Rowan had only planned on making a quick stop at the supermarket. His pantry was running low, and he figured a quiet grocery run would be a nice break from the whirlwind of interviews and applications. The automatic doors slid open as he stepped inside, the cool air greeting him as he grabbed a basket and started filling it with the essentials.

As he checked out, his thoughts drifted to the Science Center. Would they call soon? Was his application strong enough? He had done everything he could, but the waiting was brutal.

With his bags in hand, he stepped back outside, only to hear a sudden, piercing whinny echo across the street.

Rowan froze.

A panicked horse - a large, muscular chestnut stallion - was tearing through the town center. It reared up on its hind legs, its eyes wide with fear, hooves slamming against the pavement with an unsettling crack. People gasped and scrambled out of the way as the animal bolted toward the outdoor bistro across from the supermarket.

Before Rowan could fully process the situation, chaos erupted.

The horse barreled through the bistro's seating area, knocking over chairs, flipping tables, and shattering dishes. Customers and waitstaff darted inside, dodging the flying debris. A waiter barely avoided getting clipped by the horse's wild kicks as it whipped its head from side to side, nostrils flaring.

Rowan set his bags down quickly. This wasn't just some loose farm horse - something had spooked it badly.

"Someone call animal control!" a woman shouted from the sidewalk, gripping her child's hand.

Rowan's heart pounded. He knew a thing or two about calming animals, thanks to all the times he had wandered the forests outside of town. But this wasn't a cautious deer or a lost dog - this was a frightened, powerful animal on the verge of causing even more destruction.

Taking a deep breath, Rowan moved carefully closer. "Hey there, easy now," he murmured, keeping his voice low and steady.

The horse snorted sharply, its ears flicking in every direction, muscles tense as though ready to bolt again.

Rowan raised his hands slightly. "It's okay, you're okay." He kept his posture non-threatening, resisting the urge to rush. The wrong move could send the horse into another frenzy.

People watched, some with their phones out, capturing the intense moment. A police officer had arrived, speaking quickly into his radio, but Rowan tuned everything out, focusing solely on the terrified animal in front of him.

Whatever had frightened this horse, Rowan had to figure out a way to calm it - before it destroyed the entire town square.

Rowan continued speaking gently to the horse, stepping closer in slow, measured movements. The stallion's wild breathing gradually steadied as Rowan extended a hand, letting it sniff him.

"Come on, let's get you somewhere safe," Rowan murmured, inching to the horse's side. Carefully, he grabbed a piece of rope from a nearby knocked-over vendor's stand and fashioned a makeshift lead. With steady hands, he looped it around the horse's neck and began guiding it toward the quieter streets leading to the forest's edge.

The crowd murmured in awe as Rowan led the massive stallion away from the wreckage. The horse hesitated at first, nostrils flaring, but as Rowan kept his pace slow and reassuring, it followed. One step at a time, they moved out of the streets and toward the woods.

A local reporter, having arrived just in time to witness the entire event, took notes furiously while snapping photos. Rowan had no idea that by the next morning, his face - and the story of his heroic rescue - would be front-page news in the local paper.

As the trees closed in around them, the noise of the town faded, replaced by the rustling leaves and soft bird calls. The horse's tension eased completely, and Rowan exhaled in relief.

"You're alright now," he whispered, stroking the horse's neck. "You're safe."

Little did he know, his life was about to change in ways he never expected.