It was the scent of two others that caught his attention as he grazed quietly in a small clearing in the depths of the Deep Forest. The stallion lifted his head, ears swiveling forward and back as he listened for any sounds that may warrant a disturbance… Yet none came. Giving a soft scoff, the stallion allowed his head to drop down once more, neck bending gracefully as he reached for the next few blades of sweet grass that were in reach. Smooth teeth plucked the greenery free with nearly no effort, and as he did so, the breeze once more caressed his body. In tune with the forest as he had become, Apollo lifted his head once more, munching upon the grass as his nostrils flared, inhaling the scent yet again.

Yes, two others were about… And he didn’t recognize either of them. Surely they weren’t a part of his family. Taking a few more lazy moments to swallow the grass that he had been chewing, Apollo turned upon his haunches and entered the forest once more, honey-brown eyes searching for the newcomers to the forest. Did he have to? No. Quite frankly, Apollo could do whatever he wanted in his home, but… What if these two newcomes needed some kind of aid? What if they were hurt or lost? In good conscious there was no way that the unicorn stallion could leave them alone without first investigating. And if they didn’t need him? Well… Then the young boy would continue on his way.

His steps were light as the overo moved over the protruding roots of the archaic trees, as if knowing exactly where each one was before he would take a step. Since joining the Grey and dubbing the Deep Forest his home, Apollo had become intimately familiar with the darkness-shrouded woods. Where he once cowered at the dancing shadows, he now embraced them. At only five years old, Apollo had seen a lot since coming to Helovia… He was no warrior or soldier, of course not, but a medic. Yet if the need arose for him to fight, to challenge and protect his home and family, the stag would do so readily and without question. It was his loyalty to the Grey, for taking him in and giving him a home, and had been proven when he had fought a pack of wolves and the Kraken.

It didn’t take too terribly long to come across the two who had obviously wandered into the dark embrace of the forest, and for a moment he admired them from a distance, shrouded in shadow by the thickness of a nearby pine. Honeyed orbs watched with muted kindness as a large painted draft, a unicorn like himself, reached his thick neck down to take a drink from the pool of water at his feet. Apollo tilted is head slightly in curiosity, inhaling this stranger’s scent. He was from the Basin… What was he doing here, so far from home?

It was then that the second newcomer made her appearance; a lovely Pegasus mare who was quite a sight to behold. A warmth filled Apollo’s chest as he admired her, but immediately shook his head. No… His heart was already stolen by the lovely Phaedra.

Stepping through the trees then, Apollo cleared his throat and spoke, allowing a warm, welcoming smile to tug at the corners of his dark lips. His head tilted downwards slightly, crystalline horn poised in a short bow. “Hello, both of you. Welcome to the forests… I hope I’m not intruding, but, the wind has granted me your scents, and I just wanted to make sure that you were both well.” He chuckled softly then to himself, looking from the mare to the large draft brute. “My name is Apollo. Do either of you have business here?” It wasn’t a challenging question, just simple curiosity. After all; many creatures ventured to the Deep Forest to ask services of his family, the Grey.

I can never fight for myself, but, for others, I can kill."