Falls

"There are some things you can only learn in a storm" .

The stallion tossed his mane to get a bit out of his eyes as he grazed. As far as he could tell, he was mostly alone. Well that wasn't entirely true. There were plenty of horses over the ridge. That was the downside to being at the Falls. He wasn't sure how he had ended up here though. When he first walked in, he could have sworn that everyone was watching him. Physically he wasn't that unusual. He was a little larger than average for his build, but he was on the smaller end of average for the horses at the falls in general. He cursed quietly, remembering the scar that decorated his front. That's why everyone had been staring. For a brief moment, he considered that it might have been because he was a newcomer and had nothing to do with his scars. Then he shook his head. They probably had newcomers every day here. Why would they all stare at him specifically?

He would never forget that day. The fire leaping up around him as he called for his mother. The heat coming closer and closer, until instinct took over. He leapt through the flames, attempting to escape the hell he had become trapped in. Lightning continued to strike around him, and the deep rumbling of thunder filled his head to the point he could have sworn he was going mad. Maybe he screamed. He wasn't sure. He doesn't remember the pain as he fought through the flames. The world had gone quiet around him. It wasn't until after that he saw himself. After he collapsed in the grass, weakly crying for help. He remembered the relief he felt when his mother approached, and the heartbreak when she moved away, calling for her lost son. He remembers the salt from the tears that streaked down his face, and the sudden onset of pain blazing through his muzzle and chest.

After that, he must have found some water to drink and soothe his wounds. In all honesty, he can't say that he remembers much after that. The next year of his life became a blur of hiding and fighting with every inch of his being to survive. He eventually found a plant that helped soothe the burns, but by then it was too late. His lovely coat would never grow back in the areas the fire had burned.
Years had passed since that day. Since he was abandoned and left to fend for himself. Since then, he hadn't let anyone close to him. After all, once they found out who he really was, a weak, scared, pathetic stallion, they would leave for sure.

He cast a glance towards the sky, and sent a silent thanks that it was a clear day. There wasn't going to be a storm tonight. He couldn't help but scoff at the irony. For someone whose name meant 'lover of thunder and lightning," he sure was failing to live up to it. He thought he had conquered his fear, but the bright flash of lightning or the deep rumbling of thunder often brought back...unplesant memories.
As he dropped his head back down towards the grass, he caught sight of a mare at the very edge of his vison. And here he thought he had found somewhere peaceful to be. He tilted his head, wondering why she wasn't with the rest of the herd. It was rather unusual for a horse to come to the Falls and not want to socialize. He thought he would have been the only one to try and find a spot of peace and quiet from the chatter and laughing foals.