Cheveyo carefully stepped into the barn. He followed Nathan to the hay bales. He sniffed them and sneezed. He heard shouting by the road and started to panic. He nickered nervously as he stood beside the boy. He kept swinging his head around when he heard the barn creek or something move. He didn't like the lack of light or the confined space in the barn. He heard one of the wranglers shout and then the voices dissapeared down the road. He shoved the boy with his head.

"Okay, okay.' he whispered. Nathan peeked around the edge of the barn, checking the coast was clear before stepping out and brushing dust off of his hands. "Come on boy."

Cheveyo troted over to stand beside Nathan, his ears flicking back and forth to catch any sounds. He nudged the boy's shoulder. He was waiting to see what Nathan was going to do now.

He turned, untying the rope from Cheveyos neck. "There we go boy. What do you want to do now?" He coiled the rope in his hands.

Cheveyo looked around. He had no idea where they were. He looked in the direction that the wranglers dissapeared to down the road and shuddered. He wanted nothing to do with humans, with an exception to Nathan. The boy had earned his trust. He thought about going back into the trees, but he knew Nathan couldn't live there with him and he didn't want to leave the boy, especially with the wranglers around. He snorted and stomped a hoof. He was torn between returning to the meadow and staying with the boy.

"Ill come with you." He said softly, placing a hand on Cheveyos back, as if asking if he could ride him or if he should walk.

Cheveyo's ears flicked back as Nathan's hand rested on his back. He turned his head and nudged the boy away from him. He let his knees buckle and laid down in the grass. He turned his head to look at the boy and then to his back. He decided that if the boy was with him then he could protect him better if he was riding him. He would be able to run from danger much faster.

He climbed onto Cheveyo, gently tapping his shoulder.

Cheveyo waited until the boy was sitting and stood up when he felt the tap on his shoulder. He shook off the grass clinging to his side and nickered. He looked over his shoulder at Nathan before he started to trot back towards the road. He looked down the road the opposite way the wranglers had gone. He had no idea where they were and his curiousity got the better of him. He started to trot down the road, but stayed close to the trees.

He sat in Cheveyos even trot, not bouncing much, looking around. He was just as curious as the stallion, looking around with sparkling blue eyes.

Cheveyo was startled as a rabbit ran right next to his back legs. He bucked and sidestepped before taking off in a full gallop. His instincts told him to run no matter what was there.

Nathan flinched as he jarred his back from the buck. He grabbed two fistfuls of mane to cling on to his back. "Woah boy!"

Cheveyo slowed down and finaly stopped, his eyes wide and his nostrils flaring. He turned his head and nudged the boy's knee, as if he were asking if he was alright and to tell him he was sorry.

He slumped onto Cheveyos neck, panting. "It alright boy." He said, trying to massage his back.

Cheveyo nickered uncertainly and nudged the boy again. He looked farther down the road, but he couldn't see anything except more fields and trees. He wasn't sure if he should take Nathan home or not.

He patted Cheveyos shoulder. "Its alright boy. Where are we?" He twined his fingers through Cheveyos mane.

Cheveyo looked around and finally realized where they were. He had been here with his mother when he was a colt and he remembered her warning him not to go any farther down the road. He had been told about a small town down the road that was filled with humans. He looked back at Nathan and made up his mind. He needed to take him home and soon because the clouds were getting darker and he could tell a storm was on its way. He tossed his head as he felt the boy grab his mane and broke into a full gallop down the road. His mane and tail streaming out behind him.

Nathan beant low over Cheveyos neck, as rain started to fall. He began to recognize where they were. "Boy, you aren't going to be able to keep yourself safe, unless you'd like to stay in the stables with me or something."

Cheveyo slowed down as the town came into view. The rain was coming down heavily and he knew Nathan would get sick faster than he would out in the storm. He troted down the road to the edge of the town, not sure where to go. He looked back over his shoulder at the boy. He decided he needed to get the boy somewhere dry and safe, then he would wait on the edge of town until the storm went away. He could outrun most horses and he could overpower most humans.

He hesitated, then directed him towards a road. "We'll hide together. No one will get you boy."

Cheveyo troted down the road nervously. He jumped at any sound and stayed in the center of the road, not wanting to approach any of the buildings. He nickered uncertainly, but kept moving forward. He had to get the boy somewhere dry.

He shivered, and pointed to the entrance of a stables. "There. I can hide you in the empty end. And when it stops raining we can go out again." He said, voice wavering.

Cheveyo looked over to where Nathan was pointing and moved towards the entrance. His ears flicked nervously as he approached the dark stables. The humans that ran the place had already gone home before the storm and all that was left were a few horses. He shuddered as the cold rain poured down. He stopped under the overhang where they were part way sheltered and nickered nervously.

He slipped from Cheveyos rain-soaked back. "Come on, its alright. When it stops we'll run as fast as we can back to the wild, how bout it?" He knew the owners of the stables, knew they wouldn't mind if the sheltered inside. He started into the barn.

Cheveyo watched the boy go into the barn. He stood in the icy rain, but even though is body was shivering because of the cold his instincts were screaming at him to stay away from the stables. He tossed his head and reared up as lightening streaked across the sky and thunder boomed, his eyes going wide with panic.