The Forest was not that far from his southern home. It was not unheard of for the stallion, whilst on patrol, to detect traces of strange sounds and echoes murmuring their way into existence from the depths of the trees nearby. But this call was strained, important. It called his attention.

He flew over the canopy with swift wingbeats, looking, hoping to find a break in their foliage to make a safe landing. Like most Pegasus, he preferred to travel by air, but he was different in that he had forced himself to be ground-fit for whenever he had a ground-borne opponent, or was otherwise reduced to ground only maneuvers.

With sharp reflexes he dived, wings close to his hide, landing harder than he normally would have, as his enormous wingspan was not able to open fully to buffet the last metres of his descent. Hooves took the impact well, however, and his wings slicked down to lay across his flanks, allowing his eyes to roam the vicinity.

Nostrils flared, and instinctively he called upon the magic that he was born with, though it took some effort to do so. Frowning, he concentrated, and eventually heightened his sense of smell, if only for a few seconds to gather an idea of what had happened. Sadness masked his face, as he shifted his magic to his hears, to grasp a few seconds of life-sounds nearby.

Head low to the ground, senses back to normal, the stallion trotted. He found the massacre, and again he was saddened – but also slightly on edge. Whatever had caused this could very easily hurt him, and his family too. He would be sure to keep an extra sharp watch on the edge of his homeland that buffeted these lands.

The trail of the female was easy to discern, and he had to wonder how she had survived this long. The pup she carried was young, so very young, he was concerned for its ongoing survival. A low wuffle preceded his appearance, and the sadness he felt for the canine’s situation was conveyed. Death was a tragedy, and he could see the cool clutches of death’s cloak trying to wrap itself around the wolf, to take her to the next realm. But the pup didn’t have to go with her, surely?

“I can take away your pain, m’lady.” He spoke of his magic, but also of the pain of knowing her pup would surely die without her. He could look after the pup, he knew. He could forge that bond with the canine like Onni had with her bird, like he had seen so many equines do with their dragons.

“I am a protector of my home, my family. I am sorry for your plight, m’lady, I only wish I was able to help more. It would be an honour if you would accept my offer of a home, a family, for the pup.” There as little point in beating about the bush, he spoke directly of the issue, he could see the life draining from her, and he knew swift action was necessary.