Dae studied the stallion's movements, knowing that such a fight had the potential to produce fatal wounds even to the victor. It was the kind of fight that she knew all too well. A fight that she knew better than anyone. A fight she had mastered.

She held Comanche's eyes, eyes that seemed to her almost to be as lifeless as the fallen stallion by which they stood. It pained her to see him like that, when he was always so gentle and happy. No more. The weight of his mate's actions might very well be enough to crush him.

She couldn't leave now, she couldn't leave him like this. There was no way she was willing to do that. And so with a glance in the direction she had origionally wanted to flee, she sighed, "Come on, I just came in this direction and there is a small spring. It'll be easier if you have help to get that all off. You don't want your foals to see you like this."

The golden mare led him to the spring without saying anything in reponse to his final words. Instead she waited until he laid himself in the water. Then she settled herself on the bank, dipped her nose in the water, and began to scrub away the blood with her muzzle.

"I only ever saw stallions turn on thier mares. And even if mares turned, I always figured the stallion deserved it. But no one deserves it less than you..." She felt somewhat awkward saying it, giving him such a compliment. She sighed again and began to pick at his mane, "I know I can hardly be the one to give advice... but Comanche I don't think it's worth you leaving her. She made a mistake. I'm not saying she deserves you. I'm not saying you should still love her... but I do think you're capable of forgiving her... capable of still loving her. And your foals need a mother."

Dae took in each of Comanche's words without making eye contact with him. Instead she traced his each and every wound with her eyes then her muzzle. She licked gently at the blood that stained his white markings before finally coming to his face. It had always been the most difficult to clean after a fight.

She paused before grooming his face, taking the time to meet his gaze when he thanked her. Expressionless still, Dae lifted a shoulder as if to shrug it off. She didn't want to face any emotions regarding him. And so she was determined to be as detached as possible.

This would be one of the greatest trials he would have to face. And with a faint smile she nodded to him, "I know how difficult the washing of blood can be. I don't think you've realized how many times I've had to do what you're doing now."

After asking permission, she began to groom his white face, being more gentle than ever with the wounds. There were many scuffs and places where teeth had torn skin. Dae dipped her nose back in the water before drawing it gently over his face. Only when she had rinsed off most of the blood did she pull away.

"I don't know what you should do," She stared at the waters that had turned somewhat pink with all of the blood, "But I don't think you should raise those foals alone. And what about everything you've been through with Dell? You wouldn't be mates with her if you didn't love her as much as I know you do."

Dae was bewildered by his sudden movement. He seemed nearly eager to take what she had said the wrong way. Granted she knew she hadn't been particularly emotional.

But she had to keep her feelings under wraps... she thought she wouldn't have to see him again. She'd just come to terms with that fact. Now he was here, nearly upset with her.

"I'm not telling you what to do Comanche. I shouldn't have said anything at all. I know nothing about love and raising a foal. If I did I wouldn't be leaving," She bit on her lip before coming slowly to her hooves. Then she shook off what she said and sighed, "I think you should do what you feel is right for your family."

(Sorry kind of short!)

Sundae tried to sheild herself from the emotions that she told herself would cloud her judgement. That's why she had left in the first place... to escape this confrontation. Maybe he understood and maybe he didn't... but she felt as though she were confronting him just as much as she was confronting the guilt she couldn't bear.

She listened to his every word, feeling her heart melt drip by drip word for word. At his last command, one that she pinned her ears automatically at, she couldn't keep it in. She did face him, with nothing but pain in her moist blue eyes.

"It was just before spring, just before the mayapples sprouted. When the earth was soggy and the trees began to smell like buds. It feels like a long time ago but it was not. I ran away from the herd that is hunting me now. I was mates with a stallion I hated. I took the first chance I could to run away."

"I was carrying my first foal..." She clung to Comanche's eyes for as long as she could, "I lost it. I got in a fight and hurt myself... and I lost it. I didn't care. I didn't care at all. I felt nothing. I felt nothing then."

Tears streamed out her eyes but all she felt was a deep rage for what she had done, "I feel everything now. I feel that regret and that guilt. It was my fault. It was no one's fault but my own. And even if it wasn't, I didn't care. Why didn't I care?"

"I was scared and I was selfish and I regret it Comanche, I regret it with everything in me. I wish that foal would have lived. I would have given it to a better mother... but it was my family," She began to sob uncontrolably for a moment, before she shook herself forecfully out of it.

In a moment she had backed away again, struggling to make her voice sound stronger than it was, "I can't be in a herd like yours. Never could. I don't deserve what you have. I don't think I'm strong enough anyway."