The colt listened to Izzy and Rhadra talk, especially when they mentioned the stallion. Collision? He had never heard the name before, and the thought of having stallions around scared him a little more than he would have liked to admit. Stallions had torn apart his home not once but twice now. He had more than enough reason to be a little suspicious. But the way in which they talked about him, the tone of relaxation and joy that danced through their voice when they said his name allowed him to unpin his ears. He trusted their judgement. This stallion must be okay.
When they finally reached the edge of the lake, Jay watched as the worry melted from the young filly's face. She raced towards the water, her hooves pounding on the ground in time with his still racing heart. How was it that she was able to forget so easily? Or, maybe not forget. How was she able to move on? The stallions were still here, in the process of being driven away from the mares. Well, they were probably gone now. But not far. Their scent still lingered in the air and on his pelt. He shivered as the wind swirled around him, covering him in the chill of the mountain air and the possessive scents of the stallions still on his coat. A douse in the lake might be good, he thought to himself. The cold would help bring him back to his senses, and they would get rid of the stench from the stallions on his coat. Yes, that was a good idea.
He was about to take a step forward when Rhadra started to speak. Her tone was not something he was expecting to hear. It was comforting, but it mirrored the voice that he used to hear between the other adults in his old herd. Not like the one they had used with the foals, and certainly not the one he was used to hearing from the mare. He closed his eyes to listen, feeling his heart slow as he realized that it was okay. After all, if Rhadra had been in a similar situation to himself and ended up a smart, strong, and caring mare, there must be hope for him as well. Maybe someday, he would protect his family as she did, and offer comfort to his friends and foals in their times of need. But for now, he needed a bath.
He nodded solemnly to Rhadra, nudging her back, lightly, to aknowldge what she said. Thank you. For your words, and for everything you've done for me so far. He didn't feel like they were family yet, but he know that Rhadra would be there for him, at least for the forseeable future. The very thought calmed him even more. Now, he was almost back to normal. He nodded at her invitation, and kicked up his heels, charging to join Izzy in the shallows. He had barely reached the edge of the water when he threw himself forward. He landed in the water, legs extended to maximize the splash. He laughed as he followed the path of the dropplets flying through the air. The tiny particles caught the sun as they flew, glistening in the air before landing. Some back in the water, and some on the young filly besides him. He continued to charge forward, his musceles propelling him less and less with each thrust as the water gets deeper around him. Finally, he looses his footing, and his head slips under the water. The fridgidity of the water threatens to take his breath away, but he forced his eyes open instead. The water was clear around him, and he could see into the distance. Small fish danced around him, hiding from the schools in the distance. There was a layer of green underneath him, and he could feel the beauty under his hooves rivaling that of the softest grass. beautiful He surfaced to breathe, first pausing to snort the water from the inside of his nose. He started to swim back to the shore, and steered himself towards the pair. Izzy, let's play! He wasn't sure what he was saying, but he never had played with the other foals before. The freshness of the water made him bold, and he playfully nudged Izzy before splashing her again, waiting for her to retaliate.