There are some things you can only learn in a storm .

Cerauno planted his forelegs in the soft dirt and pushed back, stretching groggily as he started to emerge from the fog that was sleep. He then shifted his weight forward, picking up his back hooves and pushing them back one at a time, getting rid of the stiffness in his muscles and joints. The sun was high in the sky but not quite at its peak, and he wasn't shocked that he had slept through most of the morning. It was rather unusual for him though. He was used to early days and late nights. The less time he spent asleep, the less time predators had to sneak up on him. His joints ached from the night before, and the damp humidity left from the rain certainly didn't help.

He thought back to what had happened last night. Between the night terror, the pain, and having a rather intimate meetup with the leader of the Ridge...it certainly wasn't uneventful. Though it had been quite difficult for him to accept, he had grudgingly heeded Faolain's advice and gone to sleep with the herd. He didn't feel close to any of them in particular, so he still stayed on the outskirts. But being able to hear the low nickering of mares to their foals, and the quiet but rhythmic breathing of those around him did help him feel a bit more relaxed. He shook the grass and dew from his mane, ignoring the slight pain in his...well actually his whole body hurt a little bit. The shard was still stuck in his side. In hindsight, he probably should have taken care of it last night. Now, blood crusted around the wound and it was going to hurt more than it would've when he was still running on an adrenaline high last night. But to be fair, pain didn't bother him too much after he had experienced the burns. There was only so much you could compare to the searing pain of losing flesh to fire. He twisted his head, trying to reach the shard. No matter how he twisted himself, he couldn't quite seem to reach it. Grumbling, he started to walk forward, looking for the black mare. She was the only one he knew in this herd, and the only one he wanted to ask for help.

With each step, a dull, throbbing pain shot through his front leg. Coupled with the bruising on his ribs and the cuts on his body, he figured that it would also disappear in time. As he wandered farther into the herd, he started to notice more members that he had just glazed over when he first arrived. He was thankful that he hadn't injured any of the herd members in his rampage last night. Maybe picking a spot so far away from the main herd had been a good choice. Of course, Faolain had sported some light injuries, but it was better that she had gotten in his way intentionally. He didn't think he would every be able to forgive himself if he had accidentally trampled one for the other herd members. Life was so delicate in that sense. He carefully stepped over a patch of clover flowers, making sure not to crush them under his hooves. Funny how one simple action on his part could affect so many other things. He spotted the 'teke in the distance, and called out a greeting to her. She was far enough away that he had to raise his voice a little, but not so far that she couldn't see him.
Faolain, he started, pausing to clear his throat, did you rest well? His voice was deep and smooth, almost alien sounding to his ears. He didn't have a habit of speaking much, especially since he was by himself most of the time. Last night didn't count, since he ran his mouth without thinking. Last night, he spoke on instinct. Now, he was collected and dare he say normal?