Go on. Bare your teeth at me.
I'll pull them out
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Despite all of the things that Raegar had experienced in his tumultuous, albeit short, life, he had nothing to compare the trance the little mare went into against. No reference or story had ever described a mare that was there but not there, one that was living and breathing but very clearly not there with him. It made him uneasy and he huffed a soft snort under his breath, his gaze lifting to scan the treeline for an adultier-adult. When none were forthcoming, he flicked the strands of his dark tail and made a decision.
He didn't know if her condition was indicative of an illness or something dire, but he couldn't very well leave her alone out here. Aside from the fact that it was fall, and he was young, and she was a mare - all of which were setting off the hormones that made him want to rush her immediately to the safety of his herd - he couldn't think of anywhere better than the Badlands. His sire knew a lot of things, and what he didn't know, some of their neighbors or Senu might. And if
they didn't know how to help her, he could at least protect her himself.
"Okaayyyy," he murmured, dragging the word out without judgment, his brow furrowed in thought. As she introduced herself, he cocked his head slightly and offered a roguish grin, glad to see (what he thought was anyway) a sign of life.
"I'm Raegar, from the Badlands on Salem."
He stretched out again, seeing as she had ignored his first attempts to exchange breaths, and instead tried to bump her shoulder gently with his muzzle. He was careful to use only the same amount of force that he might for one of his newborn children, if only because he was pretty certain that some of them were likely more sturdy than she was right now.
Her condition was a conundrum in and of itself, as he suddenly wasn't sure if she would even be strong enough for a swim to Salem. Certainly not alone, but perhaps if he swam with her? It seemed like a risk, but if he couldn't leave her alone, and couldn't take her home, what were his options then? The Peak, perhaps? But that meant leaving her behind and hoping the women of the Peak would give her back was something he didn't really count on. Nor was he willing to separate himself from this Evangaline, either. From the moment he'd started thinking of her as his, she had fallen under the umbrella of protection that he considered his duty and he did not wish to be parted from her.
Perhaps they'd spend a day or two resting together before going back, then. It wasn't ideal, but he didn't want to risk losing her to the ocean either.
"Think you're up for a swim?" He asked dubiously, his voice still gentle as he dropped his head, trying to catch her eye.
"I'll help you," he promised, the grin returning.