[arabianhorse555]

Owner: arabianhorse555
DAM's name: Velinyr
Gender: male
Height: 14.3 hh
Rarity: Very Rare
Story:

A subtle shift in the wind, a sound off in the distance. A sandstorm was coming. Velinyr snorted; he had been having a lovely run through the dunes, it was a shame he would have to cut it short. He wheeled around and galloped towards the caves, the only shelter for miles. He could hear it more clearly now, and it sounded like this was going to be a bad one. He was about to push himself to run faster when he heard it. A soft cry to the right. He slowed for a moment, and heard it again. It sounded like a human. He turned, and headed towards the sound. As he reached the top of the dune, he saw a girl sitting forlornly in the sand. She wore the garb of the nomads he saw from time to time, and judging by the tracks in the sand she had been dumped by her camel. Silly beasts, but the nomads had little else to work with.

He trotted down the dune, and the girl glanced up in surprise. Her eyes widened in wonder, and while he normally would have taken a moment to prance with pride, there was no time for that now. When he reached her, he knelt down and indicated that she should climb on his back. She seemed confused, until he nudged her around and she saw the approaching storm. Once she had climbed aboard, he rose and, once he was sure she would not fall, took off. The wind was starting to pick up now, and he could hear to howling of the sandstorm approaching. He pushed himself to run as fast as he could. The girl was very light, so his speed was hardly affected. He could see the caves in the distance, but at the rate the storm was approaching it was going to be close. Sand was starting to whip at his sides, urging him to run faster. The caves were so close now, just a few more seconds! They burst into the caves just as they would have been overtaken. Velinyr slowed, picking his way with care. There was a chamber not too far ahead, they could rest there until the storm passed.

Inside the chamber, he allowed the girl to dismount. They were close enough to the entrance for there to be enough light to dimly illuminate the cave. There was a patch of moss growing near the side of the wall, which the girl went and rested on. They both dozed off. Velinyr awoke some time later, and realized the storm had passed. He nudged the girl awake, and they made their way out of the cave. Velinyr sniffed the breeze, and noticed the scent of humans and camels, coming from the north. He allowed the girl to climb onto his back again, and off they went. After about half an hour, they came across the tracks of a caravan, which they followed until they caught up with it. The girl called out a greeting, and the caravan was stopped as several of the humans replied. The girl jumped off his back, gave him a hug, and ran off to join her people. As the caravan started to move off, she turned and waved to him, and he responded with a piercing cry, before turning and continuing his run.

*might make some changes later

[Ralonica]

Owner: Ralonica
DAM's name: Rache
Gender: Stallion
Height: 14.3 hh
Rarity: Very Rare
Story: The ground trembled, the skies dark, the moon only a silvery flicker of light. Pitch black, the desert plains stretched into the night. In the village, the worn people huddled together in the cold desert night, frightened mothers bringing their children close, fathers grimly standing at the hut entrances, guarding their families. Unseen to all, the stallion stood, his long mane flowing in the breeze, his pale coat shining in the night, as he watched over the people, looking into the night. He didn't want to show himself, not yet, anyway - for he knew he would stir a hope in the villager's hearts, when they couldn't dare to hope, not yet, not so soon.

Far away, on the rise of a distant dune, the rival stood. His coat glistened under the moonlight, his olive coat shimmering. There he was, Thanatos, the DAM of Death, come once again to conquer, to defeat, to riddle the villagers with death itself. His long mane rippled in the breeze, and the white stallion knew that this rare DAM would bring no fortune to whoever laid eyes upon him. His cold eyes were fixated on the small village, a dark shadow seemed to pass around him. The stallion knew that he couldn't let Thanatos destroy the village with his curses. He had to stop him before he wove his spells of death and despair.

The stallion neighed out, a powerful challenge, to Thanatos, and the other stallion lifted his head, his dark eyes calculating the one who dared step into his way. Slowly, deadly, Thanatos answered the white stallion's cry. Then, like a bolt of lighting, the two stallions shot down the dunes, towards eachother, screaming wild challenges to eachother.

It was moments before the stallions were locked in combat. Hooves flying, manes flowing, teeth biting and sweaty hides glistening, they fought and fought. In the village, the people huddled closer together, hearing the battlecries of the fight, believing there was war in the heavens themselves. It went on and on, blood staining the sandy floor, both stallions exhausted, but not going to be the first to drop down, not going to be the one to surrender.

Slowly, the stallions both started to withdraw, panting, exhausted. It was clear that there was going to be no victor, not this time. Thanatos looked loathingly at the sweating, injured stallion, but his injuries matched his own. Walking away, the DAM of Death snorted angrily, knowing that he had been forced to leave the village unharmed, tonight.

The white stallion sighed, but he knew he Thanatos be back. He had dared to stand in the way of the deadly stallion, had he not? And he knew that he would want revenge. But not tonight. The stallion walked away, proudly, though he was covered in cuts and bruises. One day, Thanatos would be defeated. The curses he brought would vanish forever.

Hearing the silence, the people ran outside. Far off, on a distant dune, they saw him, just a glimpse, the white, long-maned stallion. Hope stirred in their hearts, knowing that the day would come, they would be safe for yet another night.

[ArrowΩCountry]

((I hope the color is alright, I just used it to separate the two characters in my story ^_^))
Owner: 13CountryGirl13
DAM's name: Restless Vision (Vision for short)
Gender: Stallion
Height: 14.3 hh
Rarity: Very Rare
Story:
"Grandma, do you know about Vision?"
"Why of course hun, I'm not completely blind you know! How old do you think I am?"
"No grandma, not like your eyes, but the ghost horse Vision! The one people say lives alone in the desert around town?"
"Ahh, that Vision. Well, has your mum told you my story about Vision? No?! Well, then I guess it's time!
It was many many years ago, when my bones didn't creak and my hair wasn't white as a sheet. I was out in the desert, enjoying a day to myself. You see, I had four younger brothers, and I was usually in charge of them when they were home. I hadn't realized how late it was until it had gotten so dark I could barely see where I was stepping. I was scared, being a young girl alone in the desert. I'd heard the stories of the criminals that hid out in the desert, and I was beginning to see things in the dark.
I finally gave up, turned back the direction I thought I had come from, and began running. I'd never run so fast in my life! Let me tell you, there is nothing more exciting and awakening than running through the desert at night, breathing all the fresh clean air! I saw a light ahead, and began to think I'd actually made it back to the edge of town. That was, until the most horrible man I'd ever seen stepping into the light, casting his deformed shadow across the sand.
I realized too late, and he saw me. I let out a blood curdling scream as I turned and tried to run away. He was too fast though, and he grabbed my arm while I was trying to scramble around a large rocky outcropping. I kept screaming, hoping, praying, someone would hear me. He dragged me through the sand back to his little camp, and tied me up to a post. He began making these horrible noises, and it was obvious we didn't speak the same language. He sounded Arabic, possibly Persian.
I began sobbing, something he didn't seem to like much. He screamed at me, but when I continued to cry he unrolled a whip I hadn't seen in his hand before, and as his face broke out into a terrible grin, he revealed an almost toothless mouth. He reeled his arm back and with a crack, slashed the whip across my back. I let out a loud yelp and cried louder, hoping someone would either find me, or this man would just hurry up and kill me. He whipped me again, this time across the forearm. I screamed again, and as the edges of my sight began to go black, I saw him come racing towards us.
When I woke up, I was at the edge of town, and the sun was just beginning to break the horizon. I had painful welts on my back and arm, which just confirmed the fact that everything that happened last night had been real. How did I get away, you ask? Well, it was Vision. At first I was just as confused, but when I turned around and looked out into the desert, I saw the hoof prints as they began to fade away. With my eyes, I followed them to the top of a sand dune, and there he stood, in all his glory. His black markings broke up his pearl white pelt, and in the dawn light he looked just like a ghost; a true desert mirage. I wondered if I wasn't just dreaming, but I still remember the whinny he let out as he reared up at the top of that dune. Then, I swear, he lowered his head and looked down at me, as if making sure I was alright. I jumped up to my feet and began to walk towards the ghostly horse, my back and arm in burning pain. I reached my hand out as I got closer to him, but I never got close enough to touch him. In a flury of sand he took off down the backside of the sand dune, and just like that he was gone. I knew, I still know, that he is real. That horse saved my life."

[SydneyandStorm]

Owner: SydneyandStorm
DAM's name: Ignacio
Gender: Stallion
Height: 14.3 hh
Rarity: Very Rare
Story: Silence. You hear nothing but silence, save for the sifting of sand beneath your cloven hooves worn soft on the inside from the rough texture of the sand. Your body screams out for rest - just a moment's break - but still you plough on, head thrust forward like a broken-spirited draft horse. So close. You hear the words go drifting past your ears but simply ignore them and shut your eyes. You don't need encouragement. You need silence. You're so close. You hear it again and toss your head, pinning back your ears to keep the sound out. Where is it coming from? There can't be anyone around to say it, but it seems too real. Almost there. Could this be an illusion? A dream of the desert? The sound is definitely softer through your closed ears, but somehow it seems closer.
You made it.
Your knees crumple beneath you, dragging your body down into the unforgiving sand and trapping it there, holding you against your will which in itself is slowly fading; dying; shattering. For one moment you fight to keep your eyes open - the next, you surrender.

You wake up near a rare desert oasis, with water at your feet and food nearby. Though you first feel an overwhelming sense of relief, it is defeated by the sickly feeling that nestles itself in your stomach. Someone else is here.
Before you can say anything, you find yourself staring into two deep, penetrating blue eyes.
What?
You jump to your feet and back away cautiously, entire body focused on him.
"You're jumpy," he comments, moving towards you. For every step he takes in your direction, you scuttle backwards the same distance. "You need to be braver."
"No I don't," you defend yourself, switching your tail. "I don't have to be anything."
"Sure you do." The stallion stops, and for the first moment you take a good look at him. His coat is white - pure, soft white, a white that any artist would surely desire for his own painting usage - and he's patterned with soft blues and grays, perfect drops like the rain the desert so desperately needs. "You're a member of my herd now."
You stand up stiffly and suddenly in indignation. "I most certainly am not!"
He saw the fear that crossed through your eyes for a brief moment. "You most certainly are. I saved your life. Now you are in my herd until I say you can go."
You fumble with your words, not being able to think of anything clever to contradict him. Despite the stallion being on the smaller side, he's strong and could take you on in a heartbeat. "What's your name?"

WIP <3

[~Soul~]

Owner:
~Soul~
DAM's name:
Frozen In Tyme (Tyme for short)
Gender:
Height: 14.3 hh
Rarity: Very Rare
Story:

Once there was a young maiden with brilliant gold hair, and every day she would have to work the fields and after the long day of work her hair would get dirty and covered in mud. The maiden was depressed by her every day life and one early morning the maiden went to the river to wash before heading to the market with the gold coin her lord (boss) gave her to by supplies for the next week. But before she left the river after her bath she heard the pounding of hooves up in the monitions.

With being wonder she climbed the mountain and saw the most beautiful horses and they were digging gold up from the earth and after eating the gold they breathed the sweetest music one could ever hear, and with that the maiden feed one of the horses the gold coin and when she came back home her boss scold her for waiting the coin and whipped her twenty times. Each week she would do the same thing, she would climb the montian to hear the horses sweet song and feed them the gold coin that she was given to by food. With every night she came back empty handed she would be whipped another twenty times.

After the forth week her boss exiled her had kept all her possession except the cloths on her back. With no Gold to feed the horses she would no longer get to hear the sweet music and with that she fell to her knees and sobbed once she reached the river. After a while of sobbing she looked at her reflection in the water and remembered that her hair was a gold color and with that she began to wash her hair in the river. She washed and washed her hair till her hair shined like gold and then she shaved her head. With her long gold hair in a handkerchief she headed up to the monitions and awaited the horses to return. When she saw the horses coming she pulled out her gold hair and offered it to the horses but they payed no attention and ran past her. When all seemed lost The maiden was heartbroken. But the very last horse had stopped and turned back her coat a brilliant white color witch looked like it was splattered with ink came up to her. After the magnificent horse sniffed her hair the horse slowly nibbled the hair and then was able to make the most sweetest music music the maiden would ever hear and the Horse seem to glow and with a swift movement the mare picked up the maiden and ran off into the sky where they were Frozen in Tyme with the music and became one with the wind.

[Bast-et]

Owner: ~Bast~
DAM's name: Valiant
Gender: Mare
Height: 14.3 hh
Rarity: Very Rare
Story:

Another vision wracked the young woman's body where she lay in the damp cell of Britian's prison.
The two armies clashed once more, Britian and France, continuing the war they perpetuated past reason. Both sides had lost more than they could ever hope to gain by victory, and God's favor began to wane as more men met their death on the ends of swords.

Again and again she'd seen this vision. But where was she? She led this charge.

She felt weapons clash in her bones and heard the ringing in her ears. Hot blood stained her hands, and flavored her mouth. Every injury on the field was hers: Britian and French, the cuts, wounds, broken bones, crushed flesh, and mutilated minds.

But where was she? Where was her courser, where was her guard? She knew this vision, lived it's result. And where was she?

There was her grey courser, racing into battle, carrying her slight, armoured figure. She was Joan of Arc! This was her campaign for peace! She was graced by God with visions, and in desperation, the French men followed the feckless teenage girl into battle. But it wasn't her sturdy grey courser she rode. This creature was of unspeakable beauty, slender with perfectly straight long legs. Girl and horse raced past the vanguard, and plunged towards the British troops, who-

Heavy steps outside her cell door rattled her from the vision. She immediately felt the loss of the white horse-horse of Kings. Greys were treasured for their ease to find on the battlefield; they were the mounts of Generals. But the white she rode in her vision was finer than any horse she had seen before.

"Quit lookin at me wit ye devil eyes, Witch!" the jailer spat. He was an unpleasant man, dirty and always smelling faintly of alcohol. His rotting yellow teeth gave him the look of an ogre and flavored his breath with the reek of rotting carcasses. Joan would have disliked him even if the only reason he hadn't killed her yet was the enjoyment he gained from slowly starving her.
"The Council wants ye, ye ugly witch. That flamin red hair of ye's marks ye as the Devil's and ye unnatural actions jes proves it. We all know dat ye witches don't hang, so I gess we got a burnin ta look forward ta dis evenin."

Joan shuttered but didn't speak. She hadn't talked since the first day the British captured her and locked her here. But now it looked like she would soon be executed. She wondered if it was odd that now that she was to die, she even missed this pathetic hole of a cell. Any life was precious when death loomed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Councilmen found her guilty in five minutes without her even opening her mouth. The hordes of bloodied soldiers around her cheered and congratulated each other on the conviction of the witch. Joan herself stood, her hands tied before her with rough rope. It was the only sensation she could feel. Every emotion had seeped into the ground below her, and the only thing left was the piece of itching rope around her wrist.
They hauled her to a stake driven into the ground. She stood numb before into, and didn't resist as the tied her to it and began the build the fire- pyre- beneath her feet. The voices raised in exuberant celebration buzzed in her ears... And Joan of Arc fainted, for the first time in her life.

When she awoke, the sun barely clung to the sky. A cooler breeze blew now, and Joan felt a coldness on her shoulder. Looking down, she realized that she had been crying unconsciously. Then an expectant hush fell over the soldiers as a man strode forward with a flaming torch. He raised it above his head, and the sky split with the soldier's compounded roar. He touched the torch to the wood beneath her. And Joan saw another vision in white barrel down the hill behind the men.

The flames licked against the flesh of Joan's leg, tasting her salty sweat and tears. It reached higher, and singed her clothes. Twisting her vibrant hair with it's heat, the fire illuminated Joan's beauty while consuming it. With a skill keener than any torturer's knife, the fire drew forth the most illicit pain- but Joan focused her eyes and thoughts on the white horse and uttered no whimper. The fires roar deafened her to the whispers of the crowd, "She is truly a witch- no mortal woman could stand such pain." but she saw their shocked faces through the undulating waves of heated air.

Like from behind swirled glass, Joan saw the men part before the white mare's charge. Now Joan's eyelashes were flaking, her fingernails curling, and her skin melting. The the white mare had reached her, and Joan of Arc smiled through the pain she hardly felt, and whispered through the dry lips her first words in captivity, "You made it after all; my valiant, valiant savior." Then Joan's eyes rolled back into her head and she fainted for the second time in her life.

The white mare screamed and men stepped back with their hands over their ears. Still shrieking, the mare lunged into the flames, stamping them out with her hooves. The mare's eyes rolled in her head with pain, but she didn't pause until only smoke and soot singed her once-white coat in spots. Then she shoved the fire-eaten stake over, and freed Joan from the pole.
"Look, the devil sent a demon to save the which!" shouted one men in the baffled silence. His companion cuffed him acrossed the head,
"That's ain't no demon ye idiot. No devil-spawn could be so pure." He walked forward and reverently laid Joan across the horse's back. "Best 'O luck ye miracle" he murmurred to the horse. Then he stepped back and declared, "I anti gonna do no more fighting fer no nobleman! God ordered that girl saved, and the most pure and valiant soul saved her. I won't lift no sword against God!"
In waves the men dropped their swords, lances, maces, and axes. And the white horse carried away the precious hope of the French to ready her and carry her into the battle she had seen herself leading. And who knew how the world would be shaped then. No one but a snowy white mare, as valiant as any knight.

[Punxz]

Owner: Punxs
DAM's name: Desert Valkyrie
Gender: Mare
Height: 14.3 hh
Rarity: Very Rare
Story:

There were a group of travelers crossing the vast desert on foot with one camel carrying all their supplies. They were well prepared and had decided to travel during the day and rest at night. They had been lucky the past few days as they hadn't encountered any problems so all were in high spirits.
Once it started to grow dark they set up camp and got ready to sleep. Night closed in quickly and soon it was pitch black so the group retired to their tents for the night. But they did not sleep soundly. A sandstorm had started and their tents were getting blown down and their supplies were going with them. The leader of the group shouted as loud as he could over the howling wind to the others telling them to gather what they could and strapped it on the camel before deciding the best bet was battling the storm to find shelter.
They battled the winds with all their strength pushing past the sandy wall hoping to find something that would shield them from the storm. Suddenly a large gust of wind blew past them, throwing sand into one of the groups eyes before pushing him over. By the time he had cleared his eyes the rest of the group had disappeared into the sandy night. He couldn't see anything in the nights darkness and the sand did not help.
He struggled to his feet and picked a direction to travel in, hoping he would catch up with the rest. By the time morning came the man was exhausted and thirsty. He started to walk slower and slower before his feet started trailing the ground causing him to trip and fall on his front. He didn't have the energy to get back up so accepting his fate he closed his eyes and waited for the buzzards to come. He didn't know how long he had been lying there but he got the feeling something was watching him. He opened his eyes and noticed a shadow around him. He glanced up and saw the silhouette of a creature with long flowing hair and it also seemed to be glowing.
He squinted to block out some of the glaring sun and realized it was a horse standing over him. The horses eyes gave him the impression that the horse was a mare. From what he could see she was white with black spots. The most magnificent creature he had ever seen. The mare slowly stepped towards him and lay beside him. He then felt something grab the back of his shirt and pick him up and lay him over the horses back. She carefully stood back up. His final though before he blacked out was that Death had come for him.
The next he knew was lying on his back in the shade of a tree surrounded in grass. He sat up and looked around the area. It appeared to be an oasis with a large lake at the center. He stood up and walked towards the water. Scooping up handfuls he splashed his face to cool himself off and drank some of it.
He go the feeling he was being watched again. Looking over his shoulder he spotted the Mare standing in the cover of a tree near by. He slowly got up and stepped towards her. He ears suddenly pricked up and her eyes widened. Spinning on the spot the took off away from him.
The man sighed. He ad finally realized what she was. She was a Desert Appaloosa Mustang. He had been told of the legend but everyone said they were just that.
"Thank you for saving me" He whispered as he watched the Mare disappear across the desert "Desert Valkyrie"
Then he heard someone calling from behind him. He turned around to find the rest of his group walking towards him. He ran over to them and embraced each on in turn before heading back to the new camp they had made. He looked over his shoulder in the direction "Valkyrie" had headed and smiled to himself. "Thank you so much"


Sorry it is so long .
Hope you enjoy it

[lichenfeather]

Owner: Lichenfeather
DAM's name: Sade Tuojana (Rain Bringer in Finnish)
Gender: Mare
Height: 14.3 hh
Rarity: Very Rare
Story: Bare withered trees streached across the landscape. Nothing stirred, not even the wind, as the hot mid-day sun blazed down below. The heat blurred the edges of the landscape, streaching as far as the eye could see. In the distance, the soft stirring of sand could be seen. From over a dune, where the sand sifted softly came the high pitched whinny of a horse. Then, all in a moment, the soft sound of the desert horses running could be heard. They tossed their heads, their short manes flopping onto their sweat streaked necks. The horses swirled down towards the water hole that stood nearby. One horse broke off to a small rise, where he stood and reared, ensuring his herd would be safe where they were. Knowing the world was safe he returned to his herd.

The herd stood at the edge of the dusty hole in the ground, pacing, and making small sounds of distress. The water was gone. The drought had taken its toll. That was the last water hole the herd knew of. Now it was gone. Calling out to his restless herd the stallion plundged away, his thin, thirsty mares stumbling after him.

Sade stood, flicking her long tail, under the meager shade of a small tree. The sun was setting, creating a beautiful array of colour over the dunes. She nickered and glanced at the sky once more. It was still clear. The rain had been gone for so long... Sade shifted her weight, remembering the droplets of water splashing on her back as she danced in the downpour. That was when she was a foal, a time that seemed so long ago.

The sun was almost gone now, and the world was darkening. Sade tossed her head and trotted forward, into the desert. She paused to nibble at some grass. Though dusty, it was the first thing she had seen in many days, so, dispite it's dusty taste and sharp leaves the cut her mouth, she ate it. Her coat was streaked with dust and sweat, from running from other horses. They had called to her, inviting her to join them, but all she had done was run. Why? Something told her that if she stayed with the others, she would never feel the rain again. Her delicate ears suddenly shot backwards. With an alarmed snort she turned on her forehand, pivoting in the spot. Three stallions were calling to each other, bounding over the dunes, towards her. Sade shot into a gallop, moving away from the horses. Even after they were out of sight she continued running, until the sky had turned dark many times over. Standing on a lone rise Sade Tuojana, Rain Bringer, reared and called out, up to the sky. And the sky answered. With a rumbling crack the sky split, and began to fall, tears from the sky. Forgetting her weariness in joy, Sade plundged forwards, galloping back to where she came from.

As the droplets began to fall, the stallion and his mares snorted, pawing the ground in excitement. None of them knew that they owed their lives to the mare standing, drenced, half-hidden in the rain. The stallion gave a joy filled bugle and raced forwards, driving his mares towards the water hole they had left three days before. The lone mare turned, and trotted away, her tears mingling with the droplets that streaked down her coat.


I tried to make this based off of the fact rain often comes soon after the sighting of a long maned DAM. Hope it's good enough!

[Leviathan]

Owner:
RunningBlaze
DAM's name:
Asami
Meaning:
Beauty in Japanese.
Gender:
Female
Height:
14.3 hh
Rarity:
Very Rare
Story:
W.I.P

[CopperChaos]

Owner: copper96
DAM's name: (Grand Dutchess) Anastasia
Gender: Female / Mare
Height: 14.3 hh
Rarity: Very Rare
Story: She trotted along, her hooves kicking up little sand as she glided along, her head held high to the sun's beams, and her mane shifting in the slight breeze from her home. As she moved something else caught her eye, stopping she turned to her sparkling blue eyes upon what was there. She galloped over to investigate only to stop short from the horrible scene before her.na young filly, not much older than 1, was struggling along, her steps wobble and slipping in the ever shifting sand. Anastasia turn her saddened orbs to one of the filly's rear legs, it was swollen and from to puncture wounds seeped a ghastly liquid, the smell assaulting her nose, it seemed to be puss and a thick coppery bloode that oozed from it. The wound was open and seeming to get worse with every agonizing step. The filly spoke shaky words through clenched teeth " h-h-help-p m-me" and before Anastasia could take more than a few steps forward the mare gave a frightened call of distress as she collapsed to the ground, grunting when she settled into the sand where she stood moments ago, but then moaning in pain as sand got in the open wound on her leg. Anastasia rushed forward, only realizing then that the filly's ribs showed, and nuzzled the young one, murmuring comforting words, unsure if they were for her or the filly, "don't worry, I'm going to help you, I won't let you die, your in my care now" she shifted to look at the wound and then at the tired expression on the filly's face, and then it dawned on her, she could fall asleep or she might not ever wake up and she had to get her to her oasis. She step closer and spoke to her " you have to stand up now ok, I have to get you to safety" the filly open her eyes grunting in pain as she tried to stand. Anastasia supported her weight and together they traveled ever closer track to the oasis the filly was so close to actually coming to, Anastasia's oasis was actually just of one sand dune, resting in the shade of a few trees and shrubbery with sparkling blue water. She looked up the side of the sand dune, for once realizing how high it was and why her oasis probably wasn't found often by others. They slowly moved up overit, Anastasia now supporting most of the filly's weight as they climbed, trudging along in the sand. They reached the top and began the slow decent down to the forgiving oasis. Not long late Anastasia layer the young one down and inspected the wound, it appeared to be a sidewinder rattlesnake birth that had been left untreated, course how would one so young, without a mother, know how to treat such a wound, especially one of this degree. Anastasia trotted around her oasis bring back bits of grass and leaves for the filly to eat. Then Moving her again, closer to the small water source, so she could drink and Anastasia could clean her wound. After all the sand and grime was washed away and puss started to flow out again did she leave the filly to go looking for what she need to help cure the wound, " I'll be back ok, leave it how it is, and occasionally dipping itin the water to release a bit of the pressure." she instructed the filly and the young dam nodded solemnly in reply. Anastasia trotted away, then going as fast as her limbs would carry her to the only spot she could think to find a blooming cactus at this time. She raced along and before dawn had reached the destination, she trotted through the small cactuses growing and plucked a small flower bud from one, a bud plump full of growing nutrients. Anastasia raced back to her oasis, her muscles straining, yet not stopping for fear of the young filly not making it. She bounded up the sand dunes and back to the oasis only slowing when she saw the filly was ok. Ever so carefully she stepped forward and looked at the wound again, most of the poison had been removed with the flowing of the puss but infection was still strong and she hoped this would help, it's the only remedy her mom had taught her after all. She lowered her head to the wound, squeezing the plump cactus bud between her teeth and dripping the liquid that came from it onto the filly's wound. The filly twitched and grunted in protest. "hold still, please, i know it probably stings but trust me it will help" she said comfortingly, the filly stopped but stared on as Anastasia worked on the wound. Days passed and the filly grew stronger, the swelling going down and the wound closing over with big scabs. The filly now was standing, and eating normally. Anastasia watched as the weeks passed and the condition of the filly increased everyday to where all that remained of the incident was two big pink scares on her leg. Anastasia never questioned the filly though, not wanting to push away this new friend that was now seeming to be like a daughter to her, after she had saved the young ones life. Anastasia looked up from grazing one day, not being able to take the suspense any more she said " you can stay her as long as you like, you are like family to me now, but what's your name" the filly shyly looked at her " I don't have one"....... (the end for now)