Horse themed short story Creative writing challenge remix

Instructions

Alder Learns a Lesson By @-_Ravenstar_- In a peaceful forest meadow, there was a herd of wild horses who lived there. Everything was mostly peaceful, occasionally, yes, there was the danger of a predator nearby, and things like that but the herd’s loyal stallion, Night, always protected them. But one day, a buckskin colt named Alder, was feeling very bored. It was a breezy sort of day, the kind where the sun wants to warm your back, but can’t. His mama said he was still too young to leave the meadow and that he should go play with the other foals. But the other foals were either too young to understand anything, or were too old and scoffed at his silly games. Later, in the hottest bit of the day Alder asked his mama, “can I go to the stream to drink...and maybe play?” His mother chewed on a mouthful of dry grass, thinking for a moment, before replying, “Yes, as long as one of the older horses can come with you.” Alder sighed and trotted around to ask if anyone wanted to come with him. Later, growing even more bored and thirsty because nobody wanted to go with him, Alder decided to go to the stream by himself. If a huff, he trotted into the cool forest, his short, scruffy tail aloft. He looked around at the trees, the moss, the birds, the ground. He was so busy looking at everything that he didn’t look for the stream. This was the first time he could really look around. Most of the time when he went to the stream with the older horses, they were only interested in drinking. He came across a stream, but it was not the one the herd used. Alder stopped and sipped at the chill water. He lifted his head to the cool breeze and made to go back to the meadow but realized that in all his looking, he had gotten lost. “Uh oh…” Alder took a sharp intake of breath, feeling anxious. He had never been this far from the meadow before, Alder took a deep breath and said, “I’m not lost AND I’m not scared either!” He declared to the forest, stomping his small hoof and his high voice rolling through the mostly quiet wood. Alder followed the stream downstream, confident that he was almost back to the meadow now. He heard rushing water and trotted forward to investigate the source of the sound. Little did he know that the sound was a waterfall and that there was a rocky slope in front of him. He slipped on the dewy grass and tumbled down the slope, whinnying in surprise. He bounced down the slope, rocks battering him all the way. Dizzy and sore, Alder lay at the bottom of the slope. He groaned, Alder had a few cuts and bruises on him but the worst thing was his leg. Just above his fetlock was a bruise that was swelling very quickly, it was nearing the size of an egg now. It was getting late now, and the sun was going down, Alder bleated for his mama. Alder tried to stand but the pain was too much. He collapsed back on the springy pine needles and put his head down. Alder was scared and alone, easy prey for a wolf, or a bear, or something. His head shot up when he heard a crunch in the nearby bushes, breathing hard, Alder neighed in his best stallion voice, “Who goes there? You’d better watch out because I’m the biggest, strongest stallion in the entire world!” Alder’s voice quivered as he said that and he knew that not even the dumbest horse would believe he was a big strong stallion. Alder was jittery with fright as the brush shook harder and harder, then a rabbit emerged from the brush and Alder laughed at himself, he was so scared of a rabbit! The rabbit hopped a ways away from him and started to nibble on the sparse grass. Alder sighed and watched the rabbit eat. He tried to stand again as well. After several minutes of scrabbling and wobbling, by which the rabbit had left now, he did it. He was standing! But boy, did it hurt, Alder gasped and looked at his injured leg; it was still swollen, but not as much as before, at least he could walk a little on it. Taking several deep breaths he took several steps forward, it was hard, but he did it! He tottered in a few circles then stopped, thinking. He recalled his mother telling him that if he was ever lost he should do one thing...Alder struggled to remember, right! His mother always told him that he should walk around and try to find his way back, not sit around and wait for someone to find you. About twenty minutes later Alder came to a stream, he swore he’d seen it before. Confused, he studied it. The forest was huge, surely he couldn’t have come across the same spot twice...right—? Alder walked some more when his sore leg started throbbing with pain again. He panted and leaned against a tree. He heard a thump from behind him. Thump thump thump. Alder was breathing hard, he whipped around, ready to meet his fate against whatever monster was behind him.