He stood on the warm shore, salt water sluicing down the thick curves of his muscular body as the waves seemed to lap almost greedily at the long feathers of his hooves. The ocean had not been kind tonight, though perhaps it was his own fault for setting off from the main land as the sun was already sinking below the horizon. He had been little more than a black shadow tossed by the rolling water, his only saving grace the powerful stroke of his legs that were able to steer him towards the first sign of land he could find. Unknowingly it was not the large, main island he had originally set out for as the tumultuous sea had steered him farther south, but he did not have time to think on it as he wandered into the sand which still radiated the sun’s earlier heat. The wet dreads of his tail flicked lazily against his side as his golden eyes took in his surroundings.

It had been a long journey from his home, an effort to escape the bonds which had been shackled to him by ‘right’ of his birth. One of three brothers, each given their respective duties but he could not help but feel he was… underappreciated in the tasks he so meticulously maintained. He deserved more, he needed more, to prove all that he was capable of without the crutch of family and the familiar. With a long, fluid stride he began to move down the beach slowly enjoying the balmy air that seemed to dry his coat with eagerness. His inky black body nearly blended into the cloudless black sky above, in contrast his golden eyes almost shining in his broad face. The night was still, quiet almost as if holding its breath in anticipation and his thick skin twitched in the suspense.

The last thing he expected was the soft sound of crying which reached his dark ears across the sands, his stride pausing until he found the source. A slender woman alone on the shore, the moonlight nearly radiating off her white-splashed body causing his head to tilt slightly to the side in curiosity. This was the last thing he had expected to find. Picking up his measured gait once more he approached slowly, a softly nickered greeting with his wide head lowered amenably giving her ample time to be aware of him. He was not sure what he hoped to accomplish, emotions were undeniably not his strong suit and women even less so but he could not seem to resist knowing what was causing her tears. “I hope it cannot be as bad as it seems.” His deep voice fills the air around them, but his vibrant eyes are curious, searching her face for any indication that she wished him to leave. Unsure as to why he so hoped not to find anything of the sort.