Without much hesitation, surprising to herself, Wichita followed alongside the blue gray hued stag. It was a warming feeling, the opportunity before her, what she thought was sure to be a journey that played a very important role in her life. She would be stupid to not accept such an offer, as she was always told as a child "can't never could" .The possibilities of a new life flooded her mind, she allowed a small smile to curve itself on her smoky maw. She was joyous that Jason would be glad to have her with him at his home, the one he seemed so very fond and proud of. It was puzzling her how a complete stranger could be pleased with her company, she wasn't convinced it was something exceptional.
Being confused didn't stop her from enjoying the game of chase on the way to the Gates, because even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then. Accepting her chance of luck, she met each burst of speed with her own. Becoming a blur in the fading light, knowing the expense of energy was like to catch up with her tomorrow, her forearms burned with their exertion. Their pace returned to a kind trot, her lungs filled and disgorged as she reclaimed her breath, and then it happened. The questions they came, as she knew they would, but so soon? She had not taken the time to properly prepare herself for the answers that would follow a query about her past. Her pace slowed further into a dragging walk as she fought with herself inwardly, eyes alight with moisture though she was damned if she would cry. Not now she chided herself.
At first her voice broke, even as she trained her eyes on the horizon, she proceeded on autopilot,
"I don't know how herd life is for yall in the Gates."She paused and collected herself breifly,
"My father isn't a kind stallion, mares are property to him, we're beneath him. He only wanted us around to meet his needs, and to hurt if we wronged him." she shuddered."He's a cruel creature, and the other mares and momma and me, we did our best not to anger him. When he came for me though, I couldn't, even though momma told me to just do what I needed to do...." she broke off, it hurt to think about what had happened that day. How her mother (who had always done as her father wished and was the least defiant) had stepped into the fight Wichita had started, how she had yelled so loudly for her to run.
And how she had ran, bleeding and disheveled...the whites of her mother's eyes burning fear and shame into her heart all at once.