Before the islands, he lived in a forested area too, only it was up in the mountains and constantly cold, usually snowing. Coming here had felt familiar although not quite the same. Familiar enough to be comfortable in these new lands while also new enough to feel like he had a fresh start; so that bad memories and regrets would not constantly resurface but only every now and then. Today was not a day for regrets, however, and he found himself contentedly walking around the premises, checking on the souls he had found in the Forest when he arrived as well as some of the outsiders who came through. He did not mind. It eased his boredom and loneliness; he had thought at first he found love, but she had not shown up to his lands yet, and he was worried she may have gotten lost- or worse- in the crossing from the Common. She had been right behind him but perhaps there were strong undercurrents from the passing storm and… Well, he shook his large head to rid himself of the thoughts. He couldn’t bear the idea of losing her already, and he mentally made it a point to go look for her. Rilke had wanted to reach out and meet the other leads of the lands anyway, this was just a good excuse to be showing up on others’ lands. He wasn’t looking for a fight; he was perfectly happy with the land he had found and didn’t have it in him to steal anyone from their home. Greed was not in his bones.

It was with all these sentiments swirling around in his mind that he caught a scent that sent him reeling. He knew this odor and was immediately on edge. The whites of his eyes showed slightly as he cautiously moved forward, bringing the perpetrator into view. While the forest was rich and lush with shade and patches of vegetation, offering protection from the elements, it brought with it dangers too, such as this bear and her cub. At the moment she was peaceful, she and her babe keeping to themselves as they wandered through. He did not make a sound wanting to avoid her attention and therefore her wrath, but he also did not want to lose sight of her in case he had to fight her off to protect the few in his land. He gazed around, looking to see if any others were in the area so he could quietly shoo them away. No one. ‘Good,’ he thought to himself, hoping it would stay that way. Those claws could cause serious damage, and easily end the life of any equine. He had had enough death for this lifetime and wasn’t out looking for more, and he was sure they would move on if left alone. Usually, a horse cocks their leg to rest when standing for a while, but he wanted to be ready to run if needed. The thick stallion kept all four hooves flat against the earth, making sure he did not push his weight down but rather made light on his toes- so to speak- just in case the mama realized he was in the vicinity. Prepared for anything, he waited to see how it would play out.