Anyone Home? (challenge)

[<3Kodi]

The valley looked so empty through the garnet eyes of a lone stallion cantering over the slopes. Open meadows stretched out all around, distant mountains hidden in the early morning mist while he could barely see a fringe of forestland around the meadows. Slowing his canter to a trot the handsome stallion stood upon the crest of a slope looking all around him. The land was quiet to the auds of the ebony stag, it seemed almost unnatural. Fantom tossed his head making his flaxen made flare around his neck for a moment before settling back into place against his ebony neck. Optics the color of red wine scanned the fields, dark harks perked up for the sound of hooves or the snorting of another equine.

Fantom remained standing still as a statue for several long minutes. Surely someone should have noticed his presence? Rearing up onto his hind legs Fantom let out a loud neigh. As the Rocky Mountain stallion dropped back to all fours, he listened to his challenge echo off the distant trees and mountains, ringing in the silence. Shifting his weight, Fantom waited. He hadn't originally had the plan to become a lead stallion but if no one was here then this valley would be a beautiful place to nurture a herd.

Yes the mist was a bit odd and for now the valley seemed dead but Fantom was sure life could be breathed into this place once more. Finally deciding to stop acting like a statue, Fantom began to walk slowly down the slope to explore the lands. So far no one had come to answer his challenge and thus far he heard no hooves to herald the approach of another equine, either mare or stallion. Fantom's ebony coat rippled over powerful muscles as the elegant stallion began his venture, the smooth stride of his kind evident, making hims appear to flow through the land as he searched for others, half hopeful and half hoping no one was there. He felt at home here surrounded by distant mountains and open fields, perhaps this was his place? A place he belonged in where none could challenge him? Perhaps.

[ღE/m/i/l/yღ]

Mozart heard the challenge far off, her ears spiking in the direction of it. Twilight hadn't been seen all day, and Kiba wasn't around. She's have to deal with this... alone. She shivered. Galloping down steep ravines and large meadows, she spotted the challenger quickly. A tough stallion. He could kill her, if he wanted. Sighing, she wished she could go back in time, and let Sequin, or Aurora, take the Queen position. but she loved Twilight, and wouldn't give being Queen up for the world. Shyly, she stepped into view of the huge stallion.

"Yes,?" she asked, her voiced quaked with worry. What would he do to her? Surely, he would spare her, she was just a lady. She would fight if she had to. But she prayed that he would gallop away. Although she knew what his reaction would be: an easy fight. She shivered at the thought of her blood running the streams red. "You have reached Cutberry Diwns. I am Mozart, the Queen of this land. Can I help you?" Maybe he just wanted to join the herd... hopefully.

[<3Kodi]

Fantom's elegant head swung in the direction of approaching hooves. At last! Someone else was actually in the territory. Warm garnet eyes remained neutral and mysterious as he watched the equine approach. It was a mare and as she approached and stated her name it appeared she was the queen. For a long moment, Fantom simply assessed the fae with his wine-colored gaze. She was an appaloosa, a pretty breed but Fantom hadn't seen many of them in a while but always found them pleasantly unique. The next thing Fantom noticed was that she was small. He stood proudly at sixteen hands even, she was nearly two hands shorter then he so he actually had to arch his neck to meet her gaze. It was a bit odd but Fantom had been mainly raised around those that were the same breed as him, fifteen or sixteen hands. Her voice was soft but that didn't bother Fantom. He himself seldom spoke and when he did it wasn't in a loud or brash voice.

The elegant ebony stallion lowered his head in a bow to the queen before raising his garnet gaze once more to her. "My name is Fantom. Is there no lead stallion here?"

Fantom's voice was pleasant to the ears, deep and smooth as velvet. His dark garnet eyes were enchanting on their own, his ebony coat rippling with each movement. The flaxen of his mane and banner accented his dark appearance with stunning light, the dark streaks adding visual interest to his handsome appearance. Like all of his breed he had low withers, long legs and powerful shoulders with an elegantly arched neck and a fine head. His overall handsome appearance showed both power and elegance though a few years in the wild had taken away the impression that he had been bred by humans even though he had.

[ღE/m/i/l/yღ]

Mozart looked down. "I haven't seen Twilight for days." Her voice cracked. What had happened to her mate, the lead stallion? She had last seen him taking off on his eagle wings to find other herd members. There herd was puny, with only Herself, Twilight, Sequin, Knives, Papercut, Aurora, and maybe Kiba. They were no doubt the smallest herd, the largest being the Light and Dark herd. "So, what's your buisness here?" She asked again, pressing for a good reason. She tried out scenarios in her head. Oh, I just wanted to join! He would say. and she would accept. Or he could say, You are all pathetic, I'm taking the lands.. And what would she say? She couldn't fight, he could trample her easily. She was in a tough situation....

[<3Kodi]

Fantom's dark harks pricked at the news. The lead stallion, Twilight, had disappeared from even the sight of his mate. His garnet eyes darkened in sympathy for the turmoil of the poor mare. He knew the pains of loosing loved ones and knew her worry for both her mate and herd was probably great. Apparently his appearance wasn't helping the poor mare's nerves either since she seemed almost fearful of him. Fantom's eyes softened. It wasn't his intention to frighten, he wasn't that kind of horse, he was simply not a talker, a bit dark and silent as some had described him. Fantom lowered his head a bit to be more on the mare's level and hopefully ease her worries.

"I came here because of stories that this land had fallen silent" Fantom informed Mozart. "Others said the herd was dead and the land looks quite dead." He flicked his flaxen tail to indicate the silent surroundings of open meadow that looked lonesome and deserted. "I wanted to see if I could bring new life to this place."

The fact that Mozart's mate might still return meant that Fantom would either have to back down or fight the stallion. Fantom wasn't much of a fighter though it had absolutely nothing to do with his human raising. He simply preferred more subtle forms of combat, using his mind rather then his hooves when it came to battle, using his surroundings to his advantage. If Twilight did return however, Fantom was undecided if he would pursue fighting the stallion and taking aways his herd and honor though obviously he did a poor job of running his herd. Fantom knew what it was like to loose it all and wished that fate on no one else but perhaps a change was what was good for this place?

[ღE/m/i/l/yღ]

"He's not coming back." she said quietly, realization flooding her senses. "He's... dead." Somehow, Twilight had gotten into a fight, she was sure. He died, he was rotting away... and he had left her behind. "You come to be Lead Stallion?" she said, although she knew his answer. "I'll accept... only if I can continue being Lead Mare. And... be your mate." Her face twisted into sadness... But this wouldn't be so bad. Fantom seemed very nice... He would make a good Lead Stallion.

[<3Kodi]

The night-cloaked stag regarded the appaloosa mare with a calm garnet gaze. Though he held pity for her grief and his heart went out to her for the loss of her mate, Fantom knew she requested the one thing he could not do. Arching his neck, Fantom touched his muzzle lightly against Mozart's and shook his head, flaxen mane swinging lightly in a playful breeze. Stepping back, Fantom met the mare's dark gaze. "What you ask, I can not do" Fantom nickered. "I will not take a mate I do not love but by the ancient laws if your mate can not answer my challenge then these lands belong to me. If you consent I promise you an honored place in the herd and a home for as long as you wish to be here."

Fantom hoped she understood. He had given his heart to a mare once, almost made her his mate until illness had stolen her away. It seemed wrong in his mind to take a mate he did not feel love for. Mozart however was an honored member of the herd already, however small it was. Being on her good side while taking over the herd would be a good thing, help the others to adjust to his presence and leadership. Fantom could take the herd by force but that was not his way and he would not make a mare that had lost her mate homeless. That would be just as bad as taking the lands from her by force. If she could consent to his leadership then things would go more smoothly for everyone. A war was not what Fantom sought, only a place to rebuild and this place seemed as good as any and perhaps he could make a difference for the herd itself.

Also, Fantom was weary of other stallions that may linger in the herdlands. From what he'd heard the land had been considered empty for several months but still, if the queen remained then perhaps there were other stags and mares that also lingered? Fantom did not want them to be unhappy but simply to make a smooth change, help Mozart and her herd rebuild and give them a land and herd to be proud of.

[ღE/m/i/l/yღ]

(Err.. but.. Mozart's had this positon for a while. I really don't want to give it up.)

Mozart's eyes darkened. She couldn't fight, it was against the silly rules that were set. Her heart blackened. "Well." She said miserably. Now she was just a stupid subordinate again. Where was Twilight? He had abandoned her. All pitiful. "I can't be proud of anything if I don't lead nobly." she said emotionessly. She didn't want his pathetic fricking sympathy. She didn't want his pitiful comfort. Backing away, she realized she shouln't of met his challenge after all, if he was just going to wander up like he was all that and a muffin with frosting. To simply say 'I'm here, I'm leading, you can go off and be a low rank.'

[<3Kodi]

(sadly Fantom doesn't just take a mate to have a mate but i think compromise is best)

Fantom stepped back from the dapple-coated mare. She was mad and bitter and Fantom didn't blame her. If he were in her position he wouldn't be happy either. It was amazing what a simple thing like gender did, making the mares unable to lead while a stallion could waltz in and do as they pleased. Fantom almost hoped that Mozart's mate would appear out of thin air just to stake his claim. Heck, at this point Fantom would back down if the other stallion did appear to save Mozart the heartache and disgrace of loosing her claim to her herd's leadership. It wasn't something his sought to do intentionally, honestly he had been following rumors of a land that needed strong leadership and a constant presence to bring life to it.

He had not set out with cruel intentions and still didn't harbor any though he could feel the bitterness radiating from the disheartened appaloosa. Fantom studied the mare, debating internally about what to do. If he had Mozart stand by his side as a lead mare it would soothe the others that may remain in the lands but he could not willingly give his heart to someone when he had already given it once only to have his love die. It felt like he was dishonoring his beloved if he gave his heart to anyone that did not deserve it but then again, mating wasn't always a thing of love, that was simply Fantom's take on it.

"Rule beside me as lead mare until the spring. If I do not take a mate by spring I will allow you to bear my heirs for the herd" Fantom neighed at last, hoping to appease the mare's grief. "Should I take a mate before spring, you will have an honored place in the herd but if I take a mate after the spring has passed and you've given me an heir, your foal shall remain my heir. Does that seem fair?"

No, Mozart wouldn't have his heart but it would appease her and the herd, or so he hoped. Having an heir early in his reign would be a good idea but Fantom would give himself time to find a proper mate, a lead mare that could hold his heart but if he failed, then that would leave Mozart no worse off then she was now and the herd would have an heir should Fantom die or vanish.

[ღE/m/i/l/yღ]

"No." She said immediately. What had made her say that? She would only have a mate if he felt good things about herself. "No." She repeated, backing away from the stupid stallion that seemed to destroy her into small bit that could be eaten by a squirrel. Or a mouse. Tiny pieces. So small, and fragile. She wanted to leave. So she did. Bucking away, she raced through the madness, fast fast fast. Speed in her mane. Swirls in her eyes. Sparks of fight in her head. Get out! She shreed to know one in particular. I'm not easy! Rage. She could change her name to that, that was her main feeling right now. She would find Twilight kill him, find Fantom, kill him, kill the herd, death, blood, rage. Endlessness.

She froze. Was this what she would become, a reckless killing machine? She didn't want that. Looking back, she wondered if Fantom raced after her, or if he didn't care. she stared at the stream, and that's when the tears came. Fast, quick wets tears falling down her cheek. She wondered if Twilight was watching, wherever he was. If he was angry, or pleased... or whatever. Would he scold her? Forget about her?

[<3Kodi]

Tossing his head, Fantom stepped back as the bespeckled mare bucked and charged off across the territory, declining his offer. Half of him was relieved. It felt like the worst sort of betrayal toward his former love. He still felt her presence sharply in his heart and mind, that was why he had made an offer that would give him that much more time to try and dislodge the pain Lorian had left in the wake of her death. Now that it was quite obvious that Mozart wasn't going to take his offer, Fantom couldn't help but feel a measure of relief. He had more time to grieve, more time to recover like the land around him crying out for Twilight and Mozart but left with only him to bring it back to what it had once been, what it could have been.

Fantom watched as the appaloosa fled from him. He had seen the rage in her eyes as she had run away and knew she would not let him rest while he ruled her herdlands. Whether she had reached total madness from grief and rage, Fantom did not know but his heart went out to her regardless. She could, and probably did, want him dead but Fantom still felt pity for her. He had taken everything from her, forcing her to accept her mate's death and the reality that the land was not hers to hold.

As a mare, she could not hold a herdland. It was the ancient law followed by all equines and Mozart could not get around it even if she wanted to, no matter how much she willed it. Fantom glanced in the direction Mozart had gone. He would give her two days to leave and take with her any others that chose to follow her. Sunset on the second day would be her deadline and if he found her again after that she would be treated as an outsider, a stranger and given the treatment of any other wanderer.

Turning, Fantom set off at a gallop toward the slope in the heart of the territory with a large tree growing at the top. His hooves sounded lonely and hollow in the land but Fantom knew that would change with time.