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”Just how much further do you plan on walking today?” Perseus grumbled with a flick of his tail.

Robin shot a look over her shoulder, sticking out her tongue. ”Just because you’re lazy and out of shape doesn’t mean we all have to be”

Percy smirked behind her back and rolled his eyes. It had been a little over a week since the half-siblings had left their family herd behind to start their own lives. The pair had always been inseparable as foals and it appeared the feeling lasted into adulthood. They each missed their parents and other siblings dearly, but they craved lives and adventures of their own. And no rule said they could never visit, right?

Percy trotted to catch up with Robin, a retort ready on his lips, when a peculiar scent caught his attention. Percy pulled up short and lifted his nose to the breeze, nostrils flaring as he tried to place the smell. Robin looked back at him curiously before she also started sniffing the breeze.

”Smells kinda familiar...but also...like humans?” she said with uncertainty.

”Yeah...it’s really weird…” Percy agreed, beginning to walk again.

The pair stayed quiet as they cautiously followed the not-quite-known scent. Suddenly the sound of hooves filled their ears as a terrified mare burst out of the foliage ahead. Her coat was slathered in sweat and her eyes showed white. Breathless, she skidded to a stop in front of them.

”Please! Come with me! We need help!” she cried, clearly desperate.

Without waiting for a response, the mare bolted back into the tree line.

Percy and Robin exchanged looks and nodded before hurrying after the mare. The followed her for a short ways until she came to a stop near a babbling brook nestled away in the woods. A whole herd was gathered there, all of them looking worse than the last. And there, lying in the cool stream, was a young stallion. His battered sides heaved with the effort of breathing and his eyes were closed in pain. Beside him lay a spotted mare, her neck resting over his body as she whispered to him.

”What happened here?” Robin asked as she walked up to the mares.

The mares eyed her warily, but finally one stepped forward, a skinny foal nestled at her side.

”My name is Crane. Our herd was captured over the winter by humans. We only just managed to escape from them yesterday. Well...most of us, anyway.” the mare said with a sad sigh.

”Our stallion, Jensen, is badly injured.” the tobiano mare that found them said. ”My name is Ibis by the way. Thank you for coming with me. I was so panicked I-I didn’t know what I was looking for until I found you.”

Percy’s brow crinkled when Ibis said the stallion’s name. Wasn’t that the name of aunt Windfola’s colt who ran off last fall? Percy stepped forward, trying to get a better look at the fallen stallion. His coat, though a bloodied and bruised mess, was certainly the right color to be Windfola’s son. As he got closer, the spotted mare by his side seemed to snarl at him, her blue eyes like chips of ice.

”Don’t you dare think you can just waltz in here and take us! I’ll fight you off myself!” she cried.

Some of the other mares tried to comfort her and get her to relax, but she shook them all away.

”Taking over isn’t my intention at all.” Percy rushed to say, taking a inadvertent step back from the mare’s anger. ”I just want to help. I think...I think this might be my brother.”

Robin’s eyebrows shot up at this statement and she crept closer to get a better look at Jensen as well. ”We’re from The Herd of Summer Stars.” she explained.

The spotted mare laying with Jensen immediately relaxed at those words, drooping in on herself. ”Oh thank the Earth.” she muttered. ”You’re Breigo’s children?”

Both Robin and Percy nodded in affirmation and the mare smiled. ”My name is Denna. I’m Aloine’s daughter. It’s...nice to meet you.” she said with a weak smile before laying her head back on Jensen’s side.

”They...tried to break him.” said whispered another mare as she approached Percy. ”We couldn’t believe how hard he fought. But he eventually set us all free. I’m Finch.”

Percy nodded slowly, respect blossoming in his chest for his older half-brother. He certainly looked like the humans had done their best to break him. Clearly they were unsuccessful.

”What do we do now?” a skittish looking cream pearl mare asked. ”With Jensen so badly injured...what if the humans find us?”

A hush fell over the herd at her words and the mares glanced around, fear plain in their eyes.

Percy thought for a moment before taking a deep breath, Trying to gather all the courage he could muster, he said, ”I’ll protect you.”

Every eye was on him after this statement and he could feel the easy feeling of doubt creeping under his skin. He pushed it away as best he could and continued, ”I know none of you know me. But my name is Perseus, son of Breigo. I promise to do everything I can do keep all of you safe. At least until Jensen is fully healed.”

The mares began to mutter under their breaths, casting glances at Percy from under their lashes. Percy swallowed around the growing lump in his throat and croaked, ”I-I’m going to go on patrol now and make sure no humans followed you here. I’ll...be back soon.”

Before anyone could argue, he turned on his heel and loped away with as much dignity as he could. It felt like running away, but he knew that was just the nasty voice in the back of his head. As he ran, he tried to take deep and calming breaths.

What had he gotten himself into?

Description
”Just how much further do you plan on walking today?” Perseus grumbled with a flick of his tail.

Robin shot a look over her shoulder, sticking out her tongue. ”Just because you’re lazy and out of shape doesn’t mean we all have to be”

Percy smirked behind her back and rolled his eyes. It had been a little over a week since the half-siblings had left their family herd behind to start their own lives. The pair had always been inseparable as foals and it appeared the feeling lasted into adulthood. They each missed their parents and other siblings dearly, but they craved lives and adventures of their own. And no rule said they could never visit, right?

Percy trotted to catch up with Robin, a retort ready on his lips, when a peculiar scent caught his attention. Percy pulled up short and lifted his nose to the breeze, nostrils flaring as he tried to place the smell. Robin looked back at him curiously before she also started sniffing the breeze.

”Smells kinda familiar...but also...like humans?” she said with uncertainty.

”Yeah...it’s really weird…” Percy agreed, beginning to walk again.

The pair stayed quiet as they cautiously followed the not-quite-known scent. Suddenly the sound of hooves filled their ears as a terrified mare burst out of the foliage ahead. Her coat was slathered in sweat and her eyes showed white. Breathless, she skidded to a stop in front of them.

”Please! Come with me! We need help!” she cried, clearly desperate.

Without waiting for a response, the mare bolted back into the tree line.

Percy and Robin exchanged looks and nodded before hurrying after the mare. The followed her for a short ways until she came to a stop near a babbling brook nestled away in the woods. A whole herd was gathered there, all of them looking worse than the last. And there, lying in the cool stream, was a young stallion. His battered sides heaved with the effort of breathing and his eyes were closed in pain. Beside him lay a spotted mare, her neck resting over his body as she whispered to him.

”What happened here?” Robin asked as she walked up to the mares.

The mares eyed her warily, but finally one stepped forward, a skinny foal nestled at her side.

”My name is Crane. Our herd was captured over the winter by humans. We only just managed to escape from them yesterday. Well...most of us, anyway.” the mare said with a sad sigh.

”Our stallion, Jensen, is badly injured.” the tobiano mare that found them said. ”My name is Ibis by the way. Thank you for coming with me. I was so panicked I-I didn’t know what I was looking for until I found you.”

Percy’s brow crinkled when Ibis said the stallion’s name. Wasn’t that the name of aunt Windfola’s colt who ran off last fall? Percy stepped forward, trying to get a better look at the fallen stallion. His coat, though a bloodied and bruised mess, was certainly the right color to be Windfola’s son. As he got closer, the spotted mare by his side seemed to snarl at him, her blue eyes like chips of ice.

”Don’t you dare think you can just waltz in here and take us! I’ll fight you off myself!” she cried.

Some of the other mares tried to comfort her and get her to relax, but she shook them all away.

”Taking over isn’t my intention at all.” Percy rushed to say, taking a inadvertent step back from the mare’s anger. ”I just want to help. I think...I think this might be my brother.”

Robin’s eyebrows shot up at this statement and she crept closer to get a better look at Jensen as well. ”We’re from The Herd of Summer Stars.” she explained.

The spotted mare laying with Jensen immediately relaxed at those words, drooping in on herself. ”Oh thank the Earth.” she muttered. ”You’re Breigo’s children?”

Both Robin and Percy nodded in affirmation and the mare smiled. ”My name is Denna. I’m Aloine’s daughter. It’s...nice to meet you.” she said with a weak smile before laying her head back on Jensen’s side.

”They...tried to break him.” said whispered another mare as she approached Percy. ”We couldn’t believe how hard he fought. But he eventually set us all free. I’m Finch.”

Percy nodded slowly, respect blossoming in his chest for his older half-brother. He certainly looked like the humans had done their best to break him. Clearly they were unsuccessful.

”What do we do now?” a skittish looking cream pearl mare asked. ”With Jensen so badly injured...what if the humans find us?”

A hush fell over the herd at her words and the mares glanced around, fear plain in their eyes.

Percy thought for a moment before taking a deep breath, Trying to gather all the courage he could muster, he said, ”I’ll protect you.”

Every eye was on him after this statement and he could feel the easy feeling of doubt creeping under his skin. He pushed it away as best he could and continued, ”I know none of you know me. But my name is Perseus, son of Breigo. I promise to do everything I can do keep all of you safe. At least until Jensen is fully healed.”

The mares began to mutter under their breaths, casting glances at Percy from under their lashes. Percy swallowed around the growing lump in his throat and croaked, ”I-I’m going to go on patrol now and make sure no humans followed you here. I’ll...be back soon.”

Before anyone could argue, he turned on his heel and loped away with as much dignity as he could. It felt like running away, but he knew that was just the nasty voice in the back of his head. As he ran, he tried to take deep and calming breaths.

What had he gotten himself into?