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Please do not post here unless your name is in the title.
Plot
Muse A and B have been friends for a while, slowly growing closer over time. However, Muse A, being the protective stallion that he is, protects a weak and low stallion in the pecking order, thus angering the lead and putting Muse A in exile. Muse B is obviously sad about this, but the two would have a falling out anyway as their relationship slowly crumbled into nothingness. Neither have heard anything from one another for a while. That is until Muse A shows up alone, asking for help from Muse B as he tries to escape the warring herd's ways. Muse B reluctantly accepts, knowing it will put his position at risk in the herd. Will their relationship ever be the same, or will it grow into more?
Pairing
MxM
Topic
Horses B)
Characters
Muse A - Dreamer - Starwood. Muse B - Rhysand - Bruiser Crius - Lead Stallion
Silver - Herd Mare
Rembrandt - Herd Stallion
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Rhysand "Rhys"Age: 6Gender: StallionSexuality: HomosexualRank: Herd StallionAppearance:  Rhysand holds himself at roughly 16 hands high, not being the largest but also not being the smallest out there. He is fully matured and grown, meaning that he isn't getting any bigger. He has a more filled out frame, not entirely made of muscle but rather extra fat, but you can see some muscle doing its work in his legs and chest, especially when in use. He has a slimmer head shape, his cheekbone being rather defined among the centerline of his face and small veins poking through his skin. Rhysand holds himself with pride, or more or less charm and confidence, appearing a bit more cocky than he truly is. Despite this, he still looks rather approachable. Rhysand is not the most fascinating stallion to look at, but he is the most eye-catching. This is due because of his pale white color - that's all he is. There are no special patterns or markings. His eyes are a icy blue, making his eyes look a bit 'crazy', if you will, and he has a slight pinkish tint to his nose. His mane is of an average length, being more thin hair, and his tail is rather long. The coloring of his mane is white, but has a more yellow-ish/tan tint to it due to not always being able to stay clean.  Credit: xxMysteryStockxx on DA - Both imagesPersonality: Charming || Flirtacious || WittyRhysand has this way of being rather kind and approachable while also be charming. He is rather handsome to say the least, thus being popular among most of the herd, and because of this, he has built a reputation of being a lady's man (if only they knew). He's fine with this, and finds it rather fighting, actually, so he doesn't argue with it. Anyhoo, Rhysand's charming personality makes him rather likable and friendly. He's known for always showing respect, perhaps like a teacher's pet, though he just thinks it's common sense to do so. He's easy to approach and is always willing to have a conversation, even if it's with a stranger. However, he doesn't mind company in silence.Because of his charm, Rhysand has been known to be rather flirty. However, he likes to reason this with it simply being his friendly attitude. That said, he's always making remarks, regardless of your sex. He could care less, honestly. Though he's quite good at flirting, he does not receive the same energy back well. It's different if he knows it's a joke, but this especially to applies to if he has a crush on someone and they give the same energy back. He becomes flustered, though that isn't really surprising considering he would anyway. But regardless, he'll probably overthink it. Rhysand is very witty with his responses and actions. Whether it be his sarcasm or his instant reaction to thinking of a solution or something, it wouldn't be an understatement to say that he's intelligent. Rhysand has a rather fast thinking process, and sometimes his brain will move faster than his mouth can. But when it comes to his sarcasm, he really tends to have a comment for just about anything and everything. However, he does have a filter, and won't say anything offensive. He's still sensitive to those around him, and doesn't prioritize being funny over his friends. Reasonable || Soft-spoken || PacifistRhysand is very reasonable. Even though he thinks fast, he thinks deep. Very deep. He doesn't like rushing into things and likes to take a moment to step back and see what a situation has to offer. He prefers to do what is right, and always looks for the good in two evils. But of course, he isn't perfect and will still make mistakes. However, in most cases, Rhys manages to keep a decent mind while trying to make these righteous choices. He doesn't try to please others, but he just likes to do what is best for them. In a way, this makes him rather selfless.Rhys is rather soft-spoken. He doesn't really have much to say, though he does in fact manage to get his point across. His voice is normally soft, thus making others around him more comfortable and make the environment feel more open when you're around him. This is another thing about him that makes him seem more approachable, which by his standards, works perfectly fine as he enjoys the company but again, doesn't mind the silence. Rhysand is in fact a pacifist. He likes to avoid violence at all costs, even if it's just a verbal argument. Instead, he likes to have civilized conversations and discussions about an issue rather than trying to solve them with some sort of bloodshed. To him, it's simply immature. He'd much rather solve problems than let them become a bigger thing, so he will confront you about things and call you out. Sometimes when he does this, it makes the situation worse, but he also thinks that he should tell others what they need to hear, not what they want. Gullible || ForigivingTo most's surprise, you will find that Rhysand is very vulnerable and gullible. While he likes expressing himself, he also becomes rather emotional and that can be used to any manipulator's advantage. He easily falls for lies and believes them, thus getting him hurt once he finds out the truth. He does hate lying after all, and will forever have this sort of guilt for so easily falling for lies. He buys lies like they're cheap valuables. It's forever something he will struggle with. The final thing about this stallion is how forgiving he is. He quite literally has no bad bone in his body, making it difficult for him to purposefully go out of his way to do something cruel. However, he's like a doormat - he lets just about anyone walk all over him. No matter how many times you have screwed him over, he will still let you back in. It's a matter of if you leave on your own, because even if you know that you have screwed up and he has sorta made it known, he still allows these sort of others back into his life. Why? He wish he could explain it, but he simply can't.Strengths: +Reasonable - Useful when in hard situations.
+Charm - Although it brings it attraction, it also helps him persuade others.
+Sociable - He's just a social being. This helps with getting to know others.
+Intelligent - Honestly, how could you go wrong with being intelligent?
Weaknesses: -Gullible - He's easily manipulated.
-Physical Strength - Definitely not a contendor when it comes to sparring or challenging the lead stallion. -Forgiving - He's sympathetic - forgiving is the least he could do, but it normally gets him hurt in the long run.
-Flirty - He normally flirts with the wrong horses.
Affiliations:
Dreamer -- Former friend. Dreamer and him used to be rather close, or getting closer, before he was exiled. It's been at least six months since he last saw him. Rhysand is aware that he will probably show up soon, as it's sort of a gut feeling he has.
Silver -- Silver is an older herd mare that Rhysand has grown rather fond of. The two are almost like mother and son. She's always sharing her advice about the world and whatever it is that Rhysand asks about, she probably has an answer. |
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D R E A M E R “ You have to defend those who can’t defend themselves. “ 
Name: Dreamer Age: 8 Gender: Stallion Sexual Orientation: Homosexual Herd: Formerly of the Prairie Creek Herd Rank: Bachelor Stallion Desired Rank: Lead Stallion Appearance: Homozygous Grulla Tobiano EEaaDDTOn 
 
Dreamer is a well built stallion. He’s tall, stocky, and big boned. The stallion stands at 17.1HH / 69” tall. His shoulders are well defined, and his chest is broad. His legs are thick and boned, matching the rest of his body. He has a dip in his croup from muscle; a “double butt”. His muscles make it obvious that he’s not one to mess with. Everywhere has muscle, even his legs. Dreamer’s withers are slightly protruding from the top of his body. His ears are a tad bit smaller than what would be expected for his head shape and build. However, they don’t mess with his reputation. They just give him more of a “soft” look. His entire build makes it obvious he is some sort of Warmblood. His eyes usually resemble a cold winter with no facial expressions on his face. Dreamer doesn’t exactly show much emotion. His vocal cords are deep and cold. There isn’t much tone to them. Typically, he smells like water. He doesn’t have very many scars. Just small ones on or near his legs. The stallion doesn’t bother others very much and prefers to keep to himself. His legs are almost clear of scars, despite the fact that this is the only area he has scars on. He has three simple scars: one small nick from a bite on his back right forearm, a cut on his left flank, another cut on his front left forearm. Dreamer is a dark coloured horse with the contrast of white. He’s a gray-sih colour: grulla. It covers his entire body, minus the parts where the tobiano takes over. Dapples lightly cover his hindquarters, making the area seem even darker. However, he has a loud white on his body. It stretches Over his entire face, giving him a bald face. However, just his chin and a small spot on top of his head is still grulla coloured. Dreamer has high stockings that reach above his knees on all four of his legs. Both sides of his body have his neck almost entirely white, spreading down his shoulder and leg on the right side. On the left side, the white ends at the top of the shoulder and goes onto his stomach. He has the typical tobiano stripes on both sides of his hindquarters and spreads down his croup. It ends for a brief moment, and then he has a random splotch of white on his loin. His eyes are dark brown known as “cedar”. His mane is almost entirely white aside from his forelock and a little bit just before his ears. Most of his tail and the small bit of mane are both completely black. There is a tiny bit of white around the middle of his tail. *All stock photos are by xxMysteryStockxx on DeviantArt. Personality: The Mystery Intuitive; Honorable; Trustworthy Dreamer is very well intuitive. There are times when he just knows when something is odd, different, or wrong. Oftentimes, he’ll blame it on the air rather than giving any other type of explanation. This also leads to emotions. He can read facial features quite well and can easily know how another horse is feeling. He doesn’t take advantage of this, however. The stallion will only approach another horse if he feels like they really need someone to talk to. Otherwise, he lets nature take its course. He doesn’t like to push too much, as he’s not the best with social cues. For a horse, he’s very honorable. He’ll do things he knows are right. Such as, protecting those who need it. Dreamer has a reputation of showing up to protect those who are in need of it, no matter who they are. Even if he knows that he shouldn’t, he will still defend another horse. Dreamer doesn’t like to see others who can’t help themselves. If he has any say in the matter, he will jump right in. It aggravates him if he can’t do anything about it. He’ll go against his normal stoic self and become aggressive in order to help the other. He’s also very trustworthy in just about every way. He will protect someone from just about anything and will offer a shoulder to lean on if they ever need it. If another horse needed something, he’d be a choice to go to. He doesn’t like to criticize. Dreamer will only lend a shoulder to use rather than advice. However, if it’s something physical, he will gladly do it. The stallion is very eager to protect, if it weren’t obvious. He views those that are weak, and he likes to take them underneath his wing. Dreamer would do anything for just about anyone. Even if he hated them. Asocial; Stoic; Independant Dreamer is, with no need to state it, very asocial. He doesn’t interact with anyone on his own initiative. Very rarely, he’ll approach for conversation, but it’s usually for something that needs to be stated. He doesn’t share any personal information with others, including if he has a crush on any of the other horses. He’s perfectly happy to be alone and by himself. Dreamer is rarely seen with another horse, even when a part of a herd. He often stays a bit away from others to avoid any unwanted conversation or interaction. In his brain, he doesn’t need it. He lives off of himself. If he’s forced to be in social situations, he often becomes antsy and will stomp at the ground along with lots of tail swishing. He becomes agitated and will often not be himself. Even if there isn’t much to him. Amongst this, he’s very stoic. He doesn’t show much emotion and prefers to keep it that way. Emotions? Nah, throw those out the window. Dreamer doesn’t need them.He’ll bottle them up in his brain as long as he can without bursting. If he doesn’t find a way to vent his emotions, he’ll often become abrasive and more prone to be aggressive. But, in reality, he has a lot of emotions that he just doesn’t like to express. They make him feel vulnerable, and Dreamer most certainly does not like to feel that way. In a whole, this stallion would rather keep his emotions hidden from the world than to let others in on them. Despite being able to offer a shoulder, Dreamer doesn’t like to lean upon that shoulder, himself. He will do whatever it takes to not have to go to another horse for help. He feels as if his reputation will differ if he’s to ask for help and he will, therefore, be looked down upon. Dreamer is a very odd horse, though his complexity is not uncommon. He will try to anything and everything himself, even if it’s something life threatening/ Strength(s): - Protective. He will protect someone if they ask for it. And even if they don’t ask for it.
- Sympathetic. If he doesn’t show it, he is very sympathetic and will be a shoulder to lean on.
- Resilient. Physically and mentally, Dreamer can take a lot of crap.
Weakness(es): - Independent. Dreamr will refuse to ask for help until he absolutely needs it.
- Stoic. Emotions are definitely not his thing, but he does have them. Maybe.
- Standout. No matter how hard he tries, he always seems to stand out due to his size and colour.
Kin: White Walker; Sire *Homozygous Grulla. Wonder; Dam *Homozygous Tobiano; Heterozygous Black. Affiliations: Caribbean; Bachelor Stallion: Neutral Rivalry. Caribbean is a hot-headed stallion who likes to pick fights with him. While Dreamer does not exactly like Caribbean and his hot-headed nature, he does not go out of his way to be his rival. Rembrandt; Herd Stallion. Rival. Rembrandt is a stallion who dislikes Dreamer in the Prairie Creek Herd and antagonizes him the most. He keeps his distance from Rembrandt as much as he can. Rhysand; Herd Stallion. Former Friend. Rhysand is his former friend whom he is going to for help. He has unresolved remorse and guilt towards the stallion. Other: Dreamer loves water and is known to just randomly show up, drenched in water. |
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The days had seemingly grown longer and longer, and Rhysand couldn't stand it. His tired eyes scanned the surrounding area, causing him to become bored again. Nowadays, nothing seemed interesting. Nothing seemed fun. Not even having friendly banter with the foals was fun and then getting told off by their mothers amused him anymore. Rhysand had simply grown tired, and honestly, he was convinced that one of these days, God was going to send something to simply take him away. Would he ever wish death upon himself? No. But - there's always a but with him - sometimes it sounded like a plan.
"Rhys!" A familiar voice called. The stallion turned his head, swishing his tail gently as his ears swiveled in the direction. An older mare by the name of Silver had called him over, in which he clenched his jaw. He didn't really feel like talking, though the mare was someone he could tolerate. Actually, he takes that back - one that he loves as though she were his mother. Did she know that? No, but it was obvious, and their bond is definitely a special one. Rhysand wished that everyone could find someone like that in their life.
"Silver," he greeted, walking over, his powerful legs carrying him. The mare looked him up and down and then into his eyes. She was evaluating him, and he could feel the "are you okay?" question coming.
"Are you feeling alright?" Silver asked, cocking her head slightly. Rhysand gave a blank stare, clear that he was anticipating such a question, causing Silver to sigh softly.
"This isn't about-"
"Don't," Rhysand interrupted. "I get that what he did was maybe honorable, but he knew where it would get him. He knew damn well that nothing about that was going to end well."
Silver shook her head. "You can't worry about things that aren't in your control. If Dreamer knew what he was doing would get him to the point he is now, then there is nothing you could've done to prevent it. It's not your fault," she assured, giving the stallion a look of sympathy. Honestly, that's not what Rhysand wanted, but it's what he was getting. He couldn't complain about that.
"I'm not going to talk about this anymore," Rhysand said quietly, looking down at his hooves.
Silver nodded. "I'll leave you to it then," she said, walking away towards other herd mares. They all would glance at Rhysand, giving playful looks, which he would offer a small smile in return.
About six months ago, Rhysand had lost a friend. Not to death, but rather in a worse way - exile. Knowing that Dreamer was still alive out there made Rhysand shiver for some reason. Maybe a bear had gotten to him by now. There hadn't been any sign of him since the day he was exiled from the herd, and while Rhysand had thought about leaving to go and find his friend, he never committed to the act. He knew better than that. Plus that really wouldn't make him any better than Dreamer.
Now, Rhysand didn't think of Dreamer as a bad individual. He thought of him as a friend, one that was reliable and kind and smart. But he also thought of him as too caring and too protective. No brain and all impulse. It was sad, really, cause Rhysand always believed that Dreamer had potential. Maybe go out and lead his own herd one day or even sire a few foals that would go out of their way to become some of the greatest stallions in the land.
But he was wrong.
It wasn't Dreamer's fault for Rhysand being wrong. It was simply because he believed in him too much. He devoted to him too much. He cared too much. He wanted too much for him. He saw too much in him. Was that because Dreamer had deceived him, creating this persona that never really existed? No. Rhysand knew one thing - Dreamer wasn't a liar.
Maybe one of these days he would show up, unscathed, healthy, and the lead stallion would allow him back. Or maybe Rhysand would leave and only find a dead body, mauled away by a bear. Rhysand cleared his throat, shaking the thoughts as they sunk to the back of his mind. There was no time for this right now. Rhysand looked towards Silver and the younger mares, joining them in their group.
Maybe it was just best not to think about it anymore.
If Dreamer wanted to show up, he would. There was always a spot for him in Rhysand's heart.
(Hope this works!) |
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The harsh wind provided no cover to the stallion. His limbs were sore from the abuse, and he couldn’t take it any longer. He had put up with it for far too long. Now, he was the one who needed protection. He was the one who couldn’t protect himself. And this enraged something in his mind. His legs felt as if they couldn’t stand any longer, however. Maybe if he laid down for just a second. Just a second would be okay. With a heavy sigh, Dreamer’s front legs buckled. He grimaced, the soreness getting to him. His back legs started to buckle. Soon, he landed on the ground with a large ‘plump’. His body just couldn’t take it anymore. He was still near the land of the herd. They were surely to miss their favourite toy to beat up by now. It was dangerous to rest, but he was exhausted for many different reasons. The white of his coat was now dingy and turning brown. It was unlike Dreamer to not have bathed his coat for some time like this. But in this area, he just didn’t feel vulnerable enough. As soon as his head hit the ground, every muscle collapsed. He had a break to finally lay down, and his eyes closed. The stallion knew he couldn’t ponder on the ground for long. He knew some other was searching for him to bring him back to misery. His ears were flattened, almost stuck to his head. However, the exact moment his body began to relax, he heard the neverending hoof beats. It was likely a horse from Prairie Creek. He had to get up now, if he could. Could he get up? He, honestly, wasn’t sure. Dreamer lifted his head up from the ground and forced his front hooves in front of him. He put pressure on them until they were fully extended. He didn’t want to turn around to see who they had sent after it. It was most likely one horse that he detested. However, he focused on getting off of the ground. He pushed his back legs up. They wavered as he finally stood on all fours. They hurt even worse than they had before. Dreamer turned his body to look for the other horse. In return, he laid eyes on a mainly black horse with a white face and minimal white on their body. It was Rembrandt. It was his abuser. He wasn’t sure if he had the energy in his for one last tangle with the stallion, but he sure wasn’t going to run away. That would make him a coward. A coward he was not, he told him. There was no way he was a coward. For such a tall horse, one wouldn’t think he’d let himself be beat up by Rembrandt, who was, by far, one of the shortest. However, he was the lead stallion’s son. If Dreamer laid even just his tail on the other, he would receive more of a beating than he was already receiving. He let out one last breath before black stallion walked up close to him. The other held his head high and proud as he prepared himself for what words were going to come out of his mouth. It was ironic, seeing such a large and well built horse lose to such a smaller one. However, he dealt with it. But he wouldn’t deal with it now. Rembrandt wasn’t his problem. They were no longer herd mates. He would never go back to them, no matter how ‘nice’ they acted. That herd was nowhere near acceptable to live in. He felt sorry for all the foals who had to grow up there. He felt as if he needed to save them from there. But Dreamer only had energy to save himself. Energy he barely had. “Where are you going,” sharp words brought him out of his head. Dreamer knew where he was going. Far too well. He knew the land like the back of his legs. However, he was expecting a much harsher sentence from his former herd mate. Despite this, he turned his own attitude around. He was angry, ferocious, and, quite simply, hurt by what had happened to him. He did not need to be defenseless. He needed to help those who were defenseless. But he had to help himself first. Instead of responding to his question, he simply huffed. The look on the other’s face looked enraged. He just needed to truly fight back now. Dreamer didn’t want to leave the colt with battle scars he’d be proud of. He wanted to leave him with scars that tore his ego down and broke it. There was no way he was going to lose again. No matter how tired he was, no matter how discouraged. The stallion was going to win. This would be his freedom. His fight to freedom. And he was going to win it. (Skipped violence.) – - - - - - - - - - - - - - – His head was low to the ground, front two legs spread quite far apart. He had sparred for what felt like forever. Rembrandt seemed to have enough. But he had won. That was all that mattered to him. He had won his freedom. That’s all he wanted. He could leave. Both stallions were breathing heavily, but the other had made no more advances. His face looked scorned, twisted in anger and surprise. He had never fought back to any of them in six months. They had no idea of the true Dreamer. The honorable won who would not have dealt with the abuse. The protective one who would not let the foals be treated like that. But all he had been to them was a shell of his former self. A skittish and scared stallion who only seemed to care about staying out of view. However, that was not who he was. He couldn’t hide it any longer. His body may now be adorned in open wounds, but he would take them with pride. They would show of his freedom. Dreamer no longer felt tired. He felt restored. This had restored who he used to be. He had thrown that shell off. All that was left now was to bathe. He could surely use it. His coat was now dull and would soon be matted from dry wounds. He didn’t feel fully himself to be seen like this. But he didn’t want to waste any more time. The longer he waited, the more of his chance disappeared. He couldn’t risk the window of time getting any larger. He had wasted any time being stupid enough to deal with the abuse of his now former herd. He lifted his head high, no longer starting from the ground. He fixed his stance. The other stallion was more battle scarred than he was. Dreamer could see his legs almost collapse. However, he did not feel remorse. This wasn’t enough to make up for all the beatings he endured. He used to only have three scars dotting his body. Now, he had many that he didn’t even think were worth counting. “It wasn’t quite as enjoyable when I fought back, huh,” was all he said to his rival. He turned his head to look around and decided it was time to depart. He wasn’t going to stay and hear anything that Rembrandt said in response. His mind had no more excuses. The stallion was not going to stay. Putting one leg in front of the other, he took off at a trot. He didn’t have the energy to run, but he would get there as fast as he could. He would do his best to make it there, no matter how long it took. |
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The wind slowly picked up, causing Rhysand to simply feel uneasy. Though the breeze was light and gentle, running through his light mane and tail, he felt a shift in the atmosphere around him. He glanced up, squinting because of the brightness of the sun, observing the sky. There were few clouds, though in the distance towards the horizon line, he could find dark clouds rolling in. A storm was brewing, and something was coming. Rhysand turned his attention back to the rest of the mares, especially Silver, who would give another look of sympathy.
In his head, Rhysand wanted to tell her to stop trying to comfort him. He knew he needed it though. Since the day Dreamer was exiled, nothing had really been the same.
"Rhys," one of the mares said. "What do you think?" She had repeated herself a few times already, clearly annoyed. It was obvious Rhysand was distracted.
"Huh?" Was all that Rhysand managed to say.
"What do you think about a war?" She asked. Rhysand shook his head.
"It'd be damn stupid," he grunted, lowering his head to pull up the grass below him. He chewed for a moment, swallowing. He raised his head again. "War is a fool's game, just as revenge. You get nothing from it except devastation," he then added. He took a moment to rethink his answer, and decided that it was a good one. What was the possible point of war? Bloodshed? Death? Heartbreak?
Nothing could be worth that much pain.
And that's when his mind was brought back to Dreamer. Now, Rhysand had never had a friend like Dreamer before. The two had grown closer and closer each day, and Rhysand could appreciate him. He never thought of him as a brother, but more like a soulmate. Platonic, mainly, though there would be days where Rhysand could imagine the two possibly being more than that. He wasn't sure if he had developed feelings for him, let alone another stallion, but whatever it was, that feeling brought him comfort. But that idea seemed too far out of reach now, and as Rhysand stood in the crowd of females, he felt out of place.
"Well, there's some word about it. I mean, there is with any herds living this close to each other. It's just a surprise it hasn't happened yet," the mare went on. Rhysand nodded.
"Sooner or later doesn't change the fact it isn't worth it. War is... stupid," Rhysand muttered in response, though his words were still audible. He felt as though he was repeating himself. "Has Crius mentioned anything of it?" He then asked.
Crius was their leader - the stallion that exiled Dreamer. He was an admirable leader, not to dishonor him as one, but Rhysand felt this sort of hatred towards the stallion regardless if he was a good leader. He knew what he was doing and was experienced, but it seemed like everyone around Rhysand was simply looking for bloodshed. Crius included. He had been leader since Rhysand was just a colt, and just like any other, Rhysand wished to be as great as him one day.
But Rhysand woke up.
Being violent never solved anything. But the moment you stopped it, nothing seemed to change either. There was this inequality of balance in the world regarding peace and brutality. If you had peace, your life was either boring and not exciting or you weren't winning anything. You weren't getting anywhere. But if you had war, there was something to fight for, but it would come at the cost of nearly everything.
Rhysand sighed at the thought. Of course living in a herd that was rivals with another was not going to end well, but he simply hoped that it wouldn't depend on him. Rhysand was never the fighting type - at least not physically. Sure, his words could be laced with a venom so poisonous that you'd want to run for your life, but Rhysand was never the one to get physical. Maybe that was his issue. Or maybe it was just because the stallion had become a bit reasonable. Too reasonable - maybe.
Sometimes Rhysand had wished that he would be able to voice his opinion towards their leader. Tell him that there was better ways to deal with this. Move the herd. Or hell, even try making some sort of treaty. But of course, Rhysand wasn't going to do that. He could end up on the outside, and he knew damn well he wouldn't last a week on his own.
He'd end up like Dreamer.
Everything had been reminding him of his friend. He sighed in frustration, causing Silver to give him a concerned look. "I'll be back," he muttered, trotting off without an explanation. He didn't let Silver say a word to him, as she would probably protest in his departure.
Dreamer had to be coming back. For days there was this gut feeling about his friend returning. Maybe it was just because he missed him or maybe it was because the universe had been giving him signs and Rhysand just never read into them well enough.
He will be back, Rhysand told himself. He will. |
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Dreamer held his head up high. His coat may be covered in dirt, but that could easily be fixed. He had restored the pride in himself, and it felt good. He felt younger now that he had stood up for himself. The stallion’s eyes were bright and full of life. Rather than just a week ago, they were always sunken and never quite there. The former horse of himself, he wished to never to see again. However, he couldn’t focus much on that now. He had other things to get to. There was important information stored in his brain that was just rotting up there. Picking up his speed, he three his left forefront into the canter and took off on the left lead. His legs gave some fight as they creaked into the motion. He felt good to be out by himself; he could canter with the free will on his own time. Every second, he kept getting carried away with his freedom. The stallion forced his mind to focus. He had to get there soon. He wasn’t sure of how long he had. He pushed his legs into a full blown gallop, stretching his neck out. The wind blew his mane back, and with it, the hold that was on his from his former herd. His ears flattened back to allow for a more comfortable experience. Even though his legs ached, he forged on. Everything on his body hurt more than he could express. If he wanted to express anything, that is. He could feel the warmth spread across his body from the abrasive wind. Though, a storm was brewing. He could see the dark clouds above the horizon. This only meant for more urgency. The sprinkling had already started. Soon, it would pour down on his entire body. It wasn’t as if he minded, though. Dreamer had an obsession with the water. He had gained quite the distance in his gallop. He was almost there now. He took his speed down a notch, stepping back into a left leading canter. He lifted his ears to point them forward, eager for anything. The rain was now coming down harder, rinsing some of the dirt off of his coat. He was now more recognizable as his former self. He left out a loud neigh, his nostrils flaring as he took in air. His voice was deep, but it was slightly different. It was hoarse. He hadn’t used his neigh in quite some time, having nobody to call out to. Now, he was hoping for a response. He kept his beat going, his long limbs extending his canter. It was quick, covering ground faster than he seemed he could be capable of. Dreamer, however, felt the immediate sense of relinquishing this information hidden in his brain. Being a part of that herd had its advantages. In some twisted way, he murmured in his brain. His brain was whirling around faster than he was. He had so many thoughts. Wonders of how this reunion would turn out and wonders of how soon the war was impending. He knew it was going to happen. He had heard it himself from the herd lead. The only fact that he didn’t know: when. The thoughts racked at him. They knocked on the sides of his head, begging to be let out from their imprisonment. He let out another neigh, making it more impatient than the last. He knew he had to wait for a reply, but now, he had too much he needed to say. With nothing to hear, he let his ears relax. They flopped slightly as he cantered on. He was now entering their territory. He was sure to be seen soon. The rain was full-on now. His coat was drenched. All in all, Dreamer knew this was of the utmost importance to tell them as soon as possible. He turned his head to look around, searching for any sign of them. He knew they weren’t likely this close to the bordering area of the two herds. But here, he couldn’t be chased. He couldn’t be beaten for no reason. He relished in the idea of maybe being accepted. After the six months of forced decentries, he just needed someone to be there for him. He wanted a friend. His friend. Dreamer wanted his friend back. In the other herd, he had no friends. All he had were rivals. Every horse hated him for seemingly no reason. Maybe it was his heritage, maybe his past. He would never know. In all honesty, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know. All the stallion wanted was to know he must never feel that useless again. His eyes darkened just thinking about it. He kept his pace, searching more in the territory. By now, everything was plastered to his skin. Reddish brown marks were coming out of his pelt, both from a mix of dirt and blood. One couldn’t be too sure which. He felt as if his coat somewhat resembled who he was. It was being washed anew. It used to be caked in dirt. Now, it was going back to what it used to be. Aside from a few grass and dirt stains that would need a bit more of a rinsing than rain. His eyes remained a bit harsh as he pushed himself. His legs were growing exhausted. And so was he. Dreamer had close to nothing left in his body, but he kept going. There was no way he was going to leave them in the dark about such a crucial thing. If anyone were going to launch a war, it was going to be him. Dreamer knew he had been exiled from the herd. To him, there was no way they’d accept him back, but there had to be a way to at least see them again. Or, rather, see one of them. His legs dipped, forcing him to pick his head up higher. He needed to regain his balance. If he were to fall now, he didn’t know if he could get back up again. He threw a lead change in, his right leg now pushing him forward. However, he never let his pace dipped. He was to keep going. He had to protect them, even if they no longer wanted his protection. If Dreamer were to just give up, he’d never forgive himself. And he was sure they wouldn’t forgive him, either. The stallion had a reputation to uphold. And a few things to fix, while he was at it. |
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The things that Dreamer could've changed would've been to back down at least once. It would've been to simply take a step back and prevent this outcome from happening. Rhysand could remember the sudden sadness he felt when Crius publicly exiled him, running him out of the herd. It was harsh, and Rhysand was so tempted to simply run after his friend - best friend, even - and join him in his troubles. But Rhysand understood that it was a consequence of his own action - not Rhysand's. He had nothing to do with it. He recalled some other horses speaking among themselves and calling Dreamer a hero and that Crius was wrong for doing what he did.
To Rhys, Dreamer was stupid and Crius had every right.
While he felt bad, considering his friend could very well be dead, Rhysand felt this sort of pit in his stomach. While he cares so much about his friend, he figured that Dreamer knew what could happen if he did what he did. Rhysand couldn't bare thinking of his friend in a horrible place, possibly dead, dying out there in this cruel world. But he brought that upon himself, and Rhysand wasn't going to try and change his mind about that.
Rhysand did know, however, that deep down, if Dreamer showed up again, that he would in fact take him back in a moment's notice. It wasn't like Dreamer had even done anything towards Rhysand, but his own stupidity made Rhysand doubt Dreamer. It wasn't that he stopped believing in him, thought that sudden doubt would forever lurk now in Rhysand's opinion about his friend. Would he find redemption? Maybe. Would Rhysand accept him otherwise? Of course. That was a given, even if Dreamer would end up betraying Rhysand or the entire herd.
But that all depended on whether or not he was even still alive somewhere out there. He had to be, right? Rhysand could admire Dreamer for his survival instincts, even though the two had only really known each while in the herd. If he were being honest, anyone was better at fighting or surviving than Rhysand - it simply had never been his thing, nor did he plan to make it his thing.
Dreamer was a survivor - is a survivor.
He's alive.
And with this thought in the back of Rhysand's mind, though still rather prominent, he decided that he would take a moment away from the herd. Now he was being impulsive. This was stupid, but he decided that it wouldn't matter in the long run. He needed answers, and he would get them. There was one thing that Rhysand didn't doubt about Dreamer - he knew how to take care of himself.
The atmosphere had changed more. The storm had came in stronger, the sky darkening and becoming a menacing gray. The rain had went from the lightest drizzle to now being a heavy rainfall, cooling Rhysand's pale frame. He looked around for a moment.
"Rhysand!" A voice called in the distance, and it was in fact Silver. He stopped in his tracks, looking over his shoulder. "Come back! That storm's going to get worse," she added, calling after him.
"I have to do this! I'll be back soon!" Rhysand called back. Silver shook her head. He knew that he had probably just disappointed the mare, but he felt as though he could finally get what he had been wanting the last six months - answers.
Wandering away from the herd now, although still on the territory, Rhysand heard a distant neigh. His ears perked forwards, trying to pinpoint the location. But looking forwards, he could find himself seeing a figure in the distance. Rhysand squinted, though his vision was impaired due to the rain. "Shit," he muttered. Rhysand could sense that there was someone else nearby, and because of this, he felt his head raise more. Who could be out in this storm?
Well, Rhysand was, looking for his lost friend. Maybe that was besides the point though.
Rhysand had moved over to the side of where the figure was in the distance, trying to be less-seen. If this was a hostile stallion, scouting out a herd for mares to take, Rhysand would be shit out of luck trying to protect them. Maybe he should've just stayed with the herd as Silver told him to do. Rhysand shook his head. There was no time for going back now. He was already out here, drenched in the cooling rain, thunder clapping ahead and lightning striking in the far distance. The scene was set, and Rhysand was about to uncover something that he had been praying for for the last six months.
Another neigh could be heard, and suddenly, Rhysand felt this sort of familiarity. He lowered his head, though curious, and his blue eyes managed to make out some coloring on the figure. It was a larger-sized horse, easily taller than Rhysand and practically all of the mares within the herd, with an amount of white on him, but also a darker color - grullo, as it was called. The pattern was that of tobiano, and that's when Rhysand lifted his head again.
As fast as he could, he sprinted over to the other stallion. His legs were powerful, each stride carrying him further and further as he approached the other horse. Rhysand felt this sense of freedom while he was running in the rain, but also because he could finally understand that his wishes were granted. Coming to a completely stop in front of the other stallion, he gave a slightly confused look, though his eyes were bright with happiness.
"Dreamer? What the hell are you doing here?" |
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Nothing about it made any sense. The rivalry, the bordering land. All of it could have been easily avoided, but he can’t possibly change that now. All there was to prevent things that shouldn't happen. He knew there wasn’t any way he could change what he did. He’s not sure if he’d change what he did. He may be younger, but he sure as hell felt like he was wiser beyond his years now. He knew things, he had learned things. He had changed things. He had changed himself. All he knew was that as soon as he could, he needed to lay down. His legs hurt, his eyes. Everything did. Even his brain. It probably hurt the most. Knowing what he knew was bound to make him go insane. It’s all he could think about. The storm only aiding in giving him comfort. The rain comforted him, telling him everything would be okay. He slowed when he heard the squelching on the land. Something was approaching, and quickly. He knew he was likely safe. He knew he hadn’t been followed. Or maybe he had. Maybe he’d been careless and led it right into their territory. He slowed his pace down, coming to a stop. He slid on the wet grass. However, he didn’t make it very far. His muscles tensed, ready to have to protect himself. Tired as he was, he couldn’t stop now. However, as it got closer, he could see a light colour. A light colour that was on the back of another horse. The horse seemed smaller than he was. Though, that didn’t help him clear anything up. Dreamer was taller than just about any horse he had ever come into contact with. He planted his hooves into the ground, turning his ears backwards. Dreamer only had a couple more seconds to decide what he was going to do. But when the horse stopped in front of him, he immediately recognized who it was. His only thought was that he was now safe. If he wanted to, he could collapse right now, and the stallion knew he’d be watched over. He knew that, as long as the other horse could help it, nothing would ever happen to him again. He trusted the horse in front of him. He trusted his friend. He trusted Rhysand. His eyes immediately softened. He wasn’t sure what to say. Dreamer was never that good with words. However, all he knew he needed to do was lean. He was usually the tree that stood through everything. Now, he felt as if he couldn’t be that. The tree would have to be something else. Or, rather, someone else. Words didn’t come to his mouth. He had no energy left in him. He needed to conserve his voice for when it was important. He lifted a hoof, hesitantly, before placing it down. He inched himself just a bit closer. Whenever he felt he was at an adequate distance, he leaned his head over the neck of his friend. He lightly placed his head down to lean on the other. An odd way to process a reunion, but he wasn’t sure of what other way to show what he wanted to say. He wanted to tell Rhysand everything that happened to him within the six months that he was away. All the abuse he received. What he wanted to say the most was just “hello”. He had not seen a friendly horse since he was exiled. All he had known for the time was violence and defense. Although, he gave up defending himself soon in. The stallion closed his eyes, his muscles releasing their tension. He knew he couldn’t stay like this for long, but he needed it. He took in the question: what was he doing here? He knew what he was doing, but he hadn’t quite thought about what to do when he had actually gotten here. As much as he was asocial, Dreamer couldn’t give in to himself and not say anything. Even if he didn’t know what to say. He could start with a truth. That was always easy. But which truth? The most recent will do. “I’m not sure how much longer I can stand,” was all he mustered out. His voice was quiet and somehow broken. It cracked as he spoke. Everything felt broken now. He felt broken. He let out a heavy sigh before opening his eyes. He couldn’t lean too much. The other wouldn’t think kindly of that. He lifted his head up and let the water drip off of him. His ears were forward, something that felt rare to him. His ears were pinned for almost the entirety of his life. His eyes drooped. An indication to how tired he actually was. He was strong; he could power through, but what he said was the truth. He did not know how much longer he could force his legs to stand. They screamed at him in a way he had never felt before. The heat in them could heat up his entire body, if he didn’t like the way the rain felt. However, the heat didn’t give him any happy feelings. It just throbbed. He needed to give them a rest. A rest for how long? Maybe days. How easily could a horse recover six months of constant edge, he wondered. He had gotten what he wanted. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to happen now. Being a part of a herd didn’t seem too appealing, considering his past choices. He blinked his eyes in a hope to restore some of his energy. He needed about a week’s sleep right then and there. Dreamer had nothing else to say. He couldn’t find anything to say. He needed the rest to be filled in, like it always had been. Being close to the most asocial horse he ever knew, there wasn’t much conversation in him when he was full of energy, let alone when he was about to drop to the ground. He wanted to say that he was sorry for things he had to do. Though, the things he was sorry for weren't for getting exiled. It was for not coming back earlier. Six months was too long. They surely wouldn’t accept him back now. Not even just as a bachelor stallion to live on his own. Dreamer was sure he wasn’t needed anymore. They had someone new to protect them now. What he had done was too much to go back on. Wasn’t it? He wasn’t sure why he was thinking this way. He never had before. He just knew he wanted to be forgiven. He wanted Rhysand to forgive him, but he didn’t want it to just go away. They needed to know what he knew. They needed to know what happened to him, whether they wanted to or not. He wanted to buckle his knees, but he knew he should wait. He needed to get back into safe territory first. He needed Rhysand to bring him there. The stallion didn’t know if he could make it any further by himself. He had spent far too long not himself. He needed time to get back to it. He wanted to ask. He wasn’t sure why, but he needed to ask. “Would you walk me there?” his voice was still quiet and unsure. He wanted to be himself again, but he needed to rest first. There was too much going on in his brain. The moment he saw his friend, the thoughts slowed. They wouldn’t be there for too much longer, he hoped. |
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At first Rhysand couldn't believe such a sight. This is what he had been looking for for the past six months. His friend - best friend. Rhysand could feel the tears forming in his eyes, though he refused to let them fall. This was insane! Not a bad thing, though, but the fact that Dreamer was here on Prairie Creek Herd territory made him believe that Dreamer had been trying to get back for a while. Rhysand got a good look at him, seeing how exhausted he looked.
For a moment, the world felt quiet. Still. As if time had stopped, and the sudden ache that Rhysand felt in his heart each time he thought about his friend had finally disappeared. It vanished, and Rhysand couldn't be more grateful. He was alive! After all of these months, resisting himself from going out to find his friend, he had finally come back. Rhysand felt as though he was dreaming, but he wasn't. This was real. Dreamer stood in front of him, clearly tired and appeared as though he had been drug through the dirt. Rhysand gave a sympathetic smile after locking eyes with Dreamer, his look sincere and almost apologetic in a way.
Maybe if Rhysand had gone out of his way to look for his friend earlier on, he wouldn't be standing in front of him in such a horrible condition. Now he felt guilty. It wasn't because of what he did, but rather what Rhysand didn't do. He could've been there for him, but to him, all that really mattered was that his friend was okay. Breathing, at least, and that's what mattered, right? At least he hadn't wandered to find him simply dead or near-death. This was probably the best thing that has happened to Rhysand in recent months if he was being honest.
After looking into his friend's eyes for longer, Rhysand could so very easily tell that something inside of him had changed. It wasn't that he seemed different, but that Dreamer had been shown something about himself that made him change. Rhysand couldn't put an exact point on what it was, or maybe it was simply because he just hadn't seen him for so long and there was the chance that it had been nothing, but regardless, something about Dreamer seemed... off. Rather than looking prideful, he looked tired and weakened.
What had happened?
Rhysand felt the immediate comfort in Dreamer's head resting on his neck. Rhysand returned the favor, closing his eyes for a moment, embracing his friend. He missed him, truly. Sincerely. Words couldn't describe how much he really did, even if Rhysand would never admit it to anyone. Rhysand opened his eyes, looking up towards the sky as if to thank whatever God was out there for returning his friend. He departed from the intimate action, looking at Dreamer.
The silence was something comforting, but hearing Dreamer's broken say admit that he wasn't sure how much longer he could stand silently broke Rhysand's crying heart. There was so much hurt and pain in Dreamer's voice, and for a moment, Rhysand wanted to stand there and embrace him for longer, but he knew that the herd would eventually notice he was gone. But now that he thought of it, would Dreamer even want to go back to the herd?
"We'll get out of this storm and you can rest, okay?" Rhysand reassured, his voice filled with sympathy and kindness. His eyes were dimmed now, filled with some sort of remorse towards the stallion in front of him. Why did he feel this way? Was it because he deep down judged Dreamer's judgment? Or maybe it was because Rhysand never went out of his way to look for him. Perhaps it was both - a mix of feelings, confusing Rhysand's brain. He couldn't decide why he was feeling guilt. Honestly, he wasn't even sure if those were any of the reasons.
Rhysand honestly felt like how Dreamer looked - exhausted. Rhysand was tired of not admitting how much he missed his friend. How much he wanted to look for him. How much he wanted to look for a body. How much he prayed each night, hoping that the Gods would hear him and answer. How much Dreamer meant to Rhysand. He saw the stallion in his future, and now that he was here, it relieved him. Dreamer could finally come home.
But then there was this thought in the back of his mind. Would Crius even allow Dreamer back? What if he was simply kicked out again, or even executed this time? He wasn't sure if Crius would go that far to prevent someone from joining again, but Rhysand knew Dreamer. The stallion was at least semi-reasonable, and even though Rhysand thought Dreamer's actions six months ago were stupid, he would help him regardless. Maybe that would make Rhysand the stupid one - helping an exiled stallion. But his friends' problems were his problems, and he made a silent vow that he would stand by that, even if they weren't aware of his devotion towards them.
Rhysand stood, still evaluating the stallion in front of him. Would Rhysand forgive him? Could anyone? What he did was something that most wouldn't dare to do, standing up for someone who needed it though knowing it would drag you down was honorable. Rhysand could at least admire that. But what worried him more was what Crius had to say or do about it. Did Dreamer even wish to return? Now more questions stirred in Rhysand's mind. Did Dreamer join another herd? There was the distant smell of other horses on the stallion anyway. Perhaps he joined a band... Whatever it was, Rhysand couldn't be too sure about it unless he asked, but he didn't break the silence. He looked at his friend worriedly, hoping he would be nursed back to health as soon as possible.
Hearing Dreamer ask Rhysand to take him there, the herd, made his heart sink. Of course he would agree, but who knew what could happen.
"Of course," Rhysand responded softly, turning towards the direction of the herd. He stood close to Dreamer in case he needed someone to lean on (though there wasn't much for him to lean on anyway - Rhysand was a much smaller stallion).
Hopefully this would turn out decent.
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Winter 
Night Weather: 
Blizzard Moon: 
