I WILL LIVE FOR YOU

The steed had his troubles finding his way throughout the terrain of Helovia, yet when he visited each place, his memories of once before came flooding back in. It had been long since Xanthos had explored the magnificent lands and it was difficult to figure out where he was really supposed to go because he had forgotten which paths to take. But he knew, before long, the memory of directions would be set and stone in his head, and he wouldn’t have to worry about becoming lost. Yet, when Xanthos thought of it real hard, he already had it jotted down in his nerve, he could just never remember it. But at least he had Azel to help him. Two brains were better than one, but he was starting to think that the feline didn’t have one.

”This way, Xanthos.” Azel’s voice broke into the stud’s thoughts. He shook his dome and looked around to see where he was at, only he had stopped in mid-thoughts. ”I’m sorry Azel, I’m just so confused.” His calm voice reached out to the cheetah standing in front of him as he began to walk toward the Edge again. Azel tilted his head before continued to walk at his companion’s heels with his eyes watching at the movement of the dun’s hocks. Xanthos had been worried about his family lately, since he arrived back to his home land, he hadn’t seen or heard from them. Had Romani and Jasiri abandoned him? No – they would never do that. Xanthos thought to himself, only to doubt it with full fury. Had Romani found someone else to love, and Jasiri to call out “Daddy!” to? But why? His solemn was getting him best in the head and he could not help but think of the horrible things that might’ve happened to them in his absence. What did happen to them?

He continued on, his vibrant yellow eyes sunken back and reaching down to the earth. As he reached the Edge borders, he came upon a large ground of family. Many of them were new and he did not know of, but his dark queen caught his eye at once. Xanthos smiled and walked up to her side, looking towards the painted mare. ”Mirage, good to see you again my lady.” He spoke turning his head to the black leader. He looking into her golden eyes with a smile. She was his activation, she kept him going and going. She kept him believing in what others could never have done for him before, yet, she could not do one thing. She couldn’t help him remove the thoughts of his lost love from his head. They kept coming back, as if they were stuck there forever. But, he had to relieve himself from that feeling, or else he would be stuck too.

Xanthos dipped his dome to his WeyrLeader before taking a step forward to introduce himself to the crowd. ”Hello brothers and sisters, please, do call me Xanthos.” He smiled to them all and then began to help, knowing the painted mare would need all the help she could get in the Tallsun weather. He walked up to some rather large sticks and began to clear them out of the work space, traveling back and forth. He enjoyed working for his herd mates, it made him feel worthy of something special, to work under his beloved leader. The brute piled the large sticks and rolled them towards the other pile he had started that carried different sizes of branches, if in need, the members could come and snatch however much they needed. It didn’t bother him, for he might use them himself too.

A little ways off, Azel picked up the smaller branches and tossed them into the pile also. When the cub discovered a hole in the pile of sticks, his curiosity got the best of him and the cat climbed in. Unwarned of his companion’s adventure, Xanthos tossed another stick onto the pile, it rolling down to cover the hole. He continued to work without knowing before he noticed that Azel was nowhere to be seen. He panicked for a moment before walking back to the pile and heard a small “yowl”. The stud chuckled and removed a large branch, revealing a new hole and a trembling feline. ”And curiosity killed the cat.” Xanthos shook his head and laughed, reaching in to grab the tuff on the back of the cub’s neck, he pulled him out. He sat Azel down and then covered the hole back up with the branch.

He looked to his companion and smiled, shaking his head from side to side. Before the stud could blink, the cat was off again exploring. Xanthos sighed and went back to work with his friends. When will he ever grow up? The stud thought to himself with a laugh.

BEFORE I DIE