The morning air was cold. Snow was still on the ground though it hadn't snowed for a while. It was almost foggy. I slung Millicent's tack over the fence and turned to look out at the field. I had let Mill out in the field the previous afternoon so she could graze and make aquaintances with Jakob's father's horses. However, the horses were not grazing or running or rolling in the mud. They were all crowded together around a spot about a half a kilometer out on the field. All of them. I frowned, not sure what to think. I just started out to that spot.
After about five minutes I neared the group. Millicent saw me and obediantly trotted over to greet me.
"Hey, babe," I cooed, stroking her neck. She lipped my collar and I saw that she had blood on her nose. I frowned. "You don't have any cuts do you, hun?" I asked her, checking her legs and body for nicks and wounds. Nothing. She was just fine. Why, then, did she have blood all over her nose?
I passed her and eased my way around the other horses to see what was going on. They seemed a little irked that I would so rudely intrude, but let me in anyways. I found my way to the middle of the group and my heart nearly stopped. There, on the ground was Bartholomew, Jakob's old lessons horse. He was as stiff as a board, eyes and mouth open. Then I saw the reason for the blood on Millicent. In his lower neck, just above his shoulder, in his ribs, and behind his eye were large, unmistakable bullet holes. A yard or two away was a little, piebald colt. He too had bullet holes in his skull and ribs. He was worse off though - being so small, the one bullet had shattered his skull. His mother was lipping at her little foal's wounds as if she was trying to heal them. I closed my eyes and felt tears drip down my cheeks. Whoever had done this - God have mercy on his soul - had been very close to do so much damage. It had to have been a shotgun, something big.
I swallowed a lump in my throat. My heart was beating in my head, drowning out the occasional snort of a horse and the mourning whinnies of the little colt's mother. Millicent pushed me from behind. I turned. She knew just what I was thinking.
I put my hands on her withers, walked her to a slope, and jumped onto her back. We cantered back to Evergreen.
I ran, heart racing, to my apartment. I ran into our room where Jakob was still sleeping. I shook him hard.
"Jakob!" I cried, "Wake up!"
Jakob frowned. "What's up?"
"Jakob, Bartholomew has been shot. And one of your dad's colts too. I don't know how or why or anything. I just found them lying in the field," I said urgently. "Jakob, the mom of the colt, she's moaning. She's distressed. And Mill has blood all over her nose. I think she was checking out Bartholomew's wounds."
Jakob sat up. "They were shot?!?!" he cried.
"Yes," I replied. "With a shotgun or something. The wounds are really big."
"And they are still lying there?" he inquired, worry beginning to show in his blue eyes.
"Yes. It wasn't a poacher or they'd be gone," I said.
We ran out to the field, Jakob still in his pajamas, putting on his jacket as we ran.
We got on Millicent and cantered out to where the horses were. They had begun to disperse a little but a few remained.
Jakob's jaw dropped. He examined Bartholomew, and then, with the mother's allowance, the colt.
He looked up at me. "We'll have to call the police," he said, "and take these horses to a vet. We might be able to find out more about the person by the bullets he used."
I nodded, tears welling up in my eyes.
"I'll go call," Jakob said, mounting Millicent. He cantered back to Evergreen. I sat by the colt and stroked it's little neck. Poor thing. Who would have ever done this? Why? I sat thinking for a moment when a horrible realization crossed my mind. What if it happened again? These horses were not safe here. We had to move them before any more were killed.
I looked up and saw the Black Stallion and his heard outside the fence. It seemed they all sensed that death was in the air and they'd all come to see.

-Scarlet

I saw Jakob running into the office, and making a call that looked extremely important. From what I heard it was with the police.
"What's up?" I said, as he put the phone down.
"Two horses have been shot in one of the paddocks. Scarlet's down there now."
I ran down to the paddock, I could see Scarlet sitting on the ground by a colt, parts of his body mangled with bullets.
"Scarlet?" I said softly, watching her as she stroked the dead piebald. I followed her gaze and saw the herd, and the Black Stallion.
"Scarlet, are you ok?" I asked her.
She looked at me and replied, " "...

Holly~ })|({

I was rubbing down the filly's legs when I heard a bunch of footsteps run by. "Wheres the fire?" icalled out, rising from my perch i nthe stall. Noone answered. Insteead i saw the back of Jakob, Scarlet and Holly's heads jumping over the paddock fence. i ran out of thestall and followed them. When i got there i saw "the fire". 2 horses were lieing dead, with bullet wounds. i gasped in horror and looked away. I felt like I was going to be sick, but I didnt. I turned back around to fidn the others examining the horses. I heard a shrill whinny nad by my side I saw Ashes. She was frantic and her the whites of her eyes showed fear. "Ashes! How did you get here?' i said worriedly. I cant stand seeing horses dea, who could do that? Who in their right mind! It was brutal, horrible. "Ashes, lets go." i said pulling her halter. Poor thing, she didnt need to see this. I put her back in her stall and tried to soothe her. She wouldnt calm down at all. She kept walking in circles, extremly restless. I put her in Clouds stall adn Cloud sensed the urgency in teh air. She took on a motherly instinct to the filly. i sat down for a minute and held my breath. holly came over. "Ash." She said in a whisper. i stood up and we walked over to Scarlt and Jakob. I tried my best not to look at the horses who layed slain.

Sipping my cappichino, I heard running in the hall. First I tried to ignore it but I couldn't. If I was back I had to know what was going on at least once in while. Opening the door I saw Scarlet and Jakob running. Throwing my jacket, I went to see what was up. Seeing them running towards the paddock, my walk became a trot. Jumping the fence with ease I saw Ash and what looked to be Holly, but I couldn't be sure. I paused. I saw a horse on the ground, a bit of the ways off a colt. I shook my head. What would they think if I just walked up like I've been here and this buisness is mine. Shaking that thought from my head I trotted up. "Whats..." My sentence was shortened as my jaw dropped. I didn't know who's horse it was but it didn't matter. An inncent animal was slaughtered for no apparent reason. My head started hurting from the run, but I ignored it. I didn't know what else to do. "D-did someone call the police?" I asked. Scarlet nodded. I looked to horses which crowded a bit of a ways behind us. "Do all the other horses have stalls? If they do, they should be moved before their fate resembles..."

"Are you okay, Scarlet?" Holly asked.
"No," I replied frankly. "I'm not quite sure what to do." Everyone seemed to agree. Then Nikki piped up.
"Do these horses have stalls that we could move them to?" she asked.
I shook my head. "That's the best thing to do, but we don't. The only thing we can do for now is move them to the paddocks closer to Evergreen."
Nikki nodded. I knew she was just as torn as I was about the situation. Everyone was. I saw Ash trying to hide her face from the sight; Holly was pacing. Jakob came back on Millicent within minutes, Toby, on Espionage, behind him.
They dismounted.
"They'll be here soon," Jakob reported, "I also called the veternarian, and she'll be here too. For now, they suggest that we leave everything how we found it, but we should move the other horses out of the field."
"They're no safer in the other paddocks," I said dryly.
"What about the indoor arena?" Toby suggested.
Everyone looked at him. "We could halter them all and walk them to the indoor arena. It's closed in, and it's on the other side of the road, away from the location of the attack."
He looked at me then Jakob.
I nodded. "Great idea. Let's do it. We'll need everyone's help to get the horses that belong in the stable back there, and all of the horses to the arena. I know our horses will be easy to halter and lead but Jakob's dad's horses..." I looked at Jakob who smiled wryly.
"They're a bit of a trick," he said calmly.
"Sound good?" I asked everyone.
They all nodded.
"Let's go." With that we all headed to the tack shed to get spare halters and lead shanks. Then, we headed back to the field. I carefully approached the mother of the foal. She was still mourning her little foal. I felt terrible for her. I stroked her neck and whispered quietly to her. She looked up at me.
I thought maybe I'd leave her until last. Just then, a gunshot broke the silence of the morning. I froze. Some of the horses pranced crazily. I turned. Jakob was trying desperately to calm down a massive chestnut quarter horse he had on a halter.
I scanned the field. No other horses had fallen. I took a deep, wobbling breath.
"We need to move faster," I said turning to Nikki, Holly, Ash and Toby.
They all nodded.

-Scarlet

I nodded. "I'm going to get Adam and Charles to help." I said and sprinted off. Soon the three of us came back and the paddock was a few horses less but most were still panicing. I bit my lip and walked up to a grey appalosa mare. She eyed me warily. "Shh, s'ok." I soothed and cautisoly approched her. Slowly my head touched her neck, she backed away. "S'ok girl, it's going to be allright." I said and walked to her head. This time she jsut eyeed me. I carefully slipped the halter over her head, as soon as it was on she backed away and reared. I simply looked at her and didn't panic. Her coat color reminding me of Liza, and I wouldn't let her stay out here. "C'om." I soothed and calmed her down a bit. Clicking my tongue we walked out. She pranced by my side. Soon she was in the indoor arena, and went back for more.

Everyone had already brought two or three horses in. I was scared to death. Scot was helping bring horses in and I told Chrissy to stay with our horses and scream if something happened. I grabbed a halter and walked into the feild. "Ashley, you really dont look good. We can handle this if you want." Nikki said reasurringly. I shook my head. "thanks, but I have to help. For the horses. For Dust." i added in a whisper. I wlaked briskly to a horse before the tears came pouring out. "Just keep moving." I told myself. I wlaked up to a sorrel brown gelding govered all by himself. "Hiya hunnie, lets go somewhere warm and safe." i said soothingly. He walked over to me with no hesitaiton. I slipped the halter on his head and walked to an empty stall. I gave him some hay wuickly and walked back. "That was easy. But i guess I would come easy to if i knew I could get killed." i brought a mare and another gelding in.A few more shots were fired and I heard a scream. It was Chrissy. She was lieing on her side. "Chrissy!" I yelled running over to her. The horses were making an awful racket. A bulet had knicked the side of her chest. "Oh my god." I groaned running over to her. "Call 911." I screamed, trying to stop the bleeding.
*** before I go any further, i had a whole bunch of ideas but stopped beacuse this isnt really my story! LoL Scarlet, do you already know who you plan to make the shooter be?***

Hey scarlet, soorry if it seems like i didn't reply. lol because I actually did and didn't relize it until now, I mean to respomd yesterday after reading it, but istead i went back and clicked post and "replied" lol sorry. I know you were proably like "Wow Mindy's a snot" But I'm not I just made a mistake and i feel terrible!

Nick rushed into the tack room, and grabbed the phone there, hastily dialing 911 [lol in Australia we have 000 ^_^], and alerting the police that Evergreen was under some type of warped attack. Chrissy had fainted, and Ashley was vainly trying to scoop her up. I helped, and we struggled to take her onto a camper-bed in the tack room.
We were in a pretty organised chaos. Nikki and Scarlet had successfully got the rest of the horses in the arena, and Jakob was scouting the area for the crazed gunman, who seemed to be indifferent that he was shooting people or horses.
Nicola was tottering around frantically, and Ashley was sitting by the revived Chrissy, stroking her hair.
"Dear God," I began to whisper to myself, "Please make it stop. Amen." I was Christian, but had never been a strict Catholic, and I somehow felt that I was appealing to God only when I needed him, and I felt sort of guilty.
Another gunshot sounded in the halls, and a scream ricocheted off the walls in it's wake. I couldn't tell if it was a horse or a person...

Holly~ })|({

[P.S. Scarlet, just tell me if this is getting too dramatic, it is your story after all.]

Cooper came into the living room breathless, "Em, come on," he said. "What's wrong<" i said calmly. "horses...dead...got shot!" he said bewtween gasps. I flet the blood frm my face drain and my entire body became really cold. "Are you kidding?" i said. He shook his head. "Rebel's out in the pasture," I said. "I just brought him inside," cooper said. My lips became numb, it was if my soul had just been sucked from me and I was alive yet somehow i wasn't completely there.
I tied my shoe laces and zippe dup my coat I pulled on gloves and followed Cooper outside still very disconnected. I walkedover to where Scarlet was standing, she looked about like i did. the cold winds whipped throgh my blue jeans. I became tired and dizzy. "Cooper, i need to sit down I said. He helped me over to a bench I leaned on his shoulder and my teeth chattered. "It's going to be okay," I heard his distant voice soothe me. A whinny peirced the air, I looked arund, and saw an appy running towards us, he was a blanket appaloosa "Rebel," i murmered I stood up and hugged him then I just collasped.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I woke up to a bleak white room, I looked around, my mom was standing up against a wall, "oh sweethear t you're awake," she came over and kissed my forehead. "What happened I muttered. "Cooper said you passed out, when ou saw that horse that had jumped the paddock fence," "It wasn't Rebel?" I asked becoming slowly moe aware of things. "no baby, it was just some horse," she laughed. "the storm shelter," I said suddenly as ideas suddenly came to me. "Move jakobs dad's horses to the storm shelter!" I said with a bright smile. "emily you'e hallucinating," My mom soothed. no mom, i need to see Cooper...where is he?" I asked. "he's in the waiting room, he hated seeing ou like this," she said. "go get him!" i demanded she lef tte room and minutes later Cooper appeared by my side. "What is your hallucination?" he asked wih a soft smile. I took his hand. "the storm shelter! move all those horses down there! It'll be safe and then we cna go see them twice a day!" I said excitedly. "Chica that's and excellent idea i'll call Scarlet," he kissed my cheek. "aren't you freezing?" h asked with a frown. "no why?" I asked. "Your face is like ice, and your hands too," he said concerned "i'll be fine, I aywned. "Tell Missy, I miss her," I said. he laughed quietly. 'take care of youself babe," he smiledand left to go and talk to Scarlet about my idea.

*This is awesome! Thank you everyone for replying! This is great. First off, Mindy, that's okay that you didn't reply, thanks for letting me know. Ash, as long as you follow what's already going on, go anywhere. There is no plan as to where this story is headed so go for it! I can't wait to read your ideas!*

I ran into the main hall at hearing the phone ring. I picked up the phone.
"Hello?" I said, breathlessly.
It was Cooper. "Scarlet," he said, "Emily has an idea. Move the horses to the storm shelter. They'll be safe there."
I held me breath. God bless Emily! "Cooper, thanks you, that's brilliant! Tell Emily I said so. How is she doing?"
He sighed. "She's okay. I think she's in shock."
"No kidding," I said. "Well, tell her what I said. i have to go. Bye!"
I hung up and ran out to the field. I ran first to Nikki.
"Nikki, we're going to move the horses to the storm shelter. Fast!" I explained.
She nodded and hurried away. I then ran to Floyd, then Adam, then Scot, then Toby. Everybody knew within about ten minutes of the phone call.
I looked back at the road. No one had come yet. I hoped Chrissy was doing okay.
Jakob was still patroling the edge of the field.
I watching him, murmered a quick prayer then ran to get Loranna. She still didn't know what was going on. Neither did Damhnatt!! I quickened my pace.
Suddenly a gunshot ripped the air. A tormented scream followed. I froze in my tracks. I wanted to scream myself. In anger. Why was this happening? I turned and saw Holly come running towards me.
"Did you hear that?" she cried.
I nodded.
"Was it a human... a horse? Did you hear?" she asked. She was shaking all over. I took a deep breath.
"We s-should go f-find out," I said, trying to gather myself enough so I could speak clearly. My tongue had been paralyzed with the last gunshot.
We ran towards the place where we heard the sound. Another gunshot. Another scream from teh same place. The gunman had taken a second shot. Whatever his target was, it was still alive.
Holly and I ran. I felt my legs numbing with every step.
We came to the end of the paddock fence and both jumped with ease. Only adrenaline could have made us do that.
We stopped when we saw the gunman's victim. The Black Stallion. I gasped. He had been shot twice. Once in the chest between the forelegs and once in the small of the neck, yet he was still standing. He was up on his rear legs, screaming. He was flailing his forelegs at something behind a tree - I guessed the gunman. Another gun shot. The Black took it in the abdomen. He plunged downwards and we heard a yelp - the gunman's - and then a rustle of branches and then, nothing.
The Black had chased the gunman off. It stood for a moment, then eased itself to the ground. Holly and I rushed over.
"This is bad," I said, now crying. "He's taken three bullets... look."
Holly shook her head, tears running down her cheeks. She stroked the great horse's neck. A mare - the lead mare of the herd - came out from behind the far trees. She began caressing the great black horse gently.
I looked at Holly.
"What now?"

-Scarlet

Okay, I was gunna respond with a story, but first who is this black stallion, like what's his story?
Luv y'all
-Brat

Sorry Nikki. I thought you might know who he was. He's the lead stallion of the wild heard in Evergreen. He's protected some of us before for various reasons. He's pretty special to Evergreen, especially Ash. Sorry about that!

-Scarlet

Nikki, the Black is essnetially the lead stallion of a herd at Evergeen, whom I love, well we all love dearly. HEs wild, but will tolerate some human contact with some people. And Sarlet, thanks, and if I head somewhere with an idea that youd rather have not happen, just tell mea nd i will be totally ok with it! Dont be shy! Oh and Floyd is still gone and hasnt cotnacted me...

An ambulance had come and taken Chissy away but they said she didnt appear to be majorly hurt. I screamed at one of the attendants, that she was practically shot how could she not be majorly hurt. I was about to get i nthe car when I heard disheartening, vengeful cries. I knew they were from Black. No mistake about it. I ran over to where the noises were coming and they grew fainter as I got closer, which wasnt supposed to happen. Holly and Scarlet were standing over the Black who was struggling to get to his feet. "Omg." I whispered when I saw the extent of his injuries. All those bullet wounds. Im sure he was prtecting a horse, or even a perosn and he got shot instead. I bent over adn stroked his sweat bent neckk. "ash, what should we do?" i asked her. I looked at my poor beloved wild horse. I sighed "I dont know. I want to save him, call a vet, but I dont know.He wouldnmt want that. Hes wild, pure wil,d and never let anyone forget that. I dont think he would let a vet prode and prod him. Just keep him comfrotable I guess. I let nature run tis course." I breathed deeply. Those words were so painful, but I knew it was what Black wanted. I didnt know what to do from there. Then a horribl,e thought came over me. It was dreadful to think. I gort very faint and had to sit down. "Ash whats wrong?" Holly asked grabbing my shoulder. I didnt want to tell them the horrible thought in my mind. "Um, uh Im fine, I have to go see chrissy." I mumbled running to the car. I felt bad for thinking ymt hiughts, but what if they were true? i tied toi shake the evil thoughts away and went to see my daughter...

*Ash! What evil thoughts! Resolve the suspense, please!!!*

My eyes followed Ash to her car, before I turned back to the magnificent beast below me. Something obviously distressed Ash, you didn't need a physic to figure such out. It was more then the fact that Chrissy was shot, more then the fact that some selfish, sad excuse of a human shot such a breath-taking wonder of an animal. The mind is such a funny thing. It can be a cruel and unfair thing when wicked thoughts swirl within itself and and into our hearts. I knew, some of my own are foul and evil, yet they aren't always what I think. The thoughts seem to live and birth themselves into us. Iniquitous the whole scheme is, but we all must live and deal with it, no matter the intensity of it.
Looking back to the black, I longed to help it, but Ash knew best. Wild is meant to stay wild. I, too, have felt the same feeling for wild horses as they are taken from their homes, and free space. You can always tell the horses that were taken from the wild. You can see it in their eyes. Eventually, as they sit in their inclosed prison of a stall their eyes start to glaze over and the wold flame that once burn brightly despite disiplince(haha, is dat a word even?) slowly ignites. No longer are they once what they were. Their wildness along with spirit eventually dies out. ((CSL, Y'all dun kno me at school, but I'm OBSESSED with Vin Diesel, so natrually xXx is my all time favorite movie. Heehee...I bought it da day it came out in Dvd and have seen it sooo many times I've lost count. (Seriously) Well, I got the idea of that whole thing from xXx...heehee...of course I changed almost all of it, but sitll...heehee.....))
Biting my lip, I glanced around, Adam and Charles were helping with the last of the horses. I didn't know what to do. I was torn bewtween actions and thoughts.
Out of the blue, something caught my eye. It appeared to be a silvery silhoutte. In a blink of an eye it was gone. Was I imagining things? Was it simply the cold or was it..... It couldn't have been...


¦+¦.°.°.°.°.B.r.a.t.°.°.°.°.¦+¦

I rubbed fiercely at my neck and scanned the bullet holes that marred the black coat of the horse that lay before me on the ground. He was not struggling, but lying still, and his breathing was short and slow.
"Can't we just take a look at him. It's not fair for us to just let him die. If we can ease his pain then we should- can't we just look at the bullets and see if any of them are in fatal places. We can't just let him die like this, not from something man made- not from a bullet hole." I knew that I was mumbling through fresh tears that streamed down my cheeks and onto the stallions black coat from where I was crouched, stroking his neck and tangling my fingers in his mane.
"Just look at him. We can't let him die like this. He should be wild, and free. And..." I looked once more at the blood forming in sticky clots around each rifle-ammunition sized bullet hole. It was so brutal, and sickening. "Please."

Holly~ })|({

[ARGH!!! My computer just shut itself down and I had to start up again and my -much longer- message was lost!!! And I also went away for three days... horseriding!!! Sorry, I would've replied earlier. :)]

*Nikki, that was so cool, that whole speech thing! I didn't know it was sort-of-kind-of-altered from xXx. It was good. How was your horseriding trip, Holly? Don't you hate when your computer freezes and you lose whatever you're doing? Arg!*

"Please...?" Holly mumbled. I nodded. I was not sure what to do. Ash didn't think we should stick the Black in a veternary office and lock him up - I agreed. Holly didn't think we should make him suffer - I agreed.
"Maybe there is something we can do," I said, feeling somewhat hopeful. "I'll go call my brother. Maybe we can get him to do something about the wounds... remove the bullets and dress them... or something."
Holly and Nikki exchanged looks.
"It's worth a try," Nikki admitted. Holly nodded.
"Okay," I said, "I'll go. You two check where the bullets are - maybe how deep they are - and try to stop a lot of major bleeding."
They both nodded and I turned on my heel and ran. I sighed with relief when I saw that the police were here. Jakob was talking with one of them. Toby and a few others were still moving horses into the storm shelter. I was thankful for Emily's quick thinking.

"Stephen! It's Scarlet!" I said, rather frantically, when he answered the phone.
"Yes... Scarlet? What's wrong?" he asked, concern dripping from his voice.
I took a deep breath, trying to sound more calm. I was terrified. "Stephen, this morning, about an hour ago, two of our horses out in the field were shot. Then, the gunmen shot at Ash's daughter, Chrissy. She's okay. Just now, another of our horses was shot... he's wild though and we don't want to take him to a vet. Can you come? Maybe you can take out the bullets and dress the wounds or just.... something....?" I finished then breathed.
Stephen was silent. "Okay.... I'll come.... explain everything later..."
"Thank you," I said and hung up.

-Scarlet

~*~Ok... I have to get this ALLLL out of the way first. My horseriding trip was so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so great... times infinity. And I am supposed to be going away with Kitty again (and we'd be horseriding as well) but I am in this fight with our other friend, and I don't want to ruin it for everyone else. I've already been to where we are going, and the three other friends that are coming this time haven't. Plus the parents are giving me crap about being immature... (can I say crap here? lol) because this "friend" is treating us like (crap) and spreading lies about us and stuffs... so I'm in a bit of a kafuffle. But other than that the trip was THE best!!!!~*~

It was very cold and snowing lightly, and Nikki and I had peered apprehensively at the wounds, hoping to God that the Black would be ok. Everyone exhaled clouds of steam, and Scarlet was waiting for her brother at the office.
For what seemed like ages, but was really only between 10 to 15 minutes, Stephen arrived, bag in hand, guided by Scarlet.

[Eeps... I'm not goign to be the one who gives the Yes or No to the Black. No siree.]

Holly~ })|({

I saw Chrissy and she was just fine. She was so scared and shaken up though. "Ash, I know who the shooter was." She said. I whirled around totally shocked. I knew who the shooter was too. At least i thought I knew. But if Chrissy knew too, that ws bad. Chrissy couldnt kno,w shed be scarred for life. "Oh" I said my voice cracking. "Floyd." She said matter-o0factly. I looked at her. Thats what I knew. Dont ask me why he would, he was amd at me adn deranged I suppose. i think he got really scard when he almost killed Chrissy. "I ahve to go tp EG." I said. Chrissy understood. I rode back to Eg not having any emotions. I noticed some guy hunched over Black. And I refused to belive Scarlet or Hollyor anyone would get a vet and take him to the hopsital, but then who was he? i ran over. "hey." I yelled. They truend to look at me a little surprised and the Black snorted. "hey baby." I stroled him. I soon learned Scarlets brother was going to ease Blacks pain. i was glad. He didnt desvere to be in pain as long as we didnt do surgery on him or anything. I held Blacks head and told Holly and Scarlet about Floyd.

ok if u dont think fliyd should be the shooter tell me we can change it i ownt care.

~*~I don't mind who the shooter is... really, it's not up to me, I'll just go along with it. :)~*~

"How's Chrissy?" I asked Ash after we had explained that Stephen was just going to look at the bullets, and maybe give the Black something to kill the pain.
"She's fine." Ash said, "She said that she saw who the killer was. And that it was Floyd."
My jaw dropped open. Sure, Floyd must have been mad when Ash picked up and came back to Evergreen, but would he rampage Evergreen with a rifle?
"Floyd?" I asked, "Are you sure? I'd never have thought he'd do a thing like that, let alone to Chrissy." I hesitated. "Are you ok?"
As Ash was about to reply, Stephen stood up from where he was looking at the wounds to the Black.
"What's the verdict?" Scarlet asked, a little apprehensively.
He replied, "..."

Holly~ })|({

*It's all great so far... very intense...*

Stephen sighed heavily.
"I removed two of the bullets and dressed the wounds. The one in his lower chest is really deep. I wouldn't dare take it out; it'll bleed. A lot," Stephen concluded.
"What does that mean?" Ash asked.
"It means, unless we cart the poor thing to a vet and give it tons of drugs, it's up to him whether her lives or not," he gestured to the great black horse on the ground. "I put some numbing ointment on the wounds, so he's not in a great deal of pain, just badly hurt."
We all exchanged looks.
"I think we need to just leave him here, guys," I said after a long moment of silence. We all stood.
"Thanks Stephen," I said. He nodded.
"I'll go see what I can do to help this situation further," he said. I smiled and nodded. He left.
We all said goodbye to the Black.
"I wish I could stay," I told him, "But I need to go. We have to find whoever did this... if we ever find out who it is..."
"Scarlet," Ash said timidly. "We know who did it."
I froze. "Who?"
"It was... it was Floyd," she replied. "Ash saw him when he shot her."
We stood in silence, the Black's heavy and laboured, but steady breathing was the only thing we could hear.
"Why?" I whispered.
Everyone just stood, silent.
I turned and headed back to Evergreen.

The police had a few questions for us when we got back. Ash, Nikki, Holly, and I all explained what we knew, what happened and when.
The police officer scrawled everything down.

All of the residents of Evergreen had been ordered to wait in the main hall.
"Real use we'll be here," I said, stubbornly. I couldn't help but be difficult. My face was wet with tears - everyone's were. Jakob rubbed my back.
"They'll get him," he whispered.
Damhnatt walked over, a mug of hot chocolate in her hand.
"I'm so sorry your visit has to be like this," I told her.
"I'll be'll right, Scarlet," she assured me.
Stephen was talking to mom on the phone, telling her what was going on. Toby came into the main hall. Loranna made a noise.
"There you are!" she cried. He hurried over to her and took Charlotte out of her mother's arms. She kissed him and they began an intense discussion of whispers and murmuring.
Jakob had taken to show Damhnatt where the washrooms were. We all sat, read, watched television, talked in the hall. The air was so thick with misery and confusion, I could hardly breathe.
I couldn't believe that one, deranged person with a gun - who used to be our friend - could cause so much trouble.
"What now?" I asked the floor.

-Scarlet

I was numbed with confusion as I walked back to the apartment. That silvery silhoutte...could it reall yhave been? I didn't dare tell anyone, at the thought that perhaps I was simply dillsional.(ahhhh I can't spell...*hee*) 'It was simply the snow's reflection against your eye.' I told myself over and over. Finally I fell asleep, for I didn't know what else I could do. I didn't know what was truely going on. Why must things be so hard?