Maslakhat could tell she was on edge—rightfully so, he supposed, given that she had a herd and family to protect. He hoped that by walking alongside him and listening to what he had to say, he might earn some of her trust and prove that he was not here to unseat her or harm her family. He too was a father, and he knew how important it was to protect the future. As long as they were worthy, of course.

“Many years ago, there was a mare,” he began. “She meant everything to me. She was strong, clever and most importantly—we trusted each other and almost no one else.” He paused for a moment to recall her face—black as night, her eyes as dark as the new moon.

“These sands were under her protection once, as a matter of fact.” He kept his step in line with the buckskin as he walked, occasionally tipping his muzzle in her direction. “But as strong as she was, she could not keep the herd safe by herself. There were many who challenged her. Many who believed that a mare could not rule a territory, and they wanted what she had.” Maslakhat paused a moment, allowing his new companion to consider her fortune for living in a time where she was able to have the privileges she did.

“She tasked me with protecting these lands while she focused on the well-being of the herd, and I of course obliged her.” He smiled at the memory. “We were an exceptional team. It did not take long before she had earned the respect of her peers, and her reputation alone was enough to ward off any threats.”

He stopped walking and turned to face her squarely, his amber eyes staring straight into hers.

“I hope that I might have such a privilege again.”

He turned back to look ahead once again, keeping an ear fastened to the buckskin mare. He hoped that she would see that he was a proven resource, and that this was a unique opportunity that she would be foolish to pass up.


MASLAKHAT

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