cast a glance at me unless I got attacked by a cougar, and even then, he'd probably sit and watch!" At that point my mother had heard enough. She sadly walked away to the other mares. "Well Ren, let's just forget about that right now. Were at the greatest place in the valley, where brothers don’t exist!" Geist proclaimed jumping to her feet. "Yeah!" I agreed jumping up after. "Hey, maybe you can be my new brother!" "And you can be my new sister!" "Okey dokey then! C’mon new brother lets meet up with the others!" Satisfied, we both made our way to the other mares. I was glad I had Geist for a best friend. She was always there for me, whenever I needed her. The sun was beginning to set and it was time for us to return to the herd. Once we got back all the stallions were awaiting there mate's return. Even my father stood there with Zuren at his side. My head sunk at the thought of returning to my brother who beats me up once a day and my father whom hates my guts. "Renagade honey, can you join up with your father? I need to help the other mares."  My mother said to me before cantering off to assist the others. With dread, I made my way up to where my father and Zuren stood. "Oh there you are Renagade! Did you have fun on your girly mare trip?" Zuren mocked me. "It's not girly! It's fun!" I responded. "Oh really? I thought that that trip was for mares only? Ah well, I guess they wouldn't notice one more filly tag along!" Zuren got in my face now. I hated it when he did that! But I knew I couldn't pick a fight with Zuren now, at least not while our father was watching. I looked at my father hoping he'd tell Zuren to stop but he only glared and replied in a low voice he always talked to me with; “Any respectful stallion would stay and train, not play around in an orchard." Zuren smirked at me. I looked down at my hooves as my mother came back up the hill. "Ah, what a great pick this year! The apples were just perfect my mother said as she rubbed muzzles with my father. "Ooh! Ooh! Mom! Dad and I trained some more this afternoon! Dad says I'm getting really good!" Zuren bragged. “That’s wonderful dear!" Zuren stuck his toung out at me as we walked back to the meadow.

The following day, Zuren, and my parents had left early the next morning. My father and Zuren were training, and my mother had gone to graze in the northern meadow. I woke up and found myself walking around the herd looking for something to do. I had run into esperenza, Spirit's mother and she told me that my father had gone to the southern meadow to train with Zuren, that wasn't really where I wanted to go, but I went anyway to see if Zuren was really as good as he said he was. I heard voices and then... laughter, as I approached the meadow. I peeked through the tall grass in shock, to see my father and Zuren not training, but... Playing! Our father never played! I didn't even think he possessed a soul! But there he was, laughing and playing with Zuren. Zuren tackled my father to the ground and smiled, but it was a real smile not a smirk. And then I saw my father smile back. This made me think I was dreaming. But what followed was even more unbelievable. “I love you dad." Zuren said burying himself in dad's long golden mane. “I love you too Zuren." He replied hugging him back. I looked away, wishing that that were me that my father played with me, that my father loved me. I felt hot steamy tears coming from my eyes, and I ran away to where my mother was sitting aside her. Not bothering to eat. I was very quiet that day; I didn't even want to play with Geist. I laid there In the Grass, watching the blades blow back and forth in the summer breeze. Noticing my behavior, my mother laid down next to me. "Renagade darling, is there something wrong? You haven't grazed an inch." My mother asked concerned. "Mama, does father hate me?" I said staring up at her. The gaze my mother gave me was a little surprising to me. Her big happy smile turned to a frown, and her eyes turned into big blue pools of sadness. "Renagade! Your father doesn't hate you! What on Earth would give you that idea?!"  " He never smiles when I'm around, he always talks to me as if I had done something bad, He let Zuren train with him and not me, he never helps me when Zuren is being mean, what's wrong with me mamma?!" I said going into tears again. My mother put her head over my neck and hugged me close, and for a moment I enjoyed being there in her embrace. "There's nothing wrong with you dear! You’re perfect, just the way you are! Listen Renagade, you mustn’t think of your father this way. Things will look up, I promise little one. I know, why don't you go play with Geist for a while? I'm sure she would love to play with you now yes? "Yeah... I guess so..." I climbed to my feet, and trudged through the meadow.

Later on that afternoon, once the sun had set and the moon and stars over looked the Cimarron herd, I made my way back to where my mother father and I usually stayed. It was a small cave that rested on the boarder of the Cimarron herd. "Naru this can’t go on!!" I heard my mother yell, and quickly hid on the side of the entrance to listen to the conversation. “I know...” my father said shutting his eyes tightly. “Then why?! Why do you hurt him so much?! It's not his fault that he looks like some other horse!" "I realize that Rana! I realized that long ago when you had them!" "So why are you still treating him this way?! He's only a foal and doesn't deserve to be treated this way!" I KNOW Rana!" I was a little scared of how my parents were arguing about me, they had never yelled at each other before. "But… I just can’t do it... Every time I looked into those eyes all I can think of his my father's death... what I saw after..." I stared in utter shock as my own father began to cry! MY father crying! "Naru, I understand that this is hard for you, but whether you accept him or not he is your son, and all that he desires is your love." My mother relaxed a bit. "I... want to... but I..I can't.. I'm afraid. Afraid of it all coming back... I just wish Renagade weren't Renagade..." my nostrils flared as I began to sneeze, and doing so I had exposed myself to my parents. "Renagade?" My mother looked over at me in horrified gaze that I had heard everything. I felt myself begin to cry once more, and took some steps back away from my father. "Renagade! Renagade wait-" My father tried to stop me, but I already started to run away. "Renagade Please! Your father didn't mean it!" My mother whinnied after, as she chased me. But I didn't look back I kept running until I slipped and fell into a small hole, and let out a whimper of pain as I landed on my leg and it began to rain. I heard from up above horses running around in desperation to find me. But I didn't want to be found. I stayed in the small hole sobbing into the dirt. I waited there until I heard a familiar voice calling; "Ren! Ren! Are you out here! Ren!" Geist exclaimed as she found me lying in the hole. "Mamma! I found him! He's down here!" dirt covered my eyes, but I could barely make out Geist and my Aunt's faces. "Renagade! Oh no!" My aunt Rain cried out as she discovered my condition. "Geist help me get him out!" Yes Mamma!" I whimpered again as my leg banged around and hard rain pounded on my face. I leaned up against my Aunt as we made our way back to the herd. "RENAGADE!" My mother exclaimed as she came into view. She galloped over to me and pulled me close and hugging me tightly. "Thank goodness you’re alright!" She said as tears escaped her eyes. My father stood behind her along with Zuren, they actually looked somewhat concerned. "Whoa what happened to Renagade?" I heard Storm say as he saw me with his sister and mother. Spirit galloped to Rain. "Rain! Is he alright?! What happened to him?" We found him in hole, near the border he probably fell-" A rainy wind interrupted her, as rain hit us all. "Rana, you and Naru take your sons to rain and I's den, you will be dry there. My parents nodded as my mother lifted me up on her back. As we walked I looked at my father and managed to wheeze out a little word. "Father... I'm...Sorry..." My father looked at me sadness deepening into his eyes as looked down in guilt. I closed my eyes as I began to feel faint, and before I knew it the world went black....

TO BE CONTINUED…