WAR OF THE BREEDS

Chapter 8 - BATTLE OF THE MUSTANGS

The final pieces of the puzzle were being set in place as Neptune lead Sheyenne closer and closer to his family in the Mustang courtyard. Sheyenne and Neptune walked in as quietly as the could but, this didn't matter when Queen Star noticed her son walking into view. The Mustang Queen ran joyfully toward her colt, but when Sheyenne came onto the scene, she skid to a halt. That was when the Kings noticed, as well as Neptune's older brother, Prince Jupiter.

" Neptune. Where have you been and what are you doing with an Arabian mare?" asked the Mustang Queen.

" Mother, please don't be alarmed, but this Arabian mare is my girlfriend." Neptune cautiously stated. Suddenly, King Venus walked over.

"Well, that was fast. I hardly did anything to deserve that but fine with me." Sheyenne mumbled to herself.

" Your girlfriend! Neptune are you not aware that she is an Arabian! I will not have this!". Sheyenne now became a little afraid as Venus strode over to her, his sword extended outward at her.

" Father please, let me explain." Neptune begged.

" There is nothing for you to explain Neptune!" Venus replied as he took a few more steps toward Sheyenne.

" Venus, wait! That Arabian mare is the princess." King Galaxy warned.

" What!?" Venus sounded astonished as he looked up and down at Sheyenne.

" Oh my gosh! Grandpa is right!" Jupiter said. Neptune say the danger that was approaching and dove between his father and Sheyenne.

" Neptune! What are you doing!?" Venus yelled.

" I'm sorry father, but I cannot let you harm her. Sheyenne has done nothing in any way to harm you or anyone in our family.". The whole family began to raise problems with each other except Jupiter and Star, they didn't want a fight between their own family. In no time at all Neptune had his sword drawn and was battling with his very own father. Neptune's grandfather had taken his chances to attack Sheyenne, and soon enough had her pinned. Sheyenne, however, knew just how to handle the situation. The Arabian tripped Galaxy and he went crashing to the ground beside her. The next step was simple, pin Galaxy. Sheyenne stood victorious upon Galaxy until Star decided that she needed to do something. In mere seconds, Star retrieved her father's sword off the ground and pointed it straight at Sheyenne.

" Let my father go, or I will stab you." Star threatened.

" If you want to fight we can do that." Sheyenne responded pulling her weapon out from her sword belt.

" Why don't we fight without our weapons." Star suggested, thinking that she might have a chance at winning. Sheyenne agreed and then the mares leaped at each other, resulting in a full out battle. Meanwhile, Neptune and his father were still fighting their battle. Neptune found an open slot to pull off a win. The black and white stallion used his sword to trip up his father and pin him down. Now by this time Venus and Galaxy were pinned down. Star was on the verge of the same fate. By The end of it Sheyenne and Neptune claimed victory. Still having a sword being held to his throat, King Venus began to speak.

" Neptune, are you sure she won't harm anyone and why are you doing this?".

" Father, she and I agree on a lot of things, and we love each other. Also, I am doing his because I want to get my point across." Neptune responded.

" What point?" asked Neptune's mother.

" The point that I don't want to fight the war anymore! This has got to stop! There is no real reason for it." Neptune angrily responded. The whole courtyard was silent. Neptune took a breath, and Sheyenne released the Mustang Queen to walk over to Neptune. Sheyenne leans on Neptune's shoulder and hugs him, attempting to be comforting. Neptune turns his head around to let her know that he acknowledges her presence.

"Neptune?...." Star stumbled. " I agree with you. I never wanted the war in the first place. After all nothing really caused it. Plus, with things like this the Queen doesn't get much say." Star continued strongly.

" No, mother the war did have a purpose for starting. The purpose of getting Sheyenne and I together. The war also had a reason to start because I had made a mistake." Neptune told his other hanging his head in shame. The other horses listened intently as Sheyenne shoved her head under Neptune's chin, doing her best to be of any assistance to his pain. In just a few moments Venus stood up and went over to his son, hugging him.

"Neptune, it was not your fault for this war, it was mine and I'm sorry I let you believe that for two years. You have grown into a young, strong, and intelligent stallion." Venus said. Star ran over to her stallion and son hugging them. Jupiter joined in shortly after. Sheyenne, Neptune, and the family were all together now in a family hug, except for Star's father King Galaxy.

" I do not agree with any of those statements. The Arabians have no respect for any other horse breed! They are the reason of the war!" Galaxy exclaimed outside the circle. The whole family and Sheyenne released each other and turned to stare at Galaxy.

" No that is not true! The Arabians have plenty of respect for other breeds, we just don't show it in the proper fashions." Sheyenne remarked stepping toward Galaxy. Neptune began to get worried as Sheyenne stepped closer and closer to his grandsire. Neptune tried to block off the Arabian but, his mother stopped him.

" Let her do it." Star mummed.

" I have lived in that kingdom for years and you don't know how much I wanted to go out of the borders to associate with the other breeds. It is not that we don't have any respect, it's that we live in fear. My sire locked me inside the borders because he was afraid that other breeds would come at me due to the reputation the Arabians have. My sire started the war, and he only did so because he felt threatened. The Arabians live in fear." Sheyenne was almost face to face with Galaxy now and tears were streaming from her eyes as the time went on. Neptune couldn't take it anymore. The stallion broke from his mother's forelegs and ran up to Sheyenne's side. In an attempt to comfort and protect her, Neptune thrust himself around her. Falling into Neptune's arms, Sheyenne felt free to cry. Neptune began to gently talk to her and brush her mane in a comforting manner.

" Shhh. There, there. It's alright. Shhh." Neptune told her, beginning to sway her back and forth.

" Alright, why don't we just go and tell the Arabians that the war has got to come to an end.'' Venus stated a few minutes later.

" What!?" Galaxy exclaimed.

" What?" Star and Jupiter questioned all surprised. Neptune and Sheyenne stayed in their positions but silenced.

" You heard me. The Arabians need to know that the war has come to an end. They need to know that we have surrendered. The only reason they are still fighting is because we were still fighting." Venus restated. Neptune and Sheyenne then broke apart just enough to look at each other, then they went into a joyful hug.

" Sheyenne? I um... I'm sorry." Galaxy apologized.

" She forgives you Grandpa. Just give her some time to calm down." Neptune said speaking in Sheyenne's place, after all she was too busy hiding her face within Neptune's chest.

" Well, if were going let's go!" Jupiter shouted from the courtyard entrance.

"Well someone's excited." Neptune claimed.

"Who wouldn't be if they got their little brother back and a war was finally ending? You don't know how scared I was for you when you disappeared, because of Moon and all..." Jupiter drifted off at the mention of his older sister's name. Neptune acknowledged his brother's point with a simple nod. The horses all gathered together and began their journey over the borders and to the Arabian kingdom.