Two surprises came for Avangeline back-to-back and for a mare so used to wearing her heart on her metaphorical sleeve, it was difficult to hide her emotions. The first was upon Evaline’s arrival. When Avangeline noticed the familiar golden mare come forward, her happiness initially swelled and she smiled wide, unable to keep herself from happily exclaiming, “Evaline!” She had little doubt Valve and Gabbar would return Evaline to the Dunes, but it was good to see her safe nonetheless.
Though, as the older mare drew close, Avangeline saw the damage across her body that hadn’t been there before – namely the mangled ear. Her smile slipped away as her eyes jumped to it before she could pull them away, looking back at Evaline, feeling her heart ache full and hard in her chest.
Avangeline couldn’t linger over Evaline’s condition, however, for the second surprise came as Valve spoke of Gabbar’s untimely disappearance. Avangeline’s eyes snapped like a rubber band to Valve and her brow pinched hard with worry. “Gabbar’s… gone?” She hadn’t pictured a world where Gabbar would not be here in the Dunes, safe and with the supportive family he deserved to have. She worried about him immediately, where he was, what had taken him away from Salem. She had just found Al-Hattaal, and while her connection with the black arabian was stronger than that to any else she held close to her heart, she still knew her mind would wander as to where Gabbar was and whether he was okay.
Al-Hattaal was addressed then, and Avangeline pulled her mind from worrying over Gabbar’s disappearance to the reason they’d returned to Salem in the first place. She looked supportively toward Al-Hattaal and then back to Valve and Evaline, nodding. “We were hoping if anyone might know anything, Gabbar might be a good place to start.”
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