A sudden cry drew his attention, and Orhan stiffened instinctively, jerking his head toward the sound with dark eyes wide. When he saw that it was only Carisa, he relaxed and stood, offering the tall, blanketed mare a soft smile. With the moon at her back, her mane was aglow with light, and for a moment the stallion experienced the strong sensation that he was in a dream.
"Carisa," he breathed into the humid air, a moment before the dark clouds looming in the distance abruptly swallowed the moon, descending the beach into darkness and robbing Carisa of her ethereal glow. The moment was gone. In its wake, he suddenly felt a surge of guilt. He had been neglecting the palomino mare recently, due mostly to his occupation with the issues between himself and his mother, but also he suspected partially because of her inability to hear. She was not his first choice if he needed to have a conversation; this truth he acknowledged bitterly.
"No, I'm here," he said in a more solemn tone of voice, and reached out to gently press the side of her muzzle with his own right as a flash of lightning illuminated the choppy black sea, drawing his attention for a moment. "I was just out for a midnight swim. Not my brightest idea. How are you?" He glanced back to her just as he realized that she probably could not see what he had just said.
After hesitating for a moment, Orhan decided it was not worth repeating himself. "Storm coming in. We should find shelter." He looked at her as he spoke this time, making sure to enunciate each syllable with care.
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