The Bay Mare's Trouble

                                    

                                          
Flame turned his head without breaking his stride. The bay mare was missing. He looked over his shoulder at the men. They were all gathered together, and he heard the mare’s terrified squeal. He whinnied pitifully. He wanted to turn back, but his herd was his responsibility, and he couldn’t risk it. So he galloped on, tortured by the mare’s neighs. Flame’s head drooped. He was almost certain that he’d never see her again.
                          
 The men threw ropes which snaked through the air. They whipped across her back, as she reared and whirled and dodged to avoid them. She still had spirit, and as long as she had it she would fight them off as best she could. "Blasted mare!" cursed the growly voiced cowboy. Another swore when the bay mare stopped dead as the rope whipped in front of her, where her neck would have been if she hadn’t slammed on the brakes. She bucked and writhed and squirmed as the ropes flew around her.
                          
 Flame was still running like the wind, when he couldn’t bear it anymore. He swung around and neighed louder than the rushing wind. "Stay here!" he warned, stamping his hoof to mark their hideout. It was a gap in the thick underbrush, hidden by a tall bush and a few shrubs. "I’ll be back, don’t move!" he whickered, and flew off back the way he had come. He WOULD save the bay mare, or he’d never forgive himself!
                          
 The mare was still fighting, and the men were getting frustrated. Every time someone threw a rope, she dodged it easily. All of a sudden, two of the ropes flicked out and got tangled together. As the horses on either end fidgeted to break free, the bay mare saw her chance. She darted towards the exit and jumped the ropes, while the men cursed and yelled. The grey and a bay ran after her, driven on by their cruel, hard-faced riders. The other two fought to free themselves of the ropes. But this time, unfortunately, they hadn’t escaped punishment.
                          
 The mare galloped, her long, jet black mane and tail streaming out behind her like banners. She spied a trampled patch of grass, and raced towards it. Her herd was not too far ahead, and she was desperate to catch up. The saddle horses were still right behind her, though. Her strength certainly wouldn’t match that of the two, muscular horses, but she was wise. Cunning, at that. "Men," she thought, "Make horses taller, and I can probably squeeze through gaps that they can’t!" So she sped sharply to the left, followed by the saddle horses.
                          
 She ducked her head as she barrelled under a low branch. But so did the men, and made it under. But she didn’t give up, and tried again, under a lower branch. This time, the grey and his rider made it under, but the bays rider didn’t. The man leaned as low as he could, but the bay was already quite tall by himself, and the man was knocked off backwards. Meanwhile, the bay, realising his freedom, ran into the forest. This had happened before, and he had been recaptured. Even though, he was determined to make the most of his opportunity.
                          
 The grey was gaining on the wise mare, and she was nearly out of the trees. The man swung his rope, and it flew threw the air at the mare’s golden brown neck. She pinned back her ears and ate up the ground between herself and the grassy, open hills. The grey and the furious rider were faster, though, and the man lashed out at the mare with the rope. Then, as soon as they were out of the trees, he swung his lasso above his head, around and around in circles that seemed to trace the outline of the single, fluffy white cloud in the sky. The grey gasped for breath and tore along behind the mare. Then the man threw his rope, which whipped through the air . . . looping itself neatly around the exhausted mare’s neck!