Vernal Sun and Vibrant Blossoms

[Swede]

A couple fresh scars lined his body, but the stallion was back in his territory, decidedly victorious. Kahuna was in quite a good mood. He had successfully fended off a challenger and protected his mares; it was nice to have a confirmation that he was still a force to reckon with, and still worthy of leading his herd. Also, the apple trees were coming into bloom, the snow was melting away and revealing tender new shoots of grass, and the sun was shining brightly in a bluebird sky, comfortably warming his back without being too hot.

Trotting among the trees, the rugged roan tossed his head and whinnied loudly, calling out to his herd. The mares would be foaling soon, and he wanted to keep an eye on everyone. Predators were rare in this territory, but newborns were the most vulnerable in a herd, and were most likely to attract carnivores. Few beasts would bother attacking an adult horse, but a lone mare had difficulty fending off cougars or wolves who tried to snatch her foal. Safety in numbers.

Serena whickered softly when she heard Kahuna's call, and began slowly meandering in his direction, pausing now and then to taste a patch of grass or wildflowers. Her ire was wearing off with the seasons, and it was difficult to maintain a grudge against him for so long. She was just glad he was safe and sound, and proud of his victory.

Savage followed his mother, in a manner of speaking, though his path was much more wobbly and disoriented as he trotted off to check out a potential bird's nest or chase a squirrel. The two year old was feeling frisky, and though he both respected and feared Kahuna, he figured the older roan would be in a good mood today. The colt paused, glancing around to see where the rest of the herd was.

[Saz]

Her breathing was labored, her expression pained as she lay on her side, silently crying out in unbelievable pain. This wasn't right, she knew it. It wasn't right. The mare shuddered, eyes rolling as she frothed at the mouth. Finally the foal slid free, but she was too wrapped up in her own pain to notice. Her heart felt like it was in overdrive, everything hurt. She let out a hoarse, pained cry and fell limp. The light faded from her eyes and her sides stilled. Eirene was gone, joining her mother and her daughters. A soft shuddering breath came from the foal as she blinked alarmed at the bright light and the fading warmth beside her.

She squealed as she felt something brush up against her, whatever it was dived away from her alarmed at the sudden noise. She bleated pitifully, scared and alone, her mother wasn't responding. A low nicker came from the trees and a two year old greying bay roan filly appeared. She saw the filly and instinctively moved closer, she sniffed Eirene's corpse and gently nudged her sadly before moving over to the filly. "Come now little one, up you get." She murmured. The newborn obeyed clumsily, stumbling to her hooves after a few tries and then sticking to the elder filly's side as they slowly moved out of the trees.

Meanwhile, the beautiful grey mare that had birthed both Grace and Serenity was lying on the forest floor, straining to birth this stubborn foal. After a while, the filly was eventually born, and Halo breathed a soft sigh of relief. It was short lived however as a shrill squeaking squeal broke the peaceful silence and the hanoverian mare lifted her head to stare at her daughter. 'Oh great...' She thought, mentally rolling her eyes before getting to her hooves and beginning to clean off the wriggling, impatient foal. Not long after the filly was clean, she was stood on wobbling newborn legs, taking cautious steps toward her mother. After she managed to get there she fed eagerly and then bolted off into the woods.

Halo, surprised at the sudden speed of the newborn stood there for a moment, paralyzed with shock. Before panic set in and she hurried after her wayward daughter. "Ace! Get back here!" She called, moving into a lope as she spotted her speedy daughter weaving through the trees ahead. She caught up with the energetic filly after a few strides and managed to slow her down by grabbing her by the withers and coming to a halt. The filly squealed defiantly, determined to explore this new world and find the other horses she could hear. A whinny rang out that Halo instantly recognized and she moved swiftly out of the trees, Ace trailing at her heels.

"Grace, what is th- Oh!" She paused, her gaze drawn to the smoky black newborn that was glued to her daughter's side. "Where's Eirene?" She asked softly, instantly moving toward the filly and pulling her close, her maternal instincts going into overdrive as she cleaned the filly and nudged her to where she could feed. "Dead." Came the saddened reply, Halo's head jerked upright, grief weighing down her heart as she stared at her daughter. "Oh... And this is, her daughter..." She muttered, more to herself that anything. The mare sighed deeply, gently nuzzling the sweet filly that had just finished feeding. "Come Electra, Ace, we must go find your father." The grey mare murmured softly to her daughters, moving off at a slow pace.

"I'll find Serenity and Shadowfax." She called to her mother, turning and loping off to where she had last seen the yearlings. Reaching the spot where she had last seen them, the greying roan grumbled in annoyance, "Can't stay in one flipping place when I ask them to!" She snorted, turning and gazing around for any sign of the two wayward yearlings. "SERENITY! SHADOWFAX! STOP HIDING THERE, I CAN SEE YOU!" She called to the two yearlings as they burst out from behind a bush and dove toward the trees. She cut them off easily, ears flattened, not in the mood to play.

"Gah, Grace, you're such a spoil sport!" Serenity whined, tossing her head and glaring at her sister. Shadowfax rolled his eyes at Serenity's whining and nodded to Grace, "What's the matter Grace?" He asked, his voice soft and calm, unlike the loud blue roan next to him. "Dad's back, come on." She replied, flicking her tail and nipping at Serenity as she went to sneak around her and into the woods. "Oh! Dad's back!" Serenity immediately perked up, grinning broadly and setting off at a sprint in the direction Grace had motioned. "Come on. We shouldn't let her get too far ahead." The colt muttered to the older filly before bolting after Serenity. Grace rolled her eyes and galloped after the energetic youngsters, inwardly sighing at their antics.

The trio of youngsters slowed as they spotted Serena and Savage, the yearlings sent out a nicker to the two before bolting off again, eager to greet Kahuna after his battle. Grace however, slowed to a walk and jogged toward her older brother, "Hey Savage, whatcha up to?" She asked, grinning broadly at him. Even though Kahuna had made it clear that he did not accept the colt properly, Grace and the others still made it clear they loved him no matter what their dad said.

[Swede]

Savage flicked his ears and turned as a gang of the younger herd members zoomed past him through the nearby trees. Serenity and Shadowfax seemed to have other things to do and disappeared in a flash, but Grace apparently would rather keep him company. The bay roan nickered a greeting to her, and then shrugged. "Not much... I'm thinking about going over to where everyone else is headed, but I don't know if it's a good idea, really. Maybe I'll just hang out here instead..." He peered towards his receding mother, who by now was almost completely blocked by the gnarled old apple trees. The territory was so pretty this time of year, with the pale pink, nearly white, apple blossoms giving youth to the ancient branches. He couldn't help but wonder if this was the last time he would see them. Kahuna was not a tolerant stallion, and Savage knew that the only reason he wasn't driven out as a yearling was because of Serena's intervention; why he had been allowed to stay even as a two year old, Savage had no idea. But now he was three, and surely his grizzled sire would have run out of patience by now...?

As Serena walked forward, she glimpsed another mare some distance to her left. She nickered a greeting and inhaled the scent simultaneously; Halo for sure, and a mixed unfamiliar scent that didn't register in the dun mare's memory. The grey must have foaled, there wasn't any other explanation. She changed course slightly to intercept her fellow herdmate, but as she came closer, Serena was surprised to see not one, but two wobbly newborns. She had heard of twins, but never in her life witnessed it; it was supposed to be exceedingly rare and quite dangerous to both mother and foals. Yet these three seemed to be healthy enough. "Halo, what is this?" she questioned, assuming both the role of inquisitive friend and investigating lead mare who needed to know precisely what went on in her domain.

Kahuna snorted in amusement when the yearlings burst out of the trees. Naturally they would arrive first; if the mares hadn't foaled, they would be ungainly and prefer to amble along, rather than rush. And if they had foaled, they'd have newborns to nudge along. Yearlings, though, were as energetic as foals, as swift as adults, and independent enough from their mothers to run wherever they wanted at whatever pace they fancied. The roan stallion half-reared, a guttural squeal emitting from his throat, but it was all in mocking fun. "Missed me, did you?" he rumbled, his gaze flicking from Serenity to Shadowfax, "At least someone did, eh. Well I can say your mother is safe, Serenity; intruders still can't beat your old dad. Now, has anything happened while I was gone?"

[Saz]

The grey hanoverian nickered back to her friend and came to a halt, both fillies snuggled tightly into her sides at the sight of a stranger. She motioned to her left side where her biological daughter was snuggled and smiled gently, "This is Ace." She murmured, glancing down at the stocky filly. Rather than taking after her mother like her previous foals had, the filly had the stocky quality of a mustang and a coat to match her father. She was almost an exact replica of Kahuna, only in female form. She then turned her gaze to the nervous filly on her other side. "And this is Electra. She is Eirene's last daughter." She paused, fixing her gaze upon the dun.

The grey mare blinked tiredly against the summer sun as the cloud previously covering it moved to the side, sending warmth across the lands below. She sighed softly and swished her tail at the bothersome flies before glancing back toward Serena, "We should go and greet Kahuna. He and Shadowfax need to be told." She murmured, shaking her forelock so it lay over her eyes, shielding them partially from the almost blinding sun.

Grace sighed softly and gently nuzzled the older bay roan, "It'll all work out eventually, Savage. Dad is more tolerant toward you in any case because you have enough sense in you not to try it on with any of the mares." She snorted, her tail swishing through the air to flick away the flies who had made their yearly appearance. "And in any case, Royale has disappeared again, as have that lot, so it's possible he'll let you stay anyway. And if not, well, maybe it's time you found your own mare." She added, giving him a small smile. "Now, come on. If he's gonna run you out, then may as well do it when he's in a more placid state, y'know, still happy that he won the fight and all that." She snorted, nudging him before moving off at a slow, relaxed pace.

Serenity and Shadowfax reached Kahuna far before the others, and in response to his teasing half-rear and squeal, they both whinnied back at him, crow hopping and then headbutting his shoulder in affectionate play. "'Course we did! And no one can beat you dad! You've got years on those guys!" Crowed Shadowfax, grinning broadly at his father as they came to a standstill. Serenity rolled her eyes and smiled brightly at their father, "Thanks Dad, and not much, last I saw of Mum and Eirene they were grazing near the trees, I think they disappeared to go give birth." The yearling shrugged, "I think mum was just heading back to the main herd when you got here." She snorted, frowning to try and remember if there was anything else that he needed to know.

[Swede]

Serena was silent for a moment, and then nodded in mute understanding. So Eirene had not survived her newest foal's birth. "Well. Hello Ace, and Electra; my name is Serena," she said calmly, devoting a few moments' attention to the youngsters. Then she turned and began walking beside Halo as they moved to greet their lead stallion. She would miss Eirene; but you could not count on Nature to be anything except harsh. This lesson she had been taught, over and over, first verbally on the plateau of her youth, and then through experience in the years after she had left that place. "I hope he at least has better news for us, than we do for him," she said wearily.

Savage shrugged, highly doubting Grace's soothing words. "More like I've just stayed out of his way so he practically forgot I existed," he muttered. Which had been fine by him, of course; existing in the blue roan's world was just cause for problems. "But yeah... maybe you're right. Mom's getting along with him better anyway. Who knows." He set off after the filly, keeping a wary eye about him. He didn't want to go throwing himself into trouble if he could help it.

Kahuna listened to the chatter of the robust youngsters, and nodded with satisfaction. No news was good news; that meant no other roaming stallions, or predators, or other issues to be dealt with. "Excellent, perhaps they will rejoin us soon then. I've got news though- I found a new friend on my way back. She's nice, I think you'll like her." The roan stallion lifted his head and whinnied loudly, calling to Charisma. Once they had passed the borders of the territory, where she would be safe from harm even if he wasn't directly with her, he had run ahead to greet the herd and to allow her to get accustomed to the new land at her own pace. However, it would be good to get her acquainted with the others as soon as possible.

[Snappin' Turtle]

The cremello mare had been grazing as she waited for Kahuna to call her, knowing he would know the opertune moment to introduce her to the rest of his herd. She raised her head at his called and trotted forward, stopping beside him. Charisma looked around at the others, from the youngsters and foals to the mares. The pale mare nodded respectfully and smiled. "Hello." she said, her voice pure and smooth. "Im Rebel's Charisma.. or just Charisma." she went on, deciding she should have just introduced herself as Charisma. Smiling at the others, she glanced at Kahuna looking to him to make sure everyone approved of her. Charisma hoped no one would refuse her presence. She needed a stable home for the foal she was currently burdened with.

[Saz]

Halo nodded tiredly to Serena and smiled softly as Ace squeaked a quiet hello whilst Electra remained stoic and silent beside her adopted mother. The grey hannoverian cast a glace across the landscape to where Kahuna and the others were gathered behind a line of apple trees before motioning her muzzle in that direction. "Shall we get going? It'll take a while with these two and I'm not feeling so sure on my feet." She snorted, sighing quietly before setting off slowly in the direction of Kahuna and the rest of the herd.

Serenity wrinkled her muzzle in mild confusion before perking up instantly as the mare came into view, "Hi! I'm Serenity and this is my brother, Shadowfax." She chirped back, her whole face lighting up the instant she realized she got to meet a new horse. "It's lovely to meet you, Charisma, the others should be here soon." She added, grinning widely at the taller cremello. "You're so pretty! Your coat is so gorgeous! I wish my coat was like that. It's just greying out though, I inherited that from my mom." The filly babbled on, eager to get to know this new mare and make friends with her. Her brother on the other hand, stood partially behind her, a little starstruck as he gazed at the cremello mare. She was beautiful, absolutely gorgeous. Her coat was a golden ivory colour and it reflected the sunlight that rained down upon it.

Shadowfax blinked and brought himself back to the present as his name was mentioned in passing conversation and he merely nodded shyly at the cremello, hoping that she, nor his father had seen his longing gazes. The buckskin yearling shifted uncomfortably and took a small bite of the wilting grasses before glancing up at the approach of hooves. Grace and Savage appeared from the tree line and instinctively he nickered a soft hello to them, swishing his tail and shyly glancing back to Charisma. The greying roan two year old sped up as she spotted their father, she whinnied softly to him, a smile working its way onto her maw as she strode forward to meet him. No doubt she would leave next spring or summer to make her way in the world, that was if Savage wasn't thrown out before then. If he was she would leave with him, they could go on their own adventure!

"Hey Dad, I see Serenity and Shadowfax got here first, eh? And who is this?" She greeted the grizzled blue roan with an affectionate nuzzle before nickering softly to the cremello mare in welcome. "I'm Grace, I'm assuming you've already been introduced to this rowdy lot, eh? And that's Savage. Our brother." She smiled, motioning to the two yearlings before nodding to the young stallion who had appeared with her. She was now about the same height as Savage, and if she hadn't inherited the grey gene from her mother they would be almost identical, or so she imagined. Shaking out her still dark mane, the two year old filly nipped at Serenity who was currently crowding her as she tried to get closer to the new mare and be the incredibly friendly puppy she really was. The yearling squealed in defiance and a small scuffle broke out between them before the elder filly ended it with a sharp nip and raising her back hoof in warning.

Grace was still glaring at her younger sister when Halo and Serena eventually appeared, the appearance of the two mares and two foals made the two year old pale as she remembered the sight of Eirene and Electra. The two year old blinked back tears and turned away from the others and moved slowly back toward Savage, her pillar of support. Halo nickered tiredly to Kahuna and the others, nodding a soft hello to the new mare but not saying anything. She thought it best for Serena to give what introductions were left and to let the lead mare give Kahuna the bad news. She was too tired from walking and birthing her daughter not to mention the strain of raising two foals at the same time seemed to weigh her down more than usual. The grey hanoverian lowered her muzzle to the grass and took a hungry bite, she watched Electra eye the strangers with vague caution before lowering herself into the wilting grass next to her mother and dozing off in what was left of the autumn sun. Ace, after staring interestedly at the new horses, and squealing once or twice to have her voice heard in a conversation that didn't include her, spotted her sister in the grass and decided, after a little contemplation, that actually she was rather tired. And a nap in the grass sounded like a good idea. But when the filly lay in the grass, she found herself a little chilly, and crawled to her hooves once more before stumbling sleepily over to Electra and curling up in the grass with her sister. This was much more comfortable and struck the newborn as a far better idea that sleeping alone in the cool grass. They would have to do this more often, she sleepily decided as she drifted off.

[Swede]

Kahuna watched the proceedings with a strict eye to ensure the pair of yearlings didn't overstep the boundaries of basic respect; however, he was quite pleased with how Charisma was being received. Of course, youngsters were always easily excitable by new things, but hopefully the other mares would welcome her as well. He lifted his muzzle slightly as Grace approached to join the little gathering. The roan stallion nudged his daughter's face fondly, and said in answer, "This is Charisma, she'll be joining us, so be sure to make her feel welcome." Kahuna highly doubted this would be any issue for Grace; she was always charming and delightful. His gaze flicked past her shoulder and he tilted his ears back slightly at the young stallion who lingered among the trees. Savage averted his gaze and took a couple of steps backward, lowering his head to graze demurely on the fringe of the gathering.

Snorting softly, Kahuna glanced back towards Grace. "Where is everyone else, anyway?" However, his question did not require answering, as Serena and Halo soon emerged from among the trees. The stallion immediately felt on edge; something was wrong. It took a moment more to try and figure out what it was- Halo had obviously foaled, but there were two of them, and it seemed she was utterly exhausted from her ordeal. And where was Eirene? An explanation was required; luckily, Serena veered towards him rather than tagging after Halo.

The dun mare paused, eyeing Charisma critically for a moment. "Who's this?" she said, looking the mare over. Kahuna knew that as lead mare, if Serena didn't like the newcomer, she would kick her out and he wouldn't have any say in it; hopefully she was in a tolerant mood today. "Her name is Charisma," he said, itching for an update on his herd but knowing not to push the matter until Serena had dealt with things in order, "I found her on my way home, after I fought off that other stallion. Charisma, Serena is the lead mare of this herd." News of his victory could only help his case, and increased his standing with Serena as well. Or so he hoped, at least.

"I see," Serena said simply. She was quiet for a moment. "Well, excuse us for a moment," she added with a brief nod to the pale mare, before taking a few steps away, a clear sign for Kahuna to follow. She halted and turned to face him again, a few strides away from the others so as to give the conversation a somewhat less public factor. "We lost Eirene," she murmured up close to her ear, "Halo took on her filly, though. Her name's Electra, Halo's foal is Ace..."

It took a minute before Kahuna had an answer. "She'll need help then," he said grimly, glancing towards the grey mare. Then he sighed. Nature's laws must be abided, but they could be harsh both in their effect and in their timing- one moment the herd was riding a wave of success, only to crash against the rocks of reality. Serena nodded and turned to walk back towards Charisma and the youngsters. "Well then," she said briskly, "I'm sure we'll get along fine once you've settled in."

Kahuna moved towards Halo, halting near her and scrutinizing her closely. He wasn't pleased with what he saw; she'd need more of a pep in her step if she was going to pull through winter in any decent state. Snorting, the roan stallion moved forward and lowered his head a little to graze nearby. "I'll watch them," he said gruffly. Foal-sitting wasn't really in his usual repertoire of tasks, but the less Halo had to worry about, the better; and if that meant keeping an eye on a pair of sleeping infants, then it really didn't require much consideration. Hopefully the borders would be safe from intrusion for a while; few roamers dared attack with winter so near, as an injury in such a season could prove fatal and everyone was too busy just surviving to worry about squabbling with other stallions.

[Snappin' Turtle]

The pale mare smiled broadly at everyone, glad to be accepted so readily. "Thank you, Serenity." she said, touching noses with her and then turning her blue gaze upon the colt. "Its nice to meet you both." Charisma said, looking around at everyone. Her smile faltered slightly as Kahuna was pulled aside, his face turning grim. She glanced at the mare with two foals, one of them obviously not hers. She felt sorrow for their apprent loss but kept quiet, knowing her condolences would be unessecary, she didnt even know the mare. But sometimes a kind word could do wonders. She gave the young ones a parting nod before slipping over to the grey mare, bowing her head slightly to her. "I am Charisma.." she said, looking up at her and giving the taller mare a light smile. "May I ask how you are holding up? It cannot be easy to be nursing two." she went on, looking at the fillies.

[Saz]

Halo glanced up as the cremello moved toward her, she took a step forward, instinctive as she had two young ones to protect and she didn't know this individual. "Lovely to meet you, Charisma. I am Halo, these are my daughters, Ace and Electra." She answered, blinking slowly before clearing her throat as the mare asked how she was. "It is difficult, but I am sure I shall cope. Being in a herd with other mares and youngsters gives you a chance to take a break once in a while when the fillies can play with their older siblings." She smiled softly, swaying on her hooves a moment as black dots flitted across her vision.
The hanoverian shook her head and blinked hard, regaining her normal vision she shook off the previous dizziness to the tiring action of giving birth.

She then turned as the blue roan stallion moved over and scrutinised her. "Thank you, Kahuna." The grey mare whickered tiredly to her stallion, slowly turning and striding past the roan stallion, gently nudging his shoulder in affection. The mare then stumbled as she got a few feet away from the others, falling to her knees, a harsh cough ripping through her lungs. Halo blinked tiredly, the world darting in and out of view. Halo attempted to stumble upright, but slipped and landed on her side, the grey mare felt like a young foal, unstable on her legs and dangerously weak. She attempted to focus on the looming figure of another horse, but as she opened her mouth to speak the only sound was her coughing and her whole body shaking violently with each racking cough. And then all she knew was blackness, her head slumped back onto the wilting grass, however her sides continued to rise and fall, a clear sign that the mare wasn't dead, just unconscious.

"M-Mum!?" Came Serenity's urgent call and she shot forward, barging past Serena in her need to reach her mother. Her call caught the attention of Grace and Shadowfax who had ventured toward Savage and they both turned, concerned at what had happened to the grey mare. The yearling filly dropped her muzzle and nudged her mother's body firmly, "Mum! Mum! Wake up!" She cried worriedly, glancing up and staring around hopelessly at the adults. They had to do something, they had to know what was wrong!

[Swede]

Kahuna nibbled at the grass quietly while the mares became acquainted with Charisma. The foals were quiet, and easy to keep an eye on; babies didn't go running off or make up some devilish mischief when they were asleep. The roan stallion certainly didn't mind his job being easy, at least for the moment; sometimes he felt as if he'd rather fight off an army of intruding bachelors or starving wolves, rather than babysit hyperactive foals, when he saw what the mares had to deal with in their own daily mothering routines.

However, though he might momentarily be able to relax a little, Kahuna never dropped his guard or stopped paying attention; Halo's coughing and stumbling gait made him lift his head rapidly. "Serena!" he immediately barked as the white mare collapsed upon the frozen ground. The copper-coated mare was just as quick to catch on, and immediately moved towards her fallen friend. She nudged her way past Serenity in order to inspect the situation properly. Her first instinct was to nip at the pushy filly and get her out of the way- the last thing they needed was a hysterical Serenity being a distraction- but she resisted the urge, realizing there was a way to keep her out of the way and still make her be useful. "Serenity, lay down next to her," Serena ordered briskly, "The ground is frozen, she'll get cold quickly while she's unconscious if you don't keep her warm."

Lowering her head, she sniffed at Halo's muzzle, giving her cheek a firm nudge and listening intently to her breathing for a moment. "It's similar to the plateau plague," she muttered, "But not quite the same... not anything I've seen before."

"Will she recover?" Kahuna growled.

Serena shrugged. "There isn't anything I can do. Keep her warm so she can avoid getting the chills on top of whatever this is, and perhaps some heat would help loosen up whatever she's got in her lungs as well, make it easier to cough up. But apart from that... it's up to her, I think."

Savage watched from among the trees with growing anxiety. Why was Halo sick? He was tempted to go forward, but Kahuna would probably go into defensive mode and drive him off, and besides, what could he do? He didn't know anything about illnesses...

[Snappin' Turtle]

The pale mare smiled and nodded, "It is nice to meet you, Halo." she nickered. Her brow creased slightly as the mare blinked and swayed, but she figured it was just from the birth, they could take alot out of you. Or at least so Charisma had heard. The missouri fox trotter mare bent her head down to graze, her pale mane falling across her shoulders that were fluffy with her winter coat. Her head came back up at Halo's coughing. She went to take a hesitant step forward, wanting to help. She stopped when the lead mare rushed over and Halo's older daughter, also. Charisma's eyes widened and she took a step back, her bulging sides swaying with every movement. She wanted to see if the friendly mare was okay but she knew her presence would not be needed and she would just be in the way. The cremello mare looked at her hooves, shifting from side ot side in anxiety.

[Saz]

Serenity obeyed Serena's orders in a heartbeat, lowering herself to the frigid floor beside her mother and linking her head over the white mare listening intently to her heart beat. Her throat constricted and she bit her lip, unsure whether it was merely her own blood pounding through her ears or her mother's heart speeding up. Halo continued to drift in and out of consciousness for the next few hours, her heart speeding up every so often before settling to a steadier rhythm. Serenity was yet to leave her mothers side, curled up like a cat she stretched her whole body along the elder mare's and continued to share body heat with the grey mare.

Suddenly, the mare's fever spiked and her heart began to thunder in her chest, her sides heaving as though she was running a marathon. The grey two year old immediately lifted her head, panic flowing through her and she whinnied urgently to Serena. "Serena, something's happening!" She cried, panic and worry flowing through her voice and she then desperately nudged her mother, hoping for some form of response. However, the urgency of the situation then halted as she resumed a slower heartbeat, though still irregular, and a deeper breathing. "It... it's like she's dreaming." Serenity mumbled, concern written across every inch of her young face.

~*~*~

The dark mare strode confidently forward into the terra, her light eyes glinting in the morning sunlight. She let out a whinny to the herd occupants and came to a halt, her eldest daughter coming to a halt behind her. Dexter had split off from the group alongside Lumen after an argument broke out among the family members, so now it was only Lilac and her eldest daughters carrying on the legend of Cryptic. It pained the dark mare to think of her youngest daughter, Farasi. The young filly had succumbed to a fatal disease at only a month old, leaving a gaping hole in Lilac's icy heart.

~*~*~

As the days grew longer, Halo still didn't wake from her coma, though every so often you would see her eyelids flicker or a leg twitch that was the extent of her movement. Slowly, the grey mare began to loose weight, her ribs began to show as did her hips. It was one evening when Serenity was lying beside the grey mare that this came to a peak. Once more, she began to pant heavily, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest and then a stream of blood flowed from her nostrils. She gave a low, struggling snort and her eyes flickered, rolling to and fro as she stared unseeingly up at the sky. "Mom? Mom?!" The young filly cried, lifting her head and frowning deeply as her mother seemed to shiver and then stop all together. "Serena!" The young filly screamed, worry pounding through her and she stumbled to her hooves, desperately nudging the grey mare. "No, no, no! No!" She cried, falling to her knees and nudging the mare hurriedly.

Then, as her world began to tumble around her, Halo breathed deeply, a stuttering cough rippling from her muzzle as she slowly regained consciousness. She became aware of Serenity's worried calls and nudges and loosed a soft, hoarse nicker. "Mom?" Serenity questioned, not believing her eyes as the mare very slowly blinked and lifted her head. "Mom! Oh god! You're alive!" She sobbed, relief pouring through her and tears fell from her eyes. She nuzzled the mare enthusiastically, relishing in the fact that her mother was still alive. "S-serenity?" The mare questioned softly, a small, kind smile moving across her face as she attempted to move into an upright position. Her throat was parched and her stomach growled in hunger as she slowly shifted so her legs were curled beneath her instead of splayed out like a young foal.

As she peered bleary eyed and a little dizzy around at the other horses, she suddenly remembered Ace and Electra. Vaulting suddenly to her hooves, she stumbled slightly but managed to recover and she moved in a stumbling gait in search of her two daughters. "Kah-" She was cut off by her persistent cough before she recovered and called out to the lead stallion. "Kahuna! Where are Ace and Electra?" She demanded, no matter her fragile state she needed to know the two fillies were okay.

[Swede]

Time dragged on, as Halo remained unresponsive. Kahuna grew increasingly anxious, and thus increasingly irritable and aggressive. There were few things he hated more than the feeling of not being in control of his herd; foreign stallions he could at least chase out, predators could be defended against, but here the enemy was something he could not even see, and had no way to fight off. Savage could sense Kahuna's growing frustration as easily as anyone else, and made sure to keep his distance. No longer a colt, he was four years old and fully grown; and though he didn't know it, he was the spitting image of his grandsire, though he lacked the battlescars and the fierce expression. But his body represented every ideal and characteristic of the old desert herds, from the sinewy muscles and rough features to the hard hooves that rejected any thought of requiring shoes. Whether this was a good or bad thing, Savage didn't know, and didn't dwell upon. Perhaps it would remind Kahuna further of the potential threat that the young stallion could serve, and the connection to his grim past, or perhaps it would spark pride in him instead.

Either way, he made sure to remain a ghost in the territory, and frequently wandered the outskirts. Quite without any prior warning, the sound of a distant whinny reached his ears. Lifting his head in curiosity, the young stallion wove his way between the trees, and soon came across a pair of horses, a heavy dark mare and a younger one who looked to be perhaps a daughter, judging by the physical similarities. Savage halted and whickered a cautious greeting, remaining between the trees. "If you are looking for the leaders here, you'd best follow me," he said in a low tone, before turning and setting off at a stealthy pace. Soon enough the rest of the herd came within hearing range, and he paused. "Keep going straight that way, you can't miss them," he said, and then promptly wheeled around and vanished again. He didn't want to be lurking too close to the others, not at such a sensitive time.

---insert Kahuna et al greeting Lilac and Charm and them deciding to stay and oh goodness yay someone can take care of the kids now moving on---


Serena kept a close watch on Halo, grazing nearby while Serenity monitored the situation. Upon the youngster's sudden alarm, she quickly made her way towards the white mare, flicking her ears back nervously at the sight which greeted her eyes. It was not exactly hope-inspiring. But then, miraculously, Halo stirred and awakened. Exhaling a deep sigh of relief, Serena took a step back in order to allow Serenity her moment of joy with her mother.

One mare on her deathbed, another likely to foal at any time now, a pair of foals on the verge of being orphaned... the arrival of Lilac and Charm had been like a gift from the gods for Kahuna. Two extra pairs of eyes to watch for danger, as well as someone to feed the babes in the meantime while Halo struggled against her illness. The grizzled stallion spent many watchful hours lurking in the shadows of the trees near the others, at a point where he could keep an eye on everyone as well as the surroundings, and do what little he could to stave off misfortune. It was certainly no small relief when Halo at last awakened; gone was the threat of things he couldn't control. The scarred roan walked towards her when she called to him, and snorted in rough satisfaction to see her lucid, despite her severely weakened state. "They're fine," he said gruffly. "Lilac's been taking care of them- new mare, she wandered through while you were unconscious. Come on, we're walking you to the creek. You need water."

[Snappin' Turtle]

The pale mare had stood awkwardly to the side and grazed while all the drama with Halo was going on. Charisma didnt quite feel like she could do much to help anyone, so she just tried her best to stay out of everyone's way. The missouri fox trotter gasped slightly as the first contraction hit and she turned and waddled into the trees to have her first child. Charisma laid herself down in the shade of one giant apple tree and scowled as the contractions came harder and with less time in between.
Finally the cremello mare pushed and a wet foal slid onto the ground and she scrambled to her hooves. It had been a hard birth by her pampered standards, but by others it had been a relative breeze. She lowered her head to lick off her baby and nudged the gooey roan to its miniature hooves. As Charisma further inspected the foal, she found it was a girl and she smiled broadly, nickering to her daughter as the newborn struggled to stand. "Chinook." she said, smiling at the smoky black roan filly as she finally stood, her stick legs spread far apart for balance.

[Saz]

Lilac, Ace & Electra

The dark mare stood comfortably in the warm summer sunshine, her face buried in the grass, taking bites here and there as her gaze traveled between the yearlings who romped not far away. The whole herd had taken a part in raising the two after Halo lapsed into a coma. It seemed she had come along at chance, or luck, and saved the lives of the two fillies. They were almost a year old by now, but clearly remembered their mother, though they had not seen her since she had become ill.

They were taught the rules of the herd life, protected well, but not completely rolled in cotton wool to protect them from the world. She knew by now, that Kahuna and Serena's upbringing was rather different to most, a harsh life in a desert land where only the strongest survived was almost unreal in a land such as this. So the foals were brought up tough, though not as tough as either of them had been and sheilded them from only what was truly needed. After all, what chance would they have if they were shielded from everything?

Snorting soft, the mare lifted her head as she saw movement not far from the river, a small smile graced her maw as she spotted Kahuna, and then the almost skeletal frame of Halo beside him. The foals knew their mother was ill, but to the extent that she was, not even she had known the condition of the mare. But now she did. And before she could direct the yearlings away from their father and mother, they spotted Kahuna and raced off to greet him. They, as children, had of course not been oblivious to his anger and quiet rage but instead ignored it. Attempting, like many young will do, to cheer him up with their friendly antics and childish play.

"Dad! Dad!" The two fillies cried simultaenously, racing toward the blue roan as he supported Halo to the river that ran through the terra. The sisters slowed slightly as they spotted an almost unrecognisable figure next to him. Then it clicked in their young minds. A warm motherly figure. Grey pelt. Sweet brown eyes. Their mother. "MOM!" They cheered, ignoring her condition for the moment and leaping forward with renewed vigour.

Lilac followed the duo with a small, but pleasant smile upon her maw. After all, until Halo regained her full health, which wouldn't be for a while, she would still have to help raise them as much as possible to make recovery as easy as possible on the grey mare. "Kahuna." She greeted the stallion first, bowing her head slightly in respect before smiling softly at Halo. "We have not met yet, I am Lilac, I have been caring for Ace and Electra whilst you have been... indisposed. It is lovely to have you back, Halo." She nickered warmly, seeing no reason to be anything other than polite and warm to this mare, seeing as Kahuna and his herd had taken herself and her daughter in with such warmth.

Charm & Grace

The two young mares grazed side by side in the summer sunshine, Charm's dark coat absorbed the heat more than her roan companion, so she soon retired to the shade a few strides away. They were grazing on the outskirts of the herd, it was far easier to sit on the outside looking in on herd drama than be a part of it. Though, Grace probably found that more difficult to seperate herself from the drama, considering her mother was the main part of it. She lifted her head as voices reached her ears, and nickered to Grace who was already looking up. "Go on. I'll join you in a little while." She nickered softly, a small smile as she watched her friend move away with swift strides.

Sighing softly, the young mare leaned against the apple tree, taking her time to look around her at the small herd as they all began to cheer up instead of mourn and worry as they had been since she had arrived. Swishing her tail, Charm took another bite of the grass and glanced up once more. She wondered exactly where Savage had gotten to, the young stallion was hardly ugly and he was kind when you spoke to him. Though she sensed some form of resentment and tension between him and his father, but it was nothing for anyone to worry over really, if Kahuna was truly unhappy or angry at having Savage in his terra, then he would have been chased out long ago.

Though perhaps they had some form of treaty, or agreement, much like her father had with Syn. She shivered, shaking away the thought of the foul stallion that she had unfortunately been related to, Syn was foul, worse than her father and those before him. Whereas Cryptic was affectionate and kind to some extent, Syn had nothing of that within him. Shaking herself, the young mare began to wander away from the tree she had been leaning against and toward the main body of the herd, she wondered if Savage would join them for the moment to celebrate Halo's recovery. Perhaps, perhaps not, the young stallion seemed to be quite the recluse, from what she could tell anyway.

Halo

The skeletal grey nodded, accepting the roan's support and allowing him to lead her to the river. She drank greedily from the cool waters, her thirst seemingly endless before she lifted her head to draw a breath. Water dripped from her whiskers and suddenly the cheery calls of two familiar voices broke the comfortable silence. Ace and Electra. The mare lifted her head, peering over Kahuna to see two yearling fillies racing toward them, her heart burst with joy at seeing her daughters once more, only to be soured slightly by the appearance of another mare, Lilac, who was the one looking after them.

"Ace, Electra." She greeted the fillies hoarsely, nuzzling them both tenderly before lifting her head and nodding curtly to the dark mare. Sure, she would eventually defrost but for the moment she was unsure, and having her precious daughters near a mare that was a stranger set off alarm bells within her head. The grey took a few more sips of water before turning toward Kahuna and smiling softly at him. It was unusual for him to be so close to his mares, of course he and Serena had been together the longest, so naturally they had the strongest bond, not that it had been strong the past few years, but it was getting better. She was just content to live a peaceful life, raise foals and live out her days in a herd of friends and family. "Thank you." She whispered to him, placing her muzzle against his cheek before turning and moving off into the shade to rest and graze.

Serenity & Shadowfax

The two year old filly watched her mother leave and went to follow her when Shadowfax appeared and gently nudged his sister. "Let her and Dad have some space, he'll make sure she's safe." He nickered quietly, watching her with kind eyes before guiding her away to where the apple trees towered over them and the branches intwined to give them solid shade. "Just chill out and rest a bit. It's been a while since you've had time to yourself, looking over Halo for so long." He nickered, half-smiling before lifting his head as Charm walked past. The two year old watched her openly, causing Serenity to give him a sharp nip, the buckskin shied sideways, ears flattening at his sister.

"What?" He exclaimed, shocked at her actions. "There's no cause for you to look at her like that." She snapped, disgusted slightly by her brother's lust for the new mare. Admittedly, she felt a little jealous, fearing that someone would take away her brother and she would lose some family over something as small as a mare. Unfortunately, it would happen sooner than she would have thought. Shadowfax scowled at his sister and turned away from her, swishing his tail before taking off at a trot, leaving her to stew beneath the apple trees. Soon however, he found another mare worthy of his affections.

Charisma. He followed her scent carefully, pausing when he caught the scent of blood however, he frowned and pushed onward, taking his time to make sure his hooves were quiet and didn't make much sound to betray him to anyone who might have harmed the pale mare. He carefully regarded the scene through the leaves, the pale mare stood shakily next to a newborn filly, evidence of birth strewn around them. 'Ah, this is why there is the scent of blood...' He thought softly, closing his eyes for a moment before turning to leave and mistakenly stepping on a branch.

SNAP.

He froze, just as they did in the clearing before he decided that he may as well intrude upon there moment to soothe Charisma's anxiety. "It's only me, Charisma... I apologise for intruding... I sometimes find that your company is more bearable than my family, I caught the scent of blood and worried that you were harmed so I followed. I did not mean to caust any alarm to you or the little one." He spoke softly, slowly emerging through the trees, just a little, so she could see his head and chest. He did not wish to intrude further unless she specifically told him he could come closer. He understood how some mares could be very protective over newborns, especially around young stallions and colts such as himself. He just hoped she found no offense by him checking up on her, and he would leave immediately should she wish it so.

[Swede]

Kahuna watched Halo like a stern schoolteacher, making sure she drank properly. Luckily, there was no need to encourage her; she was understandably thirsty. He looked up as Lilac approached, preceded by the youngsters, and observed the reunions and introductions in the role of a bystander; he generally didn't interfere in affairs between mares, and there wasn't anything in particular that required his interference. Hopefully, Halo and Lilac would get along well, although Halo's recovery took priority for now. They could socialize plenty later. The roan was rather surprised by Halo's show of gratitude, but acknowledged it with a short nod, keeping his eyes on her as she stepped away to graze. Water and food would bring her back into shape soon enough; luckily for her, summer was a kinder season for mares. Not so, however, for stallions such as himself; spring and summer seemed to be the most active times of the year for thieves and intruders, and one couldn't let his guard down for a single moment.

It wasn't just strangers who posed a threat, either.... narrowing his eyes, Kahuna swung his head around, watching the herd closely. Quite a few of its members were not immediately present. Generally speaking he hadn't worried too much about Savage; though it had taken a year before he lost the urge to kill the colt on sight, his initial dislike had faded over time, and the youngster was far too wary of him to try any funny business, generally keeping his distance. He was, however, no longer a youngster, but a full-fledged stallion, and Kahuna wasn't known for his tolerance towards other stallions in his territory. Hmph. They would see, they would see.... glancing back at Halo to make sure she was alright, the roan stallion began striding forward, not at a great speed but with definite purpose, scenting the air and listening closely as he moved. Vigilance was key.

Serena watched the proceedings quietly, glad that things were looking up once more. This herd had lost many of its members in the past, and while that was something all herds had to deal with and which she had been taught was a part of life, it was still nice when someone survived. Her eyes followed Kahuna as he headed off on one of his endless patrols. He was almost too protective sometimes, but it kept them safe. Huffing her forelock out of her eyes, the dun mare walked towards Halo, lowering her muzzle to graze nearby in contemplation. Her attitude had softened towards Kahuna over time. He hadn't apologized- he was far too stubborn for that- but the fact that Savage was both alive and not chased a hundred miles off yet was a sign that Kahuna seemed to have changed his mind about the colt, which in itself was a miracle; it wasn't something one could ask of most plateau studs, at any rate. Serena had no intention of apologizing either, but she understood that she had perhaps erred somewhat, and was content in the knowledge that she and her stallion could forget about that argument and at least pretend it hadn't occurred. Perhaps she would even invite his attentions to herself... it had been several years, and it was in her natural instinct to have foals. An instinct denied because she was too stubborn to accept Kahuna and too loyal to accept anyone else, but perhaps times had changed now.

Savage walked slowly among the apple trees, contentedly lost in his own thoughts as he ambled along. He was accustomed to spending time on his own, and generally fairly adept at avoiding the others. The older he became, the more reclusive he was; Kahuna might tolerate a foal or even a yearling interacting with his mother and the other mares, but as he aged, Savage instinctively knew he would not be so welcome. He had considered leaving, but that felt odd too; this was his home after all, and everyone he knew lived here. Occupied with his thoughts, he didn't notice another's presence until she suddenly became visible just a few steps ahead; the herd was easy to avoid, but a lone silent individual required more attention than he was currently giving to perceive. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," he said apologetically when he saw Charm, taking a step backwards.

[Snappin' Turtle]

"Come on, darling." the cremello mare murmered, gently guiding the newborn filly to where the milk was and soon Chinook was sucking happily. Charisma smiled and went to lower her head to the grass to graze but stopped halfway at the sound of a stick snapping like a gun shot. She bared her teeth in the direction of the noise and went to step in front of the smoky black roan filly to sheild her before the colt showed himself. The missouri fox trotter mare relaxed and let out a small sigh, glad it wasnt a preadator or rival stallion, though she knew Kahuna wouldnt let them anywhere near his herd. Her ears pricked forward to catch Shadowfax's words and she nodded, a small smile on her maw. It was about time to get back to the herd, and why not have an escort? "Its okay, you want to come meet Chinook?" Charisma asked, turning to gently nudge her daughter forward to look at the taller colt with wide, curious eyes.

[Saz]

Shadowfax

The buckskin colt sighed in quiet relief at the absence of any anger from the pale mare, and then a bright smile lit up his face at her invitation. "I'd love to." He spoke warmly, his gaze moving to his half-sister. "She's a beauty, Dad will have to watch out for intruders when she's older." He grinned, taking a few slow steps forward and lowering his head slowly to touch his muzzle to the young filly's own muzzle. After a tender moment between siblings, the buckskin turned his gaze back to Charisma and smiled gently, "We should probably head back to the main body of the herd, I figure that Kahuna will have finally let Halo out of his sight so he'll probably be making his rounds and checking everyone's okay." He nickered gently, flicking his gaze down to Chinook before around him as though Kahuna was going to pop out of the bushes any moment. After all, he was almost fully-grown, three in spring, so he knew one false, or deliberate, move toward one of the mares would get him beat up and kicked out. Though he might not be able to help himself in the spring, especially if he was near Charisma.


Charm

The young mare glanced up, snapped out of her reverie by the presence of another horse. She smiled gently at the sight of Savage. "It's alright, You weren't interrupting anything, I was just taking a bit of peace and quiet. Though I guess you get a lot of it, huh?" She nickered, smiling sweetly as she halted, a clear sign for him to catch up. "I was just headed back toward the herd anyway, perhaps you'd accompany me? Halo's concious again, and I think that Grace would like to see you." She spoke, voice gentle as she watched the young stallion before she lifted her head and gazed directly ahead, ears pricked as she heard a small commotion. It sounded strangely like her mother, "Come with me?" The young mare didn't wait for an answer this time before she surged forward into a lope, quickly weaving through the trees as she sought out the source of the noise.

Evidentally her mother and Halo had been in a scuffle, the dark mare was nursing her wounds about ten feet away from the grey mare who had settled down to graze as though nothing had happened. Charm raised her eyebrows, perhaps her mother had been caught unawares or had not wished to harm Halo in the condition she was in. Either way, it seemed that both foals had returned to their rightful mother, and perhaps that was the cause of the argument. Flicking her tail in a slightly confused manner, Charm nickered gently to Halo as the mare turned her attention toward the two of them. "It's lovely to finally meet you, Halo. I'm Charm, daughter of Lilac and Cryptic." She bowed her head respectfully to the elder mare before turning to glance over her shoulder at Savage, who seemed to be lingering in the treeline.

Halo, Lilac, Ace & Electra

The grey mare lifted her head, but only enough so she could still lip at the blades of grass as Serena approached. She was about to speak when Lilac decided to join them too, Ace and Electra bouncing behind her before they attacked Halo with nuzzles and bumps, distracting her from what she was about to say. The grey half-heartedly nipped at the fillies, before telling them gently to go take a nap in the shade. They both obeyed instantly, yawning and stumbling toward the apple trees, they keeled over in the warm grass and fell into a peaceful doze. Lilac began to follow them, until Halo flattened her ears in warning. Though she may have been skinny and rather slow in her movements, Halo was far from defenceless, and she was beginning to be rather irritated by this mare, who was just waltzing around, taking care of her daughters, taking her place in the herd. Well, she wouldn't stand for that.

At Halo's flattened ears, Lilac halted, flattening her own and taking another step forward, a blatant challenge toward Halo. She was used to getting her own way, and though she accepted Serena's place as lead mare, she was unwilling to allow herself to slip so far down the ranks as below a mare who had been in a coma and was now skin and bones. With the speed of a viper, Halo struck, teeth digging into Lilac's shoulder and drawing blood. The dark mare squealed in shock and defiance, stumbling backward and lashing out with her forelegs. Halo had already moved however, and bit again but this time at the mare's barrel, drawing blood once more.

With flattened ears and venomous eyes, the grey mare drew away, ignoring Lilac and striding off to stand between her and the two fillies, continuing to graze as though nothing had happened. The dark mare flinched away from Halo as she moved once more, stunned at the speed and ferocity that silver mare had displayed, especially in such an ill state. Her bites stung, and so, flicking her tail in mild embarrassment the dark mare turned away from Halo and Serena and jogged off toward the river to go and bathe her wounds.

Halo took a few more bites of grass before lifting her head and returning the nicker from Charm. "Lovely to meet you, Charm." The mare paused, following the young mare's gaze over her shoulder and smirked a little. "Come say hello, Savage. I'm certainly not going to bite you. I haven't seen you in a while." She nickered, half-ordering the young stallion to come closer. She smiled brightly as she saw him properly and grinned at Serena, "I see where he got his looks from." She smirked, teasing her friend gently before turning as Grace appeared from the trees. "Ah, got here finally I see." The grey called to her daughter, who blushed before moving into a trot and coming closer to her mother and other herd mates.

"Got distracted by a passing butterfly?" Charm teased her friend, earning herself a gentle nip before the greying roan nuzzled her mother fondly. "Glad to see you up and about mom. And no, I got distracted by Serenity who seemed to be in a strop. Best let her blow off her steam and come back in her own time than force her to come back early and have a mass tantrum in front of the whole herd." The young mare rolled her eyes, shaking out her long dark mane before glancing past her friend at her brother. It was unusual for him to be so close to the mares, though perhaps summer was helping his introverted cause.

[Swede]

Savage was a little taken aback by Charm's invitation; he didn't know the newest members of the herd very well, nor did it seem like a wise choice to interact too closely with the others. It would be good to chat a little with Halo, or at least see with his own eyes that she was feeling better in order to soothe the concern that he, like the rest of the herd, had felt for her during her illness; however, it was best to avoid any potentially rash actions. "Well I, er-" He did not get a chance to make up some polite excuse, however, as at the sound of a distant scuffle, Charm took off. Savage hesitated for a moment, but then sighed in frustration and picked up a careful trot after her.

Serena lifted her head a few inches from the grass as Halo moved to assert herself over Lilac. The proceedings were swift, as such things often were, and once the black mare moved off, she returned to her grazing without any comments on the matter. Just another day in a typical herd; it was good to keep track of the dynamics between the other mares, but Serena wasn't going to interfere with the natural way of things unless it got completely out of hand and threatened the stability of the entire group.

It was not long before others joined them. Looking up again, Serena whickered a breezy greeting to Charm as she approached the group; looking past the young mare, she was surprised to see Savage's shadow among the trees as well. Halo called to the bay roan, and when he hesitated to come closer, Serena gave him a subtle nod; it was safe for now, and she wanted her son's company. Essentially commanded by both of the highest-ranking mares in the herd, Savage stepped forward, walking towards the group of mares and fillies. "Hello Halo. Glad to see you are feeling better," he said with a respectful dip of his muzzle as he halted near them. He swallowed a little uncomfortably at the grey mare's words; as a foal, it seemed adults were always saying silly things like that, and it was always embarrassing and annoying. But now he almost felt an odd sort of delight in the compliment, no matter how teasing or off-hand it might have been. He hadn't been so close to so many of the others since he was a yearling, and it felt... strange somehow. Savage was a rather subdued individual, for a stallion of his age, and the natural bold instincts and cheekiness of a growing colt had been repressed in him for most of his upbringing. But they were not crushed completely, only sleeping; and being around these feminine faces awakened a bit of inner conflict in him. In the past, they had felt like his safety net, his dear family. They still were, but the situation was also partially reversed... as if now, they were the ones who needed protecting. For the briefest moment, aggression sparked in his mind, and the bizarre notion of chasing Kahuna away so he could bask alone in the presence of the mares. The thought was immediately extinguished by the ensuing shock; where had that come from?!? For half a second, Savage had almost been tempted to nip at Charm, who was nearest, and run her off.

Savage snorted softly, clearing the warm scent of the others from his nose and his head. He noticed Grace watching him, and shrugged at the wordless statement in her eyes; he had no idea what he was doing out here among the herd either. "Maybe I should, uh, go help Serenity calm down," he said restlessly. He was afraid of being out in the open, nervous that Kahuna would come back at any moment; and he was also bothered by his own thoughts, thoughts which inhabited the minds of most young stallions constantly but which were only beginning to surface in his head.

[Snappin' Turtle]

The cremello mare smiled at the colt and nodded, taking a slight step back so that he could meet his half sibling. However, she kept a close eye on him, you never could tell what colts might do around other foals, though Shadowfax wasnt a stallion yet, though he would be in spring. Charisma chuckled softly, her pristine tail flicking. "They'll have me to content with, also." she replied, a small bite of warning in her tone. The missouri fox trotter mare didnt think that Shadowfax would make a move on Chinook- not when she was this young, and especially when she was his sister. However, she already felt a strong urge to protect the little roan from an possibility, even one so very unlikely.
"That sounds lovely, Shadowfax." the cremello replied, nudging her daughter so that she was tucked safely into her side and started off back towards where she had left the herd, knowing the colt wouldnt be too far behind. Her confident step faltered slightly as the sound of a scuffle reached her ears and, as she peeked out from behind a rather large apple tree, she caught the gist of what had gone on in her absence. Charisma was glad that Halo had stated who was higher on the totem pole, though she sincerely hoped the grey amre hadnt exhausted herself too much. "Come." she said, mostly to Chinook, though also to Shadowfax before stepping out into the clearing.

[Saz]

The grey mare smiled tiredly at the young stallion, "Thank you Savage. And it might be a good idea, perhaps you and Charm could go for a wander, see if you can find her before she strays too far." She smiled, glancing between the young roan stallion and the young friesian cross before turning and continuing to graze, watching the youngsters out the corner of her eyes. Grace stood off to the side slightly, watching the proceedings with vague amusement. She met Savage's gaze before smirking and turning away, he was a stallion now, he could handle his own corner. And if her mother was so set upon setting up Charm and Savage, who was she to get in the way? Eventually Kahuna would loose patience with having another stallion in his terra and Savage would be run off, so either he could leave with a mare, leave on his own, or be run off by their father. All in all, it would be his choice to make the ultimate decision.

The dark filly watched the elder grey mare before shaking out her mane and shrugging non-committedly, "Sure, Savage and I can handle that. May you can give me a tour of the terra whilst we're wandering." She grinned a little flirtatiously at the roan stallion before moving back toward the trees ready to get moving at once. She paused as she reached the shadows of the trees and a gentle breeze ruffled her long obsidian mane, glancing over her shoulder she waited patiently for the roan to follow her and accompany her in their walk. Sure, her hormones were playing a part in her willingness to go for a walk alone with Savage, but hell, he was handsome in a sort-of-rugged way, and on top of that he was kind, calm and genuinely a pleasant horse. Or well, from what she had seen of him, anyway.

Shadowfax glanced at Charisma and nodded gently, "Of course," He replied smoothly before complacently following behind her, allowing her to lead the way back to the main herd. As they curved round the treeline toward the rest of the herd, a a sudden urge bloomed within him and he burst forward, slamming his chest roughly into Charisma's hindquarters and nipping at her side to get her to turn away from the herd and run for the boundary lines. Aggression built up within him at the sight of Savage in the company of the mares and his tail swished as he chased the cream mare away from the herd. He swerved suddenly as his father appeared out of the trees, before he recovered, heart beating a little faster as he urged Charisma forward and his ears flattened as Kahuna began to gain on them. He glanced back as Kahuna drew up beside them and immediately swerved into his sire, biting and nipping at his shoulders and neck before glancing back to his prize. His concentration broken, costing him Charisma, his home and gaining him varied bruises and cuts.

((Feel free to beat up Shadowfax as much as Kahuna likes, swede, just don't kill him.))

[Swede]

Savage glanced towards Grace, but she seemed to have no interest in the situation. Odd, of all the individuals in the herd she was the one who most often kept company with him; even his mother had become, well, not necessarily distant, but certainly detached. She had raised foals in the past, all of them left home once they grew up, and she saw no need to mollycoddle them once they could stand on their own legs. "I guess I could, not really much to tour though... just a lot of trees and grass, it's mostly the same in the whole territory," he said mutedly. He gave a careful look at Charm, thoroughly conscious of his every word and action; this was not a situation he wanted to screw up in any way. What the goal was, he wasn't even sure; mostly to avoid getting his tail kicked in by Kahuna, he supposed. His mind was in utter disarray with the unfamiliar situation, to say the least. His eyes met Serena's, and her expression was... unsettling. The mare said nothing, but there was definitely a warning there, the look of a lead mare who senses trouble brewing and will not hesitate to nip it in the bud. But what trouble did she expect? Savage wasn't sure.

"Right, well, see you guys later," he said hesitantly, turning and following Charm to the treeline. Slinking into the shadows, Savage expected to immediately feel more relaxed back here in his natural state of existence; and while being out of the open and away from the main body of the herd did soothe some of the tension, he couldn't help but be sharply aware of Charm's scent and proximity. It was weird; he supposed it was because he was most accustomed to Grace, and having the strong stimulus of something newer and less well-known was distracting. "Well, I have no idea where Serenity might be, umm... I guess we could wander down to the creek and go from there, unless you've got any better ideas," he said, not quite looking at the young mare who walked beside him. Her scent was befuddling enough, he didn't need to gawk at her too.


Serena snorted softly as Savage and Charm wandered off together. She sensed trouble afoot, but figured Savage was still too afraid of Kahuna to try anything; and thoughts never did anyone any harm. Her senses were not wrong, however; trouble was indeed brewing, but from a quite different direction. Shadowfax burst out from the trees, driving Charisma ahead of him, and Serena immediately bolted sideways, instinctively directing the herd away from the intruder- family or no, a thief was not something a smart mare wanted to get close to, not only for the risk of being stolen but also for the risk of getting caught up in a clash being two stallions.

He was not stupid; he did not patrol too far away from the herd at any point in time, always attentive and able to reach them within a short span of time should the need arise. It couldn't be pinpointed to any sound or scent in particular, but more of an immediate impression, an instinctual awareness; someone was intruding on his domain. A stallion always knows, and he did not pause to be startled by this sudden awareness, but rather promptly burst into a gallop, weaving mechanically between the trees. Nor did he pause when the intruder became identified; he saw Shadowfax, yes, but what mattered was that another male was attempting to take one of Kahuna's mares, and this was intolerable, son or not. He nimbly dodged past Charisma and her little foal, cutting between his mare and his son; the priority was to get him away so he could not slip past and get back to Charisma, or accidentally harm her or the foal. Snaking his head downwards at a full tilt, his shoulder collided against Shadowfax's; Kahuna had years of confidence-building experience, built like a rock, whereas Shadowfax had never truly fought another stallion before and was still filling out in size. There would be no contest, only punishment, and it was made immediately clear the moment Shadowfax was distracted. Kahuna's muzzle arced downward, his teeth slashing past Shadowfax's forearm; and as the younger stallion veered away, Kahuna fell in by his flank instead, relentlessly biting at his back and hindquarters. There was no room for forgiveness; a colt who considered himself capable of being a stallion and trying to steal a mare was to be treated as such, and other stallions were not welcome in this herd. If he dared challenge Kahuna's authority and fought back, he would be beaten into the dust; the blue roan would not kill his son, not unless no other option was available, but he would drive him out with brute force until he was far enough away from the herd, and if Shadowfax saw fit to stop running once Kahuna relented, he would go after him again. The stallion's merciless teeth made the message clear; start running, and don't stop until the border was miles behind him.

[Saz]

The buckskin colt squealed sharply, flinching away from his sire's teeth and hooves and proceeding to flee. He managed to get a few feet of distance between them quickly but daren't slow for fear of Kahuna's wrath. His hooves churned up clumps of the dewy autumn grass as he fled from the only life he had known, his homeland and his family. His legs began to ache and his injuries stung viciously, but Kahuna was close behind him and whenever he slowed down the blue roan would drive him forward again and again. This was how he parted ways with his family and his sire. But Shadowfax knew he would not rest until he got Charisma, she would be his.

--

Halo shied sideways as the familiar buckskin coat of her adopted son burst from the trees, driving Charisma and her foal ahead of him. She recovered quickly and nudged her daughters awake before urging them to their hooves, ready to move in case the threat of Shadowfax neared them. The attempt at stealing away the pale mare was short-lived, however as Kahuna quickly appeared and intercepted Shadowfax with seasoned ease. There would be no battle between them, only punishment for the attempt. Shaking her head sadly, the grey mare watched the proceedings with a muted frown. Shadowfax was easily driven away from Charisma and her foal, Kahuna made sure of that. And soon the father and son were figures in the distance. Frowning a little more, she glanced over her shoulder at the trees and shook her head, Savage would need to keep his distance unless he too wished to be chased out. There would be no doubt that Kahuna would be feeling far more protective and territorial over the herd from now on. She just pitied anyone who dared to try and steal a mare from the war scarred stallion at this time. They would not win.

--

The black filly smiled gently at Savage as he joined her before she turned her gaze around to the trees around them and stared in silent awe of the beautiful autumn leaves. His voice brought her out of the slight trance she had been in and she flicked her gaze toward him. "Sure, the creek sounds like a good idea." She replied, readily agreeing with him before falling quiet once more. She observed the terra for a few more moments before speaking once more. "This place has to be the most beautiful I've ever been in... The others I lived in pale in comparison. Misty Falls, Wild Horse Valley and Far, Far Away Fields. The falls were always really wet, and the fields and valley were really windy, not much cover." She spoke absently, noting the apples that had now fallen from the trees and had begun to rot into the earth. The circle of life.

"Have you always live here?" She asked him softly, glancing sideways at him with a gentle smile. It had become customary for her to move a lot as a youngster. Misty Falls, Wild Horse Valley, Far Far Away Fields... so many homes in such little time. She and her family had even survived in the common places for a short while, sunshine river and mirror lake had been places they had frequented. By far the safest places for a being to stay if they were without a home. Sighing quietly she glanced once more toward Savage before focusing on where she was going, the creek wasn't much further, so no doubt they would reach it soon. With that thought running through her mind, the young mare found herself hoping that Serenity wasn't there, giving her and Savage more time alone.

[Snappin' Turtle]

The cremello mare happily started back towards where she had left the rest of the herd, little Chinook in front of her. As they turned, Shadowfax rammed into her from behind, and she stumbled forward before breaking into a gallop, her hooves connecting with the ground to propel her forward. The roan filly let out a cry but, fortunately, she kept up with her dam as the buckskin colt herded them towards the border. Her mind raced. there had to be a way out of this. There had to be. Soon it made itself clear as Kahuna burst from the trees. Charisma slowed to a canter, her chest heaving. She stopped and nuzzled Chinook, finding her unharmed. "Its okay, baby, it's okay. Daddy Kahuna came to the rescue." she soothed, turning in the direction of the herd and the comfort and safety it provided. She was safe, Shadowfax was dealt with. How could he be like that. He was always so sweet and helpful, but she supposed that's what testosterone did to males.

[Swede]

As soon as Kahuna had cut Shadowfax away from the others and begun driving him off to a safe distance, Serena turned and trotted back towards Charisma. The rest of the herd was out of harm's way, now it was time to check that those who were the objects of the conflict were safe. The copper dun mare stretched her muzzle forward, touching Charisma's back and shoulder gently both as reassurance and to inspect for injury. "Are you alright?" she asked, finding nothing alarming but knowing that Charisma would be best able to identify her own state of being. As lead mare, it was her duty to care for the members of the herd; however, it was probably best if Charisma was left to check her foal herself, as a newborn was best attended to by its mother rather than by others of the herd. Both mother and foal would feel more comfortable with that, no doubt. In any case, none in the herd had met this little one yet, but such introductions could come once the situation was calm and secure once more.

~

Savage nodded, keeping his eyes attentively fixed to the path ahead and one ear alert to their surroundings as he listened to her speak- partly through old habit, partly to distance himself from the potentially overwhelming distraction she seemed to cause. "This is the only place I know. I've never been outside the borders," he said, scenting the air carefully. "I know every inch of this place like my own hooves, but the rest of the world is a mystery to me." Savage paused midstride, frowning slightly. "It'll snow soon, probably not a horrible storm but we should try to find Serenity soon nonetheless," he stated. His senses were rarely wrong, and in any case it wasn't difficult to believe that the woolly grey clouds above were likely to disintegrate upon them soon. Resuming his pace, the young stallion was silent for a moment before continuing, "I know Kahuna used to travel a lot when he was younger. Mother told me they lived a tough life in the desert, before coming here. I don't know.. I'm privileged to have grown up here, but sometimes I feel like I ought to broaden my horizons, experience things. She said their hardships shaped who they are, and taught them about life. Maybe it takes some travel, some hard-won wisdom, to learn where you belong in the world..." And maybe it would help me figure out why he hates me, he thought silently. Savage tossed his head restlessly, suddenly regretting that he had opened up to such a degree, however small it might seem to others. "But you've lived in many places, traveled a lot... what is it like? I suppose it must be exciting, new things all the time..."

[Saz]

Blowing a soft sigh, the grey mare nuzzled her sleepy daughters before moving toward Charisma at a slow walk. She smiled gently in moral support before glancing past Serena at the distant figure of Kahuna. Shadowfax was a mere speck on the horizon at this point, and though his father had ceased his punishment, satisfied that the buckskin colt wouldn't be returning, the two year old had yet to stop running. Halo shook her head and pawed at the ground before taking a small bite of grass. Her gaze then lifted to the skies as a snowflake drifted past her muzzle. "Winter's here. Best get into the treeline, I'm sure both you and your little one will want to rest after such excitement." The grey mare interjected before turning on her heel and moving back into the little cover that the apple trees provided.

The two ten month old fillies lingered a little, curious about their little sister, but unwilling to interrupt the adults and get a nip from Serena in reprimand. Ace cocked her head to the side as she stared at the little roan, had she been that tiny only a few months ago? Her memories seemed to blend into each other whenever she attempted to sift out her first memories and her first experiences. Nickering softly to her slightly younger sister, the filly stepped forward and gently nipped at her sister's shoulder before bumping noses with her. "Hi. I'm Ace, this is Electra. Who're you?" She snorted, peering curiously at the other filly. The smoky black filly rolled her eyes and nipped at Ace's shoulder, "Shut it dumb ass, You'll scare her." Electra huffed, rolling her eyes at her sister's antics. They were both only a little way off from becoming yearlings, and they were beginning to act like it too, less of the foalish play, more of the yearling attitude and pranks.

--

Charm nodded, smiling softly as she strode beside him, matching her stride to his and copying his pose. Her own gaze was fixed upon her surroundings, one ear alerted to any sounds out of the ordinary whilst the other was keenly swallowing every word he spoke. "Mm, she's sensible though, so she'll find herself shelter if we don't get to her in time. Either way, we'll find her eventually." She replied, a small wave of jealousy swelling beneath her breast at the thought of some stroppy two year old joining them and interrupting her time with Savage. She turned her head slightly as he spoke once more, nodding her head as she watched him speak of his family. She nudged him gently, easily reading his sudden restlessness. "It's okay to open up every so often, Savage. Stops you from bottling everything up and going crazy..." Like my father. She sighed slightly and shrugged, fixing her gaze forward once again.

"It's alright, I guess. It's not as great as you'd think though, never having any stability other than your mother. My father abandoned us when I was a foal, and then again as a yearling. It wouldn't surprise me if he reappeared again. The travelling was interesting for about a week, and then you'd get bored of the continuous walking. You get cranky, especially after having to spend so much time with family in close proximity. At least here you have a chance to get away from everyone, have some 'you' time. I've never had that privilege. I was always either watching my younger siblings or... well... in the proximity of my mother. And she's not the easiest horse to get along with. Then again, you always have a silver lining, mine was probably meeting other horses. There are some serious weirdos out there, along with horses that either exude some form of seedy or bad vibe, and then you have the nice guys, quite a few of those around here. Probably why there aren't as many fights and stuff." She replied, flicking her tail before glancing sideways at him once more. "Even with all the bad things I've just counted off, the territories around here are real pretty, even the common grounds are pretty awesome." She grinned before a sudden idea popped into her head. "Maybe in the spring I'll have to show you around the common grounds and such. It'd be fun." She cocked her head a little before glancing forward again and spotting the familiar grey pelt of Serenity through the trees. "There she is." She snorted, surging forward into a lope before he could reply to her previous suggestion.

[Swede]

(OOC: skipping past Serena and Charisma for now in order to keep the rest rolling, I'm pretending to be active again)

It was clear Shadowfax had no desire to turn and defend himself, and even as Kahuna slowed to an even dozen paces behind the colt, he kept up his speed, hightailing it out of the territory. Once certain that the youngster was well on his way to an independent life, far away from the herd where he couldn't cause any trouble, Kahuna turned and headed for his own borders. As was always the case in such events, a melting pot of emotions bubbled within him; irritation over such a breach of authority, concern that something worse could happen if he wasn't careful, and satisfaction over a quick resolution of the problem without any lasting injury to himself or loss of any mares or foals. He slowed to a walk as he came closer to the herd, watching them all with a hawk-like gaze, keen to pick up on anything that might be out of place.

Savage flicked his ears unhappily, but accepted Charm's reassurances without protest. Continuing the subject would only make it even more uncomfortable. Instead, he settled with listening to her descriptions of a life on the move, out in the endless and ever-changing world beyond the territory borders. The way she described it, it didn't sound altogether pleasant; but when he placed himself in the same situation, he felt that he might enjoy it better. Traveling with his family was a laughable idea, so the troubles of companionship were not something he would have had to deal with... no, the freedom of going wherever he wanted without constantly having to look over his shoulder was frightening, but oh so tempting. He was startled by her suggestion, but grateful that she did not pause long enough to force him to give an answer... it was disconcerting, not only in itself but also in the little thrill of hope that sparked in him at the idea. He wasn't sure what to make of it.

Instead, Savage refocused his attention on the task at hand, now completed, of finding Serenity. He nickered to her to announce their presence, breaking into a trot. "Hey Serenity, are you all right? We've been looking for you," he said, nudging the young mare's shoulder with brotherly concern.

[Saz]

Charm

The dark mare sidestepped as she halted near the greying mare, allowing Savage to come between them and take on the role of concerned brother. She watched carefully as he nudged her shoulder and suddenly a wave of jealousy rose through her and she flicked her tail in mild annoyance. Just because Serenity was related to him, didn't mean that he wouldn't ignore the sibling bond. After all, if her father had stuck around, then she would've most likely been having his foal this spring. Or if Syn had gotten to her first... A soft shudder ran through her at the memory of her half-brother. Skunk-tailed fool. She thought as his image flashed about her brain. Shaking off her memories, she gazed at the brother-sister pair in front of her and settled down to wait for Savage to persuade Serenity to return to the main body of the herd.

Serenity

The grey filly had been wandering for some time before she settled at the river's edge. She gazed at her reflection as she thought about what she would do. First, she had been in a rage about Shadowfax and his careless ways, but then she a thought had come upon her, what if she left? Left everyone behind, left her annoying brother and her parents. After all, wasn't that what most fillies did once they were two or three? She knew in her father's homelands that fillies were often fought over and stolen away at two, or three if they escaped bachelors and other stallion's notice. Tossing her forelock out of her eyes she drank deeply from the icy river before glancing up at the approach of hooves. She nodded slightly to Charm as the slightly older mare moved away and allowed Savage to speak with her more privately. "Hmm? Oh... yeah. I guess. Just Shadowfax being the arse we all know he is." She sighed, swishing her tail before glancing down at the water. "We got into an argument again, he was saying to me about how he was going to steal Charisma away and it'd all be sunshine and daisies. Obviously I told him he was being an idiot and dad would beat him into the dust for even taking a step toward Charisma... And then he muttered something about me never being stolen away or anything. He was just being an idiot, I know. But... I kinda want to get away from everything, and everyone. And I guess I might stick around until summer, but..." The filly trailed off and made a sound of frustration. "How do you do it, Savage? How can you stay here and be ignored by everyone?" She asked, frustrated tears welling up in her eyes as she glanced up at her brother before looking away, embarrassed about crying.

Halo

The grey mare glanced up as Kahuna reappeared, the problem had been so swiftly dealt with that none of them'd had much time to react. But he had been there, intercepting the threat with seasoned ease and promptly creating a solution that got no one seriously injured. She was really quite impressed with him, after all, she'd been with him for 5 years, but there had never been many threats. Only that one stallion who had challenged for her a while back, but nothing like this. Savage was more than well behaved and any other colts had disappeared long before Kahuna needed to kick them out. She approached him slowly, nickering sweetly to him before ghosting her muzzle down his neck. She knew well enough not to mention the buckskin colt or let on to Savage's whereabouts. She doubted the young stallion would be sticking around for much longer. "I have to admit, in all my years with you here, there have only ever been two threats, and each of those have been quickly dealt with. I am glad to have you as a stallion, Kahuna." She nickered sweetly, gently nipping his shoulder as she finished boosting his ego just that bit more.

[Swede]

Savage stood quietly by his sister, one ear flicked towards her as she spoke, and his gaze fixed upon the slowly running water. His blood ran cold when she told him Shadowfax's idea. Serenity had the sense to see the idiocy in it, but Shadowfax... he'd been getting cockier by the day, and Savage wasn't so sure he'd keep himself to just talk. If he did make a move, Kahuna would be on the warpath. First he'd give Shadowfax the beating of his life and run him out, that was certain; Kahuna had zero tolerance for troublemakers in his herd. And then he'd start looking for other potential threats... and suddenly he'd have the excuse to go after Savage that he'd been looking for. Reason and patience would be thrown out the window; he'd just be the stallion protecting his herd from any perceived enemy, and nobody would have anything to say about it.

But maybe, just maybe, Shadowfax wasn't quite dumb enough. Savage swallowed his rising fear, making no mention of it. Serenity was the priority right now; and by the sound of it, maybe Savage would have to be the one to teach Shadowfax a lesson instead. He stiffened imperceptibly at her question; it was a valid one, based in truth, but just because you were the black sheep of the family didn't mean it was nice to hear about it. "It's not that hard... he wanted to kill me when I was born, but since he didn't, I just pay him back by pretending he did, and pretending I don't exist. Better than the alternative." Bile rose in his throat to accompany the bitter words. He... didn't hate Kahuna, not exactly. And he didn't hate his mother either, even though she was the one who named him after his sire's nightmares and guaranteed a rift between father and son. She had been trying to heal her stallion, after all, but she thought too highly of him, assumed he was more likely to forgive than to be further insulted. But if Kahuna wouldn't love him, Savage wanted him to at least respect him. And from that desire came occasional rebellious dreams of forcing the blue roan to perceive him as the one thing he respected the most, and was most wary of- a powerful stallion, honorable yet also ruthless, who forged his own way in the world and feared no one. To be like Kahuna himself. To be a rival. It seemed preferable to being the unwanted useless outcast colt, at least. His fear of the stallion put a stop to any such dreams becoming reality, of course, but sometimes, just sometimes, he wondered what would happen if he caught him off-guard, scattered his herd and his mares, perhaps, just perhaps, even drove him out. Perhaps even claim it all for himself.

Fool's thoughts. He'd grown up around these mares, he couldn't... ugh, they were distracting. He found himself unable to think of anything but their sleek coats and fluttering tails, doe eyes and warm breath, and it annoyed him. Snorting softly, he cracked a smile to dismiss his previous comment, and brushed his muzzle against her cheek in reassurance- but perhaps also, just a little bit, so he could bask in that delightful marish scent. "Come on, do you really think it would be so great to be stolen away by some numbskull like Shadowfax? And besides, the only reason that hasn't happened yet is because Kahuna scares them all off. If all the bachelors out in the world knew a gem like you was hiding here, they'd be swarming here like bees on the apple blossoms." He motioned at the nearby trees, whose pale pink petals were just beginning to open up to the warm spring sun.

~

Halo was quick to greet him as he returned to the herd. He did not refute her words, but neither did he allow them to reassure him. Kahuna knew from experience that, from the viewpoint of a stallion, spring was both the best and worst season of the year. The land would be crawling with obnoxious colts whose fathers had kicked them out at winter's end. He'd already dealt with one pesky son, a young fool who wouldn't be back for a long time judging by how quickly he'd skedaddled; no doubt time and a few more scars would make a fine stallion out of him, but in the best of worlds, Kahuna would only hear about such things as a distant rumor, and never have to see him again. The fewer rivals the better. However, on his way back to the herd, other problems had arisen... "Halo, you remember Royale?" he said, frowning slightly, "Well I ran into him back there. Ran him off, too, but that's beside the point. I think he might've gone nuts, muttering a whole bunch of nonsense. I want the herd to stick close together, keep an eye on each other. He might get it into his head to come back, and he's not the only one out there anyway." The message could be relayed to Serena later, once she was done comforting Charisma or whatever it was that mares did.

Snorting softly, he ran his muzzle along the mare's back before tugging lightly at her mane. He had some fantastic mares no doubt about it, and he wasn't prepared to lose them this year, just as he'd refuted the possibility every other year in the past. Lifting his head, Kahuna scented the air carefully. He thought he could detect just a trace of that one... "Halo, I don't suppose you've seen Savage around, have you? Know where he might be?" he said casually, preoccupied with sifting out the various smells in the air and categorizing them as important or irrelevant.