(Nope, I'm doing it! Everyone prepare for the most amazing showdown ever!)

-

West chuckled lightly as Mystery explained the memory of Westery not knowing she had four legs. He stifled a laugh at the thought. "She is a special little cookie." He grinned faintly, his brown eyes twinkling at the memory of Cali and Sol. Those were good days. "She was so excited, too. Just to slide down over and over and over." He commented, feeling thankfulness wash over him as he was reminded of how lucky they were to have all survived having twins. Not him, but Mystery, and Cali, and Sol all lived and were healthy. It was truly a miracle. "That was Ghost's fault." He laughed lightly, glancing at Nevada. "They are precious, and each moment we have with them is to be treasured forever." He said quietly, turning his gaze to the trail ahead. Hours later, they were growing quite close to the mountains. His orbs were straining for something familiar when they landed on a big rock. His gaze lit up. "I think I know where we are." He all but whispered, freezing for a second as he looked around. Yes. Yes yes yes! The forest ahead, dotting with fields- that was the same forest the fire had been in, so many years ago. The same one. His gait quickened to a Trot as he moved out, quickly going towards the woods. Each tree was like another friend he hadn't seen in years. His heart all but stopped when he heard quiet voices. Voices. Horses. Horses. Voices. His brain spinning, he let his blurry eyes roam to a pelt that was appearing through the trees. A golden pelt. Next to it, a dark grey pelt. A little ways away, a lighter grey pelt. His eyes glazed over and his breathing quickened. He couldn't move, or think, or feel, or see. His knees felt like they wanted to buckle. Everything was a blur, but his eyes were fixed on those pelts. "Cali? Sol? Westery?" He finally croaked, taking a staggering step closer before freezing, scared that if he moved he'd topple over. He felt like he was having a heart attack. That was them. He knew it was. Right there. So close.

+++

Toby was walking along the edge of the woods when they stopped to rest. Afterward, Cali said it was time to get going, so he had started moving again when he saw a flash of grey. Grey? Dapple grey? Like him? Tilting his head in confusion, he watched as a horse emerged. Underfed with a dull pelt and a silver mane and tail from age, grey hairs all around the muzzle and neck, he froze, wondering if it actually could be the very horse they had been looking for all this time. If so, where was Mystery?

(No... WAY!? Aaaahh! I almost peed myself from excitement reading this XD NO WAY ITS FINALLY HAPPENING!!!!!!!! IVE PREPARED MY LIFE FOR THIS VERY MOMENT!!!!!)

Mystery smiled and bobbed her head as West pitched in, and kept walking, following the kind mare who was nice enough to help them. She paused when West said he knew the area "... Really?" Mystery asked, her delicate heart skipping a few beats as she scanned the area, the memories of the land soon coming in "Yes... I recognize this place... Over there is where I first came! The day we met and you let me stay in your herd... That forest, from the fire when I had to get Cali and Sol to safety while you helped Ghost... And that part of the woods over there is where I stumbled across Ghost standing in front of a deceased mare... And Flame, the day I left the foals with you to look for Ghost..." Mystery muttered not believing her own eyes, as she looked around all the good memories and the bad ones came flashing back to her. She watched West trot off towards where the herd used to thrive before following shortly after, glancing at Nevada as she passed her "Come on! This is our homeland" Mystery said with a flurry of emotions as she tried catching up to West. By the time she did she looked at his brown eyes, and followed his gaze till she saw 3 very familiar pelts in the near-ish distance "N-No... Is that... California?.... Sol?.. And W-Westery?!" Mystery felt light headed, her knees grew weak and she thought she was hallucinating "My babies... Our... Babies!" She said, her voice raising slightly as she reared a small rear and Whinnied out hoping to get a response

__________ Westery

She strode next to Ghost, eyeing off California and Sol when her ears twitched, she raised her head alert, and looked around spotting something off in the distance, at first she didn't recognize her mother or father and looked at her older siblings and Ghost "Umm guys? Who's that?" She asked looking back at the figures

____________ California

Cali looked down at Westery as she asked who 'They' were, confused, California raised her head and looked in the direction Westery had, her eyes narrowing in on 3 shapes, a black speckled horse-like figure, a golden figure, and a dark grey? No, dark dapple grey figure?

Cali shook her head violently and blinked a bunch of times before getting a second look "M-Mom....? D-Dad.....?" California muttered without realizing it, she took a step closer and nickered to Sol to get his attention, her careful gaze fixed on the three horses in the distance

_______ Westery

She gave Cali a weird look at how she was acting once she saw the shapes. Westery looked at the shapes again. Her eyes widened when she heard California say dad and mom, she turned to her "Wait... What?" She asked glancing back at them. She didn't wait around any longer, Westery jumped into a full speed gallop towards the three horses "M-Mommy? Daddy!?" She yelled, her voice getting emotional as she drew closer and saw their faces better, they matched her memory. She sped up even more until she skidded and purposely crashed in between both of their chest's crying "Daddy!!! Mommy!!!" She buried her face into their sides and nuzzled them "Is it really you??" She asked

_________ Mystery

Mystery froze as the coats stopped moving "Have they... Noticed us?" She whispered, Mystery's breathing sped up when the lighter grey, smaller coat started flying towards them, instant tears filled Mystery's ears as she picked up pace, trotting a few steps before bracing for Westery's impact.

The very moment her 1 year old filly's skin touched hers she bursted into tears "Westery!? Oh Westery!!! It's us! It's really us! Oh my poor little filly!" She cried cuddling the smaller horse with her head down Westery's back "And it's really you..." She muttered under her sobs

(okay done lol 🥺 I'm legit crying right now)

West stared in shock, his brown orbs wide and unbelieving. However, he knew in his heart who it was. As Westery flew towards him, he stepped forward, bracing for impact as she rammed into his chest. "Westery.." He choked out, tears sliding down his face as he wrapped his neck around her, breathing in her scent, in a state of wonder. "We're back, we're here. I love you so much. So much." He whispered, clutching her tight before looking up at Cali and Sol, his eyes shining with tears. "I love you all so much..." He murmured, still shocked. They were back. Westery was right here, with them. Here. Cali was here. Sol was here. "I can't believe I'm here.. I can't believe I found you... we found you..." His voice failed him as he trembled.

(aww no I just stopped crying! But here come the water works again)

Westery greedily tried to stuff herself as far into them as she could and refused to step back or let go "I can't believe it... I thought you guys were gone for good" Westery murmured into their fur, the sound of her mother's soft voice made her even more emotional, but then when West spoke, whispered to her with those words that Westery had so longed for, it shattered her little caring heart and built it back up again, the way he told her he loved her made her go through a series of emotion "I love you too daddy. So much you wouldn't even know!" She said snuggling into him, taking in his scent which brought back more memories of them, then looked at Mystery "And I love you too, Mommy!" She spoke like a filly still not releasing herself from their grasps

________ California

"Westery!..." She tried to call her as the filly took off, but it was too late, California still didn't know whether she was imagining things, but when she saw Westery crash into them and not topple over? That was enough proof that they were really standing there waiting for them. She bounced on the spot and glared at Sol "Sol, brother. It's really them! Dad and mom are here... THEIR BACK!" She screamed in excitement walking, trotting, than cantering towards them "Mother? Father!" She yelled as she got closer to them, she stopped a few meters in front of the two horses who raised her and Sol, it broke California's heart to see her parents in such bad condition. Though she knew her father's good heart, and instantly could tell he looked after her and Sol's mother, hense why he was in worse condition, his hairs were greying out, and Mystery's lower leg fur were starting to get grey hairs, she looked at her half broken down parents yet they seemed to be quickly repairing themselves, and shook her head "Oh my gosh. Father! Mother! You guys are... Back!" California couldn't contain her excitement anymore, she launched forward and wrapped her neck around the pair "I cannot believe it... Finally our searches have paid off" She said through her stream of tears

_________ Mystery

Mystery took in Westery's scent and held onto her tightly, when she opened her eyes she saw a beautiful grey mare cantering towards them and a utmost handsome young gold stallion coming in hot as well "Cali... California! Sol!!!" She cried out in nothing but complete happiness as she embarrassed her now grown foals "Oh my, look how you two have grown!" She said trying to fight the tears but failing miserably. She sniffed Cali and Sol's backs, living in the memories of them, she looked over at West who was more than overjoyed and mouthed the words "We did it, we found out way home to our family" With a smile before returning to her cuddles from all three of their children

(I'm literally acting like a physocpath. Im visiting my family, and they are a little wary because I just started screaming and jumping up and down. So mature XD. I'm pretty sure u hears my Father ask who raised me LOLLLL

I never cry, but MAN my eyes are a little more shiny than normal!))

-

West didn't know what to say, or think. He could only feel Westery's warm body against his chest, and her soft breaths. He could only hear her mumbled words, and Cali's screams of joy. Everything else faded away. "No, no Westery we were always trying to find you and your siblings. We never stopped looking." He whispered, his breathing shuddery, catching almost every second. "I know you love me, but I love you more than the distance to the sun and back. I love you all more than time and space. Love is what brought us back together." He said, not even trying to stop the wet salty tears still leaking out of his shiny brown eyes. As Cali and Sol ran up, he lifted his head. His babies. All grown up. He took a second to look at Westery, as well, who seemed almost full grown. He lifted his head just slightly to gaze at Cali, not even being able to show how much joy he was in. If you looked close enough, though, his eyes portrayed it all. "I love you, Cali. And you, Sol. I'm so, so happy to be back." He whispered, his voice hoarse. He couldn't bring himself to say more at the moment, as any words he tried to utter faltered. "I just got given the best gift a father could ever have..." his almost inaudible words were so true.

(lol)

Her parents words comforted her and answered all her questions, she felt all the weight of the world lifting off her shoulders, all Westery could say in return was "I always had a feeling you would come back" Westery was still a little in disbelief, she looked back at Ghost, wanting him to come over and see his friends

__________ California

She smiled "I-.. I love you too, all of you!" California said softly, her voice sounding a lot like Mystery's when she was younger "I'm so sorry you two got separated, and went through what you had. Since you both disappeared Ghost looked after the herd till me and Sol turned three, then we kinda took over. And the first thing we decided since you two were gone was to come up with a new way to prevent predators from separating the herd- Which includes our new defense mechanism. The kill circle, where foals and pregnant mares stay in the centre while the rest of the younger healthier horses all gather around the weak to form a protective circle, and as much as we hate killing anything? Our only exception was predators if they came to close to the circle " Cali explained with a small thoughtful shake of her head "To avoid what happened to you happening to others " She said sentimentally as she nuzzled her mother than her father "We, the three of us hope you're proud of us" She said softly

________________ Mystery

She nodded in agreeance "I love each and every one of you with all my heart! And I promise, I PROMISE to always be there for you no matter what! I don't ever want to think about going missing again!" She said nuzzling the 3, gently nibbling their manes

West nuzzled Westery's neck, his tears finally stopped, but his eyes still shining. "I knew we'd find you." He said quietly, then focused on Cali. "That's a good idea... I'm glad you changed something after what happened." He said quietly, his gaze flitting to the ground for a moment before he took in a breath and looked back up, able to speak, finally. "Of course we're proud of you three. You forged onward, even when it was hard. That's all I ever could've wanted. You three are the strongest horses I know." he smiled. "And I promise to be there the best I can, too. There'll be times when I can't, but I have faith you all will be fine." He nuzzled each of them before letting out a breath, his mind trying to catch up with whatever was happening. Whatever had happened. He turned to Nevada. "Thank you so much. You led us back close enough where we could find them- we owe you everything. This means so much. Thank you." He said again, dipping his head in respect.

Nevada | Mare | Wilderness | Mentions: West & Mystery

(I give up on this shit-xD)

Ghost looked over at sol with a nod "im fine just a bit overwhelmed" he shook out his mane scanning to woods hoping to see another golden coat but he only saw sols with a sigh he continued to search with the mares and grumble at their guard dog jokes