The steely spotted mare watched with interest, and with similar anticipation and anxiety, as Nephilim processed her presence here. Given how well their last interaction went so long ago, Nova had tried to prepare herself mentally for an equally jarring reunion. But that was easier said than done. Now that she was here in the thick of it, seeing a deflated version of the stallion she once loved so fiercely flail with emotion, the mare was immediately regretting her decision to do this favor for Oswin at all. Her gaze once again adverted to the grass between their hooves and she took several deep breathes. When the stallion spoke, she wasn't surprised to hear him bypass the information she'd shared and go straight for her dismissal. Nova snorted in response, and flicked her tail in an agitated manner over her haunches. Her bright blue eyes flicked back up to look at him and she took two steps forward, planting herself more clearly and squarely in front of him defiantly. She lifted her head high over her withers and started hard back at him now in much closer proximity as he continued to squirm under his misplaced anger. When he told her to leave again, she took yet another step forward, now closer enough to feel his hot exhales against her neck and chest.
There she stood uncomfortably for several seconds, ready to take a nip or a kick if Nephilim truly had in it him (though she doubt he did). Her heart was racing in her chest and moisture began to well in the bottom of her eye lids. But she didn't budge yet. The mare chose to say nothing. She wanted him to get whatever rage he had out of his system -- there was no use trying to sway him of anything with this wall of shame and irritability he built up. And finally, when there was moment of silence between them, she arched her neck and extended her muzzle, draping her soft nose against his shoulder, if only for a second, in an embrace of warmth and familiarity. Nova wondered how long it had been since Nephilim had been touched by someone who cared about him. She wasn't sure what his relationship was like with Oswin or who else may have visited him in the past. But she wanted him to breathe, for a second, and remember what it felt like to have someone around who cared deeply for him. Clearly he'd gotten good at walling them off --- there were many back on the islands who loved him in some capacity.
"I forgive you, Nephilim. I forgave you a long time ago." Nova said after she'd removed her nose from his body. But she hadn't retreated yet from her closeness to him. "Life got a lot harder after you left. But I learned a lot about myself. I made many mistakes. I trusted when I shouldn't. What I've learned from all my misgivings is how important my family is." She says, her words almost like a guilty stream of consciousness. She'd been thinking about her choices a lot lately, since she'd been mostly nomadic since Shamwari had freed her from Koray's clutches and then Orkaan's disappearance. "Your family needs you. No matter what you think. That's why Oswin sent me. Forgiveness is easier to come by than you think." She said softly. Her gaze dropped to the ground for a second longer, before she looked up to assess Nephilim again, hoping silently for a more authentic, genuine demeanor than the hardened one he had offered before.
The grey mare sighs deeply and backs away from the golden-flecked stallion now, her own demeanor calm and almost submissive. She circles the stallion lazily now, her nose to the ground, smelling the blades of grass before ripping at some haphazardly. "I don't plan on staying here, but I'm too winded to try to swim back now." She admits. "So you're stuck with me tonight, you dumb curmudgeon."
4 | Mare | Evaline x Valentine | Smoky Back Splash | 15 hh | © Vinyl |
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