The first thing I remember was a big meadow, and I was about a month after learning to run. My mother was beside me, and my family was running along with us. I saw horses galloping around. And these flightless birds, my mother told me they were called chickens, and my name was Cora. And my sister and brother were named Ivy and Volt. My brother and sister were older than me and stronger. My mom and all my relatives were smaller and different from me. I wish my mother would tell me why, but she always says, "Wait." 

The next day, my brother was gone grazing in the meadow. It was the day I was born; my mother says it's called a birthday because that's the day I was born. I still didn't get it. mother allways shows me a new part of the medow every year, this time i was exited becuse she sayed "this part of the medow you can explore without me." my mother walked me over a hill, but it wasn't any hill. This hill was the danger hill. She said nobody went beyond that hill. 

My mother looked a little freaked out. And I was too.

Wild horses stomped their hooves and shook their heads like they were telling me, "Don't go."

But it was Mother, so I followed.

chapter 1

and then..

It all came back to mind! Mother isn't Mother; I was at a farm!  My heart pounded, then I woke up. It was all a dream, or was it? I didn't know, but I told Mother about it. And this time it was my birthday. "Never go beyond that hill," Mother said. But now I knew what was beyond it, but was it true? Isn't Mother Mother? I was scared. If it was true, where was my real mother? That day, it lingered in my head. But I was just a foal; if this dream was real, my mom would tell me at some point. 

40 days after that dream, I saw new animals come across our lands. They were on the backs of horses, riding them around. I think they were snakes, maybe a weasel. But whatever it was, Mother told everyone to run. But when I looked back, the strange figures on horses looked familiar. But they were danger to our lands, so I kept running. The gallop grew strong and fast, steady, and it was as fast as the wind. I grew from all the running; the journey continued for years. Every birthday I had was ignored, and every day we just kept on moving on. 

We reached the top of a big hill and started to graze at the bottom. After resting. We kept on the journey. We got tired but saw something ahead. It was dry grass, as far as the eye could see. We were stuck and frustrated. Stomping hooves and braying. Our ears lifted; something heard us. But something in the middle of nowhere? why? No predators go here. We heard hooves galloping, heavy like a horse but too heavy, like something was on it. I still couldn't hear too well because I was still a young mule. But then we saw them: "Humans!" Mother shouts. And she brayed at them, telling me to run. I didn't want to leave Mother; I'd rather go with her.

I stomped against the braying; she brayed at me.

I did the littlest bray; Mother got so distracted becuse it was sooo cute they put a rope on Mother's neck and I too. Then I brayed seriously. I  pulled against it, and it was so strong my hooves looked like they were swimming. They pulled and pulled until I gave up. "Leave the old one," the one who looked like a leader human said. Why?" the skinny human said. " It's a donkey; we cant sell a donkey. I want my mule back, not a donkey," the human leader said. noo! The dream was real! I was there before, and mother is not mother! "Her mom is a donkey, and her dad is a horse; she is confused. She needs to come with us, the human leader says.

They did not just walk me; they dragged me. My fur was red, and my eyes were full of tears. This went on for more than an hour.

When we got there, I saw two humans guarding the front of what looked like a human home. The three men riding horses started to steady me on my feet. They led me inside, and the rope was still around my neck. They pulled me into a stall with food and water. I was so thirsty and hungry that  I started to eat, then to drink my water. They led me out when I was finished eating. They led me into a fenced-in area, and they let me run.

I saw the humans mounting my back. I bucked him off and started to gallop away. Many humans tried to mount, but I just bucked, and they flew off. Night fell, and they left me in the pen. I saw patched-up grass together, called hay. The hay was thick and juicy. And water; the water was old and had bugs in it. I still drink from it; in the wild, I drink many dirty things. I saw the sunrise, and I noticed I hadn't rested

Something fell from the sky. I noticed it was a crow. In meadow places, crows would never roam. Its wings were badly hurt. I did not want the humans to see, so I rested next to him.

later that day he stood on his feet, he sqwacked at me and tried to fly away. he could not fly still. i told him to come on my back but he ignored. he saw humans then listened. he was standing on my back and lie down.

"Where am I?" the crow asked in an old voice.

"Where are you?" I asked. "You're here with me," I added. "Where were you before this?" I asked. "Traveling," he said. "Traveling where?" I asked. "Here," he added. "My human was traveling here, but he never came back, so I'm looking for him here," the bird added. I-and then the humans took me away from the crow. I reared. They pulled the lead, and I forced against it.

"We need more horses, sir," the skinny one said. This mule would take a lot of space," he added. I know; that's why we are gonna sell it." Far-off land, into a ranch that does good care," he answered. "How do you know that?" the skinny one asked. "They called; they needed a mule," he answered again. I stomped my hoof, and the human leader put a saddle and bridle on me.

i bucked and bucked and bucked but the sadle and man couldn't get off. he was holding a stick he called a whip. he started to whip me it hurted soo much i stoped. i was super tired. and he kicked me! and again and again and again. until i did a trot he was happy. he pulled the reins left, he pulled and pulled until i turned left. then he pull right and i turned right. soon i understod the method and went along with it. they said when i was trained i could be sold. i did not know what sold ment, but whatever it was i think it meant to be good.

I had two more days at this place. I tried to find the crow that day, but he was gone. But then I saw him; he was on a human's shoulder, and he lived in a cabin. He smiled at me like that was his owner. And it was. I was once happy, happy for him. I wish I could find my real mom and dad, or maybe she is my mom. I saw a light in the distance, and I saw another mule. She was brown, and I am black. I wanted to be her friend, but I was stuck in the stall. I couldn't move my knees or hooves.

I saw the mule go through the same things that happened to me. She got trained and went into one stall over. "Hello," I said shyly. "Hi," she said in a tiny voice. I was about to introduce myself, but then the humans took me to what they called a trailer. And a truck was pulling it. I went in, and it started to move. I brayed and stomped my hooves. But at one point I got used to it. I missed the crow; he was very nice. But now I'm going to a better home.