It was late spring and the weather was finally starting to get warmer on Tinuvel. Being the furthest island to the north it was always the last to shake off winter's icy grasp. That winter had been particularly unpleasant yet all of them, even the young and old, had made it through together. Now Ashitaka’s winter coat was falling from his body in clumps of beige hair. In his opinion he looked utterly ridiculous but at least this was only a transitional phase.
‘Unsightly’ though he may be, he still had duties to perform. Early that day he noticed a storm brewing on the horizon during his patrols. He hoped that the wind would change direction and blow it back out to sea where it could cause little harm. Considering the last blizzard the Inlet had to withstand he doesn’t want to experience another harrowing event in such quick succession.
Their luck did not hold out. The storm hit the island just after sunset. And it was a big one. Thunder roared above the trees. The whole territory was pitch black and only illuminated by the constant flash of lightning. Ashitaka checked on his sister and niece first. Not due to any familiar preference, it was simply because they were closer to where he was and he could see them. Ameyuki, the poor girl, was petrified. Curled up on the ground shielding herself underneath her mother. Ashitaka went to encourage her back onto her feet when Mizuki assured him that she could handle this. He hated feeling useless but he respected his sister's decision. Besides, any day now he would have his own child to fuss over and fret for. He just hoped that the little one was patient enough to wait one more night. Giving birth, he imagined, must be terrifying enough without doing it in weather such as this.
His hooves were already set on a path to check on Tamar. Once he heard her cry between the crashes of thunder he threw himself into a gallop. Racing between trees that he could barely see, heart pounding deep within his chest. He rounds the corner and skids to a halt before he charges into them. Panting for a moment his breath then catches in his throat when he lays his eyes upon his son for the first time. He has never seen anything so precious in all his life.
"Oh Tamar," he speaks softly to the point he could barely hear himself over the wind and rain. Clearing his throat he speaks with more force,
"there are no words, in your language of mine, to describe how perfect he is." Ashitaka had never seen a colt like this before.
His old herd had mostly consisted of bay, blue and red roan horses. Sometimes there was the odd horse who had a solid coat. But none of them had ever been born with silver hair. Well, that was evidently a trait passed from his beautiful mother. But then there were some other lighter markings on the foal's underside. It wasn’t painted markings, like Nicodemus and Ameyuki. Maybe it was a rare type of roan?
"Are you alright, Tamar?" He askss taking a step forward and offering his muzzle in a tender greeting. How rude of him to be wholly focused on the new baby instead of the mother, who had done a wonderful job in bringing new life into this world.
Suddenly a mighty roar of thunder, loud enough to reverberate through the stallion's chest, seemed to shake the world around them. Ashitaka flinched, ears buried back into his black mane to protect them from the deafening noise. What was more surprising is the colt didn’t seem to react at all. Had he been born without a sense of fear? Or maybe he was simply too new that everything was overwhelming?
ASHITAKA
Male. VII. Bay Roan. Hokkaido Horse. 13.3HH. Beta of the Inlet.