.

"Now!" Caleb and I both took off, racing back to the stable. I was ahead of Caleb a few times since I had a bigger stride, but he kept up.

We stopped just before we got to the stable. Caleb shifted back and mounted up. I moved into a walk and took control, walking to the wash bay. Caleb dismounted and removed my tack.

Stacy joined us and smiled at Caleb.

"I'll give her a wash. Was she a good girl?" She asked me more then Caleb. Caleb smiled and nodded.

"She was great. You've trained her well."

"You did most of the work from what I've been told." Stacy said.

"Shimmer did all the work." Caleb said. He leaned forward and whispered, "Tell Midnight." Before he patted my shoulder and turned to Stacy. "Where's your mother? I want to tell her I'm leaving now."

"She's gone into town. I'll tell her you left." Stacy said.

Caleb nodded. "Tell her I said bye and thanks." Caleb called over his shoulder. "Bye."

"I will and bye." Stacy called. I watched him get in his car and leave. Stacy hosed me down and turned me out in the paddock again. I already missed Caleb. I sputtered and went to get a drink from the water trough, letting my mind replay over what Caleb told me.

I had to tell Midnight. If I acted the way I did when I wasn't even related to them, how would Midnight react? I made a decision. I was telling him in human form. Where I could comfort him.