Galaxy

• Michelle Xu, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2008

Galaxy

The morning was a rare sight. The first rays of sunshine skimmed the mountains and its inhabitants. Dew sparkled on the trees and grass and the glorious silence was only broken by the joyous squeal of a young brumby foal.
The little one was a dapple grey and her mother was a beautiful creamy. The dapple-grey was prancing in front of her mother, glorying in the golden sunlight. Her name was Galaxy, a legendary name for one that was born beneath the moon and stars and will be a beauty beneath the only star that shone in the day. Her mother was Shine, after her mane and tail that shimmered in the light.
The pale pair moved through the bush, leaving very few signs for any dangerous enemy. As they approached the main herd, a dapple-grey stallion neighed his welcome to his prized creamy and proudly herded the two to the rest of his herd. Shine watched her leggy foal gambol with the other pale coloured foals and then started grazing, unaware of her foal leading the rest towards the dense forest. Galaxy did not know she was though; she was mystified by the forest where her ancestors felt safe in and so were the others.
The next moment, an uproar of neighing broke out in the quiet atmosphere. Mares cantered to their young ones and led them away from the trees. The stallion, Mirage, led Galaxy to Shine and told her sternly,” Galaxy, the forest was never meant to be explored unless you are accompanied by another.” He left without another word and as if reading a book of Galaxy’s future, often took her to the candlebark trees’ domains, the winding rivers’ realms and the cliffs’ tall places.
Galaxy grew to become a lovely filly that never left a print in the mountains and began to run with a young colt from her childhood named Ray, she found this shady area her fortress. When brumby hunters and drovers came to the mountains cracking their whips, Galaxy seemed to merge with the mist and watch the men. She was an inquisitive one, learning of the fire they created, acknowledging their power and knowing that they sought after the beautiful. She taught her foals everything she learnt and kept her loved ones safe, free from the wraths of man.
Legends of the mist filly grew and man and horse alike, never knew that this mystery of a legend was named after the heavens, not the mist. Horses of every kind bowed to the sound of her neigh as she called to her mate, the bush creatures acknowledged her as she passed by, leaving no track, and the cattle brought by the stockmen told stories of her glory to the passing bush creatures.
Galaxy herself knew of the tales passed around the mountains but never grew to become an arrogant beauty. She remembered the effort her father had put in making his only child that bore his markings the way she was now. Galaxy remembered the care her own mother had put into keeping her safe. And she remembered as the years passed, that one day she would join her ancestors in the spirit world and so would her descendants. But she also knew that her line of hunted, pale horses might never end.

Michelle Xu Age: 11
Year 6, Hurstville Public School
Address: 6/35-37 Bellevue Pde, Hurstville, NSW, 2220