Wild Horses

Ch 14

Alex holds me close to his chest as Kayla gets a fire started. I listen to his heart beat, it's calm and reassuring. He wraps his arms around me and starts to rock me back and fourth. In his arms I felt safe, like nothing can hurt me. He looks down to me, his face covered with worry and fear. He takes a wet cloth and wipes my face clean of dirt and blood. He pulls me closer and kisses my fore head "You're safe now, you can close your eyes." He said softly. My eyes are already heavy, I close them and fall asleep in Alex's arms. 

He is back, chasing me with the stick and his knife yelling at me. My legs won't move and no matter how much I scream no sound is coming out. 

"Lilly, wake up. It's just a dream." Alex says gently shaking my shoulder. I look at his worried face "Are you okay?" I shake my head and he braces me in a strong warm hug. I sob on his shoulder as thoughts went through my mind, why am I unwanted? After all that I've done for my dad, I was his first born. What did I do to make him hate me? I want the daddy who used to take me to work and the person who would kiss me goodbye before he left. I want the person who would call me his number one. I want my daddy back.

 Alex holds me tight, like he knows. He let me cry on him until I fell back asleep. Kayla scoots over and starts to pet my hair. "Who would do this?" she asked. Alex shook his head "She'll tell you if she wants to." 

I wake with the ground shaking under me, I look around and find that Alex is already on his feet with his knife in hand, scanning the surrounding trees. I lean against the tree to get up and look around holding my breath. I closed my eyes and felt the rhythm of the shaking. It felt familiar, its in a series of four thumps. Then it hit me. Horses. I reached and grabbed Alex's hand that is holding the knife. He looked at me slightly shocked and confused as I shake my head at him. I scanned the trees and saw two tips, then four, then six, they multiplied. My heart sped up as I saw Hulk galloping through the brush. His mane flying behind him and Purina not far behind.  I look at Alex who is tensed up and confused. "It's okay, they are just horses" I say in a coarse voice.  Hulk and the herd are now bout thirty yards away and gaining ground fast. 

Hulk stopped in font of me and threw his head back, rearing, kicking his massive hooves in the air. Purina prances in a circle around us along with the herd. Kayla screams and runs to my left and grabs my arm. "What's happening?!" she yells over the sound of beating hooves. " I don't know!" Alex yells back. I watch in confusion at Hulk's strange behavior. I let go of Alex and reach for Hulk and forced out a whisper. "Hulk, it's me. It's okay! Shhh" He stops, shakes his mane and looks me in the eye. I put my hand on his muzzle and rested my head on my hand that is on his muzzle. I felt is hot breath blow on to my chest. "It's okay" I whispered. I lift my head up and run my hand down his neck, "Whats wrong, huh?" I say. He lowers his head and gently nudges my torso, then my knee and raises his head to look back at me. Alex shifts his weight and puts his knife back in its sheath. Hulk jerks his head in the direction of Alex and Kayla and snorts at them. "It's okay they are my friends." I say rubbing his ears, I feel his muscles go at ease as he looks at his herd. Purina prances to Kayla and sniffs her hands, she jerks her head back and makes a little whinny and started to nibble on Kayla's sleeve. Kayla looks at me with her mouth open and eyes wide. "What do I do?" she whispers. I smile and said "It's okay she is just a little foal, she seems like she likes you." I look over to Alex and there is a dappled grey sniffing at him and nuzzling his hair. Alex smiles and strokes its muzzle, they both seem to connect. The dappled grey nudges him and paws at the ground. "Alex" I say

"Yeah" he says with his eyes still on the horse.

"Run your hand from his neck to his back, I think he wants you to get on."

He looks at me doubtfully, but shrugs his shoulders and runs his hand down its neck and to its back. It takes a step back and turns it head to its back. Hulk who was watching walked to the dappled grey's other side and nickered at it. Hulk knelt down like what he does for me to get on, and nickered again to the grey. The dappled grey mimicked him and  knelt down just like Hulk, and tossed his head up towards Alex. Alex looks at me and looked back at the horse. "Get on, and grab its mane that is on the top of the withers." I said. Alex swung a leg over its back, right as Alex sat down, the grey rose to its feet. Alex grabbed its mane and held it tight "What do I do now?" he asked. I walked over to his side and gently pushed in his knees "squeeze with your legs and flex your feet. I don't think they know anything about gaits and commands, so I wouldn't try to give commands. Trust the horse." He nodded and petted its mane. I bent over to look at the belly of the horse and found that it's a stallion. "Alex it's a stallion. What's his name?" I asked. he tilted his head and tapped his fingers on his thigh. "Grey, I know so creative." I chuckled and turned to Kayla who is still playing with Purina. "Her name is Purina, she and Mo are best friends." 

"Hey Purina." she said petting her neck "I'm Kayla." Purina pranced to her dam and then back to Kayla.  She looked at me smiling from ear to ear, they look like a good pair. Hulk nuzzled my arm, and flicked his ears. I gingerly stepped closer to him, trying not to put any more weight than I have to on my leg. He knelt down for me to get on, my body screamed in protest as I sling my leg over. I winced and held my side. "Come on Kayla we need to get back to the hut. You can ride with me." I reached down for her to grab my hand, I pull her up on to Hulk's back. She wraps her arms around my torso and I winced at the sting of my cuts being touched. "Oh I'm so sorry!" she said. "It's okay, you didn't mean to." Hulk whinnied and started to walk through the trees to out hut.