Added with a flourish

[danni]

Moondah wandered through the lands, placing her hoofs lightly on the ground as she watched the sun slowly make its way across the sky. The heat of the day was melting on her silver pelt. Blinking away the strands of mane that danced across her vision Moondah wandered to the stream,s he was surprised this place was not populated with horses. The way the grass was thick and lush. And the stream was so refreshing, hitting her stomach lightly and refreshing her cords. Looking up and around now she noticed a few scents, horses, she knew that one, but there was another. Something that she had always used to smell on her mother before she started smelling like the eucalyptus leaves that danced from the trees. Lowering her head Moondah grazed quietly on the grass, swishing her ivory tail too keep the flies away. A cockatoo perched above her in the overhanging tree, cleanings its feathers with a sweep of its beak. How strange no one was around.

[Tex]

A young woman was riding her only horse, a beautiful bay mare who was just as good at galloping through dense bush as she was at attracting attention for her fine features and strong, slim legs. The mare was completely obedient to her human, and was silent when she was told to be. Right now, the sweet mare was walking and pausing, watching for brumbies or lost owned horses, while Alison on her back listened and watched from a higher spot. However, it seemed now that there was a brumby nearby who didn't hide as well as they did in the deep bush, the scrub and the gum trees. The brumby was beautiful. Alison could immediately tell that this horse would be a fine prize to capture, and it wasn't even too nervous of the idea of humans. The girl decided to try something new on this horse, and lay down on her horse's back, arms draping down Jesse's neck. A lasso was in reach, and Jesse slowly strode towards the beautiful brumby, pretending that the human on her back was asleep or dead.
"Greetings, stranger," she whinnied in a friendly way, touching the other horse's nose. "What be your name?"

[danni]

Moondah heard a horse coming, flickering her ears forward, answering lightly, the scent was back, making her take a step back to see what it was, she was piled with all these things on her back and a fragrance wafting off her. Why was she carrying all that stuff, the other creature greeted her normally, Moondah then relaxed, she seemed at ease, reaching over she touched noses with her and breathed out slowly. She asked her a question "I am Moondah, tell me why do you have that ridiculous thing on your back?" Her voice was soft and light, interested. Stamping her hoof on the ground it rocked the earth lightly as she shook her mane, eying the mare the whole time.

[Tex]

Jesse glanced back at Alison, a worried look on her face. The human sent a look at her, and the mare looked back at the pretty mare next to her as she answered. the bay flicked her ears back and forth, not knowing what to do, and decided to give her human a clear shot at the gorgeous white horse.
The bay turned and came up alongside the other mare, gazing intently into the trees in front of them.
"Hey, can you see something strange in there?" she asked, flicking Alison with her tail.
The woman deflty flicked the rope over the mare's head, and tied the end of it to the saddlehorn, sitting up at the same time. "Well done, Jesse!" she grinned, stroking her mare on her shoulder. "Perfect catch for us!"
The bay mare whinnied happily, and rubbed her head on the other mare's chest. It looked like they were going to be good friends from now on.

[danni]

She moved, Moondah heard her and immediately turned her head to see what was happening, something slide over her neck, making her shy in surprise, making it tighten around her pale neck, her breathing became ridged, but the other mare seemed fine, Moondah felt the rope against her neck, what was happening? A comfort sign? Was that what the mare was giving her. She sighed and relaxed after a minute, keeping away from the human she looked to the mare confused, her side was still facing the other mare shaking her head she didn't understand, what was it around her neck that was holding on like a leech, what was the creature on her back that smelt so familiar? It was the animal on her back, what kind of dog was she? She had four legs, or was she a demented horse? Oh how could she think that about the poor creature, though she seemed content with the bay so Moondah watched feeling quiet helpless, though she hated to admit it,

[Tex]

The woman tapped her heels on Jesse's sides, and the bay started to move off, nudging her friend mare along with her. They weren't too far from the hut, and Alison wanted to get back before the sun began to warm up the place too much. Humidity and heat tended to slow Jesse down, and the brumby might make a break for it, as brumbies were used to this kind of heat.
The mare blinked sideways at Moondah, and nickered to her. She didn't think about having betrayed the pretty mare, instead thinking she was saving her from being chased down in that big drive everyone was talking about. They had been talking about it last year, too, but for some reason the men had never gotten around to it. Jesse snorted, and tried speaking to her friend again.
"My name is Jesse. We're taking you to a safe place, so you won't have to run about until you get caught by some male man," Jesse answered, and began to trot gaily.

[danni]

Moondah felt fear rise slowly up her throat as the creature moved forward on the bay. The snake upon her neck tugged on her neck, making her stumble forward, what was this device that made her unstoppably have to follow? It was digging into her ivory skin but when she followed it stopped burning into her pelt. 'Jesse' started to talk. A safe place? What was more safe then the river? Men chasing who? She started to trot, Moondah kept up easily, her long legs dancing out in front of her as she asked softly "male man? You mean there are more of those things? And chase? They chase you?" she felt upset, why would they chase them? Where were they going? Tossing her head in protest Moondah spoke again "Where are we going" she slowed slightly, wanting to full on stop, but that meant a burnt neck and if made her fear the creature more that was on Jesse's back.

[Tex]

The bay reassured her new friend by lipping at her mane, and pulled a clump of grass out of the ground while trotting past a small patch of very green grass. The bit was always in the way when she ate, and she champed on it while chewing on the grass as thoroughly as she could. She hated having a bit inher mouth when she was eating, but apart from that, it was good to belong to someone like Alison.
The human was urging Jesse into a canter, making sure the rope was loose enough to not hurt the mare but also keeping it off the ground. It would be a catastrophe for her new horse to break a leg from the rope that held her now, and she didn't want to take any chances.
Jesse moved into a canter quite well, and whinnied to Moondah to do the same before answering her questions.
"Yes, there are many more of the men. More than there could ever be horses. They want us, for our coats and out strength, to carry them about or to pull great weight that they themselves cannot even attempt to tug from mud or other such clinging substances. However, the better-looking ones are usually kept for breeding or showing off their good looks. The fastest ones are even raced against other horses, so I've heard, and men bet their precious money on the winning horse. That is called gambling," Jesse began, chattering away like an old nag.

[danni]

She started to move faster, making her stride lengthened as she tossed her head and jumped sideways surprised at this movement. Moondah held her tail as she glided alone, but away from the other mare, she felt strange around the creature on her back, shifty scared. What was this all about? Racing? That was a word she had heard before, somewhere far out of her subconscious. A hill came up, tossing her head she sped up in front of the mare, wanting to race ahead of her, but the snake tighten her grip around her neck, making her toss her head and spin sideways making her canter slow to a trot and slowly a walk until it was winded up stopping. Slowly she turned and nipped at it as it wound around her hind, how did it get there? She didn't understand it, she looked to Jesse and asked "How did it get around there?" Surprised filled her voice as she looked to her shocked.

[Tex]

The woman decided to keep her mind on getting home, and ignored the horses as they carvorted and chatted under the hot midday sun. The time had passed without her knowing, and it would be time to stay in the shade and drink as much as they could when they managed to get home.
Jesse was amused by the antics of Moondah, and helped her out by reaching over and gripping the rope with her teeth. It was now kept from slapping the pale mare on the sides or neck, and she whinnied, pleased with herself. The bay spoke between her clenched teeth to answer even more questions, used to the sensation. The rope didn't taste much different than a piece of iron, to her.
"it's called a rope. Humans catch you with it. They make it go in a circle, then put it around your neck. It's not alive, it just moves when you do because it is tied to you. Don't try to run from it, you can't get rid of it until Alison wants to take it off. And if you're good, she might do that sooner rather than later," she added cheekily.