Panic Arrives

[Dusty's Girl]

Thunder was heard on the horizon...wait, those were hoofbeats galloping at a fast pace. Heaving breaths were taken as a smallish palomino mare slowed as she darted into view. She was large for a pony...or small for a horse. A bright palomino color, she was certainly hard to miss and she was heavily built. Surely a mare such as this would have a herd and not be traveling at this pace at this time of day.

Scars criscrossed her back, sides, flanks, neck, and shoulders. She moved at times as if she was stiff and her back legs seemed to bother her at times. She let out a soft whicker, too afraid to neigh. He might be following her. But she was here in another stallion's terra and he might not follow her here. She stopped beside a tree and paused to take a deep breath, her sides heaving with the effort. She had to get away from him, she had to find a way to get rid of him.

She felt her legs weaken as she allowed herself a bit of time to lay down and rest, her body shaking with the last few days of running at full speed. She had tried everything to be rid of him, but finally, it seemed, as if he was gone from her. Finally, the black brute was unable to harm her once more. So she rested for a bit, hoping the stallion or stallions of this terra would not act the same way as the brute or run her off for a few days.

[bullseye14]

There Patriot was, exploring his territory in peace and making sure that everything was in its right place when the sound of rapid hoofbeats met his sensitive ears. He was a stallion, so the fact that Parlos and Dream had rejoined his herd wasn't allowed to distract him. And, for the most part, he didn't let it. Anyone would have noticed the thundering noise, so he didn't give himself credit for it, just pricked up his ears and tuned into the sound waves. The rapid thudding stopped almost suddenly. Patriot thought he caught a flash of gold in the yonder leaves, but couldn't say for sure. It was shortly after noon and the sun shone in hot beams through the tree canopies - it could have been a trick of the light.

For a little while, he stood attentively, taking in the sights and smells. Deciding to further investigate without summoning Parlos to his side, the ebony stallion stepped through the underbrush, attempting stealth. Ahead, he spotted a palomino mare, laying on the ground. Her sides were heaving and sweat covered her scar-riddled coat. She looked completely exhausted. Who was this mare? Well, the only way to find out was talking. He was a lead stallion; he'd handled worse.

"Are you alright, dear one?" he asked, striding out of his thin cover, eyes filled with concern.

[Dusty's Girl]

She scrambled up from her position on the ground, a squeal flying from her muzzle as she righted herself. A black! She snorted warily, unsure if she should run yet. But this one..he did not smell like the brute...She snorted once more, weaving back and forth in place. Her sides were still heaving, her coat was still coated with sweat.

"I'm Rhapsody." Her voice was soft, almost completely timid of the stallion in front of her. She stood, trembling and cowering, scared of what he might do or who he might be. "I am sorry if I have invaded your terra. I will leave right away if you want me to. I was just hiding from the brute."

[bullseye14]

Patriot flicked his ears backward in annoyance at the squeal. He wasn't angry at the little palomino mare, but he was shocked at her reaction. The ebony stallion had never been known for abusing mares, though he had sometimes neglected them in his past life; and he was sure that this was a case of abuse. He didn't approve of it at all. In fact, the lead stallion was pretty near storming off to find the bozo that had created the fearful creature in front of him.

Snorting, he replied. "By all means, stay! But I would like to know what brute you're referring to." 'Maybe I'll go knock him around a bit. Probably some youngster that thinks he's a tough stud.' Restlessness seemed to be taking a toll on Patriot. For two years now, he had pretty much remained inactive and he was close to the point of looking for some sort of fight.

[Dusty's Girl]

She quivered at the thought of having to tell this nicer black stallion what a mean brute that Brught was. She snorted very softly and hung her head even lower, "I will not leave then, but Brught is a mean one. He will do anything that he can to get his way. I cannot even begin to tell you the number of times that he has forcebred me. He keeps me as his slave. I only got away because he thought that I was taken by wolves." She trembled, her legs almost giving out.

She wanted nothing more to do with Brught and wanted nothing more to do with a foal. She had originally wanted to find a kind stallion and give him a foal, but now her peace was shattered when she was paired with Brught in the Far Herds. She just wanted to rest, just relax and be herself once more.

[bullseye14]

Patriot didn't doubt the mare's truthfulness. The look in her eye was pursuading him of the danger in keeping her around. He was starting to think that maybe his assessment of the unknown brute was incorrect - maybe he was a tough stallion after all. But the ebony stallion liked to think that he, also, was a tough stallion. He had been taken down by the youngster, had his herd stolen, but that was years ago. That was also the last fight he had... His home in the Nevada desert couldn't be taken quite as seriously as this one, though. Sunshine River was really a very peaceful place and he wouldn't be the one to stand by as that peace was shattered. Besides, this time he had mares he truly loved to defend. Admittedly, the ones from his other herd were his by instinct. He stole them and charmed them because that was what stallions were supposed to do - have the biggest herd and the most offspring.

Watching the mare with concern, he said calmly, "I'm going to call my Knight. He'll escort us back to the center of the territory where my mares are. He's a gentle guy and won't do anything to harm you." Here, Patriot threw his head back and summoned Parlos with a loud call.

[Dusty's Girl]

Hooves rang out as the sturdy grey cantered into the area. His dappled hide gleamed in the light, rather betraying his age for sure. He nickered softly and tossed his head, his tail lashing behind him rather placidly, "You called Patriot?" He bowed his head slightly, his eyes focusing on the palomino pony in front of him.

Rhapsody nearly swooned at the sight of another stallion, her body started trembling more than before. Nevermind that the new stallion was older and was nearly as thick as a tree now that his winter coat was starting to unfold. She lowered her head even lower and closed her eyes. Surely this was the end for sure.

ooc: Ewie...but I had to post them...

[bullseye14]

Patriot didn't know what to say or do. He didn't intend to harm the mare, Parlos didn't intend to harm her and yet she stood there trembling as if he had just threatened to turn canibal and eat her. He took a deep breath to steady his mind and said. "Dear mare, I will not force you to follow us. I do think that you need some protection and rest, but if you don't think you can trust us, I understand."

He wanted to form words that would state his innocence and that he had never forcebred a mare, but that would be false. He wasn't perfect, he knew that. The ebony stallion walked up to Parlos and muttered in his ear. "Maybe you would have better luck with her? I get the feeling my coloring is intimidating. If I ever get my hooves on the stallion that did this..." He trailed off, knowing that threats of violence probably weren't his best move.

(OOC: It's okay, we can be ewie together. I don't mind. ;-))