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Description

Eridanus sat by his lonesome off from the rest of the herd. His coat was drenched through by the cold rain coming down through the forest canopy, but he didn’t mind. His bones would ache later and he’d likely be stiff, but he enjoyed the chill for the moment. It was when he was off by himself that he could really think. The quiet allowed him to focus. While he appreciated his herdmates, they could be pretty noisy. But this silence he had found didn’t last long, unfortunately. Eridanus turned, looking up to Rain, the grullo appaloosa stallion who had recently joined the herd.

“How are you?”

“Fine, thanks. Yourself?”

“Doing well, thank you. Is it alright if I join you?” Eridanus reluctantly nodded. Rain didn’t seem to notice and laid down next to him. “How long have you been with everyone?”

“A few months now,” Eridanus answered simply, shrugging. Rain asked many questions in an attempt to get to know him. He indulged the younger horse, hoping he would grow bored and leave.

“Why did you join?” The scarred stallion flinched as if he had been physically struck and did not answer. “Eridanus, I know something is bothering you. You never seem happy and you never talk about your past,”

“I just want to be alone right now,” Eridanus mumbled softly, closing his eyes.

“If you don’t want to talk about what happened, then say so. Don’t just lie and say it’s fine. Please don’t shut us out,” Rain said, leaning against the soaked older stallion.

Eridanus sighed and glanced at the young bachelor. He knew so little of the world, but was so wise. He could almost see himself in the younger horse.

“I had a family,” He whispered, turning his head away from the colt to hide his pain. “But I failed them,”

“You didn’t-”

“I did. I lead them straight to their deaths,” He said harshly, anger flowing through his veins. Both stallions fell silent and Eridanus let out a soft breath, allowing the anger to slip away.

“We were travelling through the forest when the wildfire caught up to us. I tried leading them to safety, but we were trapped. We were running in circles and after awhile I looked back and they were gone. I was alone. I tried to search for them but I wasn’t good enough. Rune should have left me there. It should’ve been me instead of them that died in that forest. I’m better off dead-”

“You’re better off alive, with us,” Rain said, touching Eridanus’ cheek. He realized now that he was crying. “It’s just like Rune said. We’re family. We’re here for you if you’ll have us,” Rain continued.

He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve forgiveness or comfort. He shook his head, trying to ignore what the young stallion had to say.

“We’re here to help-”

“I don’t want help. I want the pain to stop," he hissed, pinning his ears.

“It’s not going to stop on it’s own. You haven’t accepted any help at all. Has it made you feel better?” Rain asked. Eridanus closed his eyes, feeling the mist landing on his back. The two appaloosas sat in silence for a few minutes.

“It’s okay to need help and I’ll be here when you’re ready to ask for it,” Rain said, gathering his hooves underneath him to get up.

“Stay,” Eridanus blurted out. He cursed himself and didn’t dare look at the younger stallion. There was no talking and no movement for just a moment.

“Okay,” Rain whispered, settling down next to the older stallion again.

Stallion: 104-2 Caine

In response to: --

Art features: Eridanus
Story features: Rune , Eridanus , Rain
Word Count: 604

Aging: --
Healing: --
Pregnancy: --

Description

Eridanus sat by his lonesome off from the rest of the herd. His coat was drenched through by the cold rain coming down through the forest canopy, but he didn’t mind. His bones would ache later and he’d likely be stiff, but he enjoyed the chill for the moment. It was when he was off by himself that he could really think. The quiet allowed him to focus. While he appreciated his herdmates, they could be pretty noisy. But this silence he had found didn’t last long, unfortunately. Eridanus turned, looking up to Rain, the grullo appaloosa stallion who had recently joined the herd.

“How are you?”

“Fine, thanks. Yourself?”

“Doing well, thank you. Is it alright if I join you?” Eridanus reluctantly nodded. Rain didn’t seem to notice and laid down next to him. “How long have you been with everyone?”

“A few months now,” Eridanus answered simply, shrugging. Rain asked many questions in an attempt to get to know him. He indulged the younger horse, hoping he would grow bored and leave.

“Why did you join?” The scarred stallion flinched as if he had been physically struck and did not answer. “Eridanus, I know something is bothering you. You never seem happy and you never talk about your past,”

“I just want to be alone right now,” Eridanus mumbled softly, closing his eyes.

“If you don’t want to talk about what happened, then say so. Don’t just lie and say it’s fine. Please don’t shut us out,” Rain said, leaning against the soaked older stallion.

Eridanus sighed and glanced at the young bachelor. He knew so little of the world, but was so wise. He could almost see himself in the younger horse.

“I had a family,” He whispered, turning his head away from the colt to hide his pain. “But I failed them,”

“You didn’t-”

“I did. I lead them straight to their deaths,” He said harshly, anger flowing through his veins. Both stallions fell silent and Eridanus let out a soft breath, allowing the anger to slip away.

“We were travelling through the forest when the wildfire caught up to us. I tried leading them to safety, but we were trapped. We were running in circles and after awhile I looked back and they were gone. I was alone. I tried to search for them but I wasn’t good enough. Rune should have left me there. It should’ve been me instead of them that died in that forest. I’m better off dead-”

“You’re better off alive, with us,” Rain said, touching Eridanus’ cheek. He realized now that he was crying. “It’s just like Rune said. We’re family. We’re here for you if you’ll have us,” Rain continued.

He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve forgiveness or comfort. He shook his head, trying to ignore what the young stallion had to say.

“We’re here to help-”

“I don’t want help. I want the pain to stop," he hissed, pinning his ears.

“It’s not going to stop on it’s own. You haven’t accepted any help at all. Has it made you feel better?” Rain asked. Eridanus closed his eyes, feeling the mist landing on his back. The two appaloosas sat in silence for a few minutes.

“It’s okay to need help and I’ll be here when you’re ready to ask for it,” Rain said, gathering his hooves underneath him to get up.

“Stay,” Eridanus blurted out. He cursed himself and didn’t dare look at the younger stallion. There was no talking and no movement for just a moment.

“Okay,” Rain whispered, settling down next to the older stallion again.

Stallion: 104-2 Caine

In response to: --

Art features: Eridanus
Story features: Rune , Eridanus , Rain
Word Count: 604

Aging: --
Healing: --
Pregnancy: --