Storm's Storm

The grullo colt looked up from where he’d been playing with a long blade of grass. Some of the humans were running around, and not in a fun way. They didn’t look happy at all. Storm wondered what was going on. His ears perked and he trotted closer to hear them better.

The older stablehand, Phoenix jogged up to Phillip who had a halter and lead rope in his hands. Her hair was messy and she had dirt and grass on her clothes. “Your stupid stallion won’t listen to me,” she grumbled. “I thought we were over this.”

“I’m coming out to collect him now. Just see to the other horses for now. Make sure everyone’s back in the stable. Forecast said this’ll be a bad one.”

Storm tilted his head. What was going on?

“Right. And don’t forget about the tractor in the south field. We shouldn’t leave it out there.”

The man groaned. “I knew there was something else to do.”

Phoenix laughed, moving towards the stable. “I’ll let you get to it. Leave the rest of the horses to me and Jane. Catch ya later!”

Phillip sighed and jogged off. Storm watched him go, still not sure what was going on beyond the fact that they seemed to be rounding up the horses. It was both too late, yet too early for that. Mornings or evenings were the times they most often brought the horses in. Now it was neither.

He glanced over at his mother, Ember, before running up to the red dun. She was calmly grazing in their field. He pranced around her head. Didn’t she care what the humans were doing.

Ember flicked an ear towards him but didn’t raise her head. The humans were always running around doing something, why would she care about this time in particular?

Storm snorted, flicking his fluffy little tail in irritation. But it was different, something was wrong, he knew it.

The mare raised her head, giving his shoulder a nuzzle. Everything was okay, the humans just knew that the weather was changing.

His head tilted. Changing? But the sun was out.

Ember gave an amused nicker and lifted her head to the sky. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply. Not sure what was going on, Storm copied her, nose twitching as so many scents passed his nostrils. His mother opened her eyes again and snorted softly in his ear, startling him. Rain. That was the scent in the air. Wet and cool wind. She turned to the direction the wind was coming from. Dark clouds could be seen just over the hills. A storm was coming.

Storm eyed the dark clouds suspiciously. But he was already there.

Ember let out a short neigh of laughter. No, not him. His namesake. The howling wind and the pouring rain, the flashes of lightning and the roaring of thunder, that was the storm on the night of his birth for which he was named after.

The colt let out an excited whinny, running in a circle around his mother, tail held high. He was going to see a storm and remember it this time. He wanted to run and play in it. He wanted to race the wind and dance in the rain.

His mother nickered softly. That was unlikely. Storms can be wild and cause destruction. That was why the humans liked to bring them inside during a storm, so none of the horses would get hurt or frightened.

Storm snorted, tossing his head. He’d never be frightened. He didn’t need to go inside. He galloped along the fenceline, racing up and down as he dared the storm to scare him. He was a big brave stallion.

With an amused shake of her head, Ember went back to grazing. It likely wouldn’t be long before they were also collected and the humans could be the ones to rein in her wild son.

As per Ember’s predictions, Phoenix and Jane came along. “Ember, Storm, c’mhere,” the older stablehand called.

Storm ran off for the far edge of the pasture. Never. They would never take him from the storm.

Scenting the air, Ember wandered closer, eventually walking right up to Jane and snuffling at her pockets.

The young woman laughed. “I see you noticed the treats.” She took two sugar cubes from her pocket and offered them to the mare. “At least it lured one of you over.”

Phoenix smirked and clipped the lead to Ember’s halter while she was eating the sugar cubes. “Good girl. Stacy would have come for you herself if she wasn’t busy with the baby.” She glanced up at Storm who was still racing against the far fence. “Too bad that won’t work on the little one. Can’t lure him with treats if he’s not eating real food yet.”

“Too bad. It sure would make things easier.” Walking towards him, Jane called, “Storm! Come here, little colt. Mama’s going inside without you.”

Storm paused to give a defiant whinny. He didn’t want to go back inside. He wanted to be outside in the storm.

Groaning, Jane slowly made her way closer. “It’s okay, little one. I’m just going to clip the lead on and we’re going to follow mum back into the stable.”

He snorted and gave a little buck as he ran off. She couldn’t catch him.

“At this rate you’re going to have to corner him,” Phoenix called, having let Ember go back to grazing next to her while still on the lead.

After several minutes of struggle trying to catch the stubborn foal, Ember lifted her head and let out a whinny. Storm was to get his fluffy tail down there or he was going hungry that night.

The colt stopped short. No way. She wouldn’t.

Ember snorted, tossing her head. She absolutely would, because she was going inside with or without him and if he wasn’t inside, he wasn’t eating.

Letting out a distressed neigh, Storm galloped over to his mother’s side. He didn’t want to be left on his own on an empty stomach. Jane jogged after him, quickly clipping on the lead while he was standing still.

“Even little horses have to listen to their mothers,” smirked Phoenix.

“Yeah,” Jane gave him a scratch behind the ears, “And I think this one’s going to be a stubborn colt as he gets older.”

They brought the horses inside and returned them to their stall for the night. Removing the pair’s halters, the girls left mother and foal to their devices and went to check on the rest of the storm preparations.

Several hours passed and the sky grew dark as the winds picked up. Rain began to fall and Storm started to wonder if this was it. It wasn't all that different from a rain shower. He just didn't see what all the fuss was about.

Ka-Boom!

Storm squealed, running under his mother’s belly. He trembled against her legs. What was that?

Ember nickered gently. That was the storm. Thunder was the loud noises and lightning was the flash of the light that lit up the sky. Lightning always comes before the thunder except when the storm was really close, like that one, then they come at the same time.

The young colt snorted. He didn’t like the thunder. It was mean and loud.

Ka-Boom!

Startled, Storm ducked under Ember again, pressing his face into her leg.

Ember nibbled comfortingly at his fluffy mane. He would get used to it in time.

Slowly, as the storm went on, the young Storm adjusted to the flashes of lightning and the claps of thunder. He even managed to fall asleep.

In the morning, Ember and Storm were let out into their field. Storm ran out ahead of his mother. He squealed happily and whinnied as he pranced through the now muddy field. He raced to the rear fence and skidded to a stop. Beyond the fence, a tree that had once stood tall, lay broken in the grass. The trunk had split and now sharp jagged pieces were the only sign that it had once been standing.

Ember wandered up behind him. That tree snapped in half is why storms can be dangerous. If they have the power to break down a mighty tree then they can surely cause harm to any animal in its path. The storm is to be respected for its destructive power. Yet it need not be feared. For despite the power of the storm, the buildings still stood along with many other trees. The rain has come. Life goes on.

The young colt felt that he now better understood his namesake. Wild and strong. He liked that image of himself. Much more than off the terrible fear he’d experienced the night before. He didn’t want to become someone who was feared. He wanted the strength of the storm to protect himself and his mother, maybe even the humans from anything that tried to hurt them. Including the storms.