In many ways my life had been full of choices; some of which were far removed from me… others, a conscious effort to do right in this twisted world. My greatest decision and perhaps the biggest effect on both soul and mental process had been my children. Our lives might have been very different if I’d given Cera over to a tender hearted mare who could guide his every step, for isn’t that what the females of our race did? Fan the flames of our youth, bring joy.

Maybe the pain I'd caused and been unable to thus far fix wouldn't exist.

Alas, I had lacked an unselfish spirit during that time of youthful grief.

Ktulu, had I not bedded her that night we stood in warm embrace. I’d never come to know Hototo or precious Ranjiri. All those memories we shared, playing our Tallsun days away as a family by the ocean—and sleeping beneath the dawn and rising to greet a hot musk of sand. It was those quiet moments that I often returned to in dreams. Happy times that weren’t filled with darkness and despair. Bitterness and the sting of betrayal.

I stared out over my new home with a forlorn expression. My true family was miles away…pain spawned, crying out for its constant loss. I'd become a loner surrounded by those that adored my strength and leadership.

Now more than ever, I stood truly alone.

If such didn't change, wisdom knew that it would eventually kill me; for what purpose did a warrior draw his strength if not from a family? Like a virus racing through my body, it would start slow, sap energy and the will of mind.

Wings rose to halfmast, arched high and tense. I stood on a stone in the middle of a coursing waterfall, droplets of freezing moisture splashed all around my legs—but I barely noticed the cold. His cry came to my ears, familiar and shocking beautiful. I started as if waking from a dream. The voice was not a youthful child, but a growing stallion. Fina flew in the lower valleys and also heard his summons, she dipped down and slipped with increasing speed toward the hidden entrance of our valley.

Hindquarters pushed my body over the edge and I had a moment of complete weightlessness as the wind took hold of feathers and filled them to carry my frame forward. Arcing gracefully I soared down and slipped toward the mountain path, moving past the water to greet my son who stood just beyond the border.

He came into view and a smile grew across muzzle, Cera had grown into a handsome man. Gone was the gangly legs of his childhood and thickened chest fluffed with layers upon layers of insulated baby fat. What once was a small, wide eyed colt; now stood as an elegant individual. Fina had beat me of course, and was singing merrily in the trees by the time I’d gathered myself for a smooth landing.

Gold dipped feathers fell alongside barrel, sliding gently against fur. “Welcome son, it lifts my heart to see ye.” Patched legs moved to close the distance between us. “How fairs thee?” My gaze is soft but tired, strained almost—a visible sign of stress.