His excitement could hardly be contained. It it had not been for the idea that he had to be a dignified lead stallion, he may have been seen prancing around the territory in his eager excitement while he watched his herd grow, and members in his herd grow. As promised, he kept s close eye on Amica, and the others he had sworn to protect. His round has become fast, but thorough. He dared not leave his family unprotected for long, and believed that he could be better served to them by being closer. Shaggy head lifted when Amica wandered away. It took everything within the vanner to smother his initial panic. He knew the instinct of mares to leave the herd, but Amica was vulnerable, and Pagan was careful. He looked over the herd, hoping Braylen was nearby to watch, or at least that the growing colts of the herd would be wise enough to take care of their mothers. With a heavy snort, stepped away from his family to follow the mare at a distance, hoping she would not begrudge his worry. It was not long before his careful hesitation took Amica out of his eyesight, making him follow her trail by scent alone. Amica’s scent was soon masked by that of blood and gore. White ears flattened into his tri-colored mane. Doing his due diligence he investigated the scene of the kill. A young caribou had been torn apart and consumed by the predators of his home. Eyes widened as the scene shifted from reality to a nightmare of a dismembered foal. Blood smearing over a perfect mix of himself and Amica. A terrified bellow turned to one of rage. It was a feeling he had never felt before.These creatures werenot going to touch those he loved. Heavy hooves pounded hard againt the stones of the hills and mountains that separated the Inlet from the Bay. He weaved through the trees, panic continuing to rise in his heart until he locked once more on the trail of the mare. Crashing through the brush, he slid to a halt in front of the gathering. Deep breathes took a while to calm as he surveyed what was before him and he realized he did not need to be concerned. Nephilim was there, and he trusted the other stallion. They had never been anything but good neighbors. In fact, he and his daughters had been welcomed into the Inlet to visit and play. After a steadying breath, he realized he almost preferred the spotted stallion was there to greet two new lives onto their island. He had, after all, made an agreement for their children to know one another. A shrill sound of protest called his attention at once to the mare and newborns. Instantly his heart swelled with pride as the golden filly wabbled to her feet, swiftly followed by her wobbling bay sister. Shy, and a little stunned, the stallion stayed put, a small but reachable distance between himself and the mother. Like Nephilim, he whispered a soft nicker. “May I?” He asked carefully, his ears and eyes glued to his family with the utmost interest and eagerness. Beside Amica, the little bay fluff filly leaned against her mother’s side for support. Once the world seemed stable to her she lifted her dark hooves and stepped towards the others, reaching out her nose to investigate each in turn without moving too far from her mother’s solid body. She did not know who or what she wanted to know more, so resorted to circling in all directions, trying to spend as little and as much time at each nose as possible.