Born Free

Chapter 26

Where was she? Why wasn't she here? Sky rockets back to the gate and whinnies loudly, waiting for one to return.

" Sky, come back! We need to go." Ashka tries to call Sky back, pawing the ground impatiently. Sky neighs again, louder and longer this time.

" Sky!" Ashka rears up angrily, snorting as she lands back down.

" Ashka!" I snap at her, tossing my head back.

" Enough. He is my colt, I can deal with him." I look back at Sky, watching him pace the fence. I break into a lope up the hill and up to his side.

" Sky, we need to-" He squeals shrilly.

" We're not leaving without Rose! At least I'm not..." He stares back at the barn and neighs for her once more, pawing at the dirt roughly.

" You will do why I tell you. Your not even ten months old yet, and you have to do as I say, I am your mother." A sound echoes towards us from the barn and both Sky and I turn our attention to the building. Nick exits the barn leading Rose by a bright pink lead rope, Rose's coat shining brightly. I back away from the gate and watch the two approach the pasture. Sky crowds the gate, pressing his chest against the wooden panels, nickering deeply. Rose's ears turn forwards and she pulls on the lead, speeding up their pace. Nick struggles to keep Sky in the pasture and be able to take Rose's halter off at the same time.

" Sky." He looks over at me, and with a snort, backs up a step or two. A clip of her halter, and Rose takes off with Sky at her side. I walk up to Nick, who leans on the fence. He grabs my nose gently and rubs my forehead.

" What am I gonna do with those two, Casie?" He laughs, pats my neck and turns back to the barn with the lead rope swaying at his side. Are we doing the right thing? Leaving the care of humans to go off into the wilderness to fight for ourselves? My thoughts get cut off by a distant neigh. I turn my gaze in the direction of the horse and see, in the pasture next to ours, a chestnut standing tall. I cock my head and take a couple more steps in the direction of the horse. Then, it clicks. My legs make their own decisions, galloping as fast as possible towards the horse. The fence line approaches quickly and I struggle to slow my pace to anything than a gallop. Somehow, my hooves slide to a stop on the dewy grass and my nose meets his.

" Aurora." He ruffles my forelock.

" Thunder," I stand there, speechless. And then the world comes crashing down on me.

" Where were you... And that day in the barn?! H-how long have you been in this pasture?" I tense up, neck arched.

" They've been working with me, even got a saddle on me. I... I tried looking for you. And when they put me in this pasture, I guess I was just scared." He looks away, his long mane falling across his face. My heart aches, slowly filling with anger, sadness and yet, longing. I realize that all I wanted was to be back with him, even though he 'left' us. It's not like it was his choice, but he made no move to try to get back to us.

" But Thunder, that doesn't change anything. You didn't even try to find us." He snorts, tossing his head away from me.

" You don't know that. I did try. Many times. But, it's just... They had these long sticks that stung whenever they touched my skin, and strung up these white lines that shocked me whenever I touched it. They chased me around a round pen, and when I wouldn't listen to their actions, they threw things at me. Whatever they could find. Rocks, sticks, even a horseshoe I threw." I hear a whinny calling my name and I look back. One of the mares joining us, a pretty little bay named Bell, stands at the top of the hill. I whinny back and she turns away, disappearing behind the tree line.