The warm sun rose over a herd. The lead stallion -called Vitilago- stood on a hill, tall and proud. The suns rays beamed down on his coat. The lead mare -called Crescendo- saw him and smiled. Stilleto pawed the ground boredly, looking for something to do. Crescendo began to graze. Vitilago carefully watched over his son La Diablo, who was trotting aroud, his neck arched. Vitilago rolled his eyes. Crescendo shook her black mane and walked to the lake. When she reached the still water, she could sense danger. As the wind changed, it carried the smell of a cougar in the bushes. She acted quickly as the cougar pounced out. She kicked it's jaw and raced back to the herd. The cougar growled and crawled into the undergrowth of the forest.
Crescendo snorted and trotted to Vitilago. He smiled at her and began to gallop, the herd following. La Diablo and El Chivato proudly galloped next to their father. As they came to a large jump, the herd skidded to a halt. Crsecendo gulped. "We will have to jump."
Some of the mares stared at her like she was crazy, but Vitilago stayed calm. He took a few steps back, and bolted forward. His legs pounding, his myscles rippling, he leaped. His front legs stretched out, preparing to land. Once he landed, he looked at Crescendo, indicating for her to jump. Crescendo nods and gallops forward. She clears the jump gracefully. Once the whole herd was across, they set off in a gallop again. An hour or so later, they neared the cavalry camp. Vitilago could smell the humans and slowed to a trot. He turned to the herd. The mares could tell what was going on. Vitilago sniffed the air. He gasped and reared up, human rampaging through the trees.
Vitilago reared up protecively, not wanting the humans to take the herd. The mares galloped off, except from Stiletto and Crescendo. La Diablo pins his ears and rears up. The humans rope him. Vitilago acts quickly and snaps the rope with his teeth. Stiletto galloped forward. The men held up their guns and she skidded to a halt. Crescendo felt a rope settle round her neck. She was dragged away.
Vitilago paced all night, looking for a way to save Crescendo. Some of the jealous mares told him to leave it, but Vitilago angrily snaps at hem, and continues pacing. The mares back away. Meanwhile, the men were tacking Crescendo up. A young man slipped on the saddle. Crescendo felt like she couldn't walk. Next the put on the bridle. Crescendo reared up, the saddle rubbing against her coat sorely. They brought a man over and he mounted her. When the gates opened, Crescendo went crazy. When she threw the colonel off and broke something, the men aimed a pistol at her.
Leonardo came running up and stoopped his dad.
"Stop it. Let me handle her." The men sighed and reluctantly handed the ropes to him which held Crescendo. He put her in a stall. That night, Crescendo looked at the stars, wondering if the herd could see the same ones. When Leonardo came he put on another rope. She could feel it was loose and slipped away, galloping back to the herd.le
During winter, it's hard to survive. There is hardly any food and when there is, there is a small amount for them. The younger ones stand shivering like hell, the mares try to warm them by huddling next to them. Vitilago pounds at the snow, looking for a patch of grass. When the others see this, they do the same. When the dug through the snow, they found grass, and grazed for a while.
The snow finally started to melt, making it a little easier for the herd. La Diablo was walking around and saw a dapple grey mare and ran back to Vitilago. Crescendo was grazing a few metres away from him. La Diablo galloped to him and described the mare with two feathers in her mane and a dapple grey, obviously a lakota horse. Crescendo's ears slanted forward and she raised her head, looking at Vitilago before galloping towards the mare.
The mare saw Crescendo and smiled. Crescendo glared at her
"Why are you here?" she snarled
"Why, to bring you back" the mare replied. Crescendo bolted at her
"Never"
The mare reared up. Crescendo took a step back. The mare gave a neigh and slammed her hooves off of the ground. Vitilago galloped over and rammed into the mare. She bolted off in fright. itilago looked at Crescendo and asked if she was ok. Crescendo nodded and watched Vitilago leave and sighed, before folllowing.
When a young mare called Charo showed up, she explained that she was Vitilago's daughter, and her mother had been killed. Taking pity, Crescendo took Charo in as her adopted daughter. Vitilago accepted her. Charo sighed, wishing her mother was still alive. La Diablo comforted her. Vitilago pawed the ground, knowing that soon, spring would end and a warm summer would start. He knew it was as hard as winter, because sometimes the lakes dry out and the grass dies, but usually, everything is fine.
During the summer, there was a heat wave. The herd was weakening, and Vitilago couldn't hide it.He saw a mare coming in from the distance, looking strangely familiar. Stiletto watched her curiously. The mare walked up to Vitilago. Crescendo stood next to him. The mare was called Charo, and was Vitilago's daughter. Her mother was killed by a lead mare, after she ran away from the herd. The herd took pity on her, hoping Vitilago would let her stay. He looked over at Six, who had a doubtful look. Vitilago sighed, letting her stay. Crescendo took Charo in as her adopted daughter.
Vitilago was grazing one day when a storm moved in. Stiletto could sense it and sighed, hating it when storms come. She told Vitilago. Vitilago nodded and bolted off to move the herd to safety. Charo liked all the action and swished her tail. Vitilago got the herd galloping. The rain fell heavily, soaking all of the horses manes. They got to a cave and settled for the night. Crescendo snorted, hearing thunder.
The storm lasted for 3 long days and nights. Vitilago stood at the caves mouth, waiting for it to end. The herd were thirsty and hungry, especially Charo. She woke up those mornings, her hopes of the storm finishing were crushed until the daay it did stop. When it did, she rejoiced happily and ran outside. Stilletto and the rest of the herd followed her. She shook her mane and began to graze on the wet grass. Vitilago sighed, happy it was over. He stood back on the hill, once again, taking his role as lead stallion.