Sleepy Fox Hollow hayride

AW

the valley stretched wide before him, framed by towering mountains that loomed like silent sentinels. colosseum moved with purpose, his powerful strides steady as he trotted along the winding paths, ears flicking at every distant sound.

his breath curled in the crisp air, nostrils flaring as he took in the scents that clung to the earth. nothing out of place—no unfamiliar trails, no lingering strangers—but he did not let his guard down. the land was theirs to protect, and he would make sure no unwelcome presence threatened its peace.

pausing atop a small rise, he surveyed the valley below, eyes sharp and watchful. all was still, for now. but he would not stop until he was certain. with a snort and a flick of his tail, colosseum pressed on, his heavy hoofbeats muffled by the frost-kissed grass.

She hated to admit it- but life was better with a man around. She’d even said as much to Selenia, who seemed to have warmed toward their new guardian. It shocked Fancy that a stud could be both diligent and kind- she said a little prayer to Equus each day that he remained as such, and that his reign would be long.

Not a request she made often- but for Colosseum, well worth it. 

Having been raised among mares, she felt curious how familiar he might be with their tales. He did not seem to begrudge her for telling them, as she often did to Silverbirch though…The teen was beginning to lose interest in mare’s talk. 

She lifted her head, still chewing a mouthful of cold grass and watched him move. Her lips twitched slightly as she whispered her thanks, and whickered to the man to welcome his company.

colosseum lifted his head at the sound of fancy’s call, ears pricking forward as he let out a deep, rumbling whinny in response. he moved at an easy trot, powerful strides carrying him toward her through the crisp morning air.

as he neared, his sharp eyes scanned her over, searching for any signs of distress. you alright? his voice was steady, tinged with concern, though not overly pressing.

he slowed as he came alongside her, nostrils flaring as he caught the scent of the cold grass she had been chewing. whatever it was, it hadn't sounded urgent, but still—he would not ignore her call.

The other advantage of having a man around was looking at one. The brutish architecture of a testosterone-filled man was something to admire, regardless of one's tastes. That muscled neck held a proud head, a strong jaw that could grab a predator and send it flying with a toss. His meaty rump was a haven of muscle strapped to cannon-fire legs. She'd be damned if the man couldn't kick down a frozen aspen with just one try- but she'd have enjoyed seeing such a feat nonetheless. The clopping of round, heavy hooves was music to her ears. 

The only off-putting thing was his concern. 

Fancy snorted. Do I look like I'm not alright? She asked, one ear flicked back. She flared her nostrils as she inhaled, and let them flutter as she exhaled slowly. Was just touchin' base with you, that's all, She hadn't expected him to come over for a check-in. Still- his genuine concern was something she knew she should appreciate- and not take in such a defensive manner. Old habits were hard to break. 

Sorry. A forced apology, but an apology nonetheless. Didn't mean to waste your time. She expected annoyance, but as she was in the process of incubating another living creature, she didn't have the energy to come up with a lame excuse.

woah, woah, colosseum murmured, his ears tipping back slightly, not in irritation but in reassurance. he hadn't meant to step on her pride.

didn't mean to offend, he added, shifting his weight, nostrils flaring as he took her in. she looked fine—strong, capable, sharp as ever. but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t ask. just… wanted to make sure you were okay. a glance at her belly.

he wasn’t one for unnecessary words, wasn’t one to pry, but he also wasn’t blind. mares could be stubborn, but he knew better than to let that stop him from looking after the ones he ran with.

he huffed, a quiet, almost sheepish sound, then turned his head back toward the valley. not a waste of my time. his tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. he meant it.

Her eyes widened slightly, moments before her brow fell. She canted her head to one side, so she could turn one dark brown eye toward him and see him fully, searching for any sign that he was being sarcastic. One ear flicked back as his gaze meandered toward her bulging belly, and then back. Blinking once, her expression softened. She lifted her head and nodded once, flexing from her poll so that her neck arched. 

Her head lowered slightly, and she caressed her tongue along the ridges in the roof of her mouth, releasing her jaw when he looked away. A moment later, she bobbed her head in surprise, blinking several times and tilting her head once more so she might see past the long, tangled knots of his forelock. His expression had many volumes, but she had yet to learn how to read them. 

Tell me about the bands you've led before, She suggested. You've got no sub-stallion to swap stories with, She said, with a flick of her tail, a hint of amusement in her voice. So don't bother exaggerating. I know what's real and what's horsefeathers.

colosseum huffed softly, the sound more contemplative than dismissive. ain't led many, he admitted, rolling his shoulders as he shifted his weight. a good thing, i think. leadership, after all, was a burden, and the weight of many was not always one he envied.
gaze drifted past fancy, out toward the vast stretch of the valley before them. herds, though— not big for boasting, but i've run with plenty. some settled, some always movin'. his voice was steady, reminiscing without sentimentality. had foals in a few of 'em. they're safe. a pause. as safe as they can be. the wild had no guarantees, no promises, but he had done his part to make sure they had a future.
he flicked an ear toward her, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. don't know how much of it is worth tellin', but i can spare a few stories. long as you're willin' to sort through the horsefeathers yourself.

She assumed he’d perhaps led no herds then- or perhaps only for a short time before being uprooted. Gotta lose a few times before you learn how to win. Fancy advised. And by the way you sent that paint stud flyin’, I’d say you’ve learned plenty. The fight had been short, the victor obvious. 

He seemed most at home with herds- bigger ones, she suspected. To be as well socialized as Colosseum was, he must have spent a fair bit of time among the herds he did not lead. 

Proving his fertility was of interest to Fancy; two years ago, she had not caught- and going a year without a foal after three years of having them had been joyless. She and Selenia needed a herd stallion who could not only protect them, but help the herd grow. 

She uttered a soft grunt in agreement. Safety was never guaranteed- but it sounded as though his foals were in good company at least. 

Her head lifted at the suggestion that he might share a story. A battle story, she thought, for sure- for while colts listened to the same legends as fillies, by the time they became yearlings or by the time their testicles began to drop, most colts lost all taste for stories of Equus, or any stories that weren’t merely one stud bragging to another. 

I’ll listen, She said, whisking her tail against her side. She shifted her weight, allowing one hind foot to rest on its toe as she flicked her ears forward.

you’re right, he said, dipping his head in agreement. every leader takes their falls before they stand tall. i was young when i first led. too young, maybe.
he shifted his weight, eyes softening as he glanced across the open stretch of land. memories stirred, pulling him back to sunlit fields and the echoes of hooves drumming against earth.
there was a stallion—driftwind. older than me. wiser. i’d taken a small band from him. thought i was clever. thought i was strong. but he didn’t come for me like i expected. no, he waited. let the season turn. let the predators grow bold.
colosseum’s gaze darkened, the edges of his voice roughening with the memory.
when the wolves came, i fought. i fought like hell. but we lost a mare that day—a good mare. her name was emberflame. she was heavy with foal. he paused, the weight of her name resting heavy between them. driftwind came the next day. i was tired. broken. he could have driven me off—taken everything. but he didn’t. he stood beside me. we chased the wolves together. he said the land needed stallions who could work as brothers. not just rivals.
he exhaled, the tension easing from his broad frame.
i never forgot that. sometimes winning isn’t about who stands tallest. it’s about who stands beside you when the shadows fall.
his eyes found fancy’s, warm and earnest.
i see that in you. you stand strong—but you know when to lean, too. that’s rare.
he smiled then, softer this time, with something like admiration beneath it.