Owner: Me?Sarcastic?
Show Name: Heaven’s Drums of War
Barn Name: Tarran (Welsh name for Thunder)
Gender: Stallion
Age: 9
Halter color: Thunder-themed
Pearl/jewel color (halter): Surprise me?
Story: Lightning flashed, thunder rolling loudly through the air not a moment after. There was no way Tarran was going to outrun the oncoming storm. He knew he shouldn't have gone out alone, yet he always felt drawn to the storms. His coat shone as another shot of lightning lit the sky. The thunder that followed was deafening. The dark stallion let out a shrill whinney and put on a burst of speed. His hooves barely touched the earth as he galloped. Another flash of lightning just twenty feet to his left surprised him enough to make him stumble, but he quickly gained control of his legs again and continued to run. Only a bit farther to the trees he thought frantically. They were his only escape; the promise of his herd. He could just see the tops of the trees coming into view. Then, the rain started. It was only a sprinkle at first, but took no time to turn into an all out storm.
Tarran could barely see anything, until once again, a bolt of lightning lit the world as brightly as if it was day. The thunder came almost simultaneously, alerting the stallion that it was practically upon him. He shook the water droplets from his eyes as he ran. The trees ahead were getting closer, closer... All of a sudden, a bright flash hit one of the trees. Immediately, the tree lit aflame. Even in the torrential downpour, the fire spread quickly, going from tree to tree, reaching its orange flames down to the mostly dry grass below.
Tarran screeched to a halt, the muddy ground flying in all directions as he slid to a stop. He didn't know what to do. The rain over the forest, and the stallion himself, seemed to be dissipating, but the second wave was just behind him. On one side was the storm, dark swirling clouds and rain pelting down, raging with thunder and lightning. On his other side was a roaring inferno that was growing by the minute, greedily sucking up all that it touched. He didn't know where to go. There was no way he could get to his herd now, unless he traveled completely around the forest, which would take days, and he wasn't even sure he'd know the way.
Tarran began to panic. The storm was moving closer by the minute, and he was not about to stick around for it to catch him. There was only one thing to do: run straight into the burning forest. Slowly the stallion turned towards the fire and started to walk, then trot, then canter. He continued to pick up speed as he made a beeline for the blazing trees, crying out loudly as he raced. He could see an opening amongst the fires, and altered his course to run right into it. However, the flames were closing in quickly. Tarran wasn't sure he'd make it, but it was his only chance. He put on another burst of speed, miraculously able to keep his balance on the wet turf. Almost there...Almost there. He chanted as he streaked across the field, a dark blur in the tall grass. Just as the fire was about to close around the gap, at the last second, the black stallion flew through the opening. He could feel the fierce heat lick his coat, but luckily, he was wet enough that he didn't catch aflame. He breathed a sigh of relief. However, orange light was everywhere. He wasn't out of danger yet.
Maneuvering his way among the trees as best he could, Tarran ran deeper into the woods. This time, he was not being chased. The inferno was busy enough consuming the tree line that it hadn't moved farther in yet. After a few minutes of running to get a good amount of distance, Tarren slowed and looked about. He could barely see anything in pitch blackness. Suddenly, another bolt of lightning lit the sky far above. For only a moment, the stallion could see everything clearly. He knew exactly where he was. But then the light disappeared and he was unsure again. Hesitantly, he began to move forward through the trees. Every few minutes, he would get another glimpse of where he was, but eventually even those became less and less frequent. He could barely even hear the thunder any more. It was extremely quiet, unsettlingly so after his earlier escapade.
After a long while of wandering in what he thought was the right direction,
Tarren found himself in a little meadow surrounded by the forest. The grass was long and not overly wet. He could hear a few crickets and birds singing in the trees. Above him, he could see the clouds clearing, and finally, the stars peaked through at him, giving him a sense of safety. It was then that he realized just how exhausted he was. He knew he would have to sleep alone in the woods tonight, and this seemed to be a good, shielded spot. So, he laid down and snuggled deep into in the damp grass. Tomorrow he would worry about finding his herd, but for now, he was safe.
