Janosik

Prologue

The highland folk of Tatra and Beskid mountains, northern carpathian lands, is a nation of its own. They are legendary for their independence, stubbornness and original (some say 'twisted') mindset. For hundreds of years they lived as a nation of sheep shepherds, farmers farming the hostile slopes of the mountains and raftmen bringing wood of carpathian forests down the Vistula river to the Baltic sea, to Gdansk docks, where ships were built from the wood. Many of these ships would cross the Atlantic Ocean, bringing new colonists to America from all over the Europe.

The raftmen would float down the rivers on solid rafts made of thick pine and fir logs, down to the sea, and after selling the wood most of them would come back on foot across the whole Poland, back to the mountains. Some of them would buy a horse and ride it back, few would bring their own horses by the means of the raft. Some others, instead of going back home, would get on a ship and go to the legendary land of plenty across the ocean.

It isn't certain what slavic fantasy brought the mare on board. Was it some luck at gambling and a strong drink encouraging bets one regrets later? Was it an entirely misguided business plan involving the horse? Was it a special boon the ship captain owed to the highlander? It's rather certain it wasn't love for horses, because many horses don't survive the trip across the ocean, and getting a pregnant mare on board is neither responsible nor wise.

But somehow the carpathian pony mare got on a ship to America, and she gave birth to a male foal during the first week of travel. The owner named the foal Janosik for a famous thief of carpathian mountains, brave and noble, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, fighting against injustice from oppressors of the highland folk.

Tenets of the Hucul

'From the turmoil, I judge our travel will end soon, my son.' the foal's mother said. 'And then we may be separated, maybe forever.'

'No mom! I don't want to lose you!'

'Oh stop braying, you can do better than that. If you were with the herd you'd have to leave it soon. If you were with humans normally, they'd sell you a month ago. It's the right time for us to part our ways and if things go the same way as they would at home, we're more likely to meet again than not.'

'At home... Mom, tell me about home again. I try to imagine the great forests of Ukraine, the half-wild highlands of Slovakia, the farms and villages of southern Poland, but I've never seen them and likely I'm imagining them all wrong. Tell me once again please.'

'There's no time for idle reminiscences left, my child.You will live in a new land and likely you won't ever see the homelands in your life. But to be who you are, it's not important to remember home, but to remember the tenets of your kind and follow them.'

'Tenets of my kind? Of a horse?'

'No, not any horse, silly. Many horses will look down on you and think you're worse than them because you're smaller. Don't you ever believe so. You're a Carpathian Pony and that means you're more of a horse than any of them.'

'So I'm a pony?'

'Not really. You'll be big enough for people to argue. Some will insist the Carpathian Pony name is wrong because you qualify as a full-sized horse and they will call you a Hucul horse. But these are follies of humans and pay no heed to them except when your fate counts. Then pick these who say 'pony' with disrespect, for workload they give you will be matched for a pony, or these who say 'horse' with respect for they will understand your abilities and won't abuse you.'

'How will I know when I need to choose?'

'Oh, just learn our lore. Our lore is not speed like a thoroughbred, not faith like the arabians, not strength like the Shire, none of the hundred of traits that make other breeds slaves to humans. Our lore is cunning and wit and will like a willow, bending under pressure but never broken, never changed. We are a free folk and we serve humans when they serve us. Remember that. Our first tenet is never to become a slave. Never serve them with your life, never let them rule you. You may trade your freedom for good food and a warm place to stay for a time, but never forget who you are and be ready to go if the trade stops being good to you. Never allow a situation where you work for more than you're getting in exchange, and never allow yourself to be stranded in a place you don't like.'

'Mom, but why won't we leave then? You said you hate this place.'

'There's nowhere to go, yet. We must wait to get ashore first. That's our second tennet. Mistakes happen, and will happen and no harm is done if they are repaired. Coming on this ship was a mistake but as soon as we land ashore I will find a way to escape the man who put me here, for he is not to be trusted. No Hucul horse ever dies a slave to a human. Some of our kind do, but they arent worth the name. By not tricking the humans into letting them escape, by not foreseeing the slavery and by serving them to the end, they are unworthy of our name and we don't count them amongst our own.'

'So if we die on this ship, mom...'

'Then we were not Huculs after all. But if I die, you'll be still one, the disgrace is not passed on the children.'

'But you won't die, mom!'

'Oh, that's the third tenet, kid. Die when you choose to. If the winter is too harsh, visit the humans. If the humans think your meat is tender, run! If there's a dozen of wolves surrounding you, remember that's only three to be killed with each hoof and you still have your teeth to sort through them, but if you can, dont let a dozen of wolves surround you.'

'Maybe there won't be any wolves where we're going?'

'Don't count on that. That's not a tenet, just a guideline: Don't Count On That. If you fail, it means you need to try again. If you tried all possible options and it still didn't work, it means you missed some options. To Epona the sweetest prayer is the whisper of you plotting another daring plan. Miracles happen only after you've exhausted all earthly means of solving a problem.'

The foal thought for a while, then nodded. 'So are there any other tenets, mom?'

'Yes, there is one more. Keep your skills a secret from humans, that' the last of them. Never, ever, even if your life depended on it, show the humans your real skills. Once one of us shows any to the humans, they stop believing none of us can do it. One day a foolish pony, to save his back from a whip, carried a very fat trader across Beskid. People noticed how he did it effortlessly and from that day on we carry weights nearing our capacity and by far exceeding what we might seem to be able to carry. But people still believe we can barely jump higher than this bucket in the corner and won't you ever dare proving them otherwise! They believe we can run only a short distance, so never run for a long time in presence of a human, stop, protest, buck, fall if you choose but don't race other horses or people will start to enter us at races and force us to run till our hearts burst. And even though many suspect, try not to prove to them how cunning we are. Play stubborn, stupid and lazy. Well, we dont have to play that last part, but that's not a trait to be proud of. But only show a human how cunning you are if it benefits you and not them. They have their brains to think for themselves and don't deserve you doing any thinking for them.'

'That's not a very proud lore, is it?'

'It's a good lore which lets us live happy lives and die happy deaths. Oh, and in your time you may find humans who see through your disguise. Value and respect them and they will respect you. Our secrets are safe with them and if you choose one for a companion, you have a friend for life. But beware of the others, for they are only as good as food they feed you, and even years into serving them, if you feel like running, dont think twice, find a nice forest, join a wild herd and live free.'

'I'll try to find you, mom, when I'm free.'

'Don't you dare going on such foolish errands. By then I will have found myself a nice place and a pretty mate and I don't want you intruding.'

'But mom! Don't you love me? Don't you want me by you forever?'

'When a colt grows older, he needs to leave his mother, that is the rule and don't try to change it.'

Janosik turned away from his mom, going to a corner, sulking in the dark room. She turned away and there was a tear in her eye. 'My beloved son' she thought, 'Forgive me for putting you down so and treating so coldly. Only if you don't love me so much, our parting will be bearable to you. If I gave you the love you deserve, your heart would break when we are parted. Be strong and tough, till you find love in your life on your own.' But on the outside she remained calm and seemed to just turn her back on him.

Bad Influence

It wasn't two days since they arrived at the new land until Janosik was sold. The buyer, an old rancher with long moustache, took him to a big ranch outside the city. The poor kid kept stumbling and falling, pulled on a rope behind a cart, not used to long running after most of his childhood was spent in a small ship cabin. But when he arrived at the new place, he was more than making up for the lost time. The lands were wide and the grass lush and green. He loved to trot lightly for hours strolling the grounds and checking for holes in the fences, which he found aplenty, not once going on a midnight stroll to a nearby brook or a far forest, and bringing headache to the rancher and woe to the stable hands who were getting it for 'not keeping the fences in the right order', even though the fences were just right to keep any other horse inside.

And there were a plenty of other horses, most of them distinguished and somewhat crazy Thoroughbreds preparing for races that were kept near the big cities. But there were some big, friendly Quarterhorses and a few wild-looking mustangs. Janosik found them a bit scary but fascinating. The big horses found him interesting too. Despite various colorations and markings no other horse than him seemed to have the black stripe along the whole back - a regular inch wide solid black line connecting the mane and tail, on the solid (but very fluffy, plush-like) bay-colored fur. But the looks of the small horsie soon became the least of subjects of conversation in the stables, because not even the oldest horses remembered such a nipper.

First, there were two kinds of stable hands, these who treated Janosik well and these with hands in bandages, walking with a limp or with an arm in a sling. Then, there was no lock and no fence to hold him. Smart highland folk would build good fences at once, never letting their horses learn all the tricks. Here though the fence was patched piece by piece, locks were added and improved gradually as Janosik was learning to open the old ones, and soon he could roll under the lower bar of the paddock fence or open a latch on the stall door, remove the bolt holding the cover on the oats chest and steal oats, forcing the rancher to put a padlock on the chest, and when he couldn't get to the oats anymore, he climbed the steep ladder-like stairs to the hayloft to eat fresh hay, and the stable hands spent whole afternoon trying to get him down.

And worst of all, he wasnt alone in his mischief. There was a dozen of colts and fillies who at first followed their parents' advice, keeping with the 'noble breeds' and staying away from the 'weird kid' but the temptation was stronger, and the charm of the bay rogue won. Because who wouldn't love a few extra hours in the paddocks if the kid comes and unlocks your stall door, inviting you for a walk? How to get angry at him stealing oats if he shares, inviting you? How to resist a stroll on the riverside if he pries nails from the fence, pulling the upper bar down and leaving the paddock through a knee-high jump? And if the farrier arrives and you wait to be shod, all scared and nervous, tied to a bar, and he removes your halter by undoing the knot holding it?.

So Janosik soon formed his gang and terrorized the neighborhood. No field of crops was safe from them. No fence would stop them. His teaching with the lower bar of the fence soon taught all the kids as they grew to jump the upper bars of the paddock fences shamelessly, and he was the only one of the gang who wouldn't jump them, but he would crawl outside below the bottom bar instead.

Sure he was taught to carry empty saddle on his back, give hooves for cleaning and all the stuff a colt too young for riding is taught, and he was very fast to learn and did pretty well, the cutest, friendliest horse on the ranch, but as soon as you let your eyes off him, he was off to new adventure.

The old rancher laughed at the stunts and shouted at his stable hands but sometimes he would curse the pony quietly, because of the 'bad influence' Janosik had on the other foals. Two years of the wild frolic went by unpunished, but one day, after the gang raided the rancher's own larder in his own house while everyone was away on the sunday mass, and the colts stole all the cakes and cookies his wife had prepared for an upcoming fair, he said enough is enough, teach him to pull a cart and sell him as soon as possible. When the next fall came, they deemed him big and skilled enough to pull lighter loads and sold him to the railway company.

And before long Janosik was on a train, riding towards the frontier.

Two of a kind

'Shame on me, for not running when I still could. Shame and misery' he muttered while pulling a heavy cart filled with crates towards the front of the train. But he still remembered mom's words, 'mistakes will happen' and half his attention was on the opportunities to run. His fame as an escape artist preceeded him so while other horses ran freely in a corral he would spend the night tied to a post and hobbled, away from them. Still, most people would smile seeing him and pat him friendly, although the he and the cart driver loathed each other deeply and would cause misery to each other when they only could. Day after day of work, mile after mile of railroad, they proceeded into the wild territories. Supply trains would arrive every few days bringing more materials, and the construction train in front proceeded slowly, the camp moving ahead every few days.They left the lush, green farmlands and prairies behind and entered dry, empty desert with nothing but dry bushes and hard, dried grass to horizon. The work progressed fast and there was a lot of it, and no opportunity to escape. And so was a day after day, till one afternoon another train arrived and to the same post as Janosik, a jenny was tied. They worked in the same cart all day and evening and a good while after dusk they were tied to the post, Janosik hobbled, the jenny chained, with her rope halter attached to the post with a thick chain.

'Hi. What brings you here, pretty?' he cooed to her as she stood there, head down low.

'Whatever could bring me here other than humans?' she said glumly and shook her head with a ringing of a chain. 'I'm a wild burro. They caught me in the desert.'

'Why are you chained?'

'And why are you hobbled?'

'Because no fence or lock would hold me.'

'Because I would bite through any rope they would ever tie me with.'

'Im Janosik and what's your name?' he smiled to her, but currently he was intently examining the way her chain was attached to the post and her halter.

'Joan if it helps you any. Most horses dont associate with us'.

'Joan, could you bite through my hobble and bridle?

'Yes, but why should I do this?'

'Because it seems I just happen to know how to untie the knot of your halter. I was taking these off other horses dozens of times in the past.

'Why should I trust you to keep your side of the deal? I know you horses like to boast but when you smell freedom you run and dont look back.'

'Then I'll trust you will keep your side of the deal' he said, and no more than a minute later one side of Joan's halter was undone. A nip, a tug and Janosik held the halter with the chain still attached to it in his teeth, grinning.

'You're skilled, handsome.' Joan said as she bent her neck and began working on the hobbles. Meantime Janosik took his own rope in his teeth and began chewing it. The taste was foul but he felt it giving up as a layer after layer of cotton was shredded with his teeth.

'Always nice to meet someone to teach you new tricks' he mumbled.

'They will catch us as soon as we leave the camp, but always worth the fun.' she smiled mischeviously at him, spitting the last piece of leather binding his legs.

'Oh, no, they won't. I'm not done here yet!' he said, as he tugged on the rope hard and last threads gave way. 'Come, follow me.' he crept up to the horses' corral. Most of them were mustangs caught in the wild, used to pull the heavy rails and for patrolling the area.

'Ive seen you before, stange pony' the lead mare of the mustangs said, walking up to the corral fence, 'but the burro girl is new around here. What are you doing, loitering around the camp like that?'

'We need some help and in exchange we offer freedom to the swift in legs. I can take this fence apart and you'll be free to run.'

'And what should we do?'

'Just run, just let the humans chase you.'

'They will catch us.'

'Some, yes. Maybe most. But the fastest of you will be free.'

'Then may Epona bless you, do your deed.

The corral was made of wood connected with nails and ropes, moved a hundred times from place to place it all became loose and easy to break for the skilled bandit. There were some loud creaks and noises but soon a section of the fence was missing. The mustangs stood gazing at the hole as if not believing it was there, then broke into a run and rushed through the exit.

'Nice but we're the slowest of them, we will be caught first' Joan said as they stood by the quickly emptying corral.

'Not if they won't follow us. Back to the post, now!'

'What? No!'

'Trust me' he rushed to the post. Joan followed him reluctantly.

'Wait now. Head low, close to the post. Keep it in shadow.' he whispered as crowds of people began running, yelling, mounting a chase party from the few horses they had remaining, totally ignoring the two.

Soon all the riders were on their way in chase of the mustangs. 'See? now we are the fastest runners left in the camp. Let them catch us on foot!'

'Brillant! So, we run now?'

'On my signal, straight ahead as the track goes!'

'Ready when you are!'

'Go!'

...and they were free again.

With the Burros

They trotted tirelessly for a night and a part of the next day. They rested at a waterhole for half a hour then they trotted till night caught them again. Joan taught Janosik which of the dry desert plants are edible, which to avoid, and which are plain too hard to chew to bother with. At nightfall they stopped and slept some till a pack of jackals showed up, proving too bothersome to let them sleep - not really dangerous but assuming 'if it doesn't move, we can eat it' and slightly too fast to land a good kick to teach them to stay away.. So the two went on, and the jackals gave up a hour or so later.

The daybeak greeted them with chill and frost, then as Sun was rising higher it got hot. Janosik was worried, all desert, no landmarks, no food other than very dry grass, no water and he was getting quite thirsty. 'No worries, these are my homelands and I'm pretty sure I know where we're going. By nightfall we should reach water.'

'By nightfall?? Last water I had was the past afternoon!'

'So? That's not even a day ago!'

Janosik grumbled some but looked with some new appreciation at the jenny.

They didn't run, just walked together, chatting about their homelands to take their minds off thirst and hunger. But by the evening the grass got a bit more lush and satiated both hunger and some of thirst, and just as Joan promised, soon after nightfall they found a waterhole. The water was muddy and warm but it still tasted better than any water Janosik ever tried. They slept near the waterhole for most of the night and a noise of many hooves woke them before morning.

Joan woke up first, and cried out in joy. 'Titus, Merry, Fiona, Alessa! I thought I'd never meet you again!'

There were four burros there. One big male, with half of his left ear missing, and three females, one old, missing fur in places, one very similar to Joan by looks, and one a bit younger, silent and with a scar on her cheek.

'Joan? Where were you? Trying to start a herd with a horse?' the big male donkey, alpha of the herd asked.

'Don't be silly, Titus. Humans captured me again and this time they used a metal chain to tie me. It would be a longer stay and heavier work than anytime before if not this clever rogue here. They made a mistake of tying us both to the same post...' she quickly told the story of their daring escape.

'So who's your friend, Joan?' Titus, asked when she finished.

'Greetings' Janosik approached and bowed to Titus.

'My, my, I never thought I'd ever see a horse bowing to me. Im honored, really and greetings to you too' Titus bowed and the gesture raised many whispers between the females. 'You're welcome to stay with my herd as long as you like. We're a simple folk living off what the desert gives us and that's not much at times but we will gladly share what we have with a horse who choose to escape with a jenny and not with a herd of mustangs.'

'Thank you for your kind offer. I shall stay with you for a time to learn more of the desert, share a tale and an adventure.'

And so Janosik spent another few months with the burros. Titus and old Alessa were the alpha pair, oldest and most experienced, though Titus was much younger than Alessa, who would fall behind at times. Fiona was Joan's twin sister, and though they were like two drops of water by appearance, inside they differed like heaven and hell. Joan was energetic, full of humor and fantasy, hot-headed and as often getting into trouble as causing them. Fiona was calm, ballanced, responsible, reasonable and somewhat dull. Merry was their younger sister, shy and quiet, afraid to talk and play, staying in Fiona's shadow wherever they went.

Of course Janosik and Joan became best friends spending whole days on playing and thinking up pranks. Not once did Titus wonder if he did well inviting this crazy horse to join them. But one day, quiet Merry joined the duo in their prancing and running, and they played together happily, and Titus didn't regret anything anymore.

Months went by, and Janosik finally grew up to nearly an adult horse, but he was tall but thin, unlike most barrel-like ponies of his breed. Ribs were showing on his flanks and even though he was feeling happier than ever before, and the skinny body carried hidden strength, the diet of dry desert grass was taking some toll. He went hungry most of the time and when the burros would hardly notice, he would suffer from thirst. He missed rich oats and fresh grass badly and pondered coming back to humans a few times, but every time he recalled the railway, he would make up his mind - no humans, not anytime soon.

Mild winter passed, with some rains keeping the grass growing and stopping the sun from burning like fire, but summer was coming and in the summer the desert would turn more hostile. Finally he decided. He would head for the mountains that loomed in the distance on clear days, and feed on the grass in the forests. He discussed his idea with Joan and she stated pretty hard that she's not leaving the herd...permanently. She will follow him and they will come back when they feel like it.

Titus wasn't too happy and Fiona called their plan a folly. Merry said nothing, hiding tears, and Alessa gave them such a hearty and warm good-bye as if they were never to meet again.

'So you're stealing one of my herd but I must say you earned her' said Titus, taking Janosik to a side. 'But take good cafe of her or I'll make you regret ever crossing her.'

'I promise I'll take care of her no worse than I take of myself'

'That's what I'm afraid of, my boy, that's exactly what I'm worried about.' he nodded his head and grinned sourly.

Delicious paws, Tasty thighs

It took them a week to reach the forests, but the grass was well worth it. They both caught some mild colic the first day, not used to such a rich and plentiful food after months of starving. But when they felt better, they kept eating, catching up on the food. Delicious grass on the border of the forest was better than anything they ate before, better than sugar cubes Janosik was getting from kids at the ranch.

They rested for the night at a nearby grove and in the morning they got back to eating.

'I just hope no cougar attacks us' said Joan. 'Burros stay so far from this delicious grass because cougars never cross the desert, but here we are at full risk.'

'Are they like wolves, hunting in packs?' asked Janosik who knew only jackals and predators from tales of his mother.

'No, they hunt alone and they are a kind of big cats. They rarely attack big animals like us, but an inexperienced, young cougar who won't know any better may try and hurt you bad before you teach him his lesson. If you see one, just run. They are fast but they get tired quickly and abandon the prey if they can't catch it after a short chase.'

'Do they look like Lynxes?'

'I don't know. I've never seen a lynx before. Nor a cougar for that matter... UNTIL NOW!!!' Joan yelled, breaking into a gallop away from the forest. Janosik spotted the golden fur in the grass approaching quickly and broke into a run away, in a slightly different direction.

The chase was short. The cougar caught up pretty fast, then there was a loud, deep THUD! and a screech and the cat flew in a long arc away from Janosik's hooves, before falling to the ground, not on four paws at all.

But the chase was far from over. Janosik approached the dazed cat, raised it by the scruff of skin on its neck, shook it a bit, threw a short way, then allowed the cat to stand up and recover a little, then rushed madly as if about to trample the predator. The cat turned away and began to run for its life.

But better sprint speed didnt help much, at first the cat gained some distance but now it was losing it fast.

Except Janosik slowed down too, still nearly stepping on the cat's tail but matching its speed. And with a definite purpose he was herding the cat away from the forest. The cat sensed it got the wrong part in a game of a cat and a mouse, and tried to evade the hooves and head for the trees, but not only a mild kick held it on the track, Joan, sensing the danger gone and a chance for a new mischief, joined in too. Soon they were heading for the open desert, the two equines following the cat closely and giving a small kick if it was slowing down. Rested and not long after a good meal they could run for hours yet, and the cat was making increasingly desperate noises.

And then Joan began making out what these noises were. 'Please! Have mercy! Don't eat me! Please, mister horse! I'm not tasty at all!'

'Hey, stop, Janosik! Don't eat the poor kitty!'

'Why would I... ... not eat the cougar?' Janosik caught the idea at once. 'Cougar meat is a true delicacy.'

Now they didn't run anymore, they just stood over the cat who lay holding paws over its eyes, trembling and sobbing.

'You'll get the whiskers stuck in your teeth.'

'You don't eat the nose. Just the middle.' Janosik nibbled a bit on the cat's neck scruff, without biting really, but the cat cried out in terror. 'Tastes like Lynx. Help yourself, Joan.'

'I dont know, seriously. I heard they have quite uninspiring taste. But what the, let me try a bit of ear.' the cat moved the paws to cover its ears, eyes still tightly closed.

'Not the ears, ears are icky. But paws... oh, the pawpads are delicious.' the cat curled its paws under its chest.

'I still say the ears seem tasty' - paws on ears.

'Paws are the best. I'm an authority on taste of feline paws.' - paws curled under the body.

'No, ears are better!'

'No, paws are.'

'Ears!'

'Paws!'

'Ears!'

'Paws!'

'Nose!'

'Tail!'

'Neck!'

'Ears!'

They kept calling out until they could no longer suppress laughter and as they laughed, the cat sat up and looked at them deeply hurt. 'Are you going to eat me or not?'

'No, I'll save you for later' said Janosik as Joan began rolling on the ground, laughing.

'That's not funny! My life is at stake!'

'How old are you, kid?'

'I'm over a year old and don't call me "kid". If I'm to die I expect at least some respect from you. My name is Kamelia and the fact I was the smallest in the litter doesn't mean my death shouldn't be respected. I would certainly respect your death if I managed to hunt you down and I expect the same from you.'

'Look, Kamelia. If you don't try to eat me, I won't eat you. Does that sound like a deal?'

'Oh, so you were afraid I would eat you after all, ha-ha!'

'Ears!'

'That's not fair!' muttered Kamelia, removing her paws from her ears.

'Not fair is my middle name.'

'You're sneaky, you know'

'Sneaky was my callsign in the army.'

Kamelia looked at Janosik with awe.

'Please, mister horse, pretty please, teach me how to be clever and sneaky and scary!'

'And what does miss Burro say?'

'She's kinda cute...'

'I'm NOT cute!'

'...especially when she gets angry like that, so if she won't try to nibble on us or scratch us, or such, we could take her along.'

'Kamelia, do you agree?'

'Yes! Thank you, mister horse!'

'My name is Janosik'

'Great! When do we eat then? What's there to eat?'

'We eat grass by the forest. You...I think I spotted some birds nests over there in the grove. You could try raiding them for the eggs.'

'Eggs? One can eat eggs?'

'Your mom didn't teach you much, did she?'

'You, equines, don't know how it is to be the sixth kitten in the litter.'

Kamelia headed for the grove as the equines ate the grass peacefully. Soon she showed up with all her muzzle painted in yolk, licking herself. 'I think I saw some more in the forest before.' she said as she passed them heading between the trees. And soon after that they heard an aggravated argument.

'Leave them alone!' shouted Kamelia.

'Why should I?' asked the other voice surprised. 'We could attack them together, there's enough meat for us both!'

'Because... Because... they are mine!'

'So why won't you kill them and eat them?'

'I'm... saving them for later.'

'And won't they run?' the voice of the stranger asked.

'They are too afraid of me.'

'Now you're just ridiculous...'

'Sorry to interrupt...' said Janosik entering a small clearing where two cougars argued. '...Miss Kamelia, should I eat some more grass to gain fat, or do you prefer me to exercise now to build tasty muscles?'

Kamelia looked so smug as if she was about to burst.

'You may eat some more but tell the donkey to start making rounds around the groove.'

'Yes, miss Kamelia.' Janosik bowed and left.

'W...what? You're not supposed to be able to do that! That's not fair!'

'My middle name is not fair!'

'Bbbut... but...'

'Now get lost before I get angry.'

'Yes, miss Kamelia!'

Kamelia returned to the grazing pair, drunk with pride. 'Did you hear how I told him off? My middle name is not fair!'

'Yes, we did. Do you know any good waterhole around?' asked Joan, tasty grass not quite satisfying thirst.

'Follow me, it's not far.'

Soon they were all drinking crystal-clean water from a narrow stream flowing down from the mountains.

'Hello, you two.' they heard from behind. 'Nice to see you again.'

They turned around and saw a big buckskin mare. They recognized one of the mustangs from the railway.

'Hi. How many of you escaped?'

'Just a few. Most followed the lead mare when she was caught. But the few of us who got away are forever in your debt. It's... WHOA!! There's a cougar at the stream. They are dangerous, you know.'

'She's with us. Pay no attention.'

'Just opposite!' interrupted Kamelia. 'Do pay attention! I'm dangerius, you know?'

'This one didn't work quite as well, Kamelia. You still need a lot of work on your one-liners.'

'And how would you handle that one?'

'Hello, tasty-thighs. Don't mind me' Janosik grinned.

'Hey! Don't call me 'Tasty-thighs!' protested the mare.

'Aren't you?' Janosik grinned.

'No. I'm Darkmane, that's my name. Call me Darky if you want. And what's your name, by the way, mysterious savior?'

'Zorro of the East, Robin Hood of the Tatra Mountains, my name is Janosik. And this is Joan and Kamelia.'

Darky stood speechless for a moment, unable to find words about this kind of introduction.

'Will you think up such an introduction for me?' asked Kamelia.

'No, these are personal things. You must design one for yourself.'

'Fine, I will. So, where are we going now?'

'Up in the mountains? Meet the other mustangs? Just find a nice place to rest some? What do you think, Joan, Kamelia?'

'What would you suggest, Tasty?' Kamelia asked.

'Tell her not to call me that, Janosik. It gives me creeps.'

'Yay, it worked!' Kamelia pranced around.

'A nap, a meal and then...' Joan said.

'Could you, brave sir, try to save the rest of my herd maybe?'

'Yes, in fact I was thinking about it sice running from the humans. And I even got some ideas, so yes, I will, but not now, nor even after the nap and the meal. For now we stand no chance of success, but my nose tells me in a couple of weeks it should get much more doable.'

'A couple of weeks? It's been months already! I don't see how a couple more weeks can help!'

'Don't you doubt him, Darkmane' stated Joan. 'If he says 'wait', don't rush him. Do you think my donkey hooves can match the speed of a mustang? But I am here now and most of your herd is imprisoned. And that's because he said 'Wait, Joan' and I waited.'

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean disrespect. If we need to wait, then let it be.'

'No offense taken. So what about a nap?'

'There's a sunny rock nearby, a great place for a nap' said Kamelia.

'No way. Cougars love that place' protested Darkmane.'What about the grove just outside the forest towards the desert?'

'Some cougars go hunt there' Kamelia smiled. 'But I think we can cope with these'.

Don't give up, no matter what

The four met up with the rest of the herd, two young appaloosa stallions, twin brothers Thunder and Lightning and a young bay filly called Shooting Star. Darkmane was the temporary lead mare but she didn't feel well in the position, and Thunder and Lightning tried to talk each other into leadership but none with any success.

'The fast in legs, just as you promised back then, that's what the four of us are best at. We're not brave, we're not strong, we're just all very fast. We need a smart and brave leader' Darkmane explained to Janosik.

'So you'd be ready to follow the lead of the burrita?'

'I... thought more of you in the role.'

'Not a chance, not without her. We grew too much together.'

'Oh, if that's your condition for taking the leadership, I'll step down as the lead mare. That's unheard of but desperate times call for desperate measures.'

'Oh, and Kamelia stays too.'

'No problem with that. I find her kinda cute.' Darkmane glanced as Thunder, Lightning and Kamelia were playing hide-and-seek.

Soon all the others learned of the changes. The horses were happy to have leaders who don't feel awkward about it, and Joan and Janosik didn't. They semed very relaxed in the positions, but also they didn't seem to be treating them as seriously as Darkmane did, much to Darkmane's worry.

'Before we move up in the mountains, show me around your land' Janosik suggested. They showed him around the vicinity, a beautiful waterfall and a tall old forest with trees so thick that if you hollowed one out, all of the herd would fit inside. There was a place they called Dead Valley, a few miles of sand between mountains that during the day was getting so hot that anyone who would enter there, died from heat. The land was bordered by a deep canyon where a river flowed into the desert, so far below there would be no hope to cross it. The area was safe and food was plentiful, but Janosik insisted on going away, up into mountains.

'It's not just that I want to see the lands where my breed belongs.' he explained as the mustangs tried to talk him out of it. But Joan never doubted him and her job as the lead mare was to decide where the herd goes, so they followed her, and as a result, him, up through thick forests and treacherous rocks, till they reached green meadows above the line of forest. After a while of rest and grazing, the younger horses and cougar began playing 'scare each other', Kamelia already capable of a pretty impressive snarls and threatening punchlines. Janosik gazed over the line of the forest at the wide woods and far desert. Joan approached him and stood near.

'We may rest some now and we can start going back. I saw what I needed to see.'

'And what was that?'

'They are almost here. See the line in the sand? When they enter the forest, we will be able to proceed.'

'The humans?'

'And the mustangs. I thought it would take them a bit longer, but then they caught almost all the mustangs back, we hardly hindered them.'

'How will we do it?'

'I have a good escape plan ready in my head. I still need to find a way how to free them. I have some good ideas on that too but we'll need some good diversion and I have no clue where to look for that.'

'We should linger around them for a while, I'm pretty sure you'll work something out.'

'I'm counting on you too, you know?'

'Janosik?' they heard Darkmane behind them. As they turned around they found her kneeling, bowing low to them. 'I thought you were reckless and selfish and didn't care about us. Please forgive me that I ever doubted you. I swear, I never will again.'

'Now, now, stand up and show some pride' Janosik came up to her and rested his chin on her neck. 'Stop doubting me when all the rest is safe.'

Suddenly all the others were gathered around. 'What happened?' they asked.

'We're going to save the others' said Darkmane, closely neck-hugging Janosik.

Later that day they began their way back. Janosik began filling them in on parts of the plan he had made out. They didn't head straight away to the human camp. He scouted dozens of paths, he tried various hideouts and shortcuts, he found a deadly narrow trail on a side of a mountain leading into a valley with lakes and forests. They made some deep raids into the Dead Valley at night, scouting it, crossing their own trails, backtracking them, and deceivingly leading towards far crevices that looked like exits, but were just dead ends littered with bones.

At last they headed towards the camp of the railroad company, two days of travel away. It wasn't a small temporary encampment like in the desert, but a small village with huts, wide storage areas for wood and other materials, a wood mill and a saloon. It was located in an old forest at the foot of the mountains, where workers were cutting trees to form a road through the mountain pass above and digging a tunnel in the rock. To Joan's horror they spotted some carts removing rubble from the tunnel pulled by Titus and the two younger burro females. Alessa was nowhere to be seen and Joan suspected the worst. Now she became restless, unable to wait calmly as she used to before. The horses were dragging thick logs of wood from the road formed across the mountain pass during the day, sleeping in a round pen at night, but the pen construction was much more sturdy and it was huddled against a steep rock wall of the mountain, guarded by two soldiers all night, and with no way to sneak up from any side.

'Too scattred in daylight to get them all, too well guarded at night to free them' Janosik bickered and it was getting on his nerves too, especially that they had a few run-ins with humans and actually once owed their freedom to Kamelia who spotted an ambush in time. Humas knew of the presence of the small herd in the area, and some used their leisure time to try to catch them.

Then one day a second steam engine with a train arrived at the work site. That day there were no explosions in the tunnnel, no noise of axes cutting down the trees. The herd gathered on a nearby hilltop, watching.

'They are unloading dozens of new horses. I see mustangs, army horses and indian horses too. I wonder what they are up to' Shooting Star muttered. She had exceptional eyesight and could spot things others couldn't.

'Darky, you won't like what I'll say' Janosik whispered. 'I need you to trust me while even I don't trust myself. I still don't know how to free them, but once they are free, they must know what to do. I need one of us there, and one they will trust.'

'How will I get in there? The humans are everywhere. They will catch me!... oh...' she lowered her head 'You want me to let them catch me' she whispered softly. 'I have sworn I would never doubt you. You can count on me.'

'I will free you. I swear I will.'

She nuzzled him and nickered softly, then headed down to the village. Before long they heard shouts and turmoil and they saw her led on a rope to the round pen. She didn't fight, just stopped for a moment turning her head to the hill.

'Kamelia, others... go take your positions. If me or Joan don't show up in two days, all is lost, save yourself.'

Soon the two were left alone and watched the valley.

All the horses and burros were rounded along two enormously long chains attached to a huge wooden sled, on which one of the steam engines rested. Harnessed, they were attached to the chains at regular intervals. Some commands were shouted out, sound of whips cracking, and the horses began pulling the sled up a muddy path, up to the mountain pass, over the tunnel. Cracks of whips, shouts, cavalry soldiers on a few horses guarding the peimeter. Janosik and Joan snuck up closer to the mountain pass.

'Think, Janosik, think! Once they are past the mountain there won't be another chance, nights in the pen, days scattered, cautious watch day and night.' Janosik muttered to himself.

'What if we rush them? Try to trample the people in the front?' Joan asked. 'I know it's a chance one in a thousand that we won't get caught'

'...And if I don't think up something, that's what we'll do, at least we'll be caught together.'

'...think of something better, and think fast, because if you don't, only a miracle can help...'

And as the sled approached the pass, as the first horses pulling the chains went to the other side, Darkmane on the very front, he was still thinking.

And he didn't think up anything.

Someone else did.

Small turmoil erupted near the middle of the line. A big, strong buckskin stallion fell on the ground. People detached his harness and tied a chain around his hooves, dragging him away with two army horses, apparently dead.

And then the stallion suddenly stood up, freed his legs from the chain, attacked the people and the sled, the mountings where the chains were attached. One of the mountings broke, one of the chains went loose and Darkmane led the horses towards the arranged path, then the second chain was loose two, the remainder of horses on heels of the first group, and Janosik and Joan had to run after the horses, thinking of the new problems at hand.

'Cursed chains! They will spoil everything!'

'Don't tell me you can't undo them!'

'Kamelia will buy us maybe ten minutes. I can free maybe two horses in such a short time!'

'We'll get another half a hour on the shortcuts you worked out.'

'With the chains we won't lure the humans into the valley. We won't fool them, won't get them on the wrong track.'

'Then run like a wind, help as many as you can and hope for another miracle.'

They ran to a place where they would try to misguide the humans for the first time, luring them on a false track, and watched from far below as the two lines of horses ran trough a narrow ledge on the mountain far above, then they saw the chase, people on horses, and heard a vicious snarl.

'My name is rose of assassins, soft kiss of death, petals of blood, Kamelia. Every day I kill to live. Today I live to kill!'

Some shots sounded but much more terrified roars and squeals of horses. The chase party turned on the narrow ledge, horses in front crowded against the ones behind them, some threw humans off their backs. Battle-hardened army horses fled in terror as the cougar chased them, not sprinting, just following on their heels. They scattered in the forest as Kamelia returned to guard the pass. Then - out of the blue - an explosion sounded from the village, a mushroom cloud of black smoke rose above the trees.

'Praised be Epona' whispered Joan, 'that should distract them for a longer while.'

They ran where the horses were supposed to be and they stood back at a strange sight again. Two men with red skin, no shirts, just brown leather trousers, were busy along the two lines of horses who waited patiently, as the men were skillfully cutting the harnesses holding them to the chain.

'A big, strong buckskin, remember?'

'Little Creek will kill us if we just let him go.'

'Not a single buckskin so far'.

'There!' one of them shouted, pointing at the front of the line.

'Yes! A pretty and strong, seems like the one! Release the rest and I'll take care of him.'

And as the last of the horses in the other line was free, one of the men whistled and a paint stallion ran up to him happily, while the other finished freeing the rest of the horses, but didn't cut Darkmane's harness the same way as the others', leaving the bridle and long straps in place. Another mustang was waiting by him, greeting him friendly. The two men got on their mustangs' backs, holding the straps and led Darkmane away. She tried to protest a little but she was too confused to put any real resistance.

The crowd of horses and burros was left alone, confused. The lead mare of Darkmane's herd tried to get some order but she was pretty confused herself. Then Janosik and Joan approached.

'The pony and the burro! The pony and the burro!' whispers sounded and the crowd opened before them reverently.

'Darky told us of you, told us to follow you if we get separated. Where should we go now?'

'Joan will take you to a safe place. Joan, get Thunder and Lightning to find Kamelia, she's the one in danger now.' Janosik looked towards the village, where a column of smoke was rising and the darkening but still blue sky was painted red from the flames. 'Call Shooting Star off, our tricks other than the false track into the valley won't be necessary. Lead them to safety, take a good care of them all. I promised something and I must live up to my promise.'

'See you soon' Joan nuzzled Janosik.

'I'll do my best' he said and ran following the track where Darkmane was taken.

The Shortest 'Never' Ever

He was too taken aback to protest. The girl with red-tinted skin walked out from behind a tree, walked up to him without fear and cooed him in such a charming voice and touched his face and neck so gently and nicely, her song and movement so entrancing, that the next moment, before he realized what he was doing, he was following her into the village. And surely enough Darkmane was there, watchful and confused, in a small round-pen on the outskirts of the village. The sight sobered him up and reminded him why he was here but letting the girl lead him to the pen seemed to be the best idea for the moment. As she let him inside and talked to him again, touching his face, he realized she doesn't try to put him under the charm this time.

'Such a handsome horse, coming without fear. You're the first who got to break my charm, but still you followed. Why would that be? What are your intentions? I thought I charmed you but now I feel bewitched as I watch you.'

A paint mare approached them from the village.

'No, Rain, still no sight of him.' the girl came up to the mare. 'The silly good-for-nothing Angry Mushroom and Fuzzy Rock brought this mare, and they say there was no other horse that looked like him there, but you know how much one can believe the two.'

Both the girl and the mare came up to the fence, just to watch, as Janosik walked up to Darkmane and greeted her. She was happy to see him, but still worried.

'They caught you too? How will we ever get back?'

'It seems it wouldn't take me a hour of work to take this whole pen apart. Making a hole for you to escape is a minute at most.'

'Why did they bring me here? Why me?'

'Apparently they thought you're a stallion they were looking for'

'Now really!' Darkmane laughed cheerfully. 'A stallion? me?'

'You were the closest thing to a buckskin stallion they could find'

'There was one. He apparently died shortly before we were freed. He was very sad when he arrived, and when he saw humans invading his homeland, I think his heart broke.'

'No. Not that. Not to him.' the paint mare cried, tears in her eyes.

'He didn't die' said Janosik approaching her. 'I saw him alive and kicking the last we seen of him before we had to run. He wasn't dead, far from it.'

'Why are you trying to cheer me up, stranger? She says he fell, then you say he was alive...'

'And he freed all the horses.Sorry, Darky' Janosik turned back to her, 'as much as I'd like to take credit for coming up with some brillant plan freeing you, it was him who did it.'

'It wouldn't be him' Rain muttered. 'Spirit was brave, noble, strong, fast, but he wasn't smart, he wouldn't come up with something like playing dead.'

'That was his name, Spirit, now I remember' Darkmane said.

'And it seems he managed to do much more than just free them. Can you see the red sky?' he nodded eastwards, now the entirely dark sky painted red on the east. 'Somehow he got the forest on fire and likely all the work, all the tools and materials humans had there burn now.'

'But he could have died in the fire!' Rain cried out in terror.

'Yes, he could, but judging from what I've seen from him, I believe he did better than that.'

Rain walked up to the gate of the corral and knocked it lightly with her hoof. The girl walked up to it. 'You're right, Rain, I guess there's no point to keep the mare any longer. But I really wanted to keep the small horse. He seems to be much more than meets the eye. Here...' she opened the gate, inviting Darkmane to leave, but watching the pass not to let Janosik out.

'Go. I'll catch up with you later. I can take care of myself.' Janosik gave Darky a small push.

'And if you don't?'

'Then tell Joan to mount a rescue party in a few weeks, no hurry. This place and this person seems interesting. I'd like stay around for a while.'

'So you're staying?'

'This is not a farewell. Just a see you later.'

'Then....' she nuzzled him friendly 'See you later'.

And she broke into a run back towards the lands of her herd.

Janosik walked up to the girl, she touched his cheek.

'I'm leaving the gate open, not that it makes any difference to you. I saw how you eyed the strings mounting the bars and the gap below the bottom bar. But please, don't leave. Not yet. Besides, it must have been a hard day. You're safe, you can rest.'

She left, heading for her tipi and he was left alone. Only then he realized how exhausted he was. He lay by the fence and fell asleep, and slept undisturbed until morning.

She came with the first rays of Sun and she was all smiles seeing him waking up. ' In case of other horses we'd try to bribe them by bringing apples, but I guess you'd hardly appreciate it. Still, if you're hungry, I can show you the way to the apple tree if you wish.'

Janosik let her guide him, but he didn't follow behind, like a pet, servant, a horse of lesser status, and neither did he try to stay in front. They walked shoulder in shoulder, like equals. She noticed it and to her own surprise, blushed a little.

'My name is Blue Mist. I guess you have a name, but since I will never learn it, I'll just call you Desperado, like these of white men who hold ways of the white man at power in contempt.'

'How appropriate', thought Janosik 'that's pretty much who my namesake was.' Out loud he nickered appreciatively.

Short way over the hill they found a tall apple tree. There were some apples in the grass and Janosik ate them gladly, but more were on the tree, beyond his reach, apparently all the taller horses ate them.

He eyed the tree, the girl, and began nibbling the grass, resisting the feel to just shake the tree to get more apples, remembering not to show his skills in front of humans.

'I'll pick more for you.' Blue Mist began climbing the tree, got on the thinner branches trying to reach the apples, and now he couldn't resist anymore. Besides, before, only apples were at stake, and now ge was up to a mischief. So he stood against the trunk and pushed with his shoulder hard, rhythmically, shaking the tree. Several apples fell followed by one very embarassed girl. She was sitting in the grass, rubbing her back and laughing, 'And I thought, disappointed, that you don't know how to get more apples'.

Janosik found one big, pretty, red apple, took it in his teeth and approached her, smiling. She giggled and took a bite from it without using hands, then he took a bite from his half, and she caught the apple before it fell to the grass. They ate the rest of it together, one bite each, then she found another one and they ate it together, and again, till they were sated.

They headed for the nearby river, on the edge of a forest, and soon they were drinking the clean water. Blue Mist showed Janosik the lands from a high rock further away, and led him along the mountain to a wall where the whole history of the tribe was drawn. Janosik offered his back to her and they enjoyed a wild gallop into the valley and through the meadows. Blue Mist guided him to a lake by the forest, and tired by the ride they rested on the sandy beach a little, then Blue Mist removed her dress and they swam in the lake together. It was the first time Janosik was swimming, the brook by the old ranch never deep enough to reach to his belly. Blue Mist held his mane and he pulled her through the warm water, between water lilies.

After a good hour of swimming together and playing in the lake, they rested on the grassy shore, and feeling quite hungry after the exercise, they headed back to the apple tree. They ate and played, trying to eat the apples together without dropping them, or trying to pull them in half using teeth, or trying to eat so small bits as to not to be the last to eat the last bite.

Full again, they headed back up the river till they found another fine meadow where they lay gazing at the sky, the land and each other. Mist found a comb in her pocket and began combing Janosik's fur and mane. He lay in the grass, enjoying the gentle caress and slowly dozing off. And he was about to fall asleep when a loud, vicious snarl woke him up.

'Miserable human, I am the hour of your death! Leave the horse alone!'

'Kamelia?' he was suddenly wide awake. It was Kamelia and she looked terrifying, her fur stained with dark smudges of ash, whiskers on one side burned, and fire he had never seen before in her eyes. 'It's all right! he muttered, watching in surprise as Blue Mist stands in the cougar's way, armed only with the comb and generally standing no chance if it came to fight.

Despite not really wanting to, Janosik shook the rest of the warm daze off, stood up and lazily walked between the two females who didn't cease to try to intimidate each other.

'Kamelia, will you stop, please?'

'She didn't hold you against your will?' Kamelia asked, surprised.

'No, definitely not. Blue Mist is a very nice person. I'm sure you could be friends.'

He turned around, Kamelia stood by him, looking at the human. Janosik nibbled Kamelia's neck tenderly, to show they are friends. Blue Mist stood with her mouth open, the comb fell off her hand. The two looked at her, at each other, at her again.

'Damn. I should have acted I'm scared of you or that I scare you away. It seems she's not used to horses being friends with cougars.'

'I'm sorry! I didn't expect I'd break her! Maybe I should lick her?'

'If she doesn't take that as you checking her taste, that might work.'

Kamelia walked up to Blue Mist, who still stood with her mouth open, and licked her hand. Janosik nuzzled her other hand, then picked the dropped comb and held it for Blue Mist to take.

She gazed at him for a mooment, then took the comb reverently 'Tell me', she whispered, 'are you an incarnation of the Great Spirit? Is this a test, a sign?'

Janosik snorted dismissively and shook whole.

'I guess that's a 'no', and you're just a really, really amazing horse. And your friend here... By the great spirit, I really thought it's the last I see of this world, never seen a cougar so scary and vicious-looking!'

Kamelia couldn't help purring hearing that. She lay on the grass, trying to clean her fur a little, watching the two with her inborn feline distance.

Blue Mist knelt in front of Janosik, tears in her eyes, she sobbed a little. 'I bit more than I could swallow. I can't keep you, can't own you. You can break my charms at will, you're at least as smart as me, you're more brave and stronger, you have a good sense of humor, good friends back in the forest, and your spirit...' she gazed at the cougar, 'I can't even begin to think of the strength of it. There is nothing in the world I could offer to you that would make the trade fair.'

Janosik came up to her, put his head on her shoulder and pushed her to his chest, in a strong hug. She held his neck and sobbed, and he held her close till she stopped crying.

Wind blowing from the east brought wisps of smoke that lingered around, the Sun has hidden behind the mountains already and cold fog began rising around.

'It was the happiest day of my life, my dearest Desperado. I can't keep you. Not all days are so happy. Sometimes there is hard work and strife, sometimes hunger and misery. I don't have anything better than you have already, nothing good enough to give in exchange for keeping you.'

Blue Mist fell silent, still kneeling in front of him. She was watching him like a deity, tears in her eyes.

'Hey, boss' Kamelia licked her paw lazily. 'What about getting her into our herd?'

'Our herd?' Janosik raised an eyebrow.

'You know, Joan's not too fond of coming back to the desert with Titus, Darky would rather kill than let you go, I'm not letting you get rid of me, and with a fourth female that's quite enough to start a herd.'

'But you are not a herd animal...'

'says who?'

'...okay, okay, but... giving it a thought, it could work. I just need to find a way to tell her.'

'Fine, you work on her, I'll tell the others you're safe, no worries.'

'And tell them to come here in case of any trouble. It seems like a good place to stay.'

Kamelia left in a mild trot. Not a minute later two horses ran past, Rain and Spirit, off on their way to Spirit's herd.

'I guess this is a farewell.'

Janosik shook his head and snorted.

'No, don't try to cheer me up. Go, just go.'

Janosik turned away and headed towards the forest slowly. Blue Mist sighed and turned back to the village. But as soon as her steps died away in the distance and fog hid her shape, Janosik turned around, and in a wide arc, not to meet her, made his way to the village, to the corral. As he lay in the same place as the night before, waiting for sleep to come, he heard Blue Mist arguing with someone in agitated voice, far away. The arguments lasted for a while, then after a longer while of silence he heard a calm, sad voice of Blue Mist talking with an unknown, young man. They were approaching slowly through the fog.

'What can we do? Maybe they are right? Maybe we should give each other a chance?' she said.

'If there is one thing Spirit taught me, it's never to give up, and I won't.'

'You let Rain go with him yourself. She won't be back.'

'Yes. She was like a dream, and I never realized how much I loved her until I told her to go.'

'I know I can't be like her to you. I know you don't love me. I know I don't love you. We are just good friends, we both love horses, that's all. But maybe we could rebuild our lives together?'

'Why are you giving up? Why are you willing to give up your freedom, your independence, pursuit of your dreams? Just out of pity, just because I'm broken-hearted and the elders think us getting married is the way to cheer me up?'

'Because I found my dream and had to let it go too. Because I realized I can't keep him, just like you realized you can't keep Spirit, can't keep Rain. And it hurts just the same.'

They stopped by the corral and stood leaning against the fence, gazing away towards the village. None of them spotted the small dark shape of the horse lying by the other end of the corral. Blue Mist sighed deeply and stood for a long while in silence, gazing into the darkness and fog surrounding them.

'I wish I could live with them' Little Creek sighed. 'Just to leave, just to get the bare necessities, and go, live with them. I wish I could live with Spirit's herd. Rain shared her love between us two when he was here just fine, and she was sad to leave me too.'

'Well, why don't you? You know where to look and we're not like the white men who depend on each other and can't live without all the stuff they buy in towns.'

'Why don't you?'

'Why? That's a good question. Because I'm stupid, that's why! Because I didn't think of it myself, earlier, when I let him go. I don't know where to look, I don't know where his herd is, and I told him to go instead of asking him to take me with him, that's why.'

'Never give up, remember' Little Creek hugged Blue Mist. 'I'm going to pack up and go follow Spirit and Rain. And you, look for him. If he's as good as you say he is, he'll find you if you seek him.'

Little Creek walked away, and soon vanished in the mist.

'I will. Even if it's to take years, I won't give up. I'll never give up.' Blue Mist sobbed.

'Now, now, if you kindly turn around, it will take much shorter.' Janosik nickered, walking up to her.

Blue Mist froze. 'It can't be true. It's too good to be true.'

Janosik put his head on her shoulder and she felt for his nose.

'You're too much for me. Too good, too smart. I can't even be your lead mare, just take me somewhere into your herd.'

'That's good, Joan wouldn't be too happy.'

'Did you say something?'

'You will learn my language with time. No hurry. Now go pack up and we can go.'

...and ten minutes later they set off to start the weirdest herd of the Old West.

And they lived happily ever after...

Credits, bloppers, interviews and bonus scenes

(cc=A) by Sharpfang '2008 Some Rights Reserved

[meeting Darkmane at the stream] Darkmane: Me? Scared? Of you? [Kamelia licks Darkmane's knee. Darkmane shudders.] Kamelia: Tastes like chicken.

This story is a fanfiction of Spirit: Stallion of Cimarron which is (c) Dreamworks.

Janosik: You fight like a dairy farmer! Kamelia: How appropriate, you fight like a cow!

Special thanks to Wishewing for the story 'Kindred Spirits'. That story alone convinced me that writing a good story based in the Spirit universe is possible, and shown me one of the ways to do it.

Rain: ...actually, if you told him when you close your eyes you run twice as fast, he'd kill himself on the nearest tree. But he's so masculine!

I fell miserably short of my original aim at copying the level of emotional detail found in 'Kindred Spirits'. This story would be an utter failure if not...

Kamelia: [terrified, tackled by Joan] Miss, why are your ears so big? Joan: To hear you better, my dear.

All the authors of Spirit fanfiction on www.fanfiction.net. They allowed me to realize all the untapped potential behind the Spirit universe. Some of the stories were good, some were terrible. Some I really hated and to these you owe reading this one most. They were so terrible that I decided I just must write a good one to outweight them.

Kamelia: I am Kamelia, Destroyer of Worlds, Terror of the Universe, Tyrant of... Janosik: Wait, wait. Don't overdo it, you must remain believable.

And of course a special credit to the carpathian ponies. I tried to stay true to their nature whenever I could. Janosik is somewhat smarter than average but still far from genius by Hucul horse standards.

Janosik's mom: [in a cabrio cadillac's back seat, her mane torn by the wind, black glasses, string of pearls on her neck, a fashionable hat, a black chauffeur in an ellegant suit driving the car. An elderly cowboy in expensive clothes, with a cigar in his teeth holds his arm on her back.]

As for the tenets, I made them up entirely. Especially the fourth one. It's absolutely untrue and it's silly to believe it.

Rain: No, they don't have any problems with each other. Not really. At times it seems they are more interested in each other than me. At times I'm really jealous. Actually, most of the time I want to cry and kick and bite. I think they just don't care about me any more!

The characters of Rain, Spirit and Little Creek are (c) Dreamworks. All the others are of my creation.

Darkmane: Rain? Poor thing. Sure there's room for her in our herd. She can come anytime. Janosik can find time for all of us, one more doesn't make much difference.

This story has been entirely written on a Psion Revo Plus PDA. It's an amazing tool for a writer, combining the power of a computer equipped with a keyboard and a text editor, with freedom of a pen and a notebook. I've been writing on train, on a bus on my way to work, or out in the country, seeking inspiration under the open sky.

Kamelia: Your mother was a hamster and your father stinks of elderberries! Janosik: No... Where did you find that one anyway?

Revo is a registered trademark of Psion Computers.

Kamelia: You're scary. Janosik: They called me Scary in prison.

I tried to remain historically accurate wherever possible. If the story got boring because of it, sorry.

Kamelia: So you won't eat me? Janosik: No, I won't. Kamelia: Even if I ask you? Janosik: What? Kamelia: I want to slide down your throat, feeling your powerful body all around me, then dissolving in your stomach acids to become a part of you... Janosik: No!

Kamelia came up entirely unplanned and thanks to a deeply conflicted personality became about the richest character in the story.

One-eyed ship captain: Who says it has to be a parrot? I hate stereotypes.

I don't know of a case of even a single carpathian pony ever crossing the ocean. That doesn't mean it couldn't happen and if it did, it would quite likely look like this.

Stable hand with arm in a sling: They said insurance doesn't cover accidents at handling carpathian pony.

A part of inspiration for the character of Janosik was a real horse named Maestro. Not a carpathian pony bodily, he could bear the honorary title of one due to wild creativity (including special talent with knots and locks) and lovable character.

Kamelia: Death to the infidels! Janosik: Don't do that. Don't ask why. It's scary but just don't.

Original Janosik (the thief) is a historical character just the same as Robin Hood: the legend of the noble hero is alive, historical records list a petty bandit.

Old rancher: Keep it secret, but honestly I'm glad he ate the cookies. They are icky and I was delighted to see the old crone so mad.

Nationality of (original) Janosik is disputed. So is most of the facts about him. If you want to learn more, look up the movie series. It reasonably accurately follows the legend and is quite fun to watch.

News reporter in New York City: The gang of the equines is still on the loose. Yesterday they raided the federal grain reserve storage. Today they were reported to raid the zoogarden in Central Park, freeing most of wild animals from there.

Huculs are friendly, lovely and sweet but riding one in trot feels like riding a sewing machine. I guess they walk like this on purpose.

Kamelia: Hastalavista, baby! Janosik: Who taught you that? Kamelia: Titus did. He's good with these.

Poor old Alessa. Guess where I got that name from. And which two characters I confused at that.

Titus: [wearing black glasses] Shrek? I love that movie!

...but that was definitely an afterthought.

Railway worker: The new policy is No Carpathian Ponies In The Railway. No exceptions. You can get fired for talking about one. One of middle managers had a shetland pony and they fired him just to be on the safe side.

I work at a big corporation. They do such things. Really.

Kamelia: I play the stereotypical emo girl, who seeks inner strength and turns goth. Personally I prefer plain good Metal, but I listen to Gothic and Emotional Rock from time to time.

Why, a cougar attack was inevitable. The trick was to design a very surprising outcome.

Darkmane: The rumors that I am, or used to be Spirit are entirely baseless. Seriously! Damn!

I vouch for her!

Kamelia: Freeze, asshole! Janosik: You need a gun to do that. Kamelia: Where do I get one?

oh, by the way. The story contained important plot spoilers to the movie Spirit: Stallion of Cimarron. Consider yourself warned.

Biologist: The distinct lack of carpathian pony genes in an american mustang genome appears to be a result of data falsification by parties unknown, although carpathian pony fur found in keyboard of one of computers of the institute may suggest the culprit.

Trivia: Most hucul horses have names starting with W.

Janosik: Vatican as a result of conspiracy by carpathian ponies? That's rather far-fetched, don't you think?

Extra credit goes to Wyplosz, my plushie pony who always looks scared or angry. As much as I dislike plushies, I love my pony.

Kamelia: My wrath will rain upon my enemies like... like... um, any ideas?

Parts of this document have been written under influence of Debowe beer.

Joan: My inspiration? Trinity. He's Neo and I'm Trinity.

just what she said.

Titus: [wearing black glasses] Morpheus? No.

...but for reasons unknown he reminds me of the movie From Dusk To Dawn. Awesome movie. Reasons unknown.

Railway employee: Yes, my name is Smith, why?

My Revo has one disadvantage. 'Battery low' means 'somewhere below 60%'

Spirit: My lisp? I have a scar on my tongue, a childhood accident.

I tried to plug a few unfinished plotlines of Spirit the movie.

Kamelia: IRS Control! Janosik: What?! Where?! Kamelia: Yesssss. Janosik: Now that was mean.

the following one was inspired by a scene in a movie but I don't remember the title.

Kamelia: Immigration department! Janosik: [smirks] Not this time. Born on international waters, the ship was flying american flag. But try this one on Joan.

If you haven't seen The Skeletor Show yet, load up Youtube and watch it.

Little Creek: Me and Rain? We are very good friends but I'd never... the very idea is absolutely revolting!

There's absolutely nothing wrong about being gay. Not that Little Creek is gay. But if he was, there would be absolutely nothing wrong about it.

Kamelia: Vet! Janosik: Wha!... Look, Kamelia. You can't use somebody else's authority to scare people like that. Kamelia: But it works!

Personally I prefer a wrong solution that works, than a right one that doesn't. This sentence I dedicate to my boss who due to insisting on the right solution has stalled my work for about a week now.

Little Creek: Me and Blue Mist? Stop being disgusting.

not gay.

Janosik: [to Kamelia] No, IRS is not a primal fear.

he's wrong.

Darkmane's former alpha stallion: [with a buckskin mare blow-up doll in the background] What do you mean by letting go of Darkmane? She never left and in fact I remember perfectly well mating with her just yesterday. Oh, there she is. [trots up to the doll]

inspired by some fanfiction from www.fanfiction.net. Damn, some of these horses were stupid. And some of the stories. And authors.

Darkmane's former alpha mare: [sighs] We could really use some fresh blood.

Darkmane was at first palomino but then I found a place where I could really use her being buckskin and retraced all occurences. She's an archetypical non-hucul horse, distrustful but painfully loyal, not too smart but of great dedication. And beautiful soul, once you uncover it.

Kamelia: I'll tear your head off, piss in your neck and rape your dead carcass mouth! Janosik: This is wrong on so many levels. You're not even physically capable of this! Kamelia: Wanna bet?!

Darkmane is an opposite of Joan, a counterballance to the aggressive, impulsive, creative, lively jenny. While Joan acts, Darkmane just seems to be there. That's how behavior of horses like her appears to outsiders. But there is a hidden depth, you just never got to uncover it.

Joan: Sometimes I find Kamelia creepy. I mean, not just her punchlines. I can live with these, but sometimes she's just... Must be a predator-prey thing.

According to Wikipedia wild donkeys don't form herds. Therefore treat all the parts about Titus with a grain of salt.

Janosik: I wish I could unsee what I just saw. And I still say wild geese don't count! Kamelia: Sore loser to the bone.

Kamelia is feline. Cougar or not, disturbed and conflicted, she's still a cat.

Kamelia's elder brother: She was always a little odd.

Special credit for all my feline characters ever goes to Bagheera. He's got to teach me a lot about cats, more than is safe to know.

Janosik: Look, appearing batshit insane is scary like hell but will land you on animal control dept hit list on a short notice. Kamelia: What do you mean by 'batshit insane'?

Inspired by Slashdot discussion about GIMP user interface.

Rain: No, I'm not into BDSM, why?

The similarity between the Blue Mist with Janosik scenes and Rain tied with Spirit scenes is absolutely purposeful, it allows to underline the differences between the two relationships. For one, Janosik is never bound. For another, Blue Mist is a human, thinks like one, horse is property. Thinking out of the box, despite all the clues, takes time.

Army officer: Colonel set a policy: you see a carpathian pony, you shoot it. Shoot to kill and empty the whole clip just to be sure. Then orders arrived, signed by the President himself. We are to provide any assistance and help available to any carpathian pony we ever meet. Colonel was mad.

That's a _different_ colonel.

Janosik: Look, the President isn't even catholic.

See? He's not all that smart!

Blue Mist: Monotonous? Are you joking? Last year we spent the vacations in Egypt, we saw the pyramids, Joan was truly impressed with Sahara, Darky loved swimming in the Red Sea. This summer we're going to Paris. That's not counting all the wild parties with Titus and the old gang. And with the railway, Las Vegas is a throw of the hat away.

Look. Janosik lives up to his name. He also spends a lot on charities.

Kamelia: It puts lotion on its skin! Janosik: No, Kamelia. No. What have I gotten myself into?

I wish I could design these as I go. They take me some five minutes each. NOT good for a live argument.

Janosik: Income? Mom sends some pocket money. And I'm lucky in hazard.

this credits line reserved for future use.

Titus: My income? I have a few investments here and there... Music industry... mostly...

keyword: MAFIAA.

Darkmane: Yes, we visit Las Vegas at least once a month. Janosik has a great hand at gambling. He says he broke the system and always wins.

FYI it's another hundred years or so until Las Vegas was founded. Yeah, I meant it when I wrote 'ever after'!

Kamelia: These are not the horses you're looking for. Kamelia's brother: These are not the horses I'm looking for. Janosik: wooow.

Greetings go to: Polfurs staff, the equine artists on Deviantart, some nice guys from Furaffinity.

Spirit: [wearing gold-rimed glasses] I've been accused of being reckless, happy-go-lucky, outright stupid. Not quite without reason too. I'm doing my best to change. Little Creek is very helpful. Rain is... very critical. But that's easy for her, she's always been the smart one.

There. Their. They're. Its. It's. Your. You're. It's not all that difficult. Don't start writing stories without learning these first.

Kamelia: Your life is but a cat's toy in my paws. [Janosik ponders, shudders and nods]