| Dances With Wolves
our story’s been heartache and wonder |
| The bay tobiano was acutely aware of the mare that approached, but could bring himself to look away from his brother for even one second. An ear twitched at her question, but he couldn’t bring himself to answer, even if he could work his way past the lump of emotion in his throat. Nothing had happened, beyond nature taking its course. It was the same old story. Everything he touched withered eventually. Tarek’s voice was what stirred him from the depths of his despair. I’m so sorry. “So am I,” Dances croaked, blinking as he tried to focus on the stallion’s face, struggling to understand what he was saying. He shook his head, expression blank, and at the sound of others approaching, he turned, uncomprehending.
Dances did not know who these stallions were, nor what they wanted. But he understood the threat they posed to his newborn brother, and felt his blood run cold, moving instinctively to shield the tiny foal from the golden stallion’s scrutiny. It was enough to set the brute off, and Dances choked on fear, turning to curl protectively ‘round the vulnerable colt, exposing his back and leaving himself defenceless. The blow he was expecting to feel land upon him never fell. His dark ears pinned as the fight broke out behind him, and beneath his two-toned hide, his muscles bunched and coiled. Everything within him told him to run, but somehow, he held fast to the promise he’d made – he’d not abandon his brother. He could not lose two today… The heart within him was not that strong. A shrill cry of distress pierced through the tumult, and the grieving stallion swivelled, drawn to seek out the mare who’d made it, desperate to go to her, agonised that he could not. “Rowena!” he cried in alarm, flinching as a figure loomed out of the shadows of the trees, darting to his side and pressing into the length of him, half-shoving Dances a step backward. A squeal of fear as he stumbled, worried that he’d injure the orphaned foal he protected. Another shove came just as his attacker grunted in pain, and Dances tossed his head wildly, eyes rolling. But in the chaos, the figure closing in on him passed through a splinter of moonlight that filtered through a gap in the trees above. Dances With Wolves knew this face, and the stallion who’d taken a blow for him was no enemy… Dalibor. Relief flooded him, and with a hasty gesture, he drew his companion’s attention to the foal. “Protect him,” the bay paint begged, and the slightly smaller male grunted again, this time in confirmation. Alone, Dances wouldn’t have managed, but with the two of them together, perhaps there was hope yet that the newborn bay colt would survive to see his first sunrise. As Dalibor moved to nudge the colt into movement, Dances looked up again, alarmed to see that the small clearing was now swarming with bodies clashing with one another. That choking fear came clawing its way up his throat again as he desperately searched for that beautiful, familiar face. But Dalibor was there again, pushing Dances back and away. “No, wait, I --” But there was no stopping the silent and stoic stallion. “Rowena!” Dances cried again, hoping desperately that she’d hear him over the chaos. As soon as he was forced into movement, Dances focused on keeping the lanky, trembling colt on his feet. Dalibor trailed behind, impatiently nudging Dances along. Both stallions were on edge, but it was Dalibor that moved to intercept a pale-faced mare approaching quickly through the trees. Dances was almost too late in his warning – Dalibor had already taken a snap at the buckskin and white mare, and she was quick to retaliate. “Tigerlily!” The mare pinned her ears and nipped at the bay male’s shoulder as she moved past him, moving to Dances’ side. She drew back a little at the sight of the foal at his heels, but after the initial shock of it all, she was quick to tend to the newborn. Before long, Dances and Tigerlily were settled quietly, with the colt asleep between them. Dalibor was hovering nearby, still very much on edge. He was the first to hear the sound of a lone figure approaching, and before Dances could say anything, Dalibor rushed forwards to engage the black mare, protective of Dances With Wolves to the point of possessiveness. He bellowed his warning, and felt the rage build within him. If not for Dances With Wolves, the stalwart brute would be right in the midst of the conflict right now. But, lucky for him, he wouldn’t miss out completely. He closed on the mare, snapping and snarling, tensing to rear up and strike at her with a large hoof if she did not back off. But Dances was suddenly there, forcing himself between Dalibor and the mare. Too late. Dalibor could only watch in horror as his hoof came down to graze Dances’ shoulder. A cry of pain came from his friend’s dark lips, and Dalibor retreated, burning with regret and shame. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Dances was quick to try and reassure, but no-one knew Dalibor like Dances did, and the mute male was already turning, retreating, fearful of hurting one that he cared for again. “Don’t, Dalibor, I’m fine!” But Dalibor was gone, crashing through the forest, running blind, just like the little lost boy he’d been when Dances had first met him. Dances With Wolves felt torn – would he ever feel whole and at peace? Huffing a sad sigh, and wincing as he rolled his painful shoulder, Dances turned his deep blue gaze to Rowena, quickly checking her over for injuries with his heart in his throat. “Are you okay? You aren’t hurt are you, I’d never --,” He swallowed his fretful words, and shook his head lightly, breath hitching as he nuzzled her cheek affectionately. But, before long, the fear and the sorrow came flooding back, washing over him, threatening to drown him. He groaned, his broken heart burning in his chest. “My mother… She came back Rowena, but now she’s gone.” A sound from the colt at Tigerlily’s side pulled him away from his mate’s side, and he felt the buckskin mare’s piercing gaze upon him. Again, too late, he remembered… “Echo?” Where was she? |