Word Count → 3+
It was difficult for her to imagine the relationship Ezekiel had with his family. It was the concept of his family that scared her - She had seen what it had done to Gabriel. The responsibility of it, the intensity of it, had sucked him dry. The colliewoman had known him as a boy, although the memories now were faded almost to oblivion. What power did Inferni have over his bloodline? What power did it have over her children? She could see the same weariness in Ezekiel's eyes as she had seen within Gabriel's, and she feared it.
Another small discussion between man and beast followed after her question. Alaine looked on with an expression of mild interest. She valued Nana, certainly, but to talk to the mare as an equal? It seemed unreasonable. In the end, the mare was just another beast of burden, privileged as she was beyond the scope of prey. The apothecary had come to love her, in her own secretive way, but she would never be able to develop a relationship with the mare so intensely as he who spoke their tongue could.
After a moment, the hybrid male made a neat vault onto the sunset-stallion's broad back. Though jittery, the Clydesdale put up less of a fuss than Alaine had been expecting. He lifted his huge hooves slightly, and Nana turned to snort - The sound was so familiar to the noises of dissension she made to her own children, that the Apothecary found herself laughing. It was strange, to laugh again, and at such an absurd thing. "I suppose I wouldn't be too happy with it, either," lyrical tone was followed by another soft laugh, and for a moment emerald eyes danced with some of their old mirth at the young man, and she was transformed from harried mother to the beautiful young creature she had once been. But only for a moment, before the wary and serious expression returned, and she clucked her tongue and adjust her seating. The bay mare responded with a reluctant whisk of her silky black tail, before moving forward into a rolling walk.
The two giant horses fell into step, the stallion seemingly placated enough by the presence of his old dame to allow the strange weight on his back to continue. Whether Ezekiel was guiding him, or whether he was simply following Nana, Alaine couldn't tell. The forest was silent, except for the occasional trill of a distant bird, or the dripping of melted snow from a bough. "Your father..." She spoke abruptly, emerald eyes remaining steadfast on the path between the mare's dark ears, "What did he think of... Of this?" Unable to refrain, the woman allowed her gaze to slide back towards the blond man.
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