I wouldn't say I was fond of Lavendar. Of course, I also wouldn't say that I was fond of Khar'pern either, and yet fate kept twining our paths together and proving me wrong. Vogue, too, remained forefront in my mind when I was home, but I couldn't claim fondness for her either. Of course, it wasn't safe to claim fondness or preference for any mare not directly beneath my control, and Hiyori remained steadfastly in that position despite her seasons-long avoidance of me. I had to assume that my presence and rank would keep the rest of my brothers from poking their noses into situations where they didn't belong.

However, Rutger had reminded me that not all of our brothers had the Lagoon's best interests at heart, and I still intended to corner the little rat and speak to him about his decision to aid and abet Tyr's escape. It was bad enough he had done so at all, but to do so in front of the Peak? To imply we were not united? My own man, beneath my very branch of the Lagoon?

Punishable.

But it was not the gray thief that occupied my thoughts tonight but the soft-spoken Lavendar, her belly full to bursting with the evidence of our union. She had remained mostly hidden from me during her pregnancy, but I caught her scent in the wind, twisted with blood and fear.

If I were honest with myself, I didn't want to think about why I started meandering in her direction, or what that meant in regard to my traditional apathy toward the birth of any of my children. Perhaps it was because Ashteroth had managed to wrest me away from Khar'pern's laboring figure, but a part of me felt jaded and stolen from. Lavender might not spit venom at me, but she meant something more to me than the rest.

I did not expect to hear my name in her voice. Much less to hear it as a plea rather than a curse, and it caused me to pause for a moment, rattled.

It was a gray mare I did not know that drew my gaze to exactly where my little flower was hiding, and fury - white hot and pulsing - filled my chest as I realized what she was doing. Only Peak and mares that believed themselves leaders carried themselves with the sort of nonchalant swagger she had as she took another step toward Lavendar. I stalked forward with ears pinned and eyes nearly black, the promise of violence in every taut muscle.

"I would highly suggest you consider your next actions carefully." My voice was a low, ominous snarl as I circled behind Lavendar, having measured the distance between the two mares and judged it unsafe. I didn't like that I had thought about that at all. That I had placed a trinket's well being above the most direct path to my target, but I tried not to think about that. Instead, I pathed around Lavendar, dipping my head low enough to try and press a 'kiss' against her shoulder that was as much an indication of my claim and my intent to defend as it was reassurance.

Lavender had called for me.

I didn't understand why, or why it had awakened a desire to be what she needed, but it didn't matter. She had called. I had came, and now there was a threat to face. My muzzle remained low as I glanced and nearly touched the wriggling form of our son, and I forced my gaze back to the gray stranger. "Get away from my family."

Stallion - Young Adult - 15.2 - Brown Overo