Safa's Story

[Rain day]

It's late. I'm bored. So why not write a story about one of my characters? :) Note: This story is about horses! It's a HUGE work in progress...



Prologue


Cace's long black mane flowed nicely in the breeze as he enjoyed a quiet spring day with his mate, Reina. Her soft, amber eyes looked up at him with nothing but love and devotion.
"Aren't you excited?" She squealed happily. Reina always overreacted about the littlest things, but he had to agree with her on this one. Having a foal was a big deal.
"How could I not be?' Cace laughed, looking down at Reina. She was a light, swift little pony, at only 13hh. Cace was much bigger at almost 17hh tall.
"I don't know. You are the most...emotionally complex horse I've ever known," Reina sighed, standing up. They had been lying next to each other on the edge of the valley, where Wade, the perlino stallion who lead the herd, watched them carefully. Cace glared at him. Reina snorted and turned to Cace, who was still lying on the ground.
"I know you two aren't very close anymore, but he's your bro - " Cace cut her off there.
"He is not my brother. Not even my half-brother, anymore. After what he did to Gale...he'll never be part of my family, ever again," Cace snapped, getting up and shaking some grass off his coat. Reina was suddenly apologetic.
"I'm sorry. I know Gale mean't a lot to you, but you have to forgive Wade at some point," Reina said, touching her nose to his. Her touch didn't make him feel any better about his former mate.
"Reina, I loved her, and Wade basically killed her...she was pregnant," Cace closed his eyes, trying not to remember the night of that horror.
"I guess it wasn't mean't to be, " Reina said. Cace felt more angry at her than he had ever before.
"It's Wade's fault! He killed her! Gale wouldn't have died if it was for him," Cace huffed, jerking away from her. He needed to be alone, to cool off. He turned and headed towards the forest that separated his herd, from the Southern Herd.
"Cace - wait!" Reina called, panicking, trotting to keep up with him.
"Leave me, Reina. I need to be alone," Cace said, emotionless. Reina's face was a mixture of sadness and confusion. Cace continued towards the forest, leaving Reina frozen in her spot.
If only Cace hadn't left that day, maybe he'd be a dad. Maybe he would've been able to save Reina from what was to come. Then again, it was never mean't to be for Reina and Cace.

Cace watched a rabbit hop around the waterfall next to the cliff where the valley lay. The rabbit's life was so simple. Eat, sleep, and stay alive. Maybe it wasn't so simple.
The rabbit froze in his spot, his dark brown eyes becoming overwhelmed with fear. The ground underneath Cace's hooves started to shake. He looked up just in time to see a massive, black wolf jump out of the tree line, followed by many more. They were as big as Cace, if not bigger. They were mutants, some had wings, others had horns, and a few would jump up from their place in the pack and breath fire into the night.
Cace jumped out of their way in the nick of time, as the wolves thundered by. One caught him by the leg and threw him into a tree. He almost blacked out, but the fact that the mutant wolves were heading towards the herd aroused him. He stumbled up, but quickly gathered himself into a gallop, going at full speed towards the herd. He had to save Reina.
The valley was a bloodbath. Horses Cace had grown up with lay dead before him as the wolves killed horses left and right. Cace charged through the valley, narrowly avoiding the mutant wolves. He scrambled up the cliff and looked over the valley. He spotted Reina easily at the base of the cliff. No one else in the herd had a champagne coat like hers. She was in the center of three gigantic wolves. They laughed at her, and snarled. They played with her, making sure her death would be gruesome.
Cace jumped down, and plowed into the three wolves with all his weight. Reina looked at him with relief and shoved her nose into his mane. Cace closed his eyes and rested his head on hers. Their reunion didn't last for long.
The next thing they knew, one of the wolves tossed Cace into the cliff, scratching his eye on the way. The last thing Cace saw was the three wolves closing in on Reina...

"Cace, you need to wake up." The valley had been cleaned up by the few horses that had survived the battle. Darcie, the herd healer, was defintely the one who had spoken to him.
"Darcie? What...Reina! Where's Reina?!" Cace jumped up, looking around the valley. His leg hurt more than anything. "Ahh..." Cace winced in pain and laid back down. "Where's Reina?" He asked again.
"I'm so sorry..." Darcie said softly. Cace's eyes widened. He thought for a moment, then stood up, and headed towards the forest.
"Cace - you can't leave! You're hurt," Darcie said, and planted herself infront of him.
"I might be hurt, but I can take care of myself. Move, Darcie," Cace said. The power in his voice was more than frightening. Darcie hesitated for a second, then stepped aside and watched Cace limp away.



Chapter 1 - The Beginning


In the beginning, everything was perfect. Safa had everything she wanted. The herd accepted her, and loved her. Why they had turned on her? She didn't know. But it was extremely cruel.
Safa closed her bright purple eyes, and laid down on the bank of the pond. She listened to the rhythmatic lapping of the small waves on the shore and plopped her head down on the grass next to her.
"What's a mare like you doing in a place like this?" came a sinister voice from behind her. Safa's eyes snapped open and she rushed to her feet.
"What's a stallion like you doing stalking a mare like me?" Safa snapped back, looking the stallion up and down. He had dark, black eyes, and a coat to match. He had a white stripe starting at his forehead and running down his head to his pink nose. His mane was light, and long, touching the ground at his feet. Safa couldn't help but stare at him. He was, in a word, beautiful. Expect for one imperfection - three scars cover his eye. It looked like he had been scratched by something...a wolf...
"I asked you first," the stallion said arrogantly.
"I was about to take a nap," Safa lied, "now what are you doing here? I've never seen you anywhere near either herds."
The stallion flicked an ear back. "I'm not in either herd," He replied sharply.
"Are you in a herd?" Safa said, taking a new found interest in the stallion.
"No"
"Are you going to stay in a herd?"
"No!"
"Sheesh, it was just a question," Safa snorted.
The stallion rolled his eyes and turned away.
"Goodbye!" Safa said sarcastically. The stallion continued on his way. Safa's shoulders slouched as she watched him disappear into the shadows. She didn't want him to go.


It had been a week since Safa had encountered the beautiful stallion. She was at the pond again, standing knee deep in the water. Safa bent her head down to drink, but stopped to study herself. Her coat was white, and her was mane as dark as night, but it only reached a few inches past her neck, unlike the stallion's. Her eyes were bright purple, and she had a black star on her forehead.
Was she pretty enough for the stallion?
Safa shook her head. "How can I still be thinking about that jerk?" she wondered. Safa dipped her gray nose into the pond and sipped the water calmly.
She looked up only to see the dark, unforgiving eyes of the beautiful stallion on the other side of the pond. Safa's head shot up, her ears pricking straight torwards the stallion. His head was down, and his nose almost touched the ground. The stallion's eyes finally caught sight of Safa.
He walked into the pond and straight torwards Safa. He kept walking until he was in the middle of the pond, only an inch away from Safa. Her heart felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest.
They didn't need words. Something passed between them, a something that words would never be able to describe. Safa touched her nose to the stallion's broad chest, and whispered, "why? Why did you come back?"
"I have never met a mare able to fight back like you do," the stallion whispered back, touching his soft, pink nose to Safa's neck. She could feel her cheek getting warm.
"What is your name?" The stallion asked Safa softly.
"Safa. And yours?" Safa asked in the same, gentle tone.
"Cace," he said. Safa looked up at Cace, into the dark eyes she couldn't get enough of.
A neigh was heard far off in the distance, calling for someone, for Safa.
"I have to go," Safa said apologetically.
"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" Cace said, his dark eyes getting big and round.
"Of course," Safa smiled, giving him a touch on the cheek bye. She took a few steps back, then turned around and left the pond. She got to the trees then took one last look back at Cace before cantering back to the herd.

Safa walked into the herd as quietly as she could, hoping no one would notice her.
"Safa, we've been looking for you," snorted a voice from behind her. Safa sighed and turned around to face her mother.
"Well, I'm here now, happy?" Safa snapped.
"Do not speak to me with that kind of tone, young lady!" her mother said cruelly, "Now, there, baby - " Safa cut her off there.
Safa looked up into her mother's dark blue eyes, and said calmly, "I might be your daughter, but I am not you baby, so don't treat me like one."
"If you won't be my baby, then don't even bother being my daughter!" Safa's mother, Cecilia, said furiously, then stormed away with a flick of dark brown tail.
"Fine then!" Safa snapped back, and watched Cecilia walk away with her stupid little prance she always did.
Safa turned around only to come nose to nose with the Lead Mare of the herd, Kasha. Kasha was a small white mare with a creamy mane and tail. She had bright green eyes, and a soft pink nose. No wonder Dash, the lead stallion, had chosen her to be his mate. Kasha was extremely pretty.
"Hello, Kasha, you didn't see any of that...did you?" Safa said, flicking her ear back worriedly.
"I saw all of it. You have to respect your mother, Safa," Kasha nickered.
"Mothe - I mean, Cecilia, wants to control me all the time. If she doesn't give me any respect, why must I give her mine?" Safa pointed out.
Kasha's expression hardened a bit.
"I grew up with Cecilia, and I know how controlling she is. She'll never change, and she'll always disrespect the ones around her, but she is your mother, and all you have to do is please her. Then, everything will be fine, understand?" Kasha said with a weak smile.
"I do, and I'll try to keep her happy," Safa lied.
"Good, good, and Safa?" Kasha said.
"Yes ma'am?"
"Don't lie so often, you're not too good at it."
"Yes, ma'am."
With that, Kasha smiled, and trotted off back to Dash's side. Safa looked at her hooves, and wondered how Kasha knew she was lying.

Safa started waking up earlier, and earlier, just to see Cace. She spent more and more time with him. Sometimes, she'd stay the night with him. Cecilia, and the other members of Safa's herd, kept wondering where she disappeared to.
One particular evening, when Safa was returning to the herd, Dash confronted her about it.
"You go off everyday, Safa. Sure, that's normal for you, but you've been gone for two days! It's time for you to make a choice. This herd, or whomever you're going off to with," Dash said coldly.
Safa looked up at him from where they stood on the cliff overhanging the valley where the herd was settled.
"I...I'll need some time to think," Safa said weakly. Dash scared her more than anything else in the world. His coat, his mane and tail, even his eyes were as black as night.
"Tell me your decision tomorrow. You are dismissed," Dash sighed, his black eyes surveying the valley. Safa bowed her head, then turned around and headed towards the valley. She needed to see Cace.
Safa picked up into a trot, then a canter, to the woods. Suddenly, a stallion came out of nowhere and jumped in front of her. Safa's eyes widened and she skidded to a halt, only a few inches away from the stallion.
"What were you thinking?!" Safa neighed, outraged with the stallion. Then she realized who the stallion was. It was her best childhood friend, Loland. They had been as thick as thieves for years, until Loland turned on her. He now picked on her, and called her names, just like the others.
"What was I thinking?! What were you thinking?! Running into me like that. C'mon Safa, even you know better than to cross my path," Loland spat, his amber eyes gleaming.
"I - uh..." Safa lost her words. She couldn't snap at Loland, no matter how mean he was. She still saw the goofy foal she loved when she looked at him.
"What? Has little Safa forgotten how to talk or is it because your only ear left can't hear?" Loland taunted.
Safa flicked her ear back. It was true, she only had one ear. But it didn't help to block out Loland's words. When Safa was a foal, a coyote cornered her, and bite off her left ear. She had half of it left.
"Safa cannot help the fact that she has one ear," came a voice from behind them.
Safa smiled and turned around to see Cace coming out from behind a tree. Loland's expression hardened.
"Who are you?" Loland huffed, scrunching up his nose at the sight of Cace.
"Who are you?" Cace snapped back.
"I asked first."
"I ased second, so I get some points for that."
"I'm a stallion in this herd, now who are you?!"
"A stallion that isn't in this herd. Or any herd."
Safa walked to Cace and touched her nose to his in greeting. Cace looked down at her with his soft, round eyes.
"Why don't you two lovebirds just run off, then!" Loland huffed, disgusted at the sight of them.
"Fine, we will! Come, Safa," Cace huffed, storming away. Safa trotted along after him, glad to finally be free.



Chapter 2 - Our Journey


"Cace?" Safa nudged him gently. The day was so bright...how was Cace expecting her to sleep? They were curled up next to each other on the side of the pond under a willow tree.
"I can't sleep," Safa said. Cace turned to her, annoyed. He said nothing for a while, but soon, a plan had formed in his mind.
"Come on, then," Cace said, standing up. Safa was a little scared. She didn't know Cace too well, but she knew him well enough to know that this was not good.
As soon as Safa stood up, Cace took off at a gallop into the forest, and towards the mountains. "Cace - wait!" Safa called, jumping into a gallop after him.
Cace looked back at her with a devious grin as he continued through the forest at full speed.
They traveled like that the whole day. Cace gave Safa a little break every now and then, but they rarely stopped. As night approached, Cace kept going. Safa noticed the terrain change as they went. The forest thinned, and the mountains came closer.
"Cace, where are we going?" Safa asked, her breathing labored and her voice shaky. Cace slowed to a walk, as Safa stumbled on her own feet. She felt like she was going to give out any second now.
"We're going to my home. To my old herd," Cace choked out. He obviously didn't want to go there, but seemed as if he had no other choice.
"Cace. If you don't want to go there, we don't have to," Safa pointed out.
"It's not safe out here, Safa. You don't know, do you?" Cace sighed, closing his eyes.
"What don't I know?" Safa asked, curious, but at the same time, hesitant.
"A lot. Let's start with this: you know the three herds and all, but there is one hidden in the mountains. A fourth herd, my home, called The Northern Herd. Do you understand so far?" Cace asked her. Safa was a little surprised, but not by much. The territory surrounding them had to have more than three herds, or well, more than four.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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