Breathing deep, the young stallion listened to what the mare had to say. There were so many thoughts that were running through his young head. Naive to the world around him he was both blowing things out of proportion and minimizing the important things he needed to pay attention to. Little did he know the stallion that had come to have his eyes on Macabre was larger, older, and far more experienced than he. However, he did know he wanted to claim the mare, protect her with his life, offer her the help she had promised him. All of these was merely on the instinctual level of his thought process. Deeper he longed for the world his mother and sister had shown him. He wanted to share a world of magic and wonder with those who found their ways to his land. He wanted to dance with them in the moonlight and hold them close to him as they watched the stars make their journeys across the skies. All he had ever wanted was to open his home and his heart to those who wanted to step in.

Tarrant. His great grandsire had been nowhere to be seen after the time he had met him. The ghost of Paradise seemed to have sunk back into the shadows of the trees. He would have been the one the youth would have turned to, but the specter and returned to haunting. He turned his light cream head away, hurt by her recoil, cut by her soft sounds towards him. Beside her he was barely a boy. Preparing for the worst, he contemplated his destruction. Faced with this reality he was afraid he could never be what she, what Amica, and what Shararat would need.

The heavy rain flowing down his face hid the silent tears he had begun to shed. I am sorry for what I have caused you, Macabre. I could not keep you safe. He turned back to her, hoping the rain still hid his emotions. After her initial reaction he did not reach out to her, though he longed for the connection and comfort only touch could bring to a herd animal. I will face him, do what I must. Please always remember I care for you, I respect you, and I will do anything for you and your happiness.