-x-Never be the Same-x-

[[R].ebel]

I know you, who are you now?
Look into my eyes if you can't remember.
Do you remember, oh?

It couldn't be possible... could it? Two similiar forms, different really by only age, and a small snip of white on the stallion's brow, stood facing one another; each looking worn down and beaten. The two stood with the same expression of disbelief on thier faces, studying every inch of the other as if they were afraid one small blemish would make the possible reality unreal. Both where thinking the very same thing: 'Could it really be possible?' The stilled silence in the dusk air seemed to intensify the situation, as if waiting for a sudden burst of activity, but neither of the ebony mustangs seemed to notice. From a distance, one observing this encounter would note that the colt had the same stocky and larger build like the stallion, and there was no doubt they were related. After his previous encounter, the colt was unafraid but he felt deep in his heart he knew exactly who this was...

"D-dad?"

~~**~~

It had been a long heard climb for Lightning, having just recieve serious blows to his side, breaking at least 2 ribs. But the young colt was determined to get to a special place he always came to when he needed to be alone; a small moss bed he had been hiding out in since he had joined up with the Cimarron. It was his safe haven and where he felt most comfortable. Lightning spent many nights on the mountain, and enjoyed the air and the sounds and the sights. It was beautiful to him; but due to his injuries and the pain he was suffering, Lighting didn't have the time or effort to take in his surroundings, no matter how beautiful. Each step was painful and aggitated his side, having to grit his teeth against every curse that formed at the edge of his tongue, keeping them crammed back in his throat.


Days on end, Duke had been on his search. Ever since leaving the fort, he had stopped at nothing to find his son and this was still the case. Having only had a few winks of sleep, Duke was running on sheer determination and love to find the only living blood of his family, that he actually cared for that is; Demon rarely crossed Duke's mind, but when that evil serpent snaked his way into Duke's mind, he was quickly shut out. Duke had sworn off anything to do with that stallion, and it was still the case. The black stallion had been so focused on his quest, he had yet to really feel his freedom, and to be honest, hadn't even thought of it. As far as he was concerned, Duke was still trapped in that fort until he found his son.

Perhaps it was fate that had lead the stallion to a small bed of moss tucked away under a rock formation on the mountain side. At first, the thought of a cougar's nest or a bear crossed the stallion's mind, but upon closer inspection, sniffing the edges where the scent of the animal was trapped in the moss, he realized it was nothing of the sort, but instead one of his own kind. The thought passed lightly through his head, until an accidental final whiff triggered the familiar scent within his brain; Lightning. No doubt, his son had been here, and recently too. That meant his son could still be alive. The hope surged through his heart, but it was soon forgotten when the sound of crumbling rocks alerted him. Spinning around, prepared to fight, the stallion's eyes met those of a young colt stopped in half step a couple yards away. The two locked eyes, no threat running through them, only a familiar sense that they knew one another.

~~**~~

I can see, I can still find
You're the only voice my heart can recognize
But I can't hear you now, yeah.

The sound of joy could not be expressed by either. Not a word spoken after Lightning's question, the two embrassed one another, Duke giving his one and only son a crushing hug with his powerful neck. Duke himself could feel the power of his young son, a force that would be reckoned with one of these days and would make Duke so proud. Tears of joy could not help but shed themselves from protected masters' eyes, the two ebony horses reunited after so long. Lightning could not explain the feeling rushing through him; that feeling of being alone was no longer there; he couldn't even remember how it felt. The colt knew this was what he had wanted all along; his father; his father who had spent every waking moment thinking of Lightning; his father, who risked everything to find him.

"Dad.... I missed you..."

"I missed you too, son. I missed you, so much."

Lightning completely forgot the pain in his side, too many other emotions clouding the pain he felt. Instead, he bounded away from his father, talking 90 miles per hour of everything he had been through. Duke followed his son to the moss bed, Lightning not taking a breath as he spoke of Esperanza, the Cimarron herd, Spirit, and even his recent fight with Demon. The stallion did not seem too thrilled about the fight, but held his anger in to keep his focus on his reunion with his son. Duke settled down on the moss bed, his son quickly taking his place beside his father, nuzzling his head on the thick shoulders of his father. And Duke began to recount on his adventures of the fort, telling all he felt his son should know. And as the moon started to rise over the mountains, Lightning fell quietly asleep by his father's side, who also drifted to sleep, his muzzle resting against his sons' head.

I'll never be the same
I'm caught inside the memories, the promises
are yesterdays and I belong to you.
I just can't walk away
'cause after loving you
I can never be the same.

[equeen]

Pima walked along the mountains, looking for some sign of her own kind. Pima was a foal alone...she didn't know who her parents were, she barely remembers much of them. She was only a year old, and all she can remember is her mother, a dappled Grey mare. But she doesn't remember anything else, it was so long ago, and she was just a foal. All she remembers is being left alone. She just started to travel on her own eventually.
Pima had no idea where she was going or what to do, she just hoped to bump into a herd or another horse...any horse. Pima heard a couple of nickers and whinnies and her ears went straight up. She froze, trying to hear better. She trotted toward the sounds and there she saw a small bed of moss, under a rock formation and 2 big black shapes. At first she was scared, she didn't know what to do. Then she started to whinny, trying to see if the shapes would answer back to her. It was a small scared whinny, and at first it was so faint, she didn't think they would hear her. So she whinnied a second time...hoping they would answer back in her own language...

[[R].ebel]

Peace flooded the small moss bed, blanketing the two mustangs in a shower of comfort. Never in a long while had the two felt such peace and comfort and it was a feeling much appreciated. The two slept soundly, but even so, Duke was ready to spring into action if the need arose. An ear twitched to the sound of a small whinny. At first, Duke thought it was his son and opened one eye to make sure Lightning was okay, but Lightning was sleeping soundly, curled up by Duke's side. The black stallion dismissed the sound as just a dream and started to drift asleep, when the whinny came again. Snapping his head awake, Duke's ears listened for the source. The moon cast a silvery glow over the land, which allowed him to see better. Squinting to see in the dim light, Duke could make out a small silvery figure near by, smaller than Lightning. From the looks, and sounds, of it, it was a small filly. Quietly, Duke steadily pushed himself to standing, careful not to wake his son, then walked steadily and slowly towards the filly so as not to scare her. Stopping before her, with enough distance to allow her to feel safe, Duke spoke in a quiet and kind voice.

"Hey, little one. Are you out here alone?"

The stallion knew the dangers of being on the mountain alone, especially a young filly such as this. Cougars and wolves often hunted at night, and a lone filly would prove more than an easy meal. Duke's mind trailed to Lightning, looking over his shoulder to be sure his son was still safe, and wondered how much pain and fear his son had to go through on his own. Duke couldn't help but blame himself for not being there... but he was here now, and Duke was planning on being here for a while. Looking back to the filly, he awaited an answer.

[equeen]

Pima saw a black shape get up and it walked toward her. The shape was huge! At first she backed up a bit, the whites of her eyes showing. Then, the shape stopped a distance away and said "Hey, little one. Are you out here alone?" Thank goodness! It was another horse, and a big tall one at that! But she walked a few steps closer and said "Y-yes, I'm alone" Pima then thought the horse could help her so she asked "D-do you belong to a herd? Or can you help me find one? My mother is gone, and I can't find her..." Pima looked down at the ground, she hoped this horse could help her.

[[esperanza]]

Reason told her she couldn't escape the past. Something else told her she had to.

It had started like any other day: the mostly black mare would get up, drink some water, and graze, trying her best to distance herself from the other horses. Today, however, she had caught his scent. Demon's. In the Cimarron.

Mavra immediately had felt the cold fingers of panic spreading across her. Her head jerked up, and she looked over her shoulder just in time to see the black stallion she feared crossing the river. Without further thought, she had ran. She had galloped across the plains, up into the mountains, until she had climbed onto the top of a ridge. There, with labored breathing, she had rested for most of the afternoon. As evening had started to come on, she started walking off in a random direction, not yet willing to go back to the herd.

It was dark now, and she didn't care to look where she was going. In this way, Mavra managed to run into three other horses. The scent of them caught her by surprise, and she backed up, staying in the deep dark shadows of some large pines.

They seemed to be talking: a stallion, and a young foal. But that wasn't what caused her to be frightened. Something about this stallion's scent, something about his voice was eerily familiar. Like Demon's. But not quite. A relative, perhaps? Mavra didn't want to get mixed up with any of his kin. She stepped back again, but her hind hooves clacked loudly against a stony area. The mare flinched, then lowered her head, awaiting what would happen.

[[R].ebel]

'Y-yes, I'm alone. D-do you belong to a herd? Or can you help me find one? My mother is gone, and I can't find her...'


The stallion couldn't help but feel a familiar aching pain in his heart. This filly seemed to have followed a same path as Lightning; alone. Duke did not want to assume the worse of the fillies mother, and could only hope that she was still alive, for the fillies sake. Pushing the thoughts aside, the black stallion quickly asessed her questions, thinking of any way he could help. He did not know much about the herds around here due to his year in the fort, but from what he could remember from Lightning's stories, the Cimarron was a good herd with a great leader; Duke had secretly decided he was to join the Cimarron, if the leader allowed him to do so. After a moment of thought, Duke replied to the filly.

"I am sorry to hear that... I do not belong to a herd yet, but I hear the Cimarron here is a great herd. But at the moment, its a little dark to be seeking ou-"

Duke's head snapped to the sound of a clattering, and instinct told him to step in front of the filly, putting himself as a shield between her and the trespasser. The first thought that ran through Duke's mind was Demon... but the stallion knew better than that. Demon was a crafty brute, and would approach head on with no fear, he would not be found hiding from anyone. Duke snorted, ears daring the pin back, but where held forward to soak in any sounds the stranger made. Lightning, who had heard the noise as well, took his place beside his father, looking and standing just like his dad was. Duke couldn't help but glance at his son in surprise, but also pride. Even for a young colt, Lightning was brave... if not a bit stupid in his actions because of his injuries, but still, Lightning carried a braveness and desire to protect that Duke knew all too well about. Looking back to the direction of the stranger, the black stallion snorted. In a strengthened, protective, fatherly voice, Duke spoke forth.

"Who goes there?"

[equeen]

"I am sorry to hear that... I do not belong to a herd yet, but I hear the Cimarron here is a great herd. But at the moment, its a little dark to be seeking ou-"

Just then Pima heard a clattering noise. She jumped at the sound and backed down a bit. Then the black horse stepped in front of her, and she felt safer. She peeked out from behind him, to see if she could see anything. Her ears pricked forward. Pima then noticed that there was another horse in front of her. A black colt. Pima guessed that both of the black horses were related, they both looked alike. "Who goes there?" The biggest of the two black horses said, in a very protective way.

[[esperanza]]

"Who goes there?"

Curse her luck, they had heard her. Of course. Mavra could see two dark figures. One was only a young colt, but that other one was a large, dark stallion, like the one that haunted her nightmares. The mare hesitated, panic seizing her once again. She knew that this stallion couldn't be Demon --similarities aside, something in his voice was different, calmer, and what would Demon be doing with foals? --but she panicked, all the same. Finally daring to let her voice reach out into the night, she spoke.

"N-no one," she stammered timidly. "I-I mean, I'm here, but, but I'm...no one. No one im-important."

Her ears drooped, and it had been day, one would swear that she was blushing. Why did she always make herself sound like an idiot? Mavra ducked her head, just wishing that the burning sensation of embarrassment would go away.

[[R].ebel]

'N-no one. I-I mean, I'm here, but, but I'm...no one. No one im-important.'

The black stallion relaxed his posture, a kinder demeanor taking the place of his protective nature. Duke couldn't help but give a smile to the voice, he now starting to see the shape of the mare in the forest. Looking to his son, he brayed for him to stay put with the filly, and Lightning nodded his head in understanding, stepping closer to the filly with a kind smile, as Duke walked slowly and easily towards the voice he had heard. The stallion's ear twitched behind him as he heard Lightning's voice, speaking to the filly.

"I'm Lightning. Who are you?"

Stopping by the edge of the woods, giving enough space so the mare could come out if she wished, the stallion studied the forest in the silvery glow of the moonlight. He made sure to keep an easy, steady posture, showing no threat, as the mare's voice sounded a bit afraid, or at least timid. In a kind voice, he replied to her, keeping a light humor in his words.

"Surely you must be lying, No One. Every soul is important," Duke had to agree that was a lie; the perfect example of his brother crossing his mind, but he did not mention it. Looking at the the two foals, the stallion smiled. "It seems tonight has brought many mustangs together. Why don't you join us out here? The forests can be dangerous, especially at night and when a horse is alone."

[equeen]

"N-no one. I-I mean, I'm here, but, but I'm...no one. No one im-important."said a voice coming from the forest. Pima pricked her ears up more, to catch the voice.

Just then, the big black horse in front of her relaxed. He brayed to his relative to stay, and walked toward the voice coming from the forest. The other black horse walked up to Pima and said "I'm Lightning. Who are you?" Pima looked at the colt, he was a bit more taller then she was. She looked up and said "Oh, I'm Pima. Nice to meet you, Lightning. Your his son right?" Pima pointed her muzzle at the big black horse. She could tell, they looked so much alike. She wanted to get to know this colt. He seemed about her age, another foal. And he was probably the only other foal she was going to meet.

[[esperanza]]

Silence. Dreadful silence. In reality it probably only lasted mere seconds, but in Mavra's mind, they were hours. The black stallion brayed to one of the foals, and they moved together to have their own conversation.

"Surely you must be lying, No One. Every soul is important. It seems tonight has brought many mustangs together. Why don't you join us out here? The forests can be dangerous, especially at night and when a horse is alone," the stallion said.

Emboldened by his kind words, she stepped out of the shadows, the moonlight turning her dark coat to silver. "My name is Mavra," she said with a timid smile. "I'm kind of new to the herd..." New to the herd, and she didn't know these horses. Well, she thought she could remember seeing the black colt around, but not the other two.

[[R].ebel]

'Oh, I'm Pima. Nice to meet you, Lightning. Your his son right?'

The colt smiled at the filly, eyes looking to his dad; 'Yes, that's my dad...' The thought was nearly overwhelming for Lightning. All his life he wanted to say that, and here he was saying it. There was his dad, and he was his son.

"It's nice to meet you, Pima. Yes, that's my dad... We were seperated over a year ago... but now, we're a family again..."

Family; that was what Lightning had been missing! Lightning knew it, he knew it along but would never admit to himself, afraid to bring that pain it brought. But the pain was no longer there, even though he didn't remember his mother, at least he still had his father. Then his thoughts wondered to the filly; wondering if she was in a similar situation that Lightning had been in with no parents.

"Um, Pima? Do you... well, where are your parents?"

The black stallion stood quietly as the mare showed herself, venturing out of the woods. One ear stayed cocked back, listening to his son and the filly to be sure they were okay. Even now, hearing his sons' voice brought an overwhelming feeling of happiness. Duke knew this was no dream; he was here with his son. But the stallion kept his focus on the mare for the moment, not wanting to be rude.

'My name is Mavra. I'm kind of new to the herd...'

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mavra. My name is Duke. I don't yet belong to the herd, but it is my hopes to join by tomorrow; if the leader will grant me permission."

Duke had his doubts that he would be able join; if his brother had gotten a reputation around here and someone found out of thier relations, surely that would hinder his eligibility to get in. Even so, Duke wished to try. He had heard nothing but good about Spirit, and hoped all he heard meant he would have no troubles getting in.

[equeen]

"It's nice to meet you, Pima. Yes, that's my dad... We were seperated over a year ago... but now, we're a family again..." Pima looked down. She felt sorry for Lightning. He didn't have his dad with him for a whole year, just like herself. Pima didn't know where her mom was. At least Lightning had found his dad. "Um, Pima? Do you... well, where are your parents?" Pima looked back up at him and said "Oh, well, Um...I don't know. All I remember is my mom, and I'm not really sure where she is. Either she was captured or...she's.....dead" Pima swallowed and looked down again. She didn't want Lightning feeling to bad for her, since he had just found his dad. But, now that she thought about her mom again, she felt really sad. She looked back up at Lightning and smiled a bit, to show him she was OK. She looked back over at Lightning's dad and saw him still talking to the mare from the forest. She heard his soft voice murmuring and she felt safe around him. She was glad she had bumped into these two horses. They were so friendly and helpful. Pima decided to change the subject and asked Lightning "So, where is this herd at? The Cimarron? Your dad was talking to me about it..."

[[esperanza]]

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mavra. My name is Duke. I don't yet belong to the herd, but it is my hopes to join by tomorrow; if the leader will grant me permission."

Mavra nodded. "I'm sure he will," she said. "Spirit is a good horse. Well, I-I mean, I've never really talked to him myself, but...but he's a good horse. And this is a good herd." She gazed down the side of the mountain, looking over the slope of pines that were silver-tipped in the moon, down to where the plains were, and where the landscape finally ended in a jagged horizon. The black mare was lost in memory and thought for a while before remembering her manners. Turning back to the stallion she said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Duke."

[[R].ebel]

'Oh, well, Um...I don't know. All I remember is my mom, and I'm not really sure where she is. Either she was captured or...she's.....dead'

The colt's eyes filled with sorrow for the filly and sympathy. He knew his mother was dead, having had terrible nightmares of that tragic day. Lightning did not know what was worse: knowing his mother was dead, or having to guess what had happened, as he had to do with his father. Though he was glad to see her smile gently, and Lightning gave her a soft smile in comfort and understanding.

'So, where is this herd at? The Cimarron? Your dad was talking to me about it...'

Lightning chuckled warmly at her words, finding it funny that she was on the Cimarron territory, safe from the rogues and the Darksuns.

"You are on thier lands, Pima. This is the home of the Cimarron herd. I'm one of them. It's a lovely place and safe too. You'd really like it. Especially the plains. We can go racing there!"

'I'm sure he will. Spirit is a good horse. Well, I-I mean, I've never really talked to him myself, but...but he's a good horse. And this is a good herd.'

Spirit; now Duke knew he had heard that name. That name had floated through the fort quite a bit during his days in there and everyone knew of the Dun stallion who could not be broken... Duke had never thought of it, but maybe the fort was still talking of him and Nombre and thier escape... Quickly returning his attention to Marva, Duke listened to her next statement.

'It's a pleasure to meet you, Duke.'

The black stallion smiled kindly to her words, nodding his head in acknowledgment of them. An ear pricked to the words of his son; speaking of racing in the plains and Duke couldn't help but smile. It seemed him and Pima were getting along real well. A wolf's howl in the distance alerted Duke, his features turning serious. The night time in the mountains did prove to be a bit dangerous as the triple threat of cougar, wolves and bear lurked around. Bear weren't so much attackers, but if they felt threatened, they would do some serious damage. Turning to rejoin his son and the filly, whom he had overheard was named Pima, Duke looked over his shoulder to Marva.

"Maybe we should all stick together tonight. It would be safer. Not to mention, I may need some help watching over these two handfuls."

Duke finished his reply with a wink to the two foals, continuing his gaze at Marva for her response.