Post by Addiction on May 18, 2008 5:26:12 GMT 10
Chapter 1
The sun pricked passed the mountains on an early summer morning. Whinnies could be heard as young foals frolic in the nearby field. Their parents keeping a close eye on them, making sure they don’t cause any mischief. Yet, in the far off corner of the pasture, a grey swayed back stallion long passed his time, stood. Into the sky he gazed off nearly as if seeing the future.
“Hey, Old Man Aztec”
Wary eyes turned to the group of yearlings who stood waiting for some kind of recognition.
“Yes?”
The grey answered his voice heavy and hoarse. He studied the group, guessing the roan in the front chose himself as leader. He noticed a small skittish sorrel in the back, raising his head to see above the hides of his age-mates.
“Tell us a story”
They pleaded with anxious eyes, whenever they got bored with chasing after the fillies they would come to Old Man Aztec. Not likely that they would believe most of his stories, they were interested in the old ways from the grey stallion. They knew he was past his time, and could hardly remember which stall was his.
A snort came from the grey, stating he wasn’t in the mood to tell any stories. Yet, the eager young colts kept complaining, and it really is annoying not to mention suspicious when a group of young ones start to whinny and nicker up excuses.
“Alright, alright, I shall tell you a tale”
The old horse sighed. Causing the colts to grin and buck with excitement, before they settled down and sat before the grey. Once they were comfortable enough to stop talking, they looked to the old gray.
Again, a wary old look crossed the grays’ eyes. He peered off into the setting sun, remembering a time when no humans were a threat.
“Once ago, long, long ago, before your parents time, and your grandparents time, there was a valley not so far from here”
He began, with the watchful gazes of the young colts hoping to hear more. A small smile appeared once he knew they were listening he continued.
“One day, when the sun was just above that mountain there” he gestured with his muzzle to a large luscious mountain range.
“There lived a wild herd; a group of mustangs came to rest from their long journey”
He could hear a snort of disgust from one of the colts. He turned his head to the bay, just left of the roan.
“Mustangs, there are no mustangs around here, old man” he sneered, an aura of boldness surrounded him. Aztec guessed he was sired by a prize winning Thoroughbred, bold and witty with the brains of a brick.
“You’d be surprised, young one”
Aztec chuckled amused, before he began again.
“In that time, there were no humans to interfere with the herds. They were wild ones, free and swift as the wind itself. A mare was in foal at that time”
He glanced back, seeing the amused and bewildered expressions.
“She was in labor for quite a while, a few hours later a foal had arrived, he was a sleek wet mass of fur, skinny as a wet weasel. The mother licked him and cleaned him up; in a few minutes he was standing and prancing around as if he had been on his legs his entire life.”
“He was white as snow they say, spots covered his entire body making him look like some kind of dirty snow bird. He was the runt in the herd, he tried to keep up, and as all foals he caused mischief”
Aztec laughed gruffly.
“Then what happened?”
The curious foals peered up at the gray, eager for more. This tale was like no other, and it was all because it was true.
“Well, spring came, and he grew himself a fine coat of spots. His mane had grown thick and shaggy, and as time has it he matured himself into a yearling. At that time, humans began to invade their territory. Capturing the wild ones and putting them to good work.”
A slight shiver ran down Aztec at the recall of the wild cries.
“He was captured too, trying to protect his mother, and the rest of the herd. Yet he was too fast for them he escaped by a hair”
A wide awe sprung up from the colts. Amazed and intrigued by the tale the old gray was telling.
Aztec looked up to the sky once more, seeing the bright orange ball sinking into the mountains he smiled.
“Well, that’s enough for today, young ones”
The colts groaned and begged for more, but Aztec knew better if he told the whole story now they would loose interest for tomorrow’s tale.
"But-Old Man Aztec”
They protested, but the gray shook his head. Sighing in defeat the colts picked their way back to their families.
Aztec nodded and smiled bemused. He sighed, glancing up into the night sky.
“Yes, he was indeed”
He whispered to the secret on lookers, ancestors long before his time. A twinkle caught his attention and a wide, teary eyed smile broke from his straight, cold look.
“He was indeed, the wildest of hearts”.
With that, Aztec retired to his stall. Tomorrow he would be greeted with excited voices for another tale.
The sun pricked passed the mountains on an early summer morning. Whinnies could be heard as young foals frolic in the nearby field. Their parents keeping a close eye on them, making sure they don’t cause any mischief. Yet, in the far off corner of the pasture, a grey swayed back stallion long passed his time, stood. Into the sky he gazed off nearly as if seeing the future.
“Hey, Old Man Aztec”
Wary eyes turned to the group of yearlings who stood waiting for some kind of recognition.
“Yes?”
The grey answered his voice heavy and hoarse. He studied the group, guessing the roan in the front chose himself as leader. He noticed a small skittish sorrel in the back, raising his head to see above the hides of his age-mates.
“Tell us a story”
They pleaded with anxious eyes, whenever they got bored with chasing after the fillies they would come to Old Man Aztec. Not likely that they would believe most of his stories, they were interested in the old ways from the grey stallion. They knew he was past his time, and could hardly remember which stall was his.
A snort came from the grey, stating he wasn’t in the mood to tell any stories. Yet, the eager young colts kept complaining, and it really is annoying not to mention suspicious when a group of young ones start to whinny and nicker up excuses.
“Alright, alright, I shall tell you a tale”
The old horse sighed. Causing the colts to grin and buck with excitement, before they settled down and sat before the grey. Once they were comfortable enough to stop talking, they looked to the old gray.
Again, a wary old look crossed the grays’ eyes. He peered off into the setting sun, remembering a time when no humans were a threat.
“Once ago, long, long ago, before your parents time, and your grandparents time, there was a valley not so far from here”
He began, with the watchful gazes of the young colts hoping to hear more. A small smile appeared once he knew they were listening he continued.
“One day, when the sun was just above that mountain there” he gestured with his muzzle to a large luscious mountain range.
“There lived a wild herd; a group of mustangs came to rest from their long journey”
He could hear a snort of disgust from one of the colts. He turned his head to the bay, just left of the roan.
“Mustangs, there are no mustangs around here, old man” he sneered, an aura of boldness surrounded him. Aztec guessed he was sired by a prize winning Thoroughbred, bold and witty with the brains of a brick.
“You’d be surprised, young one”
Aztec chuckled amused, before he began again.
“In that time, there were no humans to interfere with the herds. They were wild ones, free and swift as the wind itself. A mare was in foal at that time”
He glanced back, seeing the amused and bewildered expressions.
“She was in labor for quite a while, a few hours later a foal had arrived, he was a sleek wet mass of fur, skinny as a wet weasel. The mother licked him and cleaned him up; in a few minutes he was standing and prancing around as if he had been on his legs his entire life.”
“He was white as snow they say, spots covered his entire body making him look like some kind of dirty snow bird. He was the runt in the herd, he tried to keep up, and as all foals he caused mischief”
Aztec laughed gruffly.
“Then what happened?”
The curious foals peered up at the gray, eager for more. This tale was like no other, and it was all because it was true.
“Well, spring came, and he grew himself a fine coat of spots. His mane had grown thick and shaggy, and as time has it he matured himself into a yearling. At that time, humans began to invade their territory. Capturing the wild ones and putting them to good work.”
A slight shiver ran down Aztec at the recall of the wild cries.
“He was captured too, trying to protect his mother, and the rest of the herd. Yet he was too fast for them he escaped by a hair”
A wide awe sprung up from the colts. Amazed and intrigued by the tale the old gray was telling.
Aztec looked up to the sky once more, seeing the bright orange ball sinking into the mountains he smiled.
“Well, that’s enough for today, young ones”
The colts groaned and begged for more, but Aztec knew better if he told the whole story now they would loose interest for tomorrow’s tale.
"But-Old Man Aztec”
They protested, but the gray shook his head. Sighing in defeat the colts picked their way back to their families.
Aztec nodded and smiled bemused. He sighed, glancing up into the night sky.
“Yes, he was indeed”
He whispered to the secret on lookers, ancestors long before his time. A twinkle caught his attention and a wide, teary eyed smile broke from his straight, cold look.
“He was indeed, the wildest of hearts”.
With that, Aztec retired to his stall. Tomorrow he would be greeted with excited voices for another tale.
