Expecting the Expected [Nandalie Herd/Open]

[yaruka]

At the colt's words Amarina almost did flee back to the sanctuary of the herd. But something about the colt's expression stopped her. He looked so pathetically harmless than she couldn't fear him, and coming from her than meant a lot. An uncertain look over her shoulder confirmed her shaky resolve. Irawaddy was watching her kindly, and gave a gentle nod of encouragement to Amarina's unasked question. Letting out a shaky sigh, the bay roan filly looked back to the stallion, "Okay." she said quietly.

[Ehetere]

Waiting for an answer was agonizing. Like being held under water without a breath. You kept on waiting and waiting to be let up but the respite never came as it became harder and harder to function. Had he known her thoughts at the time, he might have wished to crawl away and melt back into the scrubs. Orroroo did not wish to be so hopeless, he just… was.

The filly glanced back, and Orroroo’s pleading expression briefly turned to panic. Oh how cruel it would be for her to run back to the safety of her family now, after so much heartache already! To have the filly snatched from his hooves at the last moment would be cruel fate indeed.

His heart was in his throat as the filly turned back to him, and why didn’t she just go? It was only making the defeat all that more humiliating. But it was not to be! Orroroo could have jumped for joy then – his overwhelming joy showing in every line of his roaned and patched body. He wanted to dance and rear and cavort around like some young colt, he wanted to run with his tail flying free in the wind with Amarina by his side. But the fear she would flee was so strong he resisted all but a tiny buck of excitement before tentatively reaching out to touch her delicate muzzle.

“Thank you,” he murmured, and doubted that the bay roan would ever know how sincere those words were. Casting a glance back at the noble strawberry roan stallion, calling his thanks, respect and promising he would care for his beautiful daughter well. And Orroroo was sure he would defend her with his life.

[yaruka]

Amarina shyed back in surprise as the stallion bucked, watching him with round eyes. But she quickly overcame her shock when she saw the giddy expression in his eyes, and nearly huffed in amusement. His muzzle was extended to hers, and trembling, she slowly bumped it with her delicate black one. 'Thank you," he whispered, but the mare only looked back through her long lashes, trying to discern the true meaning between those words. Here was perhaps another late starter in life, the two of them were well past the age where they should have started proper herd life. An empathetic partenar maybe.

Orrororro called to Nandalie, and made to move off, Amarina stepping uncertainly after him. She thought she couldn't possibly bear to behind her even one last time, but as the certainty of leaving became all the more real she suddenly spun about and raced over to Irawaddy, pressing her head into her dam's solid neck, nuzzling her shoulder. The bay mare ducked her head over her daughter's, rubbing her muzzle against the peppered crest, before giving her a gentle nudge in Orrorroo's direction, concerned the poor stallion might have a heartattack from any further uncertainty. Amarina touched her nose to Irawaddy's, then her sister's, and then the rest of the herd. Finally, only Nandalie was left, and she trotted quickly over to him to respectfully offer her nose to her sire, before taking a deep breath and cantering back over to Orrorroo, shyly bumping her nose against the blue roan pinto's neck.
"Okay," she said quietly. "I'm ready."

[Ehetere]

And still she had not fled! Orroroo had been steeling himself for the moment when she would impulsively run back to her family, hide her lovely coat amongst her siblings and never been seen again. But here she was, and his confidence finally allowed him to accept she was not leaving after all.

No sooner had he thought this and taken a few steps forward did he hear the hope crushing sound of pounding hooves as Amarina darted away from him and back to the safety of her mother’s side. He spun around, ears sagging with the most distraught expression. To say Orroroo wore his heart on his sleeve would be an understatement – his mood and feelings were plastered across his face and features as plain as day. It took no genius to see his heart was sinking further than should be possible.

Fate was oh so cruel to him! It was as if it wanted nothing more than to tease him about his failures; sending him beautiful mares only to have them snatched away at the very last minute after raising his confidence to hope. He was about to turn his head in shame, walk away a failure and possibly walk right up to the men’s huts and wait to get caught. He was just not cut out for this, he would likely be caught this year with his luck anyway. Easier to save himself the angst of being chased and get it over with.

But from the corner of his eye he caught the sight of Amarina moving amongst her family, and he raised his head a little to get a better look. The bay roan filly was saying goodbye to all those whom she held dear, and Orroroo’s heart leapt, if a little less enthusiastically than before. There was only so much one horse’s nerves could take in one day.

He waited patiently for her to return to his side, fully understanding how difficult it was for one to leave their family, the only world they had known, and face uncertainty with another. It was a hard task, but one that all young horses must face. He smiled weakly when she did come, his emotions having been thrown around like leaves in a storm. Gently he ran his soft muzzle down the length of her neck, inhaling deeply. He led off then, starting with a gentle walk which turned into a trot and then a loping canter, unable to restrict his excitement even then. He threw one last call to the red roan stallion before merging into the trees with his newest and only herd member.

And then he was gone.