Ghost Horse-Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron

Chapter 22- Ghostly

Sorry the last chapter was short, I was having some writer's block issues but I think I'm alright now ;)

"It was just the cold Eagle, it made your eyes goes fuzzy." Echo moaned as he and Eagle walked back to the lake nearer the herd. The summer months were tough, but not nearly as bad as winter. The grass froze over, as well as the water bodies and the trees were stripped of any leaves or apples. Most of the other animals had moved on, but Spirit still had hope that they would be okay. It had been a year since the loss of Desert, time went on; they began to heal.

"Echo, I'm telling you! I saw her. Standing by the lake in the shadows... Where we left her last." Eagle pleaded for him to believe his words. "Stop it. My sister is gone, don't make a fuss after everything has finally settled back to normal. Almost, anyway." The grey stallion stared ahead, his stony eyes hard as rock. "But-" "No, Eagle. Desert is dead. Not even your spiritual rubbish can bring her back." Echo snapped. He turned and glared into Eagle's coal black eyes, no emotions showing through. The rest of the way back to the other horses was travelled in silence, not a glance shared.

Eagle was positive he had made out the outline of his deceased mate. He had seen her mane drifting in the wind, but no features could be found in her shadowed face. The image stuck in his head, confusing the stallion deeply. Later on, he decided to go back to the stream and see if he could spot her again. It had started to get dark and he thought about heading back until he heard a gentle whinny. That sound, that amazing, beautiful neigh. Eagle turned and shot through the water, determined to find his mare. The neighing stopped for a few minutes before he heard it again, closer this time. Galloping left then right, he finally found a small clearing. Stood there, shimmering in the moonlight, was none other than a wild horse. Disappointment and misery struck Eagle's heart as he glanced back up at the disappearing figure of the horse. He turned, walking back to the water with his head low to the ground. Echo was right. Desert had gone and nothing could bring her back.

There was something about that night that made the pale horse think. Something inside him was urging to race back to the clearing and Desert would be standing there; tall, proud, and alive. It wouldn't happen, but he liked to imagine it.
"Where have you been?!" Jigsaw hissed at him, trying not to wake the other horses. "Willow and I have been searching everywhere or you! What have you been doing that took you so long, the last we saw of you was when you got back with Echo! Eagle, we were so worried!" She blurted. Willow, the dark bay mare that had been friends with Desert when they were young, strode over.

"So you found him then." She whispered, rolling her eyes. "I-it doesn't matter what I was doing, it wasn't... Wasn't important. I'm tired, anyone else? No? Okay goodnight!" Eagle spoke quickly before trotting away to his favourite place below the willow tree where Desert had showed him. He stared down into the black reflection, sighing. "Desert, if you're still there, please, please come back to me. I miss you... We all do. I'd do anything to see you again.. To hear you again... Anything. Just send me a sign that you still care and I'll try my hardest to do whatever you want me to. We will be together again my darling I promise. Just... Name it..." He slid to the ground, all the feelings of depression that he had felt after her death were flooding back to him all at once; it was overwhelming. All he could do now was sleep. And that's what he planned to do. Except someone had other plans.