He looked at me through his deep brown eyes, taking me back to the days I was only a filly. I stared back at him, preparing myself for whatever he was going to say. Would I be ready for whatever he was about to say? Possibly. But maybe I'm over-thinking things. What if what he was about to ask or say  wasn't that much of a challenging task? Maybe I should just let him speak...

"Amazon, I need your help." He stated, shifting his large, musclier body to a stop.

I let his words roll through my mind. What would he want my help for? He's a large stallion, capable of destroying an entire cabin of men. I was merely a young mare, with an orphan colt and the herd of my father. I slowly spoke, allowing the words to first rumble through my long throat.

"Why do you need my help? Can't you ask one of your own mares?"

He shook his head, and huffed one large breath into the scattered dirt. He lifted his large head, revealing the emotion hiding within his eyes.

"My herd is no more." He whispered disconcertedly. I didn't reply, just waited for him to continue.

"A tragedy, a mistake. It wasn't expected. We were inhabiting near an old shack beside the Corey River... The foals would prance and race into the darker caves around the mountain valley surrounding the lowland. Sometimes they spoke of a large, warm rock. They called it 'The Rock of Life.' My herd was fine, when suddenly foals began to go missing.  Everyday, another foal would disappear if they fell behind the rest. My mares would either take their foals to another reign or go in looking for their foals. Those who travelled into the cave system would never be seen again, just like their foals. And now, I have no one. My foals, my mares; all gone. So I ventured in myself..."

He spoke softly and calmly, but I could sense the fear and resentment in his gruff voice. I shuffled my feet, repositioning myself more comfortably. He continued his story...

"But what I found, I never expected. They were everywhere, every mare and foal who disappeared... Their remains were so dismantled and disrespected. Half-eaten and their faces covered in fear. There was only one thing I could think of... The Rock of Life. I tried to turn and run, but I didn't have the time. I didn't know what The Rock of Life was, but I didn't want to find out. Unfortunately, he had already spotted me. The glowing yellow eyes illuminated through the thick darkness. He stepped forward, and grabbed me in his jaws... But I stumbled and kicked him in the face. So I ran... And here I am."

I stood slumped, and stepped back. I didn't dare ask, but I knew I had to.

"Why do you need me?"

He walked toward me.

"You've faced Kuno before. You've faced him twice, and people know that. You're the only one Kuno is afraid of... You took away his right eye. You took away his honour and his fearsome name to his kind, and they rejected him, as an outcast. He's become a threat to us all. He hates us now, he no longer sees us as prey. He sees us as enemies. He wants us, he wants you, dead. You have to help us."

I turned away from him. Everything came flooding back. The storm, the fear, the racing...  I was only a foal. Spirit was my best friend, and he helped me survive. I owe him for that. But I'm not strong enough to face a bear, let alone Kuno. Not again. Not after what he's done. I had a son now, and I wasn't thinking on leaving him. My father loved me and missed me; I couldn't retreat from him, either.

"Spirit, I cannot." I voiced. Before I could walk away, he jumped in front of me.

"Amazon, please. I beg you." I feel like he would get onto his knees if he wasn't so ignorant. I noticed the dried blood staining his beautiful buckskin coat. The wounds from the jaws of a beast as powerful as a burning flame would scar his sleek skin and beautiful body. If he had come to beg me, maybe it was working. Maybe he knew I would agree to his plea and fight the fearsome beast.

But, would I?