Chapter five ~ edited
I walked out of the house and towards the trail to my neighbours place. Axe followed me. I turned around.
"Stay back boy." I commanded.
He whimpered but turned around and ran back to the house.
I walked on the trail for ten minutes. The house came into view. Their dog Rex, ran up to me. He ran around in circles then jumped on me.
"Rex down." I heard a guy call out. His short brownish black hair shined in the sun. It was Seth's father David.
"Hi." I said, petting Rex on the head.
"Hey." He said back. He smiled at me then walked into the stable. I thought Seth was getting horse feed.
"Where's Seth?" I asked, following David.
"I don't know." He said.
"Ok. I'm taking Storm out now." I said.
"Ok have fun and be safe."
"I know." I walked over to Storm's stall. I grabbed the halter and lead line from the hook beside the door. "Hey handsome." I said. He whinnied and put his head over the door. I petted him on the muzzle.
I opened the stall door and put the halter on him. He walked out of the stall and followed me calmly. I walked him out of the stable and tied him to the wash bay. I walked back in to grab the saddle and bridle from the tack room. I put the saddle blanket on and placed the English saddle onto his back. He stood quietly while I did up the girth. I grabbed the bridle and moved towards his head. He lowered his head, making it easier for me. He opened his mouth when I placed the bit to his mouth. I pulled the bridle over his ears and fastened the throat-lash and noseband.
I untied him and led him out of the wash bay. I put my foot in the stirrup and lifted myself up into the saddle. I walked off to the trail to warm him up. Once he was warmed up, I trotted, then cantered along the trail. We kept at a steady canter and came to a clearing. Storm started getting restless.
"Easy." I said, calming him down. I heard neighing in the distance and I saw what made the noise. "Oh my god."
There was a herd of horses. I looked at every beautiful horse. Bays, chestnuts, whites, greys, and a black. It was the lead stallion. His long mane and tail flowed in the breeze. He looked my way. I didn't realise I had moved closer. Storm had calmed down and started walking. I looked into the stallion's eyes. Where had I seen them? Those eyes were familiar. Why do I know them?
"Hi gorgeous." I said to him. He looked at me but didn't react negatively. Unusual for a wild stallion. "Why are you so calm around humans?" I asked. Still he didn't do anything.
I was five metres away from the big, beautiful, black stallion. I didn't move. His ears were forward. I slowly dismounted Storm and walked towards the stallion. I stopped two metres from him. I stood in a non-threatening position and studied the stallion. His big, beautiful, brown eyes. Long and elegant neck. Shiny coat. Long mane and tail. And the little white star under his forelock. I saw beauty. I saw familiarity. Why was this horse so familiar to me? His breath was steady and calm.
"You are so beautiful, you know that?" I told him. He nickered and nodded his head, saying yes. I laughed. No one would believe me if I said I was actually this close to a wild stallion. I think he was wild. He had a herd of mustangs and hadn't been branded. He must be wild. Yet he didn't act it. "Are you owned by anyone, horse?" He snorted and shook his head. "You're a smart boy." He nodded his head again. He looked at Storm. I waited for him to do something to Storm. He just stayed there, in front of me. One of the mares whinnied. The stallion looked over to his herd, then back to me. "Go on beautiful."
He reared up and turned as he lowered to the ground, then ran off to his herd. I watched him run away. I turned back around to Storm and walked to him. I mounted him again and walked back to the trail and back to Seth's.
"We are so telling Seth about this." I told Storm. "Then we'll show him."
I cantered Storm along until we get to the stable. I slowed him to a trot then a walk and entered the round yard near the stable. I walked Storm around in the round yard to cool him down. Once he was cooled down, I dismounted and led him to the wash bay. It was starting to get dark. The sky was turning purple and pink.
I took off Storm's bridle and tool it to the tack room. I put it on one of the hooks. I walked out of the tack room and ran into someone. There was a zap. I fell on my butt with a thud.
"Ow." I said. I heard someone start laughing and looked up. I ran into Seth and now he's laughing at me? "Laugh it up mate." I said. He offered his hand to help me up. I grabbed his hand and I was pulled up to my feet. "Thanks and sorry for running into you."
"It's fine. Sorry for laughing at you." He apologised.
"Where were you?" I asked.
"Um... I was around."
"You said you we're getting horse feed." I said.
"Yeah dad changed his mind." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. I rolled my eyes.
"I need to finish untacking Storm. See ya." I said, walking back to Storm. "Sorry for taking a while boy." I said to Storm. He snorted as if saying 'I don't care. When do I get my dinner?'
I undid the girth and put it over the saddle. I took the saddle off, along with the saddle blanket and took them into the tack room. When I left, I made sure no one was there. I walked out and grabbed the rug on Storm's door and took it out to him.
I put the rug on the rail and grabbed a brush. It was too cold to wash him now. I gave him a very good brush down and picked out his feet. I put his rug on him and led him back to his stall. I saw Seth making up the horse feed. I closed the stall door and watched Storm. He walked over to where his food would be.
"Sorry boy, not yet." I told him. He walked back to the door and put his head over it. I laughed and gave him a pat and a kiss, then I walked over to Seth. "Want any help?"
"Sure." I smiled and grabbed another bucket. I helped put lucerne chaff and wheaten chaff into buckets for the fifteen horses. I boiled water for the food. We finished all fifteen and waited for them to cool a bit. When they were cool enough to give to the horses, we gave them their food.
"I'll give Storm his." I said, walking to the feed room.
"Ok." Seth said. I entered the feed room and looked around for the molasses. "What are you doing?" I heard Seth call out.
"Hang on." I called back. When there was enough molasses, I went back to the horses. I walked towards Storm's stall.
"I was getting him some molasses." I told Seth. He nodded and moved out of the way so I could give Storm his dinner. I watched Storm eat his dinner. He ate loud. You could hear him a mile away! I turned and faced Seth.
"So how was your ride." He asked me.
"It was Awesome. I saw this herd and I got this..." I moved two metres back from Seth. "... Close to the stallion. Oh my god he was so beautiful. He listened to me and he didn't shy away like normal wild horses. He answered questions by nodding his head. He was amazing. Oh em gee! It was so cool." I blurted out. Seth smiled when I said the stallion was beautiful.
"Sounds like you had fun then."
"I could take you to see them tomorrow. Please come." I said.
"I... Um... Maybe, I don't know." He stuttered. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. I sighed.
"Never mind. It's getting late, I should go." I said, the disappointment obvious in my tone. I walked out of the stable and toward the trail for my house. I heard Seth say sorry.
I just keep walking.
I saw Seth's dad and walked up to him.
"I'm going home now. I'll be going for a ride tomorrow. I'll be here around 10-ish." I told him.
"Ok see you Summer." He said. I walked through the paddock and on the trail. I walked home and got there just as it got dark. I walked up to my room and laid on my bed. Something was different. I got up and look around.
"Nothings been moved." I said to myself. I shrugged my shoulders and laid on my bed again. I just stared at the ceiling. "What a day." I fell asleep despite not having dinner.