A rather loud, dragon like noise pierced the dreams of Torasin who blinked his eyes open to see Kiba shuffling around on his clawed feet. The sun peeped through the trees and sent rays of oranges dancing off his patched pelt as a mass of creamy tail was flopped over tucked in hooves. Mists had began their daily walk through the wood and the Moon Doctor decided that it was time to be up and about, Kiba was already flexing his wings and preparing for flight. With a grunt, the gilded stud rose to the dawn and began his own stroll, walking off the night and loosing up his protesting muscles, his bonded gliding alongside seemingly lost in thought. No doubt thinking about his breakfast and what he could hunt today. Torasin rather liked dawn, it was the start of a new day and new hopes, the Tallsun dawn was also particularly warm.

It wasn't long until his emerald gaze caught sight of another horse in the vicinity, if he didn't know better it was almost like looking in a mirror. Her coat the same shades as his own, but Torasin did know better, this was most definitely Solstice. So recently freed from the unicorn group and with the absence of Aaron the gentle Sir had found his thoughts lingering on her from time to time. They were more similar than he first thought, and it wasn't just their appearance, she had children like he did but no one to love her like she should be. It drew Torasin all the more closer to her when he watched the birth of Azale Moniet and worried about Aaron and his responsibilities as the eldest. The Doctor was no stranger to the pulls and ways of the heart, often listing to his own intently, and so he made his way over to the motherly femme with nothing but open kindness in his eyes to the mare he had known since Isilme.

"Solstice, ma'am! I have not seen you in some time, in fact, I've rather missed you. I was also worried when you were taken from us, I'm sorry we couldn't save you quicker, ma'am." His apology felt fitting, he was helpless when it came to stealth. He knew his field of healing very well, he was fairly diplomatic and not too helpless on a battlefield. Though his gentle heart often disagreed with the latter. Kiba warbled a greeting as his bonded moved up alongside her, touching her shoulder with his soft nose in a tender sentiment.

Truly, he had missed her.

Torasin dipped his head in agreement when she spoke, it was an odd situation to steal another's herd member to simply give her back. As much as Torasin was relived at her return, it did worry him about their motives and why they would go to such lengths for what? A reminder? He couldn't fathom, his heart had strayed from the path of destruction a long time ago, when faced with sadness and loss he had chosen to love instead. Putting his loyalty in others and following the ways his parents had always taught him, so kind were their smiles. He only wished his twins were okay and would visit him sometime, so he could love them like his parents had loved him. Solstice returned his touch and it caught him by surprise when a warm shiver filtered down his body. Green eyes turned to gaze at her but she seemed to have turned shy, her coyness almost like a tempt to the stallion who now frowned at his heart that skipped a few beats. Where had he been hiding this feeling? Had it been there all along, unnoticed and forgotten in his wash of sadness over Brooke's death.

He stopped himself from laughing at his own incompetence, it seemed no matter how wise or how old he got, his gentle heart would always fall before he knew anything about it. The paint wondered if he was attracted to her because she reminded him of his first love, her motherly nature but inner strength were things he had always admired in Solstice from a far. He smiled as she mentioned Isilme, not believing how fast time had flown by them and that they may not have spoken, but he didn't feel awkward around her. Simply comfortable and at peace. Gently he tugged on her pale mane as she turned back to him, "no we haven't have we ma'am, I always feel comfortable around you though. I was glad to be there for little Azale's birth and see her inherit the beauty of her mother. So proud you must be of her."

He wondered if he should ask about Aaron but decided against it, sure that the former warrior was now old enough to look out for himself. Torasin certainly knew that the painted stud was stronger than himself. Kiba had now landed on his bonded's rump and was looking thoughtfully between the pair but said nothing, letting the two figure it out for themselves.

Cautious but curious, Torasin watched with intrigue at how his words effected her, with each tilt of her head and each shy movement his heart became more captured by her. The stallion who loved freely with no single regret apart from the loss of his loved ones now fell once again. This time before a gilded beauty whose timid nature was a complete new territory for him, used to the sharpness of Brooke or the mystery of Mirage. So many different natures, yet he loved them all equally. It was true that apart of him shied away from Solstice, though not of her doing, his heart had been ripped from his chest and torn up so many times he wasn't sure if he could handle it again. What would happen if he was left alone, there wasn't one that had ever stayed beside him and loved him. His first love had died tragically, a few years later Brooke was cruelly taken from him and Mirage had chosen to place her love in a more suited companion. Though he loved her still in friendship.

Was he about to be given a break, or was fate just playing with him. Either way, he couldn't deny his feelings for the golden Philosopher who unknowingly drew him in with her shy tail flicks. Torasin allowed a green eye to flitter behind and he wondered if maybe he was making the wrong decision.

Maybe I shou-

Chicken.

The paint gave a frown to the brown who cut his thoughts off, the dragon returned his stare with a challenge. Torasin turned back to Solstice and took a breath, it didn't look like Kiba was about to let him get out of this one, so he might as well make the first move.

With gentle politeness the stud nods his head to her words, letting the warm feeling encase his body. He didn't mind that the little Azale thought of him as her father, if Solstice were to ask, he would protect her like he would his two sons. He watched as her eyes wandered, often drifting upon himself to which he answered with a smile. Hoping his relaxed posture would give her a little more confidence as he said his next words with nothing but honesty in his voice, drifting his nose to next to hers a leaving it there as he spoke.

"I may not be known for my battle prowess and my skill may lie in a different area, but I do think of you fondly, milady Solstice. I would protect you and your family if you were to ask it of me, give you the love you deserve to always have." The smile that broke out across his sincere, gilded face was a bright merry one as green eyes shone with adoration.

It was hard to speak of ones heart to another, yet Torasin knew he should always let the person of whom he loved know that he did. This wasn't the first time he had offered his heart to another, and the stud thought it would get easier the older he got, but in fact he found it got harder. Rather, offering pieces of an already battered affection made him feel a little less adequate each time. Torasin knew that even his huge heart could only shatter into so many little pieces. It was a fine line he walked between happiness and depression but he was willing to take one more risk. One more he leapt at a life he always dreamed of, knowingly accepting that if this didn't work then a much darker life presented itself before him. So his heart lifted when she immediately replied and in the meantime Kiba had leapt from his bonded's back in chase of some prey. Not too interested in the events the dragon knew would surely take place soon, maybe he knew more than his bonded, such was the keen senses of dragons.

The Doctor allowed his body to brush up against hers when she leaned in, almost like a caress as each movement he made was always with a curious glance, as if asking for permission with each tender touch. "Nothing would make me any happier than to have a family with you, Solstice." The gentle nose continued across her cheek and along her neck, carrying on like golden kisses for one who truly deserved them and more. His heart skipped, beating faster making him feel like a young colt again, experiencing love for the first time. The stud was nervous, he'd known Solstice for a while and he never wanted anything to come between their friendship. He never knew that over time he had grown love for the mare who looked similar to himself in appearance.

He wanted nothing more than to have little painted children running rings around him again, to give his twin sons more family to make them feel like they belong. Something for them to think about other than the death of their mother, and if anything else, to be able to live beside his own children. If only for brief moments of their lives before his own ended.

[ooc; you could probably wrap the thread up in your next post if you like ^^]