Rougaru paced beneath the thick canopy of trees, his emerald eyes dark in deep thought. Though he had not been forced to give up the peace that seemed to settle over Paradise in the years since Liland’s departure from the islands; Rougaru still found himself ill at ease. Peace was one thing, a time to reflect and heal what wounds battled had reopened. However in the years since the gray Warsaw’s death, the islands had grown relatively placid. There were moments when Rougaru found himself at odds with his neighbors, but even that seemed to have come to an uneasy halt. Though it was Rivaini who bore his child, Faolain and he had come to a more familiar bond at heart. The black mare that he had once seen as an enemy on his doorstep, had quickly become a formidable ally. Though he heard rumors that Xiomara had returned to the Shores of Atlantis, he had yet to venture far enough from his own shores to determine the validity of such whispers. It was something that he made a mental note to remedy soon. Even if it was just to send one of his son’s to expect the facts.

However there were other issues he wanted to pursue, that the wolf wanted to see brought to heel. Movement had been made more and more as of late to displace the old with new and though he was far from being a legend among the islands, Rougaru was determined to see that come to pass before his last breath fell from his lungs. Though where should they turn first? As with any great kingdom, enemies lay to the east and the west and even the north and south. Though he had done well to press for allegiances, even those had begun to fade into nothing as of late. Solomon had never proven a worthy ally, but neither had he done anything to challenge the wolf of Atlantis. Faolain and Rivaini were sealed to his aide thanks to Hades, but Rougaru knew well enough not to believe that one precious colt was enough to prevent what fragile peace remained from lasting should something drastic come to pass that the mares disliked. He hoped that his heart to heart with Faolain was enough to encourage the black mare to see that they shared a like mind, but Rivaini was another story altogether. Though it was she who bore Hades, her dislike for him had only grown since the first moments the child moved within her belly. She did her best to keep calm and collected when he came to visit the boy, but her bright eyes spoke far more of her distrust than anything that ever came from her lips. She was the whisperer in Faolain’s mind and the wolf must be cautious.

However instead of continuing to dwell on far distant thoughts, Rougaru allowed himself to think of what lay ahead for Paradise. It had been some time since last he had seen Gnome or his mate. Though in the past the question of his continued existence had been a mere passing acknowledgement, Rougaru was determined that it should be no more. Paradise needed to arise again into a force that was to be feared and revered. That all started within.

Paper nostrils flare as the broad stallion shoulders himself through the stiff leaves of palm branches that guarded the jungle from the sand’s encroachment. Multifaceted eyes of emerald green glitter in the bright sunlight reflected off the crystal blue waters of the ocean. Beyond the white capped surf, dolphins rose in acrobatic displays, their gray bodies arching over the rolling waves and disappearing again beneath the surface. For a moment he lets his mind wander to the fleeting forms, wander to the playful chatter of the gulls overhead and the skimming seabirds that chased the ocean waves along his stretch of beach. The sun bore down on his chocolate hide, its heat encumbered by the strong zephyrs that teased the ends of his cream and caramel mane up into the wind. A heavy sigh breaks past his parted lips as once more the chocolate stallion gives his proud head a shake before turning back to his herd and releasing a summons. It was time they came together for their herd and their home. Rougaru would see it come to pass again.