He would remember the warm reception he received in days to come, so that whenever Ahimsa found himself thinking of Carbon, he’d forget for a brief moment, how distant everything seemed.
“Yeah, no harm done,” Ahimsa said, with a shake of his head, grains of sand still caught in his tangled mane. The paint colt tilted his head at his brother’s words, and glanced about with renewed curiosity. He’d seen the creatures that Vihaan had named ‘hares’ dashing over the hills of the Prairie, but as for the pronghorns… “What are they? Pronghorns. Can you show me?” The leggy young male pranced on the spot, a thrill of nervous energy coursing through him. He might’ve bolted again, eager to run, but caution held him still – it’d wouldn’t look good for him to face-plant a second time, not in front of his brother.
Impressions were important.
But it seemed, to an extent, just as Ahimsa knew of Carbon, so too did Carbon know of Ahimsa. The words spoken by the dark colt certainly got his attention, and Ahimsa shifted, a sudden pang of anxiousness twinged at his heart. It mattered to him, finding belonging somewhere. He certainly hadn’t found it in the Prairie.
That part of his family had been scattered and distant, and Ahimsa felt like maybe it was because of him.
“Oh yeah?” He shrugged, hoping to maintain an air of nonchalance , unsure if he would succeed or not. “I asked Akello ‘bout the Desert lots, too. I liked liked that it seemed you’re all one big family here.” And, frowning a little, feeling like maybe he’d said too much – revealed more of himself than he’d intended, Ahimsa took off in a sudden lurch, leaving a spray of sand in his wake. “C’mon Carbon!” he called back over his shoulder, and turned his face into the wind, taking extra care to place his flying hooves carefully.
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