Rougaru wait silently as one by one the mares he had meticulously collected and gathered to himself over the past few seasons begin to appear. It does not surprise him in the least that Vasilisa and Noctis are the first to arrive. Though he still held some irritation and anger at the obsidian mare for her continued desire to push him around and try to demand of him what she would, still she was always quick to respond, of that he appreciated greatly. A single brow raises at her swelling belly and the question of paternity but for now he left it alone. Time would tell.

Next to arrive is his precious viper. Monster. A sly smile curves across his lips as she lopes to a halt beside Vasilisa and Noctis. Despite the swelling in her own belly she met his gaze with bight blue and brown eyes. Nostrils quiver as he restrains himself from tasting her skin once more. She was the fire that burned through him, she set him ablaze with chaos and malady. Her words are met with hungry eyes, longing for another romp alone. Not yet. It was the beast who reminded him now. Other matters were at hand.

Next to arrive is Celestria. Ever the vixen the pale palomino mare brushes past him as she finds a place alongside Monster. The feel of her flesh against his own, rubbing his coat the wrong direction, like their relationship it had its perks. More often than not it was hard words shared between the two. However, as of late, her return had been met with somewhat mutual affections. She was by far the mare he held the longest and Solaris was proof that their coupling bore strong children. Though she was older in age, he felt little fear in seeing the swell of her belly. She might be hard in nature but she was a formidable mother.

Speaking of daughters, Solaris and her yearling are next to arrive. It was clear from the standoffish nature with which she approached... and the fact that she had hardly spoken more than a few words to him directly since he had sent Angel back to the Inlet at Xiomara's request. He knew that it had struck a nerve with her, perhaps severed whatever chance of a bond he might have been able to build. No doubt when she learns that her fate is soon to be sealed to the Lagoon she would really despise him but well, her trysts could not be hidden forever. Judging by the swelling of her barrel he wondered if she was truly angry with him or more so with herself. A single ear tilts towards the pair, acknowledging their approach.

The last to arrive is his beautiful pearl. Calypso. Since her return from the Prairie she has hardly spoken more than a few words to him and he cannot help but to wonder what stories it was that Shamwari had planted into her mind. Mentally he made a note to seek her out, to reassure her that he was still the same stallion that had led her here to Paradise to begin with. His gaze lingers upon her for a moment, emerald depths searching the clouded multifaceted hues of bright blue in her own. Soon.

They gather before him now, impatient and curious. He can tell by the constant shift of hooves that they know something is on the rise though what, only Monster was privileged to... so far. Graveled tones clear his throat as Rougaru stands a bit taller now, his steely gaze traveling over them each. "War is upon us." he begins, letting his words linger in the silence that fills the moment. "Warsaw has proclaimed war upon the Luthian queen and as a long time ally I have pledged my alliegence to his cause." what that cause was, for now he would leave silent. It would come up soon enough. A single earlobe flickers backwards as slowly his gaze travels over each face, different in many ways and yet each precious to him. "I will force no one to fight, I simply ask that for the sake of Atlantis and what we have built you remain guardians here in my stead." he says, his gaze lingering upon his pearl. Though he had spent less time with Calypso than with the others, he felt fairly certain that she would find no pleasure in the fight. Deep down he wanted to keep her his innocent gem, hidden away among the dark jungle forests safe from the hungry eyes of others. He did not fear Warsaw, Bjorn or Cullen... but there were others still.

His gaze roams over their frames now, each beginning to swell with signs of life. A battle in the spring meant less risk to the young but after hard births, each mare would be tired and worn in their own ways. Dealing with newborns could be exhausting. None the less he knew, Monster especially, would never forgive him were he to charge into battle without her. "Who among you will fight?"