Meadow

The mare corrected him, saying it meant warrior and he dipped his head in acknowledgement. She spoke of mares being warriors and he nodded his head in agreement, his eyes softening to show he was sincere in his opinion and not just saying it to gain her favor. "My mother is a brave fighter who never backs down. She charged into a war on the islands once to make sure her family was safe. Any other stallion might have refused her or made her go with an escort but my father believed her more than capable to take care of herself so he let her go alone. I have seen mares of my herd step forward to fight and it is always a sight to see, but never something unheard of there. Mares are strong creatures. I would respect a female opponent the same as a stallion. They are never to be underestimated."

The mare went on to speak more of where she came from and Akello found himself leaning in a little, his ears pricked to hear every word. He was fascinated with learning her culture and background. It was new and unfamiliar and he drank it all in. His head tilted as she said seeking reassurance was pretty much seen as weakness. "So would you say it's better to ask forgiveness than permission where you come from?" His lips twitched a little, wondering how she would respond. The mare spoke more of warriors then, how they had to win back favour by answering challenges. It made sense in a way and he found himself dipping his head in acknowledgement. He was about to ask about the less fortunate but she answered for him before he could even part his lips. His gaze filled with a sadness for horses he didn't know, wishing in some way he could still do something for them even if he understood the reasoning behind their exile.

She went on to say how such things would probably not be liked here but at her question, he nodded his head without hesitation. "I can see the wisdom. I believe most are too soft hearted and greedy for members to line their borders to turn to such tactics but I can see how they would build a herd of quality over quantity, making the horses strong and united, truly a force to be reckoned with." He knew such tactics wouldn't work for his own father. Cain had a way of taking in the weak and making them strong through patience and understanding, protection without reward, but that didn't mean her tactics couldn't work too, just on different horses.

As she turned away, he feared at first that she might be bored of his company, but then told him he was welcome and dipped her chin, inviting him to walk with her. His face lifted at the invite and he fell in step with her eagerly. She turned then to tell him how he reminded her of someone of great wisdom. He couldn't help but smirk a little and shake his head. "I think you give me too much credit, miss. I seek to be wise some day, but I know I have a long way to go." Then she asked him what he wanted in life and Akello scowled thoughtfully for a moment before turning his attention back to her. "I want to make a difference for those who know me. Whether it's as a protector, a friend, some day a lover or a father...I want to know that for those whose lives I touched, that I did something worth remembering." Maybe it was a small goal, or maybe insurmountable. He might add more to it in time, but for now, he was certain of this much.

The mare turned him next with a new fire in her eyes that he felt captivated by. She grinned and he could see empires falling beneath her gaze as she declared that she would fight for what was hers. It was so bold and yet he knew she meant it in every fiber of her being. He couldn't help but smile. "At what point do you declare something to be yours? Something worth fighting for?" It seemed the next obvious question since she was alone right now. She might already have friends, a mate, a family, a herd. But if she didn't, he wanted to know how she would go about changing that to bring that declaration to life. A part of him wanted to be around to see it.