R34| (Red dead Horse!) Snowbird (Patreon)

SO this has a massive story which I have attached as a PDF and will post down below. If you just want to get to the Smut part, I suggest reading only the "Snowbird" Chapter. However, I have worked really, really hard on this for you all. I would love to hear your feedback.  I know I could have easily written more but... unfortunately I am not a writer and do need to get some art done bahah.

also merry christmas I am giving all tiers access to everything for this piece!

So without Further adooo, I present to you There Will Be LIght, written by yours truly

TW: humanxferal, death, blood, Angell's cringey writing style

┌─── ∘°❉°∘ ───┐
Sunshine

I never thought these days would end. Lazily curled in a meadow, the warm early summer sun gleaming onto the wild flowers of a field. My girl was gathering every black-eyed Susan she could get her tiny hands on, smiling at me, her fluffy blonde hair bouncing as she rushed back just to place them into my mane.  Her dazzling blue and brown eyes wide with pride. I wouldn’t dare move too quickly or shake out my mane, despite the stems prodding into the fur of my neck. The joy on her face was enough to endure the itchy feeling of the probing flowers.

These were our days, in the morning I would help the older male two-leg by pulling the cart or the plow for him. In the afternoons, his daughter would steal me away for meadow adventures or to splash around in the creek. My master would never argue too much, his smile obvious when he would see his daughter grasp my reins just for me to follow after with no resistance.
I’ll be honest, at first I was the typical yearling, the cart was a drag and the plow was even worse. I couldn’t stand getting shoed or the copper metallic taste of the bit in my mouth. But the moment that fierce little two leg came running out from behind her dad’s leg to yell at me, I was stopped in my tracks. Literally, my hooves had to drag into the dirt to stop from running her over. There was something about that moment that changed me, she became my girl, just like I became her ‘pony’.
In my defense, I am well above the stature of a pony, but I don’t think her dad had the heart to explain the difference of horse and pony to her. I don’t blame him either, any moment that girl cried the entire world went cloudy, she was the sun I always wanted to stay shining. She warmed my soul and was the light of her parents lives. That was probably their biggest downfall in the end, loving her a little too much, loving her enough to curate the perfect life, to buy the best meadow, to work the hardest hours, anything, and everything all for her.
Now, I don’t understand the inner-workings of two-legs, but I know how nature works. There is a give and take. Anytime there is grain in my bin, I know that there is something I owe for it. The male two-leg had taken too much without giving enough. The last time I saw my master was when he left for work one summer day, he gave my girl a kiss on the forehead and shooed her in my direction. Worry was knitted in his brows, his usual gentle atmosphere, was disturbed that day. Something dark hung on his shoulders, like a cow going to the slaughter. The heavy dread seeping into his motions as he walked down the road like he did every day.
If dread had a smell, the air reeked of it that day. I cared for my girl per usual, but even she seemed a little cloudy. She must have been only five at the time, but she was as observant as any adult two-leg I had ever met. I did my best to make her smile, running and rearing in the pasture like a colt, all the stunts that would previously have her laughing, round cheeks bright with a smile. But instead, she pulled at the fragile petals of a flower, distant, absorbed in thought, and dammit it hurt my heart more than any pain had before.

I resolved to staying near her, finally having her drift to sleep atop my back under the protection of the old oak tree. The gentle patters of rain tapping the leaves above us was nearly lulling me off to sleep as well when I noticed two men riding in a carriage up the driveway. I’m not sure how I knew, but they were bad news. As soon as they stepped out the carriage, unease settled deep in my bones. They didn’t knock, they simply walked into my master's home, dragging his mate out with the large metal thunder stick pressed to her side, She screamed for my girl and I felt my heart sink. I wrapped my head back, pressing my little two leg close to me. Maybe, just maybe, I could stop time. That deep dreading feeling finally settled like lead in my belly, they were here to collect my master’s dues. My girl, my own personal ray of fucking sunlight, woke with a start and immediately clambered off me and ran towards her mother. I got to my hooves as fast as I could, galloping up the field with her, my chest pressed to the splintering wood of my fence line as she crawled under it.
It was all wrong, so very wrong, my girl's mother scooped her up in her arms holding her close and tears welled in her eyes as the thunder sticks were prodded into the small of her back. She stumbled forward towards the carriage, my girl immediately started panicking, her head darting up and her eyes locking on mine. She screamed at her mom and all her mother could do was hold her closer. I cried back to her, I know no words came, but I hope at that moment she could hear how much I love her, how much I wanted to save her, how brutally hopeless I felt.

I will never ever forget the silence. The sound of absolutely fucking nothing when the cart had finally gone down the road, my girl’s cries too far to hear, and not even the rooster dare make a peep after what had happened. All our lives, the farm animals that is, we called this place home. This was where our family was… and I think we all knew they weren’t coming back.

Now I know what you are going to ask, “Why didn’t you just jump the fence and go save them”. I tried, I’m pretty sure I dug out a hole as tall as I am in the earth just from pacing that fence line. Every time I went to jump it, my body couldn’t clear it. It took days for me to admit defeat, I would never see her again, and I blamed myself. I couldn’t protect her when she needed me most. I was a fucking failure, So I laid in that empty pasture like the failure I was, Pain aching in my muscles and heart, dread heavy in my bones.

I’m not sure how much time had passed before some people arrived onto the farm. When I heard those carriage wheels coming up the dirt road, it was probably the first cognizant moment I had in months. I got to my hooves and ran tiredly to the fence line once more. I had lost a lot of weight by now, not because I had nothing to eat, I could have grazed the long grass, but because what fucking point was there in eating when my sunshine was gone. Every day would be the same cloudy, pointless moment of blank existence, repeated until the worms ate my flesh.

But just when the small fragile flame of hope was starting to burn again it was snuffed out. The carriage brought more strange men. They once again entered the home of my masters and left it carrying items, furniture, and boxes. It appeared that my two-legs were not enough, these men had to rip out the guts of the place they called home. I watched them with dreary silence, longing for the past and praying the future winter would bode my end. I found myself walking away, not being able to bear the loud scrapes and shuffles of this once loving place being put to rest.
This went on for a day or two, strange men would arrive, take their bounty from the house and leave. But eventually they started turning their eyes towards the land. Unsurprisingly, the cows went first, cowboys wrangling the meager herd and ushering them down the path. Then the sheep, the chickens, the pigs, and then it was my turn. Some dim witted two leg entered my pasture with the halter he found hanging on a post outside my pasture, its once soft oiled leather dry and brittle from days in summer sun.

He clucked at me like a chicken, hollering as if I was supposed to just trot up to him and bow my head. No, I turned around, presenting my ass. He could kiss it for all I cared. If I was the last beating pulse of this place, I wasn’t going to be as easy as a call away. He walked up to me, placing the halter over my head, and I took the opportunity to sink my teeth into his arm. That coppery taste of blood filling my mouth. He shrieked and reeled back, tripping over a pile of shit, landing firmly on his ass. I glared at him, slamming an overgrown hoof down in protest. Fuck this Guy. I looked back, seeing that fence gate open. If I wanted any chance of returning, here it was on a silver platter for the taking. I took off galloping as fast as my weak body could go up the small slope of my pasture and out the gate.

The two legs all started screaming, but I couldn’t hear them, the sound of my heart pounding all too loud in my ears. My hooves tore into the familiar earth of the farm, the dirt was dry and cracked from the lack of rain, so dust sprayed behind me. I felt like a damn colt, even flagged my tail for the hell of it, the long reddish-blonde strands of my tail waving like the last flag for this land. I don’t know now why I felt so sentimental for that land, especially after the awful moments that came from it. But at the moment it felt right.

Just like my two-legs, I ran as fast as my starved muscles could carry me, the beat of my hooves pumping blood through my legs in ways I hadn’t felt in months. The road stretched on, and I could feel freedom calling to me, or a stroke from my sickly body crumpling in on itself from activity after months of stagnation; but semantics. Freedom, one way or another. The trees swayed from the breeze and I closed my eyes briefly, recalling the vanilla scent of my little two legs hair in the wind. I breathed deeply, it was almost there, the warmth of her sunshine hidden in the depths of a memory.

But the cruel fibers of a rope stole it from me. If you have never had a lasso tied around your neck while you ran full speed, I have to say I don’t recommend it. Especially if that lasso is tied to the saddle of a horse who takes his job of life-napping way too god-damned serious. I gagged on the tight feeling of my esophagus being compressed, the full force of my body and that rope battling. In the end the rope won, my body in a split second whipping around to face my captor. Then another rope and another, one on my hind hock and another on my neck. The two neck ropes pulled tight. I wasn’t going anywhere. I could see my own ribs heaving for air as I coughed against the intrusive ropes binding me to these two legged’s mercy.

The idiot from before waltzed up, half looking like he was to geld me on the spot. I snorted at him, my airways immediately feeling like I lit them on fire as I did. But he slipped that cracked halter on my head and that was it. The end of my life here was sealed away as the rusting metal of the halter creaked in victory. My spirit was gone, I was no longer Me, I was a debt repayment, soon to be carted off to who knows where.

But I was sure there was no sunlight there.

⭒✮⭒

Train tracks

The leather of the halter was rubbing my face raw. It had been at least four days now of the same thing. Wake up at sunrise, saddle and mount their horses, tie me to one, and drag me along. I didn’t resist the tug of the lead rope, after all, what was the point? Either they would sell me off or send me where the cattle go.

So we walked, and walked, walked until I was sure my hooves cracked from my body tiredly dragging them along the dirt path the two legs followed. After the second day, I couldn’t help but eat from the hay they flung at the ground for me. It tasted like dirt, earthy nothingness that would serve to pack my stomach.

The only grace I was afforded in this endless monotony was my minds' inability to focus on anything. I couldn’t get lost thinking about my family or even the sliver of my heart that missed the damned rooster’s familiar pitchy-crow. I had to focus on one hoof after another so that I wouldn’t trip. The soreness of my muscles keeping me acutely focused on my body rather than my own circumstance.

Hoof after hoof, I walked the trail that took me away from my beginnings. The last day of our journey, the first change that hit me was the smell. The typical earthy smells were suffocated by the heavy presence of oil and grease, the metallic tang of the tracks, and coal. The soft dirt ground turned into gravel that crunched under my weight. I lifted my head to see a giant smoking machine sat before me, my heart dropped and instinct told me to run. The other horses walked calmly towards it, maybe I’m a pussy, but I couldn’t swallow the dread caught in my throat. As we came to a stop, the two legs dismounted to talk to another,

“There’s no way in hell that nag is worth even a ten dollar note” the loud and round man protested. He was dressed better than the two-legs who had accompanied me here. He definitely spent more time grooming than horse back, so I’m not sure who he thought he was to judge.
“Apologies, sir, beggin' yer pardon. He was in such a state when we stumbled upon 'im at the estate. Judgin' by the coin he forked over for this here stallion, one might've fancied him in a finer fettle. Nonetheless, he's a robust beast, made it 'ere despite his wear. A bit o' oats in his trough, and I reckon he'll be right as rain, good as new.” the two-legs made a snorting noise, spitting out a dark liquid to the side as he looked up at the round man. If you asked me, he certainly wasn’t the lead-stallion in this situation.

“Well, the train’s heading out soon, so load him up in that cart back there. He needs to reach Valentine for the sales next week, lord knows they have their work cut out with putting some weight on him” and with that the round man waddled off to a different cart. Hoisting himself up the stairs with a loud grunt, his weight making the iron beast bow towards him.

The two-legs near me cursed, finding his grip on the lead rope. He turned his head to look at me and I swear I saw the smallest ounce of sympathy in his eyes. If I hadn’t been so pissed, I would have considered forgiving him at that moment. But a cog is still part of the machine, for his efforts, there will be no forgiveness.

My hooves clanked against the wooden platform as I was led towards the cart. I planted them as firmly as I could, when we faced the entrance. The last thing I wanted was to walk into the dark abyss of that cart. The Two-legs didn’t like my resistance, rolling his eyes he called out and his companions came up behind me. One swung the rope at my hind quarters, so I swung a hoof out at him, clipping his shin. He cursed and waddled off to lean against the beam holding up the wooden awning over the platform.

“Fucker, I hope they geld this piece of shit” he cursed, nursing the injury on his leg. The one holding my lead rope shook his head,

“No sir, stallion like this? They’re going to find a way to make every cent back out of him for that estate”

Finally, one of their ropes came down across my hocks, two of them pulled it forward, using the leverage to pull me up the ramp and into the shadowy entrance of the livestock cart. The two-legs holding my lead tied it on the wall next to another horse. There were sheep in a pen on one half and a couple crates full of random animals. A couple chickens cooed as I entered, and beneath them, I could hear a rabbit thump in its crate. All of us without a clue of where our destination would be.

The two-legs patted my neck, looking me in the eyes a moment before spitting again and leaving the cart. He slammed the door shut. Leaving us in the darkness. The horse next to me perked his ears and tensed as the door slammed. He was certainly older, his large frame looked as frail as my own self-imposed status. I considered making conversation at that moment, but as if he could read my mind he spoke quietly,
“I don’t wish to talk with you young one, this train will only bring us to the end of the line. There is no good left to find on these tracks. If you are here, you share my fate. So say your goodbyes now” and with that he turned away, pushing his head into the hollow space of the corner. The train roared to life and our journey to the end began,

⭒✮⭒

I woke to the creaking of the trains breaks, slowing us for our arrival. If this was the end, I don’t know if I was ready for it. Every minute that past waiting for that train cart door to open was hell. I had no idea what to expect, I don't even know how far we had traveled. The entire ride, I had tried to peer out the slats of the cart but with no luck.

Finally, it was our turn, the loud bustle of people getting off the train had since passed and the door to our cart was flung open. I didn’t realize how used to the dark you can get. The blinding morning light poured in to the cold darkness of the cart. I blinked a few times, trying to clear the disorientation. Once again, a man stepped up the ramp to retrieve me. He was different from the men who had brought me onto this train. He looked as worn as I did, his clothes spattered with dirt and his hair fluffy and unkempt. The man was gentle, though, tracing his hands over my body as if to say, “I am here” as he walked up to untie my lead.

“Come on boy, step back” I didn’t find resistance, I was tired from the trip here, so I did as I was told. Step back and led off the ramp where the morning light blinded me at first.

The cold nip of morning dew filled my nostrils, but the gleaming sun warmed my coat. It was an interesting combination of sensations, but I let it waft over me. The man held my lead off to the side while we waited for the other animals to get unloaded. The draft horse that had quietly ridden along with me seemed surprised when he came off the train. His massive hooves clunking as he walked off the ramp. His ears perked high as he scanned the environment before him. I admit I was also a little surprised coming off the train. I think we had expected our dark ride was the trip towards our slaughter, but instead we were greeted by a sleepy town, finding its start in the morning.

The bay draft let out a loud nicker suddenly, prancing like a colt as the man led him. I had to lift my head in curiosity, after his solemn behavior on the train, I don’t think I was quite expecting him to act like this. Following his gaze, I put two and two together. A woman in a light blue dress ran up to him, crying as she grabbed the lead from the man and let the draft happily rub his large head against her body. She hugged him tightly as her mate walked up beside her. One big happy family united again. I couldn’t help myself, I turned around desperately looking for my own family, where was my happy reunion.
“Easy boy, easy, we will get you your breakfast soon” the man cooed, trying to pacify me. But I looked until I imprinted every face into memory. There was no reunion for me, this was not my happy ending.

After the sheep were herded off the cart, the fluffy haired two-legs walked me through town. The roads were muddy here, I resented the way I could feel the liquidy dirt squelch into my hooves and pop as I pulled them loose. We walked to a barn that had small pastures serving as stalls to the side of it and a large dirt ring behind it that men rode horses around in.

The interior of the barn was cool but warmer than outside, and the ground was dry, covered in loose pieces of hay. Inside, six stalls lined each side of the barn, two big doors capping the ends. The fluffy haired two legs led me into one of those stalls, unclipping the leather halter that had rubbed loose the furs on my face. He rather urgently returned with a scoop of grains.

Now, don’t call me weak, but after that ride… corn, oat, and alfalfa all bonded together with the honey thick sweetness of molasses. My mouth watered, I shoved my muzzle into that feed bind faster than I had ever. The first bite I scarfed down, wetting my pallet with the sweetness of the grains. The second I savored, imagining the flavor would soon disappear, and I was still on the train dreaming.

But I wasn’t, in fact the fluffy haired human brought in flake after flake of hay. The good kind as well, no dry earthy nothingness, the hay was soft and palatable. As I stuffed my rumbling stomach, he returned once again, this time a kit in hand. I side eyed him as I stuffed my mouth. At least if he was going to kill me, I would have had a good last meal.

When I expected a thunder stick, he instead pulled out a hook. It was daunting, but I remembered my master having used this on me often. I relaxed, letting him lift each hoof, scraping out the mud and dirt that had been packed in them. Next came the brush, he ran it over my body, grumbling his frustrations as he found fur that was densely packed with mud.

By the time I finished my meal, he was just getting to the other side. I got lost in the rhythmic feeling of him brushing my body, loosening the dirt and grime from the journey. He spent an hour getting the muck off my body and detangling the burs from my mane. When he finished, he stepped back, hands on his hips, smiling at his handy work. I must have looked like a new horse because he certainly looked proud.

⭒✮⭒

My days at this barn were pretty boring, every day I would be fed three times, I would be brushed and preened, and I wasn’t let out for the pasture. By the end of the week, I had memorized every weird malformation in the wood slats of the stall. I even had a few guesses as to what every ding and dent told for a story.

Today was different from the rest, however, fluffy hair ran to my stall early this morning. The light hadn’t even peered in through the window that hung high on the barn wall. He smiled at me as he leaned on the edge of the stall. While I was here he had been my main caretaker, he did a good job, never getting too annoying but always seeming satisfied when he left. There were others who worked here and one man I would consider the ‘lead-stallion’ of them all. But fluffy hair had taken charge over my case and was who I saw most days.

He ran back to the front of the barn, grabbing my serving of -delightful- grains and his kit. He dumped my food and got right to work. Pick, brush, comb, his usual rhythm. But this morning he braided the top of my tail and my mane. My hair tucked into tight little buds that sat evenly atop my neckline. I wasn’t sure why he went to the effort, but I mentally promised I would wait to shake the braids out until he went to bed later today, he had looked so excited.

By the time he finished, morning light was warming the lantern lit stables. The eldest man walked in and also leaned on my stall door,
“You did a fine job Jay, he packed on a bit of weight pretty quick, and he looks a fine lot better than he did coming here” he praised,

Fluffy hair blushed, looking at his boots, “Thank you sir, I wanted to make him look his best”

“Not sure how you could have done better, son, Bring him out front to one of those sales pens. Make sure to keep it clean while the buyers are looking today. He is gonna need all the help he can get from you”  He patted the stall gate as if to signal his leave and walked off.

Fluffy hair walked out the stall and went to grab a halter. I was a little surprised to see my halter looking so much better than it had. He had oiled the cracking leather, it looked good as new. Even though it had dragged me here, it was my last piece of home. No matter what I was going to face, it would make me feel a little closer to home.

He walked me outside towards the small pens, leading me in and unclipping the lead,

“Show yourself off good today boy” with a pat to my neck he smiled and ran off to go do whatever barn boys do. I’m not sure what he meant by that, and unease settled in my stomach. Something was changing today.

⭒✮⭒

Trust

The afternoon was coming to an end, whatever I was asked to show off for hadn’t arrived. Lots of people swarmed the farm today, each one looking at me with the expression you give a puppy that had been kicked, “Sorry! But not my problem”. The other six or seven horses that had been ‘prettied up’ for today had been taken from their pens. Even the mule that was genuinely attempting homicide. That rank beast was taken on a lead by a man who slapped a saddle on him and gentled him in the dirt ring. As angry as he had been, he settled easy when the man didn’t fall off after a lengthy bronc session.

I was not ready for Fluffy’s face when he would come to see me sat here unceremoniously in the paddock. So I turned to eat at the pile of hay that had been tossed my way. I’ll be honest again, If staying here meant eating like this… I didn’t mind the burden.

I missed my family, but filling the hunger in my stomach did take the edge off the pain. I hated that my little sunshine’s face was fading in color from my memory. I could still recall some of her features, her smell, the weight of her on my back. But other aspects were like the trees after fall, all that color was wilting away.

… So why were those bright blue and brown eyes looking right down on me?

I shot my head up, my heart pounding in my chest, a gleeful whinny coming out of my mouth as if I was a pony. But this wasn’t right, she was so tall… her hair was a different color… she looked worn. This wasn’t my girl. No, this woman who leaned on my fence, unfazed by my outburst, was a different person altogether. Her eyes were just the same.

I stared into them, silently thanking her for the reminder of the features that were blurred in my mind. I knew she would walk on in a moment, just like everyone had. She was just observing the sad puppy at the sale.

Five minutes ticked by, our eyes still locked on each other when she finally cracked a smile. I was so fucking confused. She shook her head, long red locks pooling over her shoulder. Putting her gloved hand to her face, she rubbed the bridge of her nose,
“Well dammit” she groaned. She did walk away, I’m not sure why, but I felt a rush of emotions. Sadness and loneliness welled up in my chest. I resolved to setting my head down. By now the sun was dipping low in the sky, so when I heard my paddock gate unlock and squeak open, I thought it was just fluffy coming to retrieve me. But her voice greeted me instead,
“Going to pout like that all night?” fuck her for reading me so well. But also yes, I missed so much, I was wrong, sweet feed and alfalfa was not going to fix this. She walked up next to me, rubbing her hands along my visible rib cage, patting her hand up my neck and clipping the lead to my halter.

‘Here we go again’ I thought, led day and night to another destination to repeat this over and over. She walked me over to where her other horse stood. A stocky, well-built white-gray mare that she called Nova. On the back of Nova was a couple bags that smelt like my sweet feed. At least… this time, if I was going to be led across the ends of the earth, I’d have sweet feed.

⭒✮⭒

To my surprise, we only wandered for an hour and only ever at a walk. She would often pat Nova’s neck, praising her for this and that. Nova took her time crossing the river, making sure to find good footing each step she took, or maybe she was trying to freeze my balls off, who knows. After clearing the river and walking up the tight, winding path that led us up a cliff side, the glow of a campfire was visible. So Nova picked up the pace and trotted us into camp.

It was curious to see the tents and supplies arranged like this. They ate and slept underneath the stars, unlike most two-legs who stayed in houses. A man, was already sitting at camp, preparing a pot that smelt like roasting vegetables,
“You’ve got to be kidding me, what’d you go and buy… that for!” He said, getting to his feet, and motioning at me as we trotted into camp.

“Don’t know… just a gut feeling about this one” She stated, hopping off Nova. She walked off, no lead attached to Nova, but the mare followed her. When I resisted, Nova turned and looked at me, squealing in that typical pissy mare way. I knew I’d get my ass kicked, so I relented and followed.

That night was weird, my braids were undone, and I was given a once over, the little red head’s hands checking every aspect of my body. My hooves, my legs, the rubbed fur on my nose, the jutting of my ribs. She didn’t make much noise as she did this and when she finished she just… walked off. Where was the stall? The pasture? The tie to the ground? She did the same with Nova and … it amazed me. I could leave! I could run without being stopped!

So I did, I took off, expecting her to fling herself onto Nova to rope me as soon as I started galloping.  But a few paces into my sprint, I slowed and looked back. She was sat on the ground, her head against the saddle, as Nova nudged her pockets for treats.

What the fuck? She must have spent money on me, so why did she just… sit there as I took off. I know two legs don’t just let money walk off. So I trotted back, maybe she hadn’t seen, I wanted to be fair at the bare minimum. I reared up as I approached her, making sure she could see me. Taking off again, bucking into the open night air. I heaved air out of my lungs as I exerted myself, sure she was on my tail.

Hooves plodded behind me, Finally! I thought, but when I turned, it was just Nova,

“Do what you want, but make the right choice. Second chances don’t come easy in this world” With that unceremonious statement, Nova trotted back to the red head, leaving me there with my thoughts. I walked back up the small slope, seeing the red head woman pouring sweet feed into two buckets. Placing one for Nova and one for me, I suppose. I was confused, how was she so sure I would come back?

I stood at the edge of the slope until the blaze in the campfire turned to embers. I trotted back and happily found dinner still in that bowl. Off to the side Nova slept deeply, the male in camp snored loudly, and the redhead girl was curled leaning against the log that served as a seat next to the campfire. I tried rationalizing this weird behavior, even my master had chased me if I ran from him. Though those times it was more of a game for me. It was strange to see a two-legs act this way.

Sleep must have taken me as I pondered these things because I woke to the sweet, sticky smell of more sweet feed filling my bowl. I woke quickly, startled and checking my surroundings. But it was just this Red haired two legs before me,
“Glad to see you here this morning” she gave me a sad smile. It was brutal, whatever she had hidden behind those blue-brown eyes, I don’t think anyone knew. I reached my head forward to sniff this strange human, but Nova trotted up, cutting in front of me,

“Trust is earned” the mare gritted out angrily. It was obvious my stunt last night had left Nova with a bad taste in her mouth. The Red head patted the mare,  wishing her a good morning and pouring her breakfast. I was more than eager for another helping of that sweet goodness, scarfing my helping down, I stood, waiting to see what my “dues” were for this food. But the red head grabbed her gear after brushing Nova and tacked up the mare.

After swinging her legs up and around the mare, she made a small noise with her mouth and Nova rushed off. Leaving me with the man that was still snoring. This was the first morning in so, so long that I had nothing to do. I think the last morning I had like this had been when I was a yearling at my master’s farm, the day my little sunshine was born. I had no Idea what to do with myself.

⭒✮⭒

Things started to change around the time the leaves were falling off the trees. We had packed up and moved camp a couple of times, my only burden was a pack or two that contained the small amount of belongings these two-legs had. After months with them, I had learned the red head's name was Angell and the older man was referred to as Cripps.

With my newfound freedom, I spent most of my time wandering the fields around the camp, grazing to my heart's content. I was always there for breakfast and for dinner, and every morning Angell and Nova rode off to wherever they went and returned whenever they could. Sometimes they were gone for weeks, others just an afternoon. But regardless, there was always feed in my bucket.

Every once in a while, Angell would check me over, her hands softly rubbing every part of me, checking for blemishes and as time went on, my ribs fade behind a healthy layer of muscle and fat. I looked better than I ever had, no more a lanky colt and no longer a deprived nag. I woke with energy that made me want to gallop and stretch my legs.

Recollection of my sunshine faded, the sharp stabbing pain of loneliness replaced by the distant warmth of her memory. I will miss her forever, but I found happiness in this second chance I had been given. Never had I lived without fences, with trust and freedom. I had seen beauty in the world around me again, color was coming back into my life as each day ticked by. My favorite was red.

Curiosity ate at me, though…. Where did Nova and Angell go?  I was midway through my breakfast when Angell tightened the girth on Nova again, patting between her ears and planting a kiss on the mare’s forehead.  She had always been so quiet when she was around us, but her gentle touches and body language said so much. When she mounted up I tried my luck, Nova trotted off and this time I was right behind her. We got a little down the path when Angell just patted her leg, I bucked a bit, shaking the nerves out and trotting up next to Nova.
“Welcome to the Team, Clarke”  and with that, Angell urged Nova into a canter. I was shaken up a bit, a name…  I was given a real name. I stood for a second, contemplating the warm feeling it gave me, “Clarke” It sounded good.

I let out some weird squeal-whinny situation that I will forever be embarrassed about, but caught up with Nova. Angell laughed as she looked back at me. Now this was a different emotion, wonder, joy, I’m not sure, but it was beautiful. I wrote that expression of hers into my memory, I carved the bright orange of her hair in the morning light into my mind, I traced the joy in those bright blue brown eyes into my thoughts. I painted this memory, and I swore I would keep that face of playful euphoria sealed within myself forever.

We raced down the paths that no one was here to travel but us, we sounded through the forest with hoof beats, Angell let her hands fly up. I was sure she was going to fall, but instead she let the wind trace through her spread fingers, her chest arching as she rode. I was amazed. I had never seen a two-legs so free like this, so in harmony with the mare moving below her. I wondered how Nova felt, if it felt as free as it looked to me.

Rushing rivers where salmon leapt, autumn wind winding through the trees, the reverberations of hooves as we galloped between two cliff faces, we ran free, we played. Two-leg and horse playing. By the time we got to her destination, we were all out of breath. Angell dismounted and laid in the small clearing we had stopped in. She laid in the sun and laughed, chest rising as she collected herself.

I was bewildered and drawn to this magical feeling, I needed to touch her, to feel what this was for myself. I walked to her, my hooves on either side of her body. Immediately I thought she would crawl out of the way and scold my investigation… but she laid there. As my front hooves placed on the sides of her hips, I leaned my head down, I wasn’t pushed away, she cupped my large cheeks, her thumbs drawing soft gentle motions down my face.

Those blue-brown eyes, aflame with emotions I couldn’t place. I glanced up, seeing Nova happily grazing off to the side. I focused back onto this strange two-legs beneath me, she seemed at ease, even though I towered over her. I first pressed my muzzle to her neck, feeling the quickening of her pulse, I lipped at that spot with my mouth. Trailing my explorations lower to her breast, if I focused hard, I swear I could hear her heart beating. Something about her smelled so sweet, a scent I couldn’t quite place but….wanted to taste. I looked back up, her lips were pulled into a soft smile, she looked at me with such tender gentleness, I ought to beg Nova for forgiveness for ever threatening to leave this second chance. I pressed My muzzle to her lips, just exploring her body, but she shifted below me, her hands holding my head  and meeting her lips to my own. I wasn’t sure what this feeling was, this kiss between us, but I didn’t resist. I let her hold my head, I let her rub her fingertips along my cheeks, and her lips to meet my own.

I wasn’t quite aware of my body until I heard Nova nicker playfully at me from across the field. My length having slipped naturally from its sheath. This…two legs was going to be the death of me from all these embarrassing new-found emotions. We stayed in this clearing for some time. I felt satisfied just laying next to this woman, letting my head drop and rest in the soft forest grasses as she petted and touched me. I was slightly startled when she got to her feet, having been in such a lull of happy sensations. She brushed off her pants with her hands and gave me another kiss atop my head. She quietly walked off down the small overgrown trail that had bordered the clearing. So I got to my feet,
“Don’t follow her, She needs us here” Nova stated matter-of-factly,

“What do you mean? Why would she just walk off?” I asked impatiently

“She has to buy our food somehow” I looked at Nova curiously, “She will call for us Clarke, If she needs us. But be prepared, it is not always the easiest work”

So we sat, I paced in the clearing, begging whatever fates were at play here, Please, please let this not be the end of this bond. The moon started to rise high above our heads when I heard the cracking sound of a thunder stick having been fired trace its way through the trees. I couldn’t take it anymore, I dashed down the steep trail that led into the woods. I ran as fast as I could, my body feeling so much stronger than months ago. Nova ran off after me,

“Clarke! Stop, this is normal!” She whinnied out at me,
“N-no! Not again, I am not saying goodbye again!” I yelled back and picked up my pace. I was nearing a clearing when I heard a whistle. It sounded like a bird, but at this time of night the only birds were owls. So I raced towards the sound to find Angell, My two-legs, standing there. Her once clean outfit covered in blood, she was panting and holding something. I walked slowly towards her, confused by her calm stance. She walked nonchalantly towards Nova, flinging open the satchel, and in the moonlight I could finally see it, she was holding a head, its bleak face devoid of life as she stuffed it into the satchel. She grabbed her water and poured it over herself, cursing as the liquid stung the slash along her cheek.

But I was stepping back, she was no better than the men who killed my family, who took everything from me. Here I was letting this murderer kiss me, pet me, name me, and she is the exact thing that stole everything from me. I snorted loudly, the mist from my nostrils swelling around me as I let out another panicked breath. Nova glanced back at me,
“Clarke, Clarke stop” She took a step towards me, her low nickers hushed as Angell turned to look at me as well,
“Don’t call me that! Don’t call me what that murderer named me!” I was breathing heavily now, my sides quivering with anger and betrayal.  How could I have fallen for this, of course my life wouldn’t just magically get better after all this! I was foolish.
“Clarke it is not what you thi-” Nova began, but I reared up, I was DONE living for mankind to beat me and break me. I was done. So I let my hooves come down hard on Angell’s body, the crunch of hoof hitting bone sounded, and she fell to the ground. Nova bucked at me, nearly missing my jaw as I swiveled away on my hind end.

Angell screamed in pain as she crumpled down, her shoulder obviously dislocated, but I couldn't care less. I tore away, leaving Nova to check on her murderous two legs. I had fucked up, trust shouldn’t come this easy.

⭒✮⭒

Revelation

Have you ever fucked up so bad that no matter how long ago you made this mistake, it still haunts you? It was clear to me that I had made this mistake, whatever draw had led me into a false sense of security it was gone now. I galloped through unknown woods, I tripped over roots and regained my footing just to run some more. I could hear Angell’s pained cries behind me, but they were still far. So I ran faster, faster and faster to the point that trees were a blur as they passed me. I ran without direction or care. I ran deep into the hills that soon became bitterly cold with elevation. When my lungs burned with the cold autumn air and my legs gave out as I slid to a stop. I collapsed, my body laying against the cold rock face of a cliff side. The land was steep here, on one side was a sheer drop, on the other a rocky slope that dropped into a ditch, in front of me was the hill I had run up to get here.

I cried into the night air, silent misery weighing on my heart. She had the same eyes, but she was a killer, a predator cornering her prey and snuffing out their light. I couldn’t help but imagine my little two-legs with that same devoid expression of the head Angell held. It hurt, and I couldn’t tuck it away anymore, I screamed, I cried, I begged for it all to stop.

I don’t know how long I laid there, wallowing in misery, crying, and screaming with pain and loss bubbling out of me like an overflowing river. The point reality came back into view was when the howls of wolves sounded nearby. Not miles away, these wolves were atop me.

I lifted my head, eyes scanning the dark trees surrounding me. There was no way down other than the way I had come up,

“That's fine” I thought, getting to my hooves, “I’ll just go down again” But as soon as my hooves were under me the trees were filled with eyes peering back at me. The moonlight casting just at a point where I could see at least eight pairs of eyes watching my movements. I was pinned against this rock. The large gray wolves stalked up the hill, there were so many of them I was sure to be taken down.

So I reared, making a show of force, snorting as I plowed my hooves into the rocky earth. I glared at them, If this was the way I was going to go, it wouldn’t be without a fight. Despite all my misery, I wasn’t exactly a fan of the idea of being eaten alive, probably ass first. One of the smallest wolves eagerly snapped at my hocks, earning himself a swift kick to the shoulder. I wasn’t able to get enough force behind it to significantly hurt him, but the beast whined as he hit the ground.

With my attention turned towards him, the other beasts took the opportunity to charge me. I noticed just in time, bringing up my front right hoof and smashing one of the wolves heads down into the stony ground. Its body met the ground with a gruesome crunch. As pained whimpers choked out of the creature, the others took a second to back off, readjusting, so the largest wolves were on each side of my hide end they charged in unison.

I bucked, but my hooves missed these more experienced wolves, both found their mark, biting into my hind canon bones. Their teeth drilled straight into my flesh as they clung to their mark. I couldn’t help but scream out in pain, fuck, this was it. Their jaws locked around my legs, I couldn’t lift my hind end off in a buck, if I tried to kick, they just sunk their teeth deeper. Growls and barks surrounded me.

Another charged my front end, and I was able to, by a miracle, shake them off, landing my hoof harshly on their paw, crunching the bones and causing the animal to scream out. It limped away, but still four remained, licking their lips hungrily. One of the smaller wolves snuck in from my left side, leaping and biting into my neck. It missed anything important, but their weight and the pain in my hind end made me slip to the ground, my head level with the center most wolf as he took steps towards me.

This was it, fuck, I was going to die. All this time running from humans, being hurt by humans, and yet I would go to make a dogs' meal. Fuck it, I’ll take this as my defeat.

I waited for the final blow,

One

Two

Boom

The loud sound of the thunder stick echoed through the stony walls of this cliffside.

“Clarke! Get UP!”  I could hear Angell scream, I closed my eyes harder, feeling the wolves let go of my legs and neck, but I still closed my eyes. I blinded myself with fear. The sounds swirling in my head, Nova’s hooves frantically trying to find ground as the wolves jumped at her. Her screams as she was faced with these beasts. Angell’s thunder stick went off a few more times, the sounds of bullets hitting their marks on the wolves was their pained screams into the night air.

Blood, the metallic smell filled my nostrils, I closed my eyes harder. Only when the sounds stopped, the shuffling seemed to stop, did I open them. There was no one around me. Shakily, I got to my feet and limped to look down the hill.

Nova lay on the ground as a wolf a bit into Angell’s leg, her thunder stick flashing and leaving it lifeless on the floor. I blinked, taking a ginger step towards them. Angell’s scream frightened me, as she limped towards her mare. Her pants were ripped, cuts and bites covered her legs, a gash covered her chest down her sternum, and a large bite was embedded into her shoulder. But still, despite all this, she moved towards the mare, who laid still.

Nova had fallen down the hill, her legs bleeding, showing obvious signs of the wolves. She had run into a situation any horse would fear… for me. To save me with her Two-legs. Realization flooded into my heart with the hefty weight of guilt settling with it. I ran down the hill as fast as I could, nickering at Nova as I got to the bottom, tracing my muzzle along her neck, her pulse was so soft, so weak. Her soft brown eyes fluttered at me, then to Angell. I could see her find peace within her two-legs presence. I could see the memories she recalled chase away fear as death came to claim another soul.

The world was soundless, this was my fault, Nova was gone because of me. Had I listened, had I tried to understand, this wouldn’t have happened. They came to save me even when I abandoned them, when I made the decision to put myself in harm's way.

I laid next to nova as close as I could, placing my neck over hers, pulling her head up onto my forelegs. It was obvious the fall had damaged her body more than could ever be repaired. Angell put her head to Nova’s, petting her cheeks and gently as she could. Smears from Angell’s bloodied hands were left on Nova’s pristine fur. But I am sure Nova cared more about the closeness with her two-legs than the blood.

When this brave mare drew her final breath, Angell hugged onto her closely, holding on as tight as her battered body could bear to. But when she was sure Nova had passed, she sat up calmly, tears streaming down her face. I had no idea how long Nova and Angell had been a team, but I have never seen grief that deep. She couldn’t even look at me, she screamed at the moon with a rage fueled by loss. She cried and let the world know of her sorrow.

Nova was gone, her lifeless body laid at the foot of the hill. It was too late to fix this, but I understood now. When Angell had taken that humans' life she did it to protect, she did it to rescue. When she shoved the barrel of her gun down the maw of the wolf that laid to my left, she did it to save me. Nova knew this, she had fought side by side with Angell enough to know that her actions were just and merciful.

So at that moment I made a promise to Nova, a promise that she could take with her to the grave, a promise that could let her rest with less worry. Come wolf, come man, I would fight for her two-legs, I owed her my life.

⭒✮⭒

I don’t know when sleep claimed Angell and I, but we woke up next to Nova. Her body had gone cold by now, Angell had fallen asleep with her head rested against the mare’s shoulder, she not once stirred to leave, ensuring Nova wasn’t alone as she wandered into the unknown.

Even with blood in the wind, no beast bothered us again through the night. Angell woke after me, I had gotten to my feet standing, head low, waiting to figure out what was to come next. For the first time, her eyes locked on mine, her face was still bloodied and dirty, eyes puffy from tears and injury, her clothes were stained dark with a mix of different bloods. I didn’t know what I expected but the level of anger that poured off her was intense,
“Are you going to leave?” her voice was hoarse, “Going to leave me here? Fuck you, fuck me for buying you!” She wiped her nose with her bloodied sleeve, sobbing harder, “Look what you did,” her voice cracked painfully, “if you hadn't run off… If I hadn’t looked for you” her blame immediately reflected inwards. She was angry, and it pissed me off that anger was being directed at herself. This was not her fault, it was mine.

I took a step towards her, my head low. Her hands patted Nova as tears welled in her eyes again, her shoulder where I had hit her was a brutal purple colored bruise, and her legs were torn up in bites and scratches. She said,

“Just… just go, Clarke, go find some other family.… She was all, all I had. Nova, Nova…. I am so sorry Nova” shaky inhales wavered her gentle voice. She wasn’t commanding me, She was giving me my options. How could I have been so stupid, she had given me throughout the summer months to recover. Never once had she pushed me to do anything I was uncomfortable with. Nova was right, this was my only other chance and I blew it. I blew it this hard and here she was, giving me options.

I waited there with her, I didn’t dare move a muscle unless it was what she asked of me.

Around noon, she got to her feet, wiping her face and cursing as her body shook with pain to stand. She unclipped Nova’s saddle and pushed it off, she undid the bitless-bridle and slipped it off the mare’s face. From her pack, she retrieved a first aid kit and a shovel. At first, I thought she was going to finally tend to herself, but instead she walked towards me. Her eyes felt distant as she kneeled next to me, splashing a burning liquid onto my legs. I inhaled sharply, but stood still for her. She blotted the wounds with a soft piece of ripped sheet, clearing away the dirt and dried blood, before she wrapped both my hind legs with bandages. She took her time to be gentle with me, I hated it, I wish she dug her fingers into the wounds, any pain to punish me for drowning in self-pity.

But she didn’t, when she was done she used the shovel to dig up enough dirt to cover Nova with. It took hours, but she finally covered the mare with dirt and rocks packed tightly over her body. There was no way she could have dug a hole big or deep enough for nova with the shoddy shovel she had in her pack. But looking at it all completed, Nova’s resting site was beautiful. Angell wandered back through the trees, a purple flower in hand.

Kneeling before the piled rocks that protected Nova, she bowed her head,

“You became exactly what I knew you could be the day I saw you. Nova” her breath hitched, “I don’t know what is out there after death, but please let it be endless fields and forests for you to gallop through. Let it be morning light warming your fur, and groves with the softest grass to fill your belly, let it h-” a soft sob escaped her lips and She took a shaking breath, “Let it bring you peace, girl” .

Angell lifted the flower and placed it atop Nova’s grave, tucked neatly between two stones. We sat in silence for some time before she got up, looking my way. There was no more anger there, just sadness, I think that hurt more.

She got steadied on her feet, by now the sun was hanging low in the sky. The beasts had left us to wallow in our misery last night, but they wouldn’t be so kind today. She hoisted the saddle up, screaming as her shoulder pained her, teeth gritting together as she limped towards me. I met her, walking towards her and standing solidly as she placed the saddle and her pack atop my back. Her hands leaned into my shoulder as she took deep breaths, crying lightly as she turned to go retrieve the bridle as well, I walked with her, letting her slip it over my head.

I expected her to pull herself into the seat, but instead she started walking, leading us out of the forest. I kept myself  to her side. I had never been truly ridden before, but I was prepared to figure it all out for her, it being the least I could do. But still she insisted on walking, at moments she clutched herself to the saddle to steady herself. She had been through hell, but as determined as she may be, we were not going to make it out of these woods at this pace, I had to do something and quickly.

For Nova, for her, I was going to get us home safe. I’m not a hero, but god dammit, I would give my life to take it all back. So I walked in front of her, lowering my head and nickering lowly,

“Clarke, we have to keep going” she tiredly insisted. She looked up, taking a few more steps before she stumbled, crying out as her battered legs took the impact of her fall. She looked lost, her strength fading quickly. I walked closer, pressing my forehead to hers, my consoling was probably the last thing she wanted at this moment, but I offered it anyway.

“It’s all my fault Clarke, you weren’t ready, I’m… I'm sorry I blamed you, that I put my pride first instead of making you turn back home.” She whispered to me, her voice full of genuine regret. Once again, her lack of anger burned in my belly and stoked the flames of guilt. I winced at the burn but accepted it as punishment.

Looking up, I spotted a rock and an idea took hold. I trotted over to it, neighing loudly at her and shaking my head towards it, saying, “get on my back” as audibly as I could. She looked at me bewildered and got to her feet slowly. Walking towards me, pulling herself onto the rock. Her fingers tightened the straps, and I steeled myself to the unfamiliar feeling of the cinch around my waist. She stalled for a moment, looking over at me, I imagine she was preparing herself to get knocked off immediately. But as she settled her weight into the saddle, I didn’t dare move a muscle.

It wasn’t comfortable, despite her pained attempts to be balanced on my back, but I was sure that was something that came with experience. So I waited for that soft noise and when she gave it I walked forward and started our long journey home.

⭒✮⭒

Snowbird

Winter took its hold on the world by the time that Angell had finally healed. According to Cripps she was lucky to have made it out of the worst of the infection that set in her wounds without losing a limb. My injuries healed relatively easily, Cripps tended to them in a much more gruff manner than Angell had, but I didn’t bother to make any fuss.

The night we came back from the wolf incident, Angell had passed out in the saddle, the “fever” as Cripps called it wreaking havoc in her body. She laid in bed for weeks after that night, hardly moving as her body knitted itself back together. In the meantime, I helped Cripps however he asked of me. I got used to him riding drunkenly on my back as we went to town to retrieve supplies for camp. I hauled deer carcasses and rabbits with Nova’s saddle atop my back for him to butcher and cook. I didn’t think of it like I used to, this was their survival, just like the wolves had hunted us for the same reason. Past the pasture lines and farm’s property, that's all there was. Hunt or be hunted. I found peace in knowing that was nature’s way of things.

After weeks of waiting, I was finally greeted by scent of Molasses in the morning. My eyes still shut tight as the scent of the grains and sugary mixture wafted into my nostrils. I breathed deeply, waiting for the lingering scent of a dream to fade away. But when it hadn’t, I gingerly opened my eyes. Crouched before my bowl was those blue-brown  eyes looking back at me,
“Good morning Clarke, I see you have been working hard lately” She sat before me, huddled in her warm jacket and gloved hands, “Go on, get your breakfast!” She encouraged. But I couldn’t take my eyes off her, I wasn’t sure she would ever recover, but here she sat. I walked forward, over my bowl. Just like that day in the grove, my hooves found the sides of her hip. She resisted a little this time, I could see her throat tense as she swallowed hard. But After a moment she softened, I nuzzled into her neck, finding her pulse point with the sensitive skin of my muzzle. She was here, she was finally safe. If Nova’s last wish was to have her protected, after all she had been through, I was going to do that, nothing would get in my way.

I pressed my head to her chest, relieved to feel her hands rub the side of my face, her thumbs tracing along the surface of my cheeks. I could live for this.

Eventually I turned to my breakfast and Angell got yelled at by Cripps who insisted she be as safe as she could with herself. After much convincing, Angell gripped her saddle and walked towards me,
“Alright Clarke… We need to get to work” She quickly tacked me up after ensuring I had eaten my fill and my fur had been brushed out from Cripps’ ‘wear and tear’. The early morning fog had dissipated by the time we headed out. Angell Grimaced a little bit getting herself settled into Nova’s saddle but sighed once she got settled.

We rode into town, where she surprisingly took the saddle off. A part of me was sure she was going to turn me in at that moment, but instead she came out with a new saddle, a new light brown saddle that fit onto my back much better than Nova’s had. The pinch at my withers gone as Angell settled back atop my back,
“Feel better?” She asked,patting my neck, and I did feel better, this was far more comfortable. We walked towards the center of town, where she slowed us in front of a small building. Suddenly, Angell whistled that same bird song, and a man emerged from the doors.
“Oh, looky here, if it isn’t little miss wolf bait!” The man said, earning an unimpressed ‘uh-huh’ from Angell.

“I’m here to collect that bounty, Brady, and a new Job. Cripps said you wouldn’t give him the money despite him dropping off the proof” she questioned him, arms folded.

“Of course not! Think I’d give that man your money to drink away? I know who did the hard work there” He chuckled before walking inside. Shortly, returning to toss a bag at her, “threw in a little extra for your troubles with them wolves as well… It’s good to see you up and walking again Angell” he said with a low tone and a gentle blush. I couldn’t tell if it was the cold making his cheeks pink or something else. But whatever it was, it stirred a weird sense of jealousy within me.

As soon as he grabbed the clipping for the bounty and handed it to her, I started walking off. Angell didn’t yank back on my reins but instead chuckled, “Well bye now Brady!”. He looked a little aghast she would just let me walk off with her like this, but I knew it was the right call. “Thanks for getting me out of that one boy, I can only take denying him so many times” She patted my neck and let me follow the road as she read through the bounty.

We rode for about an hour east In relative silence, she kept my pace at an easy trot, but we covered a lot of land. Eventually arriving outside a shack that looked abandoned. The area we were in was swampy, a few gators had hissed their presence at us as we trotted by. Angell dismounted and walked around the area, finally sitting herself atop the camp table for a break.

I don’t know what compelled me to do so, but I walked up to her, resting my muzzle in the place that was becoming familiar. Sensing the gentle throb of her pulse against my muzzle, I lipped at the sensitive skin of her neck. The noise that came from her lips wasn’t what I was quite used to from her.

“S-sorry Clarke, I didn’t mean to startle you” She reached out to ease me.  But she was mistaken, she didn’t spook me… I liked whatever that was. Like when you smell a filly waltz her first heat past your nose. You like it in a way that you know could never find resolution, but you allow yourself to lean into that needy feeling.

So I stepped into her, doing it again, but this time letting my tongue lick against her neck. She sat still as stone, letting my mouth taste her skin. I was sure I would taste dirt, but instead it was Vanilla. She tasted sweet not like the sticky taste of molasses, but the buttery smoothness of honeysuckle and the lightest saltiness of sweat. And Fuck I wanted to taste her again, so I did, I licked from collar bone to the revealed skin of her chest. My tongue dragged over the rough edges of the gash that was leaving a scar.

I was so enthralled in this desire I didn’t notice myself slip from my sheath, but as she leaned back, giving me that sweet sound once more, she sure did.

How embarrassing. Licking this woman like a salt lick, and her noises have me slapping like a colt in a field. Her cheeks turned a crimson red,
“Cl-Clarke, I need to get back to work” She pressed on my head to push me away, her expression a delightful mix of confusion and her own lusty emotions. But I stepped away, turning to the side, trying to walk off the erection I had given myself. This only resulted in my unsheathed length swaying side to side. I bet she thought I was an asshole at that moment.

Angell walked around the property, crouching at places to look at imprints in the ground. She finally walked inside the house and returned moments later with a piece of paper in her hand. She read it quickly, tossing the note into the saddlebags. She stalled before mounting up, taking a minute to rub my body. Her usual tender touches turning into mixed signals as she scratched the space between sheath and flank cinch. Her hands, just for a moment, cupping the soft velvety skin of my anatomy.   My ears perked at her curiosity. What the hell was between us today? It wasn’t just her, it was myself. Suddenly the unforgivable image of mounting her flashed across my mind. This was NOT natural, not by any measure.

I was thankful for the work as it helped distract me from whatever… happened there. We headed further into the swamps, but thankfully along the dirt roads. After some time, the smell of campfire greeted my nostrils, and she gently tugged the reins in that direction, dismounting and crouching when we got close to the source. From my saddle she grabbed her lasso… which was curious considering her last job ended in a head being stuffed in the saddlebag.

She snuck up to the campfire. Careful to not snap a twig or alert him at all. After quietly organizing the ropes in her hands, she swung the loop around the man. I thought he was about to jump out of his skin as the fibers tightened around his body, been there buddy,
“F-fuck fuck!” he shouted

“You’re a damn idiot, Edwards. A note and a fire?” her boot crashed into his back as she bundled the ropes tightly around his hands and legs. He was finally bound in such a way he could hardly move.

“N-no, you don’t get it! I didn’t do anything! I am Innocent!” He shouted, panic taking over as he pulled at his bindings. Angell walked back to my saddlebag, throwing the bounty paper at him.

“Sure! So the sheriff shot himself at the poker table in Saint-Denis? OH and all thirty witnesses were mistaken?” She questioned him.

“Sh-Shit, I-I didn’t know he was a sheriff, miss, I swear! Let me go… I-I got a woman! An-and she’s pregnant!” He pleaded. Angell crossed her arms,

“Oh, yes, the woman that was found dead a week after you murdered her as well? Nice one. You’re going to jail” She kneeled next to him, lifting his chin, “You’re going to hang for this, Edwards” She spat back at him. Stretching herself out for a moment before hoisting him up, the familiar bird-like whistle queuing me to come up. She slung him over my back behind the saddle. After securing his binds and hooking him to the saddle, she mounted up herself. Leaning forward in the saddle to pat me on the neck,

“Sorry boy, he has to come with us” She kissed her hand and patted my neck with it. I didn’t care who I had to cart back for her, if that was the apology, I would do it over and over again. So she pointed me in the direction and we cantered out of the swamps. Gators once again making themselves known, one snapping as it laid near the road and making Edwards scream like a dying cat, or a cat in heat, the sound is mighty similar.

It took us a while to get there, but eventually  my hooves trotted across the brick roadways of Saint-Denis. Walking up to the sheriffs' office, Angell dismounted, going around my front to cup my snout, kissing my nose, and heading into the building. On my back, Edwards squirmed as much as his tightly bound body could. I stomped a hoof as if to say, “quit!”  which thankfully, after a pitiful squeak followed by a sob, he did.

A sheriff came outside to grab Edwards off my back, and Allie stepped out of the building, pocketing some money,

“Well boy, looks like sweet feed is bought for the winter” She smiled walking off towards the road, looking back at me and wagging her head, “Come on, we will be sleeping in town tonight”.

She had a point, the sun was already well past the horizon and darkness had settled over the quiet city. Snow had also just started to flurry from the sky.

As we walked I imagined a nice warm stall, nice hay piled in the corner, Angell laid in the warm straw bedding naked… wait… what? I stopped short in my tracks, why did my mind keep going there? I looked towards my little human, she was looking back at me, a flushed red across her cheeks. The surrounding city was sleepy, not a single soul walked these roads tonight, even though the sun had just set an hour or so ago. I walked up to her, wanting to see her reaction. I was not expecting to feel her wrap her arms around my neck, putting gentle kisses on the top of my head before kissing my lips once again. We allowed ourselves to slip into the feeling of our warm lips meeting.

“What’s going on with us, Clarke. Am… am I wrong for wanting this” She huffed, a soft curse escaping her lips, “fuck”. She looked back and forth, the alleyway we had walked down was remote enough that she felt confidence in her actions grow. She trailed her hands along my sides, her hands gingerly finding my sheath again, “s-stop me if this is wrong, Clarke”

I couldn’t find it in myself, my cock slowly but surely dropping from its sheath, “You’re such a big boy Clarke” She spoke softly, like if she was any louder something would rip this moment away from us. Her small hands, warm from the gloves, wrapped around my length. Stroking downwards towards the head of my cock, she traced her fingers along the medial ring before pattering her fingertips to the tip, where she gathered the drooling arousal from my urethra. Gingerly, placing the liquid into her mouth.

Fuck. Me. I don’t care what mare walked past me at this very moment, there was nothing I wanted more than this dirty little two legs and her moans while tasting me off of her fingers. She stole my breath away when she got to her knees, taking my hanging length into her hands and resting her warm lips to the skin. It was cold in the air, but that action alone scorched my body with desire. I tensed my length, tucking my hips and thrusting lightly into nothingness. Desire only grew with this action, no relief came from the brisk air rushing past my erection. I snorted with frustration, looking back at her and groaning with need, panicking at the thought of being left like this, that she would lose her nerve.

But she didn’t, she kissed across my cock again, her hands wrapped around my shaft as she stroked me. Kisses turned into licks, her warm tongue leaving trails along my girth. It felt so blissful, I could feel my balls tensing as she worked my sensitive length with kisses, licks, hot breath, and pressure in all the right places. I lost myself into the motions, a squeal escaping my mouth when she wrapped her lips around the urethra and sucked. Her moans, her fucking moans as she sucked from my cock. I wanted to cum right then, but she pulled away.

I looked back at her with confusion, my mouth open with concern as I let out a throaty grunt filled with need. I don’t think I could ever cum from slapping in a field ever again,

“Don’t worry, boy, I… I have an idea” she looked at the boxes that were stacked alongside the wall of this alleyway. Hoisting her thick ass up onto one and shimmying her pants off, leaving only her panties. She must have been freezing, but I don’t think either of us felt the winter air swirling around the heat of our mutual craving.

But as soon as her pants were off and her panties pulled to the side, I could feel my mouth water with the desire to see how she tasted. Her perfect, soft and pink pussy was presented to me. I know she  must have been expecting me to try to mount, stallions don’t exactly have the best reputation about them in that regard. I know I wanted her to feel like I did about how my cock was just worked to the brink of an orgasm without even penetrating her. Me fucking her was not going to leave that same impression when I inevitably came quickly.

Don’t get me wrong, I wanted nothing more than to flood her walls with my seed, to leave her raw and sore with the memory of my cock. But, I can put away nature for a moment to do this right. I walked up to settle my head between her legs. Inhaling deeply, the sweet smell of her core. She whimpered above me, and I took a second to revel in the eyes she was giving me. So much need in this little two-legs, her hand rested on my poll as she squirmed eagerly.

God, I haven’t even put my mouth on her, and she is soaked, I can see it glistening from the dull light of the lantern behind us. My cock pulsed, throbbing as it slapped against my belly. I took my time dragging my thick tongue along her sex, gathering as much of her arousal as I could. She was salty and sweet, sweeter than her skin, her body only drew me in further, my tongue finding a small little bump hidden behind her folds. When I pressed my tongue to it, she let out a deep moan, her finger’s gripping at my forelock,
“Cl-claaarke” She whined out, dammit I love the way she begs for me. That was my name, all mine, and it was the only name I wanted to be moaned from her lips from now on. I devoured her, all inhibitions lifted. My tongue tasting her over and over, tasting every drop of arousal that spilled from her needy body. Her pussy was swollen with desire, that bump becoming more present as she got closer to the inevitable edge I was driving her towards.

My mouth was relentless, I wanted to feel her fall apart for me, she dove her hands into my mane, grasping onto me with urgent need. Her moans were breathy and full of desire. Her hips bucked against my tongue wildly, finally I pushed further, slipping my tongue into her tight entrance. I have no idea how my cock is going to fit in this perfect pussy, but I’ll be damned if I was going to leave this alleyway without filling her with my cum.

She moaned out loudly, it's a deep, pleasured sound followed by breathy panting before she raises her hips, the walls of her cunt tightening around my tongue as she cums for me. She tastes just like how I imagined, honeysuckle sweet with the lightest saltiness. I withdrew my tongue from her sensitive pussy, giving her a moment to catch her breath. My cock was still slapping needily against my stomach, but I wanted to give her a second to catch her breath.

To my surprise, only a moment later she reached down, using her fingers to spread herself to me, those pretty pink petals spreading for me,

“Clarke, pl-please” and Who was I to leave a lady waiting. I let air rush out my nostrils, grunting with hushed eagerness. I would be impressed if I didn’t cum the moment her tight walls wrapped around my cock. Gently, I placed my front hooves on the boxes she had been leaning on, relieved to find them very sturdy. She slipped down, angling her hips for me. As she readjusted, I noticed her two breasts had been freed from her shirt. I am not sure why, but that drove me wild. I had placed my head between those, and now all I wanted to do was suck her nipple into my mouth and see how much she squirmed from my broad tongue working over that tender flesh.

I silently cursed my equine form for denying me the pleasure of slipping into her and tasting her skin at once, but I resolved to working out our anatomical differences later. This was not going to be the last time we found ourselves in this position, that was for certain,

I was thankful when she grabbed my brown and pink equine cock, lifting her leg to rest against my side, and rubbing my thick tip against her slit. Nature took over, and my hips thrusted forward. Her body resisted my entrance, instead teased me as I slid across her slit, brushing the underside of my cock along her belly. Even that felt wonderful, call me greedy, but I wanted to leave my mark, I needed more than to just rub against her.

I groaned as I pulled back and let her angle me again, she was whimpering and shaking with nerves as she positioned me at her entrance. It took an overwhelming amount of control, but I slowed myself, pressing into her gently, pulling back to coat my tip in more of her fluids. God, I just wanted to hilt myself within her, but this was going to take work. Work I was willing to put in.

She let out a heady moan as I thrusted forward again, my tip finally sinking into her. I had to calm down so I didn’t flare immediately, taking a deep breath as her walls pulsed around me. Tenderly, I sank my hips further, my whole tip sinking in with an audible wet schlorp.
“Ahhn!” She put a hand over her mouth to cover her loud moans, her body shaking as she got used to the stretch. I stilled, until she grabbed my length again, giving me a tight stroke from medial ring to sheath, fuck that felt nice. I pushed further, grunting as her tight cunt milked my tip. I couldn’t help but flag my tail and let out a low nicker. I brushed my nose along her back, waiting for her permission.

A few deep breaths later and I was watching my Two-legs rub her that bud of hers while I was stretching out her pussy,
“F-Fuck O-okay,, mnnph aah, go on Claarke” I took my permission happily. I am glad I made her cum before this, without all this liquid, there was no way I would be able to fit into her like this. I pulled my hips back, surprised to find her hands stroking the base of my cock still. I thrusted forward, pressing my cock to the ring within her. Oh, fuck So tight, so warm, every sensation was perfect. I didn’t care that I could only fit half of myself within her, her hands were plenty talented at handling the rest of my cock while I fucked this perfect pussy.

My eyes closed as I tried to resist cumming for as long as I could, but it only took  five or six thrusts for me to fall over the edge. My equine cock flaring within her, I was surprised by how tight she got at that moment, helplessly feeling milked, her desperate moans and throbbing proving my suspicions. This cute little redhead came from my flare, good, I don’t want her desiring anyone else after this.

I’m not sure what exactly got us to this point, but that was something to ponder when I was not medial ring deep in her. I took a moment to peak down, seeing my flare bulging against her stomach, dammit how did she even fit it? I look massive in her pussy. As a Stallion I can’t lie that the feeling of being well-endowed makes me feel a little cocky. My flare hadn’t quite softened when I started to pull out of her. I would have stayed in the warm depths of her body longer if I could have handled my sensitive tip being throbbed on like that anymore.

Once again, but louder, my cock tip made a POP sound as it tugged free from her depths, resting on her plush thigh. I didn’t need to look, could hear my cum pattering onto the snowy floor. We collectively rested silently, only the sounds of our breathing filling the alleyway.

I finally pulled myself down from the crates, taking in the sight of her pussy slightly gaped from my flare, her blue-brown eyes locked on mine, her lips twisting into a pleasured smile.

“You’re going to be the ruin of me Clarke”

I knew I was, but I promised every time I did, I would find a way to put the pieces back together. If She looked this beautiful every time, I would be spending the rest of my days finding new ways to ruin her.

oH GOD HELP ME WHY SO MUCH TEXT I dun read< thanks for the editor's note dust.