Spirit, Riding Free: Lucky and Her Adventurous and Mysterious Cousin Sasha

Chapter Two

Sasha and James Sr. had both spent three nights in their private sleeping berths — snug bunks that were tucked behind curtains. Sasha's bunk was warm and cozy, and despite all the questions and excitement swirling around in her head, the thrumming of the wheels against the tracks had quickly put her to sleep. She had an flashback of a memory of when she was around fourteen years old.
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She had remembered that she was with her parents and adoptive granduncle. They were all at the prairies of Wyoming. Sasha went down to the stable unnoticed, while her family argued or talked to each other. She had promised Wind she'd take her for a long ride. Wind was Sasha's favorite horse, she was adventurous and intelligent. Much like Sasha.
Sasha put on her horse's blanket, saddle, and bridle, then led Wind outside. Wind impatiently stood, stamping her hooves, as Sasha tightened the cinch. Sasha had never felt comfortable riding with the riding equipment. Wind looked back at Sasha, and she looked at her. Her mane and tail were a dark brown, her eyes a bright and soft amber, perfectly matching for her brown and white Appaloosa fur.
Sasha walked around to her left side and put her left foot in the stirrup. They were both eager to gallop across the endless fields. They passed the little grove of trees behind the homestead, as well as the creek beyond it. Wind loved to splash her way through it, whinnying in pleasure the entire time. But they soon heard a yowl from a nearby mountain lion, Sasha and Wind had both panicked and started galloping away from the mountain lion.
After a while, they went to the other side of the gorge and they had both reached the top of a grassy hill. Ahead of them was a beautiful landscape, something out of the stories her mother would tell her when she was a child. A lake shimmered in the early morning sunlight next to a snow-capped mountain. Fresh, grassy fields with rolling hills surrounded the area, which was specked with pine trees. There was a dot on the plains, a mass of brown and golden that was moving slowly across. Sasha's heart leaped in realization. It was the Cimarron Herd! It hadn't been so hard to find. Even by accident for a fourteen year old girl and her mare!
Sasha was scanning the entire area from this vantage point and Wind nickered softly. She seemed nervous, wary.
"What's wrong, girl?" Sasha had asked.
In the next instant, she knew what had been bothering Wind. Thunder. Roaring thunder, coming from the lower part of the hill on the right. She inched Wind forward, attempting to see whatever it was that was coming for them. The thunder was definitely getting louder and closer. Sasha's heart refused to keep from beating against her chest. For a moment the thunder ceased. Then, as quickly as it had stopped, it came back, this time with a deafening clarity that pounded in Sasha's ears. But it was the sight that made her speechless.
The herd appeared up over the hill, running together as one through the valley. Wind whinnied and whirled on her hind legs. A muscular buckskin stallion that could only be Spirit raged on ahead of the herd, his legs racing with such fury that Sasha had never seen in a wild horse before.
Spirit stopped a fair distance from them, looking at Sasha and Wind with open curiosity. The stallion seemed to be immortal to Sasha and he clearly loves being wild and free that reminded her of the bald eagle. A pretty brown and white paint horse came next to Spirit, looking curious.
"Wanna play tag?" Sasha had asked hopefully. "We'll be it."
Spirit galloped into the forest, and Wind was on his heels. Knowing that Sasha would soon be overtaken, Spirit turned sharply to the left and sprang over a fallen tree. Wind followed suit, but was encumbered by her rider. She barely cleared it, her hooves clicking as they lightly struck the top of the log. Sasha lost all her senses somewhere amidst the pounding hooves, her heavy breathing, and Wind's own quick breathing. Her eyes focused only on the stallion, his dark brown mane and tail flowing freely behind him. Sasha couldn't feel her boots digging into the heels or the uncomfortable saddle behind her. All she could see was the stallion. The stallion plunged into a thick clump of trees, swerving in and out of them. It was apparent that the stallion had been chased by humans on horses before; he headed straight for the low-hanging branches. Sasha ducked low and clung to the reins. Branches and tree limbs whooshed overhead as Wind carved her own path between the trees and through the forest. She wasn't even panting.
Spirit didn't even seem frightened. Sasha had no time to think about this peculiar fact as the trees disappeared and an expanse of grass opened up before them. This could be dangerous, Sasha realized. The grass was so high that she could not see the ground. Spirit might easily dodge any pits in the ground, but Wind wasn't accustomed to this particular area.
Spirit headed for that same fallen log. They were out of the deep grass and onto the plains again, near the lake. Spirit had led them in a huge circle that went through that small forest, the grasslands, and back around to that same log.
"I can almost touch you now Spirit," whispered Sasha.
Spirit's hooves were no longer a blur; the sound of each of them striking the ground was amplified with amazing clarity. Reality struck. A blur crossed his path, right to left. Wind's hooves stuck in the ground, and she skidded forward. Spirit was running, his size diminishing as his escape was made apparent.
Sasha was nearly flung over Wind's neck as she came to a stop, panting. She, too, was gasping for breath, but not from exhaustion. Victory was so close that now, since her game was complete, she felt winded.
Her eyes barely managed to focus on the painted mare that was galloping up to Spirit. The stallion had stopped by the lake, also gasping for breath. The chase had worn everybody out, even the fabled Spirit.
"Good game Spirit," panted Sasha with a gasping grin, making the two wild horses smiled at her and Wind.
But the two wild horses started to look over Sasha's shoulder. Sasha gave a confused frown and she also looked over her shoulder. She saw a young muscular brown stallion with a white painted handprint on his upper left shoulder. The rider was a muscular Native American man seemed to be around his early twenties. He has long jet black hair which was tied in twin-tails with red ribbons. He also has caramel tan skin and deep brown eyes. He was wearing a light tan pants, a tan breechcloth worn over his pants, and moccasins in the same color.
He dismounted his stallion and approached Spirit carefully, sensitively. Spirit looked up and recognition seemed to appeared in his warm brown eyes. Slowly, he walked to meet the Lakota. The Lakota stopped and raised his right hand. Spirit nuzzled his hand with his nose. The Lakota smiled and said something in his native language. Sasha figured that the Lakota must be Little Creek, who is friends with Spirit and Rain (the painted mare).
Little Creek gave Spirit a pat on the neck, then turned to face Rain. He lovingly stroked her neck and held up a small object to Rain. She lowered her head and allowed Little Creek to place a eagle feather in her mane. Spirit walked over towards Little Creek with what seemed to be smiling. Spirit pushed Little Creek to his neck and Little Creek hugged the wild stallion's neck. They seemed to be reuniting brothers. But Sasha had felt like she was intruding on their private moment.
Little Creek turned from the horses and walked over to Sasha, whose eyes were wide and was catching her breath. The Lakota approached her and stopped in front of her. Sasha was surprised to feel a strong, but gentle hand placed on her left hand.
"Thank you Wind Runner," said Little Creek softly, giving her a new Lakota name.
"Why are you thanking me?" Sasha managed to asked through her panting. "Me, Wind, and Spirit were only playing a game." Sasha threw Spirit a dry look when the wild stallion nickered, as if he was laughing at her. "Yeah, very funny mate," she added sarcastically.
"You led me straight to them. These past several months, I have searched for them, but I had no luck. Somehow, your tracking skills proved greater than mine." Little Creek explained with a sad, but joyful smile.
"Mostly, I followed Wind's lead of where to go and she led me here. Though, it was more wild than I bargain for." said Sasha breathlessly and gave a playful glare at Spirit as she patted Wind's sweaty neck. "But you're most welcome Little Creek."
"You must promise me something." Little Creek's voice was suddenly very solemn, his eyes had became dark and protective.
"What is it?" Sasha asked, perked up and caught her breath.
"Promise me you'll never tell anyone where you found them. It must be a secret," whispered Little Creek.
Sasha frowned. She knew she could always trust her family. She lowered her gaze, unsure thoughts running through her mind.
"You must promise," insisted Little Creek earnestly.
He and the wild horses all looked at her with wide, trusting and hopeful eyes. Sasha looked at them. She knew that Little Creek will give his life to help the wild horses. Spirit and Rain will probably both do the same for Little Creek and the Cimarron Herd. They just want to be free in their homeland. She felt a bit guilty that she couldn't tell her family. But she understood. Protecting this herd was Little Creek's one and only concern. If something were to happen to it, who knew what would happen to the man and his horse family?
"Okay, I won't tell anyone where I found them." said Sasha, she had caught her breath, but her heart started to calm down.
"Thank you Wind Runner," Little Creek said with relief and a relaxed smile.
"I am also known as Sasha Alma Flores. But never mind that, can me and Wind come with you?" said Sasha as she patted Wind's sweaty neck. "We got a little lost after we get startled by a mountain lion."
"Of course," Little Creek said. "Follow me and Geist."
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That's when Sasha had woke up. She had stayed and learned about the Lakota ways of life, which was amazing to her, before she was found by her adoptive granduncle and her argumentative parents. She'll be always known as Wind Runner to the Lakota Tribe, due to her and her horse's agile speed and quick grace had almost caught up to Spirit-Who-Could-Not-Be-Broken. But, she snapped back to business and the first thing she did was roll over and look out the window.
"Wow," whispered Sasha.
The landscape had changed dramatically and beautifully. The cities are a long way behind them. The river that they had been following had also disappeared. The train now chugged its way through a mountain pass. Craggy gray mountains loomed overhead, some still wearing the last vestiges of snow on their peaks. The sight was beautiful.
Sasha got dressed in her white blouse shirt with flower patterns on it's short sleeves, along with her golden heart locket necklace with a pair of carved horses reared up on each side, making a shape like a heart, along with flowers and lines hidden underneath her shirt. She had added her blue pants and brown riding boots before she slid out of her bunk. Granduncle James Sr. was awake, drinking his coffee and reading a newspaper from the day before yesterday.
"When will we get to Miradero?" Sasha asked.
"Today. Around noon I believe." replied Granduncle James Sr.
Sasha had finished eating her buttered toast for breakfast and glanced at the window curiously. But as the other passengers all went towards their seats, they heard a few someones come onto the train. It was probably one of the workers on the train or the younger horses being a little skittish.
"How would you feel about getting a new horse?" Granduncle James Sr. asked her with a concerned frown. "I don't want you feeling left out in Miradero. Almost everyone there is bonded to a horse."
Sasha looked down, unsure if getting a new horse was a good idea. She doesn't want to replace her beloved horse, Wind. Wind had passed away a few years ago from foaling. Sasha didn't have the heart to replace her beloved mare. But desperate times calls for desperate measures.
"I know how much you miss Wind," Granduncle James Sr. whispered to her. "She'll always be with you. But I know she doesn't want you to be living sad for her. She wants you to be happy."
Sasha looked up, and she immediately knew that her granduncle was right. Wind would want her to be happy, and she might encourage Sasha to find a new horse to ease her grief.
"Okay. I guess we could try to get a new horse." Sasha said softly and a little uncertainly.
Granduncle James Sr. nodded with a gentle smile, but fatherly pride shone in his eyes.
"I've met a fair woman who owned those horses that you had saw," said Granduncle James Sr. "She has a special surprise for you."
"Really?" Sasha perked up and looked at her granduncle with surprise and astonishment. Before she could ask what it is, the voice of the conductor had called out, "Last stop, Miradero. Everyone must disembark! Last stop, Miradero!"
They were finally at Miradero.