A cold breeze rushes through the tops of the dark pine trees, it sends a cascade of snow plummeting to the earth. As it flopped into the snow with a dull thud, the grullo lifts his head. His dark tipped ears flicker atop of his head nervously. With each passing day his anxiety was building, perhaps it was the creature that he had seen lurking within the pine forest of the Bay, or maybe the life of a band stallion was beginning to take its toll. A snort erupts from his dark nostrils, sending a plume of steam into the air. The forest became quiet once again, save the sound of his teeth chewing grass. He sighs, he was beginning to feeling a bit lonely. He needed Freya, her sweet voice, it seemed to be the only thing that could break him from this funk that he was in.
As the minutes tick by, a familiar voice breaks the silence, his soul instantly lifts. He swivels his dark head around to see her making her way through the clearing, her belly had grown significantly. Soon they would have a child, the joy he felt for that moment could not be duplicated. As she nears her voice is energetic, sweet and everything that he had needed in this moment of solitude. As her muzzle connects with his cheek, he can not help but let a smile spread across his dark lips. Her touch sends chills down the length of his spine.
"Oh my dear Freya. Please do not blame yourself. It is my fault, I vowed to keep all of you safe, I have failed." The pain wrenches at him, now their herd had dwindled to a mere 3, not counting Grai and his mare. Now he has not even seen Silver for some time. One thought lingers at the back of his mind, adding to the tragedy that he felt. He had found K1A1 bloody and wounded, and she has yet to tell him what had happened to her. But he keeps these thoughts to himself.
"But I am happy that you are here now, through all of this, you have stayed by my side. You are truly a blessing to me, Freya." As he speaks, he reaches up towards her nape, nipping at a few of her strands of mane. His ochre eyes travel to her swollen belly, soon they would have a foal, one of their own. As his thinks of that day, he can feel pride rising in his chest. They would raise their child to be the next heir of the Inlet.
word count:436