The Dorobian mare listened as the stallion questioned the young one, just as she did. Her twin pinnacles drank in the roughness of his speech and she realized her father had held the same tenor when she was but a newborn filly. He then gave his attention back to her, sharing his title and offering his land as a place to call home. Sanaa was flattered, being that she just stepped upon this new soil and already had been invited to live somewhere. He mentions how they can assist the young one home, and the jagged tones he has seem to diminish – at least that is what Sanaa felt. “The southernmost region you say? Quite tempting as I come from a land that had an extreme heat index.” Imagining basking in the Dorobo sun, her coat shimmering against the river’s reflection…ah, home. The foal was still tremulous and this caught Sanaa’s mind, having her leave her musing to inquire about his situation. “Darling, I am certain the monster has vanished – it couldn’t catch you anyhow.” the mare crinkled her left nostril and gave the colt a smile all while brushing another large tear drop from his jaw. Sanaa’s maternal instincts were indeed still shocking her, although it could have been their similar lineages that made it so simple to console the young one. “I’ll bet your mother and father will be relieved to see you, kijana mmoja, and not anger at all.” Her swahilian dialect dripped in effortlessly, and she hadn’t realized her use of it.

Sanaa listened to the foal describe his home, although sounding like something out of an old tale, she did not interupt and let him continue on. ‘He is a foal afterall...’ His stance morphed dramatically, once hesitant and petrified and now opening up with a bit of exctitement. He asked where she was from, pointing out how similar they were in appearance and afterwards mentioned his name. Sanaa felt her heart leap with effervescent jubliance, in her mind screaming, ‘There are more Dorobians here!?’ Smiling, she replied to Zubari, “I am from Dorobo, Zubari, and I would love to help you return to your parents.” Sanaa imagined greeting them in her native tongue, hoping there really were more Dorobians. The mare looked up to Volterra, his stature towering her petite frame although offering no threat, and she smiled at him. “Volterra, a robust name for such a gladiator,” she dipped her crown here in respect, knowing that in Dorobo females must always be subsequent to the male, “I would love to see your land, but must I agree to join now, here, when I’ve yet to see it? How will I know it is the best to suit me... other than, well, you being there.” Unconsciously batting her eyes at him, Sanaa felt eager to leave. She admired Volterra’s offering to assist Zubari home, his aura gradually growing larger as time passed and Sanaa knew in her heart he was being genuine.

Thinking of Zubari’s description of home, she asked the stallion for guidance, “Is this place he describes...real?” She lowered her voice here at the end of her question, hoping Zubari was too young to take offense but also remaining polite as she always did. Looking around the forest, she noticed different clouds of auras colliding and clashing, the nearby body of water had collected decorations of dragonflies, which floated among the water’s surface to quench their thirst. It was a magical time of day, and a very special place. She turned to the both of them, ”What is the name of this land?” In the distance a loon was calling, and the mare briefly shut her orbits to take in this beautiful song. Inhaling deeply, their scents mixing in the atmosphere along with the damp soil beneath them, she could not believe this was actually all happening. It had been weeks since she had seen another soul, and now two were a few feet away from her. She drank it all up, as she usually did, admiring every aspect, detail, feeling and scent. She was close to reaching happiness here in this new land.


@VOLTERRA



@ZUBARI