Getsu - Chapter 2
|
|
"What’re we gonna do with ‘em?" One man asked, turning to the rider beside him with a sneer. "The mare’s a goner, just leave her there." Came his companion’s callous reply. "Take the colt, though. He’s sure to fetch something."
"Right you are, Sir." The first man replied, tipping his hat with a gesture of mock respect, a cruel bark of laughter escaping his stubbled lips.
With a casual flick of his wrist, he unhitched the rope from his saddle horn and flung it into the air above his head, keeping it circling like a writhing snake as he spurred his horse forward toward the frantic colt. The rest of the band had already moved on, and the colt’s dam was not long from this world. The little horse was frantic. He squealed his coltish squeals and flung himself from side to side on rubbery hooves, swerving and darting out of the way each time the noose sung out toward him.
Yet the poor beast, helpless and innocent, could not bring himself to leave his dam’s side – and finally the inevitable came to pass. The noose fell over his little ears and tightened around his scrawny neck, flinging him to the ground. The colt squealed his pain and fury to the winds, and it was echoed by the cruel sound of the men’s raucous laughter as they watched his desperate antics – knowing without guilt or shame that the only life he knew was about to vanish before his eyes, all because they wanted to make ‘a quick buck’.
Little did they know, it was not to be that simple.
For it was at that moment, that ‘he’ appeared.
The stallion galloped like quicksilver, his mane and tail floating out behind him on a wind of his own making. His cracked hooves thundered over the hard ground, drawing up a rooster tail of dust as he soared after his band – teeth bared and neck snaking. His muscles writhed and rippled like a thousand snakes beneath his silky hide.
He plunged toward the colt’s antagonists, silver ears flattened against their furious yells as his powerful jaws snapped the rope clean in half, leaving the colt free. He pranced uncertainly for a moment on spring-loaded legs, but at a warning snap from the stallion, he wheeled on his haunches and darted off into the idle, floating dust cloud left by the herd.
Slowly, furiously, the stallion turned to face his attackers. The men met his icy gaze with sneers – greedy admiration shining in their eyes.
Here was one powerful chunk of horseflesh.
With a fierce, challenging neigh – the stallion plunged toward them, teeth bared threateningly.
Thundering toward them, he felt a stabbing pain in his neck. Next thing he knew, the figures were blurring. The four men became eight, then sixteen, then faded to nothing as darkness engulfed him.
His vision blurred, his stride faltered, and the magnificent beast crashed to the ground, twitched, and lay still.
"Did you get him?" One man asked eagerly, seizing his companion’s shoulder and shaking it excitedly.
"Of course. Who d’you think you’re talkin’ to? The man smirked, raised the tranquilizer gun to his shoulder and blew softly on the tip.
"You didn’t have to go that far." Muttered a quiet voice from behind, and the other riders turned to face the fourth – a young, quiet man who hid beneath the shadow of his hat, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. "You got a problem, Caleb?" The man with the gun asked coldly, raising his eyebrows and staring down his nose at the young man. Caleb’s cheeks flushed red with shame, and he dropped his gaze, fiddling with his horse’s mane as he mumbled a timid response.
"N-No, it’s just…"
"Out with it, wimp!" The man snapped, spittle flying viciously from his lips. The other men had fallen silent now, watching with awe as the cowardly Caleb challenged their leader.
"You could have hurt him, Maddox!" Caleb shouted, a nervous tremor to his voice.
There was dead silence for a moment, then the man called Maddox burst out laughing, the callous sound echoed by his mindless cronies.
"Hurt him?" Maddox repeated gleefully, "Hurt him?!" His fingers formed mocking quotation marks in the air, and his horse stood quietly with the reins loose on his neck – head held low and ears flopped out to the sides.
"Just why d’you think we’re chasin’ these mustangs, Caleb?" He gave the man a pitying sneer, and Caleb shifted uncomfortably, quailing beneath the icy gaze.
"Well… That’s…"
"C’mon, boys!" Maddox interrupted, signaling to the other men. "Let’s get some ropes on this Mustang n’ drag him outta here!"
With that, he pulled the brim of his hat over his eyes, wheeled his horse, and set out back the way he had come, his cruel figure silhouetted by a cloud of dust.
The magnificent stallion laid motionless as ropes were quickly bound around his neck and hooves, and he did not stir when the men remounted their horses, and rode off after their leader – dragging his pitiful form across the dusty plains.
Caleb hung back, watching the sorry sight for a moment with sorrowful eyes. Then he clicked to his horse, and set off after the others – his eyes fixed on the stallion’s silver hide – sweat from his desperate flight still caked to his fur.
|
|
|
Equestri
Wonderful, Polo! You continue to amaze me with your gift with words!
Wonderful, Polo! You continue to amaze me with your gift with words!
|
Jan 3, 2011
• 7,632 views
|
|
|
|
Polo the Weirdo
MOD
Naaaw, thanks Equestri! :D I just wish I had more ideas... O.o It's a curse. :P
Naaaw, thanks Equestri! :D I just wish I had more ideas... O.o It's a curse. :P
|
Jan 5, 2011
• 7,599 views
|
|
|
|
Artista
Fantastic writing. You're very talented. :-)
Fantastic writing. You're very talented. :-)
|
Jan 15, 2011
• 7,605 views
|
|
|
|
|
May 9, 2011
• 7,641 views
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 6, 2012
• 7,636 views
|
|
|
|
Rose Stable
I love it. I try to write some books myself, but they are never that good!
I love it. I try to write some books myself, but they are never that good!
|
Sep 13, 2021
• 754 views
|
|
|
|
|
More News by Polo the Weirdo
|
|
If you are lucky enough to afford an extremely expensive imported horse, it will spook at its own fart in the quarantine paddock and immediately sustain a career-ending injury. ...
|
|
Welcome to part 2 in our quest of finding the best gadgets and gimmicks that can actually help you to improve your riding! Put your body where it should be, and let your brain figure out how to keep it there. You’ll have that perf ...
|
|
Do you always find yourself riding with toes like a ballerina? Do you stare into your own lap as if the secrets of the universe are stitched into the crotch of your joddies? Do you ride with shoulders that would make the Hunchback ...
|
|
Gadgets often get a poor reputation in the equestrian world due to their misuse on equine athletes often resulting in harmful or abusive conditions. The debate on whether or not gadgets (like side reins, etc.) ought to be used on ...
|
|
The elongated shutdown of racing brings with it many great consequences, many of which are already beginning to show as owners, breeders and trainers alike are forced to begin euthanasia of horses they can no longer afford to keep ...
|
|
With the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping the globe, people the world over are doing exactly what one would expect modern man to do in a time of great crisis. They are binge-watching eccentric Netflix documentaries. The specific documen ...
|
|
With our current global pandemic, many equestrians the world over are suddenly being forced to face a horseless reality as entire nations enter lockdown. It is a miserable and testing time, but equestrians are tough. We’re gonna m ...
|
|
On the first day of lockdown, most of us sat in our homes. Silent, shellshocked, looking through old pictures of our horses and trying to come to terms with the fact that we had to be without them for 3 whole weeks. Worrying about ...
|
|
|