(After introducing your character in a new topic and have been accepted by the lead, bring all rp here please)

Finally. I was finally back to the place I wanted to be; my lands, and my home; the Dimitra Cliffs. But, I wasn't alone anymore. I had successfully won Dementa over, and successfully got her to follow me to my lands. I looked behind me at her, as we entered the land. I let out a nicker, and pawed at the ground for a moment, coming to a halt and looking around at the place I had been wanting to get back to for a couple hours now. But the wait was worth it. I had my first mare. She was a challenge to win over, but I won at her game, and she was my prize.

"Here we are," I said, glancing behind me at Dementa, the bay femme. I sighed and looked around my lands. I had never actually explored yet, because I wanted to do that with someone else, for company. Not because I was scared about what could be here or anything, but because I wanted to share the experience of exploring with my first mare. Hopefully I could do that with Dementa, but if she didn't want to, I was fine with just staying there and talking to her. Getting to know her better, even though I knew a lot already. Mysterious, and she liked to play games. That was what I knew.

<sub>You aren’t what I expected. With those hooves of sharp edges and delicate maneuvers. Obsidian eyes reach out and capture your victim’s heart. Deep holes in your eyes, a monster just waiting to eat someone’s soul. Jaws of tinted snappers, grinding together as a pulsing anger races through your veins. With each step taken, a new second of past is added to your ticking life clock. Each grain of sand falls each second, counting down the days to your death. Whether it’s stopped short or you live a long life, it will sit there and count. She can hear each grain dropping down, she can’t wait till that day when her life is taken away. The angel of death can’t come any sooner because she would just welcome it with open arms. Though, it seemed today was not her day to go. The smashed trees, scary cliffs, and thirsty ground showed no possible ways of dying anyway.

Her dark bay coat was tainted with white socks and a star. Disliked by her and wanted by many. With very fine curves, she isn’t exactly what you call ugly. Finely curved neck holds her dished Arabian head. Thick breathe breathed through charred nostrils. A fluid trot flows through her body; showing off every muscle she owned. With the love of showing off, she presented whore and lover. With a bitter tongue and harsh looks to match. A weak and meaningless wind pressed at her body, exhaustion starting to spread slowly. Days and days, no rest had led her to this seemingly deserted claiming field. Yet, she could smell them all. Only one other stood here, the stallion that wanted her so badly.

“Such a lovely land.” Silky tones let her tongue slide. Very seductive and smooth words sliced the thick and deadly air. Glancing her black eyes toward him, she nodded her head softly.</sub>

I sighed in satisfaction and took a glance around at my land. It wasn't the best land I could've gotten, but if Dementa liked it, then I guessed it was good enough. If she told the truth that she thought if was a 'lovely land', that is. I looked back over at the bay mare mare, then looked at the ground, pawing at it for a moment. I took one last glance at my land, then looked at Dementa, my very first mare since I claimed my land. She wasn't my first ever, but she was my first here, and that was all that mattered at the moment.

"Thank you..." I said, my French accent strong, just like it always was. I was very content at the moment, and all I wanted to do was stand there and talk to her, if we found something to talk about. Either that, or exploring my land, which I hadn't done yet. I wanted to do it with someone, for company. It was a weird 'tradition' of my family to explore their first claimed land with their first mare in that land, and that was what I wanted to do. I'd only do it if she wanted to, though. I looked behind me again, as if expecting something, but I looked right back at my mare, Dementa.

<sub>"Welcome." She muttered under breathe. Breathing quietly, she watched her accumulated breathe in front of her. Inhaling and exhaling, there seemed to be nothing to do. Her pointed ears folded back as a silence enveloped them. Shifting her light weight, black eyes moving to glance at his larger form. Snorting, she shook her finely sculpted dome and tilted it to look at him. From the look in his eyes she could tell he was thinking about something. Chuckling to herself, she knew that she had him right in her grasp. Whatever she wanted, she would get.

Looking out and over to one of the jagged cliffs, a thought came to mind. Her dry lips opened, wanting to speak, but decided against it. Looking down at crimson stained hooves, a shiver rolled down her spine. The sky crackled and thunder grumbled. The are buzzed with static and made her hair bristle. "Something on your mind?" She spoke quietly and yet harshly. It was sudden, but at least it filled the silence. It may not be awkward, but being bored was not her thing.</sub>

I was content at the moment, and was happy with my life at the moment. I knew not to get to comfortable with life, though, because no one ever knew what would happen to someone or something. I took a glance behind me, at the land I still wanted to explore, but it was getting dark. I would explore, with or without Dementa, tomorrow when it was light. I would like it if she would come with me to explore the unexplored lands, but it was needed.

"Just getting tired," I said, yawning. I walked over to the nearest mudless spot, and laid down. Spots that weren't covered with mud were rare, but you could still find them. "Care to join me? You don't have to, of course." I laid my head down on the ground for a moment, then raised it back up to look at Dementa. I waited for her response to my question, but I for some reason didn't think she'd come lay down, too. They weren't that close yet. I still barely knew anything about her, other than the very few things I learned about her back in the Shadowlands, the dark claiming place. I still waited for her answer, though.

<sub>She glanced over at Apollo. Interested in why he was walking away from her, she turned more to face him. Seeing that he was laying down, her head nodded a fraction. In her throat, she felt a yawn, trying to keep her lips shut, she would not show that she was getting tired. Looking away from him, she snorted and stamped a hoof. "Not at the moment, I'm not exactly tired." She grumbled, covered a yawn by itching at her shoulder. Lifting her head, she walked a few steps away to find a clump of grass.

Though she was getting tired, she didn't want to sleep the same time he did. It was just one of her things that made her tick. Never fall asleep the same time as another. Never knew if they were just pretending and planned to kill you. Well, she did know that he didn't want to kill her, but she couldn't help but think everyone wanted to kill. Even herself want to kill her. Sighing, she itched at her knee and pawed the muddy ground. Not very much grass stood above the dirt. Letting out another snort, she was just willing to wait until he fell asleep.</sub>

I nodded at her decision, and laid my head back down on the damp ground. "Ok, then," I said, my French accent still strong. After just a few minutes, I had drifted off to sleep. One worry, though, was that she'd leave while I was sleeping. I really hoped she wouldn't do that. Why would she? If she didn't want to be here, she wouldn't of come here with me. It was still one of my worries, though. I still fell asleep, though, and began to dream.

In my dream, I awoke and stood up, taking a look around my land. I sighed in satisfaction, and smiled. Life was good, but why did I feel like I was alone? I looked around, and I didn't see Dementa. I looked around for a few minutes, and called out her name several time. Great, she left. Just like I though she would. She left. I snorted and bad thoughts went through my mind like; she was not good to begin with. She was dumb. How could I be so stupid to bring her here? Then I awoke...

I woke up for a moment, and looked around. I spotted Dementa. Those thoughts that I was thinking in my dream weren't true. That was not what I though about her, and didn't know why that happened in the dream. I laid my head back down and drifted back to sleep, not having a dream like that again.

<sub>She continued to stand there for a few moments, wanting some food. Snorting, she pawed at the ground. Her stomach gurgled and she nipped at her side. Glancing at Apollo every few minutes, she could tell he wasn't asleep just yet. And when he looked up and glanced at her, she gave him a curious look. Seeming that he was satisfied, she looked away with a small smile. Sighing, she chewed at some dead grass. Yawning again, she gazed at Apollo for a long moment.

Finally deciding to lay down, she walked over to Apollo. Bending her knees, she crumpled down beside him. Snuggling into his warmth, she curled up. Blinking her eyes for a few seconds, she quickly fell asleep. The heat from his body and large size made her feel safer then she had in her entire life. Snoring very softly, she let her muscles relax. Having a particularly nice dream, the smile on her face seemed permanent.</sub>

I smiled slightly as she appeared at my side. It was just what I wanted her to do. I wanted her to want to lay next to him, and to feel safe when she was with him, and he had successfully accomplished getting her to do at least one of those things, if not both. The rest of that night, I was filled with good dreams. I was very alert at night, which I had learned to do by living with humans, so nothing could happen that I didn't know at night.

A few hours later, I opened my eyes and yawned quietly. I looked up at the sky, which was just a little bit lighter. I could tell it was very early in the morning, but I was ready to get up. I would wait for Dementa, though, as I wouldn't want her to fall back if I stood up. So I just laid there, looking around at my land. I decided to lay my head back down on the ground with my eyes closed, but not actually go to sleep. Yes, things would get better here with more equines than just him were there.

<sub>She was disturbed by movement along her side. Grunting almost silently, her eyelids lifted up. Ears flattened as she felt breathing beside her. Blinking her sleepy, black eyes again, she saw what was next to her. Shaking her tiara, she unfolded her legs and scrambled up to standing. Scuffling her hooves a few feet away from Apollo, her head shook again. "Sorry." She grumbled with a yawn to follow. Taking a few more steps away from, she glanced over to the horizon.

Glancing back over to the mass of black and white, she rested upon a leg. "Any plans for today?" Her voice tired and quiet. Letting her tail lash at her flanks, she looked away from Apollo. "Off to go get some more mares." The tones in her voice merely teasing and yet a sense of jealousy coursed through her throat. She wasn't exactly a mare that liked to share. Most times when she did have to, someone ended up getting her. From the corner of her eye, she looked Apollo up and down. Hoof to nose, he wasn't a half bad looking stallion. And at the moment, she wanted this ok looking stallion to be near her.</sub>

More mares? That was definatly what I didn't have on my mind. I liked getting to know the mare I already had first, then eventually get another one. I wanted my herd to grow, and that meant getting more mares. The herd could wait. I was not the kind of stallion to claim a mare, talk to her for a few minutes, toss her aside, and get another one in a short amount of time. I was not going to let my mares feel like they were just getting tossed aside and ignored. That was one thing I hated about some other Dark stallions. They wanted to get all the mares they can, and then all there mares feel left out. That was not how this herd was going to turn out.

"I like to get to know my mares before getting another," I said in a calm voice, my accent strong just like it always was. I snorted and looked around the land, wondering what they could do. I was definatly not very good at coming up with something to do. I looked back over to Dementa and nodded, about my comment. "I was thinking about exploring." That was what I had planned to do since I got to the Claiming Lands. I wanted to explore my land in the morning, which was now. I wasn't going leave her here if she didn't want to do what I did. If she didn't want to go, I'd explore later when she was sleeping or whatever. I didn't want her to feel alone if I left.

<sub>A chuckle rolled throat her throat. Shaking her head, her petite hooves pressed farther away from Apollo. "That's what they all say." The voice reaching from her throat spoke quite accusingly. Of course she didn't really believe him, but when did she believe anyone? Especially when they spoke about other mares, she got a bit prickly. Turning her body to face him, black eyes hardened as she stared at him. Exploring? Bad things happen when you explore. Her mind whispered and she understand exactly was she thinking.

Last time she had "explored" with another stallion, a bad thing happened. In the end of that exploration, she had gone back with a scar across her stomach and a bruised heart. A heart that soon started to grow icy and evil. With the stomach, that was just her way of preventing pregnancy. With her hardened eyes, they held a look of suspicion. "I don't exactly trust stallions who want to explore." Her voice sharp and just a little bit harsh. Though she could tell Apollo wouldn't be one of those rapist stallions, she never knew what other personality he could be hiding. Snorting, she waiting silently for his response.</sub>

I understood completley(sp?) on why she didn't want to go exploring with me. She thought that I would force her to give birth to my first foal. That was not what I would do. I was not that kind of stallion. Yes, I was Dark, but I still wasn't about to go out and force a mare to give birth to a foal. She'd probably kill the helpless thing, anyways, so why do anything to her? And I was telling the truth that I liked to get to know my mares first. That showed that we weren't close enough to be able to believe each other. I wanted to be, but that kind of relationship took time. I didn't know how other equines can just fall in love with first sight, if you know nothing about each other. I didn't believe in love at first sight.

"I understand," I muttered, and glanced behind me, before looking back at the bay femme. "Most stallion would force you." I was not one of those 'most stallions'. I liked to let my mare choose wether or not she wanted to breed to me. I had asked a previous mare, in my old land outside of Hopeless Hearts, to breed with me. She said no, and I dropped it there. I took one step forward, and she took a step back, and I nodded. I didn't want her to think of my as a rapist, because that was one of my pet peeves. Forcing a mare to do something she doesn't want to.

<sub>Her head nodded delicately, strips of fore lock falling down. The tangles of hair rushed up as a cold wind blasted her. All senses alert as it felt colder and wetter. Lightning flashed in the distance with loud booms of thunder. Snorting, her head flung away as he took a step closer. Still drowsy, she didn't feel like being touched at the present time. Snorting, she stepped in a puddle of mud. Her lips snarled up as the mud made a suctioning sound. Lifting up her hoof, mud still clung to her hoof. A frown creased her muzzle as she let herself look back over to Apollo.

"Since you seem to understand, I suppose I'm up for a little exploring." Sincerely, she spoke since it did seem that he dearly wanted to explore. Rolling her muscles over in a shrug, her hooves moved away from the sticky spots. Exhaling breathes, her elegant frame glided closer to Apollo and paused for a moment. Examining the area, she looked from dark skies to the muddy dirt ground. Still frowning, her tail lashed up in anxiety. Her nerves where on very high alert whenever exploring came to mind. Every time bad memories came back, the only reason she was so cruel, the only reasons.

Trotting forward, her movements so fluid. Before she got to far, her body lurched; stopping precautionary. Looking back with fond black eyes, her throat opened to let out a whicker to the stallion. Kneading her hooves into soggy earth, her head flipped back around. Taking steps forward again, she felt the ground become uneasy. Worry flashed in her optics, but she kept moving forward. A bit of uneasy mud never unsettled her or stopped her from going places. Her face hardened and muscles tensed as things became looser.

Suddenly, everything became flashes. Her knees gave in and heavy weight crashed into the ground. Her skull bashed into the ground as mud gripped at her sides, fingering into her skin. Cringing at the pain, she instantly tried getting back up again. Instincts kicked into over drive as her head lifted and she tried to get up from the thick mud. Looking frantically around her for a thing to grab hold of, she saw nothing. Screaming out in panic and pain, she finally saw Apollo not far off. Her shriek of fright and injury filled the cliffs, even heard above the rolling thunder. "Help." She whispered hoarsely as her strength began to gave way and her hope started to drain. She was sure she was going to die.</sub>

This couldn't be happening! Not now! I finally got her to trust me to go exploring, and she gets stuck in mud? Well, that was what I got for choosing a land filled with mud and bad weather all of the time. I snorted and glanced behind me. What was I supposed to do? I had to help her. I listened to her screaming, as I thought of what I could do to help her get out. Thoughts were flooding my mind, and it was hard to think of just one thing. The strongest of the thoughts were; I had to get her out of there.

I looked back at Dementa, and walked quickly over to her, because she was only a few feet away. I got as close as I could get to her without falling in with her. I nodded to her, wanting her to try and grab on to me. I had to get her out, I just had to. Maybe saving her could show her that I really cared about her, and wanted her to be safe. I was not going to let this kill her, or even hurt her really bad. I wanted to get her out of there as soon as I could, and I was going to try at that very minute.

"Grab on," I said, as I lowered my head. Sure, if might her me a little bit to get her out of there, but it was worth it. I'd rather get hurt then have her suffer in the mud. It would on hurt a little bit at first, and the pain would go away. I lowered my cranium as low as I could get it to her, and nodded for her to try and grab on. That was all I could think of at the moment. I just had to get her out.

<sub>She felt so vulnerable. Laying there, knee deep in mud, body trembling, exhausted. Her eyes looked up so hopeless into his, searching for the hope she needed. Wanting to survive, she didn't know how she could though. Struggling, the mud kept sucking her in. How deep this mud hole was, she had no clue, but if she was almost shoulder deep in it, it must be pretty deep. Pawing at the ground that she thought was solid, more dirt and rocks kept rolling it. Everything became fuzzy around her, her brain began to shut down. Keep going or just lie down to die?

Just letting her body relaxing and sleeping forever didn't sound too bad right now. With the mud not letting her go, she didn't if he could help. When he come over and come as close as he dared, she didn't know if she could reach. Could she? Taking up the rest of her strength, she reached out her neck. Scared to hurt him, she didn't grasp as tightly as she wanted to. Wrapping her chin around his neck, she dug into the other side of his neck. Tasting wiry hairs from his neck, her eyes squeezed tight. Waiting for him to start pulling, she rested her body for a few seconds. If she did keep trying to move without his help, she would surely die from exhaustion. She wanted to live, to keep staying with Apollo, hopefully have some times to have fun before she did die. . .</sub>

It hurt, just like I knew it would. I was choking, but that wouldn't last for long. The faster I got her out of the deep mud puddle, the better we both were. I was not going to let her die right there. I would feel guilty if she did die at that moment, because I was the one to bring her there and I was the only one who could save her. I would feel like it was my fault if she died, but I knew she wouldn't. She couldn't. "We'll hold on the exploring," I said, just trying to make her feel better by joking a bit. I didn't know wether she liked jokes or not, so I just wanted to see what she would do that one time.

I began to back away. Once she had locked onto my neck, I backed up, and started to pull her out of the mud. I was pulling as hard as I could, because I just had to get her out of there. I pulled harder, until I was choking. I'd be fine, I just knew it. I had to save her before saving myself. I was just that kind of stallion. I pulled as hard as I could, and I could see her getting up a little bit. Could I get her out in time?

<sub>Her face did not flicker in amusement. His words at the moment meant nothing to her. In fact, she could barely hear a word or any other sound. Her senses started failing, her body starting to give in. The power of the mud overwhelming her greatly. Sighing, she looked up into his eyes with a dead look. She wanted to give up, this place was nothing any more. How could she get out? Was he powerful enough? With her teeth latched on to him, she didn't want to hurt him, but she wanted out of this mud.

Feeling him start to pull, her knees bent. Digging her hooves into the solid earth, her eyes squeezed shut again. Kicking with her back legs, she could still feel the suction of watery dirt. Trying to use her reserved strength, she didn't know if she could do it any longer. Grunting, she kept digging in and kicking with her hind legs. With the option of living in her mind again, thing began to slowly tick. It wasn't fast enough to make her move enough, but it was good enough to know to keep holding on and moving her legs out of the mud.</sub>

She was getting closer to getting out of the mud, so I pulled even harder to try and get her all of the way out. I wanted to spend more time with her, and that wouldn't happen if she somehow drowned and died in the very deep mud puddle. That was one thing we would have to get used to while living here in the Dimitra Cliffs. There was usually bad weather going on, it was covered in mud, and you'd have to watch your step so you don't fall off the cliffs. I was finally starting to get used to it after being here a few days before I went out to get a mare, but now that Dementa was here, she'd have to get used to it, too.

I had to get her out of there soon, because it was starting to hurt me. With her teeth latched on to me, it was digging into my skin. With one last pull, I fell backwards onto my back. Hopefully that would've gotten her out. If it didn't, I would be highly pissed, but I would still try again to get her out. I looked up, me still on the ground, to see if she had gotten out of the mud puddle with that last big pull. Did I get her out...?

<sub>There was a strain in her cheek as she tried to keep latched onto his thick skin. She could feel him pulling beneath her, his power trying to get her out. Moving another half inch on her own, she felt him pull as hard as he could. Suddenly, his weight shifted from underneath her and she was slammed against the muddy and safe ground. Wincing, she laid there for moments, still as a rock. She did not want to move, did not want to find out what was hurt. Sighing, she moved her eyes to look over at Apollo.

She knew he was not as hurt as her. Frowning, she looked away and closed her eyes. Every piece of her felt dead and useless, just laying here and doing nothing. Moving her legs and head up to try and stand, a pain zapped her. It bit at her insides, muscles and nerves, just chewing at her. Whimpering, she laid back down and held still. Taking a deep breath, Dementa realized that she was going to have to get up sometime to survive. Laying here may not cause pain to her, but it would also cause her death. Trying to move again, trying to roll her body up to standing, her petite frame just couldn't take the pain. For once in her life, she couldn't handle the pain dealt to her.</sub>

Trying to shake off the pain, I grunted and stood up, but almost fell back down the the muddy ground. We had both survived, so that was good news, but bad news was; I didn't know how badly hurt Dementa was. I looked over at her once I had finally gotten my balance, and I snorted. The bay mare didn't look so good, and that was something I had to worry about. She was a very pretty mare, and I would know if she didn't look right. Even though we had just met not that long ago.

"Are...are you ok?" I asked, wanting to worry about her before I worried about myself. I took a glance around my land of the Dimitra Cliffs, just making sure that nothing else was going to happen. I didn't need anything else happening to either of us. That would be even worse, and we might not survive it if it happened again while we were both weak. I took one step forward towards her, until we were only a couple feet away. I wanted to make sure that she was ok, and not too badly hurt. After I saw that she was ok, then I would worry about me, and see if I was fine.

<sub>Her ears flung back when his voice echoed. The sound of words hurt her ears, every sound sounded ten times louder then it usually did. So with every roll of thunder and flash of lightning, her eyes cringed and body twitched. Opening her black optics to look at his body, all she could see were hooves and ankles. Bringing her head up, she tried looking to his face to answer, but the pounding headache hurt her head too much to stay lifted. "No, I'm not." Her voice sore and hoarse, she just felt like sleeping.

She wanted to stand, wanted to survive. Folding her legs underneath her, she laid up and rested her chin in the mud. Sighing, she pushed out her two front legs and then the back ones like a foal would do. Shaking and trembling, she stood there for a few seconds. Feeling her body about to collapse, she was half way down to laying before she did collapse. Laying there in the mud, she let her own tears flow. It had been years since she had cried, never thought it appropriate, but now was. All she wanted was some comfort, she wanted her mom.</sub>

I didn't know what to do now. I had gotten her out of the mud, and now I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to help her feel better, at least until the pain left. All I could do was stay there was her. I was hurting, too, so all I wanted to do was stay still. I laid back down on the damp ground next to Dementa, and grunted in pain. I ended up closing my eyes and falling asleep, without me knowing it, and I began to dream. They were actually good dreams, but I didn't pay attention much to them. I just wanted to know what to do to make both of us feel better. I guessed all we could do was rest for a while until the pain went away, and I didn't know how long that would be.

After sleeping for a couple hours, I woke up. I rose up my head, but it dropped back down to the ground, because I couldn't hold it up for too long without it hurting. When her teeth dug into my skin, that was what hurt me. It had pulled the skin there, but I had to try my best to push the pain aside, and watch out for Dementa. She was in worse condition than I was, and I was going to make sure that she healed. I blamed this on me. I was the one that suggested exploring, and this wouldn't of happened if we didn't start walking in the mud puddles. I knew it wasn't all my fault, but I still blamed myself for us both getting hurt.

<sub>She looked up from the ground, trying to find Apollo. Where she was looking, she could not see him from this angle. He was on the other side and she didn't know it. Frowning, she whinnied as loud as she could. When she turned her delicate head, she felt utterly stupid. He had been laying beside her this whole time. Sighing, her eyes rolled and her head collapsed back onto the ground. The stallion had only been sleeping and that's what she felt like doing. Closing her coal black eyes, her eyes pressed back, she fell into a very trouble sleep. The deep mud pit still haunted her mind.

Feeling the wet ground shake, she opened her eyes. Lifting her head again, she watched as Apollo tried to lift his head. She felt horrible, his neck being injured from trying to save her. Laying her head on the ground, she rocked her weight a few times and tried to ease her way up onto her hooves. when she got up onto her four hooves, her muscles trembled. Still feeling a bit weakened, her head shook. She could feel the mud clinging to every part of her body. Not wanting to take a step, her eyes looked over to Apollo. Letting out a snort, she wanted to be near him, but felt no energy to get any closer.</sub>

Hearing her, I tried to stand up on all four of my hooves, but it took a couple tries until I was standing. I walked slowly and carefully towards her, just wanting to be close to someone at the moment. I was in pain, but luckily, we had survived without being too injured to heal. We'd feel better, eventually. How soon that would be, though, I did not know, and I hoped that we'd be better as soon as possible. In the mean time, at least we had each other to talk to, and be close to in our time of need.

He was now only inches away from being so close to her that I was touching her. I wasn't touching her, yet, I was close enough to where I was comfortable. "I'm sorry that had to happen," I said, my voice very hoarse. I snorted and looked down, drooping my head to where it almost touched the ground. I raised my cranium up again, not wanting to look weak. I hated looking weak, and I'd do anything to make me not look like it.

<sub>How close he was, the heat radiating off his body, made her slightly uncomfortable. Her muscles strained as she felt renewed strength. Shaking her delicate crown, lacy black locks flitted dried mud toward the ground. Shifting her light weight, coal black eyes examined his own weary body, curiously. "Putting blame upon oneself is utterly ridiculous," her voice hissed, slight anger in her voice. She never liked when others told her sorry, it was never their fault or hers. Letting out a breath of air, her optics turned away from his and toward where the mud stopped; a different land.

She now only wished that she had not come with him. It was not him that was the problem, it was the land. From the fall, she wasn't sure if she'd be herself anymore. More skittish, worrisome over where she stepped. What she wasn't able to have foals? That would surely devastate her. Snorting, the air was stuffy and there was not a moment now where she felt like herself. Everything felt strange, like she was looking through someone else's eyes. As she peered at Apollo, he looked different. She saw him in a different shade, a new light. It scared her as much as it made her curious and well her emotions up. Was she beginning to like him? Or was it a trap?</sub>

Hearing the anger in her voice, I moved away a step, to give her a little more space. I didn't know what she wanted. She she want me near her, or did she want me to move away from her? How did she feel about me? These were the things running through my mind. There was so much that I didn't know at the moment, but at least we were fine and escaped the mud hole without being harmed too much. Yes, it hurt, but we would heal.

I glanced at her and nodded at her comment, then looked away from her for a moment. I really hoped that we could both get used to the land and learn to watch our step and deal with all of this mud. I could not handle one of us falling into another mud hole, or somewhere else. I looked back at Dementa and forced back a smile. I was beginning to like the mare, but what did she think of me? I really wanted to know the answer to that question, but it wasn't like I was going to ask her. I would wait until she could show it in her words and actions. At the moment, I just wanted to get to know her.