They said we'd burn so bright.
We burn this city and go.
So much had happened since he and Maziel had left for the Prairie those months ago. Seasons changed, but the roller coaster of emotions the young, appaloosa stallion experienced with his family members churned on, a seemingly endless nightmare of an amusement ride. He had been nervous to tell his brother that Vita Nova was missing. How miniscule and insignificant that seemed now in comparison. Vita Nova was fine, as it turned out, and so was his mother. Now Paradiso worried about someone else, the one family member whom he never thought twice he'd have to be concerned over. Shamwari. Paradiso silently grieved the death of Brienne among the herd in the Bay, but didn't open up to the rest of the group here beyond what he had to. Just before the turn in the weather, Paradiso had alerted Mariael of his plans to return to Luthien. "There are some family issues I need to work out." He had explained quickly. Then he waded into the shallow, chilly waters at the mouth of the Bay.
What he didn't expect to find was the Prairie void of life and purpose. Visions of his brother suffering in pure anguish still haunted his dreams. He stayed longer than he planned to, only returning to Tinuvel at the start of winter. In hind sight, Paradiso was lucky to have made it back to the Bay at all, given the strengthening currents and the looming cold. But it was difficult to peel himself away from a clearly unstable Shamwari, and a grief-struck Jabari. They were all alone now, with a cold, long winter ahead of them. Paradiso's heart ached at the thought.
The snow kept falling. After the long swim home, 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. But he did his best to be useful for Mariael during this difficult season. He felt guilty too, for alienating himself from Maziel.
On this particular day, Paradiso found himself by the shoreline of the Bay alone. The peaks of the mountainous landscape were hidden by low and angry clouds. Snow continue to drizzle down, dampening his mane and coat, and gathering in small, delicate clumps along his back. The shallow, bitterly cold waters lapped gently at the pebbles along the shore. His exhales rose from his nostrils with every passing breathe, and he kept guard.
Stallion | Evaline x Valentine | Smokey black pintaloosa | 15 hh | Photo © Carina Mailwald | © Vinyl |
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