His eyes alighted from the brief encounter of their faces; a low spark, a hint of intelligence perhaps. He wouldn’t have been able to tell, and the feeling from its rare combustion had no description. His response - merely reactionary to the internal spaces of his mind - marked the mix matched lips with a rare smile. One that did not last long without the fuel to keep it growing. As soon as he had turned his head forward, it had long since faded. Capturing what appeared to be hesitation to Masanori. With a second thought he wondered if she would bark a warning for the brief gravity his eyes had fallen from. But to his surprise her long silence came with a reply he didn’t entirely expect.

“Bound by soul, then?”

… we are bound for life, she said. Masanori could not think of any other bond deeper. The idea of love was a concept the stallion knew very little of, and perhaps there was some physical component attached to this idea. The days of his childhood – he knew he must have had one – would not peel back the thick mists that clouded his memory. He was not sure what he might expect. Were he anyone else, perhaps he would have wished for a certain upbringing. Would it have made him stronger, he thought?

Sometimes he would fancy these trivial thoughts for just a moment. Simply because he could not control them – a fool’s game that the fool might enjoy playing. He had enough perception that there was no point to this game, no time wasted on a past forgotten. Bend as he must to the strange and wondrous things in this life, surely, he would find his roots and take stake.

The paint took another deep breath in through his nares. Just to smell the wolf once more. At least it was real.

His gaze wandered about to view the terrain, his ears twisting for the sound of any others. Despite the rich aroma lingering in these halls, there were no others he could hear or see with his eyes. Perhaps they knew these woods too well, and avoided the sight of one accompanied by the mare. Without thinking twice he continued to walk beside her in the thick and wooded path. The light was dim here, partially blocked off by the spider web branches overhead. It reminded him of the dreams, of his ‘companions’ in the dark. Enchanting the stallion, as if by a spell or twist of magic.

“Perhaps.” He seemed to muse along. “There are many though, who will die trying. Seeking becomes obtaining and preserving.” His lips stilled briefly then. “I imagine there are very few things that last eternally. Perhaps it comes down to what’s worth fighting for.”

The stallion’s head bobbed in response to her reassurances. Not far now. He gave little notice to the brambles as they hitched along his feet. Especially as the meadow spread out before them, bringing his heart to quiver. The colt residing in him enjoyed the open pastures, and made his legs ache to race through their pristine, shapely curves. He lowered his head slightly, tossing it to remove the wild locks from his eyes, before raising it high. Resting the weight of his haunches with enough coil to spring him forward, should that need reach beyond its threshold. And yet, he stilled himself for her words.

“I’ve never been in one before, a herd.” Looks to unabashed, and again quieted. Not only for his thoughts, for they seemed to take time now and then to take voice. But because he wondered what sort of response he would invoke upon the mare. “But I’d like to find out.” His eyes sparked again and took another appearance. They embodied the boyish nature of a colt; an energy to explore and test all boundaries. Perhaps a large smile would complete this picture. But he lacked this component.



@[Essetia]