Where Letavice was affectionate and sensitive, Ironclad was bold and brave. Her colts were growing up so fast, and Vita Nova was almost certain Warsaw would have new roles determined for each of them by the time he returned home from this dreaded war. Knowing this, Vita Nova allowed the boys to have their freedom. The Crossing Isle felt nearly desolate, with herds holed up in their territories for safety with the ongoing threat of battle and thievery. She trusted both of her colts to know where it was safe and where it wasn't. Ironclad was seemingly thrilled this new longer leash. Whereas Letavice hardly ever seemed to take advantage of it. Instead, the meeker of her two boys spent a lot of his time with Diamant, the large black stallion Cullen had sent to keep watch of Warsaw's herd in his absence. The stallion certainly seemed well-mannered enough, but Vita Nova was still quite cautious.
The sooty-colored mare got a strong whiff of her son, Ironclad, in the passing sea breeze. The steely mare raised her head from the reeds she'd been chewing on, and allowed his blue-eyed gaze to survey the otherwise rather quiet beach. Brunhild danced in place not far from Tavas, who also grazed a few feet away. And then came Ironclad, bounding up with a wide grin across his features, and with a stranger in tow.
Vita Nova nickers nervously to her son, her dished head coming to rise high above her withers as she watched Ironclad approach with a weathered, older stallion. The stranger was large, even at his elder age. Vita Nova couldn't deny the similarities she saw in the stallion's build that matched Warsaw's. Still, the timing of this exchanged seemed highly suspicious. The Queen of the Inlet feelt dizzy for a moment as her heart beat furiously in her chest. She leaned into her son for support as he slided up next to her.
"Your grandfather, hmm?" She asked curiously, placing a loving nip on her son's neck. "You smell like you've been all over the Crossing today. Is that where you found him?" She cast the older stallion a suspicious side-eyed glare and flicked her wavy, dark tail over her haunches.
Her ears prick forward when the stallion speaks, attempting to explain the action behind this strange series of events. "It seems he is, or is he?" She questions, when Devil's Retribution attempts to offer a farfetched tale of family connection. Warsaw had never mentioned his sire to her before, but she'd never asked him about it, either. "So why are you here on the islands, after all this time?"
Mare | Evaline x Valentine | Smoky Back Splash | 15 hh | © Vinyl |
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