They said we'd burn so bright.
We burn this city and go.
The trip had come and gone, Maziel and Paradiso having fulfilled the duties assigned to them by Mariael. But the tension that lingered between the young appaloosa stallion and his family, particularly his brother and nephew, wore heavily on his heart. The swim back to Tinuvel had been a quiet one. It couldn't have been more different than the originating trek to Luthien, when Paradiso was beaming with excitement just to spend some time alone with Maziel. He knew things with his family weren't perfect. It had been months since he'd seen Shamwari, and probably more than a year since he'd seen his mother. But he liked the life he had created for himself in the Bay. Mariael, Maziel and the rest of the herd had embraced him like he was of their blood. It felt good to have a purpose, to pull his own weight.
There was something about the way Jabari had treated him on this most recent visit that made Paradiso squirm internally. His young nephew, hardly a colt anymore and more of a young stallion, criticized him subtly for having no loyalty to his own kin. Despite the issues Paradiso harbored for Shamwari, over how his brother handled, or mishandled, the entire Kasabian debacle that almost got their mother killed, the firey red stallion was kind and welcoming to Paradiso and Maziel when they arrived. He tried to get them to stay as long as possible. He peppered him with questions about his life, what he was up to in the Bay, what he enjoyed the most. Shamwari made a point of being interested in him for the sole reason of wanting to reconnect. In turn, the spotted stud was stand offish and abrasive against his brother's advances.
Vita Nova was missing. Shamwari took the news in stride, but Paradiso could see the worry underlying his features. There seemed to be more going on than just Nova's most recent galavanting escapade, however. Something else was wrong.
After the long silent swim, Paradiso kept to himself in the Bay for a while. He climbed the sharp, rocky terrain and wandered the maze of evergreens and pines by himself. He felt restless. His thoughts kept returning to his own clan, Shamwari and Jabari, Evaline, Vita Nova. On a warm, sunny day, he alerted Mariael of his plans to return to Luthien. "There are some family issues I need to work out." He explained quickly. Then he waded into the shallow, chilly waters at the mouth of the Bay.
When he pulled his colorful frame onto the shores of the Prairie, all was quiet. The sun was unrelenting this time of year, especially compared to what Paradiso had grown accustomed to on Tinuvel. He squinted down the barren beach until he spied him... His brother lying limply in the sand. Paradiso's head whipped up high over his withers and his heart began to race. This was strange, of course. He urged himself into a three-beat canter across the hot, loose sand. Black legs skidded to a halt as he neared, and he trotted up to his brother's side with his head low as he approached, nickering in concern. "Shamwari." He said loudly, but his brother did not bulge. The red stallion's heavy head was crooned in tight, his nose pressed against his chest, and his cheek lay against a knee. The passing sea breeze brought the stench of death with it, but Shamwari's eye was open and his barrel rose and fell as he continued to breathe.
His blue-eyed gaze scanned the surroundings, and there he saw her. The same limp view of Brienne's hind end, her blood-stained tail strewn against the sand. "Oh no. No, no, no." He muttered, his body physically shuttering from the sight. Paradiso's heart lept into his throat, and he swallowed hard several times in an effort to just breathe. Tears clouded his brilliant eyes as he looked down at his brother again, heartbroken for him. "Shamwari, come on. You can't stay here." He said sternly, trying to keep his voice from cracking. Paradiso reached his muzzle to Shamwari's warm shoulder, blowing hard against him. His speckled lips parted and his nipped lightly against his brother's chestnut mane, tugging him to stand. As the wind continued to howl against them, Paradiso's head whipped back and forth, praying, hoping that Jabari wouldn't come. He didn't deserve to see his mother like this. "Shamwari, get up." Paradiso said again. "Jabari could be here any second." That last line seemingly stirred his brother, whose head slowly lifted from the sand. His deep brown eyes seared into his brothers, before they welled with tears and his head fell quickly back into the sand. Paradiso too, began to cry. "I love you Bri. Rest easy now. But please give Shamwari the strength to continue on without you."
Stallion | Evaline x Valentine | Smokey black pintaloosa | 15 hh | Photo © Carina Mailwald | © Vinyl |
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