colosseum stood broadside on a shale rise, mane in tatters from the wind’s teeth, muscles twitching like a loaded bow. the hollow yawned before him in gold and gray, thick with the scent of old battles and mule-deep roots. mountains hung like judges over the vale, each crag a crown for a king that hadn’t been crowned yet.
he huffed, ears slicing through the hush.
behind him, the band grazed in staggered peace. fancy—the fire-eyed war bride with a jaw like iron—watched his flank without ever looking. selenia drifted further, soft steps like falling petals, always near the foals who knew better than to squeal when he had his ears back.
colosseum stepped down into the hollow like it owed him something. shoulders rolling, tail twitching, every line of his body a threat drawn tight.
the ground gave a little. not a lot. just enough for him to feel like it respected him.
he huffed, ears slicing through the hush.
behind him, the band grazed in staggered peace. fancy—the fire-eyed war bride with a jaw like iron—watched his flank without ever looking. selenia drifted further, soft steps like falling petals, always near the foals who knew better than to squeal when he had his ears back.
colosseum stepped down into the hollow like it owed him something. shoulders rolling, tail twitching, every line of his body a threat drawn tight.
the ground gave a little. not a lot. just enough for him to feel like it respected him.
March 30, 2025, 12:03 PM
what great beast is this that sends the earth shuddering beneath his hungry step?
she watches as a pair -- no -- four or five of them -- meander. their heads low. long tails flicking. they eat sparse vegetative matter, so she presumes them herbivores -- but the wicked coil of that one's muscles call to mind the appropriating step of a panther.
she scents the air between them and adjusts the pronghorn skin along her shoulders. she will watch them a little while yet before deciding her move.
she watches as a pair -- no -- four or five of them -- meander. their heads low. long tails flicking. they eat sparse vegetative matter, so she presumes them herbivores -- but the wicked coil of that one's muscles call to mind the appropriating step of a panther.
she scents the air between them and adjusts the pronghorn skin along her shoulders. she will watch them a little while yet before deciding her move.
![[Image: vRjUCRL.png]](https://i.imgur.com/vRjUCRL.png)
T H I S I S N O W Y O U R L I F E
March 30, 2025, 12:18 PM
colosseum stilled.
the hollow had a rhythm, and this—it was off.
the breeze brought it first: not the rot of carrion, not the usual musky piss of predators, but something cleaner, sharper. fur, fresh. the pulse of danger without the stench of blood. not yet.
he lifted his head from the patch he’d been tearing at, ears swiveling like radar. somewhere to the north—no more than a few paces—there was movement. soft, staggered. multiple feet. too light for elk. too quiet for deer.
wolves.
his ears pinned, lips tightening. he didn’t scream. didn’t run.
instead, the stallion moved.
slow at first. he turned his body broadside—an unmistakable wall of roan muscle and flared heat—and stomped one heavy forehoof into the soft belly of the earth.
a warning.
another step forward, into the open, chest lifted and tail arched. he didn’t see them yet, not all of them, but he didn’t need to. the air had changed. the mares would feel it too.
he blew through his nostrils once—harsh and hot—and raked the ground with a sharp, pointed kick.
the hollow had a rhythm, and this—it was off.
the breeze brought it first: not the rot of carrion, not the usual musky piss of predators, but something cleaner, sharper. fur, fresh. the pulse of danger without the stench of blood. not yet.
he lifted his head from the patch he’d been tearing at, ears swiveling like radar. somewhere to the north—no more than a few paces—there was movement. soft, staggered. multiple feet. too light for elk. too quiet for deer.
wolves.
his ears pinned, lips tightening. he didn’t scream. didn’t run.
instead, the stallion moved.
slow at first. he turned his body broadside—an unmistakable wall of roan muscle and flared heat—and stomped one heavy forehoof into the soft belly of the earth.
a warning.
another step forward, into the open, chest lifted and tail arched. he didn’t see them yet, not all of them, but he didn’t need to. the air had changed. the mares would feel it too.
he blew through his nostrils once—harsh and hot—and raked the ground with a sharp, pointed kick.
Yesterday, 06:43 AM
Fancy could often be afforded the peace in the presence of the stallion. While her duty kept her senses engaged, she enjoyed these early days with Selenia and the foals, knowing that Colosseum watched over them and the paint mare who was typically close by.
Nevertheless, any sudden change in his movement caught her attention, and when he lifted his head, she looked up, nostrils flared as she searched for the scent of anything that might be off.
He stared for a moment, and Fancy watched, her sudden silence cuing her daughter to return to her side. Another horse? Another stallion? Fancy was still in heat- there was a chance that another had caught her scent-
But a stallion might have merited a bellow from the man. When he moved forward in silence, Fancy snorted, to awaken the alertness of both the buckskin and the paint.
Nevertheless, any sudden change in his movement caught her attention, and when he lifted his head, she looked up, nostrils flared as she searched for the scent of anything that might be off.
He stared for a moment, and Fancy watched, her sudden silence cuing her daughter to return to her side. Another horse? Another stallion? Fancy was still in heat- there was a chance that another had caught her scent-
But a stallion might have merited a bellow from the man. When he moved forward in silence, Fancy snorted, to awaken the alertness of both the buckskin and the paint.
Whirlpool formation,She said, nudging Flashy toward Pippin so that the foals could mill together- the eye at the heart of a spinning hurricane that would be the mares, if they heeded her advice and formed a rotating, protective ring around the foals.
Yesterday, 10:47 AM
a ripple of tension moves through the band. from her vantage in the deadfall she watches with eyes widening as the first — a blocky thing of granite and storm — turns his impressive flank broadside.
to her he calls to mind an inimitable boulder loosened from scree, and the heavy strike of his foreleg is equally thunderous.
two small things — their children, she realizes — move to one of the distant creature’s flanks.
they are a watchful and wary race, atoztli decides. but so very different than the guanacos of her homeland.
must this be some cousin of the pronghorn? she probes visually at their anatomy and is shocked to notice their limbs end in a single hoof.
as she leans in close, a branch above loosened by her careful movement comes clattering to the ground.
to her he calls to mind an inimitable boulder loosened from scree, and the heavy strike of his foreleg is equally thunderous.
two small things — their children, she realizes — move to one of the distant creature’s flanks.
they are a watchful and wary race, atoztli decides. but so very different than the guanacos of her homeland.
must this be some cousin of the pronghorn? she probes visually at their anatomy and is shocked to notice their limbs end in a single hoof.
as she leans in close, a branch above loosened by her careful movement comes clattering to the ground.
T H I S I S N O W Y O U R L I F E
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