Totona a bay mustang mare snorted as she ran frantically through the night, she was scared for her and her new born foal, her mate Rusty a thoroughbred stallion owned by the US Army had escaped with her.The Indian Village had been destroyed everyone and everything was either dead or had left or had been taken as prisoner. She frantically called for him, her heart racing and pounding in her chest as she whinnied frantically into the darkness. Her ears listening to each little crunch of twigs, every raindrop. Soon her prayers were answered as she heard hoof beats getting closer and closer, she turned around and saw her mate she nuzzled him. They then took off to a small den like structure just big enough for the three of them. They looked down at the sleeping filly, she was tiny only a few weeks old, she was bay with a white blaze and a star and a tiny patch of white on her right hind leg.They smiled at each other then settled there for the night.

The next morning the rain had left puddles filling ever hole in the ground the filly woke up and opened her eyes, to a bright sunny day. She looked out too see her parents out grazing. She then stood up and ran over to her mother for breakfast. Her longs skinny legs carried her as she ran around in circles. Her parents smiled "Shes just like you" said the mare as she looked at her mate, he smiled in reply
She trotted over to a puddle and sniffed it, then a butterfly caught her eye as it landed on her nose. She sneezed then it flew off into the breeze.Her parents watched her every move. All of a sudden hoof-beats were heard followed by voices "There he is!" one said as he spotted the family. "Tatona Mariska Go Now!" Rusty snorted as he urged his family to run. The both ran Mariska staying close to her mother as the men drew closer and closer. Before they knew where they were going they were in the village again.Tatona ran frantically then she fell and was unable to get up another shot was fired and she looked one last time and saw her mate and foal still running "Run into those bushes" Rusty said as he stopped then looked at his dead mate and the humans. "We got him!" said a man as he threw  rope around the stallions neck. Rusty reared and kicked, he looked into the distance and saw Mariska panicked "Stay there lay down don't move" he snorted as the filly hid in the brush and watched in horror. Rusty knew he had to leave, he looked at the humans as the ropes around him became tighter and tighter he then reared again and hit one of the men. Another man fired a shot and Rusty fell to the ground. Mariska watched her eyes filled with tears. "He was too wild" the man said as he got onto his horse again " He was a good racehorse though" another said then they were off.

Mariska came out of the brush "Dad?" she nickered as she went over to her father no movement "Come on get up" she said as she nuzzled her father,she then went over to her mother "Mama?!" she said as she nuzzled her mother, but again no movement. She then looked to the sky as a huge rainbow stretched over the plains. She felt her eyes water up then laid down next to her mother and cried
she couldn't believe what just happened.She looked at the rainbow again, her heart heavy with grief.She then closed her eyes and drifted into a dream.

Rain stared sadly into the distance,on-the cliff  her baby, her little angel was killed by a panther. Spirit and her were devastated.Spirit saw her in the distance and walked up too her she buried her face into his silky black mane. Spirit let out a tear too. "Is this a dream?" Rain nickered as a tears fell from her blue eyes. "If only it were" Spirit said as he looked onto the herd. Spirit then looked onto the prairie and saw a rainbow "Look" he nickered as Rain raised her head "Its beautiful" she replied. Spirit smiled then looked at Rain and said" Its our little girls way of telling us shes ok" he said with a smile. All Rain could do was smile too and stare. A thought then came to her mind "How bout we go to the village and see everyone" Rain said.Spirit looked at her" If you want too...we'll go now" Rain smiled excited to see everyone again"I'll move the herd closer" he said then walked to the herd.

As they approached they sensed something was wrong.Rains heart raced she knew something was wrong. The came upon the hill over looking the village. Spirit looked on the village, Rain came up beside him the whole village was ransacked, white men had moved in again. The place was in a total mess Tee-pees torn down burned, dead horses it was all bare.Rain was in shock as she stood there unable to move or think."Lets see if there are any survivors" Spirit said as he made his way down.Rain looked around at everything that was once her home. Then Spirit stopped as he heard a noise he looked around then spotted a small movement along the river he stopped immediately hoping it was no threat, Rain stood next to him. Then a soft whinny was heard. Rain ran to it immediately followed by Spirit.

 As he approached Rain stood over a small bay filly with an unusual marking that ran along her face. The filly  looked up at them scared as she laid next to her mother, tears were in her eyes."Who are you?" said the small filly as she looked at the two horses standing over her."Im Rain and this is Spirit" Rain said as she smiled"Whats your name?" Spirit said as he looked at her" Mariska" she replied shyly "What a pretty name he nickered. "Wheres your parents?" Rain asked as the filly's eyes filled with tears "This is my mama" she said as she looked at the dead mare, "and that's my Daddy" she said gesturing to a dead stallion. Spirit and Rain looked at each other. "Come with us" Rain said as she nuzzled the tiny baby. Mariska stood up looked at her mother one last time then followed Spirit and Rain."We need to get out of here" Rain said with a sad look on her face as she thought of where Little Creek could possibly be. Spirit nodded then they went off back to the herd with their new member.Rain looked to the sky at the Rainbow and knew that this was meant to be
To be continued...........