Father and son were walking quietly along the Forest border when the call sang out. Both stallions paused rather than charging immediately toward it, heads raising high and nostrils flared as they drank in the scents of their home. Barely carried on the wind was that of the ocean, but they were too far from the new arrival to have caught on to the scent of the Lagoon. They moved forward as one, without needing to look at one another or discuss, recognizing the call had come for the Prairie leaders and knowing they would make a more formidable approach as a duo rather than alone.

They came upon the shore where an unknown stallion awaited them, both pulling up their gait and giving him a suspicious once-over. It was Zevulun who caught the Lagoon scent first and snorted, ears flicking warily back and then forward. Castillon’s opinion of the Lagoon was far more sour than Zevulun’s, given the fright he’d watched Aura endure after that brutish silver bay had tried to take her away. When he caught the smell his reaction was far more pointed and distrustful; Castillon stopped and pulled his ears back, lowering his head as his eyes flashed at the stallion.

Zevulun grunted softly at him. Keep your emotions in check, his father was attempting to warn. Thus far this stranger had been far more courteous than the stallion who’d charged into the Prairie, engaged Zevulun in battle, then tried to steal one of their members away. He had stayed on the fray of the border and beckoned them. There had been a time that Zevulun was treated kindly by the Lagoon, as was his father, and it was those moments he tried to remember that not everyone within that place was as awful as they could be.

Still… with what had just happened, he wasn’t too pleased. So, Zevulun moved guardedly closer, Castillon trailing at his hip looking even more suspicious. Normally strangers were met in the Prairie with gracious smiles and a grand gesture of welcome to the safety this land offered. This stallion was not met that way.

“You called?” Zevulun said shortly, looking with curiosity at the stallion and wondering what he might say.