a wolf will not break a wolf
Elisif was nowhere to be found. Kasan had searched and searched, yet his beloved twin had vanished. The night the kingdom fell, he had watched her flee into the night, swallowed by the thick shadows of the Alderdale Forest. In the distance, the screams of his people resonated, their desperate cries for help lost on the heavens. Prayers fell upon the deaf ears of gods who would not answer. There had been nothing left for him there in his kingdom, and so Kasan had fled, following his dear sister into the darkness.
He was determined to run until his legs would not - could not - carry him any further. Even when the ocean was before him, stretching into an endless horizon, he did not stop. Thrashing against wild currents, he swam until his hooves scraped against golden sands once more, until the Islands rose from the sea to greet him.
For the first few days, he did nothing but search for his sister. Everywhere he went, the tawny stallion called out for her, praying to the very gods that had abandoned him that she was alive, and
safe. Kasan's hunt did not end until his legs gave out, sheer exhaustion rendering his body incapable of going any further. He collapsed on the outskirts of the Meadow, eyelids struggling to stay open as his mind slipped into unconsciousness.
It was a miracle, really, that he managed to remain undisturbed for so many hours, lost in a dark and dreamless sleep. By the time he awoke, the sun was beginning to set, igniting the island in warm hues of gold. Slowly, Kasan pulled himself to his hooves, blinking the sleep frmo his amber eyes as his muscles ached in protest. Thoughts of Elisif swirled in his mind, but he knew continuing his search for her was futile. Given the state of his mind and body, he knew he would be wise to allow himself time to recuperate. Besides, Elisif was strong - she could surely survive without him by her side.
For a long while, Kasan idled, content to stretch the journey from his sore body. Slowly, he made his way forth, deeper into the vast meadow that stretched before him. As the sun begun to touch the horizon, he grazed, content to listen to the distant waves against the island's shores. He was so wrapped up in his own little world, he failed to notice the steady thrum of approaching hoofbeats. It wasn't until he paused, lifting his head from the crisp grasses, that he noticed the woman approaching.
Her body seemed to reflect the warmth of the sun, her golden coat ablaze. Kasan watched her intently, bright hazel eyes never once leaving her body. Up until now, he had seen no one else, had nothing but scents to guide him towards his destination. Inside him, relief bubbled up, and with little hesitation, he went to her, ignoring the ache in his bones in favor of fixing his attention on the gilded mare.
It was out of respect - and sheer habit - that Kasan bowed his head to her as he approached.
"Üdvözlet." The simple greeting fell from his lips, disappearing into the cool autumn air in an ethereal cloud of white mist.
"My name is Kasan. I notice you here, all by yourself. I come to keep company, yes?" The pale russet stallion's accent was thick when he spoke, the syllables of the "common tongue" feeling foreign on his lips. He had not spoken it for quite some time, using the dialect only when travelers came from Outside to receive blessings from the high king.
"These islands, are they az otthonod - your home?" In the silence that followed his words, Kasan took a moment to breathe in her scent. The smell of salt clung to her skin, the ocean having laid claim to her body long before it was even a thought in his mind. Had she, like him, only just begun her journey into this world? Was there comfort to be found in the presence of this stranger, he wondered?
four. lusitano x arabian. king of the ridge. pippa.