West lifted his head and walked to the river, drinking again before returning to Mystery. As she approached Nevada, he hung back a little, but the other mares kind gesture brought a small smile to his face. "Thank you." He said quietly, lowering his cranium to eat the flowers. Hopefully they would help. As they started moving, his audit swiveled to catch any words that were uttered. "Thank you again for helping us. We really appreciate everything you've done. Hopefully we can get close enough to recognize something." West commented, flicking his plumage before lengthening his strides slightly, wanting to get wherever they were going as soon as possible. If he could find his foals, with Mystery, everything would just seem so perfect. He had hope, still, and he wasn't going to let it go. He couldn't.

(Oh no don't apologize Arlington! I was just being dramatic :) take all the time you need)

Mystery Watched Nevada cross the river and West going to get a drink, worried he'd accidentally slip in. But thankfully he didn't, she laid her soft brown eyes on Nevada as she came back with flowers "Yeah, I'm sorry if I seem rushed. I just can't contain my excitement, or the thought of seeing my Beloved foals again" She explained with a smile, she looked down at the plants "Thank you! This will help" Mystery nudged Nevada's shoulder gently before bending down and eating the plants that were given to her, she watched with a soft grin as West interacted with the Mare. Than nodded when she asked "ready" She said finding her old caring voice once again "It's okay that you don't know where the Northern herd lives, but you're right. Traveling north is the best way! Wild West ran the herd long before I ended up in it so he should hopefully remember - I mean, I do remember what the land looks like!.. I'm just a little afraid of forgetting " She said as she trotted along, one leg in front off the other, Mystery stayed behind West and Nevada for the travel. She looked down as they hit a road than glanced at Nevada "Is something wrong?" She asked tensing slightly as her ears swiveled trying to listen to their surroundings

(Pfft, the great Wild West, reduced to Mystery thinking he'll slip and fall in the river...

WHAT FAITH DO YOU HAVE((

-

West paced along the edge of the woods, along the narrow path towards the north. It was obviously well used, so he was on high alert at all times, his audits constantly swiveling and his brown orbs fixed on anything that moved. He was a little worried about not being able to defend Mystery if anything did come along, but he decided to cross that bridge when he came to it. He tried not to get too far ahead, although he had already reignited that pressing, excited, pulsing hope that he had had for the first couple months after the incident. He paused for a second, scenting the air, his head held high and nostrils flared. Nothing. Already, he was imagining seeing his precious foals again. Of course, he could only picture them as the small, gangly adolescents he had seen them last as. He wondered how beautiful they had all grown up to be. Of course, Westery was still growing, but when West had last seen her? She was a small, wonder filled wide eyed filly that didn't know the difference between a bear and a horse. So innocent. The crushing guilt he had carried this whole time seemed to grow slightly heavier as he thought about how they all had to grow up without a father. Consequently, especially Westery, already probably saw someone else as a father figure, since she was young when the incident occurred. The mere thought made his heart throb with pain- all he wanted was to be there for them, but apparently he was bad at that, too.

(She just cares about him! Especially with his fragile state 🥺 and she can't stop worrying about bad things that might hurt him! So technically speaking he has been reduced to one of her foals XD)

Mystery side eyed the woods on either side of them, ears perking back and forth, she lowered her muzzle and sniffed the ground for any recent traces of life. She smelt a bear that passed a few hours ago, rabbits and maybe a few deer. Luckily she couldn't pick up anything that would harm the 3 of them, she glanced at West, his expression becoming sad as he got lost in thought, she walked over a few steps "What you thinking about?" She asked tilting her head knowing something was up

(WAIT NOOO HES A GROWN HORSE XD

He took her in, protected her, loved her, and now he's one of her foals?!?! Sobs-

LOL))

-

West continued staring into space, his mind swirling with all the things he could've done with his foals, all the things he was missing, all the things they already missed. Everything bad seemed to pile on at once, and it was hurting his brain. Mystery's words snapped him out of it, though, as he glanced at her, an audit swiveling her way. "Nothin- nevermind, I can tell you know that's a lie." He snorted quietly as he glanced at her expression. "Just Cali, and Westery, and Sol... and what we missed. They pretty much grew up without parents. I wish we could've been there for them." He answered quietly. "Sorry to drop that on you, but you're the one that asked what I was thinking about." He smiled weakly, glancing forward, one audit still tuned in to the forest around them.

West glanced over at Nevada as she spoke, falling silent, either thinking or wondering if he should run away. He normally would be the one to jump forward and share his whole life story piece by piece by ounce by ounce one detail at a time, but right now he wasn't feeling completely comfortable with talking to other horses. He had talked to no one but Mystery for over a year. Now he was going to share random facts about his life. Perfect. "... I'm pretty sure my favorite memory of Westery is when she figured out flowers smelled good. She was gallivanting around one day, and managed to fall flat on her face 7 times, but that last time she landed near a flower and apparently happened to take a breath. I swear, for 4 hours no one could pull her away- she just sat and sniffed the flower, over and over." He chuckled quietly. "The look on her face was priceless. She was amazed." He added, then paused. "And my favorite memory of Cali and Sol is when they figured out how to say our names. Ghost, Mystery, and I. They were each trying to outdo each other, running around and yelling mixed versions of our names. Ghost ended up with a weird mixed version of his name, like Ghweist or something, and it was absolutely adorable. Of course, afterward, they both were exhausted from bolting around in circles screaming names, so they collapsed in a cute huddle and slept for hours." West grinned lightly, glad to revisit the happier memories.

(haha yeeeaaaah but now she's returning the favor! Is that so wrong?

Mystery shared a sorrowful look when West explained what was bothering him "Oh... I understand, I feel the same if not worse. I'm their mother, I should of kept closer to them, it's the stallion who looks after the herd of mares while the mare's look after the young, and yet I still failed. I was just so worried about you when you were chased and couldn't deal with the thought of losing you... So I left them with Ghost, I knew he was fully capable of protecting them.. But I miss them and really wish things could have gone differently " She said softly, her face not sure whether it should cry or smile "I wish we could of been there to watch them learn new stuff and be adorable too" She muttered quietly lightly shaking her head. Mystery's audits perked towards Nevada as she stepped in, she looked at the mare, a small smile appearing on Mystery's face as she thought back to the nostalgia, she chuckled at what West brought up about Westery "Ah yes that was a pleasant and funny day with young Westery, i remember we left Ghost with the herd so we could take Westery and the twins out for a adventure day, and once she discovered the lovely smell of flowers she REALLY wouldn't leave them, I was hungry but Westery wouldn't come with me so I ended up grazing there and sniffed the flowers with her. Remember that Petunia I placed in her forelock? My pretty little flower.. That is a great memory! Another one of my favorites with her - apart from ALL of them? Would be when she went months thinking she only had two legs, her front ones. But then when she accidentally tripped next to me she looked down between her front legs and saw her back ones, She was wigged out from that new discovery" Mystery laughed at the second one. She thought for a little moment "As for Cali and Sol?" Mystery looked at Nevada "One of my all time favorites was just after Cali was born, when she used West as a slide over and over again, the first few times she kept getting stuck on his back, her body was so little compared to West's, I had to help push her until she finally got the hang off it, and with Sol during the time. My favorite thing about that special day is a few minutes after Cali was born and playing slides. When I went through more horrific pains, I didn't understand what was wrong, I thought I was dying... Than I heard him, that handsome little golden Colt's first whinny. That was my favorite Sol memory from that day was realizing I had twins. Another memory I can't pass up is when California and Sol thought they could just take over the herd, they told 'dad' that if he didn't hand over his role than they'd have no choice but to kick us out" Mystery giggled at the thought of their bossy stage "I blame Ghost for putting the 'Leader' idea in their heads" Mystery snorted lightly

__________ California

After the break California walked over to Sol "I think the herd's ready to move on" She said with a small nod to her brother before standing at the edge of the herd and booming "Everyone? I hope you've had something to eat and drink because we're going to move forward again!" She said firmly turning and looking at Westery making sure she was there before walking along

___________________ Westery

Westery watched California and Sol, she waited for the herd to start moving than walked with Ghost "Hey Ghost! How are you feeling about this?" She asked looking at him as they walked

Nevada | Mare | Wilderness | Mentions: West & Mystery

Mystery chuckled softly with a proud nod "Mhm! Twins, and we are very lucky" She agreed. Mystery had finally started her own bank account to fill with hope, she went into thought, but returned when Nevada spoke "You have a foal of your own?" Mystery asked politely, shifting her weight