The Hoofbeat Quests

Book two for the Hoofbeat Quests book series is finally released and available on Amazon! Here's the beginning off of Amazon!

Bandit looked up at the dark, star scattered sky. A cold wind blew his way. He had just recently tried to kill Chester, and had ended up killing his best friend, Rosie, whom he had just buried.

Chester had fled to save Ginger, a dear helper to him just that night, leaving Bandit and Fallen Ash, another one of his enemies, unforgiven.

At seeing Bandit kill Rosie, Chester's heart had stoned over with hatred, and his usual forgiving attitude had rebuffed Bandit and Fallen Ash's apologies.

Chester had fled from them to meet up with his greatest enemy, Cigar, to kill him, and win freedom for all the herds.

Bandit's forelock was blown into his eyes as he stared at Rosie's grave. "I'm sorry," he whispered to the grave, his heart filled with sorrow. He wasn't a crier, but now he felt ready to cry. Bandit was determined to make things up to Chester, but that would be hard. He wouldn't have forgiven himself if he were in Chester's shoes. He had turned against his friend, joined up with his greatest enemy, set out to kill him, and killed one of his dearest friends by mistake.

Bandit hung his head, his tears pouring. What had he done? Chester was right to call him a monster. Chester's words flashed back to his mind as he stood there grieving. "Step away from me, monster, and don't speak my name!" Bandit lowered his head in agony. His terrible sufferings had cleared away all of his senseless hatred to Chester, and now he was very sorry for all the things he had done.

For some reason, a while back, Bandit had started hating Chester. He couldn't understand why this had happened, it just had. He couldn't place his hoof on it, but something seriously wrong had been coursing through his mind, driving him into senseless madness. Something powerful, almost magical, had gripped at his heart, and had clung to his feelings like a barnacle.

Bandit shuffled his hooves around in the snow covered soil. The rich scent of blood lingered in the air. It was early March, and the weather was still biting cold. Whatever had taken over his heart against Chester had effected his head in some way... Bandit didn't want to think about it. Something had happened, and someone had been controlling him, he felt, but Chester would never believe that.

Bandit's stomach lurched. He gasped and fell to his knees painfully. A terrible headache attacked him. He gnashed his teeth, and the bitterness he'd felt toward Chester came flooding back, powerful as a hurricane, whirling around and around his head, driving him mad. Then, just as suddenly as the pain had started, it vanished.

Bandit stood shakily to his hooves, drenched in sweat. His lip bled from where he'd bitten it. "Oh, Rosie," he whispered, his heart still racing from his sudden burst of pain. "What's happening to me?" "Hello, Bandit," a bitter voice from behind him spat. Bandit whipped around to see Cara, her face scrunched with fury. It was pretty hard to identify who she was in the intense darkness, but Bandit was able to piece her features together. Bandit dipped his head in repentance.

"Please," he begged. "Don't say anything. I already know. I'm a jerk, an idiot, a killer..." He sighed. "You don't have to tell me, but if you want to, speak away. Throw every insult you can think of." Cara's eyes softened, and she dropped her glare. "I-I just don't understand. How could you do such a thing?" Her voice shook traumatically. Bandit drooped his head even more. He shook his head. "I'm sorry." Cara twisted her mouth and said nothing. Sorry? That's what he had to say after all that he'd done? Killed Rosie, turned on Chester, hurt them all physically and emotionally...

Cara stared into Bandit's wretched face. He was so broken. So beaten. He looked as if... Cara couldn't think of a way to explain it. She knew she couldn't yet trust or forgive Bandit, but his face his face was so full of intensely bitter sorrow... She glared at the ground. She couldn't bring herself to look at him any longer. Bandit turned away from her, knowing her thoughts, and returned his eyes to Rosie's grave.

He began walking away, his head low and his tail tucked. He looked ready to kill himself. Cara lifted her head and watched him go. Anger sizzled inside her as she watched him, remembering all he'd done. ALL he'd done. He SHOULD be sorry! His suffering, he deserved it! Bandit bowed his head to Rosie's grave one last time before walking off again. He would make things up to Chester.

"I'll fix what I broke," he whispered to her, knowing she was listening. He was terrible unshaped, and bent, but not broken. He could survive one last attempt to reunite himself with Chester, couldn't he? He then loped off in Chester's direction to put things right. He didn't think Chester would forgive him at all, but it was worth a shot. He'd die if he had to, to make up for his mistakes. He'd fix things. He had to. He just had to.




This is the first part of the first Chapter of the first book of the Hoofbeat Quests series by Madelyn Grace. This is part of what you can read off of a sample from Amazon.com. This is not mine in any way, and belongs to Madelyn Grace, word for word. Check out the book on Amazon! Happy reading!

Chester awoke to the shriek of a very familiar voice. The voice belonged to Shining Star, his very best friend.Chester galloped toward the sound of the shriek, his heart pounding in his chest. The shriek died out, and Chester found himself lost in darkness. Just the night before, he and Shining Star had been playing around in the meadow of their herd, Herd Silver Moon, named after Shining Star's great-great-great-great-great-granddame, the legendary mare who first founded the herd.

Chester stopped in his tracks. He had to find Shining Star. What could have happened? Chester whirled around. "Shining Star!" he cried, over and over. He got no response. Chester stepped slowly towards the slightest sound he heard: rasping breath. The breathing stopped short. "Shining Star?" Chester crept towards the location where he'd heard the breathing. As he walked, he tripped over something. The smell of blood filled Chester's nostrils. The leg that had caused him to trip was covered in blood, but Chester could feel no pain. He squinted at his leg, trying to study the wound, but realized it wasn't his blood. Chester looked over to the lump he had tripped over and studied it. The lump was the shape of a horse, Chester could tell by the moonlight. Chester recognized the horse. It was Shining Star! Her beautiful, dappled gray coat was stained with blood. Chester couldn't see much, but he knew he needed help-now!