Username:
Frigid Infatuation.
Name:
Apollo
Gender:
male
Where did those bells come from?
At one point in time, Apollo was one of the most untamable and rebellious of his kind with an attitude bound in immortal flame. At least that's how he saw himself. He spent his days trotting along freely in the deep forest and fending for himself in solitude - apart from the squirrels, deer, and other minor creatures he'd happen across from time to time. He took pride in being uncatchable. He was far more intelligent than he would ever let on, able to dodge every man-made trap in the books. That is, until he messed up.
He once grazed in the middle of a serene, spacious meadow without a care in the world. He let his guard down for too long, and took an accidental step into a well hidden bear trap. He snarled in pain and desperately tried to free himself, but every pull and tug only played upon his pain. He stood there for what could have been hours, until the sun began to sink over the trees and the air began to chill. His breaths were short and many, any movement torturous to his caught foot.
After waiting and waiting to meet his fate, his eyes darted to a movement within the trees - a man of dark skin who carried a bow and had clothing sewn from furs that Apollo could recognize. A younger man emerged from behind him. The older man turned to the younger man and whispered something that Apollo could not understand. He decided that they must be Indians. Had they come to free him? The man pulled out a peculiar looking weapon and Apollo's heart sped up. The last thing he remembered was a sharp pain in his side before he fell into a cold slumber.
Once he had awoken, he immediately saw the wooden bars of a cage. He was surrounded by more of these Indians who seemed to be very interested in him, but he felt very anxious and closed in. He was eventually given food and water, and his foot had been tended to, and by nightfall he was exhausted of this strange place. Just as he was settling in to sleep, he heard the bars of his cage dragging across the dirt. He glanced up to see a small girl, no older than seven. She did not seem to be afraid of him, nor did she seem hostile.
She approached him tenderly and he allowed her to stroke his mane.
"I will get you out of here," she told him softly. "I promise."
She then pulled out of her dress pocket a strange, red belt-like string that had what looked like golden spheres attached to it. They made a pleasant, high-pitched noise as she moved the unusual belt.
"This will heal your foot. It is a sacred heirloom that has been passed down through my family since my great, great, great grandmother blessed it years ago."
She began to braid it into his tail. He finally fell asleep to the comforting sensation of the girl weaving his tail carefully.
Surely, when he woke up, the belt was still there, and his foot had healed dramatically. He spent his day much like the first - being admired and gossiped over by the tribe, through the bars of his cage. He was bored for the most part. He groomed himself on and off throughout the day, ate what was given to him, and tried to keep a positive outlook. This time he did not sleep. Instead, he remained awake through much of the night, waiting to see if the little girl would come back. He was not disappointed.
This time, however, she did not enter the cage. She simply gestured for him to leave the cage and said, "Go." He bolted through the open cage door and far out of the village. He didn't dare stop until he was in completely unfamiliar territory and his lungs felt as if they were burning. He was free once more, and he had a generous little girl to thank for not only his freedom, but also the healing of his foot. It was for that reason that he decided to keep the bells she had given him and attached to his tail. It did and still does remain a symbol of happiness and freedom, and a reminder of the Indian girl who saved him from captivity.
