8432 Capture Attempt 1

My head was pounding and I felt a sense of vertigo before I even opened my eyes. Wow, what the heck is going on? I know I have allergies and we're turning into Spring here in Florida but this is too much to call it a sinus headache... I squeezed my eyes shut tighter as I tried to calm my head from the pounding and will the dizzy feeling to subside. After a few moments I opened them and was startled to see everything seemed so bright and much more vibrant than I'd ever seen my own room look and I definitely hadn't begun my Spring Cleaning during my sleep... I swung my feet over to the edge of my bed and walked over to my window and opened the curtains. My breath caught in my throat - what the heck is going on? Am I still dreaming? That would explain the fuzzy feeling in my head but I didn't feel asleep. And I've never had such a vivid dream before. I shook my head trying to push out the grogginess and hopefully make sense of what is going on. I focused my attention to the view outside of where my house now mysteriously stood. The first thing I noticed was an absolute lack of any other homes or signs of civilization. There were no roads or even structures. My eyes focused down to the grass that practically glowed with varying shades of green and even hues of blue, each blade reflecting the sun's light in every direction like a diamond from the layer of dew still resting on them. In the distance I could hear a stream of water rushing although there were only mucky creeks where I actually live. In the distance I could see trees that bore leaves of different colors as well, and trunks twisted and swirled like Van Gogh paintings. Everything just appeared more vibrant and whimsical than I'd ever seen. The sun shown down bright but I didn't feel the urge to cover my eyes from it, this new colorful and beautiful land I've woken to seemed too magical to be real. I forced myself to turn away from the window to throw on more appropriate clothing to wander outside in just as my phone pinged on the bed. Oh yeah, phones. They exist! Surprising considering the absolute lack of neighbors or power lines from outside my window. I quickly grabbed and clicked the notification - The EquusBallatorSociety has reported a sighting of a Brand New WILD BALLATOR in a faraway beautiful land called Regale's Glade. Realization hit me like a truck. Is that where I am? Is it destiny that I meet this Ballator? My heart raced as I threw on my jeans and boots and rushed out the door toward the stables.

"So I'm assuming I'm ALREADY in 'Regale's Glade' considering I've never seen anything like this place before in my life or even wildest imagination" I spoke aloud to myself. I grabbed my phone from my pocket again to read more detailed information on this newly discovered beast of imagination - he's a desert and steppe type - OOH ♥ - *scrolls down* and he's apparently VERY flashy and he knows it to the point it has gone to his head. That's so amazing haha, I guess I should bring one of my own beauties to try to attract his attention  

  

As I threw open the door to the barn I heard a shrill whinny from the back - just the mare I'd come in for, how'd she know? I stopped in the tack room to grab the burnt orange bridle that I bought to match her horns and sauntered toward her stall. "Ah, Sun Fleur, you must smell the anticipation rolling from me in waves. I'm gonna need your help today," I slipped the bridle over her face and began to lead her to the cross tie to brush her down and tack her up, "I hope you're as excited for our first ride together as I am. I hope you behave for me today, my sweet sun flower girl." She let out a small purrish whinny as if to say 'You'd better wish' grabbing the grooming bucket I worked fast to clean her dainty but strong hooves and brush her down before throwing the saddle over her back and cinching her up quickly. "Come on, we may have a journey ahead of us." I grabbed my camping bag I keep stocked with some snacks, a compass, water bottles and a few other basic survival tools and threw it over my shoulder and climbed onto my mare's back.

~~~

We headed toward the direction of the hilly grasslands hoping that's where this hot blooded and hawty boi will be. I kicked Fleur into a canter and swiveled my head around to visually devour my surroundings. Now that I was out in the open and away from my where my home this land is far more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. The wind blowing through the trees sang songs as the air whistled between the leaves and the birds sitting within the branches matched the wind-song harmoniously pulling me deeper into this unbelievable fantasy. The sky above me seemed to consist of colors from all over the rainbow from mostly blues to pinks and even purples. I focused my attention to the plateau like hills in the distance and a glinting gold object caught my eye among the uneven land. I tugged the reins bringing Fleur to a slow trot so I could dig into my bag for some binoculars or something, luckily me from a previous day was very prepared for such things as I pulled out a pair of large binoculars and peered through them toward the shiny glint on the horizon. I scanned my eyes over the horizon slowly hoping to spot whatever shiny flake caught my eye when all of a sudden bursting from some underbrush ran a stunning, golden Ballator... I about squealed in shock causing Fleur to jerk her head up right before shoving my scopes back into my pack and kicking her hard into a full gallop in the direction of the Stallion. "I'm not going to let you go that easily, we're here solely to catch you!" Fleur ran hard and fast toward where I pointed her and as we got closer I saw her ears spring forward as she'd finally caught glimpse of who we came out for and squealed an excited whinny. And was I glad she did because the racing stallion faltered at the sound of my mare and threw his head back roaring a neigh in response. Fleur's tail shot up high like a flirtacious filly and I couldn't help but imagine already what a foal between the two would look like ♥ no sooner than the thought passed my mind though the stallion halted himself into a standing stop causing Fleur to mimic and hold her head high, nose flared, smelling the air for him.

Everything seemed to stand still while the two Ballators appeared to hold a silent conversation when suddenly the stallion lifted his tail and began to trot away towards the hills.

"WOW, what a bastard!" xD I started to turn Fleur after him but she had already began chasing him herself and so it began that he took off and she followed. "Have more self-respect woman! He's supposed to be chasing YOU!" but on she continued into the unfamiliar brush after this golden devil. Not too far off ahead I could see him dart into the miniature canyons the plateaued hills formed and I'm pretty sure Fleur also saw him because she headed straight for the crack in the cliff. "Woah! Hold on! There may be sharp turns and you're going wayy too fast!" No sooner than I tried to pull back reins she smacked her shoulder against a wall face but luckily she'd slowed enough that it only appeared to cause a scrape on her shoulder blade... "Oh no! Are you okay? You've got to be more careful! You're not going to want to ride out with me a second time if we end up getting sunk on our maiden voyage!" She stretch her head back to observe her wound while I brushed the dirt off. From above me I heard a shuffling of sand and rocks and we both looked up to see the stallion peering down at us, a soft nicker seeming to ask if Fleur was okay. Immediately my mare seemed to forget the wound she was just so highly concerned about and neighed back at him to which he began trotting slowly further down the canyon, prompting my mare to follow. "Be easy, girl, I don't want you stressing your shoulder in case there's a small fracture or sprain.." but she didn't seem to listen to me anymore. The stallion trotted steadily ahead of us as if showing us the way to an open area outside of these cliff-like walls. Fleur continued to follow until I finally saw where he appeared to be leading us "ooh, there's our way out, it seems to open up ahead, come on. Once we get out of this maze I'll look over your scrape and disinfect it" to which Fleur shook her head and flicked her tail at my leg. "WOW, what a little boy crazy mare I have! Who'da'thunk??"

Upon exiting the "canyon" there lay an open area containing a small slow stream of clear blue water that twinkled under the light of the sun, more multi-colored trees and acres upon acres of flowers of all shades of color imaginable... "Holy SH!T, this must be where you live! How the hell EBS ever managed to track you to here is unfathomable.." The Stallion threw his head up and snorted like I've insulted him, "well, excuse me. Maybe they didn't track you to HERE but how you let them spot you at all is a mystery to me." He snorted again and stomped his foot, his golden flaked manes shimmering in the light, "or maybe they couldn't help but to see SUCH A BEAUTIFUL FLASHY BOY LIKE YOURSELF!", he appeared to smile at the compliment, raising his tail and trotting handsomely to the edge of the water before side eyeing my mare to see if she'd follow. I can take a hint,  I thought and slid off Sun Fleur's back all while under the gaze of the shimmering stallion. Patting my girl on the neck I undid her bridle allowing her to go over to him without further inspecting her shoulder - she sure seems fine and I'd hate to cause her agitation by making her wait to run to the handsome boy over yonder.

~~~

Hours passed like minutes as I watched the two graze, muzzles together, happily until the sun began to set over the hills.. I picked myself up from where I'd settled comfortably under the shade of a twisted pink tinted tree trunk, "Fleur! Come on, girl. If we stay out too much longer we won't be able to find our way home!" She grunted in response but hesitantly began to make her way toward me, head hung low. The stallion nickered for her but didn't follow.. then suddenly an unfamiliar horse whinny filled my ears and the three of us whipped our head in the direction of the sound to see that a new pair of Ballator and Handler had come to attempt capturing this flashy boi. "Shit, I guess it makes sense we wouldn't be the only ones who'd come hunting for him".. I grabbed up my girl just before the stallion bolted deeper into the fields toward the opposite end of the hills, the new pair of competitors darting after Him. I threw the bridle over her head knowing the last thing she wanted to do was leave now. Climbing into the saddle I tried to comfort her by offering "when we get home I'll cook up your favorite treat. Salmon and avocado ♥" at that her pace quickened and she held her head just a little higher, a small purrish nicker twitched her nostrils and I smiled, patting her neck before kicking her to a gallop.

~~~

Once home, after having brushed Sun Fleur down and serving the treats she'd been promised and showering I stepped into my room and grabbed my sketchbook from my nightstand and sketched the glorious Stallion's likeness and smiled to myself. "I will do everything in my power to bring you home with me, Sir Midas.. Yeah, I like that name for you, Midas." ♥ I clicked the light of my lamp off and closed my eyes, eventually falling asleep while a particular golden beauty galloped through my every thought and most likely my dreams... ♥