Solomon

She was gone. That much was evident by the lack of her presence in the Dunes. Solomon could tell that the buckskin mare Shaydowfax had made it here, and even successfully given birth, judging from the tiny hoofprints near her most recent trails. Her presence, however, was noticeably lacking amongst the dessicated swells of this desert land.

Solomon walked amongst the unfamiliar landscape, lost in thought as to what this meant for him. He'd hoped, perhaps outlandishly, that she would hold the answers to the disappearances of 3 of his mares. Losing Morgause had been irritating enough, but at least he had fought for her. These others had simply vanished from his home without a trace. What plagued him the most were the thoughts of Harley Quinn's well being. She had been a willful creature, that was certain, but surely she was not dumb enough to attempt another visit to the Common lands so late in her pregnancy?

And if she'd been forced away, where was the evidence? His home lacked any trace of a marauding stallion, apart from the disappearances of both Anawar and S'gath. He didn't want to think his newest allies had stolen his mares, but he had precious little else to go on.

Thus, it was with a word to Requiem for the wellbeing of the remainder of the herd, and he'd taken off for the Dunes. He could not put it past Shay to not try to take what was not hers. Unfortunately, neither they, nor Shay, were here. Another stallion lurked here, having recently laid his claim to this inhospitable land that sucked the moisture from his body with irritating insistence. Solomon pitied him this existence.

The tobiano had every intention of immediately leaving, but was distracted by the rounded figure of a heavily pregnant mare cloaked in radiant gold. His hooves stilled as he watched her and the yearling filly at her hip appreciatively. She was beautiful, and while she fit here in the desert lands, he could easily picture her in the Cove. It appeared that the stallion had concluded his business, and Sol knew it was his time to act. It was too late to raid her away under this new stallion's watchful eye, but perhaps there was still a possibility for business.

After all, Shenzi was not best pleased at living in the Cove and if he had to choose between disloyal mares, he'd take the pretty one every time.

As he approaches, he catches the end of the stallion's words and immediately implies that this is not a meeting between friends or even that of a claimor meeting with a newly claimed mare. This is a first meeting, and one that he may benefit from himself.

Solomon dips his head in greeting to the two of them before offering a grin to the palomino mare and her daughter. "Forgive the interruption, my friends. I came looking for Shaydowfax, but it seems this land now belongs to you, Maslakhat. Congratulations."

The words are even, his gaze measuring the other male even as the words spill from his lips. Had this stallion done the same thing Solomon had? Slipped under the foolish buckskin's radar as a stallion at her side and then took what she had once laid claim to? Or had he fought a heavily pregnant or newly delivered mare for the land? Perhaps, he had simply been here at the right time to lay claim to something only recently abandoned. Solomon did not know, but he already approved of it more than he did Shay's rule. No mare should risk her family as she had.

"Do you live here, ladies?" Solomon asks as he turns back to the mare and her child, his expression softening as he does so. He would not lead with the bargain in his mind, not until he was more sure of the dynamic before him.

Dutch Harness Horse Mutt | Champagne Grullo Tobiano Stallion | 17 Hands | The Cove