Spirited lept aside clumsely.

Another coyote ran up to him and Spirited reared over it, stricking out his hooves. The coyote snarled and another ran up and jumped on Spirited's back, digging its short, but still painful claws into his flanks. Spirited cried out and started bucking. The coyote fell off but more were waiting.

Arkell heard whinnies and growls and flew back to Spirited. He saw a pack of coyotes attacking the cokt and he dove down to help him. Arkell slashed open one coyotes head with his claws and pecked at others. His massive wings were flapping constantly, bruising anyone who tried to attack him. Eventualy the coyotes had had enough and melted away into the forest. When the last of them dissapeared Arkell sighed in relief. Spirited stood shaking and sweating. He had alot of bites but the only serious injury was the deep gash in his leg. It would eventualy heal and would be forgotten but it would stiffen soon and Spirited would slow down considerably. He may perhaps stop walking altogether for sometime because this was his first injury that would stiffen. Spirited started to roll in the grass to clean out the sweat. When he tried to get back up he found it extremely difficult. Arkell hopped over to Spirited, "Try and follow me, i need to find a place with grass and a river." Spirited followed Arkell slowly, never before had he felt such discomfort! Arkell couldn't find a river but he did find good grazing land so he and Spirited stopped in the open for everyone to see.

About 3 weeks later....

Spirited was able to walk again for he had stopped walking as Arkell had assumed and his gash was mostly healed over. Spirited had spent most of his time in the one spot untik the grass around him ran out. When this happened he would struggle to his feet and lay down again a little away from his old spot. But now the handsom dun was well again and he could run, if not a little slower then he liked. Arkell and Spirited moved on again always aiming for the mountains, always keeping their concentration on the distance of them. Which was very unwise, especialy for an eagle. One morning it was pouring so Spirited decided to run in the rain and kick mud aroun like a foal. Other young colts and even a few fillies, from a nearby herd decided to join him so for some time a group of young horses played in the rain. Sprited looked over some of the fillies. He had been angry when Arkell had told him to take no fillies, however any foal born of the ugly grey would have no grace or beauty. One filly caught his eye more then the rest. She was a light grey with a draker grey mane. She would not birth extremely silver horses but she would still birth fine foals overall.

Spirited arched his head and walked over to the young mare. He extended his nose to her but a large strawberry roan horse ran up to Spirited and bit him on his neck. The two colts started fighting but Arkell had started teaching Spirited fighting techniques. Spirited would never be a great a fighter as Whirlwind was nor would he be as swift but he would be a good enough fighter to survive. Eventualy Spirited won against the colt and he trotted to the filly again and simply said, "Come." The filly followed him hesitantly and Arkell watched the two young horses walk toward him, with dissaproval. When the colt was in front of him Arkell said crisply, "I told you that we couldnt take fillies!" Spirited's ears went back and he replied, "I'm a colt, i'm supposed to have mares!" Arkell took off into the air and headed toward the mountains again.

While the two young horses galloped below Arkell, Spirited said to the pretty filly, "What is your name? I am Spirited." He raised his head proudly and the filly replied shyly, "I am Mist." she dropped her eyes from his and continued running. Spirited stared at her dumbfounded. He had fought for this mare and she wouldnt even talk to him! He pulled up in front of her, "So... your my first mare." was all he could think to say. Mist stared at him with one eyebrow raised, "I igured that." She walked aroun him and started following Arkell again. Spirited stomped his hoof angrily and ran after her. Once beside her he said, "I think as your leader you should show me more respect." Mist just snorted.

That night Spirited was restless. He had his first mare and he was male after all. Arkell had said he would fly ahead that night so he would be gone for a long time. Spirited walked up to Mist who was grazing on the coars shrubs. They had to stay in the open because there was no forest for miles, "Hey." Mist raised her head at the sound, "Hi...." Spirited started flirting with her, trying to seem casual but mist had been hit on by many colts. When Spirited shuffled closer to her she bit him on the flank then turned and kicked at him. Spirited whinnied in surprise and walked off to find a nice spot to sleep.

Arkell flew on ahead. His wings ached and his mind was wandering. He was no closer when he turned back to where the young horses were resting. Arkell had no branches to roost on so he just dropped to the ground in exhaustion and slept. It was sunny the next day, much to Mist's dissapointment and as soon as the horses awoke they lept up and went at their fastest toward the mountains. Arkell continued to teach Spirited his ways and the young colt was becomeing a much kinder horse now. Even Arkell didn't notice that they were becoming friends. Soon the small group reached the forest so Arkell flew down to the horses, "Ready to enter the unkown forest?" Spirited nodded so the moved forward. Arkell flew beside the horses and at times had to rest on Spirited's back. Arkell decided he should look ahead so her flew out of the trees and looked around. He couldn't see much past the clustered leaves but he thought he had seen the glimmer of metal and dull sheen of black leather.

Arkell shot back through the trees with a cry. Spirited who had dropped his head to graze, started with a shrill whinnie and suddenly the sound of heavy hooves pounding on the ground came to them. Mist and Spirited turned and ran in the opposite direction but the sound of hooves were in that direction also. After running in all directions the small group realised they were cornered. The sound of men shouting, hooves pounding and a dog barking, was far closer. Spirited saw from his peripheral vision , the smallest movement in the shadows of the trees. Suddenly from that spot a cattle dog burst from the cover and bit at the horses heels. Arkell flew down to it and bit its temple leaving a dead, long gash. The dog yelped and bit Arkell in the wing. Arkell cried out and ripped at the dog's sides with his talons. Spirited reared at the dog and struck his hooves on it's back. The dog had had enough, it turned and ran back into the trees. While the three animals were watching the dog run off a man came up behind them and threw a lasoo over Mist's neck. The filly screamed and thrusted against the rope. Spirited ran toward the man but a rope tightened around his neck also.

Spirited thrusted against the rope constantly while more men surrounded them. There were six in all. Spirited stopped thrusting and dropped his head, sides heaving. He waited for a few moments then gave a huge jerk at the rope. The man cried as the rope burnt his hand. Spirited ran up to the human who was trying to control Mist. Spirited reared at the men but had to keep snaking his head so no ropes would fasten around his neck. He struck at the mans arm then turned and kicked at his horse. The horse reared and Mist's rope came loose from the mans grip. Spirited and Mist looked around, they were surrounded by men on horse back and Arkell was on a branch with a bleeding wing. Spirited caught the eye of a chestnut. The chestnut dipped his head slightly then neighed and all of the horse reared or ran off suddenly. The filly and Colt bolted off. Behind them a chestnut smiled and watched them dissapear into the green. He remembered what it was like to be free.

Arkell flew after Spirited and Mist painfully. Blood dripped onto the land below him. After a few minutes of flying, Arkell dropped from the sky with a sharp cry. The two young horses that were ahead of him stopped and turned. Spirited bolted after the eagle quickly. He soon came to Arkells body. The eagle had blood staining the whole right half of his body. Spirited nudged Arkell who struggled up to fly again, "No, don't fly Arkell. You can't like this." he dropped his weight onto his front knees and crouched before the eagle, who gratefully jumped onto the colts back.

A young Lakota who was watching this show of friendship decided to follow the two friends and the filly.