Marista walks through the herd, looking for her father. She cannot believe that Sable actually lives with humans! Yet he seems to take to the wild just fine. Jerrist had told her that humans ruin horses. That they tame them, and make them soft. Marista has to agree a little bit --Sable is kind of soft-- but that's what makes him so kind and humble. Most of the stallions she is used to are stubborn and hardheaded, her father being the perfect example. But not Sable. If it weren't for her father constantly getting in the way, and Sable so desperately wanting to get home, Marista thinks that her and Sable could become good friends.
And then there is the discovery of Sable being Kelay's son. If it weren't for Jerrist, Sable would be the rightful leader of this herd right now!
Marista finally finds her father at the other end of the herd. He is standing silently, observing everyone. She approaches him and says sweetly, "Hey Daddy, I was curious about something."
Jerrist stares at her. "What?" He says gruffly.
Marista is used to her father sounding like this, though. "How far away is the edge of the forest, anyway?" She asks quickly.
"Why?" Jerrist asks, in the same tone of voice. "You are not going to the other end of the forest!"
"No, I don't want to. I was just curious," she replies.
Suddenly, Jerrist's eyes fill with rage. "It's because of that Sable guy, isn't it?" He asks.
"Well, um..." Marista tries to come up with some excuse, but she can't think of anything fast enough. How in the world did her father guess that, and so quickly?
"I directly told you not to go anywhere near him! Not to even speak with him!" Jerrist shouts.
"But Daddy, he's really nice, and he's just trying to get home!" Marista shouts.
This causes Jerrist to think for a moment, and Marista doesn't like the look he has on his face at all.
"Wait... The only kind of home at the edge of the forest is a human home," he says. "A human home that keeps horses captive!"
Marista stares at her father. She thought that she had been doing a pretty good job at hiding Sable's secret. But her stubborn, paranoid father found out anyway!
"He lives with humans?" Jerrist continues to shout. "I knew there was something was different about that boy!" He now scans his eyes over the herd, and Marista realizes that her father is searching for Sable. But before she has the chance to stop him, he takes off running. With her heart pounding, she dashes after him.
"Daddy, what are you doing?" She screams at Jerrist while they run, though she thinks that she may already know the answer to that question.
"If he lives with humans, he is not allowed to be anywhere near my herd!" Jerrist replies.
Marista gasps when she sees Sable just ahead, for she knows that her father can see him too. "Daddy, please don't!" She shouts, but Jerrist doesn't listen to her.
Unable to stop her father, Marista decides to try and warn her new friend. "Sable, look out!"
Jerrist snorts angrily at Marista, but he continues to run full force at Sable.
Sable hears Marista's call, and realizes what is happening. He gasps when he sees Jerrist, and begins to run as fast as he can away from the enraged stallion.
Relment runs up next to Marista. He saw her and her father fly through the herd, and he wants to see what is going on.
"What happened?" He asks when he sees that Jerrist is chasing Sable off in the distance.
"My father discovered something about Sable, and now he's trying to chase him away from the herd... or worse." Marista replies, not even looking at Relment as she runs.
"You mean, Jerrist found out that Sable lives with humans?" Relment asks.
Marista stops running, and looks at Relment with surprise.
"He told me yesterday," Relment tells her, also stopping.
"Well, we have to find some way to stop my father," Marista says. "We can't let him harm his best friend's son!"
"Whoa, hold it there," Relment replies. "You mean to tell me that Sable is Kelay's son?"
"Yes, but my father doesn't know that," Marista says. "And he won't stop long enough for anyone to tell him!" Without saying another word, she begins to run after her father again.
She might need my help, Relment thinks to himself. He then follows after Marista.
YOU ARE READING
Wild and Free #1: Freedom
General FictionSable is a young horse who was raised by humans. Claire, the little girl who takes care of him, is his entire world. He can't imagine a life without her by his side! But after a terrifying storm, Sable finds himself lost. After trying and trying to...
