Orhan

Returning home after months away was a visceral experience for Orhan, though it was perhaps not quite as intense as it would have been had he come here straight from the crossing. Instead he had taken a detour through his neighbor's territory, stopping to make some important negotiations with Valve. The dunes boasted the same dry heat and open landscape as the rest of Salem, but were just unfamiliar enough to act as a bridge between the alien outer world and his home. Thus, as the stallion crossed the border into the desert, he did not feel the heart-wrenching relief he had anticipated. Instead, he passively observed that it felt as though he had walked into a place where time stood still.

He did not cut through the heart of the desert, which would have taken him straight toward the oasis and - by extension - whatever was left of his herd. Instead he veered toward the coast, following the border until the sand became damp under his hooves and seagulls danced above his head. He was in no rush to meet the others; his mind was still racing from his conversation with Valve and he felt the need to digest what they had discussed before he was ready for any sort of confrontation. Seeing how his son had handled leadership while he was away would likely require every last brain cell Orhan had.

His head hung at a relaxed angle while he limped along, the shore hissing and crashing beside him in a regular rhythm. Eventually he became aware of a figure in his peripheral vision and glanced up. There was a chestnut mare strolling beside the water some distance ahead of him, her tail flecked with unmistakable white. Could it be A'idah? He had not seen the Arabian mare in years, but hope quickened his step and he hurried to catch up with her. Of course, exhausted and malnourished and lame as he was, Orhan could not keep up his brisk pace for long; when he was within earshot he slowed and called to her with a hearty neigh.

While he waited for her to respond, he straightened his posture as best he could and made an effort to look brighter than he felt. It would hurt for A'idah to see him in such a state, but he could not pass down an opportunity to see the elusive Arabian again after so long.