This story is dedicated to: Jessica James and Brianna Plehn. What could I do without you guys?

I wrapped the reins in my hands, and kicked Fray’s sides with a grunt. Fray took off in what seemed to be a slow gallop. I gathered the mane in my hand and held on, as he got faster and faster, through the grassy fields.

There was something black running in the distance. What could it be? I whispered to Fray leaning over his withers, “what is it boy?” I saw him toss his head high, and then I leaned back into position. This was going to be a tough ride. The black dot stopped in its tracks. I had a better view over the hills, but still was clueless. I gripped the mane tight as I attempted to turn Fray towards the creek for a break. But he kept on going. I tried again, this time looking at the creek, hoping Fray would lose interest in the black dot and see what I wanted. Fray was hopeless. The black dot started moving toward us, which being alone, did not make me happy. I slowed Fray to a fast walk, and let him go a tiny bit closer before realizing it was a black horse. Its ears were back and it did not look happy.

I looked around, and then remembered Brianna. I flipped open my slick cell phone and dialed 1. Brianna answered knowing immediately what I wanted, and started racing towards me.

Brianna is my sister. We have 2 horses; mine is Fray, hers is Spur, both boys, but not gelded. She had her saddle and her rope. She was hoping to find a horse when we set out today, but didn’t think we would get this lucky. She came from the direction Fray and I were heading and scared the black horse. I stuck my heels into Fray’s sides and rapidly turned around preparing for a chase. Fray and Spur took off after the horse. I held on with amazing strength as Spur and Brianna flew passed me and away.

Fray hated being left behind so he took off at a bone-rattling gallop. My legs where hanging off his back when we caught up. Brianna was swinging her rope a good distance.

“Brianna, go left!” I yelled, realizing she had not noticed where the black horse was going. We both kept running at a fast gallop until Brianna managed to rope the horse’s neck with a fight. She handed me another rope to hook around the back left leg just in case.

Brianna threw a grin at me as I jumped off Fray. “It’s a mare. We can’t have her, because Fray and Spur aren’t gelded,” I said with a sob.

“Sure we can. You just keep Fray away! I wouldn’t mind if Spur wanted to be a father.”

I sighed, “okay, okay, I surrender, not like we’re ever going to tame this one.” I looked over at the mare that was pinning her ears and rearing. I mounted Fray and tugged at the rope.

When we got back to the barn I heard the screen door slam and Jessica came running out. “Oh, she is so beautiful!” Jessica is our other sister. She had a horse, but we had to sell him because of the vet bill. He broke his legs and we couldn’t help him. His name was Teddy.

Brianna took Spur and Fray to the stalls as we cut the ropes and put the new mare in the pasture. Jessica entered Fray’s stall. “What should we name her?” she whispered.

“Jessica, we don’t even know if we can keep her, so let’s not jump over the happening just to get to the future.” I ran my finger over Fray’s mouth thinking what would we name her?

“Ah, but Hailey! Now we won’t get to keep her! You have to think positive. Mom will let us, and Dad is out of town for the next few months. If we can get a halter on her, and then slowly work our way up to a saddle with a person, we’re in business.”

I glanced over at Jessica, who had an ear-to-ear smile on her face. “Bubbles, you know I want to keep her, it’s just … I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” Fray tossed his head in a “No” and I
looked over at Brianna, who was hanging over Spur’s stall.

“Hailey, who’s going to get hurt? We have you, the body guard, Jessica the rider, and me, the 911 girl. We have a full group, and Mom, she trains horses!”

I mounted Fray with Jessica and led Spur out the gate with Brianna on top. “Fine,” I said with a smile on my face.

That night, as we put out 3 buckets of feed and hay, I looked over the fence. Spur and the mare where trotting along the fence and their ears were pointed up. Maybe Spur would talk about how nice we were and let us teach her things.

I glanced around hoping no one would see me, and then I looked at the black mare and whispered “Kaya.” The horse stopped, turned her head directly at me. For the first time, I saw the sweetness and love in her eyes, and then she whinnied. I didn’t know what she was saying, but I wish I did.

That night at dinner we told Mom about Kaya – err I mean the black horse. She said what a wonderful idea for Jessica. Then I went up to bed, tired of the days that were to come. Like Jessica, I was jumping over the happening and landing in the future.

I woke myself up at midnight, and went out to the feed fence. I saw Fray lying down, and then I saw Spur, and then a little black dot, with hair flying around the dots legs. I leaned over the fence. “Kaya.” The dot started moving into clear vision – that was her name. It had to be, but how would she know? And how did I know? I carefully slid over the fence, into the grassy pasture. Kaya was so close you could see the sweetness and love in her eyes again. Slowly I put out my hand and hoped she would come to me. “Kaya.”

She laid her head over my shoulder; I wrapped my arms around her. I felt it. The everything. My everything. Kaya. Something was so right, and yet so wrong at the same time. This was meant to be Jessica’s horse. I could live with that, but there had been something in my head for so long. It had been hurting me, not letting me dream, and now, here, this hour, this minute, this second, this horse. The clump was gone. I could feel it coming out my mouth with every breath I took. I could see it drifting away into the moonlight. It was gone with the wind.

Something creaked and I looked up. The branches had fallen because of the wind. I was on the ground, Kaya was gone, and my head hurt. What was happening? I straightened myself out. Branches scared Kaya, and then Kaya kicked. No, that couldn’t be right; it was the clump. No! It was coming back; there it remained bigger than ever. Why? I kicked my way back into my bed and drifted off into a terrible sleep.

I awoke to the sound of Jessica shuffling through her drawers probably looking for her riding boots. After a nice breakfast, we all went outside to clean out Teddy’s old stall and make it look welcoming for a horse that would most likely be scared of it. We led Spur and Fray into the field and mounted. Jessica got on the back with Fray and I went to look for the black mare.

“Maybe she will come up to us, and let us pet her forelock. That would be a great first step,” said Jessica. I could tell she was excited.

We found the mare near the fence drinking from our river. Spur went up to her first and Fray followed. She seemed okay when Spur went up there and Brianna petted her. She didn’t pin her ears back or anything. But when Brianna took her hand away to pet Spur, Kaya came right up to me, and put her head in my lap.

“Aww! Hailey! She likes you! Do you think she will let me pet her?” Jessica said with excitement in her voice.

“Of coarse she will!” When Jessica reached out, Kaya struck a nip, but luckily missed. “Maybe she just needs to warm up to you, Jess. Trust me, on just the second day it’s good she likes anyone,” I said, hoping she would.

Before we had left the stables, I had taken Teddy’s old halter. And just as if Kaya knew what it was, she let me put it on her. Jessica took a lead line, and tied it to Fray’s horn, and then mounted on the back of Spur. We went to the outdoor arena, and led her around there, Spur leading, Fray in the middle, and Kaya in the back. Soon we were trotting, and Kaya did great, but it was when Fray went into a slow gallop that Kaya wanted
to go ahead. First she came up right by my leg, and then she was ahead of Fray, dragging him, and me. If I hadn’t turned around she would have dragged me off the saddle. Then, I dismounted Fray and slowly put my arms over Kaya’s back. She looked at me, as if urging me, saying it would be the ride of your life.

I tied the lead line onto both sides like a hackamore and put my leg over her back. She didn’t even flinch. Then I slowly mounted totally. I squeezed with my legs and she went off in a small walk. I turned her left, she went left. I turned her right, she went right. I went into a small trot, and then stopped. It was like she was already trained!

I dismounted and gave Jessica a try. As soon as Jessica turned the corner, she found herself on the ground. I looked over at Kaya, who was half way across the arena. Kaya, a swift but soft movement throughout the world, a goddess, a saver, moves only when one is not there. Who is this one?

I helped Jessica up. “Jess, you okay? I didn’t even see her, and I could have sworn I was watching her the whole time!” I said out of breath from everything.

“I’m fine, I didn’t even feel it. I blinked, and then I was on the ground,” said Jessica. She sounded confused.

Mom called us in for lunch, and we tied up the horses away from each other just in case. At lunch we told mom how well Kaya did with me, except, they still called her black mare. Kaya was our little secret.

Mom crossed her hands in an interested kind of way. “Really? Well Jess, I declare, your younger sister, well maybe just some warming up to,” said mom in her proper country way.

After lunch, I put away Fray and Spur, and I worked with Kaya. I put her on a long lead line and led her over the jump. I got her to 4 ft 3inch before she knocked over her first pole. Then Jessica took her through pole bending and Brianna got her to jump over 3 logs and then went through the river. Kaya did great with groundwork; we took her through hula-hoops and swung ropes over her head. Jessica was amazing with her teamwork. Brianna showed Kaya how to jump the logs wonderfully.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I sat up in bed. There was something I heard. But what? I couldn’t tell exactly what it was. I listened closer. “Kaya.”

I climbed out the window and over the fence. “Kaya.” There it was. I heard the hooves coming like lightning bullets. They were here. I looked left and she was standing there as if
she was telling me to get on her. I grabbed the lead line off the fence and tied it as the hackamore again. I mounted carefully. We walked around the fence until we came to the gate that led us to the open fenced pasture. I opened the gate. Kaya bolted with me toward a lonely tree just standing in the distance. There was a log. She lept over it. It was like magic – the whole thing. Was this a dream? I couldn’t tell anymore. We went by the tree, swooped around it and started back. I guess she knew we couldn’t go far. Over the log, but she didn’t make a quick turn toward the open gate, and kept going straight.

I leaned up, and whispered in her black ear “Kaya, the fence.” As I spoke those words, I knew. We had a 5’ 7” fence, and she was attempting to jump it. I got a strong grip of her mane and gave a swift kick demanding a faster gallop. The take off. I slid my feet backwards to help her up and over. Air. I looked and I saw, we had wings. I saw them – they were there. Ground. It was funny; I didn’t see our wings anymore. We were galloping. Jump! We went over the river. I saw Fray chasing after us and then along came Spur. “We might wake them,” I whispered. She pulled into a walk and led me over to close the gate. As soon as I closed the window, I felt the clump coming back. I sighed and went to sleep.

The next morning, when I woke up, I smelled pancakes. I looked at my watch, 6:30. Mom wasn’t ever up this early. I sat up in bed and stayed perfectly still. I heard voices. I looked over at Jessica and Brianna. They were up too. I listened closer.

“Bill, the girls didn’t expect you for 3 months.”

“Diane, I know. I’m just here for the day, then I’m going back to Antarctica. I’m leaving at 12:00.”

It was Dad. I slipped on my flip-flops and quietly slid open my window. I would put Kaya in the small-gated pasture between our neighbors’ house and our house. It was dry outside, but a little windy. I loved riding on these days. I grabbed Kaya by the halter and started running towards the pasture gate. She followed in a fast trot. The field gate was locked with a chain. I popped it open and dragged Kaya in. “I’ll be back girl. You sit tight for awhile and be quiet.” And with that I slipped out the gate.

Jessica was at the window. She jumped out and threw me over the gate and into the window. “What took you so long? Dad might come up and wake us for breakfast!” said Jessica in a rough whisper. I started shuffling through my drawers.

“Hailey, is that you?” I flinched. Mother probably wanted me for breakfast.

“Yes,” I replied uneasily. I heard footsteps.

“Hailey, your father’s home. Did you hide the horse?” I looked at mom on the front step of our room, and then nodded. She led me down for breakfast. Not that father was bad. He was very nice, but Kaya wasn’t ready to be thrown into the wild because Father didn’t expect her.

Dad came through the kitchen room with his suitcases. “I just got a very important call.” I watched him come toward me, step by step. “Hailey, will you go get the girls? Before I go I would like to say bye.”

I hurried up the stairs into our bedroom. “Dad wants to say bye! Get up! Hurry!” I yelled, and then ran down stairs to say good-bye. He hugged me, and then Brianna and Jessica joined in.

“I’ll see you girls in about 3 months, okay? Bye now. Be good to your Mother,” said Dad, as he grabbed up his bags.

“But Daddy, where are your going?” asked Brianna.

“Sweetie, I have to go back to Antarctica. They really need me right now.” He walked out the door with a wave.

“It’s okay girls. We have breakfast on the table, so eat up and get outside to your horses.” Mom tried calming Brianna down, but she started to cry and hugged mom and held on tight.

“It’s not fair Mommy. Daddy should live with us.” I felt a tear coming and flicked it away as I walked up the stairs to our bedroom.

Jessica found her riding helmet and said,“I would like to give her one more try, and if that doesn’t work, since she lets you on, you can have her. And if it’s okay with you, I would like Fray.”

I nodded with a smile. I went over and hugged her. “It will take time Jessica but, she will let you on.” We went outside about 9:00 after cleaning our room and went straight to Kaya. She had her head over the fence with her ears up high, like she was waiting for someone to come. We put all 3 horses in a stall and tacked them up in silence. I was going to use Teddy’s old bridle and his saddle.

“Brianna how was Spur the other day?” asked Jessica, looking for a conversation.

“You were on the back with me, you should know,” replied Brianna. I think she was still mad from Dad leaving, or it might have just been a bad day. I slipped the bit into Kaya’s mouth and amazingly, she took it better than Fray. I went to the very back of the tack room and found our black saddle we used on Fray when we were 6,7,and 9.

It was about 10:00 when Kaya and I came out of the barn. I was letting her sniff the saddle and blankets and everything. But when I finally mounted, I felt very confident. We trotted to the other side of the arena then I leaned forward and she took off in a fast gallop. We rounded the corner and went straight for the 2 foot jump for warm up. She went over it as if she was just walking. It was simple for her. We went over it about 5-6 times before I dismounted. I cranked it up to 3 feet and mounted again. Brianna jumped Spur, and then Jessica and Fray. And then I came up behind them and jumped. Here it was. It felt like we were flying.

After lunch I decided we should go on a trail out in the pasture to see how Kaya would do in her old home. We went out of the gate and Kaya bolted into the lead. I tugged on the reins showing her this wasn’t free time. Fray and Spur took off in a gallop for the river and I had no choice but to follow. I was glad for the saddle, because I would have gotten very tired without it; all we did was gallop.

Five minutes after we had reached the river, Brianna suggested we race, to see how fast Kaya would go. I said no, but Jess and Brianna said yes, so I had no choice. The starting point was at the river. Ending was at the fence, 1-3 football fields away.

“GO!” Kaya took off in an extreme gallop; I flew back in the saddle, but immediately lifted up as a professional would do. We ran and we ran. Kaya stayed in the lead and when we got to the fence, all the horses jumped over it. It was magic. Just like old times.

That night Jessica and I went out to see Kaya. “Come here girl!” called Jessica. I kissed and then we saw her coming. I put my arms around her. Jessica squeezed in. Kaya got scared. She flicked up her head, made a turn to the side and kicked Jessica right in the chest and went running off.

“Jessica!” I screamed. I heard the front door bang shut and Mom and Brianna came running. I looked at Jessica’s chest; there was a hole right in the middle. Kaya’s hoof had sunk in very deep. I held her tight. “It’s okay Jess, it’s going to be alright.” I heard the ambulance. Mom must have called. Jessica looked up at me.

“Hailey, it hurts.” I nodded my head and held her tight.

Four hours later I stood in Jessica’s hospital room. They were about to bring her in. Mom looked over at me. “Jess should be fine. The doctors said some stitches and a good week or two in a wheel chair should bring her back to normal health.” I smiled knowing it was going to be all right.

About twenty minutes later they wheeled Jessica in. She looked pretty happy sitting there, sucking a lollipop. She smiled at me. “I love you Hailey. What could I do without you?”

I felt my heart pound with happiness. “I love you too, Jess.”

Brianna came over and joined in. “Me too.”

The car ride home was silent. Jessica was sleeping and Brianna was daydreaming out the window. I sat there waiting to be home. I wanted to see Kaya. I wanted everything to be all right. But it wasn’t. The clump that was once small had now taken over my body. It felt like I was going to die if I didn’t see Kaya soon. When we passed our gate, I jumped out of the car and ran straight for Kaya. I hugged her so tight. I loved her. And needed her.

One year later. Father had let us keep Kaya, even though she had scarred Jessica for life. Kaya gave birth to a black colt. Spur was the father. We all thought of the perfect name: Spraya.