Wild and Free

Chapter 9

"W-What?" I shrieked.

"Listen, I was feeding barn A when I heard yelling outside, next thing I know is she's streaking down to the hills."

"We have to go find her now, I'm gonna go get Tux, he's smart." I mumbled and started walking.

"No! Becca, you can't all the news is talking about a big storm, we've all been getting the horses in the barns."

"I don't care I have to find her." I said still walking. Drake ran up and grabbed me. "Let me go." I growled.

"I'm going with you, I already told your dad about Cloud going missing."

"Fine but ride someone fast, I'm galloping to the hills and keeping a fast pace, there's a lot of ground to cover." I said yanking my arm away and breaking into a run for barn A. Drake didn't follow. I pulled Tux out and saddled him up quickly knowing he had been groomed already. I got on and trotted out of the barn.

"Rebecca! Wait!" Drake called as he came out of barn C with Winston. He was holding a rain coat and wearing another. He stooped next to me and handed me the jacket. I pulled it on and sighed looking at the reins in my hand.

"Hey, we're gonna find her." Drake said looking at me. "Here, we can split up once we get to the hills." he handed me a walkie-talkie.

"Lets get going." I said not waiting for a responce. We left the clearing and I urged Tuxedo into a gallop. Drake followed closely behind as we neared the forest and the hills.

I slowed Tuxedo to a walk at the edge of the forest and waited for Drake. He caught up and looked at me for instructions.

"Ok, I'll take the forest you take the valley." I said in a shaky voice. Drake nodded and cantered towards the valley. I sighed and looked into the forest, I rarely went into it because of the cougars and the occasional wolf. I walked into there and looked around, it was basically trying to have a horse walk through thorns. Tuxedo flicked his ears anxiously and bobbed his head. I patted his neck and trotted him into an open area. There I could make out a small path. I trotted down it and came up to a stream. I stopped Tux and let him walk freely into the stream.

"I found her herd." Drake called over the walkie. My heart nearly leaped out of my chest as I waited for the next call. "She's not with them." I stopped smiling and put the walkie away.

"Come on Tux, it's up to us now." I had tux lope down the path and deeper into the woods. A light rain had begun to fall and thunder rumbled in the distance. It wasn't that late, but the clouds blocked out the sun making it look like midnight. Tuxedo flicked his head and water sprayed my fave. "Thanks." I mumbled.

We loped for 20 minutes then I let him slow down. It had begun to rain harder and the thunder was getting closer. Tuxedo was now drenched and my saddle was starting to get wet even though my rain jacket covered most of it. I let Tuxedo walk as the trail began to widen. The trail forked and I hopped off Tuxedo to see something in the mud. Hoof Prints. I smiled and pulled myself onto Tuxedo. I pulled out my flashlight and the walkie from my saddle bag.

"Found hoof prints, might be able to find Cloud." I said into the walkie and put it away. I put my flashlight on and pointed it at the tracks in the mud. I urged Tuxedo into a walk and watched the tracks. Thunder boomed overhead and the rain came down hard. I had Tux trot because the tracks started to vanish in the rain.

Five minutes later the tracks were gone and we walked aimlessly on the path. A figure flitted at the edge of my gaze. I turned my head and saw something moving through the bushes, fast. A burst of lightning lit up the area and I got a good look at the figure, it was Cloud. I urged the tiring and wet Tuxedo into a gallop and followed her. More lighting lit up the sky and I grabbed my rope and halter.

"Cloud!" I called over and over again as she fled from us. We burst into the open and now I saw Cloud well, she was afraid. She slowed to a trot and gave a high pitched whinny, of which Tuxedo responded and became anxious. She trotted into a covered clearing and we followed. There was no trail and Tux blocked the only entrence/exit unless you wanted to rip your legs with thick bushes. The back of the clearing was piled high with rocks and boulders. Cloud galloped around the clearing and whinnied. "Cloud! Cloud it's me! What's wrong?" I sweet talked. Cloud stopped and pawed at the ground in panic. I tied Tuxedo to a tree still blocking the entrance and grabbed the extra rope and halter. I slowly walked up to Cloud. But she wouldn't stay still she kept on cantering around. I heard something click at the top of the boulders and turned to see a large Cougar prowling to the edge ready to pounce, and he was looking straight at me.

"Oh my god." I whispered under my breath as the Cougar formed up at the edge of the rock. I started to back up slowly when he pounced. The cougar soared through the air and landed on me hard and I crumbled to the floor. Cloud shrieked and galloped around us bucking. The cougar ripped at my brace and my shoulder and I screamed in agony. The cougar tore at the side of my thigh and knee. Cloud bit the cougar in the tail and dragged backward pulling the large cat off of me. I writhed in pain but willed myself not to go unconscious. Cloud flung the cougar against the rocks and kicked it multiple times to fatal areas, stomach, head, chest. Finally the cougar lay dead against the rocks and Cloud came over to me. I grabbed her long mane and hauled myself to a stand position. The rain washed my blood-stained ripped shirt and pants faded the red color as I made my way to Tuxedo. I haltered Cloud and tied the rope to my saddle. I climbed onto Tuxedo and pulled out my walkie. "Drake, I need help. I got Cloud but we were attacked by a cougar." I breathed.

"What? Oh my god where are you?" He called instantly.

"By-By the um, By the uh forest where the um fields end." I gasped.

"Hang in there Rebecca I'm coming. Stay where you are."

I nodded the realized he couldn't see me so replied simply "Ok." Pain throbbed in my arm, hip, and head. My gaze began to fuzz and darken around the edges. I shook my head willing myself to stay awake. The rain pounded louder in my ears and my gaze fuzzed a little more making it hard to see in front of me.

"Rebecca! Rebecca I'm here!" That voice seemed so distant now, but I knew it was Drake. "I'm coming!" Drake called again. The sound of hoofbeats pounded in my ears as loud as the rain. Arms wrapped around me pulling me into someone. Now I was so distant the pain from my wounds was only a small throb. I groaned as someones breath blew my hair. "Get help now! Rebecca has been attacked! Get an ambulance here! We are heading back now! Hurry she's lost a lot of blood." Someone murmured above me. A hand petted my head and whispered into my ear. "Hang in there Rebecca. Don't leave me."The darkness at the edge of my eyes fully took over and I let the darkness flow over me.

Cliff Hanger!!! Hope you enjoyed! Can I get 2 votes and maybe a comment? And 1000 reads? THANK YOU!