morning.

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The sun wasn't even up when Nalani crept out of the foremans house. Since no one else had found Zanzia, and they were all exzausted from looking the day before, she had decided to go look. Yes, it was crazy, esspecialy since she didn't know her way around the island, but she was determind to find the mustang.

After a quick check to make sure she hadn't woken anyone up, she ran of in the direction Zanzia had headed. She kept her eyes peeled for anything that suggested Zanzia had been through here. Nothing. The rain must have washed all the tracks away.

"Dang." Nalani mutterd. She couldn't find a trace of Zanzia's scent eaither.

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The sun was high in the sky and Nalani still hadn't found a trace of Zanzia. All she had found where a bunch of cliffs and streams. Everyone at the ranch was probley up by now. Frustrated, hot, and tired, Nalani waded into a cool, shallow stream. The cool water lapped at her legs. Sighing with pleasure, Nalani took a quick look around. Nothing looked familur, as ussual. Then, something caught her eye.

A flash of gold? Nalani blinked, the sun must be tricking....there it was again! Nalani jerked back in suprise, her paw slipped on a rock, and she fell back with a splash in the stream.

"Whos there?" she called out, was she imagining the shakiness in her voice?

A snort anserwd her. Nalani's heart skipped a beat. "Zanzia?" she called quietly. Some leaves rustled and a horse emerged. Nalani's heart fell. It wasn't Zanzia. A golden filly, probley no more then a yearling, stood on the other side of the stream. The filly stared at Nalani with wide, green eyes.

"Hey there. You lost to?" Nalani asked. The filly bobbed her head and splashed into the river.

Nalani was amazed the filly walked up to her so boldly. She stood statue still as the filly stretched out her muzzle and sniffed her. Aprently finding her harmless, the filly nibbled at her fur.

"Hey careful, that tickles." Nalani laughed.

Shaking her mane, the filly trotted out of the river, splashing Nalani as she went. Once she reached the shore, the filly looked back at Nalani. She seemed to be saying, 'You coming?'.

"Meh, I've got nothing to loose." Nalani said aloud. She stodd and walked out the river. After shaking herself dry, the filly trotted ahead. Nalani followed. She had to run a few times to keep up with the fillys long strides, but the filly didn't seem to mind.

After awhile, Nalani started wondering why she was following the filly. Where was the filly going anyway? Probley not anywhere she wanted to go. Suddenly, the filly stopped.

"What is it?" she asked. The filly neighed. A shrill neigh anserwd. Nalani looked around, she didn't see any other horses. Then, out of a clump of trees, a mustang charged out. Nalani gasped. Zanzia!

Dark patches of sweat splatterd the mares coat, but it was Zanzia. The mares ears flickerd in the direction of her voice, she recinaized her! Nalani's heart soared. Now all she had to do was get her home. If she could get the filly to follow, that should be easy. But when Nalani turned, the filly was gone.

Nalani sighed. Okay, scratch that idea. She'd have to lead Zanzia home herself, somehow. A nudge on her neck made her turn around. Zanzia nibbled her fur. Mabey leading her home wouldn't be so hard after all.

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Nalani was right. Zanzia followed her obitently. But there was still the problem of being lost. Nalani had kept her eyes peeled for anything that looked familur, but she found nothing.

Darkness was falling upon her and Zanzia when the mare snorted and stopped. "Whats wrong gir.l?" Nalani asked. Something rustled in the trees behind them. Nalani spun around, but she saw nothing. Zanzia gave a low nicker. Nalani stared long and hard at the clump of trees where she thought the rustling had come from, but she still saw nothing. Suddenly feeling like they where being watched, Nalani turned back to the mare. Zanzia stamped her hoofs nervously.

"Shh, it's okay gir.l." Nalani murmerd. Zanzia gave a worried nicker. Nalani looked around again. She couldn't see what could be making the mare act up, but she felt uneasy to. Suddenly Zanzia reared. Nalani gasped and ducked out the way of her thrashing hoofs. Zanzia half reared and gave a shrill neigh.

"Shh, calm down. It's okay." Nalani spoke low and quietly as the mare swung her head from side to side, ears flickering in the direction of her voice. Zanzia's nostrils flared nervously. She stamped her hoofs.

"It's okay Zanzia." Nalani whisperd, hoping to keep the mare from bolting. Zanzia seemed to relax a little, but she still stamped her hoofs nervously. Nalani looked around again, but she saw nothing moving in the darkness.

A sudden amount of weight landed on her paw. Nalani yelped. Zanzia had landed one of her hoofs on her paw. Startled by the sudden noise, the mare shied and tossed her head. Nalani crumpled to the ground, gasping to keep from screaming in pain.

"I'm okay. Just a sprain." Nalani hoped horses couldn't sense lying like they could fear. Zanzia nickerd. Nalani balenced herself on three legs and hoped over to her. "I'm okay, see?" Nalani told her.

Zanzia nuzzled her. Nalani gasped as she put weight on her paw. It was probley broken, if not smashed to pieces. Zanzia's brown eyes peered out from under her forelock with what seemed to be concern.

"I'm fine." Nalani told her. The mare shook her head as if she was saying, 'I don't belive you.' Nalani laughed.  Then she looked around. Zanzia had calmed down, so whatever was there was gone now.

"Hey!" Nalani spun around as something nudged her. Zanzia's brown eyes looked into her blue ones. "What are you trying to do?" Nalani asked. Zanzia gave a low nicker and nudged her again.

"All right, all right." Nalani let the mare nudge her to wherever she was going.

After a bit, Nalani saw a few boulders glowing in the moonlight. The way they were arragned made them look like stairs. Zanzia gave a low nicker and trotted over to the highest rock. The top was the same height as her back.

"What are you doing ?" Nalani asked. Zanzia nodded toward the rocks and whinnied. "You want me to climb them? Is that it?" The mare whinnied.

Nalani looked at the rocks. They weren't that steep, she could probley climb them. She hopped over to the first one. Gently putting a little weight on her injured paw, she climbed up. The rocks were smooth and evenly placed, almost like they had been carved there.

When she came to the last rock, Zanzia's back was right next to it. The mare looked at her with calm brown eyes.

"You want me to ride you?" Nalani couldn't belive it.  Zanzia whinned.

"Don't do it. She'll let you on then buck you off and run. You'll be lucky if your not killed." Nalani's thoughts told her. But Zanzia looked calm, not paniced or wild.

Zanzia gazed at her calmly. Carefully, Nalani lowerd one paw onto the mustangs back. Zanzia just stood there calmly. Slowly easing her injured paw on, Nalani slid off the rock and onto the mares back.

Zanzia peered over her shoulder at her. She didn't looked panicy, more like, pleased. Nalani grabbed a mouthful of Zanzia's mane in her mouth. At least she'd have something to hold onto if the mare decided to bolt. "Okay, lets go." her voice sounded muffled, but Zanzia seemed to get the message. She started walking slowly away from the rock.

Nalani prayed the mare wouldn't go any faster, but she found the motion, soothing. Nalani suddenly felt a wave of weariness wash over her. Her eyelids drooped and felt heavy. Zanzia gave a low nicker. The next thing she knew, Nalani found herself drifting off to sleep.

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Nalani groaned and fought the voices in her head to be quiet.

"Kid, wake up already. How many wings do I have?"

"You don't have any wings."

"Then we'll know if shes not okay if she says I do."

"Someone remind me why we let him in here?"

Nalani's eyes snapped open, she knew those voices!

"Dallas?" she mumbled.

"Hey guys, shes waking up." Cade's voice sounded closer then Dalla's and Nate's.

Nalani blinked a few times and saw Dallas standing next to her. Nate was next to him.

"Bought time kid. We were starting to wonder about you." Nate gave her a playful nudge with his paw. She winced.

"Hey watch it. Shes probley bruised after that fall." Dallas whacked Nate on the back of the head.

Nalani snapped awake. "Fall? What fall?" She didn't remember falling.

Cade's voice suddenly made her realize he was right next to her. "You fell of that mustang when she came riding in." he told her. "Then she wouldn't let us near you for a hour.