While everything in life was not currently perfect for Castillon, he was happy enough to focus on the things that were good rather than any of the bad. For instance, coming just past his third year his father had taken back their home territory and done as promised, naming him second lead in command. Castillon had no herd to his name and, in effect, it was really just a title thus far, but it still filled him with pride and determination each time he greeted the day.
No one was privy to the pressure and anxiety he felt, worrying that he would never actually be good enough.
No one knew that a part of him longed for his mother to be here too, despite his father explaining they had fought and Riesling had no intention of coming back to the Prairie.
All the herd saw was Castillon as he always was and had been, with a charming grin to his dark lips and a bright light in his brown eyes. He playfully (and lovingly) pestered his remaining siblings, enjoyed playing with the newborns of the season as they slowly got their legs under them, and took pride in patrolling the Prairie borders for any attempted intruder. Nevermind the fact that the Prairie seemed at peace as ever, and in the entire season he’d done it, Castillon had never once come across anyone other than other Prairie residents.
Except today. The young stallion stopped short at the sight of a horse-shaped figure just beyond him, eyes darting down their painted figure to the small, freshly born babe suckingly. Every spring there were at least a few foals in the Prairie, which meant Castillon was not unused to foals, but he had never been privy to the delicate first few hours of a mother and her newborn foal. Further, he immediately recognized that he did not know this mare, which brought forth a new slew of complications. Castillon snorted and glanced quickly around, but saw no other horses, stallion or otherwise, waiting in the wings to charge down at him and beat him for drawing close. Curiosity won out, and he looked back at the painted mare and nickered toward her, wondering if he could come closer.
No doubt with the flat expanse of rolling hills, despite the burst of trees just beyond the borders, she would have seen him right when he came to a stop.
“Um,” he started once he’d drawn close enough that she could hear him without him having to yell at her, “Sorry to intrude on your…” he glanced down at the foal, then back up at her, “private… moment.”
Where was the suave, charming, flirtatious talker he would normally be? Unsure of his place here or if he had any right to stand here, Castillon was thrown completely off his game. He had so many questions he wanted to ask her, like why she was alone, or if she was okay, if the baby was okay, if it was okay for him to be here, if she wanted him to leave, but if he left who was going to protect her in case some troublemaker came by……. His head was spinning, and instead of all of those questions, all he managed was an introduction. “I’m Castillon, second here in the Prairie.”
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