When the snow starred back

Taming Attempt during The Huntsman's Horse Presents: Arctic Adventures

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W0042

Connor R. Winters on MR DDR Fallen Kingdom

Story (summary at the bottom)

( 1.211 Words )

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(wip)

As the chase restarted, Connor forced himself to focus, keeping King in stride despite the strange fatigue pressing down on him. He kept pace with Mahad and Stan, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Then, as they crested a small hill, Mahad pulled ahead, and Connor slowed for just a second - just enough to catch his breath.

That was when he saw it.

Off to the side, standing near the edge of the tree line, was a wild horse.

Its white coat almost hid it in the snowy landscape, muscles tense as it watched the three riders with cautious curiosity. Its ears flicked forward, as if deciding whether to stay or bolt.

Connor pulled King to a stop, his breath still heavier than it should’ve been. For a moment, he just stared.

It wasn’t often he saw wild horses this close. This one looked strong, built for the harsh winter, its mane thick and unkempt.

King shifted beneath him, sensing Connor’s pause, but the stallion didn’t react aggressively - just observed alongside him.

The wild horse huffed, pawing at the ground, then took a few slow steps forward. It wasn’t afraid - just wary.

Connor swallowed, suddenly aware of how tight his chest felt. There was something amazing about seeing the wild horse, something almost unreal amidst the chase, the exhaustion, the rush of adrenaline.

But then, from ahead—

"Connor! You coming or what?!" Stan’s voice snapped him back.

The wild horse tossed its head at the sound, then turned, disappearing into the trees with smooth, effortless grace. Connor exhaled sharply, shaking his head as he nudged King forward again. He cued back into a gallop, pushing aside the lingering ache in his body. Mahad still had the rabbit, and the chase was far from over...

Connor hadn't expected to see the blue-eyed, white horse again.

The chase had gone on for a while, and the exhaustion in his limbs had settled into something deep, something he tried to ignore. His reactions weren’t as sharp. And yet, he kept pushing forward, unwilling to fall behind.

But then-

There it was.

Standing at the edge of the frozen clearing, framed by the snow covered trees, was the wild horse.

Its coat was pure white, almost glowing against the snow. But it was the eyes that caught Connor’s breath in his throat - icy, striking blue, locked onto him with an intensity that sent a shiver down his spine.

It didn’t run.

It just watched.

Connor hesitated. Then, slowly, he exhaled and swung down from King’s saddle.

King huffed, shifting beneath him, but didn’t protest. Connor gave his stallion a reassuring pat before stepping forward, his boots crunching softly in the snow.

One step. Then another.

The white horse flicked an ear but didn’t move away.

Up close, it looked almost otherworldly. It was powerful, elegant, its breath curling into the cold air like a whisper of something ancient.

Connor stopped a few feet away, his heart beating a little faster now - but not from exhaustion.

He slowly raised a hand, keeping his movements smooth, unthreatening.

The wild horse’s nostrils flared. For a moment, it stood perfectly still.

Then, it took a step forward.

Connor held his breath.

Another step.

Then another.

Until the space between them was nearly gone, and Connor could see the fine details of its coat, and admired the way those piercing blue eyes never once wavered from his.

Carefully, he reached out.

The white horse hesitated, then lowered its head - just enough for Connor’s fingertips to brush against the soft muzzle.

A strange feeling settled in Connor’s chest. Something quiet. Something sweet.

He didn’t know how long he stood there, his hand resting against the wild horse’s face, the world around them silent except for the distant whisper of the wind.

For the first time since the exhaustion had set in, he felt steady.

Whole.

The white horse blinked slowly, then lifted its head, stepping back just slightly.

Connor didn’t chase the moment. He let it be.

Then, with one last glance at him, the wild horse turned and disappeared into the trees, its white form vanishing like mist.

Connor let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. After a moment, he turned back to King, who stood waiting patiently, as if he’d understood everything that had just happened.

Connor mounted up, glancing once more at the spot where the wild horse had vanished.

Connor thought the moment had passed.

Even as he rejoined the chase, the lingering amazement of the encounter stayed with him, a strange weight in his chest that he couldn’t quite name. But there was no time to dwell on it. Mahad was still ahead, the rabbit fixated on his saddle pad, and Stan was closing in fast.

Connor urged King forward, his exhaustion again gnawing at the edges of his awareness, but he pushed past it. Then- A flash of white.

Out of the corner of his eye, something moved. Connor turned his head just in time to see the wild horse burst from the tree line, its powerful stride effortless against the snow.

It ran beside him.

Not ahead. Not away. Beside him.

Connor’s heart skipped a beat.

The white horse’s blue eyes flicked toward him for a brief second before refocusing ahead, matching King’s speed without hesitation. It wasn’t running in fear. It wasn’t trying to escape.

It was running with him - there was no denying that it could've run faster than them.

Connor barely had time to process it, but something inside him stirred, a thrill that cut through the exhaustion like a blade.

King snorted, ears flicking toward the newcomer, but he didn’t do anything further He just ran, steady and strong, as if accepting the wild horse’s presence without question. Connor exhaled sharply, a grin escaping him despite everything.

Mahad glanced back, expecting to see just Connor and Stan in pursuit. Instead, his eyes widened. "What the heck?!"

But Connor wasn’t about to stop and explain.

With the white horse at his side, the chase had changed.

Connor didn’t know how or why, but he knew.

This wasn’t just some wild horse passing through. This wasn’t a fleeting moment. The connection was there, burning beneath his skin, thrumming in his chest. It was in the way the white horse ran beside him, matching his stride effortlessly, as if they had been riding together for years. It was in the way those piercing blue eyes flicked toward him - not with fear, not with challenge, but with something more.

Connor needed this horse.

Not just wanted - needed.

The thought hit him like lightning, stronger than the exhaustion that had been dragging him down. He clenched his jaw, gripping King’s reins tighter as they raced forward.

I don’t care what it takes. I won’t let him slip away.

The white horse tossed its head, mane flowing like silk in the wind, as if it had heard him.

The chase was still on - Mahad still had the rabbit, Stan was still right behind him - but none of that mattered as much as this horse did.

Connor had to catch that horse and was willing to give up the rabbit for it.

as of now, W0042 resides with the @Tharoksu-Horse Registry

Connor and King reside with me