Nightshade

Stars twinkled above, blinking in and out of view as clouds drifted across the heavens. They did little to illuminate the dark night, and that worked in the favor of Nightshade and his two escapees.

The black stag traveled quickly, hooves beating the ground at a quick clip that belied his advancing age. For Night, the more distance he could put between himself and the Haunters - and the Makucha - the better his chances of survival were. And he didn't stop until he'd eaten up several miles and had long put the Golden Rose Canyon out of his sights.

Half an hour later, panting quietly, Nightshade slowed and finally came to a stop. He turned, raising his velvetine antlers as he looked to Xenarona and Callaquioa. "We're safe for the moment, but they may try to follow our scent. Do either of you have a herd?"

Xenarona

She followed for the moment with a snort. No but I know where I was headed when they captured us there was a herd thereShe said and her daughter hopefully was there.

Callaquioa & Nghtshade

"Maybe my mother is there too? And Kacheska?" Calla added with hope as she sauntered beside Xenarona. It had been so long since she'd seen her mother and half-sister, and she dearly missed them both.

Nightshade looked back towards the distant, rolling slopes they'd left behind. He blinked, then slowly swiveled his antlered head back to the mares, "If you don't mind then, I'll follow you that way. Whereever it is, we should keep moving. If the Haunters discover what I've done, they will kill all three of us."

Onok

With a new cadre claimed, the young stallion was eager to find mares to fill his lands, and had spent the better part of the week searching through fields and forests for new herdmates. It was on the eighth night that he chanced across the scent of mares, and now followed that promising trail until the three figures came into view. The deer with the midnight pelt certainly threw him off, but at least it wasn't another stallion that might pose a challenge to him.

Tossing his head and giving his chocolate and white coat a quick shake, Onok neighed to catch the trio's attention before he began to canter their way. "What a fine evening to stumble across two beautiful mares such as yourselves." Ignoring the old stag, Onok pranced closer under rippling muscles and a powerful draft frame. "My name is Onok." He made no moves to corral or chase the pair, having been raised in a herd where there had been little in the way of violence or force. His upbringing had been a fair one, and it reflected in his nature.

Callaquioa & Nghtshade

Calla turned to face the approaching titan. Her heart was still pumping with force, fear pulsing through her veins and shining within her pale eyes. The sight of a stallion was met with a mix of hesitancy and hope, and her tail switched quietly behind her.

With widened nares, the mare gently scraped a front hoof against the dirt and responded, "I'm Callaquioa, and this is my friend Xena." His compliment might have been appreciated under any other circumstance, but in this moment it was lost to the frightened young horse. Her mind was on getting somewhere safe, and then searching for her mother and sister. To that end she went on, "We've recently escaped from dire straights, and may have predators on our tail. Could you provide us protection, Onok? Until we find safe lands to recover?"

Nightshade turned to face the stallion as well, but held his words.

Onok

"Callaquioa, Xena, a pleasure." Onok repeated the names with a courteous bow of his broad head, showing off the stiff spine of striped hair that made up his mane. Upon hearing that there could be predators in the vicinity, the stallion brought his dial up and took a more confident, attentive stance. "You have my protection of course, and I have land for you and your friend to reside in-" Now he glanced to the deer, finally acknowledging the old stag, "-all three of you." It wasn't as warm of an invite as the mares got, but Onok could see the deer was old, with a muzzle so frosted in white it looked like he'd dipped it in snow.

Onok took a few determined steps forward, moving past the two mares and in the direction of the SunSet Beach territory. He stopped and looked back, "Follow close to me. Stag, keep up the rear and ensure the mares are safe." If Nightshade were going to join him in his land, he was going to earn his keep after all.

Callaquioa & Nghtshade

Blue sights had lingered curiously on Onok's bristly mane, having never seen one quite like that before. If only the Haunters weren't an issue right now, Calla would have questioned him on this unique feature. But alas, she didn't want to tangle with the felines again and end up like her late father, and the sooner they put the Golden Rose Canyon behind them, the better she'd feel.

"Thank you, sir." Callaquioa breathed softly when the stallion agreed to protect them. She passed a look of relief to Xena, then began to trot after Onok, keeping close to his flank.

Nightshade had no words to share still, and had merely nodded in concession to the stallion's orders. He was being given a home after all, and patrolling had been his whole life among the Haunters. Tagging behind these three and keeping an ear out for danger was easy enough, and so he fell back several meters from Xena and Calla and followed at a watchful distance.

Xena

Xena shakes her head ** it's a pleasure onok but unless the territory is I believe toklat canyon run by I believe king we can't come with you as that is where my daughter should be and it is a herd that I know can protect us**

Onok

"The Toklat Canyon is my uncle's land. He has a decent herd, I can escort you there in the morning, if you'd like." Onok offered, a little disheartened that one of the mares would not be joining him, but he was determined to keep at least one if he could help it. "For tonight though, I think it's safer in my land - it'll be far enough from this place to keep you protected from whatever beasts are hunting you." He turned and continued his brisk stride to the south, with one ear back to listen to the small procession behind him.