He never had a chance... ( oPeN )

[janoah]

"And now you'll lead the way

Show the light of day

Nice work you did

You're gonna go far, kid

Trust, deceived!"

Odd looking horse was led toward the dreaded auction place with a firmly attached shackle to his one foreleg, while the chain was held in the teeth of a wolf, one of his Master's most obedient slaves. Horse didn't even try to talk, bargain, or barter with the canine, he knew the wolf wouldn't change his mind once his Master had made it up for him.

Wolf trotted past Wolf Rock and up toward the Horse Head Field, not that any of these terms were familiar with the unique looking stallion. Wolf headed toward the back of the auction ground, at the grunt and nod of a guard, where an oval ring had been forced into the ground by the many pounding hooves of the horses whom were forced to run around it, showing off their mastery of the skill of speed.

Shun jerked his head up, heart both lit up and dulled at the sight of what he was supposed to do- Race. Brain knew he wasn't any good at the little rings, but only the larger rings. He couldn't turn good enough down at the little mud holes, he tried to speak to the wolf and tell him that but only got the note of a growl, which had been his name, and raised hackles.

"I'm no good at these types of rings... Let me show you what I can do on the big rings..."

"Shun."

He then dipped his head and bobbed along beside the wolf when the warning was repeated with more vigor when he tried to communicate once more. Coming up to the ring there were three other horses, two chestnuts and a dapple gray, then there was himself. He eyed each of his opponents and sighed, these were about his own level, and knew he'd have to really push himself if he wanted to win and show his Master's Slave what he could do. Then that good word would travel back to his Master and he'd come down to collect him and probably some other slaves as the prize.

Shackle was undone and he dipped his head and trotted off toward the crudely drawn line in the muddy ground. His skin shivered, he made an odd sight against the everyday-ness of the chestnuts and the dapple gray-

Black traced itself up and down his back, starting at just before his ears and ending just before his tail bone. The rest of him was as white as a dove's breast, and the top of him was as dark as a raven's wing.

Coming to a pacing stop just behind the childish drawn line, Shun snorted and bowed his neck, sizing up the track and noted that it was the type of stuff that crammed itself up in his hooves and then flew out in a big compressed clump of cupped dirt. Shun closed his eyes and tried to settle the mad nervous beating of his heart, his ears flickered then pinned and pink nostrils flared outward with an exhaling of breath.

"GO!"

Word was barked savagely at the contestants, by a wolf as black as ink at midnight, and each one of the racers balked at the suddenness of it all, but they all surged forward as one. Hooves wishing for traction and minds were all at the finish line, urging their bodies forward and onward. The dapple gray immediately fell behind and one of the chestnuts took the lead, Shun paced himself and took second as the other chestnut coasted along behind him.

The corner was reached in less than a minute and each horse strained to keep their balance and each one barely did, striving toward the goal that might be their freedom. Shun felt himself slipping away and he slowed himself down with considerable effort and surged forward again as the course straightened out. He felt the chestnut was still with him and the dapple gray hadn't made any change, the leading chestnut though wasn't making any headway either.

Surging ahead, black and white stallion felt himself sailing over the finish line as it approached him. White tail flagged out behind him, like a white flag of surrender though he felt that he could win it. His mane fluttered in the air like a black sign of ill-being.

Not even half-way to the finish line, Shun felt his mind wandering away from the race and he surged away from his past and present problems...

Questions, like snow, flurried around in his mind all wanting an answer but none could really help him even if they were answered. He raced away from his enslavement, cursed his father for dumping him and his mother for not standing up to his Master whom had forcefully trained him to race and come back to the winner's circle, if not- there was always a beating in store for him. Even if he had won, there was most often a beating in store for what he didn't do and what he did wrong and what he should've done. Shun didn't know where he was, and he was sure that he had seen his Master's Slave wolf leaving him once the race had started.

The realization hit him: he had been dumped at the small, mud track with nowhere to go. They both thought he'd lose and they'd be rid of him.

Shun's mind jolted back as the Chestnut, that was behind him, suddenly bumped his hindquarters causing him to stumble and barely miss going down under the dapple gray whom had caught up during his little runaway day-dreaming. He quickly regained himself but it was too late- the chestnuts had come in first, second, then him- loosing by a the hair on a flea's nose to the straggling dapple gray. His ears pinned and he dropped himself down to a forcefully collected trot, head crooked tightly and he breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath. His once clean form was covered in muddy grit and dirt- oh, yes, and his Master's Slave had gone off. Leaving him alone, going around the track, cooling himself off.

Alone. Truly and utterly alone.

He felt shunned, and indeed he had been. His name was Shun. It was his destiny it seemed, if there was such thing was momentary depression- he had it bad.

Shun drifted back toward where he had been released form his shackle and he felt it there once again. Placed there by the black wolf, Shun felt his leaden tongue move.

"I'm not leaving with the winner's Master? This wasn't a win-all race?"

The wolf humored him, and answered very truthfully, too truthfully, "Ha! Nah, you're at one of the worst places a Slave like you could be at. Horse Head Auction. A Master will pick you out from this crazy lot, and you'll be as happy as a squished bug on the side-walk when you finally get picked out and taken home."

[/b]

The guard led him back to the auction rock slowly, the chain clinked and the stallion stood his ground- ignorant of the bristling guard- and looked back at the track with might-have-been sadness. Shun sighed then turned and followed the guard back up to the front of the action, the crowd that had been watching the racers go around their intended course was almost gone, mingling back to the front group. Most of them having bet silently on the outcome of the race, who'd win or who'd lose, he didn't dare think of what would happen to him if they had bet on him to win. Usually some came back and with his ex-Master, gave him his daily beating.

His head sunk lower, but his heart sank even lower, and he closed his eyes, stilling himself as so he wouldn't hear the clinking of his chain or the torrent of complaints that rained down upon him from one or two betters that had chosen him to win. Hunched shoulders, lowered head and dull eyes stated his current mood and disposition-

Oh, isn't it wonderful to be a slave in this cruel, loving world?

Word Count: 1362 Broke my record![/blockquote][/blockquote][/size]

[Bengal Brat]

Razzle Dazzle
Don't underestimate me...

Slipping easily over the rocks that cut Auction Rock in half, splitting the wolves away from the equines, was a wolf. Wait... a wolf? Wasn't it against the "rules" for anyone who was not a horse to be over here? Probably, but did this canine care? Nope. Not really. Head and tail high with the authority of a master, even though she really wasn't one, the snow white goddess of a wolfess loped over to a small ring where a small group of horses was racing. One in particular caught her eye; he was half black and half white, most unusual in her book. He may not be the fastest, but he sure looks strong... Raz couldn't keep the admiration for him out of her eyes. The stallion, although he had lost, had certainly put everything he had into what the race, only to be pushed around by another wolven. Hmmm... That meant that Razzle Dazzle shouldn't have any trouble with him. The last thing she needed was to anger a horse who could easily beat her to pulp with a single massive blow from their hooves.

When the losing stallion was finally chained to a good sized rock in the center of the mucky clearing, Raz trotted over to him, a kind smile present on her face, eyes bright. She truly looked like one of those rare kind masters, although she was nothing but a low-life slave herself. Stupid Beast... he thinks I'm worthless? Hah! I'll show him! What would her "master" say when the fae brought home a powerful stallion? She could picture his mouth drop and his eyes bulge. Hah... like that would ever happen! However... proving Beast wrong was not her only reason for trying to claim this slave; no sir-ee! What Raz really wanted to do now was help the poor, uncared for stallion out of this pit of despair. But... would she only be bringing him to somewhere worse? Probably not, because even a thick-headed brute such as the new alpha of Solita Forest would know well enough not to challenge someone who could bash his head in and kill him as if they were just swatting at a pesky fly.

"Greetings, stallion. I'm Razzle Dazzle. What is your calling, and would you care to accompany me on my long journey home?"

Home. Yeah right... Solita Forest was no longer her home, now that Malou was gone and Beast had moved in. His name explained what the wolf was, too: a beast.

...You don't know what you're up against

[misty]

Phantom's Shadow
^{Stand down, fool.}

<sup>A lone black mare stood on the edge of a crowd. Her gaze was fixed on the horses in the center - the large stallions pounding the turf with all their might in an effort to cross the finish line first. The vixen nodded approvingly as one pulled into the lead, then hissed with displeasure as he was rammed into the mud by another. She could hear other masters shout complaints at the race official and silently agreed with them. The black-and-white should have won.

But there would be no changing to official's mind. The femme look on the still-ranting stallions with disdain, knowing they fought a losing battle. Holding her head high with personal pride, she pranced past them into the slave area. The male had interested her, and she wanted to get a closer look at him. It just so happened that her herd was in need of stallions and she would be more than happy to find one that was built for speed.

The ebony mare stopped with a snort as a wolf rushed past her. With surprise she watched as the vix ran up to the slave she had been heading toward and offer him a home. Surprise turned to rising anger as the wolf spoke. The charcoal witch was none other than Phantom's Shadow, the haughty leader of dark Vitra, and she would not have her selected slave be stolen form her by some lowly wolf. Marching up to them, Phantom placed herself between the silly female and the slave.

"You forget your place, wolf. Your 'power' extends over only your own kind." Phantom stared down her nose the small creature before finishing her speech. "This slave has already been claimed. I suggest you try Wolf Rock."

Turning her back on the vixen, the mare faced the black-and-white stallion. He had the build of a racer, that was sure. Running her piercing gaze over him, Phantom could detect no defects, although it was hard to see anything beneath the mud which coated his body. All in all, he looked healthy and able.

"That race was yours, even you did not cross the finish line first. I am Phantom's Shadow, and I think you will be very happy in Vitra. All I require is your name, and you can leave this sink-hole."

Speaking as if the stallion was already coming with her, Phantom definitely though it so. The wolf was just a tiny shadow in her memory now - unimportant and certainly not a threat. The femme had probably already ran back home, tail between her legs. No wolf would ever intimidate Phantom's Shadow, Queen of the World in her own mind.</sup>

[janoah]

Shun sighed desperately trying to shrink into the background, not really wanting to know how his day would continue on or end. It hadn't started well, so what would ever make a bad day into a good day? Ice cream? ... Maybe. But it would probably be covered with dirt, or have it tipped over by some person who was having an even worse day. Oh, that would be better. Knowing that somewhere else in the world, or close by, was somebody else having an even worse day than he.

Ears quivered at the sound of approaching steps, though they were light and dainty, fairy-ish almost they were so light. Stallion did not want to talk to anyone at that moment an time but a light voice rang out, so different from the harsh gruff voices around coming from the guards and Masters that the voice seemed unreal.

"Greetings, stallion. I'm Razzle Dazzle. What is your calling, and would you care to accompany me on my long journey home?"

He blinked, inside grudgingly protesting that he turn and accept the fact that someone was talking to him nicely, Shun found himself craning his neck over a little ways to his left and found a wolf staring at him kindly. Brilliantly white in amongst the muck and grime around him, including himself all covered in slick mud and grit. She seemed unreal amongst the crime that was going on, and something inside told him she was not a Master. But he denied it strongly and lifted his head an inch, almost taking it for a dream.

"Greetings, Razzle," was all that he managed before his head raised in surprise, even taking a step back, as a pure ebony mare placed herself between the wolf and himself.

"You forget your place, wolf. Your 'power' extends over only your own kind. ... This slave has already been claimed. I suggest you try Wolf Rock."

Not a single bone in his body told him that he should think otherwise about the mare not being a Master. She had been bred and born a true-blooded Master.

Shun blinked in a silent stupor as he found himself in the predicament of being in between two Masters, one having already 'claimed' him and the other offering a helping hand to a muck covered stallion.

"That race was yours, even you did not cross the finish line first. I am Phantom's Shadow, and I think you will be very happy in Vitra. All I require is your name, and you can leave this sink-hole."

"T-thank you," caught off guard by the suddenness of her comment he forgot any titles to add after his words. He flicked an ear toward the wolf, rudely ignored by the mare, though he dare not say a word against a Master's mind-set.

Vitra. It sounded pleasant enough, he wondered where the wolf came from, though he remained silent. Unsure of which way he'd be going, only if he could have split his black from his white he'd had gone away with both. Only, sadly, it couldn't be done easily and then there'd be a mess to clean up... It wouldn't be a pretty mess to clean up, either.

"I'm Shun."

[misty]

<sup>Phantom smirked inwardly at the wolf's silence. It pleased her that she had 'won' the slave and proved that she was stronger than the puny beast. Of course, there was no question as to who would win in a fight. As if it would ever come to a fight.

The stallion the black femme had claimed seemed shocked into silence when Phantom looked at him. His large eyes stared at her as if he had never seen a mare before. Or maybe he was scared. Yes, that would please Phantom even more. The male eventually found his tongue and answered Phantom's demand.

"And now you will come with me, Shun," she ordered after he had finished speaking. She was in a bit of a hurry to get him back to Vitra. There was a certain female slave she wanted him to meet.

Turning, and taking great care to not look in the wolf's direction, Phantom motioned for one of the guards to release Shun. She detested the guards here and tried to avoid speaking to them. However, she could not break the chain to take her slave, for it would still be fastened to him. Watching impatiently as the gruff stallion who came at her call opened the large band which attached Shun to the chains.

Snorting, Phantom flicked her tail at Shun and began to walk him away from Auction Rock. The sun had traveled far since the black vix had first come. Now it was time for her to go home with her new slave. Vitra was waiting for its master to return.</sup>

^{Ooc- Ick. xP Anyway, I'll make a thread in Vitra for her and Shun.}

[janoah]

Shun felt his attention and his interest snagged in the dark, velvety build of the Friesian mare, friendly wolf forgotten. His black ears twitched at her few words spoken, a few was all she needed to get her point across and made and understood. For a lack of knowledge as to what would follow, he nodded and breathed out a relief-filled breath as his shackle was undone grudgingly by the guard.

He stood still as it was ungracefully taken off, stallion shivered at the other stallions approach. As soon as it came off he leaped to th side and made sure that it was off, very glad that he could move without it clinking and reminding him who he was. "May I ponder aloud where it is we might be heading to-" He did not know how to end his question, Master, Mistress, M'Lady, Miss, Phantom, so he took a gamble and went with the most polite, "-M'Lady?"

Hearing a snort, Shun jerked his head up and caught the flick of Phantom's tail and her increase of speed from a stand still to a walk. He bobbed his head, flicked his own tail and trotted after her to close the gap, though he remained close at hand but far enough not to trod on any heels or bump into her if there would be a quick and sudden halt.

Shun blinked and tried to keep himself at a leisurely walk, as if he had nothing to do and was bored with the prospect of being taken to a new land with a new Master whom he did not know in the slightest bit- save for her name. His belly was full of butterflies that fluttered about carelessly, causing his heart to race and retrieve his hope from the attic. For, this was a new start for the down-on-his-luck racer. He gave a snort and slowed his trot down to his new Master's pace, head was kept lower than hers and ears remained ever-alert for any commands or questions asked.


OOC;; Feel free to just ignore this and post in your new thread. =3