“Mm, yes, some well-formed herds relinquish power to mares, but not all of them,” Machine explained. “It is still a widely-accepted notion that stallions collect mares only to bear children. Some even equate their sense of wealth with how many mares they have to choose from.” She cringed a little, disgusted by these beliefs. “There are several schools of thought with how herd structure and hierarchy should be, but the resounding commonality between all of them is that mares are beneath stallions. This is what we fight to change.”

Machine paused a moment after her lengthy explanation, searching Geirdriful’s eyes for some sense of understanding. It was a complex issue—one that she had been learning about and battling over her entire life. The journey seemed endless sometimes, and perhaps it was. She would not be able to fight forever. Thus it became increasingly important that she shared what she knew with the younger generations. She could only hope that some of her teachings have made a difference.

“I am guessing you have never seen these injustices, having been fortunate enough to grow up in a more balanced herd,” Machine observed. Geirdriful had basically admitted this to her in no uncertain terms. “I find it helps to see these tribulations with your own eyes. You’ll be amazed at how so many don’t even realize what’s happening to them—how horribly unfair the world can be.”

BLACK HEART MACHINE