Rain trots back to the herd and said "I missed everything didn't I what going on river"river said "we are moving " rain said "why I already have a place I like to stay at " Rain sighed and looks at the stallions before saying " oh they look really cute" River said "eww are you talking about love " Rain said " why not we all need a stallion to have babies with so why not " River shakes her head and said "first you hated boy now you do make up your mind woman".

___

Rain chokes on her words before saying " okay okay fine I was just saying not like I really wanted a guy"river said "yeah right Rain you want babies and I know it "Rain walks away and sighed before looking at the stallions again hoping she is not staring at them uncomfortably, Rain looks away and looks around before sighing

Suddenly Hail got the feeling someone was watching her. He looked over to a couple of mares and noticed a paint buckskin staring in his direction. Then, she quickly flicked her head away, and Hail followed suit.

-

The lead stallion called to the herd from atop a pile of dirt. "It is time for the herd to move on! Everyone follow me, Hail, Wild, blah and Root. Mares with foals in the middle, and everyone else behind them. The herd then got themselves into order, and Hail started walking at the front, just beside his friends. He could not stop thinking about those mares that were staring at him. Get over it Hail, he thought to himself. They were probably just looking at other stallions behind them. As they walked they came to a riverbank, the edges muddy and slippery. It looked like quicksand below. Hail was not paying attention and slipped on the mud, landing in a patch of quicksand. He promptly started sinking, and though he could tell the pool of quicksand was not deep, fear still overwhelmed him. "Help! Help me, please!"

Rain follows before hearing someone yell help and when to the sound and saw the stallion she was staring at in trouble and said "oh boy Don't more or it would bring you down faster" as she looks for a branch or rope but she found a branch and hands it to him hope he would grab it, rain watches the herd leave and sighed no help but soon as she saw him have the branch in his mouth she starts pulling with all of her strength.

__

Rain was worried about losing a stallion don't know why but she was they were important to the herd and she needed to do everything she can to get him out even if she didn't know him at least she was friendly.

As soon as Hail saw the branch, he grabbed onto it with his teeth and relaxed, letting the mare pull him out. "i thadk iets worikig!" He mumbled through the stick. Hail felt the sand slip away from him, and as soon as he got back on solid ground he collapsed of exhaustion, on the forest floor. "Thank you... but I don't think I got your name?" The herd had just noticed Hail's plight and had stopped to wait.

_

Hail noticed that this was the same mare as before. Up close, he could see that she had pretty blue eyes and a shiny coat that looked very pretty in the evening sun. "wow.." He thought. What beautiful eyes. So pure. So clear. Hail got up from the ground after catching his breath, and stared kind of awkwardly at the mare.

Rain said " name rain nice to meet you stallion "as she looks at him " okay so I save a stallion a cute one" she through as she stares at him before looking away and said " what about what your name " before looking at the herd they had to catch up with them but I guess they stop for him why not stop for both, rain felt like he was still going to stand there and stare at her but she really didn't mind

___

Rain said " I think we should catch up then we can talk if you want to " as she looks away and sighed great just great I needed a stallion to stare at or just to talk to make up you mind rain she screams in her head trying to figure out what she was doing about thisn

Hail looked up at the mare. "Rain huh? Pretty name, for a pretty mare." Rain was definitely pretty, no doubt about that. "My name? Oh, it's umm, it's Hail," he said shyly. They walked back to the herd together, Hail nickering for Rain to follow.

___

Hail's friends approached the two, asking if Hail was ok. "Hey guys," Hail said. "I you can walk by yourselves, I'm going to stick back here, I'm tired." The herd continued on its way, and Hail walked beside Rain in comfortable silence, admiring her strong build and pure blue eyes. Hail nickered. "Thank you for saving me, I thought I was dead for sure." He stopped and looked into Rain's eyes.

Rain said "nice to meet you hail"before watches the other before walking on she really didn't mind it at all it was nice to be able to be alone ot bothered , rain stop and said "your welcome I saw no one helping and I thought I should help " then said " come on you not dieing yet not on the herd watch and I guess mine too" as she looks away and wishing he would stop looking at her and just walk

___

Rain sighed and said "but why not go to your friend I don't get the deal with being back with me I not someone who horses like to talk to but I really thank you for staying and talking to me I really do "rain shyly looks away

"Bye then..." Hail sighed, walking up to his friends, Wild and Root. They pestered him for a bit about talking to Rein, until Hail trotted up to the front of the herd. There it was no better. All of the stallions wanted to talk to Hail about one thing or another, so hail dropped to the middle of the pack, where the mares and foals were. A small, 5-week-old filly approached him. "Do you protect the herd?" She parked in a small, meek voice. "Wha- umm." Hail did not notice the small filly and had little time to answer. "Umm yeah! If the big scary wolves come, we scare them off and make sure the herd is ok!"

"Cool!" The filly said. "I want to protect the herd one day!" Hail chuckled. "You do that little one."

___
Young minds are always open, was a quote that Hail's late mother had made before she had died in a fire. Hail realised now, that she was right. When you were young, you never realised the hardships that came with being a herd member. Hail suddenly broke away from the herd, into the surrounding forest. He needed some time alone. He went about 10 meters into the brush, just keeping sight of the herd, and thought.

Rain watches him go before keeps walking she was tired of being herself she had only one friend and she guess that all she would have. Rain stayed back some until she stops and look at hail and said " what is he doing running away from the herd " as she watches before walking on she really was wondering what he was doing no one is even watching out for anyone or what. Rain rolls her eyes before looking at river who was happily talking to mares.

____

Rain thinks back to her brother and father talking together one thing she remembered was her mom tell her this " you would find a greater benefit from being in a low rank " and that what Rain took on the journey to see where she ends up as even if it mare with a foal