Sleepy Fox Hollow will you sing for me, even when i'm gone?

possibly @Wolfshelm but all welcome!

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as the sun descended past the cliffs that swallowed the valley, sundown escaped from colosseum's sightline to migrate briefly from the herd for better grazing grounds. she should not, not as the sun sets, but she does not smell trouble. she will not linger long enough for danger to come.

as the sun descended behind the cliffs that swallowed the valley, sundown strayed from colosseum's sightline in search of better grazing grounds. she knew she should not, not as the sun sets, but she does not sense trouble, and she would not linger long enough for trouble to find her.

gravel shifts beneath her as she walks, kicks up behind her with every forward push up a short ridge before she pauses at its top. ice blue eyes scope the land below, measuring the beauty of it. once more, the earth does not disappoint her—she is stunned once more with the pops of color from budding flowers, lush green grass surrounding it. pretty.

colosseum’s teeth were buried in a thick patch of grass, sun-warmed and sweet, when he realized she was gone.

he lifted his head slow—stalk still between his molars, ears swiveling back, then forward. the scent of her was faint now, trailing east, brushing the edges of the wind like smoke from a dying fire.

he didn’t like it.

sunset smeared the cliffs in gold and rust, the sky bleeding behind their jagged spines. this was when danger crept, when wolves moved quieter, and stallions without bands came sniffing with bitter mouths.

he chuffed, the grass falling forgotten from his lips, and surged forward—three long strides before his front hooves left the ground entirely.

he reared.

massive and upright, tail flaring behind him, forelegs slicing through the last of the light. a warning to the shadows and the scentless places beyond the ridge.

then he landed, hard.

the earth trembled under his hooves.

he snorted, wheeled on a back foot, and bolted toward the ridge. gravel spat under his weight. her scent grew stronger again, curling along the path she took.

his.

he watches from the lower slope, hooves planted in dirt that’s still warm from the sun. watching with careful eyes, flaring nostrils in two fast gusts to note her scent. it carries the undertones of a strong mare.
but wolf doesn’t call. he just shifts upon his weight, tail flicking with one lash. gravel slides beneath thick hooves as he begins to descend the slope he stationed upon. when she stops, he follows her gaze, slow.
the flowers catch the last light. he doesn’t care for them, but he sees why she does. wolf does not have the look of a stallion who is seeking to claim or harass, curious brown eyes watching. something familiar lingering, mixed within her scent—or maybe it is someone else entirely.

her gaze travels, surveying, until she catches movement in the dark. a grullo coat nearly hides him, but movement and the final rays of light give him away. that and his scent, when she drops her head in curiosity of him. a snort, the soft flare of her nostrils.

it does not last—her ears twitch backward to sound. there is thunder behind her, hoofbeats that shake the ground they walk upon, bounding forward for her. she knows it is him before he arrives, smells him against the wind.

she withdraws from the ledge, pivots to brace against the breeze as he closes in.

Fancy lifted her head as the stallion uttered a soft sound. He wasn't given to being pompous and noisy, like some stallions, and when he started to move, she flicked her ears back, and hastily swallowed the mouthful of grass she had. She spotted Selenia and Pippin within sight- but the new mare? Gone. 

Colt's teeth, She snorted in annoyance, and uttered a grunt as she picked up a walk. Her filly trotted alongside her, engaged with the sudden change of tempo, though slightly wary of the expression on her mother's face. With an exaggerated bobbing of her head and whisk of her tail she set a course first for @Selenia and @Pippin Twofeather. Let's shake some Twofeathers, She grumbled, and tossed her head in the direction that Colosseum had gone. 

The stallion would likely find the wandering mare first- but his herd would follow him, and catch up at their own pace.

he found her first—sundown, glowing gold beneath the sinking sun, her flanks kissed in amber light.
but her gaze wasn’t on him. it was locked ahead.

and then he saw him.
the bachelor.
he chorted.

a rolling, rough sound from deep in his throat as his head lifted and ears twisted forward.
he braced, expecting to shield her, to drive the rogue off—

but stopped. mid-step.
that scent.

the stallion ahead held his ground. not aggressive. not skittish. the wind swirled and struck colosseum full in the chest.
familiar.

his nostrils flared, ears twitching. the shape. the way the stallion moved. something in the posture, the weight in those legs.
wolf!

the name rumbled low and hoarse from his throat. a whisper wrapped in thunder.
colosseum took a step forward. muscles taut with wariness, but no longer laced with fury. a snort steamed from his nostrils as he slowed his gait, moving closer. his eyes locked onto the bachelor’s—his half-brother. kin!

you always did show up when the girls got pretty.
a huff of dry amusement, tail flicking once.

but his body remained poised. protective still. sundown was his now. his herd.

“an’ yer still loud,” wolf chortles at him from the rest of the hill he stands upon, looking briefly over his kin.
he shifts his weight once. gravel pops beneath a hoof. his eyes flick to sundown, then back.
“not here for yer mares, brother. never was.” wolf snorts in response, fixing the roan stallion with a knowing look. he exhales through his nose.
“just hungry. ridge ‘s picked clean. figured i’d try the edge.” brief explanation as he ventures closer, his gait not confident but instead quiet, not seeking to appear stronger or showcase himself in challenge. it had never been that way—not between them. colosseum and wolfshelm had been all the other had for quite some time, and he sought to see if any scrap of that bond remained beneath his brother’s bravado.
“y’ want me gone, say it. i’ll head east.” he means it. there is no pride in his step. just the way he’s always been—one step behind the herd, then further.

cameo! <3

"they're just coming from all over," selenia sighed in exasperation as she and the colt trotted beside fancy. horse sense, prevailing, said that a large herd protected by many teeth and hooves was the best place to raise foals. 

her own rejected the noise and the squealing and the chaos that came with so many horses in one place.

colosseum did not attack. selenia watched to see what had arrested him, ears sweeping forward in pointed interest.

the second stallion was also handsome, she noted with a flick of her tail, stepping in time with the lead mare, little pippin tucked at her side.

his ears flicked, tail giving a lazy swat behind him. gravel cracked under his weight as he turned to face him—wolf, with that same scraggly mane and the same damn eyes. only difference now was time. time and the dust they'd both swallowed since they were colts scraping hooves in somebody else’s shadow.

he didn’t stomp, didn’t snort, didn’t flash a tooth. he didn’t need to. this was his hollow. his band. every breath of wind in this place bent around him.

but still, his chest lifted, and his body squared—just once—as wolf drew close. not to threaten. just to remind.

who he was now.

then, just as quick, the tension slid from his shoulders like sweat from hide. he dipped his head once, low, in that silent way stallions sometimes spoke when words were too fragile for what came before.

he didn’t need to say stay.
didn’t need to say course you’re welcome.

the space he gave was answer enough.

so colosseum dropped his head back to the grass, took another mouthful, and muttered around the stalks:

‘s better graze down here anyhow.

and that was that.

hooves sink heavy against the earth as he trods closer. drifting slowly, a shadow creeping over warm stone. his ears tilting, tail giving a lazy swat in response to collo’s squared display. snorting. he’s got those same eyes, just with more scruff, more grit and marks scarring his roan coat.
wolf lowers his head and begins grazing alongside the stallion. rooting up a patch of grass, chewing it slowly, dust sanding between his teeth. blowing out a breath. know you gotta impress yer mares, his gruff voice is low and only for his brother’s ears. but don’t gotta act all tough on me.
a shared, knowing glance and he snorts with a half-laugh. grazing alongside colloseum’s flank, like they’re still boys again, waiting around beside the mothers who’d stood faithfully with their sire. at that, eyes flick to the mares who gather a ways off, flashes of color and curiosity. that said…
the words are something between mischief and resignation. betcha they’d blush real hard if ya reared up at me right about now.

colosseum let out a dry, weathered chuckle, deep in his chest, teeth flashing as he looked over at his brother.

dirty work, brother, he muttered, still grinning, voice dragging like hooves through gravel.

he turned his head, slow, to glance at fancy—ever-watchful, ever-wary, no doubt keeping one ear tilted their way. then back to wolf, that same scruffy bastard who always had a smart remark tucked under his ribs like a burr.

the breeze shifted.
and for a moment—just a moment—they were colts again. flank to flank. gnawing grass and biting the air like it owed them something.

colosseum snorted once, then let the air coil in his lungs.

he reared.

a sudden, full-bodied rise—legs sharp against the sun’s dying glow, hooves slicing the air like blades. his mane caught the wind, wild and ragged, his tail flaring behind him in a flag of fire and ash.

he stayed there, balanced and bellowing, long enough to make a damn impression.

then he came down, heavy, proud, the earth thudding like a drumbeat beneath him.

a quick glance toward the mares, then a smirk shot sideways at wolf.

reckon they’re blushin’ now?

the stallion flinches back a half step when colosseum lifts, ears flattening just for a blink. the sun cuts across that wild rise, hooves flashing, tail flaring like fire caught in a gust.
his eyes go wide—just for a second. like maybe he didn’t actually think the big bastard would do it.
wolf jolts back a full step, tail lashing once like he’s about to bolt. his legs stiffen, hooves skidding in the dirt, eyes wide and locked on the towering shape of his brother cutting through the sky.
then—
a slow wink, away from the view of the mares.
damn near pissed myself, he mutters, smirk twitching in. then, louder, for the mares to hear: hell, you tryin’ to kill me?! he exclaims, skirting further away.

colosseum chuckled—deep and gravel-rough, barely masking the pride under it. he turned his head just enough to catch the wink, the twitch of his brother’s mouth, and rolled his eyes.

reckon i should’ve, if that’s all it took.

his tail flicked once more before he threw a look back toward the band.

fancy grazing in her usual calm command. selenia coiled tight near the foals. sundown somewhere in the grass, too clever for her own good.

come meet the mares, he called, hooves already shifting in the direction of the band, voice pitched low but sure.

they’ll wan’ know your scent.

and just like that, he started walking—no fanfare this time. just that slow, heavy confidence of a stallion who owned the land and every breath that crossed it.