Just a ghost...(who ever feels like finding him)

[arzu]

I snorted a picked my way threw the grass, my great escape long forgotten with each night. I raised my head, nostrils flared wide taking in scents of equines long passed and those who were near at ranches and such. I shook my head and trotted down the road before braking into a slow gallop, my legs extended and contracted pushing my body forward, muscles rippled with each movement mind danced with the possibility of a new home. I picked up my pace like on the track, I had awoke this morning with a positive look on things and now that we had reached afternoon I still held those thoughts close to my heart.

Faster I went yet I had not reached my top running speed, I was far from it. I was a gray flash against the landscape, white tail blowing out behind me. Mane was cut short so it just flopped against my neck in places in other places not so much. Faster yet, sweat was just being to form but not enough to make me stop, I pushed myself into my top speed and end up ducking into a trail, so I would not be seen by cars and other humans. I shook my head and slowed, why was I in a hurry? I would only end up getting myself hurt in the end and besides I had no where to go so I slowed to a slow walk and lowered my head, letting my muzzle brush against the leaves of the plants in the forest. My mind still whirled with thoughts but it was never anything to important.

I picked up a bouncy trot, the earth would be my bed again tonight I just had to figure out a good spot. I continued to look for a good spot, seeing the sun was setting and I was tired from the days adventures, so I had not found a stable, things had been a bust sense I had escaped. I snorted and found a good enough spot, I circled and lowered my frame my tail came to wrap around my legs, mind wandering off into sleepville and soon enough I had fallen asleep, only to wake up at the first sun rays that were peaking threw the trees, I stood and shook my coat off and began to walk down the path again, soon however late morning slipped into the afternoon and then by dusk, I scented other horses.

I picked up my pace a little bit and stopped at the tree line, I looked onto a farm. Well a track that had nobody on it, I thought that this would make a nice place. So I came out of my hiding place and let my hoofs touch the track. It had been a month sense my last race. I missed the feel of a jockey on my back the feel of passing other horses, braking from a gate and the feel of the wind and dirt in my face. I had only been homeless for seven days, eight today but my old stable had not entered me in any race for a months time. I snorted and turned and galloped down the track, picking my pace up until I was at my top. I was flying around the track with easy, I slowed when I hit the wire in my books, which was a mile and half or so.

I stopped myself completely and stood there and just looked out at everything, the land the farm and ya, I snorted and walked toward the farm but I stopped again. What was I doing I did not belong here. I had to go find a home and it looked as everything was shut up for the night I sighed and turned around, maybe I would just stay on the track and maybe wait and see what happened. The setting sun, painted my coat a rosy color, I lowered my head and waited.

[racingbelle]

Early morning. My favorite time to work my horses. Lightning was up first, since he was so impaitent. I could here the stallion shift in his stall and he nickered when he saw me coming. "Hey big guy. Ready to have a little work on the track." I asked. The bay stallion pawed the ground and tossed his head as if in reply. "Alright, just stop digging a hole to China now." I said gleefully. Lightning rolled his eyes but stopped and came to the door of the stall, putting his head on my shoulder. I rubbed his gleaming neck, notices that it was starting to get fuzzy. "Winter's coming huh boy." I said sadly. It was already starting to get chilly. I hated the cold weather. The ground would freeze and you couldn't work the horses anymore nor race. It sucked and it drove all of my racehorses, my original two anyway, crazy. I unlached the stall door and led Lightning down the asle into the cross ties, just using a halter. I clipped the ties to him then started brushing him. My arms moved quickly and soon that was done. So I went into the tack room and got the excercise bridle and saddle. I tacked him up fairly quickly, you could say years of saddle other horses for other people paid off. Then I lead him out of the stables and into the crisp morning air. I mounted swiftly, wasting no time, and trotted Lightning down to the track.

[arzu]

I snorted as the crisp morning had set in, I had fallen asleep on the track and now I was watching from the treeline again, as a human and her horse came down to the track, he was starting to get fuzzy but I had yet to get my own winter coat. So it was sleek and pulled taught over my lean and muscled body. I wanted to be the one running on the track. I snorted, I had to wait until the right time to come out of the treeline, just a little bit longer. I took a step forward my chest pressing against the leaves and then as they came near the corner I was at, I stepped out and whickered a friendly greeting. My hulking frame coming into full view as I walked towards the track, stopping on the side of it. Ears pricked forward and nostrils flared taking in the scent of the human and the horse. The powerful bay below her was a year younger then me, he to was a stallion. I trotted on to the track and shivered as my hoofs touched the sand again. I tossed my head and I trotted back to the start and then stopped, I could have my fun with out a rider, just watch me! I picked up a slow gallop, to go once around the track before I broke into a much faster gait, I continued to build upon that speed until once again I was flying and at my top, I crossed the wire and slowed down next to them, I tilted my head slightly and flicked my ears. Now what?

[racingbelle]

Lightning screamed and reared. "Whoa boy!" I shouted and then the accident flashed before my eyes. Lightning rearing then taking off, me falling ever so slowly only to be caught by Chris, and the terror I felt for those long minuates that seemed like hours for help. I clutched Lightning's mane and made sure my feet were firmly in the stirrups and reins held tight. I gritted my teeth as he landed trying to lunge forward. The gray horse, who was obviously another stallion, started to run making Lightning get even wilder. He screamed and reared again, lunging forward once more. I held the reins so tight that it made my knuckles white. I held the reins so tight that Lightning's head curved in. "So it's a race you want big horse, then you got one!" I challenged the gray stud. I urged Lightning on the track and he obliged. He pranced and side stepped trying to start running but I wouldn't let him until he was in the right spot. I reached the back strech and Lightning held still quivering in excitment. I would see how fast this horse ran before I caught him. He was definatly a racer so I wanted to see what he got. Lightning mouthed the bit waiting for my signal to start running.

[arzu]

A race? I caught that word from the humans mouth, alrighty but I was not even any where near my top speed and I had yet to brake a sweat, this was easy peasy lemon squeeze. I dropped my speed just a bit, so that I was conserving, I had four starts under my belt and I had yet to lose. I was the best of the best, good breeding and good lines. Got my daddy's speed and my moms good looks and from the both of them my height. I looked over at them as I rounded the corner, oh come on you can out run me, Im slow and weak. Just to prove my point I slowed once again, if I was guessing correct in a race right now I would be in the middle of the pack perfect place to be at least for me. When she got her hands on my halter she would be thrown for a surprise, most everyone had herd of my name, I was a derby prospect, just turned three last month my three year old campaign and bid was suppose to start. I was going to sweep all three when I was threw, however now I felt as though because I had ran away and they had not looked for me that I was not going to be that derby prospect any more, however I had not herd that I was dropped from the running. I snorted and got my head back into the race, my speed just increased slightly however you could not really tell, alright bay show me what you got!

[racingbelle]

"Go!'' I shouted and heeled Lightning forward. He responded and leaped forward going as fast as he could about a length and then I slowed him slightly to save him for the homestrech. I loved the feel of the wind in my hair and Lightning's black mane blowing in my face. This was wonderful exciting! This gray had speed and I knew it. He know how to act. I thought. Soon we came to the turn Lightning not even at half speed but keeping up with ease. Come on, come on. Then finally we completely around the turn and into the homestrech I let Lightning have his head and he responded immediatly pounding down the streach. Who was going to win? It was going to be close, that's all I knew.

[arzu]

Ha so they caught up with easy and the bay was beating me by a nose and then it was the corner, I kicked it into high gear and then my final and last gear and I over took the bay and crossed the wire by a few lengths ahead. That was nothing for me, crossing the wire a few lengths ahead, I normally crossed at about nine lengths ahead, I kept running around the corner again before I finally slowed myself down, ears flicked back to hear the beat of my challenger. I turned and trotted back toward the wire, one ear forward one ear back. I had won again, I was happy but now I had tuckered myself out well sort of, give me another two minuets and I would be ready to go all over again. My muscles rippled as I walked back and then stopped at the wire waiting for them to cross, soon they did and then stopped. I dipped my head and turned to walk back into the forest, enough goofing off I needed to find a home! I was not walking to fast, then I stopped and veered off into the grass to nibble at it.

[racingbelle]

Wow that gray had more speed than I thought! But Lightning still had more, I knew that was the grays last gear. All Lightning needed was more practice. Besides he was barely in a sweat and was tossing his head for more. I wanted to give it to him but I needed to catch that gray stud. "Easy boy you'll beat him next time." I said trying to soothe the stallion. He hated to lose and never had lost before. I trotted Lightning to the fence and tied him there. I walked slowly to the gray stud talking all the way. "Hey big boy. You beat my best horse. Not by much. If I knew you had that much speed he would have beaten you. He still has more in him a lot more." I said. "But your three and more than likely raced more then him. You know what the games about. Lightning's still learning." I was near the gray's rump and I was going for his halter reaching down slowly.

[arzu]

My ears flicked as she spoke to me, I was not going to run she had no reason to be so cautious, I turned and put my head in her hand. She gripped my halter and I lifted my head, I trotted back onto the track with her, more like prancing. I was eager and I learned more and more each day, I could make myself go faster, with more training. I was an eager thing, I always had trotted to the end of my pasture and watched as the training took place with the up and comings. I had learned by watching and well when it was my turn by the jockey on my back, who spoke soft soothing Spanish and taught me to settle in the middle or back and save what I had until it mattered the most and so I kept that close to my heart, she brought me over to the fence and I lowered my head so she could read the gold name plate on my halter waiting for her to have the moment of I know who he is.

[racingbelle]

"Blaze of Glory." I murmured softly. Now why did that sound familar. I knew he was a racehorse but why did I know his name. I patted him and was careful not to bring him close to Lightning who was shooting angry glares at me. "Who are you boy? I've heard of your name somewhere but where? Your a racer all right though." I said. I finally got up the nerve to lead the gray to Lightning. He immediatly squealed and pawed the ground, his ears pinned to his neck. His eyes rolling white. "Easy boy. Behave." I said to him, then untied him leading them both to the stallion barn.

[arzu]

As she was leading us up to the barn a man who looked familiar came up, well I see you found Blaze he ran away from the farm I work at however the owner does not want him did not want who ever found him to be uninformed about him, so we have been looking for him and I see you are the lucky one. The man smiled and handed an envelope over papers are all in there, including the important derby prep race schedule I mean after all hes a prospect and might have already clenched his spot in the field of twenty, also here he signed it this says you own the horse now, good luck and I hope we see you at the derby. With that he turned and entered the truck and drove off. I looked at the women do I ring a bell now? I thought and bobbed my head, I was to be or was to be a superstar only time would tell.

[racingbelle]

"Derby?!" I said, amazed and excited. Derby! We're going to the Derby! I didn't expect this lost horse to be a Derby prospect. I never expected to go to the Derby yet. Sure when Lightning was three but not now! "That's why you looked familar! I saw you win your last race! It was amazing! Oh Blaze! Your gonna be a superstar! But your not the only one." I said looking at Lightning. "He's training for the Derby too. Though he's just one year too young." I added, hopefully. "Come on champs. Let's get you in a pasture." I lead the two in the barn. I put Blaze in a stall while I untacked, groomed, and turned out Lightning. Then I came back for Blaze giving him a quick grooming before turning him out in a pasture next to Lightning. "You two have fun now!" I called then went to go check on Dancer and get Storm who was in a paddock with Belle.

[arzu]

I nickered softly and pranced along side her as she put me in a stall, this was my new home and hopefully I would make friends. She finished with the bay and lead him out into the pasture and then she came and got me and groomed me quickly and put me in the same pasture as him! I turned and walked over to him, hello im Blaze and who might you be? I asked before trotting to the end of the pasture and then back up again, wow this place was amazing and who was that mare over there? I was however not going to let a mare cloud my mind and so I lowered my head and began to contently graze on the grass below my hooves.

[racingbelle]

"I'm Secret Lightning. Oh and that mare your swooning over is Belle. She's older than you." I snorted. I tossed my head. "If I knew you were that fast I would have beaten you easily. I wasn't trying." I said. I couldn't let this gray horse take over MY ranch! I was king here! I was the best here! This stud was nothing. He was a lowly peasent in my book and he was going to stay that way. I trotted in a slow lazy circle around the pasture. Then a canter and then finally a slow easy gallop. I was just warming up, showing off. Blaze needed to be taught that he couldn't beat me as easily as he thought he could.

[arzu]

umm ok, I walked away and went to stand in the middle, I was not looking for a fight or another race right at this moment. I dipped my head and began to graze contently in the middle watching as he circled, apparently this stud wanted to put me in my place, I raised my head and snorted. Look im not looking to fight or race you again, I have almost reached my peak age after this year im probably going to be retired, you still have so much more going for you so you should be happy about that. I spoke and then looked down, and began to graze, I did not want to be in here any more with Lightning so I called out to the women who had found me it was a desperate call and I went to stand by the gate in which I began to shake.