Alone but for the wind, [o]

[Ehetere]

He followed her with skill? Illoura had initially hoped that the colt would grow out of his cockiness, but now it was apparent that he would not lose his arrogance, at least until an older stronger stallion beat it out of him. And to be perfectly honest; Illoura was becoming somewhat annoyed by him. He clearly thought that he looked far better than she; or that he had some quality that made him of more value or worth than she; which of course was absolute nonsense.

At the mention of him holding her as his own; Illoura laid her ears back in warning, She didn’t much like what he was insinuating, and had she vowed never to be held by a stallion? Least of all a colt! And then he went and stuck his big foot in it by offering Wilgee a place at his side also. His words would now have undoubtedly undone any of the repairs that Illoura’s may have done; and Illoura knew that in Wilgee’s distressed and angry state that she would stand for it. Hell; she wasn’t going to stand for it. She would choose which herd she would run with; if she ever decided to anyway. No stallion was going to make her. For without choice; freedom did not really exist.

Despite that Illoura knew that Wilgee’s angry parting words would come, the stung none the less. They could have almost been considered cruel. “Wilgee!” called Illoura desperately, but she knew that the other filly was gone; disappearing into the bush. Suddenly filled with fury at Wilgee for deserting her and at Thalera for causing this mess with his big, fat mouth, she turned on him like a wild mountain storm. “What the hell were you thinking? Why couldn’t you have left the talking to me? Look at what you have done! And no,” spat Illoura, “I will NOT be joining any herd of yours; for without my friends, it is captivity not a herd. And she speaks the truth; you would be beaten up by the first stallion who sights me. No stallion will hold me!” And with a final glare, she raced off into the bush; not after Wilgee, for the sooty filly had hurt her feelings and clearly wanted to be left alone.

It seemed as if all the joy had been sapped from the world. Illoura was not running for joy; she was running to escape all of those horrible feelings that were behind her. She let out a few long, mournful cries to Wilgee, and they sang of loss and heartbreak. To lose one’s friend truly was a cruel thing. But as soon as the echoes of her voice had died away, Illoura slowed her pace to a trot and finally a walk in a glade of springy snowgrass so that she could slink away printless. She did not want Thalera following her; if the colt did indeed have the knowledge to be able to pick up her track. She would go and find solitude once more, and perhaps the wild higher country of the tallest mountains. There was a place that a silver filly could truly run with the wind and be free.

[Tiggs]

Thalera was dumbstruck. He didn’t have time to snapp back his reply. First golden Wilgee fled, and then pale Illoura! Well he didn’t have time to stand here pondering, so he set off after Illloura. She lost him easily, but with a little luck and increasing skill, he followed her galloping tracks at a walk. He would not catch her soon, but it was only a matter of time. What was the big deal about following a silver filly? This was easy! Illoura had left deep churned tracks in her headlong gallop, he must be a natural.

The sooty palomino colt had no idea what Illoura and Wilgee were on about. He was a healthy male, and he could easily hold onto them. With a small herd, they could hide from other stallions, especially with the silvers’ knack of staying hidden. He was insulted that they thought he would be beaten by the first stallion that came along. He was hardly feeble. He couldn’t imagine winning a fight was that difficult?

Wilgee was far too stubborn to bother with now. It would be more than nice to have her by his side, but Illoura seemed the easier option. He was not put off by her insults; rather he was slightly frustrated that he had to follow her again. He heard her call to Wilgee, the sad tone of the voice lost on his insensitivities. He felt a little elation. Perhaps Wilgee was near also!

It took him a long while to track her trail to that snowgrass glade where the prints suddenly vanished. What!? He sniffed around franticly. Where had she gone? She couldn’t of just disappeared. After hours of futily trying to find the continuation of her trail, he gave up with a frustrated snort. So think was really what trying to follow a silver horse was like. In a rare spell of understanding, he realised he would need to practice his tracking skills before he could ever hope to find Illoura again.

Sighing, he set off at a slow trot in some aimless direction, completely and utterly lost and alone. He had to admit, he didn’t like this feeling.