I am all alone in this// BIG WIDE WORLD

[s q u e e z i e-People Eater]

I am all alone...

The forest was alive with the dawn chorus of many different kinds of birds. Wren, blackbird, thrush, yellow hammer. It was a bird watchers dream. But there was no bird watcher. No signs of any humans at all. This was the very edge of the land of the horses, where few humans ever went, and only the most courageous and reckless dared to venture into, seeking the wild equines to capture, and break their spirits...

Blood was spattered on the forest floor. Bright droplets of scarlet pierced through the cheerful yellow of the daffodils that grew in clumps here and there. Brown and grey hairs littered the ground-Signs of some sort of struggle. Hoof prints dotted the crime scene, some large, some very small. In the shade of a large ash tree, concealed by the calming lavender hue of the bluebells, lay a mahogany brown shape. There was no sign of movements in it, and for the blind eye, the creature could have been dead, if it wasn't for the steady rise and fall of it's tiny chest.

The filly lay among the blue flowers. Her eyes were closed, yet she was not asleep. The bones were visible beneath the smooth, brown and white fur. Her fluffy black mane and tail were scruffy, and chunks of hair was missing from them. On one leg, a deep red was plastered to the white stocking. One eye opened, revealing a dark, chocolate orb. It was filled with pain, hunger and self pity. The filly stirred, and shakily got to her feet. She was hungry, and she hurt. She had come to accept that there was no place in the world for her. She sighed. Slowly, she took steps forward, wincing with each one, her right fore leg barely scraping the dust.

Eventually, she came to the edge of the forest. Strange smell fill her nares. She had never smelled something as peculiar as she did now. Long, lush grass covered the area, before it disappeared down a slope. Smoke rose from an unseen source down below. The foal lowered her head, to take a few mouthfuls of grass. It tasted sweet, and it tingled in her mouth. She had never eaten grass like this. She had never really eaten grass at all. She mainly ate the bitter leaves in the forest, where there was little grass, and the little there was tasted rancid, and dry. This was fresh, and still damp with the morning dew. She raised her head once more, to take in the landscape. Her ears pricked, and her breathing got faster. The gentle breeze carried a terrifying scent. The scent of another horse.

In this big wide world

[Spitz]

Ace rode in on Destiny. A easy walk and he then noticed the tiny filly, no sign of mum and she looked thin and weak. Eating grass too, that would be bad for the tiny foal as she needed the nourishment of milk and not grass which wouldn't settle well in her stomach. Luckily, Ace always carried a bottle with milk in. It was only goats milk but was in a large bottle with a little nip on the end for the foal to suck on. The cowboy dismounted and got the bottle out of his horse's saddle pack. "Hello, young one. Come here pretty girl" he said and noticed her leg. He felt sorry for the tiny creature who was helpless and only he could save her as he was the human, the guy who captured and cared for. Ace smiled at the filly, it was with horses he was so kind and careful.

Destiny started to graze happily, she had no interest in the foal herself. Grazing was more fun, to feed and keep her energy up. She had remembered when Ace had captured her, at only a year old and her mother had abandoned her too. She then had been built up to be a magnificent horse with Ace and now was happy to live. She looked at the foal and opened her mouth "go for it honey, being captured was the best thing that happened to me". She then continued to graze. Ace let her do what she wanted, if she wanted to go now and leave he would never go after her. She had the true spirit of a wild horse, Ace never drew that out of her. She was grateful, a rider who used the wip and didn't know how to ride wasn't good.

[s q u e e z i e-People Eater]

Who are these strangers...

The filly stood motionless. Here orbs were fixed on the slope. The smell was getting closer, and with it came another, unfamiliar smell. A pair of ears appeared, before the rest of the mare cam into sight. On her back rode a strange looking ape like creature. Her breathing got more rapid, and panicky. She took a few steps back wards, toward the cover of the trees. She couldn't run, but she was small, and could hide between the trees, or in a bush if things got bad. She watched as the stranger got off the mare, and walk to wards her, with some sort of teat. She turned her face to him, showing she was nervous. She snorted in alarm, and tensed her muscles, ready to turn tail and make a break for it.

In her stomach an uncomfortable feeling was forming. Like stones her settling inside it. It felt heavy, and it made her feel sick. The pain grew rapidly. It was almost as bad as the kick on her leg, the stallion had given her. She tried not to let the weakness show, but it hard not to. The mares words reached her auds through the pain 'Go for it honey, being captured was the best thing that ever happened to me'. Captured. What did that mean? The mare sounded contented by it, but her experience with other horses had left mental scars, as well as physical ones. Though this mare seemed to be different to the other horses she had met. She didn't seem so hostile.

"Whats that stuff?" she asked, looking at the strange teat thing the stranger was holding. The liquid inside looked like the white water that flowed over the rapids, but it didn't smell like river weed. It smelt slightly of the bison, but with a stronger, more overwhelming aroma. She took a step forward, but the pain in her stomach lurched at her, and her legs wobbled, almost making her fall. She wished it would go away. Maybe some more grass would help. She bent her neck, and took three big mouthfuls of the glorious sweet green blades, but when she swallowed, it made the pain worse. She sank down to her knees, wishing it would go away.

Are they dangerous?

[Spitz]

Ace wasn't mean but he was happy the foal had fallen. He walked over, still crouched and tried to put the bottle in her mouth. "Grass makes it worse honey" he said softly and then looked at Destiny who walked over a little and shadowed the horse from the boiling sun. Spring meant tempretures were all over the place and it was currently quite humid. Ace hovered his hand over the filly before stroking her with one finger. Lightly from the bottom of her mane to the top of her tail. Tracing the horses spine, he needed to help this mare. And the only way was to get her to drink the milk so she could get the nutrients she needed to survive. He continued to stroke the filly and he smiled "Inferno, lets call you Inferno" he said as personally he loved the name and it seemed to suit her in a way.

Destiny watched the foal, she shook her mane and then started to talk again "milk, filly, the stuff you are supposed to drink instead of eat grass at your age" she said and then took a mouthful of grass herself "when you get older you can eat grass". Destiny loved to be out in the open, and she was already getting a liking for the small foal and she knew what it was like. Her mother had abandoned her as well, it wasn't fun but then Ace came. She then let her thoughts wander while grazing happily, looking at the foal and Ace before smiling to herself "oh, and drink the milk. The pain will go" she said. It was true, she had experianced it before, the pain of eating grass and then the comfort of the milk.

[s q u e e z i e-People Eater]

Take me down to the Paradise City...

The filly's auds twitched as the stranger walked over to her. She looked at him, as he started to speak 'Grass makes it worse honey'. His voice was deep and husky. It was very much different to the way that horses spoke. He made strange shapes with his mouth as he said each word, as if he were tasting each one, picking the words he liked out of a massive fruit bowl. She eyed him as he out stretched one fore-leg, and hovered his paw over her, before running a pointer down her sun-heated spine. A shiver sent over her as he did so. She was waiting for the blow. Usually when others touched her, it was with violence, attempting to cause her pain and bring her down. But this time there was no blow. His touch was gentle. Again the stranger opened his mouth to speak. 'Inferno, lets call you Inferno'. Inferno. She rolled the word around in her mind. The name seemed to suit her. She had an Identity now. She wasn't just 'That foal' or 'Filly'. She was Inferno.

Inferno's auds flicked toward the mare, as she came over to her. It was her turn to speak now. 'Milk, filly, the stuff you are supposed to drink instead of eat grass at your age'. The mare bent her patch-work neck, and took a few bites of grass herself 'when you get older you can eat grass'. When she was older!? But it tasted so good. Surely nothing that tasty could be bad for her. She couldn't live off just milk, could she? The mare had started to speak again 'Oh, and drink the milk. The pain will go'. With a slight hesitation, Inferno reached out for the bottle, and took it between her teeth. The taste flowed into her mouth. It was slightly warm, and had a rich, full flavour. As she drank, the pain subsided, little by little, until it was just a faint discomfort. She let go of the bottle.

Until now, she had not realized how strong her will power was. She had survived two near-death experiences. She looked up, first at the stranger, then at the mare. What was she doing lying on the floor? She looked ridiculous!! She snorted, and with the slightest amount of effort, she got to her feet, her legs slightly splayed, her head held high. She knew things would get better now, and she knew that not going with the stranger, would be the biggest mistake of her life. She swished her tail, and pricked her ears. It was time to go home.

Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty

[Spitz]

Running a hand through his hair, Ace smiled at Inferno. She stood easily and he then got the rope and put it around her neck gently before tightening it but it was still loose enough not to provide pressure on her neck. She was a beautiful foal, he was so amazed how she had came to him. Quickly, he tied the end of the rope on Destiny's reins but still stayed down with the horse. Inferno would make a brilliant horse, maybe not a brilliant racer as she wouldn't be large but in some ways she seemed amazing. He would put her in a stall either on her own or with Destiny at the ranch, he needed to do his ranch up come to think about it. "Wonder if you have a brother or sister young one" he said and then stroked her nose. She was so sweet, so petite and delicate. He wondered, she would probably make a great driving horse with her build. Then again, why break the spirit by making her pull. No, she needed something to keep her happy but he could use her sometimes for driving. Ace then remembered, he needed to get on and work out how to build a stable block.

Somehow, he would get his racing stables and it would be the best. People would be calling him to reserve a foal for thousands. Yes, nothing and no one would stand in his way and it was time for him to shine and show the world who he was and who he could be. The best present his aunt had ever gave him was this stables, she knew his love for horses so she just had to buy a run down place at auctions. Of course, 15k was waiting for him when he was 18. Oh how he would enjoy the money, and he was already learning the values and how much things actually cost. It would be so expensive to get his ranch up and running but he was going to do it all himself, he was planning to build a stable block then bulldoze the barn. Ace wanted a proper english stables, his mother was english and she had moved to america when she met her father when he was on holiday in england. How romantic it was. Snapping out of his daydream, Ace mounted Destiny and made her walk back to the ranch.

Destiny whinnied slightly, Ace mounted her easily and she walked steadily and decided to hold conversation with the foal while she walked. "So little one, or should I say Inferno, you are quite a pretty filly. Amazing colour, better than my murky pelt I can tell you that now sweety" she said and let her head hang low so she could see the foal "I'm glad your coming with us, I love it that you can be able to live with the glorious tame life and be happy with me and Ace happily.