Free Angel and the Flying Stallions by Stacy Gregg Page B

hoofbeats behind her. She was terrified that Storm would lose his cool for a second time and she’d be embroiled in a fight once more.
    “You go ahead!” Alfie yelled at Issie. “The mares will follow you – I’ll drive them from the back!”
    Issie didn’t need to be told twice. She aimed Stormat the entrance to the gorge and galloped him hard. As they entered the narrow gorge she felt a rising wave of panic. What if the black stallion attacked from behind? She would have no way to escape; nowhere to run. She was relieved when she checked over her shoulder and saw that only the mares were following her. Alfie was right behind them too and the black stallion was nowhere to be seen. He must have given up the fight and turned to follow his bachelor gang in the opposite direction instead.
    Issie was shaking with fear and didn’t dare slow down out of a canter, even through the twistiest bits of the gorge. By the time she emerged out the other side, she was shaking with exhaustion and Storm was quivering and wet with sweat.
    “Are you OK?” Alfie asked. He looked as traumatised as she felt.
    “They came out of nowhere,” Issie began, “and Storm wouldn’t listen. He just wanted to fight and…”
    “It’s OK,” Alfie told her. “They’re gone now.”
    But it wasn’t OK, and they both knew it. The stallions had gone all right – but they had taken Margarita, the favourite mare of El Caballo Danza Magnifico, with them.

Chapter 8
    The sound of horses’ hooves clattering across the cobbles in the courtyard brought Roberto and Avery running.
    “What happened?” Roberto asked as Issie and Alfie pulled their horses up in front of the hacienda. “You were supposed to take these mares to the upper pastures.”
    “We did,” Alfie said, vaulting down off Victorioso, “but we ran into trouble.”
    “Vega’s men?” Roberto asked.
    “No,” Alfie shook his head. “Not men. Horses. The three bachelor stallions. They came out of nowhere in broad daylight and raided the mares…” Alfie paused, terrified to say the next words, “…they took Margarita.”
    Roberto Nunez’s expression turned stony.
    “Dad, we tried to get her back,” Alfie stammered, “but there were three of them. Storm tried to fight and Issie was barely able to hold him. I had the rest of the mares to think about…”
    “…and so you ran?” Roberto looked sternly at his son. Then he reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. “Well done. You did the right thing. One bachelor stallion is a treacherous proposition. To take on three of them in a fight would have been madness. You might have lost all our mares, or worse, you might have lost a life.”
    “A wild stallion should never be confronted,” Avery agreed. “You did the right thing getting out of there.” He turned to Issie. “You’re not hurt?”
    Issie shook her head. “I’m fine, Tom,” she said. “It was a bit scary for a moment there. Storm tried to fight the black stallion, I couldn’t control him.”
    “That was quite a technique you used to get away!” Alfie told her.
    “You mean the monster kick I gave him?” Issie looked embarrassed. “Tom, I’m sorry, but I had to use the pony-club kick!”
    Alfie looked blank so Avery explained, “It’s a viciouswallop with your boots into your pony’s side that I refer to as ‘the evil pony-club kick’.”
    “And it’s totally outlawed to kick your pony like that at Chevalier Point Pony Club,” Issie continued.
    “I’ll let you off this time,” Avery said, “since it seems to have saved your life.”
    “I suppose you don’t have a lot of wild stallions to escape from at pony club,” Alfie said.
    “No, but occasionally we need to get away from Natasha Tucker!” Issie grinned.
    “What is a Natasha Tucker?” Alfie asked.
    “Come on,” Issie said, “I’ll tell you all about her while we untack the horses.”
    Mrs Brown had been shocked when she heard about Issie’s close call with the stallions.