The Figure In The Woods, Part 2

Sylvia’s ears perked up. What was that? Was someone here with her? The shadow slowly walked out of the woods and into the sunlight.

Her eyes widened as she saw the familiar figure of ROCKY! It made her almost jump while still sitting down, though her legs were still injured. She groaned in pain.

“Hi, Rocky…”

Rocky’s rust red coat and silky black mane was shaking out dust and dirt, but he was just fine. He probably won’t mind a cleaning after this, she thought. He whinnied with delight of seeing his owner again.

Sylvia slowly got up and limped towards Rocky. She buried her worried, tear-stained face in his short but soft fur. Rocky nuzzled her. Sylvia couldn’t have felt more happy.

The horse let her lean on him while he trotted at a slow pace. Sylvia didn’t know where he was taking her, but she once read that horses always know the way home…could it be?

After some time, the space between trees grew larger and larger. Sunlight shown through then, and Sylvia started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Halfway to home, Sylvia heard snapping twigs and branches and yelling. She couldn’t make out the words, but the voices sounded familiar. Dark shadows appeared, almost the same as Rocky’s…with human shaped figures on them.

“My itsy-bitsy Sylvia!” Sylvia’s mom cried, as she gently hopped off Misty, Rocky’s own mother. She ran as fast as she could to Sylvia and hugged her.

“Ow, mom, you’re squeezing me too tight!” Sylvia grimaced.

Her mom looked super worried. “What happened to your leg? Is Rocky okay? What did I miss?”

Sylvia’s brother leaped off his horse and ran towards them. Rocky nuzzled his mother. Sylvia wondered what to say to her mom, or if she could delay to the next day.

“Errrr, I guess Rocky didn’t like the joke I told him” Sylvia replied, nonchalantly. Her mom wasn’t so amused. “Did Rocky run away? Why didn’t you tell us?”

Now this was getting awkward. Thankfully, her brother got the hint. “Mom, can we go back home now? Dinner has been sitting on the table for like, thirty minutes.”

His dad grinned, still ducking under multiple tree branches as he approached the small group. “We sure can, Ralph, after we get Sylvia on Misty with mom and Rocky following us.”

Sylvia and her family had a quiet dinner of vegetable soup, and it was quite a bit of time before anyone tried to question Sylvia about what had happened.

In her room, Sylvia pondered whether the question would be brought up tomorrow or when mom tucked her into bed. Or, would her family save her of the embarrassment of explaining everything? Not likely.

She fell down on her bed just as the door creaked open. “Hello?” Sylvia’s mom peaked in. “Do you mind telling me what happened earlier today?”

What a wonderful beginning of a conversation. Sylvia groaned in her mind.

“I kindaaa…lost Rocky while cleaning him.” Sylvia said out loud. “He somehow got spooked, and he ran into the woods. I tried to find him, and…”

“Honey, I know the rest of the story. But still, you should’ve told us that he ran away. You didn’t have to get hurt,” Sylvia’s mother sternly pointed out.

Sylvia sighed. “Okay mom, next time, I’ll alert you guys that Rocky got spooked out of his mind so you can come to help me next time.”

Her mom smiled. “I’m not making you wash Rocky this time. You have a sprained ankle, so poor dad will have to do that chore.”

☆☆☆

Sorry for the…few months wait for the second part of this story. I was kind of lazy to make it. I had finally written the chapter, but forgot all about it. I decided to re-write it, and I think it’s better.

If you need a recap, you may have to scroll down again to find the first part.

Also, do you like the cover I drew?

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The Figure In The Woods, Part 2

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