Things were changing on Tinuvel, and while there was no guarantee that Solomon would be successful in his venture of regaining the monarchy, he had hope. It was perhaps his own foolish pride to attempt to regain his crown given his age and condition, but he had to try. He had to do something. Something to prove to himself and to his herd and to Nyimara that though she might have struck a resounding blow, she had not decimated him. They would rise again, and this time it would be even stronger than before.

Before he reached his lofty goals, however, he needed to at least check in on the Inlet's newest leader. Nicodemus had responded to his request for support with agreement, for which he was grateful, but they hadn't had time for a more in-depth conversation then. With the revelations that Ysabel had brought him (a conversation that had left him reeling largely because he had never believed they would have a civil conversation again), he knew he needed to come sooner rather than later. And once his conversation with their son was done, he would need to find Parvati, too, and wrap her in an embrace.

The lean tobiano found a sunny, clear spot just inside the Inlet's border and lifted his head to call for his painted son before settling in to wait, his hip cocked and eyes watchful.

Solomon