Reflections || Lakota & Deus

[[ Rσσ ]]

I’d decided to bask in the sunlight after a long day of chasing rabbits and hurdling fallen trees. I was exhausted and the heat was beginning to make me sweat and so I decided to stop and cool off before my sweat ruined my pristine pelt… I’d taken a long bath in the forest waterfall to cool myself off and wash away any dirt that may’ve been clinging to me although I was sure other animals would drink from that same water. It didn’t matter to me – I didn’t care.


My hooves sunk into the sand and I stopped in my step to look down for a moment or two. It’d been a long time since I’d decided to wander onto this same beach. After all, sand is messy when it’s wet. I continued in my slow wander and made my way out into the sunlight which bathed my damp skin and made me shudder. I lifted my head to the sky and inhaled whilst my ears twitched in all directions to listen for any others around me. My nostrils flared in an instant at the wave of familiar but old scents around me and I found myself wandering closer and closer to the waves. My hoof sunk further this time and I quickly darted aside and away from the wet sand. With a disapproving snort, I continued my stroll along the beach with a now sand-caked fetlock. The discomfort made me cringe. I hated wet sand. I hated dirt. I hated being dirty.


When I began to grow confident that nobody else was around I found my head lowering between my knees and as I walked I raised my leg high and stretched it in front of me. My muscles were stiff from jumping so many trees and it felt good to stretch. This strange walk was my only option when I refused to roll and get covered in filth. I strutted along this way for a pace or two and then halted with my hind legs stretched right backwards. My little hooves slipped slightly in the sand and I gathered myself in a panic before finally standing with the waves just lapping at my feet. Now I kept my head low and my golden hues watched my reflection and the little white horses dance up onto the shore then disappear back into the ocean. Sometimes I wondered whether my mother was right; sometimes I wondered whether those little white horses were the souls of every horse that’d passed away.

I suddenly dismissed the thought from my head. Of course not. That was a fairy tale story that every dam told their foal. I was a fool to believe it.

[WHITE TIMBER]

Traveling as far as I did, I wasn't surprised where I ended up. The salty breeze ruffled onyx fibers which protruded from my rump and crest, almost invisible against the glossy onyx backdrop. The shuffling sound in the near distance coaxed ears to swivel and twitch in the direction, as my head lifted and turned so that icy irises may peer coldly toward the ruckus. What on earth was making so much racket? I'd need to find out, and though I was not particularly a curious man, the perfume among the wind's carry convinced me it was worth a look. Brawny mass meandered through the foliage as effortlessly as I possibly could, but the thunderous thunk of massive hooves upon the mire caused for little stealth - even with the sound absorbing sands. My gait was graceful, eloquent, without hesitation. Each hoof cast forth was sound and intended, as I busted through the brush line to observe the mare in her skittish grace.

As I observed the wench, I was confused as to what the dainty gal had in mind. What was she even doing? The water would not hurt, the sand would not corrupt, so what was her problem with the terrain? Or perhaps she was overly alert to sounds and smells, and became uneasy when the musk of myself exposed my position. We rogue stallions were not thought of fondly. Whatever the case, she was far too pretty to pass up even a few words - if I could muster them. An irritated snort expelled through nostrils, as dial tossed grizzly skull skyward to rid my vision of idle, ebony strands. From her rear diagonal, I approached at a brisk quad beat. Skull was elevated slightly, propped by a thickly lined neck, as tassel whipped against my flanks. A soft whir of a snort expelled with each exhale, to express my disapproval for her antics.

"state your name."

Baritone words expelled in a profound tone, laced in command and dripping in fraying patience. I meandered my way toward her shoulder now, where i pivoted to face her better, without halting in her forefront and freeing myself of her rear weaponry, should the female become moody.

[[ Rσσ ]]

At first I was startled by those heavy thudding steps that were heading towards me and so my head shot up and gold hues locked onto the approaching stallion... I'd never seen another so big; I had spent my life around others of my breed and fineness but this stranger was as tall as a tower and his legs held him like unshakable pillars. His size stunned me and I could hardly muster the courage to respond in my natural attitude. Besides, it'd be better to be polite to such a large creature.

Now my slender neck was craned and my head raised as high as I could manage to try and compensate for my lack of height compared to the male. I felt small and fragile. My legs were half the width of his and my hooves the same. I began to wonder whether he was friendly or not - after all, he'd approached so boldly and with an aura of confidence. Could today be the day I met another equine so alike to myself? A part of me hoped so, but the other parts wished to be left alone.

"I-- L-Lakota. My name's Lakota," I replied to the stallion with a stutter and I took a step backwards away from him. My hooves grazed the surface of the sand, leaving little streaks across the surface before my hoof prints where I settled. Now he stood so close to me I could take just a few seconds to admire him. Muscles defined beneath seemingly tight skin, masses of long, white locks covering his legs and his mane flowed longer than any I'd seen before. His markings surprised me further, as did his eyes. I couldn't stop staring - his whole structure was breathtaking to me. I'd only seen others just as small and as dainty as myself and the most exotic colour I'd seen was my own. I'd seen few markings also; I remembered my dam had a blaze and two white socks but she didn't have the abundance of hair that this male did, nor the surprisingly blue eyes. I was in awe.

[WHITE TIMBER]

It would seem the dainty gal could not pry her eyes from me. I wanted to roll my eyes, huff and puff about it. However, if a truly wild horse had never seen a bred stallion to be something of a dazzling appeal, well, then who could blame her for staring? I remained still, for the most part, eyes of crystal watching the rather alluring girl as she sputtered her name.
"Lakota."
Profound lyrics expelled in melodious resonance. I tested the name, allowed it to roll off the tongue as I repeated what she'd given me.
"I am Deus."
Politely, I responded with my own appellation. Manners were important, even if I was rather bland in the personality department. Should I address the fact that her staring did not go unnoticed? Or perhaps I'll leave it be, let the distaff gander and awe, soaking up the glossy sheen of a superb pedigree. But here in the wild, pedigree hardly mattered. It was natural selection, through and through, and if I wasn't stallion enough to survive out here without the luxury of the humans- then Mother Nature, take me away. But on the contrary, I did in fact believe in myself. I'd prove it to everyone, myself, that I was strong.

Thick limbs acted as pillars, aligning perfectly beneath prodigious mass as chin groove was still elevated ever so. Effortlessly cradling the whole of my mass, lined abundantly with fibrous sinew. Our breeds differed entirely, she was built for speed, agility. I was a powerhouse, considerably slower than the breathtaking female before me. I wondered -for a split second- what her story was. Was she born and bred on a farm? To become a champion jumper? From the get go, my father expected me to be the nation's next up and coming driving champion. I knew I had more in store for me then to just pull someone's wagon. Maybe she was a runaway, like me. Of maybe she was born in the wild. Whatever the case, I stared just as much as she did. Except with less enthusiasm.

[[ Rσσ ]]

"Deus," I repeated his name just as he'd done so with mine, "I-It's a pleasure. I'm very sorry. Forgive me for staring. I just haven't seen somebody quite as... large as you." I had noticed the strange look I was receiving and I was certain it was due to my interest in his structure. Maybe it was appropriate to explain myself although this stallion didn't seem to be much of a talker, "I-I was raised around those similar to me, you see," And as I spoke I found myself having to take yet another step backwards to be able to lift my crown high enough to look up at his eyes, "And I have to say I haven't seen many as tall as you out here either."

Really, I was attempting to compliment him but as subtly as I could. I had little conversation skills and so I hoped I wasn't being too talkative nor too obvious. My shimmering golden pelt twitched in several places as the slender muscles under my skin twitched to rid myself of flies. My charcoal tail lashed at my loins in synchronisation with my twitches. I took a moment to finally duck my head and take my gleaming hues off the stranger and, with a shake of my neck, I relaxed myself. Dark locks fell from behind my ears and masked my forehead and eyes. Then I finally raised my head once more and took a long, hard stare out at the sea. "May I ask where you came from?" My conversation started again whilst my mind was focused on those little white horses once more, "You seem young and-" No, I was being too forward, "My apologies. I still haven't mastered the skill of holding my tongue..."

[WHITE TIMBER]

And like an unrelenting downpour, the alluring female offered an onslaught of questions in regards to myself. I couldn't blame her, especially if wild-born. She may have never seen a draft breed before. I supposed being raised in a luxury, human plagued life held some attributes after all. But I'd only spent a year there, in that wretched jail of a "barn". I snorted my disapproval, not to her inquiries but to my past. I grumbled- my prison cry.
"I was bred. Born to become a champion. But I took my life into my own accord."
I let silence blanket us. I had to gather myself before I could offer her anything more. She mentioned not ever seeing one of my size, and though on the larger scale for my breed, we were still rather large. Most drafts were twice the size of the lighter breeds, but as I'd said before, where they lack in power they pick up in speed and agility. Such things could come in handy when running from predators. Lakota had also said I seemed young, and my body stiffened a bit. That was not how I wanted myself presented. Was I not mature enough, even still? Perhaps the pristine gloss of my coat, or the light within my eye gave me away. I wasn't sure, but what I was sure of, was that I was upset I didn't come off more mature. Am I still but a juvenile? Get your fucking act together, deus.

"I'm a draft breed. We are larger than the lighter breeds."
Profound words spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. Not to belittle the gal but to put it simply. There were breeds much larger than me and breeds a fraction of my size. I wouldn't be too modest, nor too humble, should she ask what I meant about drafts or lights. Her words lead me to believe she'd not ever seen drafts, and was born and raised in the confines of a wild herd. The freest of us all. How privileged she was, in the sense that I beg for such a start in life. But no matter, I will give my offspring such a chance. Which, was pretty generous of me if i do say so myself.

Prodigious mass tensed slightly, monstrous hooves shifted beneath colossal structure ever slightly. Heavy feathers swirled about the hooves, the strands becoming dingy at the ends due to the sands and mire. As silence cloaked us once more, I meandered my way toward the shore line. Alabaster muzzle lowered toward the shifting waters. Currents convulsing, foaming deaths, pulling undertows, it was rather glorious this substance. Indentions in the sand as I advanced were large and abrupt, as hooves sunk into the grains as the fore limbs waded into the cooling liquid. I only waded to the point where my front hooves were completely immersed, the black strands which elongated downward flowed ever slightly in the flowing waves. Salmon colored tongue lolled out slightly, where it scooped up a bit of the overly salty liquid. I cringed slightly, wincing at the salt and raising my head once more. Muscled neck craned so that I could gaze upon Lakota once more.
"I wasn't born in the wild."
I finally summed up, expression as steely as before with alabaster velvets pulled in a stern line, the edges pointing downward slightly in what seems like a naturally occurring frown.

[[ Rσσ ]]

I did very little but stand and watch and listen to the stallion as he spoke and I indulged in the silent moments to ponder on the last things he said. It became very apparent to me that he wasn't the friendliest of males and so I decided to cut back on the questions and try to relate instead. "I wasn't born in the wild either," I began in a soft tone after the other finished, "My mother always used to tell me that I'd be a showjumper one day. I never believed it - that was the warmblood's job. She also told me I had to behave myself and, for a while, I did, until they began to try to make me carry humans on my back. My mother told me I'd put one of them in hospital, and that they'd sell me if I wasn't careful. Well, I didn't take any notice," I hauled in a deep breath and let out a heavy snort at the ocean spray that speckled my face, "Next day, rumour was spreading that they were selling me on to be a broodmare. My mother explained what that was - that was what she was. I didn't want that and, so, I... I escaped. 'You have everything you could ever want here', she'd say, and that I 'should be proud of my bloodlines'. I never understood why."

I'd never shared my story with anybody before and I was, truly, hoping that this would make the other a little more comfortable around me. After all, we shared a similar experience so we had something to talk about, right? I turned my rump towards the other and took a couple of steps towards a small boulder lodged in the sand. I lowered my muzzle to a strand of seaweed clinging to the top and sniffed. My head shot back up at the scent and I quickly returned my attention to the draft horse. He made it appear that the water was nice; he had white fur on his legs and he stood there as though it wouldn't ruin such gorgeous features... Maybe it was time I learned to be a horse, not a pampered brat. Something about this stranger made me think very differently.
Little dainty hooves made their way toward the water and, as I felt myself sink into the sand with each step, I forced in a deep breath... The water was eventually lapping at my fetlocks and I was frozen, staring down at my own feet with a confused sparkle in my eye. Why hadn't I done this sooner? I took another couple of steps and the water rose half way up my canons. My head shot up and turned toward the shire and my forelock flipped backwards to join the rest of my raven mane.

Very much doubting the other was playful as well as grumpy, I decided that I'd try and have some fun regardless. With one single movement I shot out of the water, leaping a meter or two forwards before crashing back into the waves. I couldn't hold back the surprised yet excited squeal that escaped my throat and I began pawing at the waves repeatedly; each movement was strong and quick, a striking action with my front right leg. With each stamp I splashed myself with the salty ocean water but I found myself careless of my coat and appearance. Soon, I was drenched and my coat had began to shine in the sunlight. My mane stuck to the sides of my neck. The top half had settled on the left side of my neck and the second half settled on the right. My forelock was now glued to my forehead and masked my eyes, leaving my vision slightly impaired by black streaks.

[WHITE TIMBER]

Ah, so we had much more in common then I thought. We both had decided to leave the lives we were "arranged" to live, to live our own in our own way. Freedom fighters, I suppose. Whatever the case, we're now both free and standing here as expensively bred foals who were supposed to be champions in our disciplines. As she spoke, telling me her story, I watched her. My eyes never left her, occasionally scanning the delicacy of her anatomy. It was perfectly pieced together, each bone elegantly snapped with the other, layered with toned, lean muscle and topped with an eye catching coat which held such a gleam in the sun's penetrating rays, it was difficult to look away. But then she had..a spasm after her story had ended. She pranced, frolicked about, playful in her ways. Unfortunately for the gal, I never delved in play. I had no interest in it, not even as a yearling. My mother always said I had too much anger to indulge in the fine things in life. Well, so be it. I was far too angry and serious to ever force myself to pick up a playful hoof.

As she splashed about, particles of the salty liquid flung and splashed me, wetting the onyx base and damping the ebony strands of my mane. I snorted again, tossing my head skyward to rid my vision of idle, black strands. As she had her bout, I merely stood and watched. Reacting naturally to the splashes of water, but never moving from my standing position in the shallows. I could humor the girl, express myself. But what was there to show? There wasn't much of a display I could piece together that she'd like much. I was boring, and I would be the first to admit it. But when she'd settled a bit, I nodded slightly in correspondence to her previous statements.
"you and I have more in common then I thought."
Simply put, baritones summed it up. My life's story was not one of a melancholy state, nor was it too interesting to even be voiced. Besides, I barely knew this woman. To tell her everything about me right now would be..odd. Although, I didn't actually mind her telling me some about herself.

I wanted to wade in further, dissipate the heat which clung to onyx strands. But I wouldn't in the salty waters. I'd rather bathe in fresh waters. So I turned away from the water, wet front hooves collecting small minerals of the sand, clumping upon the ashen hooves. While pivoting, I have a glance back at Lakota to see what the wild banshee had in mind next. I retreated to the shadows, standing beneath a hanging tree where the shade was much cooler. Even the sand beneath the overhang was much cooler. I shifted to face her once again, facing the water as well.

[[ Rσσ ]]

I soon found myself calming; my excitement died down just as quickly as it had began and now I was soaked I could feel the sun's rays beating down on me mercilessly. Gosh, it was warm. I raised my head toward the sky and studied the clouds that had began to roll in and I huffed. At least the heat would die down soon. Finally I turned and began to stride out of the water. With every step I took I raised my legs high above the water, disliking the sensation of my limbs being partially immobilised by the retreating tide. The difficulty of walking through water had never been something I enjoyed and particularly not in the ocean it seemed.

When I next raised my crown I froze. He was gone. He'd left-- No. I spotted him in the shadows, his giant, muscular mass taking comfort from the shade. At least he was smart enough to move out of the sun when needed. It seemed as though I couldn't shake the serious temperament of this stallion and so I was beginning to lose hope; what more could I try to talk about? I knew he was interested in me, for whatever reason he may have had, for I'd seen him watch me and study my frame, but he didn't seem to be interested in developing a friendship of sorts. At least, that was what I thought.
My slender pillars wobbled slightly as I exited the water and finally walked upon softer sand. It shifted and slipped beneath dark hooves and my raven banner whipped and lashed at my sides at the continuous onslaught of flies and bugs. I shook out my mane once more, delivering droplets of water to the sand around me in multiple places.

What was I to do? Should I join him, or should I continue alone just as I'd done before he had arrived? This stallion puzzled me at all times; I couldn't seem to figure him out and it was irritating to me. Usually I had a very good judgement of character but Deus appeared to have built a wall so high that I just couldn't peer over it.

"Deus?" I asked quietly; I hadn't considered whether or not this was a good question and so, after I finished talking, I realised that I could trigger a negative reaction, "Do you miss your birthplace sometimes? Do you find it lonely out here?"

[WHITE TIMBER]

her following questions did take me by surprise. honestly, i hadn't even thought about it. since leaving, i pushed everything in the back of my mind - even my emotions. i swallowed them, acting as if they weren't there when in reality, there were feelings. i was not made of metal and bolts, i was no machine, i had some instinctive traits that when i left my birth mother, my father, my family..everything i've ever known, it was a disheartening feeling. maybe my rage was the only thing i ever felt due to it overpowering everything else. which was the most probable conclusion to this. so when she did ask me, i pondered silently for several minutes. miss them? lonely? hm. i don't think i'm lonely. besides running away two years ago, i had a lot to learn and still do. but i do aim to build up, construct my own empire - test the waters and see what kind of architect i was. i observed her for some time, before i decided i'd answer. 
"sometimes i miss my mother." 
simply put, my low-key words were probably wearing on her patience. fraying without much friction, i was sure she'd grow bored of me sooner rather than later. which was fine, most did, which was why as a rogue stallion i still had much to learn in the art of social manners. icy eyes glided from her glistening raven mane to her golden eyes. 
"i wouldn't say i was ever lonely, persay." 
baritones ventured, profound resonance sounding without hesitation. again, silence befell us both, cloaking us in hushed tones of the wind's whir and the ocean's serenades. was there not much else i could muster for lakota? not much else at all, i supposed. i was truly sorry for that. 
"what about you?" 
unoriginal, i asked the same of her. 

[[ Rσσ ]]

I decided I'd stay out in the sunlight and give the stallion his space. I was finally beginning to piece together his personality and it wasn't a particularly exciting one, however I believed something would break eventually. At some point, maybe he'd show something that proved he wasn't just a serious rogue. My tail arched and lashed at my left side and I kept my tail held there, my ears pointed before I dropped my crown, snorted into the sand, then began to approach. I stopped a few steps away from the other and glanced in the direction Deus was facing towards.

"Sometimes I do," I admitted finally, lifting my head as high as I could as I ducked my back to stretch my spine. I then straightened again and took a deep breath, "I miss having a warm stable in the winter, and I miss my mother's little metaphors and theories and morals. Sometimes I even miss being brushed by all of the little children who used to visit. I could never hurt those, unlike the adults that used to try and break me... I remember a little girl leading me from my stall because I'd bite my owner. I made a point to behave myself. I couldn't hurt a child."

Then I realised my true self was breaking through the cracks in my wall and I quickly turned away from the stallion and paced ever so slowly. Each step was slow and the tip of my hooves brushed the surface of the sand. I flinched as I felt raindrops begin to tap my spine and I raised my head to the darkening sky curiously; it looked stormy, but it had done for the past few days and there was never one rumble of thunder... Luckily. I'd always been scared of thunder since a colt got so terrified he went galloping across a muddy field and slipped and-... I never saw him again. He was my only best friend. Cautiously shuffling closer to the stallion once more, I squeezed my smaller frame in a gap between him and a tree to get the best cover I could from the rain. Above me was a thick layer of branches and leaves and so I felt comfortable here... As well as the fact that Deus towered over me and blocked most of my view, so now I was left staring at his pelt and getting a sneaky closer look at the feather on his canons.

[WHITE TIMBER]

she spoke, i listened. the pampers of the human lead life were enticing on every level, especially if felt by a horse before. wild horses had it easier in my head, they never had to indulge in the finer things in life, so they wouldn't ever have to miss them. i could agree with lakota on the fact that being brushed was a wonderful sensation and now without that luxury, we had to resort to only baths. rolling would suffice, but it always caused for such a dirty complexion- i would rather look sleek and feel terrible than to look grimy and feel wonderful. it was backwards philosophy but oh well. i watched her every movement, the way lean muscle tone flexed beneath her flawless carapace, rippling the softened, sooty dapples as she walked, pivoted, returned. the sky was beginning to open a bit, droplets could be seen drizzling here and there- peppering the sand and falling upon her already dampened body. neck outstretched so that i may look up at the sky, the ashen overhang threatening to unleash. i retracted my head, swiveling ever slightly as to look back at lakota. she'd wedged herself between myself and the tree, which was fine. i had no qualms about such. if she'd rather not be rained on, who could blame her. 

"yes, i agree with you there. being groomed was a lovely aspect of barn life."
of captivated life. i quickly shook the thought from my mind. icy eyes watched her as she seemed to survey the heavy feathering upon my limbs, as they draped down and lightly touched the sands- completely engulfing my hooves. i took a gander at her own extremities. slender, dainty, delicate. feminine in all forms of the word, in all aspects of her demeanor. a true lady, in my opinion. classy, open minded. the girl was someone to hold stature. if i were to start a herd here, she would be a fine addition. perhaps even, dare i say, the lead mare. i wanted everything in a lead mare that lakota possessed, and coming from similar backgrounds, it just might do me well to have someone i could relate to should i ever succumb to homesickness. 

"i didn't have much experience with children." 
i added on truthfully. the owners rarely brought kids to the stables, and when they did, it was to observe the already polished champions that stood mightily in their stalls. they would draw one of them out, allow the children to observe the beast. i was left in a paddock with my mother, and she would talk to me about what was happening. i was too far gone by that point. too angry to care. i barely ever replied to her, and when i did, it was usually snide little remarks. luckily, i never claimed to be a saint, because i'm not one. i'm an asshole. 

[[ Rσσ ]]

I was glad that we could agree on something finally; at least he understood what I missed and I now knew somebody else who missed it too. I found myself leaning closer and closer to the other as he spoke and seemed to reflect until, eventually, my shoulder found his. Or, rather, my shoulder found the muscle just below. For a moment I was surprised but then, eventually, I decided to stay put to test the stallion's reaction. The warmth of his frame against mine wasn't too pleasant considering the summer heat but, at the same time, I found comfort in the gentle physical contact...

"The children were sweet," I added and forced a smile; I missed the children more than the adults, sometimes more than my own mother, "I've never seen anybody stand in awe by the presence of another creature; the children, they'd stand and gawk and, eventually, one would become confident enough to approach and pet me. Then, just like that, all the others would hurry over and put their tiny hands on my face, or my legs, and all I'd do is stand there... I saw myself as a filly in those children. They were so curious about everything."

I fell quiet eventually and took a small breath before my muzzle found the dip before his shoulder. I stood there that way, doing nothing more other than pressing my nose against his pelt and indulging myself in that short moment of comfort even though it was far more than likely that the stallion would move away from me in protest of the contact.

[WHITE TIMBER]

sure, the children were sweet. but i had no interest in humans since day one. but i supposed it was sweet she found them so appealing. as a true female would. she leaned into me, the feminine shoulder pressing against the brawn of my own, and icy eyes fell to observe her. what was she doing? i did not shy away, for i was unsure if she'd fallen asleep or just fainted. surely this wasn't a voluntary move? then her muzzle nuzzled me, but still, i did not move. i allowed this, because i felt so comfortable around the girl - even just having met her. it was a weird concurrence, a strange sensation, but it was real. 

"i was always secluded with my mother."
i said bluntly, even though there was more to that story besides the humans just keeping me with my mother. 
"i was too..robotic for them. i made it a point to never even respond to them." 
baritones fell from lip and tongue, dripping in increasing honesty. 
"i never even entertained them." 
i spoke in sheer disgust of the humans, as if they were but flies upon my hide to be whacked with the whip of my tail. blood sucking, germ-y fools who needed to be swatted down every couple of seconds. besides continuing with the conversation, alabaster muzzle fell to graze slightly over the top of her withers and spinal column. the motion was short lived, though not in quick succession. rather, glacially, did i brush against her. in a sort of reaction to her own cuddles. 

[[ Rσσ ]]

The surprise that overwhelmed me from his returned affection along my withers and spine made me freeze but, rather than moving away from the stallion and breaking our contact, I pressed my velvet maw against his neck, brushed it across, then settled the whole length of my small head against his pelt. I bobbed my head slightly against him; his mane bristled my face as I moved. Finally I retreated from him but kept contact between our shoulders.

"But that's okay," She reminded softly, "At least you didn't get too attached to much at home. I suppose it'd make it a little easier out here, hm? I have days where I miss being able to make the children laugh, and having three to four toddlers on my back all at once, and their little hands trying to pet me as though if they touched me too hard I'd break." In all honesty, the conversation was making me homesick. This often happened when I reflected on my past but I never missed the adult humans nor my mother and friends. I preferred to be alone but, occasionally, everybody needs some company. That was why I was so glad to have this stallion here and to have some conversation - he took my loneliness away despite not being the chattiest horse I'd ever met.

I raised my head up high and took a few short, sharp breaths in and out. My nostrils twitched and flared slightly. I was picking up a strange scent, likely a wolf in the distance, and they always made me nervous. My crown dropped and I turned to the younger male and nudged his cheek. "Can we go for a walk?" I was hoping he'd picked up the wolf's scent also, "They're quite close to us."