Falls

His appraisal of the slender stallion did not falter the longer the pair spoke. He was a man of many words, but Bondurant did not doubt for one moment that he was capable of backing up such eloquent speeches with action. The mottled draft was perhaps the opposite, his large build and formidable size tending to make others think he was little more than muscle, but he could put his brains to work when he had a mind. He could almost hear the gears turning in Rade’s head, almost feel the shift in his regard as he put forth his views on the matter and laid out the few pitfalls that came to mind. However it was his question of the Peak’s response to the idea he had no doubt proposed to them as well that the golden man answered first. There was no surprise on his features as he explained the reaction of those lofty mares, he had no ill regard towards them but he knew they could often be… obstinate, and that a former Lagoon boss was proposing the idea would no doubt no help his cause.

Though as he explains that he had come to an understanding with their current Codebreaker one speckled brow raises, that was no small thing. It was true the elected positions of the Peak could easily change and shift, but they would not elect someone to that position who they did not trust. His large head bobbed in understanding as Rade shifted to explaining his plans. It gave him pause, his emerald eyes appraising the former Boss with a mixture of concern and intrigue. That he was capable of all he planned the vagabond had no doubt, it was the execution which gave his morality pause unsure of how that path would be followed.

Those final words hit very close to home, the gentlemen flinching almost imperceptively as that was the very thing he had been doing even if unwittingly. He had returned to these Islands to die, and maybe he still would, but perhaps there was still work he could accomplish first. “Do you intend to take the position yourself then?” He could not resist asking the question which burned on his tongue, wondering just how far he intended to go. Rade did not strike him as the type to leave such things in the hands of others, but perhaps he had planned for that as well it would not surprise him. Did the palomino yearn for the glory of the past so badly?

“That you have earned at least the tentative consideration of a Codebreaker is no mean feat, the Peak will undoubtedly consider the her words weightier than either of ours. What is the current state of the men from the Lagoon, did they want this war as well? Are they pleased with the current boss’ decisions which have led them to be prisoners of what most would say is their greatest enemy.” He didn’t believe many of the men would take so kindly to where their current leadership had led them, but would that be enough for them to revolt? This he leaves unsaid, for now at least. He would need to know more to voice opinions on such topics.

For a moment the fact that he cared gave him pause, it had been a long time since he had expressed interest in anything, but hadn’t he told his daughter that he would find purpose once more? Perhaps this was the first step to rediscovering that there was still life left in him. His dark tail flicked across his speckled hocks gently as he came to that resolution himself, knowing that offering Rade his help would not be done lightly and the journey may not be easy. Perhaps, however, for the first time in so very long he would know how it felt to be alive once more, instead of just dying slowly.