Mariael stood for a moment in silence after he had spoken. It was clear he had said his piece and was done with it and with her. Again she felt the knowledge she should gentle toward him, perhaps apologize for whatever grief he was currently struggling through. Maziel would be aghast if she learned her sister had come across a stallion weeping in their forest and took away his freedom to choose where he lived. Shame flickered inside her but Mariael quickly and firmly pushed it down. She would not feel wrongly for claiming this stallion for the Bay. The herd’s needs came before personal wants or soft comforts.
She felt a soft pull inside her, telling her perhaps it was not only the herd’s needs which made her decide this stallion would be hers. Again, Mariael shied away from the line of thought.
“I will be near.” She said. Whether she meant it as a comfort or as a warning, Mariael didn’t clarify (though given the circumstances it likely sounded like a warning). With one last hesitation, she forced herself to turn about and head back into the trees, keeping near enough that she’d hear when he moved and know if he decided to bolt.
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