Arizona Calls

The Spanish Mustang mare slept in the snow, dreaming of her past.

I walked to the fence where the lady stood. She was elderly, but looked like a princess. She reached her hand out to me. "Do not be afraid." She said sweetly, "I am here. I will never leave you." She touched my mane, and walked away. I neighed for her to come back. She was gone. I have never seen her before. Only in a dream would I see the Spirit of the Thunder Mountains. I woke the next day to find my master by my side. She tells me she must leave and that I must stay. She, too, walked away. Just like the lady, I would never see her again. I jumped the fence, barely making it over. I ran, but could not find her. I was lost. Then, out of nowhere, the Spirit of the Thunder Mountains appeared. She no longer looked like a young princess. She was old a wrinkled. "Come home, come home. Come back to Arizona." She said, before flying away with an eagle. I followed her, but soon fell through a pit in the land.

She woke up and quickly rose to her feet, looking around like she had seen a ghost. She drooped her head. "It is gone. I cannot go back. I lost all my hope in New Mexico." She said, letting tears drop from her eyes.

Fauve*Kiran

Speckled-bay harks swiveled to catch the sound of a voice that was neither hers nor her son's, and Fauve motioned to Kiran to stay back, so as not to scare Arizona Calls. Her voice was soft and motherly as she replied. When all hope is lost, you have to learn to build your own. I've bricks to share, and mortar, if you'd care to build with me.

It was a riddle within a riddle, but Fauve had seen the abusive hands of a human, and it showed: there was a distinct knife slash that ran from her left shoulder clear down to end above her left rear hock, and that was only the worst of her myriad of scratches and dents. Her upper lip was permanently marked where a scythe blade had torn her lip open, making her look as though she might have a cleft palate, though she did not. Her white-speckled hide had barely an inch that was not scarred by the same blade. I have hope to build, she said softly, if you'd care to help.

Arizona Calls

I have seen
Now these eyes are open wide
Lights that gleam
Fading with my broken pride
And the words that break me down
As I fight against the crowd
Holding only to a dream
With daylight in-between
When this world has seen me fall
Arizona calls
---
Arizona lifted her head when she heard a new voice. Fear was in her eyes, and she was restless. She loved her Arizona home. She loved her job as a horse for those who served in the Army. It was gone. But not all hope was lost. She still had a sliver of hope left. It was all in a dream, but it was all so real. She still remembered the kids, the men, the women, all those who rode her for fun on the old dirt trail. "I will come with you." She said softly, tears still dripping down her cheeks. "Are you going to help me?"

Walk along the old dirt trail...One last time.

Fauve*Kiran

Fauve chuckled softly, but it was a light, happy sound, with not a whit of cruelty in it, much like Fauve's soul. Oh my dear... we've not had a home since the Shadow Haunters took over most of the valley. My old home, and my brother's lands... they took them both. So we stay here, looking after one another, my Kiran and I. And she tossed her head back in his direction, smiling still. But yes, I will help you if at all I can. I am Fauve. Mate to Unknown Moon, who has been missing for many moons now, and mother to Kiran, that mock-serious stallion there. Her tail swished, giving that soft laugh again. What troubles you?

Arizona Calls

The mare stopped crying. "I am Arizona Calls, but you can call me Arizona." Another tear dripped down her cheek when she said the name of her old home. "Long ago, I lived happily in Arizona. You might not know of it. It is far down south. I had friends, but my master left me. I followed her, but got lost. Now I can't go back, no matter how much I want to. My old name was Arizona Sunset, or just Arizona. I changed my name when I made it my mission to go home. Every time I sleep, I dream. Every time I dream, a voice tells me to go home." She used to be happy all the time, but that was long before she lost her way.

Fauve*Kiran

Fauve reached her nose over to wipe Arizona's tear away, voice soft and motherly. Easy there, now, Arizona. We all miss home, and those we loved who are not with us anymore. I do not know this place, this Arizona... but I do know that if you dream of it, then you will not rest peacefully until you learn that you can make a peice of Arizona for yourself wherever you are. I have made myself a peice of Michigan here, where I am originally from.

And her eyes grew a little wistful, for though Michigan was where the Doyle lived, it was where she had been happy. Doyle was the man responsible for her scarred body, her torn spirit, and he had driven her from Michigan, forced her to flee from him. And still he followed her here. Finally, she raised her voice again, soft and wistful. I do not miss my life in Michigan, where there lived so evil a man that he ought not be allowed life, but I miss the sound of snow falling softly on a tin roof at dusk, and the gleam of sunlight off of the little lake in the back pasture.

And she turned her eyes up to meet Arizona's, smiling softly. You can make Arizona come to you, my dear. All you need is to establish a happy life, horses who care for you, and Arizona will come to you.

Arizona Calls

...Arizona is My Home...

Arizona stopped crying. "I miss the way the skies would grow dark and rain would fall. I miss the mountains. I miss the monsoons and thunder and lightning. I miss the people." She looked at Fauve. "How does one establish a happy life? I used to know how, but that was before my heart was broken."

...'Cause That's Where I left my Heart.

Fauve*Kiran

Fauve smiled back at Arizona, motioning to Kiran to come forward and meet her new friend. Her voice came again, soft and sweet with a touch of laughter. Well, you've already made a fine start at it, dear. You've two friends, for my friends are my son's friends. Come now, stop looking so solemn. Things will come aright. You'll see.

And Kiran came forward, smiling at Arizona, and it was his mother's smile born anew on his father's face. Now life can't be that awful. You've only just come here. Perhaps you will be able to learn to love it as we have. There is much to love here in the Valley.

Arizona Calls

Arizona looked at Kiran. "Hello." She said. This was all she said. The last thing she did before her heart was broken was give a ride to some autistic girl. That was satisfying. She loved to help, as these two were helping her now. She loved the way people would go to the Buffalo Corral after Church every Sunday and rub her nose and tell her how sweet she is. "Thank you for helping me." She said, looking off in the distance. "It seems that there is much war here, going on between different groups of animals. Why is that?"

Fauve*Kiran

Fauve smiled now that Arizona seemed to have perked up some, and shrugged a bit at her question. For the most part, it is the canines that do much of the fighting. I think that it is mostly the same idea as when stallions fight. All hotheads and not a sensible one among 'em. I made sure to keep Kiran away from stuff like that. I wont abide a brute that throws his weight around just because he can. And she snorted a little in annoyance, for males in general annoyed her. All except one... Moony... but no, he was gone now.

Kiran swished his tail a little and said, Yeah, Ma was super-strict with me. No rough stuff. Treat the ladies right, treat others right, and you're treatin' yourself right.

Arizona Calls

Arizona looked into the distance. "Have you ever thought about helping the innocents?" She asked, swishing her tail. "Where do the possessed ones live?" She wanted to exterminate the 'bad guys' before they take any lives, though she didn't fight much. She was all brain.

Fauve*Kiran

Fauve shook her head a little, voice soft and a little wistful. We do what we can, Arizona. But we are only two horses, and now three. There used to be another... She was referring to Al Sheratan, her one and only friend. With Al Sheratan, we were three, and protected whom we could. We helped save two innocent canines who were being hunted down just because they were wolves. We stopped the pack.

And she frowned, wondering how much she dared tell Arizona, for the mare's own protection. Finally she made up her mind, and spoke again. But it is difficult for me, because I must be careful never to be seen by the two-legs. If word should get back to the Darkness... And she shivered. She always called Doyle the Darkness. She couldn't, wouldn't let herself fall into his hands again. If word should get back to the Darkness... he would come for me, and capture myself and Kiran... even my brother Avi, if he could... and then our lives would not be worth living. Dying would be better than going back there... Her lip twitched nervously, feeling anew the slice of a scythe through it. She would never forget that feeling...

Arizona Calls

The Spanish Mustang whinnied. "We could help the good guys. We could serve as...as...Healers! As an Arizonian, I know my plants." She felt a feeling that said she was being foolish, but she didn't care anymore. She was free. "And don't worry about the Darkness, dear. Good always triumphs over evil. Did the Creator not make it that way?" She loved to speak of the Creator. It always made her better.

Fauve*Kiran

Fauve smiled. Yes, I do have a small store of plant knowledge myself. Perhaps we could be of use.

But the mention of the Darkness brought serious eyes back to Arizona, voice soft and serious, though not afraid as it had been. Nevertheless, my friend... the Creator made the Darkness as well, in his infinite wisdom, whether we understand why or not. If ever you see a male of the two-legged kind, with plaited hair that reaches the ankles, dressed all in black with a scythe hanging from his belt... run like mad. That is the Darkness, and he will make your life a living hell.