larger than the moon, my love for you; solace

[Levi]

His lunch is interrupted by the screams of children. There seemed to be children crawling all over the big island these days, his fellow Tephrans were avid procreators. The heavy stallion grumbles to himself and pulls another mouthful of sweetgrass from the fertile earth. Children were always screaming - in joy, in laughter, in exaggerated pain when a sibling landed a well placed nip just to get mom's attention. It would do them all good to learn not to scream so much. 
They may actually mean it someday.

But something about the cries seems different, out of curiosity, he looks in their direction. What he sees there makes his blood run cold and his fire rises simultaneously. 

Magrim. 
Shit.

 No longer is Maugrim the weak and injured colt who had been spit out of Pangea, he has become a powerful stallion (a killer?) and a capable enemy. Instinctually, Levi's ears flatten on either side of his hogged mane and his hackles rise. But quickly he soothes his emotions and his facial features, locking eyes with the shark and moving towards the beach. 

Figure out what he wants. 

Probably your head underwater
...what else?  

Outwardly, Levi remains calm. He now stands four or five horse lengths up the beach from the trio, hoping to draw Maugrim away from the yearlings so they could get away from the water - away from Maugrim's source of power. He still has enough distance between himself and the water that he could anticipate any attack from that quarter.

Levi Smiles. "Well, Maugrim, you're still an ugly bastard." He flicks his tail dismissively. 

De-escalate. 

He wonders if it would be better to engage him, send fire to ensnare him, get him on the defensive. But the children are in Maugrim's possession and any attack could easily damage the yearlings as much as Maugrim. He doesn't spare a glance for the boy and girl - he doesn't dare. 

Hostage negotiation was something he was going to have to learn on the fly, apparently. 

Levi

so scream you, out from behind the bitter ache.