02-18-2017, 09:51 PM
The sun drew closer to the horizon now, illuminating the sky in a collage of colors. The bold cerulean sky shifted, deep apricot swirled with sweet lavender that collided with gentle rose hues and firey crimson undertones. Rou felt the familiar ache of sadness, remembering the moments he would spend curled by his mother’s legs, watching the sun kiss the sky as terrible days turned to peaceful nights.
“Rou,” She would say. “I love you. More than words could ever describe. Don’t lose hope, he won’t have us in his clutches forever.” She would smile…her pure, caring smile, and nuzzle the tufts on the top of his head. He would giggle, as children do, and snuggle closer to his mother. Then sleep would take him, and he would fall deeply into its clutches, not waking up, even to the loudest of sounds.
How naïve his mother was in her thinking. She was not nearly strong enough to be on her own, let alone with a young foal. Not to mention, the prospect of her ever leaving was foolish – she would be found. Maybe she said these words to Rou so he would feel better. He was mercilessly picked on by the other children in the herd, he felt like an outsider from a very young age, which is why he clung so hard to his mom – she was the only thing he had.
Another familiar feeling welled in his throat – rage. She had been the only good thing in his life, and she was taken. She was ripped away from him swiftly, without warning. Maybe that was why he feared opening up, getting close to others – life is fragile. Death does not discriminate, it takes and takes and takes and leaves a hurricane of broken souls in its wake.
Rou took a deep breath, and looked towards the mare once more. His response seemed to leave her annoyed, and her response was biting and harsh. He didn’t think she was stupid in the slightest, he thought quite highly of her intelligence thus far. The tone of her voice as she told him to keep his secret made him wince – he hoped he had not somehow offended her. She revealed to him that she had been born around this place, and told him how different things were before. He suddenly felt guilty – he had been so focused on his own past, he didn’t even think to consider how hers might’ve been. He watches her eyes change as she reveals that the place she is from doesn’t exist anymore. He stares at her, hoping she can see the empathy in his eyes.
“Now…now I reside in Tephra, a land to the east, bordering the sea. It is uncomfortably hot, humid, and filled with volcanic ash – but it is home.”
Rou feels a million questions flood his mind. He wants to know this mare, he wants to understand her. He had never had this desire before, but he feels his head go awry as he thinks of what to respond. The setting sun casts a glow on her that he cannot brush off – her golden coat is hit with the warm light that accents her sharp jaw and perfectly shaped physique. Her hazel eyes flicker, and something swells up in Rou. The words he’s thinking suddenly slip quietly from his lips.
“Beautiful…” He immediately feels embarrassed, and quickly asks a question in hopes she had not heard him. “Um…do you have a herd there? Or do you just…wander?” The question was stupid, the first thing that came to his mind that he decided to spit out, and Rou felt his face grew hot. He sincerely hoped he was not ruining the first conversation he was having in years.
“I generally roam,” He finally admitted. “I don’t have a home, so I go wherever. I do like this creek, however.” He nods to the stream they now had walked a few feet from. He looked back to Ellyse, hoping his response wouldn’t scare her away.