A P O L L O

And how can you say that your truth is better than ours?
Shoulder to shoulder, now brother, we carry no arms

Into the night he danced.

Twisting and turning, leaping and swiveling, Apollo paid little attention to the world around him as he performed, unknowing that his audience had expanded to far more than just the oncoming night. The bleached stallion was completely focused on himself, for once, enamored by the beating of his heart, and the breath that he sucked in through mighty gulps, and push and coiling of strong muscles. He would rear, high into the air, forehooves kicking out at imaginary foes, but the smile on his face and the laughter from his lips belittled any thought that he may be practicing his fighting style.

With a great huff of breath the Chief landed upon the earth, his tail snapping to the side to smack against his flank with a sharp crack!, chest heaving with breath as he took a moment to recover. The blood pumped within his veins, nostrils flaring, muscles twitching and telling him to continue the dance... Yet something stopped him.

A dark shadow detached itself from the growing darkness around them, and Apollo's ears snapped to attention. His adrenaline coursed high as the being approached, all ebony and ivory with a blood-stained horn, and for the briefest of moments Apollo moved to relax and call a word of greeting... Yet the dark lady skirted by him, seemingly devoid of stopping, but she did something that oh-so strangely set his blood on fire. In passing, Ktulu did the unthinkable; her pretty muzzle reached out and brushed his side almost tenderly, and Apollo was left with the gentle caress of her passing tail before the dark shadow was gone.

For a moment, the Merciful stood, flabbergasted, ears erect and head held high. Was that Ktulu? Had she really just ran by him, only to move away in a game of play? Honey-brown orbs lingered and stared after her fleeing frame, caressed by the growing darkness... Briefly Apollo wondered what it would feel like, to nibble along the golden-laced intricacies of her spine, and then something overcame him. Something he had never felt before. It started within his belly, a fire of the likes he had never experienced, pooling and spreading through his veins like molten lava, twisting and morphing into an unnameable urge...

A toss of his head, eyes wild and rolling, and Apollo was off like a bullet after her. His nostrils soaked in the scent of her, positively enthralled, and his heart beat madly to catch, and keep pace with her. Like thunder his hooves beat against the ground, eyes focused completely upon Ktulu's ebonite bodice and the waves of her ivory mane and tail. Once caught up to her, he raced by her side, prancing on fluid hooves and arching his neck, tail raised and swishing like brilliant brush strokes, attempting to entice her into... Into what? So many things were happening, Apollo was uncertain to what they were... So he simply did what he did best - go with the flow.

"You look good, Ktulu," he said at last, his voice a deep, husky chuckle, full of a baritone that Apollo was unaware he even had. Neck still arched, he continued to dance around her, eyes focused completely and wholly on her. "Are... Are you well?"