Fire Mare-(still writing)

Yesterday……
I stand at the back of my herd, watching them graze peacefully. The bright mid-day sun shines down upon my bright crimson coat, causing it to glow like fire. That’s how I got my name, Dimming Flame. The bottoms of my legs, up to my knees, are black as ash like my coat of fire is finally dying out. My mane and tail which blows in the gentle breeze, has small streaks of black and gold in its long, silky strands just like embers. I look around at all the different mares that mingle around, their foals prancing about at their sides. My gaze shifts over my mother, and youngest sister, my best friend and they settle on the most elegant horse of all, my stallion. My heart swells at the very sight of him, standing so tall and protective. His grey coat so shinny in the sun. His mane and tail sway in the breeze, the black color striking against the brilliant blue sky. I smile as he catches my stare and he nods back. Our baby kicks in my tummy and I turn my head to nuzzle the spot.
“I love him too” I say to our growing foal.
I dip my head to the tall grass and take a few blades in my mouth to chew on. Everything In my life is absolutely perfect. I couldn’t ask for a better mate, a better herd, or a better life in general. I started out in a bad herd, my father only kept mares to spread his blood lines and to show us off. He prized my mother the most, that’s why he bred with her so much. Soon, a new stallion came to the valley. He was young and not all that big, but strong and willing to win mares. He took up a fight with my father and lost. I knew I had to get my pregnant mother away from him. One night, I told her that we were sneaking off and that we were going to find a new home. We wandered around, searching for hospitality and one warm morning, we spotted the stallion who fought my father. He recognized me and took us in with a warm heart. He told us his name was Dull Star and he came from over the mountains. Not long after my mother gave birth to her last daughter, Dull Star and I became mates.
A sharp smell snaps me back to reality. The smell isn’t that strong, but I know enough that it is danger. I look behind me at the forest which is dry from our rainless summer and see large dark clouds rising up from the center. My eyes widen in fear and I flare my nostrils as I whip around to call out a warning,
“Dull Star, Fire!” I shriek.
Star lurches into action, whinnying and calling out to his family to follow him away from the danger. I take up the back, nipping and calling out encouragements to stragglers. We gallop long and hard, our legs carrying us through the forest as we try to escape the advancing fire. I start to tire out and my legs hurt badly from carrying the extra weight of the foal. My lungs burn and my eyes are blurry from the wind. The herd starts getting farther ahead of me and I can’t catch them. I cry out, pleading and screaming for them to wait. But they don’t hear me over the roar of the flames. I see them dodging trees and leaping over fallen logs, leaving me behind .I stop for only a second to try and catch my breath, but just as I stop a loud cracking sounds echoes through the forest and two trees around me burst into flames. I take off again and run for my life, barely making it over fallen branches and around boulders. Trees all around me are burning and a few burning ashes land on my coat. I try to shake them off, but they burn my coat. The forest floor looks like a sea of fire as it spreads all around me, its flames licking my belly and burning my legs. I see an opening in the tree line and I only pray that I make it. My chest hurts and I cough because I can’t breathe. My eyes burn and water from the terrible smoky air and I can hardly tell where I am going. I push harder and I burst through the trees. I come to a muddy river and I pick my way across the rocky center. I turn to catch the last glimpse of the burning forest and my home before I fall and slip into unconsciousness.

Present…..

Darkness is a mystery. Some are afraid of the dark, while others like it. Dark means sleep and rest or it also means death. Darkness is what you may feel or see when your body is empty and your soul leaves you. It’s the color behind your eye lids when you close your eyes for the last time, for forever.
I slip in and out of the darkness as I lay unconscious. I want to wake up, but my mind refuses to surface, to get out of the dark hole I have fell into. I didn’t like being in such blackness. It brought horrible nightmares with it. I saw my family burn to death, the fire engulfing their bodies, their screams shattering my ears. I don’t know how long I laid there for. It could have been minutes, hours, days and I wouldn’t know until I woke up. My mind started to function again, I started to surface the horrid darkness.
I open my eyes to a dull sky, dark clouds making their way across the sky at a quick pace. I try to lift my head, but it hurts so bad I leave it lying on the ground. My whole body aches, it’s like torture. My stomach hurts the most, my baby unmoving inside of me. I begin to panic, What if he is gone?! Thoughts of my baby dead race through my mind. My eyes start to tear up and it stings to cry. Just then a sharp ping from my undercarriage takes me by surprise.
“Oh thank heavens!” I say aloud, my voice hoarse and my throat sore.
I lie there awhile longer, trying to gain my strength back long enough to stand up. I try to stand and I make it up even though my body feels like it’s about to fall apart. The few steps I take to the river are agonizing. Once I reach its muddy waters, I sigh because I can’t drink it. I just stand there and stare at the water flow slowly downstream, gurgling its way around rocks. I take a few steps back and glare at the ground, the muddy water, the rocky bank where I stand and then I just sigh. A loud rumble echoes around me and then a flash of light zig zags across the grey sky. My heart nearly stops as I realize what is happening, A thunder storm! Rain at last! Tiny at first, but then large rains drops fall to the dry earth, leaving dots everywhere. The rain begins to pour and I limp my way under a tree and watch as steam rises up from the wet ground. The sound of the thunder and the rain has never sounded so good to me. I lie down to rest and watch the rain fall. It mists my coat as I close my eyes and begin to drift off.
I scream and thrash my legs around. I try to escape my night mare without much success. Vines of fire wrap around my legs and neck, choking me. I gasp for air as my windpipe closes and I thrash one last time before I fall off a cliff. I jolt awake, breathing heavy and wet. Either it’s from the drizzling rain or sweat. I look around me and sigh, closing my eyes as I realize it was just a dream. I stand up and walk over to the flooded river, hoping to get a drink to cool my dry throat. The water is worse than before. I stamp my hoof on the ground and groan. I hear a crow caw from across the river and I glance at it. A first I don’t see it, but when I take a double glance I spot it perched on a charred branch of a black tree. It was the first time since I ran out of the forest that I actually looked at it. The trees looked like blackened hands with long fingers reaching towards the sky. The ground was black and grey, ashes lay scattered about. I don’t know how many dead things may lie under those ashes but I can’t tear my eyes away from the sight of my ruined home. My eyes tear up as I remember my tragic escape and my family fleeing. I start to cry as I wonder if they all lived, if they made it out alive and are well somewhere waiting for me. I know that I mustn’t stay here any longer and I start to head off, away from the straggly woods.
I make my way across the vast field that seems to stretch on for miles and miles before me. I am tired and weak, but trudge on in search of water. I am hungry but I don’t dare try and eat for my throat would protest against it. The breeze blows and the sweet scent of water tickles my nose and I am full of energy. I follow the smell at a brisk trot, imagining what I will come to. I see the treasure of water before me and I canter towards it. I stop at the edge of the crystal clear pond and dip my muzzle into the water. I guzzle down greedy gulps of the cool liquid. When I think I might burst, I step back. Water drips from my whiskers as I look down at my refection. The mare in the water doesn’t even look like me. My coat is all dirty with ashes and my mane is tangled. Cuts on my legs are dried with blood and small spots of singed hair cover my coat like dots.
I decide to wade into the water to try and clean off all the ash and soot. The first few steps feel fine, but once I get in up to my stomach, the real pain begins. It burns and stings my sores like crazy while at the same time the coolness of the water also feels great and I can’t bring myself to exit. I wade in farther, the crystal water now up to my neck. I see dark shadows of my dirt and grime floating away from me as I am cleansed. I sigh happily and dip my muzzle to the water to take a few more sips. I close my eyes and imagine seeing my family here with me, standing in the water grooming each other and foals splashing about. One tear falls silently down my cheek as I fear I may never see them again. I open my eyes and look down into the water to see a wonderful sight. Colorful fish dart back and forth around my legs as water plants sway in the waves. I watch the colorful array for a little while longer and then I walk back to shore to dry. I graze on some of the grass that grows and I realize it isn’t as good as back home. It’s not as lush or green as the grass I’m used to.
When I feel rested up, I continue on with my journey in search of other horses. I keep up a steady trot for a while and then I slow down to a brisk walk as dusk sets in. With a brilliant sunset laid out before me, I decide to go a bit farther while its still light out. I used to watch the sunsets with Star on warm summer nights back home. I would lean into his shoulder and we’d intertwine our tails as he whispered sweet comments into my ear. We would count down until the sun was totally gone and at the very end, he would kiss me and say, “I love you” in a tender voice.
A forest lay ahead of me and with the darkening sky; I choose to wait until morning to tackle it.
“Better to sleep out in the open, than in a dense wood.” I say to no one in particular.
I find a soft spot of grass and settle myself down into a comfy position for both me and the foal. I tuck in my forelegs and pull my hind legs in tight as I arrange my head over my shoulder. I can feel the temperature drop as the night drifts on and I slip in and out of slumber. I am afraid to sleep out here without a stallion to protect me. Odd new sounds fill the night air making sleep even more difficult. I hear a fox scurry after a rabbit and crickets chirp songs all around. Owls hoot from high up in trees and frogs call out from lily pads in a neighboring creek.
Sleep must have found me the night before because I feel rested. When I woke up, I was sprawled out and snoring. I stand up and shake off the dirt and leaves and start out for the forest. Once I reach a small opening in the tree line I debate whether or not to go in or find a way around it. I figure since it is quicker to go through it and I want to find my family faster, I better just cut through. The forest is dense and dark as any other but it also has a creepy yet happy sense to it. I pick my way over fallen tree branches and avoid vines that try to choke me. I stumble and trip over loose roots and rocks hidden under leaves. The air is so moist and damp that I can barely breathe .My body is covered in sweat by the time I reach a small clearing in the trees. I stand in the shadows at the edge and listen. I listen for any hidden danger and I look around at the same time. I don’t see or hear anything but I don’t enter right away. My ears swivel in all direction listening for any sounds at all, but all I hear is….nothing. I take a few cautious steps forward and then a few more until I am fully in the dome of trees. I look around at the willows leaning inwards, their long leafy branches hanging down still as stone. The floor is softer then the forest ground
I was walking on and bouncier too. The grass is short and even, not a blade too long. Little flowers bloom along small rocks scattered about, their colors vibrant and bright. I take a few more steps in and I stop abruptly. A small glowing ball emerges through the trees and flutters around my body. It glows a brilliant shade of red. the red reminds me of fire and it swoops closer, it looks like a small ball of flames .My mind races back to the scene in the forest and the loss of my family. It stops in front of me and as I stare more closely, the ball is actually a fairy! A fairy! My eyes grow wide with alarm and I start to rear up. I come back down and my hoof goes through the forest floor. I jump back just in time before the hole can swallow my whole leg. Tiny bells jingle and the red ball flies back into my face. The bells are soothing to me and I calm down immediately. The fairy lands on my nose and I prepare for burns from her flames but she looks at me with a smile. I stare at her beautiful figure with crossed eyes. She is a tiny thing with a muscular yet feminine frame. Her skin so pale like snow. Her hair flows around her face in long, red-orange wisps. She wears a black and pink outfit that covers her to her legs. Black designs curve their way up to her knees. The little fairy’s wings were paper thin and looked like autumn leaves. Besides her pointy ears and red eyes, she looked quite friendly.
She speaks, “Hello Fire Mare, remember me? Brimstone?” She raises her eyebrow.
Her voice is so soft and quiet that I doubt that if I wasn’t a horse I wouldn’t have be able to hear her. I am unsure of what to say to such a delicate creature. I didn’t even think magical creatures existed yet again this forest is strange. Maybe I’m hallucinating or dreaming while I’m wide awake.
I find my voice, “I’m Dimming Flame and I don’t think I remember you.”
She giggles her laughter like silver bells “I know your name is Dimming Flame.”
I blink once, “You know this how?” I wanted to know how this fairy knew my name.
She stopped laughing, “Why Flame! I have known you for years and years same for you knowing me. We used to run together across forests, setting it to flame. We would help the sun whenever she would grow dim and we would soar to the stars, causing such explosions.” Her voice was caring and expectant like i was really around and doing that stuff with her years ago.
I shake my head, “I think you’ve got the wrong mare. I have never flown or set fire to anything. I am deathly afraid of it!” my eyes tear up once again at the memory of the burning forest. The bells jingle again and I am calmed once more.
“Flame, you may not remember because you have been reincarnated. This is your second life.” She saw the confusment in my eyes.
“Here, lie down and I will explain.” She says motioning for me to lay.
I lie down away from the hole and look at her get comfy on a daisy. As she adjusts herself, my mind wanders off into thought of stars and fire. I wonder about how I could possibly be reincarnated. Her cough brings me back.
“As I was saying, you have lived a life already and you would still be living that life if it hadn’t been for your father. You see, a long time ago the great God of Fire, Hephaestus, created metal items. Anything the gods needed that was metal he created, Hephaestus had to deliver these items by foot and that took a very long time. One day, he decided that he was going to find an animal sturdy enough to carry him and his workings. He scanned Earth in search of an animal and he came upon the horse. He watched the horse for a long time, studying its abilities. He took a horse back to Zeus and asked him if he could make the horse a fire horse.
Over the years his horse whom he named Ash, grew lonely. Hephaestus went back to Earth to find him a mate. He came back with a chestnut mare whom he had turned into a fire horse as well. Together they bred and made the first full-blooded fire horse. They named this horse Fire for obvious reasons. Fire was a mischievous stallion and he bred with the sacred Pegasus. Zeus was not happy so he sent the fire family back to Earth. They continued to breed and spread their genes among other horses. They were wild, setting fire to everything! Zeus saw the threat the horses had on the Earth and he took them all back. More and more horses were created, each with different powers like nature, water, color etc” she paused to look at me and take a sip of dew. Then she continued. “Zeus had a favorite mare that was a pure bred white Arabian of no powers, or so they thought. One day, Hephaestus’s mares gave birth to a rosy colored stallion, your father. He was a naughty one and he did the unthinkable. He mated with the Great White mare. All the horses were banned from up above and when the white mare gave birth, the filly was a unicorn. That unicorn filly was you.” She didn’t even pause to let it sink in.
“For years after that, unicorns, Pegasus, and magical horses continued to spread across the world. Zeus came back after many years and decided that your father had to pay for his bad deed. He ended all the powers of the horses and made all mythical creatures disappear. That is when you started your second life and you know how harsh your father is, that because he is still upset about the past.” She ends her story there, leaving me with a head full of magical horses and fairies all flying about with the great gods up in the sky. Leaving me wondering about how I was once a unicorn and how my father was still so harsh, even then.
I shake my head to clear the screaming questions that try to force their way out of my mouth. I bite my tongue and close my eyes and try to breathe. Brimstone flutters from her leaf and on to my nose. I can feel her staring at me with those freaky red eyes of hers.
“So I was a unicorn at one point?” I ask my voice shaky.
She smiles, “Yes! A very beautiful one indeed and so was Dull Star.” She clasps her hand over her mouth after she said that.
“I’m so sorry, Flame. I shouldn’t have brought it up!” her voice rising at the end.
I clear the tears from my eyes and stare at her. “Has my flame died out? You said this place was magical. What creatures live here?” I stand up, balancing Brimstone on my nose.
She looks over her should as if someone was watching us. “Follow me. Ill take you too Queen Pearl Light.” She says.
I start to follow her and just as I have taken my first few steps, the forest floor gives way and I am falling. I look up and see Brimstone racing after me, her red light glowing in the dark. I whiney up to her calling out for help! I thrash at the air and kick my legs all about. I feel like I am falling for forever until I land with a painless thump. It is very dark and loud, like rushing water is flowing by. The only way I would hear water flowing underground was if it were a cavern. The only light is Brimstone. She lands on my nose and I hear her whistle a quick set of notes. All of a sudden, small round lights appear from all directions around me. There are blues, greens, purples, pinks, and many other colors of the rainbow. I can tell at once that these are other fairies, but I stand very still. They float all around me and then they form a long line in front of me in color order. Brimstone zips to her spot just as little bells ring a welcoming tune. I look to the right and a small huddle of light blue circles floating towards me with a bigger white circle in the middle. They stop in front of me and the rainbow of fairies float to the ground and bow. I kneel down to and bow my head in respect. I assume that this is Queen Pear Light of the little fairy world.
The Queen approaches me with a smile on her face. She wears a white flowing gown that compliments her pearl skin. Her hair is bleach white in French braids reaching to her heels. Her eyes are a royal shade of blue and I can almost make out a hint of pink in her cheeks. Her wings glitter and flow out behind her with little tails with lines of gold running through them. She flies up to me effortlessly and lands on my nose.
In a faded voice that is filled with wisdom she says, “It’s good to see you again Fire Mare”
I shudder at the name, but say back “Pleasure is mine your majesty.”
She smiles, her faded pink marble lips looking so fragile upon her weak frame. She turns to the line of fairies, and looks at each individual one.
“Will the fairies who have found their horse partner please step forward” she commands.
Less than half of the hundred creatures step forward, still bowing their heads. I see Brimstone step forward too with one other fire fairy. A few water fairies step up along with a few earth and wind fairies. No color or feeling fairies come up. She nods her head in approval.
“Will you please bring them here!” she calls out.
The fairies that stepped forward all begin to whistle different tunes that are mesmerizing in their own little ways. Loud hoof beats echo off the walls and whinnies ring in my ears. My heart pounds against my chest at the sounds of horses just like me. I want to call out to them, cry out in joy but the queen still stands, poised on my nose. All I can do is stand there in anticipation.
Without warning, the whole place lights up in a rainbow of lights. Gems and jewels of all colors surround me, their lights so bright making patterns on my coat. The sound of rushing water was indeed a flowing river of crystal clear water winding its way around us. I stand on a flat piece of rock that looks to be the color of sandstone and not stable. With realizing this, I spread my legs to stay balanced. Another noise brings me back and it is the sound of chains and metal clashing together.
I turn slowly to see tons of horses wearing rope halters with metal chains around their noses, tied to bars behind iron fences. My eyes grow wide in fear as I see fellow brethren of mine chained up and not free. They toss their heads and rear up, crying out. They stomp the ground uneasily and bang against the fence that holds them. The air is thick and clammy with the breath of the horses and the faint stench of sulfur that their angry hooves have stirred up. As I gaze closer, I see small men standing by each horse’s gate. They have on uniforms and matching hats. Their noses are red and their ears are pointed at the tops. Most of them have pudgy cheeks and round bellies, but one is rather skinny and boney. I then realize that these little men are elves.
The queen’s faint voice catches my attention, “Would you please calm them down!”
All the elves, except for the skinny one who stands next to an empty cell on the end, turn and raise whips into the air. Loud cracks echo through the cave and piece my ears. I rear up, tossing the queen into the air. I scream out as the whipping continues. I thrash at the air and kick out behind me. I toss my mane around and flick my tail violently. Soon the only sound is me slowly calming down for the other horses have quieted. I see two elves come forward with a rope halter and a chain in their hands. I try to pull away from them, but a wall brushes my back side. I rear up, but they slip it over my head and drag me to the last cell. The metal is icy cold as it rests on my nose and every time I jerk, it tightens. Once I’m in the cramped cell, I rear up and thrash at the bars holding me in. I cry out for Brimstone.
“Help me! Help me Brimstone!” I plead, my eyes darting around looking for her red figure.
I finally spot her standing in the line of red fairies that stepped forward with her shoulders hunched over. Her head is hung low, her hair shielding her face. The Queen drifts over to my cell and says,
“We’ll talk later when you can control yourself” and with that she vanishes.
I watch as the horseless fairies follow her actions by disappearing as well. The remaining fairies glide to the stalls of their companions and I can hear their tiny whispers of kind words. Brimstone flutters to my cell and lands on the skinny elf’s hat. He stands perfectly still as she does so.

(im still writing more and when i get some more writting done, ill post. Plz PM me with questions, comments or suggestions im willing to listen to anything anyone has to say.!!!! thanx)

this might be almost 3 years old now but I luv it! U HAV 2 WRITE MORE!!!

Holy sh*t!! Your right........this is soooooooooo old! I wish i still had the saved document! Someone deleted it! Ill try my best to recover it and continue!