03-20-2016, 01:46 AM
He had tried, but in the end, met with failure - he simply wasn’t meant to be caged in by beautiful country and a pair of pretty eyes.
He was alone, as he had been from the time Scalped kicked him away from her side when he was more than old enough to go off and see the world by himself.
MANDAN
Both of them had known it; had known it was only a matter of time before he strayed.
Why he comes back though, was something he would never know - he has his suspicions after all, but keeps them to himself. Of course he is the same big bay stallion with the impressive set of horns spiraling up and out from his brow, but he is a little more rough in appearance from the way the dust of travel has stuck to his skin. He was definitely weathered, and more than a little weary as he found himself amongst the frivolities of the meadow, shying away from the throngs of conversation that made the space around him noisome and thick.
Mandan found himself beside a river that cut through the grassland, staring at a face in the water that he no longer recognized. He thought of seeking his mother out and asking for her counsel but was quick to cast off that thought and with brooding intensity at his own reflection. There was always the option of going to the Falls and finding her, except he could not beg for forgiveness - it simply wasn’t in him, a genetic flaw perhaps, but he would never apologize for not being able to stay when it wasn’t in his nature to stay but to roam. Oh he had tried! Even tried to be a dutiful stallion and find recruits for what was always her home, and hardly his no matter how much he tried to remain there.
But in the end, he knew he’d leave anyway and he had.
So why come back?
He thought of asking himself that question aloud and smashed his own reflection to smithereens with a hoof, as he stalked into the river and managed to rinse a good amount of the grime off his skin. The large bay lingered in the river, languishing in its slow autumn-cold current and could not help how his thoughts kept turning to her then away, sliding back to a small upturned face that was yellow and white and smiling - his son, and he nearly looked over his shoulder, expecting the colt to be there but they had already parted ways as nature dictates, some time ago.
He was alone, as he had been from the time Scalped kicked him away from her side when he was more than old enough to go off and see the world by himself.