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Managed to salvage our last several posts. Makes it easier to start again. 83

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Cassidy gave a sharp squeal when the wrangler yanked on the rope around her neck. If that dude kept that up, she wasn't gonna be the only one with rope burns.

After a lot of tugging, yanking, squealing, kicking and general fighting, the gang was led up to a large train engine, made exactly the same way you'd see them in those old, old western movies. With some more struggling, the wranglers hitched all eleven (I believe >_>) of them up to the train engine. There was a huge line of other horses hitched up, as well. The wranglers had effectively spread out the team.

Cassidy glanced at the mare beside her. She was covered from head to tail in mud and looked slightly underweight. Her head was hanging low, but when she lifted it and opened her eyes, Cassidy gasped. There was no missing the extremly rare trait of the mare's silver-white eyes.

"Silver Eyes!"

The mare turned to look at her. "Yes? How do you know my name?"

"My name is Cassidy. My freinds and I ran into your son yesterday, Dreamer. He's been looking for you. We promised him we'd help him find you."

Silver Eyes sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. I was so worried about him. He tends to run off a lot."

"Don't worry. My freinds and I are here to stop these people."

The wild mare smiled at her. "I believe you will."

So, when all of the horses were hitched up to the train, the wranglers picked up several long whips and cracked them, shouting to get the line moving. The horses pulled against the chains and harness, inching the train forward slowly.

Cassidy could see Icy, who was actually across from her. She could see her freind's face was drenched with sweat. It was getting hot out, so Icy must be having a hard time with the heat.

They gradually climbed up the steep slope of the mountain, reaching the peak overlooking the valley.. and the ranch.

Suddenly the line stopped. It wasn't the wild horses, or the Loonatics. It was several other horses, which the Loonatics realized they belonged to the Boswells. They got excited when they saw their home.

Ace glance around at his team, making sure everyone was okay. He was just in time to see Icy faint to the ground....

"Icy!?" They heard Rev cry out in surprise and worry. The horses immidiatly stopped, some pulling back in they're surprise and surrounded the balck and white paint.

The man riding Cloud stopped and looked down at what was happening. He called behind him to some of the other riders to get some mules and rope so that they could drag Icy out of the line. Rev was three horses behind her but he tried to shove himself forwad as the men unhitched her and began to tie her up. "Ic--huh?" Rev stopped mid name when the horse opened her eye just enough to look at him and Cassidy and wink. The other two excahnged puzzled looks. What was she doing?

Cassidy glanced up at Tech, who was a few horses ahead of her. His head was craned backwards trying to see what was happening. His eyes locked with Cassidy's and they exchanged confused looks.

Sapphire looked back at Icy on the ground before looking at Cassidy, just in time to see the wink.

She pulled herself up straight and focused on her steps, just in case.

Quick gsaped when Icy came by. Not having seen her wink she turned urgently to see anyone she could find. She was way off on the side, and could see no one at first, but then out of the corner of her eye, a swift movement, even for a horse.

'Rev' she thought and proceesed to swing her chains and neigh in a whisper, trying to get his attention.

She was highly surprised to see he wasn't alarmed. And this slightly upset her, and made her even MORE fustrated!

"Crap! I never know what's going on!" she said to herself.

Several moments passed by as Icy's legs were tied together and she was dragged out of the line. Only the stamping of hooves and a few snorts were heard. The Loonatics stared in wonder at their white-and-black teammate was taken away.

Just as the mules reached the end of the line, where the train engine was hitched up, Icy's eyes shot open and her back legs flailed as she struggled to free herself. The moment the chains were loosened, she lept to her hooves and charged forward, flying over the harness chains connecting the line of horses to the engine.

The gang jumped around, shouting and cheering for Icy.

Icy spun around, being cornered by the wranglers. She squealed and snapped at them, chasing them away. She swiftly kicked at the chain lock until it broke, freeing half of the horses. Then she spun around and did the same to the other.

It was working beautifully. Icy beamed but then frowned. Gasp! She saw some wranglers charge her on they're horses and she ran straight for them without even flinching. It was a game of chicken. First one to flinch lost. Well the wrangler's horses were'nt ready to run into anything at that speed and s Icy came up and turned they reeled up on their hind legs all of a sudden, knocking their riders off.

"Run!" Icy demanded. The three wrangler horses loked at each other and took off in the other direction. The other wrangler horses caught onto this and with Cloud's signal they all kicked at the same time, sending their riders flying. All the better they wouldnt be able to catch up to them as fast now.

Icy laughed but then froze. And it wasn't her normal freeze either. No, she froze and so did her blood when she heard the eerie sund of heavy metal leaning downward. She looked up and saw the train starting to tilt off the track. "Oh sh--"

"Icy!"

The black and white paint turned to see Rev run up to her. He pawed the gorund anxiously as he came to a stop and nudged her. "We gotta get out of here! Now!...Whoa! Look out!" they ran forward as the train lost all contact with the track and started sliding down the mountain at a dangerous speed, kicking dust into the air so that it was blinding and Rev and Icy were toally cut off from the others. and to make matters worse, not all of it was dust. There was smoke. The engine had tipped over and now the forest was caught on fie. But there was absolutely no time for them to worry about the fire. the train was sliding right toward them and it was too long to run around. their only option was to try and out run it. so down the mountain at a deadly angle they ran and ran, the train crashing into trees and bushes right behind them.

The horses that had been hooked to the train fought to free themselves of the harness, jumping, twisting, and pulling each other's off with their teeth.

"Everyone this way! Run as fast as you can!" Ace shouted, guiding everyone over the other side of the mountain.

Cassidy ran towards him and Tech, part of her harness still on her. Tech helped her pull it off. "Where's Icy and Rev?!" She yelped, her chestnut brown eyes wide with worry.

Sapphire twisted and kicked as part of the harness was still attached to the horse in front of her. The dark mare pulled back and allowed it to slip off their hooves, most likely to avoid being dragged about by the panicked ‘horse’.

She got blasted with a cloud of dirt before she saw it. Her eyes widened as a lump grew in her throat upon resting her eyes on the terrifying sight. The train… Icy and Rev.... No.

Cassidy stared at the now burning forest in shock. "Icy and Rev are down there!!!!" She squealed before taking off down the mountain after her freinds.

"Cass!" Tech yelled after her, about to jump in front of Cassidy, but Silver Eyes cut him off. "I'll go after her. I know the forest better than you. Free the rest of the horses!" The bay mare then spun around and took off down the mountain tailing Cassidy. She quickly caught up with the younger girl.

"Silver Eyes?! what are you doing?"

"Helping you. Let's get your freinds out of there." The larger mare took the lead, jumping and leaping over left behind debris. They soon touched flat ground once again, and blasted off in the direction of the forest at a flat out gallop.

When they passed the corrals where the gang had left behind little Dreamer, the mares heard him squeal. "Momma! Cassidy!"

Silver Eyes flinched and froze, glancing back at her colt. "I'll be back, Dreamer! I promise!"

Cassidy had stopped too. She felt a tugging on her heart, thinking of Cale. Who knows where she is or what's happened to her.

The pair then charged on, fueled by their deep want for this to be all over, to be able to hold their little ones close once again.

But that would have to wait for a while longer. Our heroes' journey wasn't over just yet..