I soon found out Megean's reason for being in the stables in the first place. She had gone out to see her new pony, one of which I saved, and her families other horses. I was surprised to find out that they were the owners of the black mare I had ridden out last. I wanted to see this horse again, so one day I asked Megean to take me out to see her.

Their house was on the very outskirts of town, hidden from view by a large grove of trees. Their land cascaded behind the house, away from the village, large fields of healthy green crops. I saw a few men in the distance and waved, though I doubted they would see me anyway.

"We have to keep them tied up out here where the overhang is until we have another stable built." Megean said helpfully as we walked to the other side of the house. There I saw two steeds. Megean's dapple pony and the mare. The family's other horses had been ridden out to the field by Kedrik, Zac and Vanel. "My pony's name is Tikki." Megean stated proudly.

"Hello Tikki." I walked over to Tikki and stroked her neck. She didn't seem too interested in me either way. A good calm steed for such a little girl. "Nice to meet you."

I moved Tikki's lips and talked in a strange horsy voice, "Hello Melli. Do you have any Carrots?" Megean was very amused by this and had to prevent herself from falling to the ground in a fit of giggles.

"As a matter of fact I do." I continued in my normal voice. I reached behind me into my back jeans pocket and pulled out a carrot. I snapped it in half and suddenly Tikki seemed a whole lot more interested in what was going on a around her. Her lips reached out trying to grab the carrot she now smelled and saw. Horses have a habit of thinking with their stomach.

This time I didn't have to even move Tikki's lips for her as they were after the carrot. "Gimme! Gimme!"

"Oh, okay then. Here you go." I gave her half of the carrot and let her crunch on that. "Do you think she likes me?" I directed the question to Megean.

"After that carrot? Of course!" she was still giggling at my childish antics.

"Point taken. So, who is this dark beauty here?" I asked indicating the mare.

"Oh," Megean sobered, "We just bought her a little while ago. She's really wild. I'm surprised you were able to ride her out of the stables at all."

"Well Megean, you have this mare to thank for your life almost as much as me or Zac. If it weren't for her bravery, neither of us would have made it out of there alive."

"Really?"

"Really." I confirmed. "So what's her name?"

"Daddy named her Soulfire."

"Strange name for a horse. Why's she named that?"

"Look into her eyes. You can see the SoulFire if you look closely and know what you are looking for. SoulFire is a fire of the soul and spirit, it doesn't consume the spirit but it IS the spirit. It can never be put out because it's magic. I heard that it's also the burn of fate, but Daddy doesn't believe it. Go ahead, look, she IS SoulFire. Just be careful, she might bite you. She's not yet been broken."

"Okay. You seem to know an awful lot about SoulFire, but I'll be careful." I said. Somehow I knew that Soulfire wouldn't bite me though.

I approached slowly but openly. Soulfire watched me warily with her ears cocked. Both her eyes and ears followed my movements. The wind direction changed and my scent swept toward her. At first her ears nearly went totally back but then they came up and her stance relaxed. Soulfire actually stepped forward and nuzzled me trying to find the other half of the carrot. Megean gasped behind me but I paid her no attention. I gave Soulfire the carrot and her velvety lips reached for it, brushing the palm of my hand as she gently took it. When she was done I gazed into her eyes and she gazed back defiantly but with affection. I realized that her name truly did fit her. When I looked into her eyes I saw a will burning bright and strong with defiance and intelligence. I saw the fire, and I loved her for it. She was a wild one all right, not one to be curbed by man alone. Neither saddle, bridle nor bit could bind her. I smiled and stroked her nose and neck. I knew the two things that could bind her: friendship and love.

"Her name fits." I told Megean. Then I added more to myself, "Almost too well . . . ." I then turned around and looked directly at Megean. She once again gasped. There was a very shocked look on her face. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Your . . . . . Your eyes. You're like Soulfire . . . . . . you . . . . . . you ARE SoulFire."

That night at supper Megean was usually quiet. We all sat around the large kitchen table, eating and drinking the meal I had helped prepare. Usually Megean was very talkative. She chatted constantly, barely stopping to eat now and again, But that night she said nothing and finished her meal quickly.

"Megean, what's wrong?" Vanel asked his younger sister. He was the first to make mention of it, though everyone had noticed her silence.

"Yes dear," their mother joined in "please tell us what is the matter."

Megean looked up at me, then at Zac, and at last to her father. "Daddy, what does it mean when a person is of SoulFire?"

"SoulFire?" asked Zac. He had not yet heard the term, or the name.

"I do not know, Megs." Kedrik answered, "It is so very rare for a person to be of SoulFire. None have turned up in my lifetime, nor do I expect there will be one. The only SoulFire I have ever had the grace of meeting is that mare we bought. That was why I bought her in the first place. The man who sold her to me did not know her nature. He just thought her of the devil."

When Kedrik said that he never expected to meet a human of SoulFire, Megean shook her head, and when he was finished said, "But father. In one thing you are wrong. In your life you have met and know, not one, but two of SoulFire."

"Who, pray tell?"

"They sit here, at your table." Every head turned toward Zac and myself, he and I to each other. And then I saw it. The same fire in his eyes, a bright burning of his soul, akin to that in Soulfire's eyes. A brief memory of our night in the cave came to me, and I realized what is was I had seen then, only at the time I had not know what it was. It was SoulFire. It was beautiful.

"Oh my God . . ." I breathed. It was the general feeling at the table. Zac and I broke eye contact and looked at the other personages at the table.

"You never can see it unless you look for it. . ." Kedrik said softly in an amazed tone, "and I never thought to." then he turned back to Megean. "About your question. I guess we will just have to find out."