Zevulun’s disappearance had been worrisome to the aging mare. Fear prickled at her soul as each morning brought with it no sign of the pale stallion’s scent. Had he too left her behind to join the others among the stars? Had he been trying to save his loved ones from having to discover his lifeless body in the same way she herself had come upon Sanibel? No. She felt certain she would have felt his death, even if it was in her heart only.
It was by chance she came across his stale scent on the border of the Prairie. Though it had been many years since she had scented bear, it did not take her long to figure out that the scuffed, dry earth and mingled scents spoke volumes of the struggle that had taken place. For a time, the silverling mare had lingered there, tracing the scent of Zevulun. Thankfully, there had not been much spilled blood on the ground and thus her fear of his gruesome death began to fade and her understanding of the pale stallion and his sons disappearances began to make more sense. They were leading the predator farther away from the Prairie borders.
Relief flooded through her tired bones as she stiffly made her way back to where Catori grazed in peaceful oblivion. The young girl had questioned her a bit about her discoveries but aside from a general ’They are fine I am sure,’ the conversation had gone no further. Larka was not about to worry her youngest with the what ifs that haunted her own thoughts.
When the obsidian stallion appeared on the horizon screaming his claim on the Prairie, Larka is not surprised. The Prairie has always been fertile lands that were coveted by many. Cautiously, she watched as he made his way around the borders, stamping his own scent onto the lands to solidify his claim. He would have been well within his rights to gather their small herd for himself, to make his way through their numbers and place his own mark of claim on each piece of flesh like property. Larka had been wary of him at first, careful to keep herself between his curious eyes and that of Catori’s in protection. Though age was quickly catching up to her, Larka was determined to protect her own flesh and blood with her life if need be.
Yet as time progressed, the dark stallion made no further attempt to round up the Prairie herd and instead sought out his own company and that of those willing to approach him. It had not taken long for her own concerns to subside and peace once more began to settle over the remnants of the Prairie herd. That is, until Zevulun returned.
The midmorning breeze brought with it the sounds of approaching horses. Twin harks flicker curiously as the pale mare lifted her muzzle from the yellowing patch of grass she had been grazing on to send her searching silver blue gaze over the rolling hills. The first to slip from the shadows of the bordering trees is his sons. Raziel is easy to recognize and Larka lifts her head to offer a hoarse whicker in greeting. When Zevulun’s pale form limps from the shadowline, the sigh of relief that escapes her is audible. The warm smile on her lips belies the joy she felt in knowing the stallion had not met a warrior’s death yet.
The loosely gathered herd begins to approach the returning warriors and Larka is among them. Catori rushes past her mother with a joyous nicker of her own, her pale blue eyes fixated on her father. ”Da!!” she squeaks, bouncing to an excited halt in front of him, buffaloing her way through the gathering throng to nuzzle his cream shoulder happily. ”Im so glad you’re okay! Ama told me you would be back! She really did! She was right! Where did you go? Why couldn’t I go too?” the young girl barrages him with questions, her small dark tail flicking against her alabaster hips in irritation.
Larka’s approach is much slower. The ache of arthritis has stolen the dance from her gait and no amount of rich spring grasses is enough any longer to fill the sunken hollows of her hips. A warm smile plays across her weary lips as she offers an apologetic glance to each of the mares that Catori has shoved past to get her father’s attention. Silently she listens as the others begin to converse about the recent events of the Prairie. It is no surprise to her that Zevulun has taken note of the dark stallion’s claim. Riesling speaks up in tones harsh enough to cause Larka’s own ears to tilt back against the curve of her neck. The determination in her eyes is not surprising. The mare is still young enough to display a sort of dominance that does not take much liking to being usurped. What does surprise her, however, is Zevulun’s response.
Leave the Prairie? Dark lashes blink rapidly as her ears tilt forward again just to ensure she heard him right. He speaks further of his intentions to challenge the younger upstart in the coming months and his plans to seek out refuge in the nearby herds. A scoffing snort escapes her lips as Larka gives her finely dished head a firm shake, sending long tattered tresses of obsidian tumbling haphazardly against the curve of her throat. Always she had remained a quiet figure in the background as the herd congregated and planned but on this, on this she recoiled. Ears snap backwards as she clears her throat. ”Zevulun… I am ashamed of you.” the words are softly spoken but loud enough to be overheard by all gathered. No doubt she had just won her fair share of enemies by the hard looks some of the other mares shot in her direction but she did not care. She takes a determined step forward, her silver blue eyes searching the pale eyes of her lover. ”It was not quite that long ago that you yourself lay claim to Balor’s land… my land.” she begins, pausing a moment to gather her breath. ”You were gentle and kind, firm in your belief that no herd should be sent from their home. Was it not you who sought out Balor to discuss the same matters? What happened to that stallion?” she asks.
Sadness dances in her eyes now as she drops her finely dished head, weariness beginning to sink into her bones at the exertion. ”I have lived my life in the Prairie. It has seen the birth of my children and will one day soon welcome my own old bones into its earth…. If you leave… I cannot follow. Regardless of how my heart might long for it.”