Willow Island: A Horse Story Part 1

Category: Animated Animals

Edited by Martin Wilsher

Unknown to all, until that fateful day in July, was a kingdom all it's own. A kingdom that belonged completely to the graceful creatures we know as horses. It was on an uncharted, yet large and beautiful island, full of weeping willow trees, which earned it it's magical name: Willow Island. There was a powerful leader, the stallion Ferdinand. There were other stallions too, but none like him. And, as you read on, you shall find out about all the rest, his favourite mare, their playful daughter, her friend Hector, and the terrible trouble that builds up throughout the story. Yet, do not despair, for every story has good times.

Ferdinand loved to play, though he was stern with his herd, as he was the head stallion. He taught the young foals and fillies how to fear man, and how to stay clear of them. He firmly taught his daughter, Marisa, how to deal with humans. Marisa was very young, and she did not understand the dangers that man would bring to her home. The herd would flee her home, and her father would firmly lead them. She would rather be out playing with her friend, Hector, son of the second stallion and head mare, Jolie and Black Thunder.

Her and Hector thought it would be safe to play, so they went to the other side of Willow Island. They had just got there when they heard unusual voices. They ignored the voices and kept on playing, until they heard a loud bang. Marisa looked over at Hector and he was just lying there. She ran back to Ferdinand and told him what had happened. Hector? Lying still on the ground on the other side of the island? Before a loud bang? Ferdinand didn’t like the sound of that. He tossed his head nervously. Marisa stood before him waiting for his answer. He clicked his tongue while he thought deeply. Hearing a noise Ferdinand looked behind him. The herd’s head mare and his favourite came to his side in a trot. “Ferdinand, Marisa what is going on?” Jolie asked Ferdinand replied:

“Jolie I need you to take Marisa to a place where she won’t cause any trouble”

“Momma, me and hector were playing and-“ “Marisa you are commanded not to talk!” Ferdinand snapped at her. Marisa flinched at Ferdinand’s words. She could only run to her mother’s side crying. Ferdinand didn’t care how Marisa felt. He was more concerned on what he had to do. There could only be one reason why Hector laid still on the ground. He had been shot by one of those gun sticks the humans used. So that meant there were humans on the island. For what reason? He thought. There wasn’t anything to hunt except horses. He turned to look over at his herd that he had led for years. He would do anything to protect the herd. They were like a family to him. Even though he wasn’t raised on the island, after all he got shipwrecked here when he was young, he cared for them. He cared for them enough that he had to take stern measures to keep them safe. He turned towards Jolie. “And make sure she doesn’t talk, because I have a lot of work to do,” Ferdinand added before galloping off to the only thing that could help him. Duran and his herd of bachelors! When he got there Duran didn’t want to get his group in danger so he refused to help Ferdinand and his herd. There was only one more herd on Willow Island, but they were scrawny and weak. They were their only hope. As he was running to them he met up with a group of humans.

The humans yelled and pointed at Ferdinand, and immediately threw a net on him before he could even think whether to run right or left. He struggled, but he could not brake free. The humans tied a rope around his neck, and began trying to pull him back to their camp. Ferdinand reared and whinnied, but the humans held fast, and dragged him back to their camp.

They called him names, jeered at him and poked him with a stick. Only one human from the group stood up for him. He had kind hazel-brown eyes, and a sad face. He was strong and comforting. When the other men hurt him, he glared at them through angry eyes and told them in a loud voice to stop. Ferdinand immediately felt close to him. They took him on a small ship, crowded with other horses Ferdinand did not know. They were all crammed into it, and some of the humans fell in a bad mood. They smoked, drank beer and swore. Only the kind man didn't. He, Ferdinand felt, was a leader, like himself. After many days of travelling, they finally reached land. The land wasn't at all like the place Ferdinand had lived in. It had lots of buildings, and cars everywhere. The boat docked in a semi-quiet area and Ferdinand, with the other horses, was taken off. He was led to a stable and put in a small stall. Only because the nice person was leading him did Ferdinand do this quietly.

The man led the horses into an open pasture. At the very edge of the pasture, there was an opening between some trees. It seemed like a quiet spot for Ferdinand to rest while he thought about everything that had just happened. He went into the opening of the trees, and saw... A whole bunch of other horses, gathered around in a circle! When they saw him, they snorted and backed away. "Who are you?" they asked. "I am Ferdinand." he replied. "What are you doing?" "We are holding a council on how we might escape. The fences are high and electrified, so we cannot escape."

Ferdinand and the others considered ways to escape from the pasture. They were just getting a good idea when they saw three men approaching them. Each man had two funny pieces of cloth and a rope. The kind man slipped one of the funny pieces of cloth over Ferdinand’s head and attached a rope. He also did this to another horse, a small black mare with a white star and two white socks. The other horses were being captured in the same way. The kind man led Ferdinand and the black mare to a trailer. He led both of the horses up into it and slammed the door. After a long bumpy ride, the gate was opened. Ferdinand stiffened. What was this place he had been brought to? Who were all these strange horses and men? The kind man came back again and led the two horses out of the trailer and to a small ring. By and by, many people came to observe the two horses. One little girl pointed at the pretty black mare and said, "daddy, daddy I want that one!" Another girl, about 14 carefully observed Ferdinand and kept her eye on him.

Ferdinand snorted. He had an idea what was going on. He had been brought to a place where people sold horses. "Can't I please have that one?" asked the little girl, pointing again to the black mare. "And I think my sister wants that one!" She pointed to Ferdinand. "Yes, yes, you can have those two." the dad began talking to a stranger, wrote something on a small piece of paper, and handed it to the man. The man led Ferdinand and the mare out. Again they were led into a trailer. "What's your name?" Ferdinand asked the mare. "Kora." she hesitated for a moment, then said, "Don't tell anyone, but I used to be a princess."

Ferdinand stared in incomprehension at the black mare. "What do you mean you were a princess?" he asked. Kora looked sadly at him. "What I mean is I was once owned by humans in high society, I had good food, lodging and fine appointment, now, well, what'll happen to me, to us?" Ferdinand couldn't reply. The trailer started moving, the driving was so bad that Ferdinand and Kora had trouble keeping their balance. At one moment, the trailer rocked so much that Kora was almost crushed under Ferdinand, even though the stallion did his best not to injure her. Their distress increased when they saw the kindly man who’d helped Ferdinand into the lorry running along side the trailer trying to keep up while screaming at the driver to have a care for the two horses inside it!

As the trailer turned a corner, Kora and Ferdinand lost sight of their only friend in the world. Picking himself up off the floor after another crashing meeting with it, Ferdinand looked at Kora and said: “It’s just us now, you and me, we’re in this together. We’ll have to help each other, I can’t live without you, and you without me, we’re horses against the cruelty of humans.” Kora looked at the stallion. “All right, I’ll do what you want.” She said. “What?” Ferdinand asked, “You think that’s all I want?” “Well,” Kora replied, “You are a stallion, and in my short life, I’ve got the impression that that’s all stallions want! You’re saying you are different, that you’ll respect a mare’s wishes?” “I wouldn’t touch you if you gave me oats, not unless you wanted me to.” Ferdinand’s shock was visible to Kora, who felt anger at herself for judging this stallion too quickly. Her thoughts were interrupted by the trailer jerking to a sudden stop, throwing her full weight on top of Ferdinand. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she stammered, levering herself carefully off of him. “That’s all right,” Ferdinand gasped, “I’m just winded, I didn’t expect that from the trailer!” Kora helped Ferdinand to his feet. The driver of the horsebox came to undo the ramp.

The driver unlatched the hinges of the float and let the ramp drop to the ground with out a care in the world, the ramp made a loud bang and the black mare shied into the stallions shoulder. Three men appeared at the side of the ramp with prodders, "These look good the poor little girl thought she was really getting these horses ha-ha, there too good for her" one man said, the other nodded: "We better put em with the others or the boss will get mad you know how much he wants these things lookin' good before we sell em to those Japanese fellas," said another guy and they all started laughing. The mare and the stallion gave each other scared looks and wondered what was going 2 become of them. One moment they were going to live with two little girls and now they were going with other horses somewhere, other horses appealed to them but where were they going? Kora s

tared at Ferdinand in horror! “Now we’re really in for it,” she said. Ferdinand didn’t know what these humans were doing, he’d never been in a holding pen before and didn’t like it at all. “What do they do here?” he asked. “We’re gonna be paraded each in turn until someone buys us. Then where we go, who knows,” Kora replied. “Where do horses end up?” Ferdinand asked. “Most, well, they end up going to riding stables, some though,” she looked uneasy,” well,” she continued, “they are put to other uses. Uses to which I don’t want to talk about.” Ferdinand knew his lot was in the hands of humans now. A horse used to deciding his own destiny, he didn’t think he was going to enjoy this next bit. They were brought to another auction. A lot of strangers came to look at them, some smiling, some frowning. Kora was acting up a little. "If I were you, I would put in my best behaviour for these people, if they see we are good, they will be more willing to take us to their homes," said Ferdinand. "You're right" added Kora. The people around them seemed to be richer than the people at the other auction. Then, two men walked up to Kora, examining her carefully. "Do you think she will do?" one asked to the other, while stroking his hand over Kora's neck. "She looks awfully good to me." He answered. How much do you want for her?" He asked the man who was standing near them. "Oh, about $2000, considering we don't know her bloodlines nor her past." He replied. "What are they talking about?" Kora asked Ferdinand. "They want to buy you." "But-" with that the two men took her away. Great, now what was Ferdinand supposed to do, he had no friends, and he didn't even know what was to become of him.

Ferdinand looked about him. The people who ran the auction left the horses free to roam about in large enclosures, the boundaries of which were low enough for a large horse such as himself to jump easily. Ferdinand was on the hunt now, he was looking for another horse, as desperate as he was to escape from this dreadful situation. Leaping the fence he wandered about for a bit. Rounding a corner he found himself beside a row of gated pens, in one of which stood the horse he’d been looking for. There were many horses round him, some fine beasts, others not so. This horse, well, Ferdinand hadn’t seen this breed for years, but instantly he recognised it. Falabella horses, being the smallest horses in the world, weren’t inconspicuous amongst taller breeds. This one was three feet tall, as tall as they got, so Ferdinand thought, and she looked terrified! Scared out of her fur! Approaching her cautiously, Ferdinand asked: “Can I help? You look lost.” The tiny mare stared at him for a minute or so. “I don’t know,” she said, “after what’s happened to me I don’t know anything now! All Certainty has gone, I don’t know where I am any more, or what’s gonna happen to me, or anything! She stared, wide eyed into Ferdinand’s face.

Ferdinand took in this tiny mare from her ears to her tiny hooves. He’d never seen a horse so small before! Seeing him appraising her, she tried to look her best by flicking her mane about a bit. Ferdinand smiled at her. “What’s your name?” He asked. The mare replied: “I don’t really know, my owners,” she looked tearful. Taking a deep breath she continued: “they called me Pip, don’t know what that means, but that was my name. Now they’re gone, I’m here, and I don’t know what to do!” Seeing Pip’s distress Ferdinand dropped to his knees and hugged her. “I’ll protect you, I’ll not leave you if you don’t want me to,” he said gently. Pip returned his embrace by rubbing his ear with her muzzle. “Thanks, um, I don’t know your name,” Embarrassed now, Ferdinand gabbled: “oh, um, yeah, my name? Ferdinand it is.” “”That’s a nice name, I like that, it suits you, if you don’t mind me saying,” she said. Ferdinand wanted to ask her so much, thoughts of escape had fled from his mind as soon as he’d set eyes on this amazing creature. He wanted to know all about her, wanted to learn about her breed, and everything there was to know about anything to do with her.

Shaking himself out of his trans, Ferdinand recovered his senses and told her his plan of escape. "But," Pip reminded him, "How can I escape for I am not big enough to jump out of this pen. So Ferdinand began kicking at the gate of the pen Pip was in. It finally broke apart and then she was out. He led her to the main fence, and kicked that one open too. Then they cantered off, away from this horrible place, to try to find what they didn't know.

Ferdinand, used to going at his own fast pace, found it difficult to slow down to Pip’s as he was anxious they might be found quickly. They cantered along the edge of a main road, the site of which unnerved Pip a good deal. Seeing her distress, Ferdinand called a halt in a patch of dense woodland where they could be hidden from prying human eyes. “Sorry about this Ferdinand,” Pip said, “It’s just that I haven’t seen things like a road before, not like that! Tracks and open fields, yes I’ve seen that, but not large roads with all sorts of I don’t know what passing us!” Ferdinand, not being used to roads himself, but feeling he must act as if he knew a lot for the sake of the tiny mare’s confidence in him, said: “I know these, we’ll be okay if we stay on the grass verges or in the fields.” Satisfied with that, Pip replied: “Okay, if that’s how it should be.” With that they continued their journey. At length they came to a place where there was no grass verge, no fields, and a lot of road! “Um, Ferdinand, you said we should stick to the Fields or the grass verges, there aren’t any here!” Pip whinnied. They were surrounded by cars, at an intersection between four major highways, and Ferdinand knew he couldn’t go back the way they’d come, he’d have to go forward, but how? He might be able to do it, but Pip would be in danger of being run down by the larger lorries he could see speeding past. How was she going to get across the road safely?

The sun, now baked through their short fur coat, was becoming unbearable. There was the sound of running on the pavement. "Their after us!” Pip cried in a panic stricken voice. "Calm down, they'll here you!" Ferdinand said in a hushed undertone, but it was too late! All it took was the bark of a dog and the loud bang of a gun, the horses were off, tearing through the traffic, drivers were slamming on their brakes, their tyres screeching to a halt. When on the other side of the road the horses didn't bother slowing down from their wild gallop. Ferdinand who only started after Pip, had now come neck to neck with her and called:

"Slow down to a walk!" in-between huge gasps of breath. When he had caught his breath a thoughtful expression crossed his face. "What is it, Ferdinand?" Pip asked. " This, This is the thing that brought me here!" he said in wonder. "Well, it's, it's leaving!" Said Pip sending out a sharp kick behind her. "Now what?!" She screamed in agony.

Hearing Pip’s pained squeal, Ferdinand bullied her into a field. “What’s all the squealing for!” He demanded. Pip, frightened and in a lot of pain, replied: “You remember the gun going off?” “Couldn’t forget it could I?” Ferdinand snapped back. “Well,” Pip replied, “I think I’ve been shot!” Ferdinand checked the mare over, finding a flesh wound on her right hock. Instantly Ferdinand saw the wound wasn’t bad. “It’ll hurt like hell for a bit, but she’s not in danger,” he thought. Pip looked up into his eyes. Ferdinand saw fear and terror in the tiny mare’s eyes, and it saddened him. “Everyone’s after us,” Pip said.

Ferdinand lowered his head and nuzzled Pip’s ear. “The humans have the upper hoof on us at the moment Pip, but we can survive, If we stick to the fields, hide in woods, maybe try to find a herd of wild horses, then we can remain free. I am a wild horse, you are clearly not, but you can learn how to be so,” He said. “I want to stay with you Ferdinand,” Pip replied. “Right, then we have to get cover in numbers, There are wild herds of horses here, if we can find them, then we can disappear.” “Right,” Pip said, “We find the wild horses then, but where do we start?” She asked. “Follow me,” Ferdinand replied. With that he cantered into a stand of trees on the other side of the field, Pip followed.

The 2 horses stopped. They needed a break from the hard run. Ferdinand told Pip about his earlier life on the Island. When he was finished, Pip was smiling. "most of that tale was nice Ferdinand." Pip sighed. "It was till the men came." Answered Ferdinand.

Ferdinand and Pip wandered through the trees searching, searching for a horse, any horse. Suddenly Pip pricked her ears and hared off to the left, Ferdinand followed. Pip charged through the wood, eager to find the source of the sound she’d heard. “What are you doing?” Ferdinand asked. “There’s another horse Ferdinand, another horse! I heard it!” Pip panted. Sure enough, when Pip slowed down, Ferdinand found himself in a clearing, and there, standing in front of him and Pip, were a herd of horses, different breeds all, with a leader, a horse who was unmistakably leader. Seeing them, a huge Shire mare came forward, She was the largest shire mare Ferdinand had ever seen! Fully eighteen hands tall she stood in front of them, seeming to be larger than ever when she stood beside him. Ferdinand took in her huge form, from her large ears, to her huge hooves. “What are your names, and what can we do for you?” She asked.

"Our names are Pip, and Ferdinand," Ferdinand answered. "What may we do for you Ferdinand?" The Shier horse asked. "We are looking for a herd to live with, we ran away from some bad people." Pip answered. "You may join us, keep out of trouble though." The Shier answered.

Ferdinand followed the huge mare to the rest of the herd, Pip following a short distance behind. Off to her right, a colt saw her walking towards the herd. He thought he would have a go at this tiny mare, and attacked her. Pip shrieked as the colt bit and kicked her mercilessly. The Shire mare whipped round and beat the colt off Pip. She drove the colt, bruised and angry, away from the herd. “I’ll talk with you later!” She squealed. The colt ran into the wood. Returning to Pip, the mare asked: “You all right?” Pip picked herself up off the grass and the mare examined her critically. “he’s bruised your hock, torn your ear and grazed your nose Pip, I’m really sorry about that.” Pip looked at the mare: “Do wild horses do that to each other?” she asked. “I try to stop it, really I do! But we have trouble with some colts yes pip,” the mare replied. Pip looked at the massive mare. “I can’t defend myself against a colt like him, so how am I gonna defend myself against the larger horses if they have a go at me?” she asked. The mare looked down at the tiny falabella horse. “We’ll have to think of a way of protecting you Pip,” she said. Pip asked: “What is your name?” Ferdinand was terrified that Pip might incur the wroth of the mare by asking that, but she didn’t seem to mind. “My name’s Petra,” The huge mare replied. She leant down and nuzzled Pip’s ear: “I think we’re gonna get on,” she said. Pip felt she might grow to like this mare a great deal.

Petra left the herd after a while to sort out the colt who had harmed Pip. "Ferdinand, are you going to stay here?" Pip asked. "I hope so," Ferdinand answered. A horse came up to them, she was a reddish brown, she looked like a Shetland Pony. "Excuse me, do you know where Maynand is?" She asked slowly. "Um, no, sorry can't help you there," Ferdinand replied. "He is a colt, looks like..." "He is in trouble with the boss." A voice sneered from behind them. Pip spun around and looked in to an angry face. "What, what, er..." Pip stammered. "It is me, the second in command, my name is Sheissain. "Er, hi." Ferdinand said nervously. The horse walked away. "He's an odd one," The Shetland mare said before leaving her self.

\Petra looked severely at the colt. “You, Maynand are heading for big trouble!” she whinnied. Maynand looked with loathing at Pip. “The trouble with you Petra is you give sanctuary to the craziest horses! Is that thing over there a horse?” he waved a mocking hoof at Pip. “For your Information Maynand, Pip is a falabella horse, you might not have seen them before, but they are horses, not ponies!” Petra squealed. Sheissain came up to them then. “What was that Maynand? You think you can do a better job than Petra?” he snapped. Maynand stared into Sheissain’s face. “I hate small horses! You know how tall she’ll become when she’s older? No taller than she is now! She’ll be a foal for all her life! Being protected by other horses because she’s a scrap! Bet you can’t have foals Pip, you couldn’t have them!” Hearing Maynand’s squealing rant against her, Pip crossed the grass to stand beside Petra. Pip asked: “Okay, so how do you think I came into the world?” Maynand hesitated: “You, you were a foal? You had a mother?” he asked. The mention of her mother, from whom she’d only been taken a few months before, upset Pip. “I was taken from her at three months old, as soon as they could the humans took me away from my mother. I’m only nine months now, I’ve had no permanent home, and now I’m being insulted by a jumped up colt!” Pip squealed. With that she whirled round and lashed out furiously, her sharp little hoof catching Maynand on his shoulder, splitting the skin. Maynand walked away very downcast and rapidly reassessing his thoughts on the falabella mare.

Pip felt better. “where is Ferdi’”? she thought. Her mind wandered, Ferdi, she liked him, she trusted him, on their journey they had talked about many things, she didn’t know why she trusted him, he was different, knew things, listened without interrupting, she knew that this horse was someone special.

Pip looked about her. She saw Petra remonstrating with Maynand, Sheissain standing off to her right staring at the Shire mare, and Ferdinand, well, where was he? Suddenly a voice behind her said: “You look lost Pip.” Shrieking with fright Pip leapt six feet in the air and fell over backwards. Legs thrashing, she fought to stand, while Ferdinand tried hard not to laugh helplessly. He’d looked round the local area and had come back to see his tiny friend looking lost, and had only remarked on that, and now Pip was thrashing around on her back, hooves waving helplessly as she tried to get to her feet again. Pip rolled over and scrambled to her feet. “Oh, Ferdinand! You frightened me, where, where did you get to? Did you see that colt, the one who insulted me? Have you seen Sheissain? I’m so glad you’re here now,” Pip gabbled. Ferdinand nuzzled and licked her ear. “I’m here Pip dear, forever, if you want me here,” he said. Pip felt she wanted him by her side forever. She knew a foal with Ferdinand would be out of the question, but she didn’t care. Pip looked up into the larger horse’s soft brown eyes. “I feel safe with you Ferdinand, Well, I think this is what safe should feel like. No fear, no anxiety, like I used to feel all that time back, so long it seems, when I was with my mother, but different from that in so many ways too. I can’t explain how it is,” she said.

Pip was happy to trot around the field beside Ferdinand, he’d taken In the scene and was not afraid of talking to the horses and introducing himself to them. Pip, on the other hand, was very shy by nature and remained half a pace behind him, yet still taking in what was,; for the time being, to be her new home. She knew that her friendship with Ferdinand would never be more than that. Even though she had become very fond of him and was so very young she had had to mature very quickly and meeting Ferdinand had made her aware that she was growing up fast, almost too fast! She had to weigh things up very quickly, she didn’t want to lose this horse as a friend, not now, he was too special, She found it hard not to get excited when she saw him and occasionally butted in with “Hi Ferdi” when he was trying to assist another horse with a problem, he was good at that … helping others and she knew that she must try and keep quiet as it would irritate him if she kept shouting out to him every time she saw him. “We’ll talk later, Pip, dear!” he would say giving her a friendly nudge. Meanwhile, Ferdinand had something else on his mind, he couldn’t stop thinking about Kora, where was she, was she well, was she safe ,, would their paths ever cross again?

Ferdinand decided to ask Petra if she’d heard of Kora. The massive Shire mare looked thoughtful: “Um, well, I remember a mare who looked similar to how you describe. She was loose on the road along which we were walking to fresh grazing grounds,” Petra said. “yes, and what then? Did you speak to her?” Ferdinand asked anxiously. “I didn’t, Sheissain did,” “yeah,” Sheissain spat,” the mare was all mixed up, she kept wining on about how she was lost, how humans had mistreated her, have you ever heard of such rubbish!” Petra glared at her second in command. “You Sheissain have been born wild, you know nothing of humans do you? I know you do not, I do. They can be a friend to us horses, but then again, they can be our enemies. Kora, if this mare was indeed her, spoke true words, her fear was real, her flight justified. Sheissain shut up fast, he knew he was wild born and bred and knew nothing about humans. Petra looked into Ferdinand’s tortured eyes. “I wish I could help you more Ferdinand, I really wish I could tell you more, but I can’t.” Ferdinand sighed with disappointment. “Thanks Petra, thanks for everything. One more thing, when did you see her last?” The Shire mare’s ears drooped as she considered the stallion’s question. “About seven nights back, we horses only know day and night,” she replied. Their attention was grabbed by Pip squealing hysterically! Both Ferdinand and Petra turned as one to see the tiny mare galloping for all she was worth across the clearing. “What’s the matter now!” Ferdinand asked irritably. He was getting fed up with this mare’s constant harassment. “There’s a mare in the wood!” Pip whinnied. “Oh great, there must be hundreds,” Sheissain scoffed. “yeah, but, Ferdinand,” Pip ploughed on, “that mare you were talking to Petra about, I think it’s her! Also, she’s in trouble!” Pip shrieked.

"Ok Pip, Dear," Ferdinand continued, "Let’s go and see what is going on, I just hope you are not playing silly games ... "I'm not"! yelled Pip, "Why would I do that"?

Ferdinand and Pip raced off towards the woods. “I think it is Cora.” Pip panted. “We should see Pip.” Ferdinand answered. They dashed in to the forest, there standing in open grassland stood Cora, she was looking around her. “Cora!” Ferdinand yelled. “Yes, oh, its Ferdinand!” Cora cried as she ran towards him. “This is my friend, Pip.” Ferdinand said, “she is not a pony, she’s a falabella horse.” Ferdinand kept talking as the 3 of them headed back to the herd. “Our leader’s name is Petra, she is very nice and will help you, or even let you in.” Pip said. “I hate humans!!” Cora whinnied. “Er, okay, then, welcome to the human hater herd.” Ferdinand answered. Petra took 1 look at Cora and said, “Welcome dear.”

Kora studied Pip closely. “You are so small Pip!” She whinnied. “There’s nothing wrong with being small is there?” Pip replied, “I happen to think you are tall, but I don’t remark on it do I!” She snapped. Kora made a mental note to be more careful next time. She took in Pip’s tiny stature, and looking down, the tiniest set of hooves she’d ever seen on a horse! Pip saw the larger mare appraising her and said: “I know you think I’m small, that I can’t fight, that I’m little better than a foal! I’ll have you know that I sent Maynand packing earlier! The stupid colt thought he could insult me and get away with it!” Pip yelled. Kora dropped to her knees and said: “I’m sorry Pip, really I am, but I have never seen the like of you before. Can’t you understand my curiosity?” Pip looked into Kora’s face. She saw a kindly mare, who’d been abused by the humans, and who needed understanding like she herself did. “all right, sorry Kora,” Pip said. Kora nuzzled Pip’s shoulder. Instinctively, Pip cuddled up close to the larger mare. Kora began to stroke the tiny horse’s ear with her muzzle, and soon Pip was asleep. Ferdinand watched this in silence. Petra said: “Pip’s still a foal. She hasn’t had time to grow up yet, and she’s been thrown into all this poor thing.” Ferdinand looked into the massive Shire mare’s face to see tears welling in her eyes. Petra went to Pip’s right side, dropped to her knees and rested her nose on Pip’s neck. “We’ll look after you littl’en,” she whispered.

The tiny mare drifted off into a dreamless sleep. She hadn’t slept like this for a long time. She was exhausted from the long journey and then … the attack by the vicious colt. “Take care of her for me Petra, she needs plenty of love!” Ferdinand whispered. “I will,” Petra reassured him. “I love her very much” Ferdinand continued, “but she needs a mother figure to focus on right now so I am relying on you to fulfil that role. I am telling you this if, for any reason, we are separated, tell her I will always be there for her”!

Ferdinand and Kora walked away. Ferdinand didn’t want to be there when Pip woke. Although he loved the Falabella mare dearly, she was only a foal, and she needed Petra, not him. Meanwhile, Pip had woken to find Ferdinand and Kora gone, but Petra was still there, watching over her. “Where has Ferdinand gone?” Pip asked. Petra replied: “He’s gone away for a short while, gone with Kora, they needed to talk.” Pip got to her feet and looked around, she couldn’t see Ferdinand, it was the first time she’d lost sight of him since they’d met and this frightened her. “Where is Ferdinand! Where is he!” She squealed. Petra dropped to her knees, and hugging Pip tightly she said gently: “Pip, my dear filly, listen to me.” Pip twitched an ear in the Shire mare’s direction. “Ferdinand has left the herd, he went with Kora, and I don’t think they’re going to return. He told me, that he loved you dearly, and that he’d always be there for you, but that he couldn’t stay.” Pip stared at Petra in confusion. “he’s left the herd for good?” she asked. “yes Pip dear, I’m afraid he has,” Petra replied. Pip then said: “You called me your filly, I’m not a foal any more, and I’m not your foal!” “No Pip, I know that, but through no fault of your own you were taken from your mother, I’m looking after you now.” Pip looked at the massive shire mare, she wondered how this massive horse could ever look after her, a tiny horse, only three feet tall. “I suppose, with Ferdinand gone, I must make an effort to stand on my own four feet,” Pip thought. Pip looked Petra over, From the mare’s head, Pip wondered how a horse could have such large ears, to her neck, strong and powerful, to the massive body and legs, down, down, down, to the larges set of hooves Pip had ever seen on a horse. Pip glanced at her own hooves, tiny they were. She suddenly felt a lot safer with Petra around. Maynand came cantering across to her. “So your nurse has gone for good then Pip,” he scoffed. Then he lashed out at her! Maynand was never to know quite what happened next, the next thing he knew he was flying, yes flying through the air, he landed with an almighty crash on the grass ten feet from where he’d been standing. Picking himself up off the grass, he looked straight into the eyes of an enraged Shire mare. Petra stared the colt down, she was furious! ““You stupid fool Maynand!” She shrieked. Maynand spat at her feet. “That scrap doesn’t need our protection Petra, she’s a liability to us!” He blustered. Petra turned and showed the now terrified colt a huge hind foot. “You wouldn’t hit me with that, you haven’t got the,,, she lashed out at him! Maynand wasn’t fast enough to get out of the line of fire. The shire mare’s hoof smashed into his shoulder, lifting him off his feet, sending him into a summersault. Maynand crashed painfully onto his back and lay stunned. Petra regarded her work with disinterest. “Don’t you ever, ever! Go after Pip again Maynand! That is if you still can of course.” She snarled. The Shire mare went across to the colt and nudged him with a forefoot, Maynand groaned pitifully.

Pip got used to Ferdinand being gone every day. She was sad though. Petra helped the best she could, but Pip was the one who had to let go. Petra was still having problems with Maynand. He still kept chasing Pip around the clearing. One day Pip woke up to a sound of horse hooves running towards them from far away. A yell, then a shout. “Petra!!” Ferdinand yelled, “We found a better place for your herd!!” “Ferdinand, you are back.” Pip said with a smile. “Yes Pip dear, let me show your herd the place.” “That is very nice of you Ferdinand, I’ll bring my herd.” Petra said. After an hour of sorting things out, the herd moved on. Two days later, the herd reached the Island of Ferdinand’s. “Home Sweet Home!” Ferdinand sang. “I’m wet from that swim.” Petra laughed, “Feeling good to be having fun at last.”

Ferdinand and Kora ranged all over the island, or what was left of it. Ferdinand’s emotions ranged from rage to grief as he looked upon his beloved home. The humans had not only taken all the horses off the island, that was bad enough, they’d cut down all the willow trees that gave the island it’s name! Ferdinand suppressed an urge to squeal and whinny in anger at the moon, which was the custom on the island before the humans came, as the horses believed the moon controlled the earth. Ferdinand felt a deep and growing hatred for the human race who had desecrated his island. Depressed, Kora and Ferdinand returned to the rest of the horses. “It might have been nice once Ferdinand dear,” Petra said, “but now it’s a dump! All the willow trees,,,” “yeah, I know,” Ferdinand replied, trying not to cry in front of her, “it’s awful, the humans have a lot to answer for. Maybe this isn’t the place it was. My island no longer exists. This place is shut to me.” With that he walked away, head down and hooves barely leaving the ground as he walked. “it’s depressed him greatly,” Kora said. “It’s not how Ferdinand said it would be, that’s fur sure,” Pip remarked. “Humans have no idea what they’ve got till they lose it,!” Sheissain snapped. Petra looked about her and said: “Even though my fur has hardly dried out since the swim earlier, I think we should get off this island sharpish.” “In case the humans come back?” Kora asked. “exactly,” Petra replied, she beckoned to Kora, “look at what I found,” she invited. Petra led Kora across the island to a group of tree stumps, around the stumps were strange things, wire, blocks of something that looked like plastic, as well as spades, and other junk. “You know what that is?” Petra asked, waving a hoof at the plastic and wires. “No, but it smells like man, it has fearful things about it, and frankly I don’t want to be here Petra, I hate this place!” Kora whinnied. “Okay, we’re going, fast! It’s explosive, they’re blowing up the stumps! I know, I’ve seen it, and we don’t want to be here when they do!” Petra whinnied. With that she galloped away, calling the other horses to follow her. Every horse plunged into the water and swam for their lives! Once safely on the other side of the lake where the island was situated, they turned back at the sound of loud explosions. “they’ve started it already,” Petra said. Maynand looked with spite at Ferdinand: “You brought us to your island, now they’re blowing the thing up! It was a hellhole anyway! Your island is a dump, just as Petra said it was!” he scoffed. Ferdinand, upset and angry at the humans, felt his control snap! He drove the colt under his hooves, trampling him into the forest floor. “I hate, loath and despise you Maynand!” Ferdinand screamed, his eyes blazing with naked hatred!

Ferdinand’s attack was severe. It took Petra and Sheissain to pull him off the colt. “Leave him Ferdinand, that’s enough! Stop!” Petra squealed. Ferdinand lay on the forest floor, pinned down by Sheissain. “I know you are upset about your home, and I’m sorry, but you don’t need to attack Maynand in the way you did!” “He’s been getting to me Petra, attacking Pip and all that! You’re saying I should let that go?” Ferdinand whinnied. “No I’m not saying that, he deserves punishment for that, and he will get it. It is me or Sheissain who punish in this herd, noone else. You are as bad as Maynand if you sink to his level,” Petra replied. Maynand focused his gaze on Ferdinand, and swore viciously at him. “We’ll have less of that!” Petra snapped. “And what are you gonna do about it Petra, kick me? Bite me? Go ahead, do it, everyone else is!” Maynand screamed.

Pip didn't know what to do, she was frightened, she felt desperately alone, oh why was Ferdinand so angry?

So much had happened to her in her short life, why did it all happen to me, she thought, its not fair!

Pip looked round for someone to talk to. She saw Ferdinand cantering off into the distance. She felt she couldn’t ask him why he’d gone crazy, in case he went mad at her too. Sheissain wasn’t right Pip decided, so it would have to be Petra. The tiny falabella mare walked up to Petra, took her courage in her tiny hoof and asked: “Petra, can, can I talk to you about something,,,” Her voice trailed away. Pip felt a moment of naked terror as the huge mare looked down at her. She was surprised and relieved to see the gentle expression on Petra’s face. “of course you can Pip dear,” Petra replied, “here, or somewhere private?” she asked. Pip said: “Somewhere else, please,,,” Seeing the tiny mare’s fear and general anxiety, Petra lowered her head and nuzzled the mare’s ear. “Maybe she doesn’t think I’m on her side,” Petra thought. The Shire mare knew that the talk she was about to have with Pip would make or break their friendship.

They found a quiet corner, Pip didn’t know quite what to expect but she knew that whatever Petra had to say to her was very important. Listen pip dear,” Petra began, “I know you have been through a lot, but your just gonna have to stop feeling sorry for yourself, and learn to stand on your own hooves for once. Ferdinand is getting fed up of you demanding his attention all the time and if your not careful, you will lose him for good and you don’t want that, do you”? “Course not” whispered pip, “I need Ferdinand, he’s like a big brother to me, I just wish he would sort himself out … I’m sorry Petra, I just feel so lonely sometimes, I don’t mean to bug him”! “Ok, well listen to me, dear, promise that you will try to make the effort to pull yourself together and grow up a bit, just for me”! “yes mum, I promise” she said quietly. Petra was stunned! She didn’t know what to do after this last comment:

“She called me mum,” Petra thought to herself, should she hug her and tell her she loved her, o blow it, she hugged the tiny horse close to her, you’re the foal I never had, she thought, how can I ever tell her everything!” I love you pip” she said warmly. “You’ll never know how much”!

Pip had wanted to say so much to Petra. Her young mind just could not get the words together to say the things that had been going through her mind. Petra’s talk to her had made it all right, she knew now that she would have to change, be positive and start to enjoy life and have some fun! The past was behind her now, she knew she was loved by those who were most important to her and that was all that mattered,

Pip looked into the shire mare’s face. She asked gently: “Why didn’t you have a foal?” Petra lay down and patted the grass with a forefoot to indicate that Pip should lie beside her. Once they were both comfortable, Petra answered the filly’s question. “You know I said I knew humans, and how awful they could be to us horses?” she said. Pip nodded: “I remember you saying something mum,” she said. Petra continued: “Well, the last human I was with,,,” Petra stopped. Staring into the middle distance at horrors she hoped she’d never revisit, she said: “I was a dray horse, pulled beer carts and such like, maybe I’ll tell you of the history of my breed someday. I was a dray horse as I said, and my driver was a terrible human. Most drivers were male where I worked, butt I had a female.” Petra swallowed hard, her voice cracking she said: “That female human should never have even been let near horses. She beat me until I was sore, shire horses aren’t race horses Pip, we can’t go very fast! This human wanted me to go like an engine, faster, and faster and faster! I couldn’t! I tried my best, we all did, us horses, the humans, well,” she snorted, “I wouldn’t have given a barrel of oats for the lot of them.” Pip asked: “Was it the beating that injured you?” Petra’s eyes filled with tears: “No, no, it wasn’t the beating,,, it was one day,,,” Pip felt wretched for asking the shire mare about anything now. “You don’t have to tell me mum, not if it hurts you,” she said gently. “Give me time Pip darling,” Petra replied, “after all, I made a pretty big statement calling you my foal, and my only foal at that, me being eight now n’all. Most mares have had at least one foal by the time they get to my age.” Pip nuzzled Petra’s massive right ear. This attention from her foal seemed to calm Petra enough to continue her tale. “This human drove me hard that day, making me trot where I couldn’t trot, that was as fast as I could go with a full dray, and that was a struggle, every step at a trot with a full dray was a massive effort, but what do humans know of the work we horses do. I fell, my feet slipped from under me at full trot, and, well, the dray ran over me, crushed me, I would have died if a vet who was up for anything hadn’t been called. This vet saw me lying there, heard from passers by what had happened and decided that I was worth it. This vet fixed me up, did a fine job too. I owe that human my life, although I can’t ever tell them that.” Pip had noticed Petra walking stiffly sometimes, but she put it down to the mare being old, not this, not abuse! “although the vet fixed most of the damage, I lost the ability to have foals,” Petra concluded. She looked at Pip: “I will never forget the pain of that dray running me down, never!” she squealed. Pip was appalled. “Saying I’m Sorry doesn’t seem enough mum, what you told me is beyond anything I imagined. No wonder you went wild, no wonder you hate humans!” “Ah Pip, I don’t hate all humans, not like Sheissain, who’s never encountered one, good or bad. That horse is a fool! he knows nothing!” she exploded. Calming down a little, she continued: “I know there are good humans and bad humans, but I’m wild, I don’t want to be shod, groomed, and definitely not shut in a stable ever again!” Pip looked down at the mare’s massive hooves. “your hooves are magnificent,” she said. Petra smiled. Like all horses, she took pride in how her hooves looked. “Thanks,” she said with genuine appreciation. Pip let her gaze travel all over Petra. From her massive hooves, to her legs, body and neck, finishing on her face, and the eyes shining with love and joy at having her, Pip to call her foal. Pip suddenly felt very safe, safe enough to cuddle up to this massive mare, who five days ago she’d never met, and fall asleep. Petra nuzzled Pip’s ear and brushed her muzzle with her’s. “I love you mum,” Pip yawned. Petra let herself go, weeping with joy into the long grass. Soon the mare’s tears dried, and she settled to sleep with her new foal beside her.

The mood of the herd changed, the recent explosions unnerved even the most hardened of them. It was difficult to believe that Maynand was frightened by such events. They didn't like it, something had to be done, they must move onto somewhere new and safe!

Pip woke slowly from a deep sleep. She got up carefully, so not to disturb Petra. She looked about her, wondering whether all that had happened to her was a dream, but then she looked back at Petra and realised it wasn’t. Pip nudged Petra’s shoulder with her nose. “Hmm, yeah?” Petra said drowsily, “Oh, Pip it’s you.” She stretched languidly. “Have I been asleep?” she asked. “We both have mum,” Pip replied. Petra got to her feet, shook herself and looked down at Pip. “We’d better find Ferdinand, see where he’s got to,” she said. With that they left the place where they’d spent over fifteen hours. They found Ferdinand grazing, he didn’t seem to notice Petra or Pip. Then he looked Petra full in the face and said: “I think we’ve got to leave here, the men will be here soon, and then we’re running, running for our lives.” Petra replied: “Ferdinand, I am the one who makes decisions round here, not you! The herd is lead by myself and Sheissain, when he’s not bullying other horses.” Ferdinand snorted: “What about that disgusting colt? Maynard, isn’t that what he calls himself? What is he in this herd,” Petra wanted to say exactly what she thought of Maynand, but thought of Pip and refrained from speaking her mind. “He’s a jumped up colt, as Pip said,” she replied, “he thinks he’s big enough to insult a tiny mare and get away with it.” “I hate Maynand mum,” Pip said viciously.

“Yes, dear I know, but you've just got to put up with him.” Petra said. Ferdinand interrupted the little mare filly chat. “Look, while you two stand around discussing your likes and dislikes, we're all going to get caught. I'm going to make the escape proposition to the heard, and tonight, whether any one comes with me or not I'm leaving this place for safety.”

Later that day, all the horses stood by an old oak. Ferdinand addressed the whole herd. “I can’t stay here any more, since the men came to my island, I’ve thought that staying a long time in one place is not advisable. I am leaving this island as soon as this meeting is over.” Sheissain spoke up then. “Ferdinand, I’m sorry to correct you here, but I feel I must. We left the island as soon as we found out about the strange man things from Petra and Kora, we are no longer on the island any more.” Maynand spat: “What rubbish you talk Ferdinand. I say to the whole herd, this horse is deluded! He’s a misfit and should be thrown out!” “yes Maynand, you should, and you will soon enough,” Petra replied. The colt stared at his leader. “Me?” he asked, “I meant Ferdinand when I said this horse, not me!” \Petra stared Maynand down. “Stay here after the meeting,” she snapped. Ferdinand, realising his mistake, said: “I feel so small now. In my stressed state, I forgot about the flight, the swim and everything, I’m sorry, I beg you all for your understanding and forgiveness.” Petra looked round the herd, probing for descent. Finding none, she said: “You are forgiven Ferdinand, it’s forgotten now. “No it isn’t!” Maynand yelled. With that he was running, running because he was being chased by a massive Shire mare! Petra chased Maynand into the woods, knocked him to the floor and gave him a kicking he’d never forget! “don’t ever come back to my herd!” she shrieked.

"But, but, Petra, why are you throwing me out?" Maynand Moaned.

Petra stared down at the prostrate colt. “I am throwing you out because you are a menace to the herd. Going after Pip like you did, what did you think you were playing at!” Maynand screamed: “She’s a nothing Petra, a nothing!” Petra snapped: “But you are a bigger nothing Maynand, she didn’t get kicked out of the herd.” The Shire mare reminded him. Maynand looked down at the mare’s massive hooves. He wondered what damage they’d do if she decided to crush him. Petra shifted her weight a bit, involuntarily showing Maynand a massive hind foot. Terrified now, he shrieked: “Don’t crush me Petra! I’ll do anything! Please, let me live!” Maynand was surprised to see the look of horror on the mare’s face as she faced him. “Kill you? Why would I want to do that?” she asked. “because I’ve done all those horrid things to Pip,,,” “So you admit it now, you are saying they were horrid things, so are you apologising for them?” the mare snapped. “if I have to, I will,” Maynand said. That was his undoing, Realising the colt’s insincerity, she turned rear on to him, and showed him a massive hind foot. “Maynand, do you want the sight of my foot to be your last memory?” she asked. “No, no! Pleas! Don’t, don’t crush me, Petra, please,! Spare my life! He squealed.

Petra placed her huge right hind foot on Maynand’s nose. Maynand shrieked with terror! “Petra! Please! Don’t crush me! I’ll do anything for you, anything!” “You are an insincere creature Maynand, you deserve nothing!” Petra whinnied. The colt squealed: “I know I was untruthful, I’m sorry, really I am! I’ll never touch Pip again, I’ll be a good colt from now on. Please let me show you! If you crush me, I can’t show you!” Petra lifted her hoof off of Maynand. “Okay, one more chance, but beware, if you fail, then you won’t see another sunrise Maynand.” Petra said coldly. Maynand knew the Shire mare hated him.

The following morning things started to happen, the herd was making last minute preparations for the move, Petra and Ferdinand went round giving instructions and making sure that everything was in order. There was an air of excitement as the horses made sure that no one was left behind, even Maynand tried to make an effort to be helpful! How long would this last though?! Pip couldn’t contain her excitement, she rolled round the field playfully getting under horses hooves as they were trying to get organised. “Pip, be careful, dear” said Kora kindly nudging the tiny horse playfully. “you’ll be trampled to death before we get anywhere if you carry on like that! “Sorry” replied Pip getting up and shaking herself into shape “Better go and see where my mum and Ferdinand are, must be nearly time to go. Kora watched her gallop off and as an afterthought shouted, “be a good girl Pip”!

Pip ran to Petra: “Where are we going?” She whinnied. “Somewhere,” Petra replied. “Oh yes yes yes I know that!” Pip said, “but where is somewhere?” “Follow the herd and you’ll find out Pip,” Petra replied. The herd were making good progress now, Soon they came to a road, Petra looked up and down the road, looking for a place to cross. She saw two poles in the distance, they looked promising, she remembered from her times with the humans that they used these for crossing roads, in fact she’d had to stop for humans as they crossed between these two poles. “Right you lot, follow me!” she whinnied. Turning right the Shire mare led the herd along the edge of the field parallel to the road. Pip, still up with Petra, asked: “What are we going to do? That road’s busy, and, I don’t want to be killed under a car, I nearly got hit when Ferdinand and I crossed that busy, um, I think Ferdinand called it an intersection.” Petra smiled down at the Falabella mare. “I’m going to use something the humans taught me, we’ll get across safely. Petra made her way swiftly towards the two poles, and she could now see the flashing lights on the top of them. Petra watched carefully, noting how the cars stopped when the lights were red, and went when they were green, She also noticed a box about half way down that humans pressed to make the lights turn red for the cars, and green for themselves. After watching this for a while, she said: “Right, Ferdinand, Sheissain, come over here!” They did so. “Right, how we are going to get across the road. I will press the box, and you Sheissain, then you Ferdinand, lead the horses across when I give the word, Remember this is a human road, and remember mostly that they don’t care about us horses! Caution must be the watchword. Keep your wits about you and you should be okay.” Petra said. Their instructions understood, Sheissain and Ferdinand marshalled all the horses so they would get across the road safely. Petra broke cover, went up to the box, and pressed the metal plate with her nose. The lights changed to green, the cars stopped, then they moved on again. Some drivers waved angrily at her when they passed, but she couldn’t understand what their gestures meant. “Okay,” Petra said,” As I said, when the lights are green, go, but when they are red, stop on your side of the road!” So, little by little, with Petra alternately pressing the metal plate with her nose, and watching anxiously as the horses crossed the road, all horses got over safely. This left Petra on the other side of the road to her herd. “How will mum get across the road?” Pip asked. “The same way we did, watch,” Ferdinand replied. Petra pressed the plate, waited till the lights went green, then she crossed too. “There, nothing to it,” she said. Pip looked up into her mum’s face with pure admiration. “You are a wonderful horse mum,” she said.

Petra smiled down at her foal. “I wouldn’t go quite that far Pip, you see my dear, we’ve all got to help the herd, any little bit we know about anything might be the difference between life and death for us.” Pip shuddered at the thought: “Yes, I suppose things could get that bad,” She said. Maynand favoured Pip with scorn. “You mean to say Pip that you think Petra a wonderful horse for pressing a plate with her nose? That’s stupid!” He whinnied. Pip snapped back: “Could you have got us safely across the road?” Maynand looked down at his hooves and mumbled: “Um, ah, er, well, I,,,,, I,” “I suppose not, isn’t that right Maynand?” Pip said. “Um, well, ah, yep.” Maynand conceded. “Well don’t make silly comments like that!” The Falabella mare screamed.

The herd pressed on through the Fields. Maynand plodded along, much subdued after Pip turning on him. He decided that though this mare was small, she had a quick temper. The herd came to an abrupt halt. “What’s up?” Petra yelled. “There’s a river!” Sheissain yelled back. “I’m sure there are plenty of rivers!” Petra whinnied. “yes, but one’s blocking our path, we’ll have to swim it, no bridge!” Sheissain replied. “Okay Pip, I’ll lie down, and you get on my back,” Petra said. Pip looked anxious. “Will you be able to carry me?” She asked. “I hope so, if not, we’ll have to stay here, you can’t swim that river, it’s fast flowing,” The Shire mare replied. With that she lay down, and Pip clambered onto her back. Heaving herself to her feet, Petra commanded. “Hang on tight with your teeth Pip, and don’t move!” Pip hung on to Petra’s mane and the mare followed the herd towards the river.

The bank of the river was very steep. Petra’s hoof slipped as she edged her way slowly and cautiously down the steep slope into the cold water. Pip hung onto her, not daring to open her eyes but just feeling herself going down, down, down into the fast-flowing water. Maynand watched,

“Ah, “no buttons to press here.” He thought. Petra swam frantically, it was hard work, the river was deep and cold, and the current waited for no one, Sheissain, as second in command hurried the herd along, one by one the horses followed Petra into the water, Kora went next then Maynand … Ferdinand watched as the horses one after another entered the icy water. Sheissain and Ferdinand were the last to dive in. Most crossed safely but … some perished … this made them more determined than ever to find a safer place.

Petra scrambled out onto the river-bank. Looking about her frantically she couldn’t see Pip, who she was sure had slipped off her back during the river crossing. Sheissain came up to her. “We lost some, some horses didn’t make it Petra, Six of them,” he panted. Petra wasn’t listening however. She’d lost her foal, and at that moment, the herd was the last thing on her mind. Suddenly Ferdinand Whinnied: “Look! Petra!” All horses stared in the direction of Ferdinand’s frantically waving hoof. What they saw made all the watchers wonder whether they were dreaming. Apparently, Maynand was swimming across the river, not only that, but Pip was there, bullying the protesting colt through the water! Petra squealed a warning to Pip to be Careful! “What are you playing at!” Ferdinand shouted. “Can’t talk now!” Pip gasped, “go on Maynand you loser, move it!” Soon Maynand and Pip made it across the river. Once they were on safe ground again, Petra regarded her adopted foal with anger! “I thought I told you to hang on!” She squealed. “I tried, mum, I tried to! But the river carried me away, back to the bank too! There was Maynand, up to his fetlocks in the water, watching us. So I shoved him in, easier while he was in the water. Once he was unable to touch bottom, well, I swam with him, protested he did, “why are you doing this? What have you ever done for the herd,” etc etc etc. Mum, the words he used, they were awful! Disgusting language! I couldn’t let him get away with that, so I bullied him across the water. It was a hard struggle for me, but I’m here, and, well, so’s he.” Finding herself beside the horse who’d made her life hell, Pip had put her fellow horses before herself and helped Maynand across the water, not leaving him even when he swore at her. Petra was thankful that her foal hadn’t come to harm, but was still angry with her for doing what she’d done. “You should have got out on that side, and I would have come back for you!” the Shire mare screamed. “No mum,” Pip replied, “You couldn’t have got back over the river. It was either me swim it, take my chance, or I lose my herd. As for Maynand, well! I don’t know what he was thinking of!” Maynand stared at the Tiny Falabella mare. The Possibility she’d saved his life, and that he owed this scrap something, actually made him feel sick, but it couldn’t be denied, she’d risked her life for him, she could have swum the river, had she not fallen off Petra’s back she would have got across safely. The colt couldn’t escape the fact that when she’d found him in the water, she’d thought about getting him across the river, not of just swimming it herself, leaving him. Feeling the colt’s eyes on her, Pip turned to him. “Oh, Maynand, there you are,” she said. Maynand opened his mouth to say something, but couldn’t bring himself to thank Pip for saving him. “Why did you stop to help Maynand?” Ferdinand asked. “I, I don’t know,” Pip replied, “he was there, and you were here, and he wasn’t going anywhere fast, and I thought I could help him if he got into problems getting across, that sort of thing,” the Falabella mare replied. “You are both safe now,” Petra said, “but don’t you ever! Ever! Do that again Pip!” She shrieked. Pip grieved the loss of Kora. She couldn’t believe it, why had such a graceful mare, who had claimed to have worked with royalty been taken by the strong river current! Only yesterday she had shouted after pip to be good, she had been good! She had helped that awful Maynand across, she’d have done it for anyone. Surely ;no one would leave a struggling horse however much they disliked them. Maynand hadn’t wanted to show anyone his fear of the water least of all that brat of a pip!! Petra and Sheissain decided that now would be a good time to rest and recover some strength.

“how come so many drowned”? was the question which was repeated over and over again. Pip thought her heart would break, “why, why, why”? that was all she could say. “I don’t know” Petra replied honestly. “Pip, I know you are sad at losing Kora, but we have to move on, life goes on, sweetheart. Look, settle down, you will feel better after a good night’s sleep.” “yes,” Pip agreed tearfully. “?Where is Ferdi? “ “He’s busy” Petra said “but he will be back soon, he’s just helping Sheissain, making sure that the herd are comfortable for the night. We all have to stick together Pip and do our bit to keep the herd safe and happy”.

After an hour of trying to sleep, Pip gave up. Getting slowly to her feet, being careful not to wake Petra, Pip looked round her. She walked slowly round the sleeping horses towards a patch of woodland. The wood was dark, but this didn’t alarm her really. Pressing on into the wood, deep in thought, Pip was unprepared for someone shouting at her. “Stop!” Squealing with fright, Pip looked round her.” “Who, Who’s that! Where are you!” She demanded. For answer a huge boar badger came into the open. “It be me who told you stop,” he said. Pip stared at this massive creature. “Oh, yes,” Pip gabbled. “What be your name?” the Badger asked. “Pip,” She replied. “Me be Brock,” the badger said. “Pleased to meet you Brock,” Pip said, her mind spinning. “I saw what happened to horses in river, that bad thing,” Brock said. “Yes that was, I knew at least one of them well,” The mare replied. Brock looked Pip over. “You be smaller than other horses in herd, they be bigger than you by lots.” He observed. “Yes I am smaller,” Pip replied. “Well, me give Pip advice. Brock like Pip, Brock say that to keep Pip safe Pip no go into wood at night. In wood be bad creatures, them harm pip like crazy if they see her. You no fear from Brock or family, we keep horses safe, especially Pip. But you listen to Brock and take note, wood no place for small horse!” Pip thought she might grow to like this massive Badger with the strange talk.

The next morning, Pip wandered back to her herd. Seeing her coming Petra asked: “Where have you been?” Pip told her all about Brock. “You went into the

woods!” The Shire mare shrieked. “Yes, I was unable to sleep,” Pip replied. “You never ever do that again Pip! You didn’t know what was in that wood! What if you had come to harm? What if that Badger had harmed you!” Petra yelled. Brock, woken by the squealing horse, came lumbering into the open. “Me no hurt Pip, Pip friend of Brock and Brock family! We look after Pip. Badgers make big trouble if harm Pip! Brock snapped. Petra stared open mouthed at the boar badger. “Petra, where is your spirit of adventure?” Pip was beginning to get really fed up of Petra’s persistent nagging. Petra couldn’t believe what she was hearing, Pip had called her by her name for the first time. “Pip, I am concerned for your safety, I couldn’t bare to see anything happening to you, I love you and … she stopped, was suddenly disturbed by a commotion. What was happening now?

Petra haired off in the direction of the squealing. She saw Maynand and Brock in a fight, and it seemed the badger was winning! Petra waded in and broke the two feuding creatures up. “What was all that about?” she demanded. “Maynand said he hurt Pip like mad just for being small horse!” Brock yelled. “Yeah, and she deserves all she gets, she’s a scrap Petra, nothing more than a snivelling scrap!” Maynand screamed. “I could apply that description to you Maynand, and I will. You are a horrid horse, your manners are disgraceful, you wouldn’t even thank Pip for saving your life!” Petra whinnied shrilly. Meanwhile, Pip had followed her foster mother and heard everything. “go for it Brock, beat the stuffing out of him!” she whinnied. Petra whipped round on her foal and nipped her ear hard! “What was that for!” Pip yelled. “Never incite violence Pip!” Petra squealed.

No one heard Sheissain approaching. “Wha’s goin’ on here!” he questioned, “we’re sposed to be getting ready to move on and you lots fightin,” “I don’t want to move on” Whinnied Pip sulkily. “I wants to stay here with Brock, I’ve ‘ad enough of ‘orses, all I gets is nag, nag, nag from Petra and I just feel so unhappy, Maynand treats me like dirt and I haven’t spoken to Ferdinand for days!” Sheissain’s fur stood up on end. “Don’t drop your H’s when you talk to me Pip!” he snapped. Pip looked at him. “I’m only trying to speak your language, I didn’t,,,,” Sheissain lashed out at her! Pip threw herself backwards, desperately trying to avoid the hoof. She landed heavily on her back, winding herself. Petra meanwhile had leapt on top of Sheissain and given him a proper thumping. When she’d finished Sheissain was barely alive. “Don’t you ever! Ever! Lash out at Pip Sheissain, for if you do it again, I swear, I’ll murder you!” Petra squealed. She left her second in command to think on what she said, and went in search of Pip, who was lying groaning on the grass a short distance away. She made an anxious examination of her foal, finding no broken bits, Petra helped Pip to her feet. “He tried to kill me mum,” Pip sobbed. Petra wanted to ask Pip why she’d once referred to her by name but thought now wasn’t the time. “I know, he won’t get another chance Pip darling, not while I’m here,” she said gently. “I’m so frightened” Pip sobbed uncontrollably. “I don’t understand why Sheissain behaved like that He’s supposed to be my second in command ” Petra said to Ferdinand later that day as the herd prepared to continue their journey. “Why doesn’t Pip want to come with us?” Ferdinand asked quietly. “She’s taken a liking to Brock, seems to think that he can protect her from danger, and remember Pip had struck up quite a friendship with Kora, and now Kora is no longer with us, Pip is in no fit state to be left by herself Ferdinand, and I don’t want her getting hurt” Petra replied. “But she cant possibly stay here alone,” Ferdinand said in a firm but quiet tone. “You will have to talk to her Ferdinand” Petra continued, “she respects you and I am sure a quiet fatherly word from you will do the trick.”” “Of course” said Ferdinand looking round for the tiny horse he had taken under his hoof those few months ago. While Petra and Ferdinand were in conversation Pip wandered off back into the wood” I won’t go with them, she sobbed I won’t.”

Pip found Brock digging up worms. Seeing the mare was in a terrible state, he stopped digging and asked: “What be the matter?” Pip sniffed and replied: “They want me to go with them, but I don’t want to, I want to stay here!” Brock looked mystified. “Why you want stay? Here is no place for small horse like Pip,” he said. “But I want to stay with you!” Pip squealed. Brock looked sternly at the Falabella mare. “No, you no stay with me! Me badger, you horse, me no look after horse! You go with other horses Pip, or me make you go like crazy!” Brock yelled. Pip ran away, knowing she’d have to go with the horses, knowing she’d have to try to get on with the others. Pip felt lost and totally helpless, who could she turn to?

Pip ran and ran, she didn’t know what to do. “I feel so lonely” she cried, tears still streaming off the end of her nose. Time didn’t seem to matter any more, she knew she just had to keep going, going going. How long she ran for she didn’t know and then exhaustion took over and she flopped down in an emotional heap on the ground under a large tree in the middle of the forest. Suddenly, Pip realised that she was truly lost. She drifted off into an uneasy sleep. She was jerked back into consciousness by the sound of an owl hooting up above her. It was dark, and she was cold. “Oh no” she whinnied, “Where is the herd, they will have gone on without me, I should have listened to Brock “ I cant cope here by myself, what am I going to do now?”

It was getting dark now. Pip laid her head back on the dried leaves. She felt cold, lonely and more frightened than she could remember being before. Suddenly a branch cracked nearby. Screaming in terror Pip leapt to her feet! “Hey now, shh, there’s no need for that,” someone said gently. “What? Who? Where are you!” Pip screamed into the darkness. For answer she felt a nose rubbing her’s. Looking round, Pip couldn’t believe her eyes! Another horse just like her stood beside her! He was small, with tiny hooves, and best of all for Pip, he was company. “Why all the screaming littl’en?” The Falabella gelding asked. “Littl’en?” Pip asked incredulously, “If you don’t mind me saying, you’re not so large yourself.” “Why were you screaming like that?” The colt asked, obviously ignoring her statement. “I was part of a herd of horses, we crossed a river, some died, I couldn’t cope, can’t cope even, and now they’re gone! I don’t know how I’m going to catch up with them, look at me! I’m tiny! I’ve got short legs, I can’t run as far or fast as larger horses!” Pip whinnied. The colt nuzzled her cheek. That felt wonderful. “I think I’ve seen someone you might know,” he said, “A large Shire mare came past where I was lying up one day. When I asked her her business, she said she was looking for Pip, whoever Pip is.” “I’m Pip, and that was Petra, my, um, foster mum, Where did you see her?” Pip asked. “Oh, hours ago, she would have gone far from here now,” the colt replied. This news broke Pip, who cried into the gelding’s mane. “Hey Pip, don’t cry dear,” he said softly, “Tell you what, we’ll look as soon as it becomes light enough to see,” he promised. Calmed by this strange horse’s presence, Pip settled down. “I never asked you what your name was,” she said. “My name? Well, I can’t remember it really,” Pip stared at him in astonishment! “You don’t know your own name?” She asked. “No, it’s just that, well, my herd cast me out,” he replied. “Yes, but what’s that got to do with you forgetting your name?” Pip persisted. “They called me Whitehoof. I suppose that’s my name, if I have one at all,” The colt replied. Pip then noticed he did have one white hoof. She’d taken note of it, but hadn’t commented on it. “Whitehoof? Do you mind me calling you that?” She asked hesitantly. “No, it’s as close to a name as I’ll ever get,” The colt replied. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of, having one white hoof,” she said. “I’ve learned to live with it,” Whitehoof replied. Pip reached out with her nose and touched the colt’s left forefoot, his one white hoof. “I like it, and, I like you Whitehoof.” She said. Whitehoof hugged Pip tightly. “Tomorrow I’ll help you find your mum,” he said. Strangely though, Pip didn’t want to. This new horse had kindled in her an urge to go her own way, with Whitehoof she’d be safe she was sure. “Whitehoof, can, can I stay with you?” She asked. The colt smiled. “If you like,” he said.

Petra was beside herself with worry. “I think we should go back and have another look for her, remember that little horse with the white hoof, maybe he can help us. “Ok” Ferdinand reassured her “we’ll go and have one more try, surely she cant be that far away, she would have been tired and fallen asleep somewhere, come on, let’s go Maynand, you can come too, Sheissain can stay in control while us three go to find Pip. “The stupid thing should not have gone off by herself” Maynand said, “its her own fault.” “Hey you,” reminded Ferdinand “just you remember what Pip did for you!!” he said angrily. Maynand recoiled and reluctantly followed Petra and Ferdinand into the wood. Petra, Maynand and Ferdinand wandered through the wood looking for Pip. Meanwhile, Pip and Whitehoof had left their resting place and gone further into the wood. Pip wanted to ask Whitehoof so much about himself. He answered her questions patiently, why this why that, but he didn’t mind. Suddenly there was an angry squeal. “There you are Pip, where have you been!” Whitehoof and Pip spun round to be confronted by Petra standing looking disapprovingly at Pip. “I ran away when we were near the river, into the woods I went. Then when I looked, you’d all gone!” Pip replied. Maynand snapped, waving a mocking hoof at Whitehoof: “And what has he got to do with all this?” Whitehoof strode up to Maynand. While Maynand was only a yearling, he was quite a bit larger than Whitehoof, who was fully grown, and a few months older than Maynand himself. Even though Maynand was larger, he seemed to cower away from the smaller horse. “You know me I think Maynand,” Whitehoof said ominously. “Yes Whitehoof, I, I know you,” Maynand stammered. “What’s going on between you two?” Petra asked, all thoughts of disciplining Pip flying from her mind the minute she’d seen what affect Whitehoof had on Maynand. “He was in my old herd,” Whitehoof replied, “I believe he’s only been with your herd for a few months?” the gelding asked. “Yes, he came just before Ferdinand and Pip did,” Petra replied, “But what of it?” “He persecuted me,” Whitehoof replied, “and I smashed him up for it. I didn’t want to, but talk didn’t do any good. It was humiliating wasn’t it Maynand? A smaller horse teaching you a lesson?” Maynand looked down at his hooves. “Yes Whitehoof it was, but you were still ousted, they still threw you out!” “What did they throw you out for?” Petra asked. “Can’t you guess?” Maynand scoffed, “show them why they threw you out Whitehoof!” Maynand commanded. Whitehoof turned on Maynand for a second time, giving the larger colt a proper kicking. At the end of the swiftest fight Petra had ever seen, Maynand lay on the grass, with the wind knocked out of him, While Whitehoof stood, apparently unscathed, glaring down at Maynand, prostrate before him. “You are a disgusting creature Maynand, you deserve nothing! I can’t think of the words to describe how much I despise you!” Whitehoof snarled. Petra suddenly realised why Whitehoof had been thrown out of his herd. “Um, sorry to mention it, but was the reason for your expulsion from the herd, um, your white hoof?” She asked ashamedly. “Yes it was,” Pip replied, sparing Whitehoof the torment. “Whitehoof doesn’t like it mum,” Pip said, “I’ve told him that I like him, that I think his white hoof is no problem.” Maynand got up, and spitting contemptuously on the grass at Whitehoof’s feet, he turned and walked away. “Next time, I’m going to kill him,” Whitehoof said firmly. “So you found Pip in the forest then Whitehoof?” Ferdinand asked. “Yes, that’s right, whinnying pitifully she was poor thing, I couldn’t leave her like that, so I stayed,” he said. “Thank you for looking after her,” Petra said. “Looking after her? You make her sound like a foal!” Whitehoof shouted. “She is!” Petra squealed. “No she isn’t,” Whitehoof stated, “Pip’s a year old, more than that now, so am I. Would you call me a foal?” He asked. “No,” Petra replied. “Then don’t call Pip a foal!” Whitehoof yelled. “She might have had a bad start in life, but she’s grown up a lot, she’s not a foal any more!” He said sharply. “Well,” Ferdinand said, “thanks again for looking after,,,” he stopped when Whitehoof’s right forefoot, crashed into his foreleg with alarming force! Ferdinand screamed and limped away. “Will you larger horses stop treating us smaller horses like foals!” He yelled.

Petra was relieved to have Pip back with her. “We were worried about you Pip, darling, Promise me you will never, ever do that to us again. We really need to get along now!” Petra spoke sternly but quietly. “Petra?” Pip asked “can Whitehoof come with us please I don’t want to leave him here by himself, and …” Pip stammered, “ I, I think it would be nice for there to be two of us…two falabella horses in the herd. “no, no, no, I don’t want that brute coming with us” Maynand yelled furiously. “You just saw what he tried to do to me … and and you heard him say, he’ll kill me!!” “Maynand, shut up” Ferdinand recovered from the kick Whitehoof had given him. “you continue the way you are and you will be the one to be excluded from the herd” “its not for you to decide that” Maynand screamed, its up to her, er I mean Petra and Sheissain, not you! you come here and think you can take over … you won’t get the better of me Ferdinand.” “that’s it, stop it Maynand,” Petra said sharply , stop it right now.”

Petra looked down at Whitehoof. “Would you like to come with us?” She asked. The Falabella gelding looked at Pip. “I would like that,” he said. Maynand scowled at Whitehoof. “I think you’ve made one enemy all ready Whitehoof, sorry about that,” Ferdinand said. “Why do you hate me and Pip Maynand?” Whitehoof asked. Maynand turned his back on the Falabella horse. “Don’t trouble yourself with Him Whitehoof,” Petra advised. Whitehoof looked up into her face. “I wish to know why he hates us Falabella horses so much Petra, that’s not too much to ask is it?” he asked. “No,” Petra conceded. Not meeting Whitehoof’s eye, Maynand said: “I can’t understand how you or Pip can call yourselves horses Whitehoof. You’re tiny!” “Sometimes good things come in small packages,” Sheissain said. He’d come up from the group a little way off and had overheard most of their conversation. Seeing him, Whitehoof’s fur bristled. “You attacked Pip didn’t you?” he asked crossly. “Um, yes, I did,” Sheissain admitted. His expression turned to fear as the Falabella gelding approached him. “You attack her again, and I’ll smash you up!” Whitehoof warned. Sheissain stared at the horse in astonishment! “You know who I am?” he asked. “Yes, you’re second in command here, or so I’ve heard,” Whitehoof replied. “Yes and as second in command, I am due some respect!” Sheissain yelled. “Due respect?” Whitehoof asked,” Is any horse due respect in matters of leadership? Not in my book, unless they earn it of course. I for one, whatever your name is, do not respect you, for you committed unleader-like acts in beating up Pip when she tried talking to you in your language. Beating up another horse is disgraceful behaviour, and you are unfit to be leader if you take recourse to that action every time a dispute arises.” It was plain Whitehoof was enjoying himself. Sheissain wasn’t, and Whitehoof hadn’t finished. “If I remember rightly, you didn’t even give Pip a chance to explain herself,,,” he paused, “you are not my leader, nor are you my second in command, I do not respect you,” Whitehoof said quietly. Sheissain’s fur stood up on end and he was close to doing to Whitehoof what he’d done to Pip, but couldn’t escape the truth of the gelding’s words. Petra had noted them too, and had taken them on board. “I want to talk with you Sheissain, alone, and in private,” she said. Tonight will do, midnight,” she looked around her, “under that willow tree.”

Midnight came, and the two horses met under the Willow tree. “What have you got to say for yourself Sheissain?” Petra asked. “I won’t have horses disrespecting me!” Sheissain whinnied. “Disrespecting you?” Petra asked, “How were Whitehoof or Pip disrespecting you?” Sheissain hesitated: “Pip imitated me! That’s disrespect isn’t it? Also, Whitehoof challenged me, as is he were second in command! That’s not right Petra!” He yelled. “Whitehoof had a perfectly reasonable question to ask you, why you had beaten up his friend. Sheissain, why did you beat up Pip?” Sheissain’s eyes blazed with hatred! “I hate her, pure and simple Petra,” he said acidly. Swallowing her anger, Petra asked: “Why do you hate her?” “Because she is small! Too small! Horses need to be able to defend themselves in their own right, each defending themselves! Pip, and Whitehoof for that matter can’t do that! They are too small Petra! We have to nanny them like they’re foals!” “Whitehoof doesn’t need nannying, as you put it Sheissain, he’s a tough horse, small though he might be.” She paused, and then continued: “I appointed you as second in command didn’t I?” “Yes You did,” Sheissain said, dreading, but knowing what was coming. “I can also, under herd customs and laws, demote, and reappoint my deputies. It is only the leader who is elected, right?” She asked. “Yes,” Sheissain whimpered. “Therefore, as of now, now Sheissain! You are demoted to an ordinary herd member! You have shown little regard for anyone!” “Who will be deputy?” Sheissain asked. Then as the realisation sank in, his fur stood up on end! “No! not Whitehoof!” “Whitehoof indeed, if he will. He’s got it right Sheissain, you haven’t. What he said to you was true, it came from a horse who new truth, had honesty in his heart, and would do what he could for the herd. He can tell it as it is, and I’ll bet can have things told to him as they are. He’s sensible, a lot more sensible than you!” Petra whinnied. Sheissain ran off, very angry with his leader. He knew Petra had the right to do what she had done, but to give the deputy leadership to a scrap like Whitehoof! How could she! Petra walked back to the herd, and dropping to her knees, she nuzzled Whitehoof’s shoulder. “Yeah?” Whitehoof said sleepily, “Who’s that?” Opening his eyes he saw who it was and said: “Oh, Petra, it’s you,.” He stretched languidly, “What’s up?” He asked. Petra motioned to him to go with her. Getting slowly to his feet, Whitehoof followed the Shire mare into the woods. Once they were out of earshot of the herd, Petra said: “I brought you here for a very special reason Whitehoof. You see, um, well, Sheissain’s been demoted,,,” Her voice trailed away. “What of it?” The Falabella gelding asked, “With all due respect Petra, what can I do about it? It was your decision after all. My thoughts on the reasons for doing what you did, I feel it would not be appropriate to give.” “No, Whitehoof, I wouldn’t expect that of you, and it is because you can keep your own council and keep your cool that I have brought you here,” she hesitated, It’s probably too much to ask, but would you?” “would I what?” Whitehoof asked pleasantly, all the while his mind racing to think of what the Shire mare might want of him. “Would you take Sheissain’s place? Be my number two, second in command?” Whitehoof’s mind spun horribly. He thought: “I’m not cut out for this!” but heard his voice saying. “I, I would consider it a great honour, and will do my best to serve the herd.” Petra looked relieved. “That’s sorted then, all finished,” she said airily, “I’m sorry for disturbing your sleep Whitehoof.” Whitehoof went back to his place beside Pip somehow realising he wouldn’t sleep again that night.

Whatever is the matter with you Whitehoof?” Pip asked dreamily, “Pip, I am so excited!” he replied, “Come with me somewhere private and I will tell you about it.” “Oh, Oh what’s happened, is it Sheissain or has Maynand been up to no good again!” “Quiet” whispered Whitehoof “I don’t want anyone to hear yet, Petra will tell them very soon, hurry before its too late!” As they moved away into the wood Pip suddenly heard a sound behind them. Pip froze to the spot, “What’s that?” she squealed “Whitehoof, where are you, what is happening?” “Pip, Pip, get help fast” Whitehoof shouted. Pip ran back to the herd to find Ferdinand. “Ferdi, quick, come, I don’t know what is going on in the wood but Whitehoof needs help right now, hurry, please go and see what is happening!” “Pip, calm down dear,” Ferdinand said quietly. “You stay here with Petra and I will go and see what the trouble is, “all we wanted was a little privacy to have a chat, I think whitehoof was about to tell me something very important” Pip couldn’t control herself anymore, once again her emotions took over and she started to shake, and throwing herself down on the ground began to sob openly. “Oh no, baby face is crying again,” Sheissain sneered

Ferdinand coaxed Pip to her feet. “I’ll go and see what’s the matter,” he said gently. With that he cantered into the trees. The sight that met Ferdinand’s eye terrified him. Whitehoof stood beside Petra, who lay motionless on the forest floor. “What happened!” Ferdinand squealed. Petra took a deep breath and said hoarsely. “Sheissain, Maynand too, they attacked me, sprang out at me, now, I think it’s the end for me, can’t move, tried, pain everywhere!” She squealed. Petra panted desperately, then, almost in a whisper, she said: “Ferdinand,” He put his ear close to the Shire mare’s mouth. “Whitehoof’s leader now, it was a good job I gave him second in command,,, He’s leader now. Tell all the other horses, they’ll take it from you.” Ferdinand, realising what the Shire mare meant, said quickly: “I will.” With her last remaining strength, Petra gasped: “Whitehoof, he knows, he knows he’s in charge. One thing, bring Sheissain and Maynand to justice, if not for me, for Pip.” With that Petra laid her head on the forest floor, and it was all over. Ferdinand and Whitehoof looked down at Petra, wondering how they were to break the terrible news to Pip. Ferdinand regretted telling Pip to stay with Petra. he hadn’t thought she’d not be there. He hadn’t looked to see if she was, and now,, Someone shrieked with terror! Ferdinand whipped round to find Pip racing towards him, towards the awful truth.

no, no, no, why is everyone I love being taken away from me! First Kora “and now, now my adopted mother!” Pip wailed miserably. “Come with me,” Whitehoof led the shivering mare gently to a quiet spot, he let her cry, “its ok Pip sweetheart” he said gently, “Ferdinand will take care of the herd for as long as you need me.” “Pip, I’ve only known you these last few days but, but” Whitehoof hesitated suddenly feeling very self-conscious. “I love you so much,” he whispered “I want you to myself forever.” “I want to stay with you Whitehoof,” Pip said. Whitehoof looked at his sweetheart. Her face was stained by tears, and seeing her cry saddened him. “Look Pip, I can’t have foals, that’s impossible for me, but I will stay with you forever! If you want me to,” he said. Pip sniffed and said: “I, I want you to, I think,,,” Suddenly she hugged him tightly. “don’t leave me!” she sobbed. Whitehoof stroked Pip’s ear with his muzzle. “I won’t, I promise!” He said firmly. They went back to the rest of the herd, Whitehoof had a leader’s job to do.

"Who did you have in mind as your deputy?” Ferdinand asked Whitehoof. "I don't know" Whitehoof replied, "maybe you could help, after all, I have only been here for a few days and don't really know the horses as well as you do.” Ferdinand thought for a minute, "How about Pip" he suggested. "no, whitehoof said quickly, "I love her but ... “She’s too emotional, and, and I don’t think she would cope very well with it. We’ve talked about it and she’s very happy about that. “Hmm, I know who you could ask, how about Tilly.” “Tilly? Who’s she?” Whitehoof asked. “Oh, she’s that welsh Palomino standing by the large oak tree, see her?” Ferdinand waved a hoof at a mare, who, to Whitehoof, looked rather too nervous to be a deputy leader of any herd, let alone the one he had charge of. “I’ll talk to her,” Whitehoof promised. “Later that day, Whitehoof called Tilly over to him. “You know about the events of last night?” He asked. “I heard a story about Petra being attacked by some horses, but that’s crazy!” Tilly Hesitated, “Isn’t it? Oh, maybe not,” she said quietly. “Tilly, I asked you here for a reason,” Whitehoof said quickly, “It’s just, well, would you be my deputy?” Tilly’s mind raced, she’d never been asked anything like this before! As a foal she was more steady than any of her friends had been, they had got into trouble all the time, whereas playing the older horses up hadn’t interested her in the slightest. She’d been mocked for this. It had hurt at first, to be singled out, but then she realised it had it’s rewards, and that her path wasn’t to isolation in the herd, far from it! While her friends were getting into mischief and being roundly punished with kicks and nips for it, Tilly worked behind the scenes, comforting the little foals, helping mare’s during foaling, and then teaching the young ones how to behave properly. It was noted in the herd, that not one of the foals under Tilly’s supervision had caused any real trouble. All right they did try it on once, but when Tilly showed them what could happen to those who disobeyed the grown horses, they soon desisted from whatever they were doing. So now, Tilly was in her seventh year, and to be asked to be deputy leader so soon! Part of her wanted to leap at the chance, but part said no, hang back! “I don’t know,” she said. Tilly paused, shook her mane out, then said: “I know you have to make an appointment before you go to the horses and tell them that you are leader, I know Ferdinand will second you, and that this has to be done quickly, but I need time! ?Time that I haven’t got! What am I to do?” Whitehoof said: “Tilly, do you know who attacked Petra?” Tilly looked startled. “Why do you ask?” She asked suspiciously. “Because I know,” the Falabella gelding said, “I know you know, I can see it.” Tilly swallowed hard, fighting to control her fury. “I know who did it, and I know what they did! I’m not gonna describe it here to save Pip, but I’m sickened by it!” She whispered. “Would you like to help get rid of behaviour like that in this herd Tilly?” Whitehoof asked. “Yes I would!” Tilly replied firmly. “Tilly, you are now my second in command,” Whitehoof said solemnly, “your formal appointment will happen soon, but that’s only a formality. Help me Tilly, help me to bring Petra’s attackers to justice. After that, help me lead this herd to safety and prosperity. Will you do it?” “You are my leader,” Tilly said, “and you already called me deputy, so yes Whitehoof, I will, and gladly too.” She replied. “ well done, and thanks Tilly, I know Petra would be pleased with your appointment, she had a lot of time and respect for you.” Ferdinand said.

Pip was overjoyed when Whitehoof told her of Tilly’s new position in the herd. “She’ll do well” she said “and I will back her; up as best I can” she continued in her usual way. She went to find Tilly. “your appointment ceremony is tonight Tilly.” Pip said, “don’t worry, I haven’t told anyone, I promised Whitehoof that I wouldn’t say anything to anybody, its just so exciting, I am really pleased that you have got the job Tilly.” Tilly had been a comfort to Pip after Kora’s death and now that Petra had gone too, oh no, she must tell them who had done it and how. “Pip,” confided Tilly, “I have to tell Whitehoof how your foster mum died, please will you come with me?” “Of course I will” said Pip warmly.

“Now Pip,” Tilly said gently, “What I’m going to tell Whitehoof is not very pleasant.” “Okay, I’ll try to be strong Tilly,” Pip said. Tilly found Whitehoof and drew him into a corner for a chat. “I think I had better tell you how Sheissain and Maynand killed Petra,” She said. Pip was already trying to hug Whitehoof. The Gelding lay down, Tilly did likewise, and Pip lay between them cuddling close to Whitehoof, all the while trying not to cry. “They ambushed Petra in the wood. Sheissain knocked the wind out of her, while Maynand took her feet from under her. Once she was down, Sheissain and Maynand took their revenge out on her for appointing You leader Whitehoof. They branded you a witch horse, because you could outwit Maynand, they also slated you Pip. They said that they’d kill you once they’d killed Petra. I saw it all, and I couldn’t do anything to stop them, not on my own!” “Why didn’t you try and stop them>” Whitehoof asked. “I was terrified! I just stumbled across this happening Whitehoof, honest I did!” Tilly Protested. She closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears of rage that threatened to overcome her. Once She’d recovered, she finished her sorry tale. “They only left off when I shouted at them, but by then, it was too late. I was so scared I ran, ran away from, from the sight of my leader,,,” Tilly let it all hang out. Tears ran down her nose, splashing onto the forest floor. “The sound Pip and I herd was Petra’s cry for help,” Whitehoof said grimly. Tilly nodded, unable to speak. Poor Pip, at first she was frightened, but now, well, terrified wouldn’t do her feelings justice. Tilly’s sudden emotional disintegration frightened her almost as much as the Palomino mare’s story had. “Is it true Tilly? Maybe, I mean, maybe your mind played tricks with you, after what you’d seen, maybe Petra didn’t die that way,” Pip said quickly. Tilly looked through her tears at the Falabella mare. “I wish, Pip, dear, I wish I could say it was any other way,” She said. Whitehoof asked: “Did anyone else see what happened?” Tilly shook her head. “Noone, they were careful about that.” Their attention was grabbed by a sudden rustling in the undergrowth. All three horses looked in the direction of the sound. Brock forced his way into the open and said: “You wrong, me see what horses did to mother of Pip, me tell all what I see if Whitehoof want. Me plenty furious about what horses did to Mother of Pip. I say Brock protect Pip, and Brock no break word! He protect Pip like crazy! Brock tell all what he see on dark night, Brock see all, more than mare see! Brock put bad horses in place for what they do to mother of Pip!”

Oh Brock,” Pip melted into another fit of crying “Thank you so much” she wept uncontrollably again. “I’m so frightened,” she cried “they are after me now what am I going to do.” “No pip darling, no one is going to hurt you,” said Whitehoof holding her close to him. “I love you, that is why I didn’t want you to be my second in command, that is why I gave the position to Tilly.” Tilly made her way back to the herd leaving Pip and Whitehoof alone. “Pip,” Whitehoof whispered “Everything will be all right, I promise,, no one will hurt you, we have to get back now, its almost time for Tilly’s appointment ceremony … and Brock, thank you, I will let you know when you are needed. “me always be here for my Pip” Brock said. “She Brock special friend.”

All the horses were gathered under the willow tree, where, a day earlier, Petra had spoken severely to Sheissain. “Quiet please, all of you!” Whitehoof commanded. Sheissain and Maynand kept talking to each other, they didn’t care. Whitehoof snapped: “Quiet you two!” They ignored him, so, Tilly, seeing that something more than words needed doing, strode up to both of them and clouted them with a hard hind foot. That shut them both up, being hit by a mare! That just didn’t happen!” “What was that for?” Maynand wailed. “You disobeyed our leader,” Tilly replied. “And who do you think you are?” Sheissain scoffed, “Second in command?” Tilly smiled: “Yes,” She said. Maynand lost his nerve then. For ages he’d been terrified of the palomino mare named Tilly. It seemed strange to him that she kept quiet, that she never drew attention to herself, and now, now she was deputy to Whitehoof, and worse still, she knew his and Sheissain’s secret! Maynand turned to Sheissain and blurted: “We’re finished! That mare will tell all! Probably has! We’re done for!” Tilly, the ceremony over in double quick time, as everyone knew and hadn’t raised objections to her appointment, strode up to Maynand and Sheissain and asked: “Maynand, tell the herd what you know of Petra’s death, and you Sheissain, come on, don’t keep us waiting.” Maynand lost all control, shaking uncontrollably, he told all, right down to the last terrifying details. Sheissain made several attempts to stop the stupid colt from condemning them to almost certain death, but Maynand ploughed on, throwing the whole despicable act into the open. Suddenly there was a scrambling noise in the undergrowth and then a shout: “That colt, he speak truth! He and other horse named Sheissain kill Petra! Brock see all!” Sheissain ran at the boar badger, intent on destroying him. From the undergrowth, a huge gang of badgers appeared, and while the horses watched, they overbalanced Sheissain, tied his legs together and then muzzled him. Brock stepped forward. “Horse no attack badgers, horse attack badgers, we defends us like crazy! You now know what badgers do to horse who attack them or other horse. Brock looked at Sheissain, then walking up to him, he extended a huge paw, and gently touched the enraged horse’s muzzle, tail, and all four hooves. Demonstrating the fact that Sheissain couldn’t hurt anyone now. “He tied up plenty, he no danger to Pip or other horses now,” Brock announced. “What about Maynand?” Whitehoof asked. Brock looked over at the colt, who was prostrate at Tilly’s feet. “He no hurt anyone, he big foal, when he in trouble, he no fight,” Brock said. The badger turned a look of hatred on Sheissain. “This horse though, he deserve more than he get at moment! He attack Pip, then attack Pip mother! Brock very angry with horse named Sheissain!” With that the huge badger went to Sheissain’s head, and, taking hold of the horse’s right ear in both paws, Brock twisted it sharply. Sheissain screamed! “You be punished lots for what you did! You be leader of Maynand yes?” Crying with pain, Sheissain said: “Yes, I thought of it, Let me go! You’re hurting me!” Brock didn’t let go. He released his hold slightly, but then twisted the ear he held sharply once more. Sheissain shrieked! “I make very sure you no hurt Pip or other horses!” Brock yelled, “I make you pay forever for what you do to Pip mother!” With that he let go of Sheissain’s ear and stepped back. Sheissain watched as the boar badger went round, again touching his muzzle, and all four hooves. “Leave my feet alone!” Sheissain yelled, “Why are you doing that anyway? I hate having my hooves handled!” Brock looked back at Sheissain. “It is known by badgers that horses use hard hooves for defence yes?” Sheissain nodded, “so,” Brock continued, “me show you that you no hurt me with hooves, yes?” With that Brock untied Sheissain’s hind feet, and stood there, in range of deadly attack, but Sheissain couldn’t hurt the badger. “Go on, try hurt Brock,” The badger coaxed. Sheissain didn’t move. He was too terrified to do anything. “Okay,” Brock said, “so I have to do this, I touch hoof, then Sheissain go for me?” With that he touched the sole of Sheissain’s right hind foot. Sheissain clenched his teeth, trying not to lash out, for he knew, if he did, he’d lose all face, for the badgers would tie him up and throw away the key. Brock seemed Satisfied, he said: “I show you all now how Sheissain changed. I show him he no big horse, he no hurt other horses any more, me show.” With that he untied Sheissain’s forefeet, then unmuzzled the now becalmed horse. Sheissain got to his feet and looked at Pip. The Falabella mare regarded him sadly. “Why did you kill my mum Sheissain?” Pip asked.

“I hated her” Sheissain screamed, “but why!” demanded Whitehoof “she gave you the privilege of being her second in command!” “I wanted to be leader” continued Sheissain. ”So you decided to terrorise horses like Maynand and Pip as revenge for not getting the leadership?” “yes” he replied defiantly. Sheissain looked behind him to where Brock was standing, he so wanted to lash out at the boar badger, but knew, that if he even attempted it, he would be on the floor, tied up, and worse still, that badger would touch his hooves again! Sheissain knew Brock was using the threat of this to keep him under control. Sheissain thought: “It’ such a small thing, but I hate people handling my feet!” The thought of this torment kept him from attacking Brock, Pip or anyone else. Pip looked into Sheissain’s face. “I’ll never forget you killed my mum,” she said. Tilly found it hard not to cry. “Do you know what you’ve taken from her Sheissain?” Whitehoof asked. Sheissain felt vulnerable. His mind flicked back years to the death of his own mother. She had been drowned while crossing a river, much as Kora had. He remembered the terrible gut wrenching pain of her loss. Whitehoof watched the hated horse’s mental processes. When he realised Sheissain was most vulnerable, he said: “Imagine if your mother had died at the whim of another horse Sheissain. Also, while you’re thinking of that, think of Pip here, she’s smaller than you, you could kill her with one blow from a hind foot,,,” Whitehoof watched Sheissain’s mental implosion. “I hope this lesson is one you’ll never forget,” Whitehoof said calmly. Sheissain suddenly threw himself on the ground in front of Pip, and hugging her fiercely, the horse who five minutes ago was apparently invincible, sobbed into the Falabella mare’s thick mane.

Pip didn’t want this monster hugging her but she didn’t resist it for her own safety. She was tense but she knew that Tilly, whitehoof and Ferdinand were close by and Brock was there too. “You hurt my Pip and you be dead” Brock said threateningly. “Its ok Brock,” said Pip. “I can deal with it.” Pip went on, “Sheissain, you need to control yourself and your feelings of jealousy, you need to try and look at situations in a more positive way,” she said kindly but sternly. “Ok, I think he has been punished enough,” Tilly took over the conversation here, “One more step out of line Sheissain and you will be turned out of the herd, do you understand?” “yes” he whispered. Sheissain released Pip from his grip and she moved closer to Whitehoof, Ferdinand noticed this, this pleased him, he was happy to see her loving this little horse. “We really need to move on” Whitehoof said to Ferdinand later that day. “yes,” said Whitehoof, “So much has happened in the past twenty-four hours.” “I know, and I see that there is more than just friendship between you and Pip,” Ferdinand said smiling: “You take care of her, Whitehoof” Ferdinand continued, “I found Pip tied up in a pen, she was frantic, together we managed to release her and we escaped, we travelled a long way together, crossing a very busy road which scared the life out of her, she trusted me and eventually we found the herd and Petra welcomed us in.” “Petra took care of Pip for me, and I think you know the rest.” “I am so glad you did,” Whitehoof went on, “I love her Ferdinand and I will keep her safe” “Thank you.” Said Ferdinand, “She’s yours from now on, I will always be here for both of you.”

Maynand watched Sheissain coming across the grass to him. “I noticed you hugging Pip Sheissain, you haven’t gone all soft have you?” The colt snapped. Sheissain, his voice cracking, replied: “Maynand, I can’t, can’t hurt Pip any more,,,” he stopped. “Frightened that badger will touch your feet again Sheissain?” Maynand asked acidly. “No, not really, I hate that, of course I do, but if it stops me from hurting Pip, then that’s what needs doing. I must try to stop hurting Pip, I must! She’s gone through hell lately, and I must remember that, and remember the feeling of that badger’s paw on the sole of my foot, and how awful it was, if, if only to stop myself from doing something I will later regret.” Maynand snorted: “If you have gone soft, and you are not going to harm Pip any more, then I’ll have nothing to do with you any more! You are a weak horse Sheissain! I hate that mare, but I am not strong enough to get at her, not with that huge badger and that weird gelding with the white hoof guarding her twenty four seven. I need someone like you, who has the muscle to put an end to Pip! Now you say you won’t, because, you can’t stand someone handling your hooves! I would have killed that badger!” “No, it’s not just that Maynand! Didn’t you listen to what I said? Forcibly having my hooves touched is only a last resort to stop me from harming Pip, it’s the final thing that will stop me! Before I get to that, and hopefully I never will, I have to keep a lid on my emotions, and not hurt other horses! Or, or I’ll be tied down,” he shuddered, “And I will be tortured!” Sheissain whinnied. He calmed down a little. “It’s not just the fear of having my feet handled that stops me Maynand, it’s also the realisation that Pip went through the same thing I did four years ago when my mum drowned. The difference here was that I, along with you, took Petra’s life. I can never forget that.” He said sadly.

“Anyway, we are moving on tonight, I heard Whitehoof and Ferdinand talking about it just now,” Sheissain went on “And, and if I do any further damage they will throw me out and then … I couldn’t bare to be left by myself” “No, and there’s you, you got away with murder just now, I was the one who was tortured for what we did to Petra and don’t you ever forget that Maynand … and if you dare to touch Pip or whitehoof, I’ll, I’ll,” Sheissain stopped here “Ok Ok” said Maynand sharply “cool down will you!” “No, I won’t cool down,” went on Sheissain “You just remember what I said .”

Maynand couldn’t bare the thought he owed two debts of gratitude now, one to Pip for saving him, and one to Sheissain! The herd moved off, Sheissain up with the lead horses, Maynand some way back. They came to another river, Pip was terrified by the sight of it. She remembered Kora’s last desperate swim, and started trembling at the thought of having to cross. “Okay,” Whitehoof said, “We have to cross this river.” “How are we going to do it?” Pip asked. “You Pip my dear,” Whitehoof replied, “will have to travel on another larger horse’s back.” Pip looked instinctively towards Tilly. “No Pip, I can’t,” the Palomino mare replied, “I’ve got to stay at the back, and I can’t carry anyone!” “How will you get across Whitehoof?” Pip asked. “I’ll swim, on my own, I’ve done it before,” the Gelding replied. Pip had to accept this, although she was terrified. Whitehoof looked about him for a horse that would be able, and willing to carry his beloved Pip. He spotted Sheissain and motioned to him to come across. Once the larger horse was standing beside him, Whitehoof said: “Sheissain, you said you’ve changed, now I want you to prove it. You are to carry Pip across the river. Now’s your chance to prove yourself.” Sheissain looked at his leader. “I, I, Whitehoof, I don’t know what to say to that,” he stammered. So Pip clambered onto Sheissain’s back, and they set off across the river, Sheissain swimming alongside Whitehoof so that his leader might be able to see what he was doing. Once all horses were across, Sheissain lay down, and Pip slid off his back. “Thanks,” she said. Sheissain wanted to hug Pip, to tell her how sorry he was, for everything! He remembered though how tense she’d been when he’d last hugged her. Sheissain’s eyes screamed at Pip. “You really are trying hard aren’t you,” Pip observed. “I’m trying, so hard, so much,,,” Sheissain replied faintly. Suddenly Pip hugged him. Sheissain buried his muzzle in the smaller horse’s mane. “I don’t want to hurt you Pip!” Sheissain sobbed.

“its ok Sheissain, dear” soothed Pip, “we really need to forget the past now and move forward.” “I am prepared to do that but, but its Maynand, he won’t let up … he just taunts me all the time now …”Oh, I’ll talk to Tilly, see if she will sort him out, I really do know how hard you are trying Sheissain.” “thanks,” he replied, “I miss my position as second in command and have learnt lessons from what has happened, I just want to keep on going now and do the best I can and to support you in every way possible, this herd is my home Pip.” “I understand” she eased her way out of his embrace and spotted Tilly coming towards her. “everyone is across safely thank goodness” Tilly said. “You look all in Tilly.” Said Pip “yes, but we need to keep going for a while now, and find somewhere safe for our next stop.”

Tilly trailed away. To Pip she looked exhausted. Tilly’s foot dragging progress caught Maynand’s eye. The sight of her dragging her feet angered him. “You should be setting an example Tilly, go on, hoof it!” He yelled mockingly. The next thing he knew Tilly had attacked him and lain him on the grass. “I’m tired, we all are! I don’t need that from you Maynand, and neither do the others, so shut it!” The Palomino mare screamed. Maynand coughed and panted, fighting for air. “I thought you didn’t like violence,” he choked. “I don’t, but that’s the only language you understand isn’t it,” Tilly snapped. Maynand picked himself up off the grass and walked slowly away. “That colt really angers me!” Tilly whinnied.

Ferdinand saw what had happened. “What’s the matter Tilly?” “its Maynand, he seems to think that no one is allowed to be tired,” she said wearily. “I need some rest Ferdinand, I will be better after a good night’s sleep.” ”That animal is just pushing his luck. All he wants to do is cause trouble and upset everyone while he’s about it. you get some rest now dear, don’t worry about Maynand, if he starts again he will have me to answer to .” Tilly lay down in the long grass and drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Ferdinand left her. Pip saw him and, pleased to see her old friend again couldn’t resist calling after him “Hi Ferdi!” “did you want anything in particular Pip dear?” Ferdinand gave her a playful nudge. “ No, nothing in particular, is Tilly ok?” Pip asked, “Yes, she just needs some rest, please don’t disturb her Pip unless it is absolutely necessary.

After a long trek, the horses found themselves in a clearing, with a stream running through it. Thirsty, the exhausted herd drank deeply from the stream. Sheissain found himself next to Whitehoof. He couldn’t help glancing at his leader’s white foot. Seeing his eyes flick downwards, Whitehoof said: “Want to take a closer look?” With that he lifted his foot off the grass. Sheissain took a look. The hoof was pure white, while Whitehoof’s other three hooves were black, as black as Sheissain’s were. Placing his foot on the ground again, Whitehoof asked: “are you frightened of me Sheissain?” “No, not now, not now I’ve seen what love you have for Pip, and for the herd. Whitehoof, um, Maynand’s been giving me trouble. He wants me to hurt Pip, and, and I can’t! I can’t do it!” “Because you don’t want your feet handled?” Whitehoof asked. “No! I don’t want to hurt her! Sure, the threat of that badger picking up my feet is a break on my actions, but it’s the final one! I have to make sure it doesn’t come to that!” Sheissain Whinnied. “I wanted to tell you, about Maynand,” Sheissain said. “Okay, I’ll keep an eye,” Whitehoof promised. Tilly arrived then. She looked totally worn out. “You need sleep Tilly,” Whitehoof said. The Palomino mare opened her mouth to protest, when Whitehoof stamped his white hoof. “Now Tilly! You are exhausted, leave the herd to settle down,” he smiled, “They’re not all foals you know,” he said. Tilly went away to find a place to sleep. Although Ferdinand had left Tilly sleeping the previous night, Tilly had not slept at all well, she was still shattered in the morning as the herd had continued their journey and that day had been a particular hard trek, climbing hills which made her even more exhausted.

It was Whitehoof’s watch. He was awake, pacing about, keeping an eye on everything while the other horses slept. Suddenly he stopped, listening intently. Yes there it was again! Scuffling in the undergrowth. Sensing no danger, Whitehoof followed his ears and almost tripped over a vixen! “Hey Whitehoof, watch it!” it remonstrated. “How did you know my name?” Whitehoof asked. The vixen replied: “What else could it be with that white foot of yours?” “Logical,” Whitehoof thought. He asked: “How is life round here?” The vixen replied: “Life’s good, Prey is plentiful. Oh, um, I’m sorry, you don’t eat mice do you,” she replied. “No, grass and such like,” Whitehoof said. The vixen looked Whitehoof over from nose to tail, her eyes lingering on his white foot. “You’d be no good at stealthy movement, not with that foot,” she remarked. Whitehoof suddenly felt anger! “Look dog, don’t mention my hoof again! If you do, You’ll find it doing you damage, okay!” He whinnied shrilly.

“Okay Whitefoot, or whatever your name is, keep your fur on!” “It’s Whitehoof!” the gelding snapped. Whitehoof turned his back on the vixen. “I know my white hoof marks me out, but I don’t need reminding of it all the time!” he thought angrily. Whitehoof went back to the herd and walked round the outer perimeter of the group. Suddenly he heard a scream! Whirling round he found Sheissain thrashing about furiously! It was plain to Whitehoof the poor horse was in the midst of a nightmare. Avoiding the flailing hooves, he went up close. Stroking Sheissain’s ear with his muzzle, he whispered gently: “It’s okay Sheissain, peace, shh.” The terrified horse woke suddenly. Shivering with terror Sheissain looked up at Whitehoof. “I, I, I had a horrible dream,” Sheissain whinnied, “I dreamt I was attacking Pip, that was awful! But then, I was tied down, and my hooves were handled, and I hate that!” Sheissain looked at his feet, noone was near them: “I can still feel it, I can feel it Whitehoof!” He sobbed. “There’s noone near you Sheissain,” Whitehoof said gently, “noone is near your feet, it was a dream, nothing more. Now go to sleep.” “No, I can’t sleep, I can’t!” Sheissain whimpered. “Okay,” Whitehoof said,” be that as it is,, you might be able to help. We have a troublesome vixen here, she’s a bit full of herself. You know a bit about foxes, I don’t, talk to her, find out a bit about her.” Sheissain knew this was as good as a command from his leader, so he got to his feet and went in search of the vixen.

Shei