Life post-pregnancy had remarkably improved for Vita Nova. Her body, much to her surprise, returned to normal just as quick as it had with her fillies. The hormones that raged through her during this previous term finally relented, and the lead mare of the Inlet didn't feel quite so anxious and irritable as before. And Warsaw was seemingly always at her side. She felt a flurry of excitement every time she watched the grey stallion step away from another mare and foal in the herd to come dote on her and their two exquisite colts. Her blue eyes were glued upon him - his physique, his expression - she saw the King of Tinuvel in a brand new light, given this next chapter in their relationship. Her heart beat fast in her chest for him, as it did when they first met. But she felt fiercely connected to him these days. Whatever wishy-washy feelings she'd harbored in the past, they were behind them now, she told herself internally. Vita Nova had made her choice - and it was Warsaw. Shamwari and Jabari would just have to respect that.
He was her family now.
Warsaw's hold over the island of Tinuvel seemed stronger than ever. His herd was robust, and brimming full of his offspring this time of year. Nova was proud of him for what he'd created here. It was a farcry from his humble beginnings, when she first came here after their chance encounter on the Crossing Isle those years ago. But all this activity kept Warsaw here, and not out on conquest for more mares or stirring up trouble with his enemies. Despite Nova's renewed interest in the father of her children, she was pleased that he seemed to be laying low when it came to Shamwari. She only hoped this general quiet period would continue for as long as possible.
The four of them mingled together in a small clearing among the woods when she first heard a disturbance in the trees around them. She felt Warsaw's touch on her rump and she craned her head to spy who might be coming. Two steely-colored ear lobes flicked forward at attention when a silver bay stallion emerged in the distance. Vita Nova breathed in his unfamiliar scent - she knew enough to assume this stud was Rougaru - because she knew what Cullen looked like. Warsaw wouldn't approach anyone but a tried and true ally in such a casual manner. She nickered to the colts to come close as Warsaw stepped away to talk to the unfamiliar stallion. But Nova studied him hard from her short distance away. She wasn't sure what to make of Warsaw's allies. With Shamwari's, she'd found friendship within the united families - with Orhan of the Desert, Mariel and Nephilim, and in Persephone. As she stared at Rougaru now, she wasn't sure he'd treat her with the same respect and kindness if something were to ever happen to Warsaw, leaving her untethered and ripe for the picking.
Vita Nova snorted once and flicked her tail almost violently over her rump at the thought. "Don't leave us for too long." She called out to Warsaw, casually over her shoulder, before nudging Ironclad and Letavice along down the trail, toward the river around the bend.
Mare | Evaline x Valentine | Smoky Back Splash | 15 hh | © Vinyl |
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