Chapter 6: Journey

Rain began pouring down gently onto the fluid river, the waters traveled swiftly.
"Solo, we're here." Kisiwa nodded, directing his gaze to the deputy.
The blue roan watched the river nervously.
"You say we have to cross this?"
Kisiwa snorted impatiently.
"Yes!"
Spirit stepped forward, "There's a long-leg constructed thing, we can use it to make our way past the river."
All the horses stared at the bridge pointedly.
"I suppose it will work, just as long as the humans don't see us, we should be fine."
Ziwa's eyes were filled with anxiety.
"The legend states that the horses must walk through the river, not use some human constructed object."
"Fair enough." Spirit sighed. "We'll just have to wait until this storm is over."
"No." Kisiwa declared. "We are strong, we will cross it."
Without hesitation, the stallion jumped from the high ledge, moving his hoofs rapidly.
"Oh, don't just stand there! It looks hard but is as simple as counting sheep!" Kisiwa laughed.
Soon enough, the horses were all on the other side — all except for one.
"Haraki! Hurry up!" Solo whinnied, worried.
A very large ripple of water came crashing upon the colt, forcing him underwater. The deputy squinted, hoping to catch a glimpse of her student, some sign that meant he was still alive. None. 
Kisiwa's usual joking self also disappeared, his eyes searching for the young one.
Haraki was gone.

"No point in continuing the search, there will be no delays, we must move on." Kisiwa sighed.

Author's Note: 0.o

Chapter 5: All In One Day

Solo carefully thought over what Shimmer had said the previous day.
Did the long-leg think we were the herd that caused the damage to that horse he owned?
Surely we didn't cause any damage. After all, this herd as lived in this territory as far back as the records go!
Before she could think up another one of those questions, a human clambered onto her back, thrashing about wildly with his whip, madly jabbering about in "English", as the long-legs called it.
No wonder I heard footsteps approaching me...
"I think I've found a good horse here!"
The deputy reared with anger, bucking the human off.
Ha! Solo thought triumphantly to herself.
"Where's Kisiwa?" the Arabian whinnied.
"Right here, Solo. The humans have fenced up some of our herd members, a group of Watchers and Scouts helped set them free. That will teach 'em a lesson." Kisiwa huffed with pride.
Solo glanced at the group Spirit and Haisha were leading, circling around the long-legs defensively, three horses following. Looks of utter bewilderment completed the long-leg's faces, astonished at the fact that they were the ones that were winning the battle in the beginning, but now completely surrounded by angry horses that they were supposed to be fencing up in their own ranch. Solo chuckled at the sight of the long-legs dashing back to their little ranch-house.
Now they know not to mess with our herd. The blue roan declared happily.

"Solo? Come to the WaterRock please." Kisiwa whispered.
The WaterRock was not only the herd's meeting place, but the leader's "space", just like humans had houses.
Solo trotted up the rocky ridges that made the stairs up to the ledge.
"Yes?" the deputy asked.
"We need to make a trip. Not the whole herd, just a selected few." the herd leader said wisely.
"Why?"
Kisiwa sighed.
"Given this event that happened today. An idea popped into my mind that we visit the MoonRiver."

Author's Note: What's the MoonRiver?

Chapter 4: Hanging Around

The herd deputy quietly approached the human's ranch fence, scanning the long-legs pasture. Her eyes zoned in on a snow white horse with the sparkling-est blue eyes she had ever seen.
"Hello, there." Solo nickered happily.
The horse spun around, a look of nervousness in her eyes.
"Oh... Hi."
"What's your name?" the deputy asked quietly, hoping not to disturb any lurking long-legs.
"Err... Shimmer." the horse replied.
Solo nodded.
"Nice name. My name's Solo, the deputy of this herd here, I believe one of our herd members caused some damage to your long-leg's livestock."
Shimmer sighed, "Yes, the story came around fast. The horse that the long-leg was riding is named Keketo. Fairly kind horse, she was very hesitant in going with the human to chase down that herd member of yours."
"Was." Solo corrected.
"That herd member was kicked out of our group because of causing harm to those animals. I have to say that was the right thing to do." Solo sighed sadly.
"We lost a very good scout because of that." the deputy continued.
Shimmer nodded, lost in thought before speaking up again.
"Same thing happened here, one of our once fellow horses caused some major disturbances to a herd, before the rest of this ranching human family moved to this nice area. That herd became very much annoyed, and decided to do something about it. The rest is kind of gory, but I'll just say that our long-leg was furious!"
Solo nickered, things like that didn't happen often between herds and long-leg owned horses.

Author's Note: Thanks to Mimi for Shimmer! *round of applause*

Chapter 3: Teaching

"Haraki, you have to dodge, then cast a blow." Solo instructed.

"Scouts aren't just supposed to be walking around, they have to go along the borders to make sure dangers such as predators, long-legs, and enemy horses aren't just strolling around. Sometimes they even have to attack, like I'm teaching you now." The deputy scolded as she watched her student rear up and strike an imaginary danger on it's head.

The learner's eyes were filled with a look of pride and satisfaction. Solo could only smile at her apprentice's improvement.

"Good job, Haraki. Now let's move onto how to react to a group of enemy horses."

The training continued into the afternoon, stopping only for a few small breaks in between. The sun was already beginning to sink below the horizon.

"Haraki, I think it's time to call a day's quits. You can go off and rest." the deputy murmured, nodding to the other learners already returning.

"You did an excellent job today." she reassured Haraki, watching the colt join the other foals in a shady area. 

Author's Note: Short chapter. Kind of pointless, but that's okay.

Chapter 2: The Meeting

"Let all horses come and gather under the WaterRock for a meeting!" Kisiwa whinnied from the top of a high ledge above a river that led to a waterfall. The rock perched just above where the water began to tumble down the gigantic, steep slope. Solo clambered up the rickety rock steps that led up to the WaterRock. It was herd custom to stand with the leader at a meeting. Horses began filing in from all directions.
"Horses of the Herd of Rustling Leaves, we have been requested a favor."
The ones below the ledge stood quietly, confused.
"The Herd of Howling Winds has just suffered from a large camp-wide fire, their water-source has completely dried up. As members of a compassionate herd, we will be sharing our drinking water with their herd. They will be allowed to drink from the Little Lake that is very close to their borders, that way, they shall not be able to disrupt camp activities." "The waterfall provides us with a large source of clean drinking water, this is just one of the many ways we can help a neighboring group." Kisiwa explained.
Solo glanced down, hoping to not see any angry faces. Sighing with relief, she continued to listen to the leader's speech.
"We trust the Herd of Howling Winds, they are a gentle, friendly herd. For those of you who have concerns, do not worry, they shall cause no harm upon our land."

"Next, I would like to announce some learner-ships." Kisiwa declared.
"Haraki, you have been honored to be paired with herd deputy, Solo."
The deputy clambered down the steps and approached the colt,
"Nice to meet you." she whispered.
Haraki smiled, "Nice to meet you, too."
"Kishmani, since you have requested to be a Watcher, I have paired you with Spirit."
The Morgan horse nodded, a barely noticeable look of happiness upon her face, trotted up to the filly.
"Last but not least, Luna, you have the qualities of a Healer, therefore, I have partnered you with Amyne."
The Healer looked surprised, but blissful as she touched noses with her new student.

Author's Note: I kind of based this chapter off the Warriors series.

Chapter 1: Flashback and Reflection

Solo gazed sadly at her reflection in the waters, it had been a long time since the first weeks of crow-hopping with fellow colts and fillies. Onzo had been kicked out of the group for "protecting the herd" as he called it, bruising the long-legs livestock by ramming into the confused, poor creatures. Solo snorted at the memory of a frightened Onzo being chased by a long-leg on a smirking, snorting domesticated horse. Of course, no one in the group wanted to help the stallion, as he was the one who caused the troubles in the herd. In the end, the selfish horse was shooed so far away from the herd, that no one gained sight of him again. Now, the tale of "Onzo and the Livestock" is a youngster's "fairy tale".  Solo continued to stare steadily into the pond, "I have changed, I am no longer that foolish filly prancing to the edges of our camp. I am now Solo, the deputy of the herd." Her glossy dark blue-black coat bristled in the strong wind as she stood steadily at the edge of the waters. The memories of her "filly times" brought her to the thought of Storm, the strict but kind stallion who directed the "Keep Colts and Fillies Inside the Camp" sort of program.

"Storm." Solo murmured sadly.
The elderly horse's eyesight had faded, and he had gained a bout of rough coughs, even the herd's top Healer had doubts of his survival. Tears began brimming in her eyes.
"No. I must remain strong, he will survive."
Turning around, Solo whisked herself into what the herd knew as the "lightning" gait, a skill developed by many of the group's deputies. Before long, the mare reached the center camp, nearly crashing into Spirit.
"Oh! Hi! Sorry about that."
The Morgan Horse dipped her head in acknowledgement, slowly walking away, her white coat flashing in the sunlight. 
Err... Okay then. Solo, get a grip. I'm losing myself to the world of clumsiness.

Author's Note: Thanks to perry4464 for Spirit! *round of applause* Remember, character sign-ups are only open for a short amount of time!

Prologue

"Solo!" a towering bay stallion nickered.
A fairly lanky filly halted. The filly slowly turned around to face the stallion.
"Yes, Storm?" the blue roan Arabian grumbled.
"You're heading too far away from the camp." the stallion called Storm smirked, though the warm look in his eyes gave away his seriousness.
Solo snorted and stamped her hoofs on the grassy ground. Storm's eyes flared,
"Solo, go back to the camp now."
Sighing disappointingly, the filly galloped over the twigs and fallen logs that speckled their herd's "territory" as the grown-ups seemed to like to call it, galloping on and on until she reached the lush meadow where the herd grazed.
"Solo!" a filly whinnied.
"Come and crow-hop with us!"
"Yeah, come and crow-hop!"

The crow-hopping group of colts and fillies bounded around wildly, frolicking until the sun set, having been scolded twice by the mares and stallions for "eavesdropping on important discussions that young ones should not know about". Solo chuckled at the thought. "What kind of  important conversations would the adults be having?" The young filly could just imagine what kind of chats would be going on.

"Storm, you need to toughen up your acts on the young, I found a colt nibbling at the elder's food."
"We need to find a better pasture to graze in."
"The nearby long-legs have been allowing their livestock to feed on our camp-grass."
"Now, now Onzo, let them graze on our territory, they can barely do any harm, can they?"

"Solo! What are you doing! Let's race!"
Snapping out of her thoughts, Solo trotted contentedly back to her group of friends. Nearing a group of stallions and mares, the filly could hear worried nickers passing back and forth.

"Do you think that the livestock will eat up all our grazing grass?" 
"Not possible, there's enough grass for everyone." a stallion snorted, but the uncertain voice told the group another message.

Solo glanced at the accumulation of livestock by the wooden fence, Doesn't seem like too many animals to me, only four, besides, the long-legs only let them out to feed here once every three weeks. Hmph, adults, always worrying all the time, just a bunch of gossip.  


"Solo! What are you waiting for! Let's go!"

Welcome!

Welcome to Horses of the Wild!

What is this story blog about?

This story blog is about "daily life" of a herd of horses, now, this is fantasy

so some of the information may not be reality (ex. horses escaping from ranches etc.).

Will there be character sign-ups?

Yes, but make sure to follow the rules! (one character per person)

Will there be author sign-ups?

No, from what I've heard is that those who sign up to

be authors often change the story plot. My apologies. 

Who is the main character?

The main character is my OC, Solo, who is a blue roan Arabian filly.