The Silent Swaying

The long meadow grass flowed around her small body. She galloped and bucked and played feeling completely safe in this meadow.

Prairie Aspen ran around the scattered trees, through the grass, and back again, having a good time by herself. Her mom and dad had left to go find.. Something. She forgot what it was. But wait, that was a year and a half ago that they had left. Shouldn't they be back by now?

She always pondered that question but never paid much attention to it. She knew they would be back. They had promised. She just didn't know when they had planned on coming back. Aspen stopped and laid down under her favorite tree. It had the most shade and a slight breeze blew in and under the tree making it feel refreshed.

The tall grass prickled his long legs. It was a nice warm day. He was going to find a new place to graze with his herd. Some of the foals in the herd began to buck and play in the grass. He laughed, remembering when he was that young. Then he looked ahead to see a filly nuzzling up against her father. He winced at the thought that he never knew his father. He had died when Legacy was just a few weeks old. I wonder what he was like? Finally they had came to the new grazing area. It was magnificent! With mountains everywhere and a clear stream nearby. It was almost dark.

Aspen rested her eyes, her body relaxing. She had never lived in a herd. Her family hadn't called themselves herds actually. Just a family. It had always been just them three. Then her dad and mom had left to go somewhere, it had been so long she had forgot where. They said they would be back. She had believed them.

She opened her eyes. Suddenly a herd over horses came over the hill. She looked, searching for her parents, saddened to see that they weren't there. But this was her families territory. She snorted, got up and charged towards the herd, stopping 10 ft in front of the herd leader.

"This is my families territory," she shrilled harshly. Aspen wasn't going to let some herd take away the last thing she had left.

Their herd had made great progress. They had traveled over 50 miles to come to this land. As they began to gallop over the tall, grassy hill, Legacy began to sense... trouble? He looked to his left to see the herd leader's expression. Suddenly his own body stiffened. Before them was a mare, with a look of outrage on her face. The herd came to a halt. Once again the herd took a protective stance with the foals in the middle. The mare told the herd leader that it was her family's territory. The two argued for some time. After a tense few minutes, the herd leader began to walk to a different part of the meadow. Legacy was very confused by this point. He just followed the herd, not wanting to cause trouble.

Tsume was resting under a tree. He was tired from his journey. He wasn't sure why he was even heading this way. He was looking for a herd to accept him. He was part of a group of loan stallions but then for some reason the stallions kicked them out of their group once they found some mares. Tsume was the only one that couldn't find a mare for his own. His instinct was telling him that he was getting closer. But for what he saw there was only a grassland with no existance of anything living. Tsume just walked and walked. He was tired of walking but there was nothing he could do. He wanted to have the pride of living in a herd but instead he was stuck with being a low life stallion that was left to fend for himself. He was more then capable of keeping himself alivebut he was taught that if you weren't part of a herd you were basically not part of life. He wanted to keep his pride. Tsume wandered the vast meadow, still finding no form of life. He gave out a shrill whinny to see if anything or anyone would respond.
Now all he had to do was wait....

(Ok. Just so you know, Aspen isn't a mare. Shes a two year old filly. Just so everybody knows this. )

Aspen finally got the herd to start going in a different direction. She glared and then turned swiftly around heading back to her meadow. She froze when she saw a stallion, wandering around in her meadow. Would she have to chase off another horse? And what if this horse didn't listen this time? Showing no fear, Aspen charged up to the stallion.

"What do you think you're doing here, in my meadow!?!" She asked him harshly. She didn't want anybody thinking they could take over her family's territory. Not even this lone stallion.

Tsume saw the mare charging at him but he didn't move. He looked closer and saw that it was a filly. "Hello filly. I mean no harm. I am just wandering these lands to find myself a herd or find a herd that will actually accept me. Is it ok if I got permission to cross across you land?" Tusme asked in a polite manner. He kept his head a little low showing that he was no threat to her and didn't want to harm her in any way.

"Let him stay."

Bliss, a bay mare with a blaze, had been watching this little filly defend her territory for quite some time from the shade of a big tree. Now she approached quickly. She could see the poor stallion was tired and was only trying to be polite. She drew up beside him. "You have plenty of food here, food that you couldn't possibly eat all by yourself," she said to the filly. "You're young and alone, and predators pass through these lands often. Let us stay here and share your food and protect you."

Aspen glared at both of them. "Father and mother wouldn't accept that. They wouldn't. I can't fail them." She replied.

They want to help you, aspen. Maybe they aren't coming back. They wouldn't care, would they? Let them help you. Protect you. she pondered her mind, wondering.

She flattened her ears, not completely sure what to do. She really shouldn't let them in her territory. Though she did have all this food, she was alone, and sometimes she became scared in the night. Noises scared her.

Tsume wasn't sure whether to leave or stay. The filly that was on the land first wanted him to go but the other filly wanted him to stay.

"Like I said before I am no threat. I do not wish to take this land from you. I just want to pass through or maybe even stay for a little bit but I don't take it from you. I can promise you that."

Tusme looked at both fillies. One was from the herd that was just there and the other was alone, both complete opposites, but Tsume was like both of them. He was once in a herd but now he is alone. He knows how it feels to be both of them.

"Just make your decision. I do not care what it is."

"We're all alone now," Bliss said. "We could help each other out. Does he look like he's planning on taking over your land? He needs a place to stay. We both do. And you mentioned your parents... well, if they come back, we can leave. They won't even know we were here."

Aspen looked at both horses. "They would know. your scent. And I know you don't want to take it from me. But they wouldn't approve.. I can't disobey them." She looked down at her hooves. She shouldn't be so harsh.

"Do whatever. I can't defend this territory even if I wanted too. I don't care anymore. They aren't coming back, they left me to die." She said before running off to her tree.

Bliss wanted to go comfort the filly, but she seemed upset enough as it was. "I guess we can stay," she said to the stallion. She headed to a nice cool shady spot and lowered her head until her muzzle was no more than an inch away from the tickly tops of the tall grass. Closing her eyes halfway, she rested.

Spell finds herself on the edge of the meadow. She sees the other horses but is more intrigued with a purple flower. Her interest in it doesn't last long and she decides to go get a better look at the other horses.

Tsume felt really bad for the filly so he decided to follow her. "Aspen, I am very sorry about your parents. I truly am. I don't think they would have just left a wonderful filly like yourself here to die. You have protecting this land the way you thought they would like to have it protected and that is perfectly fine. I was left to die. Once the lead stallion banned me from my herd I joined a group of lone stallions. They all found mares and none of them wanted me. They ran me off the territory. I was in a land that I never knew. I have been looking for a herd to stay in but I have found no luck. Bliss and I can help you defend your parents territory. We don't plan on taking it over but there are some horses that might. You will need help. You are young and beautiful and there are stallions that would try to take advantage to that."
Tsume walked and placed his head over Aspen's withers. "I am here to help you, not to hurt you." He slowly took his head off. "But only if you want my help."

By now his herd had wondered far away from the fiery little filly. She told their leader to stay on the other side of the territory. They had been traveling for days now. Legacy was super tired of walking. When are we going to get their? Finally, they reached the other side of the meadow. This was a beautiful area, with a clear cool stream running through the middle of it. Legacy decided to take a quick nap, hoping to regain some of his energy.

Aspen looked at tsume. "I don't need anyo--" She broke off. Maybe she did need some help. It got lonely out there by herself and this stallion and mare were wanting to kepe her company and help her. She should let them help.

She touched his nose with hers. "I would like that." she told him softly.

Tsume was please to hear that the filly wanted their help. "Good. Now where can we go that is safe from predators but close to a good water and foods source?"

Tusme knew where to go and what to look for. He knew what a herd life was like and was willing to teach both the filly and the mare that it is safer to be in a group then it is alone. Even if you know the terroritroy better then anyone.

Spell wandered aimlessly through the meadow wondering if she would ever become unlost. She wanted to be friends with other horses but she wasn't sure she would find horses that would accept her.

Legacy finally woke up from his nap. He had been having a nightmere about his father. He decided to take walk. He came to the stream and watched as fish swam in it. He looked up and in the distance he saw a small group of horses approaching, no more than three horses coming. He stiffened, not knowing what would happen next.

Guys just to let you know I am leaving tomorrow so don't get too far ahead

Aspen looked at tsume. "Follow me" She grunted, while leading the way. She had found this place awhile ago. She went into the wooded area and then squeezed through her hole into the small opening. Tsume struggled but managed through, same with the mare. "This is it. My home" She told him.

The opening had trees surrounding it. The trees were so close together nothin could get through besides maybe a squirrel or bunny. There was only one opening, and that was the one they had came through. So if a predator tried coming through, they would have to use that way, and usually aspen pushed something in front of it. "We can push something in front of that hole we just came too, and then we are perfectly safe" She told them.

Bliss followed Aspen and Tsume into the hiding place and took a look around. It was quite protected... amazing that trees and shrubs could grow this close together. "So, Aspen," she said in an attempt to make conversation, "Where are your parents now anyways?"

Spell stopped at a tree and layed down to nap.

Tsume looked around. He liked this spot but was very warry. What if a fire started and it blocked their one and only exit? What is a predator got in somehow and they couldn't get out. All these things ran into him mind. "Guys if you want I can stand watch at night to make sure no predators come along or anything."
Tsume was very good at protecting things, espically other horses.