Mom? Dad? Castillon? Anyone?!

The cries are faint and far, but they found Zevulun as if they were screamed right beside him. The pale stallion’s head shot up quickly, his entire body gone tense, ears perked forward. Castillon, who was with him, lifted his head too, but only to look at his father and then off in the direction his father was dedicatedly watching.

Had it just been the wind? Was it a trick? Zevulun’s heart beat hard and fast in his chest; blood rushed in his ears. No, no he had sworn he had to have heard her. Evrain had promised he would bring her home, but Zevulun had begun to wonder. What if she had found someone who’s company she enjoyed while she was in Salem? What if she had decided independence was what she had wanted? What if she was angry with him for losing, for failing her, and didn’t want to see him again?

Zevulun gathered air and trumpeted out a long, loud whinny. It would stretch as far as her cry did and tell her I’m on my way! with the same dedication he had always had for her and for all of his children. He gathered his hooves underneath him and stretched outward, quickly pulling himself into a quick pace. Castillon followed, albeit a few paces back, having thrown his head and done a surprised half-circle at a trot when his father suddenly bolted on him.

As he came over the top of a hill Zevulun slammed his haunches down and stopped somewhat awkwardly, throwing his head and snorting a harsh breath as he glanced down the slope at the girl who’d called him. She was so thin... nothing like the girl who’d left here.

Murderous rage flickered across Zevulun’s face just briefly and something went ice cold in his belly. If he ever laid eyes on that sleek brown stallion again he would murder him without a second’s thought.

Concern eclipsed the rage he felt and Zevulun nickered out for his daughter as he slowly picked his way through the grasses and toward her. “Claret, oh, sweetheart - I’ve missed you so much,” He was saying as he neared, the overwhelming truth of having her here and having her home meaning more than anything else… the more and more it sank in that she was truly home.

Castillon arrived at the top of the incline and drew himself to a more graceful halt (he hadn’t been running as quickly), eyes going wide as he looked down at who his father was talking to. He’d grown much larger since the last time he’d seen her, but Castillon would know his big sister anywhere. “Claret!” he cried out excitedly, all little boy and not yearling-trying-to-act-cool-and-older like he had been doing lately. His black legs picked themselves haphazardly down, even leaping a bit at the end to make it quicker to hers and their father’s side. He beamed, so happy to have her home he hadn’t even taken her physical state into account.