A Saved Friendship
By Eowyn HorseCrazy

Chapter One:

“Lightning, stop that!” I shouted as my friend’s Shetland stallion tried biting Gifty through the fence.  I shoved his nose back through the rails and he squealed.  We where trying to get Gifty to go play in the paddock with my friend’s horses, the 3-year-old black filly Spirit and 10-year-old buckskin mare Gracie, a.k.a., Spirit of the Wind and Graceful Glory.  But, the orphaned filly wouldn’t leave our side, even though Gracie had adopted her.  She just snorted and perked her ears at the other two mares, who stood watching the new filly, swatting flies with their long tails. 

My friend, Rae, sighed. “This little girl needs to learn that she doesn’t have to be with us at all times!” she said. 

I agreed, remembering how every time Rae and I would leave her stall, she'd whinny and neigh and bang on the wall.  And, when we'd come back, she'd jump and squeal with excitement.  It had taken us five long weeks to get Gifty to trust us...

When her mother died, we had taken over as 'mothers'.  My family’s goats had even helped out by giving us milk.  I couldn’t give them too much credit, though.  For one, I had to milk three of the does.  And second, it’s not like they actually wanted to help out by giving milk…or at all.  Gifty shook her cute little head, fluffing out her fuzzy baby mane. 

“Come on,” Rae said.  “Let’s just leave her.  Maybe if she knows that she can live without us, she’ll go over to Gracie.” 

We walked away from the foal and out of the paddock, leaving a very loud, squealing Gifty.  But, Rae was right.  As soon as she found out that we weren’t staying, Gifty trotted as fast as she could on her long, wobbly legs over to Gracie, who nickered and licked Gifty’s face.  I tried not to remember the picture of Keeta that came into my mind… the picture of Keeta craning around with the last of her strength, licking her baby’s face.  It still brought tears to my eyes just thinking about her death.  And, I still wonder why it had to be Keeta.  Rae stopped my thoughts in just the right time. 

“Hey, Beth!  Why don’t we go for a ride?” 

“Sure.  Which ones do we ride?” I knew what the answer would have been just two weeks ago...Keeta. 

“I still miss Keeta, Beth.  It’s not fair that she died.” 

I nodded.  ‘‘I know.... but we’ve still got her baby!’’ I forced myself to say. 

Rae bit her lip.  “I know,” she said quietly.  I took a deep breath.  “So… what horse do you want to ride?”

She shrugged.  “I’ll take Chakotay,” she replied. 

“Okay, I’ll take Towaco,” I said.  We set off to the barn and went to Chakotay’s stall first, passing Nickers.  The poor, pregnant Shetland mare was standing by the door, so I patted her shiny, cream-colored shoulder, then hurried after Rachel.  While Rae silently slipped the bit into Chakotay’s mouth, then slid the headstall over his ears, I laid the saddle blanket over his splotchy back and smoothed it down.  Rae straightened his black-and-white forelock, and then I helped her lift the heavy Western saddle over his back and cinched the girth.  Then we went to Towaco’s stall, and did the same with the quarter horse stallion.  He was a palomino paint, white with yellow-gold splotches all over his body.  If I’d bought him, I’d have named him something like ‘Chief Beauty’ or ‘Dawning Power'.  But he’d been bought as a 5-year-old and he was registered, so his whole name was ‘Towaco Tapping to the Tune.’  I seriously don’t know where they got that name. 

We rode out of the barn and then trotted down the little well- worn path that circles the twelve acres.  There is a pretty deep creek that runs along it for almost the whole way.  Our horses came to a steep hill, with an occasional log lying across the path.  Since the logs weren't too big, we let the horses jump them.  Towaco loved jumping and he was really good at it, too.  I was almost disappointed when I spotted the barn two hours later.  

When we got back, Rachel and I silently loosened the cinches on our horses and took the saddles off, trading the bridles and reins for halters and lead ropes. After that, we walked the horses around Lightning and Nickers’ paddock to cool them off.  The whole time, Rae walked silently behind me and Lightning playfully lunged at Towaco and I, knowing that we didn’t care for him.  None of the horses, other than Nickers, like the Streak of Lightning.  After about thirty minutes, the reddish-brown stallion got bolder.  He nipped my side and then dashed off quickly, snorting… it sounded like he was laughing at me. 

“Oh, that’s just so funny, isn’t it?” I stopped walking to rub my side, glaring at the pony that innocently stood looking at me.  “Now I remember why you where named ‘Streak of Lightning’, you bully!”  I heard Rae laughing behind me.  “It’s not funny!” I protested.  “He bit me, then dashed off…” 

“Like a streak of lightning,” she finished, as she came up beside me.  We continued walking.  “When Dad bought Lightning’s mother, we didn’t know that she was pregnant.  So, when he was born,” she glanced back at the pony, “we couldn’t think of a name until he was two months old.  Then, we where gonna name him ‘Surprise.’  But, when we saw him play that trick, we decided to name him ' Streak of Lightning'.” 

“You should have named him Stubborn, or Stupid Stubborn Stallion,” I said, jokingly but angry.  

“He’s not stupid, Beth.  You know better than to say that.  Just yesterday he figured out how to unlatch the paddock gate.  He got loose and got into the barn where Grant was grooming Nickers, so Brian put a lock on it.  And, a week ago he picked Kirsten’s kitten, Princess, up and threw her across the paddock to get her away from Nickers.  He’s not stupid!” 

“Oh, okay,” I replied, “Just a brat.” 

“As with all Shetland ponies,” Rae said, looking back at Lightning who had decided to stand in a corner looking listless and bored.  We groomed and loosed our horses, then went to Nickers’ stall with a treat.

“She’s so cute!” I said, scratching the palomino pony’s chest.  Her eyelids closed halfway and she nickered.  We groomed Nickers.  Then we brought Gracie and Spirit in and groomed them.  We moved Gifty in with Gracie.  Then it was time to do Lightning.  We finally caught him, then tugged him in to the crossties and groomed him.  We began pulling him out to his section of the pasture.  As we struggled down the stall way, Lightning whinnied for Nickers and she whinnied back.  When we came to her stall, Lightning put his nose over the door and nuzzled Nickers’ cheek.  I couldn’t help but think that was cute.  We finally got the ornery pony to the gate and Rae handed me his rope so she could unlock it.  Lightning did just what I expected… he nipped me in the side. 

“No!”  Lightning held his head up as high as he could.  But I’m taller than he thinks.  I quickly popped him under the chin.  “No bite!” I said sharply.  He neighed and it sounded even more like laughing then when he snorted.  That pony and I just couldn't seem to get along with each other. 

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