Valve is quiet and contemplative as she stood atop the small dune. She breathed steadily, with one rear hoof resting on its tip. Her shoulder throbbed uncomfortably and she cursed Olaf under his breath for his size and thickness. Such heavy bone was unnatural—an indication of hapless breeding. If he and Valve had been similar in size, perhaps she would not be in quite so much pain. While she did not regret her choice in battle tactics, she certainly would not be in a hurry to assault another of his size in the same manner.

Gabbar approached; finished conversing with the other Arabian and Valve tipped her nose in his direction. She is not surprised to hear him comment on her condition, nor is the appreciative snort that left his nostrils overlooked. He of course realized that she did not have to help him. He made the choice to drive the old herd out, not her, but from Valve’s perspective she would have been remiss to sit idly by and watch. Equine-kind came to be for the very first time upon deserts precisely like these, and Gabbar had righted a wrong by cleansing these sands of the half-breeds. It was the proper course of action, and it too was Valve’s duty to restore this balance.

“Mm,” she murmured with a hint of mild affirmation. “Healing will come with time.”

Being idle was perhaps more of an annoyance than her injury. Time was fickle, and passed slowly when the opposite was desired of it. She did not like the idea of falling behind in her progress, but maybe she didn’t have to. Gabbar could certainly help. He had proven more than capable.

“Yes. Yusuf,” she offered with a hint of disgust in her teeth. She raised her head and pointed her nose toward the flattening sands at the opposite end of Salem, indicating to Gabbar that there was a neighboring territory, if he hadn’t already noticed. “Orada bakmak. Perhaps that is where I will begin.”

VALVE
slenderman x black heart machine