Flight of Pegasus

Flight

I flew through the night sky with Midnight, Stardust, and Snowflake. I led the way. My newly grown mane flowing in the air as the wind, warm and soft, blew in my face. My father was to my right, with my mother, Stardust. To my left was Snowflake, she nuzzled Uni, as she flew beside me on temporary wings. Her horn had grown out, now more beautiful as the coils around the once-white spear had turned to rainbow colors shortly after we became yearlings. I glanced at her as she balanced herself. She saw me watching her and looked away, embarrassed.

"What? You're doing fine!" I nickered.

"This is what you do every night? This is amazing!" She mused. I looked up at the stars that were watching as we soared through the sky. I wondered if one of those stars was where Snowflake stayed when she wasn't with me. I looked down at the ground below, and couldn't imagine what my life would be like if I couldn't fly. I saw the land below us coming to an end.

"It gets better, look," I said. When she looked down, it was perfect timing, the land dropped away to reveal a cliff and we flew out over the sea. "Come on!" I dived down so the spray buffeted my face. She hesitantly flew after me, the others followed, and then, just like we had done every night, we all dipped our wings into the water then flew up. Uni dipped her entire wings in and fell in. I hovered, then flew down, and, with the help of Snowflake, helped her out of the ocean. Snowflake put a barrier around her so the sharks wouldn't get to her before we did. I had never seen any sharks. I don't see how they could even survive in the pitch black water without bumping into things, of course, what can you bump into in an ocean? I helped her out of the water as she leaned against me, flying feebly. Snowflake and I took her back onto dry land as Midnight and Stardust flew on. As she shook her self off, the glowing wings flew off and faded away. We walked together in silence on the way back to the barn. I thought about the eruption that I'd get from Rusty, bringing his daughter home wet. As I saw the tiredness in Uni's eyes I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. All that mattered now was getting her home safely, I had heard stories from the older horses on the farm about large cats, with teeth that could break a stallion's leg in a single bite. One of the eldest horses, Esmeralda, had proof. She is a black mare with pink flesh covering her back. She rarely runs and she is the grumpiest mare I have ever met. She told me her story one day.

"I was just walkin' along, see, and out o' a tree is this thing. An overgrown hair ball if you ask me. So it pounces on me and lands smack on my back. So I rear and buck and I even fall on the dern thing but that thing was stuck fast, so I feel it tryin' to bite my neck so I rear and crush its head under my neck. I killed it and survived. So I walk back after stompin' on the vermin and ever' ones havin' a fit 'cause they say my backs torn off, so I look and my beautiful black fur torn off." She hated having her back gone, but she should be grateful it wasn't her head!

 As we neared the barn, we saw the large shape of Rusty standing by the entrance. I could tell he was nervous by the way he kept stomping his hooves and swaying from side to side. Uni tripped on a root that was growing outside the entrance and crashed through the bush and right into her father's legs.

"Holy horsefly! Are you alright? What happened?" He demanded as he helped her up. He saw me standing in the entrance. "What did you do to her?" He screamed as he charged at me. Uni was quick and ran in front of him, causing him to fall on her, she slithered out from under him as he howled. Uni's horn was bent. He must have landed on her horn. She pressed it to his chest and the puncture wound healed. He shot me a glare. 

"Daddy, he didn't do anything," She nickered tiredly. I walked over to her and pressed against her to help her stand.

"You know, such a strong little stallion like you would sell for a lot of money! The humans might want to sell you!" He nickered coldly in my ear. Never! I thought. I shot him the meanest glare I could muster. Then I noticed his eyes did not hold the usual fire, but truth. No! That can't be true! They wouldn't sell me! I must stay here with Uni! I love her! I searched his eyes desperately. He seemed to notice.

"Son, I am afraid I am not lying. When I was a young colt, my humans sold me to some other people. I had to leave the prettiest filly I had ever seen, my mother, and the little girl human who loved me the most. I was then sold and I switched hands until I finally ended up here. It might happen to you and, I hate to say this, my daughter as well. I'm just warning you." I turned without looking back. Once I reached the tree where I always sleep, I slipped into the darkness of dreams. Only now, they were not dreams, but nightmares of the future that might come