There are many legends surrounding the humans that are perpetuated through the mesteno and burro herds. After the first encounter, I listened more closely to them as they were whispered between herds at the watering holes. Normally, herds would avoid each other, but in droughts, the stallions are more interested in water than fighting for herd rights.
“They say that the humanos are more active this year.” My ears pricked when I heard Ceniza, the lead mare of the herd guarded by a palomino stallion named Sol, whisper these words to Ciela, our lead mare.
Ciela shook her black mane, water droplets sparkling in her blue roan coat. “It’s the sequía, the drought.” She snorted. “The humans like to find us when we are débil, weak. They are depredadores through and through.”
“Surely they haven’t found the canyon valleys yet? Their birds cannot navigate into the sin luna areas.” Another mare, Relámpaga, butts in.
“Moonless areas or not, humans are muy persistente. They want the land for themselves, and they want us for their own means. They are…” Ceniza dropped off, trying to think of words.
“Codicioso y cruel. Greedy and cruel.” My mother curled her lip.
“Si.” Ciela sighed. “But that is not for us to worry about. Those are stallion matters. They are the protectores, and we are the proveedores. They protect the herd, we provide the ways to food and water. That is la forma de hacer las cosas, the way of things. Let us discuss water rights so that the stallions do not get to sparring in their frustration and thirst.”
I stopped listening after that, as their conversation turned to droning on lead mare matters. I wandered over to where Sombre was rolling in a mud wallow, coating his skin with the gritty paste that cleaned the coat of bugs and eased the sores where the blackflies already bit.
“Sombre?” I lowered myself to the ground, scrubbing my back into the cool mud. I could almost feel the heat in my body sizzle.
“Si?” He muttered, eyes closed as he lay spread out in the cool mud.
“Why do the humanos come when we are so weak?”
His eyes opened, and he shifted onto his chest. “Ay yai yai, potranca, you ask hard questions on hot days. No es bueno para la cabeza. It’s not good for the head.”
I flick my ears, pleased when he mentions his nickname for me. Sure, it’s Filly, but a Nickname is better than being completely Nameless.
He scratches his black knees with his teeth before he continues, thinking over his answers carefully. “The humanos are predators. Predators wait until the prey is weak to strike.”
“But not even the coyotes hunt us in droughts.” I muttered, scrubbing my neck deeper into the black mud. “They go after the smaller creatures. It’s even too hot for them. Why are the humanos different?”
“You are asking big questions that I cannot answer.” He licked his lips. “We cannot understand the humanos. They are predators. We are prey. That is all there is to know.”
He groaned, hauling himself to his feet to shake off the mud. “Now, I am going for a swim. No more talk of the humanos, understand? It’s mala suerte, bad luck.”
“Entiendo.” I murmured, closing my eyes to doze in the mud. I was only eight months, and he was a spring and fall my superior. I trusted him.
Still… the humanos made no sense. They control wingless birds and hunt when the sun is high?
After a long while, I shook my head and gathered my feet under me to follow Sombre. “Eh! Espera, Sombre! I’m coming to swim.”
But when I arrived at the river, no one was there. Cold dread struck my heart, chilling my skin despite the summer heat.
“Sombre?” I nickered. I turned around, but where the herd once was, they were no more.
I was alone. A dangerous thing for a mustang.
That’s when I saw the dust and heard the buzzing.
Humanos.
I ran, bolting away from the sound of the wingless birds and the swirling dust, but without my herd, I was blind. I didn’t know where to go, where the Sin Luna places were. Why hadn’t I listened to the lead mares more?
The buzzing grew louder. The dust swirled all the higher, like wings trying to snare me. I pinned my ears, running so fast my legs didn’t even feel attached to my brain.
I just ran. Ran for my survival. Ran to flee from the humans.
All the while, voices chanted in my head. Too short, not fast enough, not strong enough, won’t survive, can’t survive, nameless, nameless.
Fear drove me faster. My hooves dug into the sand, but still the dust and shadows reached for me.
A great black patch rose above me in the sky. I didn’t dare look up to face it. I just kept running.
But I knew I was caught. Too late. Not fast enough.
I deserved to be called Nameless.
Then, just as the shadow blotted out the sun, something slammed into my ribs. I was shoved so fast, I didn’t even realize I was inside a cave until my world went to black.
For twenty ear twitches, I could hear nothing but my own heart and my gasping, shuddering breaths. Then I heard the second heartbeat in the room, and my eyes adjusted to the moon-marked horse beside me.
Sombre. I let out a long breath. “Sombre… they…”
“Hush.” He nickered, his voice unusually hoarse.
Concerned, I moved closer to him, nibbling his mane. “What’s wrong?”
He looked toward the patch of sunlight at the end of the cave. “We’ve been separated. The herd… Aguila… Mama…” He coughed.
My heart dropped to my hooves. I hung my head. “No…”
“Si. They came during siesta.” He pinned his ears. “The humanos… they’ve captured the herd.”
Oh no! now they’re on their own. I really enjoyed this chapter as well!