To truly understand the beast,

one must meet him,

and unlock that which beats within his glowing chest.

Ivezho might have spent considerable time apart from his brother, but he still knew him, he could still read him and predict, with fair certainty, what he was feeling, what he longed to say - he guessed that Rhoa felt the same about him, for they were brothers, twins, after all. Rhoa's entire form seemed to exclaim anxiety - his dark siblings' nerves were clearly frazzled, his thoughts scattered - and Ivezho had a fair idea as to the reason, the cause for it all. But he had to hear it from his brother - he had to know, what did Rhoa feel? Did he want this?

Apparently not.

The pale grullo steed nodded lightly with each sentence Rhoa spoke, encouraging him to keep talking - his attention was focussed sharply on him, on his brother, on the father-of-his-future-niece-or-nephew, on.. this boy, who was hardly ready for fatherhood, who felt little or no love for the woman he bedded. The story he had written with his actions was one that any young, foolish colt could have done - but he had done it, the perfect son, the better brother, (and Ivezho did wonder just what their father might make of it, would he be proud of Rhoa's virility or ashamed of his lack of foresight?).

Ivezho couldn't take the shaking, rattled sight of his brother any longer, so he stepped forward to press his warm maw against the dark skin of his shoulder, hoping to calm him with his own stillness, his solidarity, his quiet confidence (which he didn't necessarily feel). "You're not ready, not now, not yet - but you will be, brother." You will have to be, he thought, thinking on when he found Glacia in tears not long after their dramatic display in the Meadow.

Rhoa was looking at him, to him - and Ivezho had to wonder, for what? Ivezho was nothing more than the unworthy, lesser brother, the one who had left (and returned) without a word, and yet here was Rhoa, seeking his advice…

"Besides, I'll be there, to be the best uncle I can be - hopefully I'll be a better uncle than I was brother. I can at least try - and so should you." He offered a smile, a glimmer of hope which he wasn't sure he actually felt - but he was honest with his words, he would be the uncle, the father-figure he wished his own father had been, especially if Rhoa had no intentions of being there. Glacia.. She had divulged with Ivezho, the love she felt for Rhoa, and that Rhoa felt that she was only a temporary thing.. He didn't know what to do with the information, and so he did nothing with it for now, except promote the care and love of the foal-to-be, and hoped that would be enough to solve all the other problems too.

Ivezho