I stepped closer to her, nudging her leg with a gentle muzzle. She grinned, reaching out a hand to stroke me, but I flinched away, moving my head back an inch. When I saw the look in her eyes, I knew I had to let her see that I was truly, as Strider said, not a brute, but a lovable horse. Taking a tentitive step forth, my muzzle touched the palm of her hand, which was still open and up, waiting for me. I looked in her eyes, seeing only friendship offered to me, and I took it gratefully. Having found another friend to trust in that dark world, I lowered my head to search for food, pulling up a few strands of whithered grass.
“He’s a wonderful horse…a truly rare beauty. I’ve never even seen an elven horse with his black coat, nor mane or tail.” She said.
“Really? Odd. But no matter…he’s a great horse, and a fine companion who I know will protect me from every danger. I’m lucky to have him around.” Strider replied, gazing at me.

* * * *

Later that night, I was laying near the fire, behind my owner who now knew that I would be his pillow for as long as I served him. I watched the dancing flames, and was swiftly reminded of that night in the stable when I had escaped from my first owner. The lightning, the screaming horses, the rain, the wind, it all came back, but it did not scare me. No. It made me realize how lucky I was to have been found by an owner as wonderful as Strider. But there was something about him that made his capture of me seem like fate, as if destiny had it in store for the two most unlikely of creatures, to become the two most likely of companions. Who knew? Only time would tell. I yawned widely, shaking my head as I looked over at Captain. He wickered at me softly, so as not to disturb his owner who was already asleep near his side.
How does it feel to be owned?
All right, I mean, I’m not free, but this is great as well, I snorted.
He bobbed his head, But you want to go free again?
Well, I hate to say this, but one day I’d like to be released to the wilds, I nieghed softly.
I’ve never been free…I was born in a stable and grew up in one. How does it feel to be free?
I pondered how to explain it, then answered, Wonderful! No restrictions, no rules, just miles of open feilds and blue sky. You can race the other horses, challenge the wind, sleep anywhere, eat anything that you fancy…but I must say…there are perks to being owned, like the health care.
Captain laughed, then laid his head down, pulling his legs under his powerful chest. I also put my head on the ground and closed my eyes, listening to the fading sound of the sparking and crackling fire.

CHAPTER 6 RIVENDEL

The next morn, we awoke with the rising of the brilliant sun, quickly dousing the still glowing fire with water. Captain, Asfaloth and I stood quietly while our owners threw packs across their backs, tightened belts, secured swords and stretched lazily. It was a gloriously clear day, with not a cloud to clutter the blue sky so that the bright sun shone down on the Earth, drying it from the previous day’s rain. A light breeze stirred the branches of the trees, shaking the leaves together like hundreds of waving hands. I stomped my hoof and snorted, eager to move on, wanting to reach Rivendel before the day was out. I knew we could make it in only two days if we picked up our pace and went swiftly through the countryside, shaving a whole day off our travels. My owner came to my head, holding my muzzle in his hands as he spoke to me.
“We’ll be off soon enough, just calm down.”
Can we go faster?! I want to run! I want to beat your three day estimate! I whinnied.
“All right, we can pick our pace up, but only to a canter, the other horses aren’t as energy packed as you, my friend.” He laughed.
Arwen came over, throwing an extra cloak over Asfaloth’s saddle, before readjusting the reins and tightening the girth on the saddle. Strider watched her lovingly, until l gave him a hard push with my muzzle, making him stumble away from me. He glared at me, but I only shook my head and exhaled sharply as he walked away to grab the last pack laying on the ground. Asfaloth nuzzled me, bobbing her head in laughter at my joke, standing quietly as her owner mounted and backed her up a few steps. My owner tossed the last pack to Halbarad who caught it as he swung onto Captain’s back, untieing the riens from the saddle horn. Strider hauled himself onto my back, directing me out into the sunlight as his thoughts turned to a word of speed. I threw up my head and cantered away, turning onto the path we had taken the night before.
Off on our right reared the Misty Mountains, their snow capped, jagged peaks rising thousands of feet into the clear sky, leaping from the ground like the teeth of a giant dragon. No trees lined the road now, only open feilds rolled under our hooves, green grass, not a stone nor fence in sight. Over countless hills we ran, flowing down into gentle valleys and rising again into many more hills and domes of grass. An eagle swooped down on us, screeching a challenge to me as it beat its strong wings to fly just over me. I neighed, pushing my legs faster as I began to gallop away from Captain and Asfaloth, charging ahead of the eagle who cried aloud and soared after me. But, the race was short lived, my master pulled my mane back harshly, causing me to skidd to a grinding halt, almost sitting on my back legs as I finally stopped. He was angry, I could tell, for he had told me that the other two could not run like I could, and if I did, they would want to, and would exhaust themselves in doing so.
I bowed my head in shame. I didn’t mean to disobey him, but the eagle’s challenge had been too tempting, and I had lost my sense. After scolding me mentally, he let me go on in a canter of a swift, yet easy pace. The others kept pace with me easily now, and it was just after high noon that trees appeared on the horizon, and the dancing glitter of sunlight reflecting off a river reached my eyes. Asfaloth whinnied in delight, to her, this was all familiar, and she knew the way home from here, to me, this was all new territory, and I had no idea where we were headed from here. But Strider kept me going straight, until we came to the woods a few hours later.

Sorry this part was so short, but I kinda had writer’s block that day, so this isn’y very good…but Part 4 will be comin your way soon….I hope :);):)