The early morning hours found the rose-hued mare lazily patrolling the shoreline of crumbling rocks as she had done most mornings as of late. Anxiety colored her thoughts as once more the subject of her thoughts led to Diccon. He had long since lost his need for her supervision and near-constant guidance. In years past, the mares of the Peak would often trade their sons to the Lagoon stallions for freedom from their constant transgressions. But Khar was not nearly as trusting. Though she felt certain that Diccon would never intentionally give away Peak secrets and weaknesses to the Lagoon stallions, that is not to say that the gullible boy would not be tricked into revealing such facts. And even if she were to send him off to live beneath the guidance of a herd stallion to behind his life apart from his dam… what stallion? Sure Solomon was supposed to be the understanding and kind sort but was he really good enough to protect and guide her son? Would Solomon resist the urge to exploit Peak weaknesses? Was it wise to send the boy away at all?


Frustration causes her ears to tilt backward and her hooves to stomp angrily into the malleable sands, sending a spray of frothing waves splashing onto her charcoal muzzle. She sorts harshly, giving her finely dished head a shake before rubbing her damp muzzle against her foreleg. Hoofprints. Faint and faded from the ocean breeze and stretching waves but just before her very eyes, hoofprints lead up from the ocean and towards the steep incline of the nearby Peaks.. ”Stupid…. So stupid!”she hisses to herself as her long tail lashes against the supple curve of her hip. Had she been paying closer attention, perhaps she would have taken notice sooner to the intruder.



Cautiously she follows the trail left behind. From the hoofprints left behind, there is a single intruder. Dark brows furrow as the mare of predawn light quickens her pace. HE. A stallion. Paper-thin nostrils flare as she drinks in the musky scent of testosterone left behind by the pool of water where the beast enjoyed a nice swim. Anger filled her as memories of the white bastard resurface. It would be just like him to take advantage of the peak mares, and mark their territory with his own fowl odor. Had he returned to reclaim Hollis? ”Not on my damn watch!”she growls, muscles tensing beneath her moon-dappled coat. Years of climbing the sheer mountainsides have given the lithe little mare a sense of surefootedness that rivals very few others. Instead of gingerly picking her way over the rocky terrain, Khar’pern wastes no time in lunging down up the steep slope.


’Your kind are not welcome here…’ The sound of Ashteroth’s voice breaks the silence built around her. The small mare tops the ridge to find the newest Peak resident devotedly blocking the strange stallion’s path. A swell of pride dances in her silver eyes as Khar slows to a halt. Raven-tipped ears tilt backward to display her own displeasure. A harsh snort of agreement echoes Ashteroth’s words but for the moment, Khar remains a silent observer, blocking the stallion’s escape. He was at their mercy now.

Khar'pern

The jungle is dark but full of diamonds;