The sorrel mare spoke true. This Desert was as unforgiving as the one El Aran had come from, although in a different way. The sun and heat and lack of abundant sustenance did not bother her because to the seer, it was more than plenty. In addition to having enough food for herself and her son, there were not herds of Purebreds waiting to ambush their oasis in the night or, worse, during the heat of the day. The black mare knew she while considered this land a blessing, there were many who did not see it that way. How many horses had been driven away by the harsh conditions and endless sands? El Aran had seen a countless number of stallions come into the territory only to fade like sunlight, leaving no trace of themselves except for stale spoor. Like the dying heat of the day, they were soon forgotten.
Only El Aran remained. And now, Orhan.
As the mare introduced herself and answered El Aran’s question, the black mare’s ears turned back. Orhan may have been her son, but he was also a stallion. His purpose was to protect the band of mares and provide strong offspring, not dictate who could or could not stay in the Desert. If he had reason to distrust this mare, it was unlikely he would share shelter and sustenance with her. The seer snorted and pushed her ears forward. "His desires are not the ones you should be worried about," she said, and accompanied her words with a small smile to avoid sounding too harsh. "Orhan may rule the Desert, but I am the lead mare of this herd and it is by my desire that you stay, if you wish."
If Vesti ended up being detrimental to the herd, then she could be ejected from the Desert, but as far as El Aran was concerned the chestnut mare seemed normal enough. She looked over her shoulder at her son, noting the patchy appearance of his coat. She thought back to the day she found him lying in the wet sand as the ocean frothed up and around his body and uttered a low snort. At least now he was on his feet and appeared to be healthy. "He’ll be all right," she said as she turned her head back to Vesti to gather more information about the mare. "How long have you been on Salem?"
el aran
Seer of Aşk. |