The rain continued to patter against the leafy canopy above as Valentine wound his way through the trees. His striped hooves squelched through a small patch of mud where the water had leaked through, and a stray branch raked its rough fingers along his broad, mahogany shoulder. His conversation with Dock continued to run through his mind as he ambled lazily through the Forest. His head was cluttered with conflicting thoughts and emotions. He was so very angry about what had happened to her, and yet at the same time his heart felt a little lighter after how their conversation had progressed. But Valentine knew that he should focus on the matter at hand for now, and so he pushed his confused thoughts to the back of his mind for now and settled his attention on finding Lyden. He had not wandered far past the borders of the Forest, but he did not want to make a bad impression on his new neighbour by stumbling upon him unannounced, so he called out to signify his arrival. He made sure not to travel too far into the dense Forest, but Valentine continued to wander a little, drinking in the new sights and smells and half expecting to happen upon Lyden at any moment. |