by Violet Inkpen, age 13

In the days of the very first horses of the earth, everything seemed miserable. The sun was hot. Very hot. The desert was sandy. Really sandy. The ground was dry. Really dry. In fact, the three little foals couldn’t find ANYTHING to be happy about. Not in a dry and hot and sandy place like this. There was nothing to eat!

The leader of the herd of five mares and three foals was named Rugged. He seemed to think he was rugged, and so was his herd, because he had led them into a desert to escape humans. A desert! Really, what was he thinking?

“It is so very hot,” whimpered one of the three foals, a little white filly named Snow Shoes.

“I am starved! No really, I am!” said Guppy, a very chubby colt with a black coat and mane.

The third, a proud colt, the oldest of the three named Captain, shook his pitiful tuff of mane. “Well I am not worried. I am a survivor!” he shouted to the wind. They all gasped in shock when a coyote howling in hunger answered the shout.

Captain flattened his ears in fear and raced forward to stick close to his mother’s side. Snow Shoes screamed and clung to Captain’s tail with her mouth, biting down hard. “Ouch! Leave off, leave off!” he said, kicking with his back hooves. Snow Shoes shied to the left and bumped into Guppy, knocking the roly-poly foal down a sandy hill. He cried out and began rolling, his cry cut off by a mouthful of sand.

Rugged stopped and called out for his lead mare to do the same. They all looked back angrily at the foals. Guppy got to his feet and spat sand from his mouth, sticking out his long tong and panting like a pup.

“Guppy, what are you doing?” his mother whimpered, pinning her ears back. The most worrisome mother ever would describe Guppy’s mother, Mist. She was so agitated by everything. The slightest fly biting her son would send her into a fit of worry.

Guppy grinned, sand caught in his teeth, making Snow Shoes and Captain laugh. “I am fine ma, just tripped,” he said, shooting Snow Shoes a good-humored glare. She giggled. Guppy sighed happily; Snow Shoes had the cutest giggle!

Mist was not amused with her son’s gritty grin. She rushed over to him, chomped down on his ear, and led him back to the herd. “Ow, ow, moooooooooooommmm! Stop it, ow! I am not… ow, a foal!” he protested.

“No, but a fool if you want to go rolling in the scorpion infested sand. Look how dirty you are! That sand could be toxic! And to think I had just bathed you last night. Tisk tisk, you are so troublesome at times. What if a snake had jumped out and bit you? Perhaps the sand became sinking sand? What then? You could have…” She went on and on and on, making the other horses in the herd weary and tired. Rugged rolled his eyes, used to the mare’s fuss over every foal she had ever given birth to.

Snow Shoes and Captain exchanged glances, too tired from the hot sun to smile at Guppy’s grief. It wasn’t that they were mean, but that they just thought it funny to see Guppy whining in front of his mother’s persistent and constant lecturing.

The two foals walked side by side, helping each other if one stumbled. It was sooo hot out here! They needed food, water, something!

Finally, Rugged broke away from the herd and went east in search of food. The lead mare, Shimmer, stopped the herd. “Rest, we’ll wait for Rugged’s news,” she said, looking into the hot sky. The sand reflected light painfully. They all wished for shadow, but all the plants were too small to offer shade and too pokey to even try to nibble on.

Snow Shoes and Captain plopped down on the sand. Guppy tried to join them, but Mist fussed about bugs and fleas and heat stroke from the hot sand. Guppy looked longingly at the sandy floor, but he just stood there, sighing. “I sure bet it is nice sitting down, is it Snow Shoes?” Guppy asked.

“I wish we had some,” Captain whimpered.

“Some what?” Snow Shoes asked, blinking slowly.

“Snow,” Captain replied.

Guppy nodded. “I sure wish we had some too! To think, nice cold snow!” He closed his eyes in joy.

“You’d catch your death in snow.” Mist, not far away, snapped.

Guppy leaned close to his friends and rolled his eyes so his mom couldn’t see. They hid their giggles.

“What are we going to do?” Snow Shoes asked, resting her chin on Captain’s back. She closed her eyes and yawned, half asleep already.

“Don’t worry,” Captain whispered in her ear. He looked up at Guppy. “We’ll be okay,” he assured his friend.

They were half brothers, unlike Snow Shoes who was fathered by a bachelor stallion. Rugged was furious at Snow Shoe’s mother, but he didn’t banish either mare. Captain and Guppy were glad for that. They both enjoyed Snow Shoe’s friendship.

The sun was setting before Rugged returned. Snow Shoes awoke an hour before sunset, the hour the horses called Blue Break because, as it was explained to foals, the blue in the sky was breaking into red and orange and pink. When she awoke, she thanked Captain for letting her rest on him when it was clear he had wanted to get up and play with Guppy. She stood slowly, yawned daintily, shook her little mane elegantly, and pranced towards her mother who groomed her. Guppy watched in awe as she trotted with grace and poise to her mother, each movement like a swan’s dainty dance. Captain nudged his shoulder and laughed.

“She’s pretty perfect isn’t she? That bachelor that is her father was quite a well-built stallion. No wonder her mother chose him over Rugged to father her foals! I mean, Rugged is strong and powerful, but when it comes to looks he could be a chimpanzee! The way his head is too big for his body, his chest is so bulged with muscles it is ugly, the way his mane is matted and flat from so many fights. He isn’t the best choice for looks. For strength, yes. For looks… no. But since he is my father I’ll grow up strong! I mean my mother was pretty enough to give me good looks and amazing strength. When a foal inherits the best from each parent, it is perfect you know? Not all foals get lucky,” Captain said, gazing at Snow Shoes in wonder.

Guppy nodded. He knew he certainly didn’t get looks from either of his parents. But he did get an amazing personality.

“She should be named Swan, or Doe, or something more beautiful than Snow Shoes.” Guppy sucked in a breath.

Captain looked side ways at him. “Snow Shoes is perfect for her! She is pure silky white with creamish colored mane and at each hoof up to her knees is a cream colored sock. Snow Shoes, Snow Socks, it is like the same thing. Perfect for her. Besides, Doe is a stupid name for a WHITE filly. Sure, if she was brown or something, but not her,” Captain said.

“Oh and Guppy is a good name for a black colt? I should be Comet or Cobalt or something less fishy. Besides, a swan is white!” he protested.

Captain snorted. “Whatever. Don’t question names, alright? We can’t change them,” he said, flicking his tail.

Snow Shoes cast a glance over at them from where her mom groomed her, her eyes asking them, begging them, to rescue her.

“What’s the point of grooming ma? The sand will only get all over me again,” Snow Shoes said in her most grown up and elegant voice.

Her mom smiled. “We must always look our best. You are a rare flower, a sparkling gem, you among many mares will always stand out as beautiful! You coat is amazing! But if you don’t groom yourself regularly you won’t look half a good,” her mom said slowly. She had taught Snow Shoes to always speak in clear and musical tones, to impress anyone she talked to. She had high hopes for her daughter to win the heart of a stallion and be stolen from Rugged so she could be in a herd. Rugged would have children with her since she wasn’t related to him, but if her daughter was ever disgraced with such an ugly mate as Rugged… her foals would turn out terrible!

As it was, Snow Shoe’s mother, Dapple, was always watched by Rugged. One more stunt like running off with a more handsome stallion and Rugged woud flip on her. Dapple sighed and finished licking her daughter clean.

Snow Shoes hurried away from her mother, and just as she reached her friends Rugged had returned. “I found food. Not very much food, but it should help us refresh ourselves. And if we continue East we may find more food,” he added.

“Or wander around this place forever and never be free!” Mist screamed, hugging Guppy tightly. Guppy gasped for breath, his cheek puffing up the size of apples. Captain and Snow Shoes giggled at this, for it was a funny sight.

The herd moved out East, all with high hopes for some food.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Three weeks later they were still in the desert with hardly any food or water. Each horse was thin as bones. They were all sure of death. But then Rugged spotted something that made his heart stop in joy. He saw shadow. Off in the distance, far away, he saw a shadow. Narrowing his eyes, he also saw green. He raced his herd forward.

It took two days of hard galloping for them to reach it — a jungle! They were so happy they dropped their heads to graze, and graze, and graze, and graze. Even Rugged forgot about safety. They were all enjoying the grass — sweet, sweet grass — too much to realize that jungles had dangers too.

Suddenly there was a high-pitched scream of a horse crying, followed by the scent of fear, then the stink of something big and hairy and smelly, something that smelled like dead animals.

They all spun around and saw one of the mares, an elder mare, being dragged away by a big spotted cat. It was struggling with the kicking mare, but another big cat jumped out. It was smaller than the first, probably offspring of the bigger one, and soon it would set out on it’s own. But for now it helped it’s mother kill the mare and drag her into a tree. Everyone was too shocked to react.

Finally Snow Shoes blinked and looked at Guppy, who was beside her. He gulped. Captain was stiff legged and staring at the spot the mare use to be. Everyone was blinking slowly. “Back to the desert!” Rugged shouted.

Everyone scrambled over each other. “No! If we go back we’ll die. We need to work together; we can fight those things. We are stronger!” Snow Shoes shouted.

Everyone looked at her. Captain and Guppy pressed close to her, trying to be brave beside her, but both trembled.

Rugged laughed. “Snow Shoes, we can not stay here,” he said.

Snow Shoes sighed. “If we go back to the desert we’ll die. Even if we go back to our old territory, or try to, there isn’t any more food in the desert. The little bits we found… we ate all of it. There is nothing more, Rugged.” She stood up to him, eyes blazing.

Rugged shook his head. “I am in charge here. I need to do what is best for my herd,” he said, swinging his head from side to side to herd the mares back towards the desert.

“Oh you’d be safer in the jungle.” A sleepy monkey from high above yawned.

“How so?” Rugged snapped.

The monkey rolled his eyes in mock boredom. Slowly he decided to answer. His words were drawn out, made to annoy the horses. “Ohhhh, I suppppooosee I’lll tellllll yooooouuu!” he sighed, tossing his head as if it was so hard to tell them anything.

Rugged stomped a hoof. “Tell me!” he shouted.

The monkey chuckled. “Ask me once, ask me twice, I answer only if you ask me nice!” he teased.

Snow Shoes walked up slowly, blinking her eyes, batting her lashes, speaking in her musical and beautiful voice. “Kind monkey, will you not grace us with your help? Will you not help us find sanctuary? We will die without you, we will starve without you; we need your excellent wisdom and ever so awesome help. Will you not help us? In turn, can we not protect you from the dangers that you may find difficult to face on your own? Will we not both profit from each other? Oh wise and beautiful monkey, will you find it in your kind and generous heart to help us?” she asked, batting her lashed a few more times.

Captain and Guppy were wide-eyed, admiring her.

The monkey looked a little puffed up with all the flattery. “Well… I suppose I could open my heart to such a beautiful child. If you find it in your heart to protect me,” he said, looking at Rugged.

The stallion snorted, narrowing his eyes. “We accept any help form you, wise friend, and in turn offer you safe passage to any place you wish us to take you.” Snow Shoes bowed her head and kept it down, flicking her tail at the herd.

Captain and Guppy bowed their heads, trying to flatter the monkey so much that he became proud and haughty and ready to talk. The whole herd bowed, all except Rugged.

“I will tell you, kind white filly, but that stallion can not come. Send him away — let him go to the desert he so much desired. Let him go where he had planned to. Only those who trust me will survive,” he hissed.

Rugged snorted. “As if you would make me leave!” he shouted.

“Show me the respect I deserve, or you will soon find yourself lost and alone,” the monkey sneered.

Rugged laughed. “You and what army?” he asked.

Several more monkeys appeared, carrying rocks to throw at the stallion. He saw the threat, pinned his head back, and slowly bowed.

“One, two, too late for you! Three, four, there’s our door! Holy cow, leave now! Look out below! Our strength will show!” The monkeys all shouted together, throwing rocks at Rugged. He dodged them at first, then when he could no longer, he took off running, into the forest, into the danger.

When he was gone, the monkey laughed, did a handstand, then leaped and landed on Snow Shoe’s back. “There is but one path to the Island of Dreams. Only I know. But to a Pure Heart and kind voice the danger I will show! For it is a terrible danger you must face if to safety you’ll come through! And by and by I will lead, you carry me and I’ll help you!” he giggled.

Snow Shoes smiled in amusement. “You sure like rhymes, friend. Is it very dangerous?” she asked.

The monkey wrapped a arm around her neck and pointed a finger at the paw prints of the big cats that had left. “You will face worse than that!” he chuckled.

“We will face,” Captain said fiercely, standing beside Snow Shoes.

The mares of the herd stood beside her too. “What’s in it for you good one? Where shall we take you?” Snow Shoes asked.

“The Island of Dreams, of course! Always I have wanted to go but never had the courage to show!” the monkey said, sitting down, his tail hanging off of Snow Shoe’s shoulders. His monkey friends all leaped and landed on a horse, some mares even carrying two.

“They all get to come?” Guppy whined.

“We travel as a pack, you travel as a herd,” the monkey shrugged.

“I am Snow Shoes, and what do we call you by?” she asked the monkey.

The monkey chuckled and clapped his hands. “I am simply Sal,” he said, tilting his head to the side. “Now then, forward march,” he shouted.

* * * * * * * * * *

Sal guided the horses to a special place, a large rock covered by vines. He showed them that under one vine was a little rock. Once touched, the rock sunk in and the vines opened a door; a door into a cave lit by lanterns.

“Who did this?” Snow Shoes asked, motioning to the lanterns of fire.

Guppy, afraid, hung close to Snow Shoes. “It is whispered that humans built this place, but what keeps the fire burning? That is the true question,” Sal chuckled in his creepy way.

Snow Shoes pinned back her ears in fear. “This is spooky,” she whispered.

Captain walked a step ahead of her and to her right. “I’ll protect you,” he said in a booming voice that echoed through the cave. “I’LL PROTECT HEEEEEEERRRR!” He shouted into the darkness.

The world began to shake. “What did you do?” Guppy whispered.

The mares in the herd neighed loudly and reared, afraid. The wall shook, rocks fell, the flickering glow of the torches was dying in a rush.

Snow Shoes pinned back her ears and took a step back as a huge rock landed where she used to be. She side stepped to avoid another and knocked into Captain. “It’s all coming down! Run!” she shouted over her shoulder. “Hold on Sal!” She broke into a gallop, the monkey clinging to her neck. She weaved in and out to avoid rocks and things falling around her.

Guppy and Captain were beside her, the herd hot on her heels. Mist was shouting for Guppy to be faster, nipping his flanks. “Come on son, move it!” She pushed him out of the way of a tumbling rock and he screamed.

The cave began to shake harder with all the pounding hooves. The noise of horses echoed back ten times louder, sending the sensitive ears of the foals into pain. The sound of hooves trotting on a stone floor echoed and echoed and echoed. The crumbling walls, the flying dust, the darkness…

Snow Shoes raced towards the little crack of sunlight that she saw up ahead. She made a jump for it, landing just outside the cave. Her feet fought for footing on the slope, trying to keep her from falling back into the cave. She watched in horror as the escape began to be cut off, rocks piling up, mares screaming. “Guppy, Captain, help me!” she shouted.

The three foals and the three monkeys on their backs began moving rocks out of the way. Mist raced out, followed by Dapple, Apple, Silvermist, Rose, and a few other mares. The last one out was a mare called Starry Night, and she was limping, a gash on her leg where a rock had hit her.

She was moving too slow, the rocks would close off her escape. “HURRY!” Snow Shoes shouted.

Starry Night looked up. “I can’t make it,” she whispered.

“No!” Snow Shoes shouted. She looked around, desperate, but rocks were falling faster than the herd could move them. Finally she spotted a large stick. She shoved it under some rocks and jumped on it, sending a few rocks flying behind her. It wasn’t much, but it helped buy the mare time. She pushed herself, injured leg and all, and made it through the closing gap with seconds to spare.

Panting, she looked at Snow Shoes. “I… w-wouldn’t have made it without y-you,” she whispered.

Snow Shoes, equally out of breath, nodded instead of talking.

“You were brave!” Guppy gasped, looking at Snow Shoes with wide eyes full of admiration. Snow Shoes smiled. “We must keep moving, the night will find us soon and the jungle is dangerous at night,” he whispered in Snow Shoe’s ear.

“Come on,” she said, gulping a breath of air. “We must move on.” She pushed to the head of her herd, Guppy and Captain close beside her. Starry Night was taking up the rear. “Mist, ma, can you get behind Starry Night? We must keep the weakest member in the middle of the herd. We dont’ want to loose anyone,” Snow Shoes said over her shoulder.

Captain and Guppy hurried to help, both eager to impress Snow Shoes.

She didn’t know where she had gotten it from, but Snow Shoes seemed to know how to take care of the now leaderless herd. She held her head high, defying danger to swallow her up.

“STOP!” Sal shouted, leaping back to Snow Shoe’s flanks, away from the ground in front of the filly.

“What? What?” Snow Shoes asked, looking around bewildered.

“If you take one more step the ground will swallow you up!” Sal said in a chittering kind of voice as he jumped up and down on her back.

“Swallow me up?” Snow Shoes asked, lowering her nose to sniff the ground.

Sal made monkey noises and did weird things nervously with his hands. “It smells like… sand and mud?” she asked looking over her shoulder.

Dapple sucked in a breath. “Sinking sand,” she said solemnly.

Everyone lowered their heads in sadness. They’d never get through! There was no way around. They were on a narrow trail with a huge rock wall on either side, and no way to climb over the walls. There were plenty of trees around and the canopies of the trees blocked anything from getting in by climbing the other side. The only way into the trail was through the tunnel. Snow Shoes swallowed nervously.

“We have to go through,” Guppy said, eyes flashing white.

“Let me try first,” Apple said boldly. “It may not be deep,” she added, pushing past other mares to come to the front. She shoved one paw in and felt the power of the pit. Slowly her foot got sucked in deeper. She struggled to free her foot from the sand, but it was pulling her down like a dead weight. “No! Help!” she shouted.

Snow Shoes was frantic. “Help her!” she screamed.

Captain and Guppy picked up a huge stick together and struggled to wedge it under the mare’s sinking hoof. They had little room to move, with the trees pressing them close to the pit. They struggled to keep from falling themselves, while working to position the stick just right.

The two monkeys on Apple’s back were screaming and jumping, trying to help any way they could. One of them had a baby clinging to her back.

“Calm down everyone! If we panic Apple will be lost!” Snow Shoes demanded.

The monkeys stopped jumping and blinked at her.

“Right then. Sal can you find some vines up in those trees?” she asked.

Sal leaped from her back onto a tree and began climbing. “I will look,” he promised. The other monkeys in his pack followed.

“Captain, Guppy, keep working that stick. Ma, can you help me find another stick? We may need one on both sides.”

Dapple looked at Mist. “You and I can work together. Let Snow Shoes try to help with the vines she told the monkeys to get.”

Mist nodded, looking at her son with displeasure. He didn’t pay any attention to her ‘don’t do anything dangerous’ look.

The monkeys came down with seven thick vines. “Tie it around her belly. Under and over, and wrap around her shoulders,” Snow Shoes directed, showing them exactly where to do it.

They nodded and set to work as a team. Captain and Guppy called out. “We got it underneath her hoof!” Snow Shoes nodded.

Apple was knee deep in it, with three feet out of the pit, one in. The monkeys worked fast. They tied it off and nodded.

Snow Shoes sucked in a breath. “Mom? Mist? Have you got it?” she asked.

The two mares nodded, signaling they too had wedged the log under the hoof.

“Push!” Snow Shoes directed.

The horses all struggled to push the hoof up. Slowly it came out of the pit, gooey and sticky sand clinging to the leg. Apple pulled her hardest, everyone pushed their hardest. The monkeys watched nearby.

Finally they had her out. She panted. “What of these vines?” she asked Snow Shoes.

“I was afraid the sticks would snap,” the foal admitted. Apple nearly fainted at this. “Untie them please, and tie it to me,” she said.

The monkeys nodded and were quick about this. “What for?” Guppy asked nervously.

“I have a plan to get us over there. I am the lightest member in the herd,” Snow Shoes said, lifting her nose. Captain looked at her for a long time then nodded. “Find long sticks that can reach all the way across the pit. Make a bridge,” Snow Shoes said.

All the members of the herd searched. It would take quite a stick to reach all the way across the pit.

Mist, Dapple and Apple worked together to knock down a young but thick tree. They had it fall across the pit, forming a section of the bridge. Other mares got the idea and began falling small trees and dragging them over to the pit. Everyone worked together until they had most of the pit packed with logs.

“Sal, take your pack and go to the other side with the vine ends. Try to swing me over. I can’t jump the whole pit by myself, but if you swing me half the way and I walk on the bridge that should get me across. I don’t know if you’ll be strong enough so I’ll do my best to jump from the logs,” Snow Shoes said.

Sal saluted her, then hopped on a tree and scurried across the pit. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Snow Shoes walked on the first tree. It made a snapping sound and she leaped to the next, a thicker one. It held her, but she was nervous. She walked to the next, which began rolling slightly, making Snow Shoes walk to keep from plunging to her death.

She took another step and reached the end of her bridge. With a deep breath, she leaped into the air and the monkeys pulled hard, swinging her forward. Her hooves fought the air, trying to help the struggling monkeys. She landed on solid ground with an inch to spare between her and death. She breathed in relief.

“Send Captain over. It may take both of us to get Guppy. Then we’ll need your help getting an older horse over,” she said.

“Ah, so you plan to use three foals to get an adult horse over? And a few monkeys? Sister, you’re crazy,” Sal said.

Snow Shoes nodded. “I know. If I choose the wrong adult… someone could die,” she whispered.

“We are all thin. Except for Guppy,” Captain called from across the pit.

“Untie me,” Snow Shoes said.

Sal yawned and tossed his hand. “Orders ma’am?” he asked, blinking.

Snow Shoes pretended to be embarrassed. “Oh, I am sorry. I forgot that I am just a foal. Please, Sal and monkeys, would you please help us? Will you untie me and help me get Captain over here?” she asked politely.

“Assume nothing, little sister. We don’t help you just because you’ll help us. We don’t take orders. But since you asked with manners we’ll help,” Sal said, motioning to his family to oblige the filly.

It took a lot of work on the foal’s part to swing the smallest adult, Starry Night, over. Once over, Starry Night threw her weight to get Mist across, then they all worked to help more and more horses over.

Finally every single horse had made it safely. They landed in a patch of grass, not very tall for the sun hardly hit it, but enough to feed them.

“We will rest here,” Snow shoes decided. “We all need rest.” She looked at Sal. “Is it safe here?” she asked.

Sal was lying on a branch on his back, one foot propped on his knee, his hands behind his head, his eyes closed lazily. “One way in, one way out, no other way, without a doubt. What you see is what there is, tree and leaf that the earth gives.” He yawned in mock boredom.

“Meaning?” Snow Shoes asked.

But Sal was done cooperating for the day. He curled up and pretended to sleep.

“One way in, one way out. No other way without a doubt,” Captain whispered to Snow Shoes.

“That means that nothing could get in unless it followed us or is already here. Nothing could have followed us and survived, right?” she asked. “Unless it is a fly.”

Guppy laughed. The three formed a tight circle and whispered together while some adults drifted to sleep.

“One way out… but couldn’t something get in from the way out?” Snow Shoes asked.

“There is ONE way in,” Captain hissed.

“But there is a way out. Certainly if something can get out it can also get in?” she asked.

Guppy shrugged. “Maybe you have to open a door or something to get out, a door that can only be opened from the inside?” he suggested.

Snow Shoes rolled her eyes. “A door? In a place like this?” she asked.

Guppy yawned. “It could happen,” he insisted, drifting into sleep.

“If there is something in here, I don’t want to be sleeping when it shows up,” Snow Shoes said, narrowing her eyes.

Captain stood beside her, tall and proud. “Don’t worry, I’ll pro— we can both keep watch,” he said, deciding that she didn’t really need protection. She was a smart cookie, for a girl anyway.

As day faded into night, Snow Shoes shivered in the eerie forest type place. There was no light, no stars to be seen, no crickets chirping, no lightning bugs fluttering about. “There must truly be only one way in… a way that is now closed off. This place will be forever lonely, a ghost of what is supposed to be,” she whispered, yawning. The night was not cold, but something about that place made Snow Shoes very cold indeed. Something creepy…

* * * * * * * * *

“WAKE UP! Wake up! Wake up says I! Time to go, what do ya know? Time to run, to fly!” Sal shouted, pounding Snow Shoes’ shoulder.

Snow Shoes awoke with a start and looked around. Little rays of light peeked through the canopy of trees. She got to her feet and stretched, her tongue rolling out in a yawn.

“Move on, move on, move on I say!” Sal said, jumping up and down on her back.

“The herd must eat first,” Snow Shoes said.

Sal shrugged. “Suit yourself, but I say we should move. Doesn’t anyone listen to monkeys anymore? Next time you need me I just won’t listen to you..,” he said, plugging his ears.

Snow Shoes rolled her eyes. Captain nudged her shoulder. “You okay?” he asked.

“No! I didn’t ask for this, to lead I mean. Sal just chose to stay on my back. I can’t be the leader of a herd, Captain. I am a foal! I can’t do this. Maybe I should ask Sal to choose another horse to ride? I just am not…”

Sal cut her off. “I chose you! I chose you! No other will I ride! I have picked you out, without a doubt, no other will I guide!” he said.

“It’s a straight path Sal, we don’t need you anymore,” Captain snapped his teeth.

“Straight is it?” Sal sneered.

“Captain! He saved our lives many times. Without him we’d be in the desert or in the jungle or even in that pit, suffocating. We owe him more than what you suggest. But Sal, I am not a leader,” Snow Shoes said.

“I know what I see when I look at you.” Sal winked.

“Oh yes, wise monkey, so deep and filling, so wise and powerful! We know that you peer right into our souls and pick us for our worth! We KNOW you see everything and know all! We know you chose her for a reason!” Captain mockingly bowed.

Sal crossed his arms. “You don’t think I can see what a person’s heart holds?” he asked.

Captain laughed. “YOU? You are just a monkey, not some special powered creature with the ability to judge someone’s charter!” he said laughing.

Snow Shoes growled. “Shut up Captain, we need him,” she shouted.

Guppy trotted over just in time to see Snow Shoes storm away. “Wow dude, you blew it,” he said, nudging Captain.

Captain stood wide mouthed, looking at Snow Shoes walk away. “Ya know, I used to think she was helpless,” he said, shaking his head.

“Stupid thought,” Guppy laughed. “Maybe Sal knows what he is doing… he is making a leader out of her.”

The herd moved on. All day they climbed rocks and veered off the path into a place of shadow. Not a sound was in that place, not even the hoof beats of the horses. Everyone was afraid to talk, like their voice would be snatched from them if they dared. They passed that place quickly, no one touching a piece of grass from it’s ground.

Then they came to a river, a beautiful and welcoming sight indeed. They were about to drink when Sal called out “STOP! Do not touch the water!” They all looked at him like he was mad. “Danger lies in the water,” he insisted.

“He’s been right before,” Apple called out.

“We need to get across the lake don’t we?” Snow Shoes asked.

“Ah, but maybe we don’t cross the lake. Maybe we go through the lake?” he asked.

“What?” Snow Shoes asked. “There is a way to avoid the water, to go underneath the water. But only a certain rock can open this. You must find the Rainbow Rock to open the door.” Sal chuckled.

“Alright everyone, spread out. Find that rock,” Dapple said.

Everyone did spread out. All day they looked for that rock. The monkeys even helped. But no one found it. They had to stop to bandage Starry Night’s foot with some huge leaves and vine. The monkeys were excellent at this. Finally they gave up for the night and went to sleep.

“What is in the water?” Snow Shoes asked Sal.

“Fish, fish with teeth and an appetite for meat,” Sal whispered.

In the middle of the night Snow Shoes awoke from a dream. She heard a voice in her head, faintly calling out to her. Slowly she stood. She began walking in a direction, but paused when she saw Sal sitting on a rock, his back to her. “Only a Pure Heart can find the Rainbow Rock ,” he said to himself. “I had hoped one heart here would be pure! But no, not one is! Not one! We’ll die here,” he whispered.

Snow Shoes only heard pure heard, Rainbow Rock , and die. She sucked in a breath and veered away from him, intolerant of his rhymes and riddles at the moment. She wandered through the forest, stopping when she reached the rock wall. She just walked and walked, gathering some fruit for the monkeys to eat and nibbling at the grass. Finally she returned to the group to sleep.

When dawn broke Captain complained that his hoof hurt. Sal hopped over to his foot and sat on the ground. “Let me look,” he offered.

Captain lifted his hoof tenderly. Sal held it in his tiny hand and peered in. A bunch of rocks were wedged in his hoof. “You stepped somewhere boy,” he laughed.

Captain whimpered, not amused.

“You did this didn’t you?” Guppy asked Sal. “I saw you collecting rocks last night,” he added when everyone looked at him.

“He gets what he deserves,” Sal chuckled, hopping a few steps away.

Snow Shoes sniffed Captain’s foot. “Let me try to get them out,” she said. She raised her lip and used her teeth to wiggle the biggest out. It came out easily. She began working with patience and care, finally coming to the last rock. As soon as she breathed on it, it fell from his foot and began to glow.

Snow Shoes sniffed the rock and it began to shimmer. She heard it whispering. But she couldn’t understand the words. She put her nose closer. “Awake! Speak!” she whispered.

Everyone watched as the rock began flashing rainbow colors, then lifting into the air. They all heard it whisper then they saw the lake being raised up. “Pass beneath the lake!” the rock said.

Snow Shoes led the horses where the lake used to be. They looked up and saw toothy fish watching them, unable to get at them. They walked where the water used to be, on soggy ground, avoiding plants and things. The Rainbow Rock floated by Snow Shoe’s head, whispering to her. Sal rubbed his hands together. A Pure Heart! He was right about this filly, she was destined for great things.

When they had crossed, the stone dropped the water back where it had been and fell. Snow Shoes caught it, unsure why, and carried it in her mouth for the rest of the trip.

They walked all day until they came to the edge of a sandy beach, the ocean surrounding them. “Where is the island?” Guppy asked.

“Where can it be?” Mist panicked.

Sal laughed. “One two, I trick you! Three four, there is no door! The island is not here, the island is not there, the island, it only seems, isn’t anywhere!” he laughed.

Snow Shoes wanted to cry. She looked at him in anger. “You lied! You brought us here to die!” she shouted.

“The island is, and isn’t, it never was, and has yet to be. Only a heart so pure could bring it here, one with a great destiny!” he said.

“Enough of your lies!” Snow Shoes shouted. She moved off towards a high cliff, needing to be alone.

Sal watched her go. “Will she figure it out?” His mate, Shela asked. “Will she sacrifice it?” she asked.

Sal looked at her. “I do not know, if not then there is no future,” he whispered.

Captain followed Snow Shoes. He stood beside her. “Snow Shoes, if we don’t make it…” he trailed off and looked at the ocean.

She followed his gaze, tears in her eyes. “There is nothing left for us Captain! No food on this side of the river! We will die!” she shouted to the world.

Captain pressed close to her, trying to comfort her. “But it seemed to be perfect! You found the rock! Sal said it only seems the island isn’t here! He said ‘only a heart so pure could bring it here.’ Maybe the island is far away and someone must bring it closer?” he suggested.

Snow Shoes cried. “The island is and isn’t, it NEVER was and has yet to be! Don’t you see? There is no island! It was a lie!” she shouted.

Captain nuzzled her gently. “Snow Shoes… if we are going to die I want you to know that… I love you,” he whispered.

Snow Shoes looked at him gently. “I have always loved you too Captain, always,” she said, her tears drying.

“If we survive then we’ll be together forever,” Captain said, rubbing noses with her.

“Forever!” she whispered.

Captain picked up the Rainbow Rock that had been dropped so they could talk. He held it up and before their eyes. It formed a perfect heart with a hole at the top. They both gasped.

Captain reached down for a piece of sea grass and strung the heart through it, then placed it around Snow Shoes’ neck. “My heart belongs to you,” he whispered.

Snow Shoes smiled softly. “Only a pure hear can find the Rainbow Rock!” The rock whispered in her head.

But I found it, she thought back to it.

“Only a Pure Heart can bring the island,” the rock whispered back.

“But I can’t bring an island!” Snow Shoes protested.

“A Pure Heart…” the stone trailed off, leaving her confused.

Then her eyes widened with realization, and she knew what she had to do.

Snow Shoes looked at Captain. She had to make a sacrifice, the greatest ever. She closed her eyes, a tear sliding down her cheek. “No Captain, we will never be together. Keep your heart; give it to someone else. I can not ever be with you,” she whispered.

“Why?” Captain asked, frowning.

“I think I am suppose to make the island. And I… I just have this feeling that to do so I have to give up you, Guppy, mom, everything. You understand don’t you? Give your heart to someone who can be with you, but take mine,” she said, nuzzling him.

“Snow Shoes, I will never give my heart to another. It belongs to you, and only you,” he whispered.

Snow Shoes smiled, despite her misty eyes.

“Then I will keep it safe. I will cherish your love as you cherish mine. Look to the stars, Captain, and know we see the same ones.”

She took a step away from him, towards the cliff ledge. Closing her eyes she began to craft the island out of bits and pieces of sand she found in the ocean. Once she had a big piece of land started she made trees and plants grow, brought fresh water, added beautiful things beyond imagination.

As she shaped the island, something was shaping her. The Rainbow Rock was flashing again around her neck. The seaweed string turned into a beautiful silver necklace with a thick design to hold it forever around her neck. She grew taller, sleeker, more beautiful with a long mane and bright blue eyes. Her whole body shone a perfect white, the cream colored shoes at her feet turning to white as well.

When she was done making the island, the last thing happened to her. Her eyes still closed, she thought about Captain’s love. She began to move the herd to a peaceful place, away from the island, to a place of safety. She kept Captain by her side a bit longer, and a glowing horn grew on her head — the first unicorn ever.

She opened her eyes and looked at Captain. “The island is made, but you cannot go, yet. It is… a place for you, for everyone, once they die,” she whispered.

Captain leaned close to her. “For all horse kind. And monkeys, and all animals,” she continued.

Captain smiled. “I love you Snow Shoes, always,” he said.

Snow Shoes grinned. “You are my most beautiful thought, Captain.” She kissed his nose then sent him away to be with the herd.

Looking at the sea, she screamed, a whinny echoing through the world. She was the first Pure Heart, but there would be many more. It was now her duty to live forever, guiding the Pure Hearts to their destiny! It was her oath, her born destiny! Snow Shoes the unicorn would lead every Pure Heart in history. They would find their true destiny, whether human or beast, and then they would die and go to the Island of Dreams, and there they would live on forever, happy and free.

She whinnied again, for everyone, for everything, for love and life itself, before vanishing into the air. She was watching, waiting for the next Pure Heart to be born. And she wouldn’t find one for years and years to come, but she’d watch over her old herd until duty called on her to help a Pure Heart.

Snow Shoes sighed in contentment. She sacrificed ever being with a herd, ever being normal, to create a place for those passed away to go. She was proud. Sad, but proud.