Riding Star BY
HARUKA SOPHIE ROWLAND
Scarlett Marie Victoria Robinson was a lovely human of swift foot. She almost always had a wide grin on her face and today, it was spread across her face wider than ever.
Scarlett darted across the vast meadow, her face flushed a bright pink and her eyes so bright it could dazzle the sun itself. Her black hair was riding the wind, her fringe untamed.
As her feet swept her onward, the excitement in her stomach kept expanding until the churning anticipation was at an astonishing size.
In the distance, a big stable was in the midst of the ocean of grass like a small island. Scarlett’s face lit up even more if it could possibly look any brighter.
As she neared it, a man strode out of the stable, jolly-faced. “Welcome! You must be Scarlett Robinson. It is lovely to have you here at Wildway Stables. Please come this way.” It was clear this man would do most of the talking here.
Scarlett grinned as the man led her to a wooden hut near the great stables. It was a nice, cozy place with a small straw roof and nice brown walls. A little green door with a golden brass handle was standing proudly at the front of the hut. Inside, a huge pile of hay was stacked neatly in the corner.
Stumbling over the mud floor was a small herd of foals. Scarlett noted that there were some mustangs and thoroughbreds, but one Friesian colt especially caught her eye. It had thick, flowing black hair, pale blue eyes with a speck of green, and a black, shiny coat. If Scarlett could be a horse, this is what she would look like.
The beautiful young colt came trotting over to Scarlett as if he were accustomed to her visits. Scarlett smiled warmly, knowing instantly that she had found her extraordinary match.
The man, Fred, also saw this connection and explained, “this one’s a beauty. He was found as a newborn on the moor with a broken leg. He doesn’t usually act so comfortable with strangers. Do you have a horse of your own, young lady?”
Scarlett shook her head slowly, hypnotized by the shining mane and innocent eyes of the young horse.
“I’m surprised you don’t,” Fred continued. “My first horse was a mustang. His name was Winston. He passed, of course, but even now I sometimes still dream of him.” Now Fred had a sort of dreamy expression, staring far off into space.
Scarlett decided to speak up at that time. “What’s his name? We can’t just keep calling him, him, can we?”
“He ain’t got one yet. If you don’t buy the poor thing, he might never get one.” This guy was good at marketing.
Scarlett giggled at that. “Now, how can I say no to that?”
After thanking Fred and leaving the stables, Scarlett led the colt through the bright grass of the moor. Her colt.
As they walked on further, Scarlett tried to think up a name for the young creature. First, her mind wandered to Charlie.
“Nah,” she thought. “Maybe Champion would be good,” she wondered. No.
“He’s very nice,” she started mumbling to herself, “and he was very different from the others. He looked different, acted different, and was very unique indeed… that’s it! Star, I’ll call you Star, shall I?”
The horse’s eyes brightened at that, so Star it was.
On the way home, Scarlett chatted to Star all about herself. The bright young colt trotted after her and sometimes, when Scarlett would stop talking for breath for a few moments, Star would neigh as if he understood every single word she said. This the girl loved, for she loved good listeners, and it seemed to her that Star was the best.
So they went on like that the rest of the way home. Scarlett already adored Star, but she had no idea of the loyal, brave horse Star would prove to be.
Five years later
December 2nd, 1997
Scarlett gazed up at the grey sky, breathing in the cold, fresh, morning air. Beautiful snowflakes gently landed on her red cheeks as her breath clouded out in great puffs in the early morning.
A light-blue eye suddenly appeared, then a huge, black, shiny muzzle. “Star!” Scarlett laughed, taking hold of the muzzle and hugging it lovingly.
Star made a few happy snuffling sounds, nuzzling up to the overjoyed girl.
"Scarlett, honey!” a voice called from inside the house, “can you please come over here? We want to talk to you.” The voice had a touch of uncertainty and worry.
Scarlett sighed, disappointed at being interrupted in such a joyful moment.
She plodded into the dining room, her trainers squeaking on the polished, tiled floor. Her parents were nervously perched on chairs at the table, flipping through some papers. When they noticed Scarlett had entered, they quickly hid the papers.
Scarlett said nothing but eyed her parents suspiciously.
“So, sweetie,” her mother started, “your father has lost his job, and we’re struggling financially, right?”
Scarlett nodded slowly, waiting for her to go on.
“Well, this money problem is getting rather serious,” her mother continued.
“Why does Mama seem as if she’s hiding something?” Scarlett wondered to herself. “And why is she picking her words so carefully?”
It took a moment for Scarlett to realize what Mama meant. Then she understood. Her parents were willing to sell her wonderful horse for money!
“Mama! How could you even consider that?” Scarlett shouted, astounded.
“Honey! Please, please calm down. I know you’ll miss him, but …”
Scarlett’s eyes darted back to those dubious papers sitting on Papa’s desk. She pointed at them and asked, “what do those papers say?”
“Anyway, what I’m getting at is that, first of all, we can’t afford to keep Star. And this nice man offered to buy Star for a sum of money that would help us massively,” Mama finished hopefully. Her parents’ eyes widened and Mama looked flustered.
“Erm, that’s just papers for… tax purposes! Yes! It’s, I mean, they’re for tax purposes.” Scarlett narrowed her eyes. Papa didn’t usually get so tongue-tied in front of her.
Scarlett made a grab for the papers. She snatched them off the desk and started quickly scanning them for clues to why her parents were acting so weird.
Something immediately caught her eye. A signature! A signature of a man agreeing to hand over a check for 2,500 pounds to buy a horse! It also said that he was entitled to slaughter it! It felt as though a rock had been flung at her chest.
“Oh goodness,” she thought. “Star’s in real danger!”
Scarlett looked up, disbelievingly. “You’re going to let this person kill Star?” she asked softly, dangerously.
Her parents gulped. “Well, sweetie, we need that money.”
“And Star needs his life!” she yelled. “How could you? How could you let a poor, innocent creature be murdered by an evil man? Mama, you always said how sorry you felt for those people on the news who got killed by murderers!”
“But they’re people. This is a horse!” Mama argued.
“I don’t see any difference! When you think about it, we’re all the same creatures. We all love, we all hate. We all live, we all die. How, Mama, is there a difference?”
“THAT’S ENOUGH! Scarlett, go to your room. We need the money for our own lives. You may not understand, but we do,” Papa yelled.
“But-” Scarlett insisted.
“NOW!” Papa interrupted, eyes ablaze.
Infuriated, Scarlett stomped upstairs to her bedroom and slammed the door shut. Then she dived onto her bed. As the real weight of the problem dawned on her, tears started streaming down her cheeks. After all that shouting, her throat felt full of gravel.
She had to do something. She still couldn’t quite believe that her parents, her own flesh and blood, had betrayed her and Star. She pursed her lips together, hating the idea.
She couldn’t possibly allow Star to face a grizzly end without at least trying to save him. Jumping out of bed, Scarlett felt a pang of guilt at what she planned to do. But she just shrugged it off and quietly tiptoed into the kitchen. Her parents were in the sitting room so she didn’t have to worry about them. She grabbed a sack from the corner and started gathering some food. Scarlett managed to grab apples, oranges, sandwiches, a few flasks of water, and a small bag of horse feed. She shoved them into the sack and darted back to her bedroom. Now she was ready.
Without further ado, Scarlett gracelessly clambered out of her bedroom window.
With a loud and messy thump, she landed in a neatly trimmed hedge. Feeling a bit lightheaded but determined, Scarlett pushed herself up and started stumbling off toward her horse.
As she approached, Star’s ears perked up and he immediately trotted up to her. Scarlett smiled lovingly. How could anyone ever try to hurt this wonderful animal? She grimaced at the thought. She had to save her beloved friend.
Scarlett swung one leg over the horse and hauled herself up onto Star’s back. High above the ground, she felt an unexpected wave of confidence and power. She could do this.
As they set off over the bright green of the moor with the breeze whipping Scarlett’s hair back, she knew that this was going to be a looong trip.
Three hours later
Now, reader, you might be wondering what Scarlett’s up to. Well, let me tell you. Scarlett, from geography class, had learnt that around 50 miles west from her house, there was an animal sanctuary called Conwy Animal Haven. Now that she knew her best friend was in danger, she was heading over there. Now that we’re clear, we can get back to the story.
After a few hours of plodding steadily, Scarlett suddenly realized that they had made it through the moor. But now she had to face the dangers of the forest. The forest, she had learnt, meant that they were now entering the mountains.
As Scarlett carefully rode Star into the forest, she realized she must be very cautious. For in these woods, there were wolves, and lots of them.
For the next hour, they trotted on, occasionally slowing to avoid branches and bushes. She could feel her tummy rumbling ferociously and Star seemed to be slowing down as if he, too, were hungry. Scarlett decided to have their first food break.
Both Star and Scarlett gulped down their small lunch with much gusto. Then she decided to move on. She got back onto Star, who was a bit reluctant to start again, and set off.
Several more uncomfortable hours passed and Scarlett was getting tired. Dusk was setting in and it became slightly darker. The afternoon sun still provided light, but it was slowly sinking. Scarlett was just about to stop Star and rest for a bit when suddenly, a dark shadow flung itself out of the bushes, right in front of the pair. Scarlett sucked in her breath, terrified.
A wolf! A young wolf, but still a wolf. The creature stared at them, its razor-sharp teeth glinting in the remains of the disappearing sun.
Star took a few steps back. The wolf took a few steps forward. Star took another few steps back, and the wolf took a few steps forward. This comical display went on for quite some time until the wolf got tired of it and lunged at them. It missed, but Star reared up and, try as she might, Scarlett could not stay on and flew off the horse’s back.
She hit her head hard, and when she tried to get up, she couldn’t, for she felt very woozy. Scarlett expected Star to gallop away in a frenzy, but seeing his mistress was hurt and could be in danger, he stayed right by her side.
That’s when she noticed that the wolf was sniffing her feet and licking them. It seemed very playful. Scarlett realized it was probably just curious about what the two of them were doing in the woods. She reached over and started stroking it. To this, the pup rolled onto its back, clearly pleased. Scarlett then took the ham out of her sandwich and offered it to the wolf.
She and Star were both exhausted. They walked a little distance from the wolf and collapsed. But then she wondered something. Scarlett peeked over at the pup to check its gender. A female. She had to name her.
“I know,” she thought, “I’ll call her Maya”. Satisfied, Scarlett went back to her spot, lay down and dozed.
As the sun started rising like a sunken ship emerging from the ocean, Scarlett awoke. She felt as if today they would make good progress.
She got to her feet and walked towards the wolf. Maya’s ears twitched when Scarlett approached but when she saw who it was, she squealed in delight.
She got to her feet and walked towards the wolf. Maya’s ears twitched when Scarlett approached but when she saw who it was, she squealed in delight.
Scarlett pulled the baloney out of her last sandwich and laid it on her hand. Maya made Scarlett grin by wolfing the meat down and licking the remains clean off. The young girl suddenly had a crazy idea. What if Maya came along with them? She was sure Maya would be able to keep up.
“Can you do it girl? Can you?” she asked, scratching Maya’s chin as if she were a dog. Just like a dog, the wolf hung her tongue out in pleasure.
From that moment, she knew that this wolf would be just as loyal as Star.
As Scarlett rode Star, Maya was happily loping along beside them. They went on like this for maybe five hours, until Star and Maya slowed to an exhausted jog. Scarlett let them rest and fed their grumbling stomachs.
After they got started again, for the rest of the day they stayed at a reasonable pace. When night fell and the stars were like little ants of light in the sky, the trio rested under an especially big tree that reached its arms up toward the sky. The stars gave Scarlett reassurance and comfort. She remembered that on some nights when Scarlett couldn’t sleep, she would go out into the garden and gaze up at the stars. It was like a piece of home was following her no matter where she went.
All of them had a very good night’s sleep in those hours of darkness.
As a result, in the morning, they felt well rested and energetic. The day went by quickly, with a few water breaks, a few bathroom breaks (Scarlett had no choice but to pee in the bushes), and a lunch break. They covered many miles that day.
Scarlett was pretty satisfied with the progress they made. That evening, she decided they should have a feast to celebrate their success. It wasn’t the kind of thing you or I would call a feast, but it was enough, because Scarlett was with the two animals she adored most.
The next morning, Scarlett knew they were very close. She estimated that in several hours, they would arrive at the sanctuary.
Little did she know that that was the morning a terrible fate was awaiting one of the three friends.
For about two hours, it was smooth sailing. Scarlett thought that they might arrive quicker than she had expected at the sanctuary. She was having daydreams about how happy the animals would be once they got there and how relieved she would be. Maybe when her family earned enough money, she might be able to get Star back again!
A sudden howl interrupted her daydreams. Scarlett pulled Star to a stop and turned around to see what had caused such a sound. In front of her, a terrible scene was laid out.
Maya was slumped on the ground, whining. Her leg was covered in blood that was oozing out. There was a deep cut on her leg and in that cut, a chain. Scarlett’s jaw dropped in horror. It must have been a hunter’s trap of some kind!
Scarlett rushed to Maya’s side. She tried gently to ease off the chain but when Maya howled for the second time, sharper this time and full of agony, she stopped. Scarlett stroked Maya, trying desperately to calm the poor wolf.
Scarlett knew that she must go on, but just couldn’t leave the animal. She took a deep breath, gripped Maya’s paw, and yanked hard on the chain. It came out and for a wonderful moment, she thought she had done it. But then Maya let out the most painfilled yelp you could ever imagine and Scarlett felt Maya’s body become limp. She saw the wolf’s eyes widen, then close, and Scarlett knew instantly that one of her best friends was dead.
But it couldn’t be true, it just couldn’t. Tears welled up in her eyes like an overripe fruit so full of juice that it just had to burst. Salty water streamed down Scarlett’s cheeks. She cried out, “Maya, please! You can’t give up now, we’re so close! Maya, oh Maya! Why did I do such a thing to you?”
Star trotted up to the pair, unaware of what had happened to his poor fellow animal. When he caught a glimpse of the drooping body of the wolf, it was as if Star couldn’t believe it either. He first nudged the wolf with his nose, hoping to wake her. When that didn’t work, he neighed a loud neigh, hoping to interrupt her slumber. After that didn’t work, Star too knew that this was no normal slumber. This was a type of sleep where you never wake up.
Star neighed again, this time sorrowfully. His eyes took on a glazed look and his head drooped lower than usual.
Scarlett knew she must keep going, though she had not as much faith in herself as at the beginning. For Star.
With a heavy heart, Scarlett got up and dragged herself over to Star. She swung her guilt-filled body over the horse and started at a slow jog. She was careful to maneuver Star around any threatening branches or what could be other traps.
It was almost evening and the sun was lighting up the sky in the most magnificent way. Purple, red, orange, you name it, was spread across the sky like an intricate painting on a vast canvas.
But what caught Scarlett’s attention was a glimmer in the distance. What was it? Once they got a bit closer, she could make out a wide tiled roof glistening in the setting sun. Could it be…?
A wide grin spread across the girl’s face. It was the first smile she’d had since Maya had gone. It felt like a weight of the pressure of getting Star to the sanctuary was lifted off her shoulders. They had finally, finally made it! She had saved her horse!
Star felt her sudden excitement, and they galloped the last half mile at an incredible speed. Hope was burning bright in Scarlett’s chest. Her eyes were shining as brilliantly as that day all those years ago when she had run across the moor to buy Star.
There were about a hundred meters left to cover when Star’s ears perked up. A few seconds later, Scarlett heard the vroom of a vehicle. When she turned around, she saw a truck in the distance heading towards them.
A flash of recognition crossed Scarlett’s face. That truck… it was the truck that belonged to her parents but was seldom used.
Scarlett was too stunned to move. Her parents had come all this way for her? She did not know if this was good news or bad news. If her parents caught her now, she would have to hand over Star, risking her friend’s life. But though her brain was urging her to run, her body did not oblige.
The truck screeched to a halt only 20 meters away. The moment the truck stopped, the door crashed open and two figures burst out. They started sprinting towards the girl, screaming, “Scarlett, Scarlett!” They only slowed a hair’s breadth from her.
Scarlett’s parents enveloped their daughter in their arms. They embraced so tightly she thought she might rupture. “You’re safe,” Papa whispered, relief flooding his voice. Her mother was so choked back with tears of happiness that she couldn’t speak.
“We found you, thank God,” Papa went on. “I am so, so sorry, for even thinking about letting something so horrid happen to Star. Please forgive me.”
“But what’s going to happen to Star?” Scarlett asked.
Mama, who had finally recovered her voice, broke the good news. “Well, we have seen your love for Star. After all, you risked a lot for him.”
Scarlett grinned. “You mean I can keep Star? But what about the money problem?”
“Oh, we’ll figure something out. One day, I’m sure one of us will get another job. What matters is that you and Star are happy,” Mama said.
“Oh, thank you, thank you, Mama!” Scarlett cried.
The parents smiled, glad that they had pleased their daughter so much. Scarlett was so full of joy that she started skipping around, with Star trying to follow her moves clumsily. Her now tangled ponytail bobbed around, as if doing its own sort of skip.
When Scarlett got home, she told her parents all about the exciting, painful, happy, sad adventure she had had. Her parents listened intently and squeezed her sadly when they heard about Maya. But all in all, it was a happy day, for there was much rejoicing that Mama and Papa’s precious daughter was safely home again and most importantly, Scarlett and Star now had each other forever.
That evening was especially warm, like it was welcoming Scarlett home. Star sat beside her in the garden, Scarlett lying on the soft grass. She was gazing up at the stars, trying to remember the names of the constellations she found and naming the many that she did not know.
Two stars stood out to her. One was not so bright as the others but something about it kept making her notice it. Maybe the way it stood strong and proud in the sky. She called this one Maya’s Courage.
The other one reminded Scarlett of the North Star. Always staying where it was needed. This star was the brightest out of all the stars visible to her. Scarlett named this one Riding Star.