Free The Palomino Pony Runs Free by Olivia Tuffin

they were back at the yard, Lily safely tucked up in her stable. There was just no way she could catch up with her pony, and the road was only a few hundred metres ahead. Lily was trotting at a steadier pace now. Exhausted, Georgia slowed. She was panting hard, her breath hanging in the cold, crisp air. She had to keep going.
    She had a flashback to the day that she and Dan had followed Lily over the Welsh mountainside, when they had attempted to rescue her from Jemma, her former owner. But that was different; Lily had been running in a blind panic, full of fear. She seemed much calmer this time, never going too far from Georgia. It was totally out of character. It was almost as though she knew where she was heading.
    Rounding the final bend, Georgia’s heart was in her mouth as she heard cars and lorries whizzing by on the road. Although it was a country road, it was one of the main routes towards Redgrove and the surrounding villages, and it could get very busy. She cried with relief when she saw that the big wooden gates leading on to the bridleway were firmly closed, and even better, that Lily had come to a trembling halt in front of them.
    “Lily!” Georgia’s breath was coming out in greatheaving rasps now, tears streaking her face as she stumbled towards her pony, her legs buckling beneath her. Despite the chill, she was boiling hot under her jacket, but shivering with shock. Quickly getting hold of the little palomino’s reins, she leaned her head against Lily’s neck and cried for a few seconds into her creamy mane, feeling sick. She would never have forgiven herself if anything had happened to her beloved pony.
    Lily blew into her hair before raising her head again and gazing into the distance. Every hair on her body seemed to twitch as she waved her delicate head from side to side, snorting.
    “Lily, my darling…” Whispering gently to her, Georgia decided it would be safest to get back on, rather than risk losing the pony again if she plunged away. Swinging herself back into the saddle, her legs still trembling violently, she was just about to nudge the little mare back upthe hill, when all of a sudden Lily quivered and let out a shrill high- pitched whinny, her nostrils flaring. And there, in return came a shrill answer, almost like an echo. Dancing from side to side, Lily repeated her call and, again, the same urgent cry came back. It was another pony, and it didn’t sound far away!

    Trying to get her bearings, Georgia looked around her. She knew that Redgrove lay on the other side of the hill, and that she wasn’t far away by road. It looked familiar. Suddenly she realised: she had been here before, on the way back from the saddler’s – the day Melanie had bought her the lucky silver tie pin. The cottage, beyond the road on the opposite side, was Will’s old house! And what’s more, the shrill whinny was coming directly from the property.
    Thinking fast, Georgia checked her jacket pocketfor her mobile phone. Thankfully, she hadn’t left it in the tack room. Nudging Lily forwards, she leaned down and opened the gate that led them on to the bridleway, and on to the verge. Steadying the little palomino, Georgia waited, her heart in her mouth, for a clear moment to cross the road.
    A car zipped by them at speed, followed by a van. Lily backed up nervously. Eventually the road was clear and Georgia urged Lily on at a trot, crossing over and reaching the long drive, just as another car flew past.
    “Good girl, good brave girl.” Georgia praised Lily as much as she could, knowing that the little mare was still nervous about roads. Yet now it was Lily who was eager to continue, her stride lengthening as they walked purposefully down the drive towards the cottage, and towards the shrill whinny that sounded much clearer now.
    The house was still deserted, as it had been theday Georgia had passed it with Melanie. Straining her ears, she realised the whinny was coming from the outbuildings, which lay