Chap. 1 FOALHOOD

     Tanner's head flew up. The little foal pranced and whinnied. A little filly whinnied back. Tanner charged at her and Prancer ran in mock terror. The two weanlings ran full tilt around the Cimmaron Herd.

     Suddenly Prancer slid to a stop and Tanner ran into her. The two foals got tangled and and fell. Prancer untangled herself. then she started crying. Tanner looked at her, shocked. Prancer's foster mother heard her and charge at Tanner. She got in his face and snorted at him. Tanner heard hooves and suddenly his mother was at his side. Rain shoved her face in the other mare's and squealed in outrage. The other mare backed off.

     Prancer had stopped crying and stood up. "Let's play!" she said and the two bolted off again. After they played they both took a power nap together. Then Tanner decided to visit his father.

     His father was standing proudly on the fence. Tanner tried to scamper up the cliff. He squealed when he made it. Spirit looked at his son warmly. Tanner nudged him and hustled back down the cliff. He went too fast and started rolling. When he stopped he looked up at his father, embarressed. Then he ran off to play with Prancer again. Spirit snorted in amusement. he would make a fine leader oneday.

Chap 2. YEARLINGHOOD

     Rain walked up to her mate. "Isn't it time to start training Tanner, dear?" Spirit grunted. "He is young but I dream of him becoming a herdy oneday." Rain simply nodded and walked away.

     Spirit watched her go. Then walked down to where his son was sleeping with Prancer. "Tanner. Come on, son. It is time to start training. "Can Prancer come too?" Tanner asked sleepily. "No, son. You are learning how to be a stallion not how to play with your girlfriend.

     Prancer's head was on Tanner's shoulder and he gently let it down and heaved to his feet. Spirit looked his son over. He was going to be a big stallion. Spirit began training his son. he taught him how to do everything a herdy should be able to do.

     Tanner learned everything from his father. He was so excited to start a herd with Prancer. But fate wouldn't let it be.

Chap. 3 FATE FOR PRANCER

     Tanner and Prancer were three when it happened. They were madly in love and Tanner planned to leave the herd soon. Then HE came.

     The tall bay stallion with the U.S. brand on his shoulder galloped towards Spirit. Spirit snorted and reared. "And who are you?" he inquired. "I am Cigarette. I am a war horse and I wish to seek refuge within your herd." Spirit grunted again. "Your wish is granted."

     Cigarette ambled over to Prancer. Tanner was beside Prancer. He pinned his ears back. Prancer was HIS mate and nobody else's.

Chap. 4 THE FIGHT

     Tanner and Prancer always hung out. But lately Cigarette was always with them. Prancer and Cigarette started talking more. Then Cigarette took it way too far.

     Tanner and Prancer were grooming each other when Cigarette walked up to them. As normal Prancer and Cigarette started talking to each other. Then Cigarette blurted out. "Prancer will you be my mate?" "NO! SHE IS MINE!" Tanner roared. He charged at Cigarette.

     He reared high in the air and Cigarette returned the gesture. Then Tanner knocked Cigarette's legs out from under him and the stallion fell. Tanner was about to deliver a death trample when his father slammed into him.

     Then Spirit whirled toward Cigarette. "I think it is best if you leave, Cigarette!" he said. Cigarette whirled and burst into a gallop. Then he pivoted and looked at Prancer, expectedly.

     Spirit turned to the filly. "It is your choice." he said. Prancer looked at Tanner. He was trembling with rage and glaring at Cigarette. Prancer suddenly reared and galloped after Cigarette.

    Tanner looked at her, shocked. Then Prancer reared again. "Goodebye, Cimmaron Herd! You have treated me well but I am going places!" Cigarette looked smugly at Tanner. Then he lurched into a gallop, with Prancer by his side.

Chap. 5 SORROW

     Tanner was deppressed after Prancer left. He remembered her lively eyes, light bay(almost chestnut) coat shining in the sun, her mane and tail flowing as she ran, and the time that they were foals and lay together. He missed her terribly.

     Spirit watched as 6 months passed and Tanner was dead on his feet. Finially, he had enough. He was sick of seeing his son like that.

     He walked over to Tanner. The colt was laying down, staring at the hill wher Prancer and Cigarette left, almost like he was waiting for Prancer to come trotting back to him. "I'm tired of seeing you like this, son." Tanner didn't say anything. Didn't move.

     Suddenly Spirit reared and knocked Tanner sideways. Tanner lurched to his feet. Spirit hit him again. "Defend yourself!" his father screamed. Then he began thrashing him. Tanner didn't move. Then Spirit head-butted him so hard that their heads made a crack. Tanner looked shocked. Then as his father tried to do it again the colt snapped out of it.

     He snaked his head out and took a chunk out of his father's neck. Spirit said, "Ouch!" then "Good job! Tanner, you will get a new mate." "I know." he replied and he left Prancer behind and looked into his future.

Chap. 6 THE 2ND TRAGEDY

     The next 5 months were good for Tanner. He was happy. But at night he would lay down and could almost feel Prancer's warm body pressed against him.

     One sunny day Tanner was grazing beside his mother when he heard it. Hooves thundering towards the Cimmaron Herd. His father was out scouting for enemy stallions in Cimmaron territory. Tanner nipped the mares and they jumped into a gallop.

     Then he whirled, filled with rage. He galloped towards the men. He didn't see the rope until it was looped around his neck. He was dragged away from his family.

     Tanner and the 3 riders and 4 horses traveled night and day. Then they pulled the stallion through double doors and tied him to a post. Tanner struggled and struggled but it was no use.

     He listened to the men talk. "The Colonel is too injured." one said. "But surely he will want to see a son of Mustang?" the other said. Then the door swung open and a man limped out. "Of course I will." he said.

     Tanner watched as a strange man walked towards him. "Definitely a son of Mustang." he said. "I will break him when I am better." he said.

     Then they put Tanner in a barbed-wire pasture. The fence was high and the barbs on it were cruel. Tanner watched as a tall dark bay stallion walked past with a rider on him. Tanner thought he had seen the stallion before but he wasn't sure.

     Suddenly a mare screamed out. "Cigarette!" Tanner instantly knew who it was. Prancer. The mare was so worked up that they decided to put her in with Tanner. Tanner couldn't believe it was the same Prancer. This Prancer was so worn-out by war.

     "Prancer?" he said, softly. She jumped. "Who are you!? How do you know my name!? Wait. Tanner?" she said. "Yes I am Tanner." "Oh, Tanner! I've missed you so much!" she suddenly blurted out. "I've missed you too!"

     They just stared at each other for a moment. "Will you be my mate and run away with me from this dreaded place?" he asked. "No. I love Cigarette." she replied. "Fine then."

     As he started to run at the fence Prancer gasped, "Tanner! No!" "You love Cigarette, not me!" he said. Prancer closed her eyes. She waited for the sound of Tanner being ripped by the fence. Then she heard the thud of her childhood friend's hooves land on the other side.

Chap. 7 THE NEXT THREE YEARS

     Tanner had searched for three years for the Cimmaron Herd. But he never found them. He was desperate. He was also tired from traveling.

     Now he was in strange territory. He was exhausted. He stumbled several times.

     Suddenly, out of the trees ran a black stallion. "Why are you here?" he asked. "I am in search of a friendly herd." he replied. "Well your search ends here, in the Stargazer Herd.

Chap. 8 THE MEETING

     Tanner had become second-in-command. His best friends were Matrix(the black stallion), Faith( Matrix's mate), Syris, and Anastasia. He was happy in the Stargazer Herd.

     The Stargazer Herd often ran into the Cimmaron Herd. The herds were friendly. Spirit loved seeing his mother and father again. They loved seeing him too.

     Oneday while Tanner was standing guard a mare showed up. She was strikingly beautiful. She needed help and a herd