Common

Her anger struck with the swift, silent venom of a viper. Sihtric recoiled as her words, sharp and laced with animosity, lashed out in defense of her mother. He flinched, a nervous twitch causing his ears to flick, struggling to find the strength to endure the verbal onslaught. His heart hammered against his ribs, the frantic rhythm deafening him to the rest of her tirade. "You're a fool, Sihtric. You should have stayed in the Badlands," the phrase echoed in his mind.

Who did he think he was, trying to bring any mare home? He was barely a stallion. He swallowed the lump of burgeoning emotion, a bitter reminder of his failure to live up to his strong Nordic lineage. He was a coward, an emotional one at that.

He blinked rapidly, fighting back the sting of unshed tears, his gaze dropping as her fiery eyes finally moved away. A wave of relief washed over him, though brief, knowing he was no longer the target of her burning gaze. He lowered his head, surreptitiously wiping the moisture on his foreleg, and inhaled deeply through his whiskered muzzle, grasping for a shred of composure as her gaze returned to him. His lips tightened.

Then, abruptly, she agreed to visit the Badlands. He now wished she hadn't. Yet, he suspected that allowing her to indulge this whim was the only way she’d move on with her life, and in turn, he with his.

After the swim, she could go wherever she pleased, just so long as it was far, far away from the Badlands. "Yeah," he managed, the word clipped and strained as he turned away. He had learned quickly that words only brought him trouble, so this time, he would keep their conversation brief. "Follow me." He turned away, relief flooding him as he put distance between them. His hooves moved quickly across the ground, eager to reach the shifting sands and the frothy surf.

Home to the Badlands, drop her off, and then head in the opposite direction. Any direction.