Chalk Outline

The rhythmic sound of hooves striking the ground was nearly silent, but could be heard in the soundless surroundings. Trailing one's eyes upward, you would see the dark, scar peppered legs of a blue roan. Looking father up, it is noticed that the scars do not stop. They trail upwards, covering the everywhere except the mare's face. Relic had been running for days, only stopping when necessary. The muscles in her dark legs twitched from exhaustion, but she ignored it completely. Her mind was chanting the words like a melody, they are still chasing you, they are still chasing..........

Relic didn't even know where she was, but somewhere deep in her mind she knew they had stopped coming for her a day ago. Not trusting herself, she never slowed from her long, graceful gallop. At first sight, it looked like the scars covering her body should bother her, but the mare had long gotten used to them. Some cuts were still healing from the torture she had endured only days ago. Even as they healed, she knew they would mar her body even further than it already was. Even when she stopped by other places to eat and drink, no one offered to help her. They took one look at her horrific appearance and ran away.

Even as she came to the jagged rocky mountains she never slowed. Surefooted as ever, she glided through the terrain like it was nothing to her. As the mare came to an incline, her legs had enough. Skidding to a stop, they buckled beneath her until she was on her knees. Relic didn't care about the exhaustion she felt or how her ribs shown from not eating as much as she should. All she cared about was getting away from them. Her mind told her that he deserved to die, that he was responsible for the four years of torture she was put through. Every day and night they came, digging their hooves into her flesh and making her blood stain the ground. Every cut she was gave had scarred, but now she no longer cared how they marred her once beautiful roan coat.

Still on her knees, she silently told herself to stand and not give up yet. How bad she wanted just to lay down and give up. No, she had tried that, but they kept her alive anyway. Moving slowly, she stood on one leg, then the other. Making sure she wouldn't collapse again, the mare gazed at her surroundings. There was no sign of them anywhere, and Relic sighed in relief. Looking more closely, she realized that she was miles away from that place of terror. How long exactly had she ran? A breeze hit her like a kick in the gut, and that was when the smell of others hit her nostrils. Before her mind could connect with what her body was doing, a nearly silent whinny sounded. It was very quiet, but one could hear it if they bothered to care.

As Relic's mind continued to catch up with itself, her icy blue stare took in her surroundings. It was a beautiful place, but so was her old home. Turning her emotionless gaze to the sky, she lifted her head and stood taller. As if challenging the world to bring her something worse than what she had already endured. Shaking out her knee length, dark mane she waited. Letting her mind drift off, Relic listened for any sound of an approaching visitor.

(If I may join...)

If you listened close enough, you could hear a quiet grumbling, filtering through grass stained teeth. The stocky youth trotted at a steady pace, straight forward, but with no destination. Or determination for that matter. Once in a while he would flick his ears this way and that, and the sleepy eyes moved in unison, alert. He had heard those wolves during the night, and having a rendez-vous with them was definitely not on his to do list.

So when the cold whiff of wind blew on his soft nose, Silas was immediately informed of a presence. The presence of another horse. Unexpectedly, he found his heart beating a little faster. How long has it been since he last met his own kind? A little more than a year, for sure. For a while, the criollo quickened his pace, then slowed again. What was he expecting? Some friendly horse who would simply let him trespass through his territory?

The direction of the wind had changed. Anything in front of him could catch his scent now. His grumbling got louder, but his direction did not change. He had to admit, he was curious of the horse that might be there. Silas climbed the rocky mountain with ease and expertise. Stamina, and endurance were the only traits he had, and the criollo knew it. He was not tall, slender, or graceful. But then again, who would care, in the wild?

A sudden sound made his body halt, every muscle in his body becoming rigid and tense. What was that? It sounded... desperate perhaps? The next moment, the young stallion was galloping, the surroundings simply a blur. He supposed it was his "goody-good" side coming out, as his twin sister had preferred to call Silas. Can't leave anything that bothered him.

A few seconds later, he saw her. A mare, slightly older, and terribly thin. Slowing his pace he approached the mare, with gradual, cautious steps. He saw the scars, increasing his worry. They were not man made, he was pretty sure. Silas remembered his sister, slashing at their mother in a temporary fit. When he spoke, it was grumbling like always. Like a hesitant bass drum. "Err...Hello. M-May I help in anyway?" He looked into her blue eyes, wary, but patient.

As the mare waited, her onyx hoof pawed at the ground gently. She was a
very patient one, for being locked up would do that to someone. A breeze
lifted her knee-length mane, causing it to flutter and flow in the
wind. Relic's gray-blue sides lifted and fell as she tried to catch her
breath once again. The run she had gone on was her longest yet, and both
her muscles and lung objected to it. Swishing her tail, she tunred her
icy blue gaze to her surroundings. How had she ended up on a mountain?
Relic had been born in flat lands, so being as sure footed as she was on
the mountain surprised her.

Lowing her head, she snorted against the ground. Dust swirled around her nose and she sneezed. Lifting her arching neck, she turned it when the sound of hoof beats sang into her dark ears. Relic looked like an arabian, but she was a mustang at heart. There were a multitude of breeds mixed together in her lineage. Flicking her ears forward, she listened as the slow beats turned to a gallop. Pivoting on one hoof, she turned gracefully to face what was coming towards her.

Relic's piercing blue eyes met the form of a crillo stallion. He seemed to be slightly younger than her, but that was no matter. The stallion seemed well fed to her, so much different from her showing ribs. The mare was almost sure that the minute he saw the scars marring her body that he would run, but instead he asked a question. One of the cuts she had received days ago had been torn open, and blood was trickling down her flank.

As he stopped speaking, the mare responded. Her words flowed out like a river. "That depends on what you can help me with. I do not need a healer, if that is what you were wondering. I just need a home. Do you think this herd could provide me with that?" Relic let her sapphire eyes meet his as she shifted her weight to her other side. Her legs were slightly shaking from the exertion they had gone through after her run. Still looking at him with a blank face, she waited for him to speak.

(May I jump in?)

Gin cantered slowly across the area. From far away, only a handsome, strong stallion could be seen. Close up, Gin was really just a scarred horse, with multiple wounds, the ones on his neck and legs most visible. Looking in front of him, you would be able to see his disconnected jaw, it's unevenness. He was a victim of a stallion's kick. And the attack of another herd. The handsome stallion could still hear his mate's whinny. How his child didn't live for a day. It broke his heart, but the stallion wore a smile on his face, despite the corruptive feelings he could feel. His silvery mane drifted in the wind, and his sky blue eyes closed.

The breeze felt good on his coat. Gin had clearly kept himself well fed, and his scars showed he could take care of himself. Gin stopped for a second, yawning. He had slept for three days. That was how long he could run. He shook his head, stamping his hoof. He raised her head to look over the breathtaking terrain. He still had a long way down. He let out a neigh, soon noticing two other figures. He knew there was a herd here. He craved to be in it. The muscular silvery brute looked down at the two, contemplating whether to join them or not. After a moment, he reared up, letting a whinny carry out, before charging his way down.

Gin was not discreet about cantering up to them. He wore a smile on his face, like always, his sky blue eyes weighing out his decisions. But he was here now. Now, every scar and imperfection was visible. The disconnected jaw, the deep, choking imprints on his neck were clear as day. Multiple other scars ran down his body, and you could see his chipped hoof. It was clear how much Gin had been through. But he soon noticed that the mare too, had multiple scars. Gin stood a good distance from them, but not far enough that his scars weren't visible. "I'm Gin." He said softly, his voice still caring. "If I may, are you herd mates? To this herd?"

"If you say so..." he mumbled. Those scars probably hurt, but if the mare did not need any help, he would trust her on that judgement. Silas continued to listen, his soft, half shut eyes giving her most of his attention. His long tail swished in a rhythmical motion, its tips catching the bits of dirt on the ground.

"Home... I don't know if they could... but if you feel safe among them, you are home." With that, he quickly turned his muscled neck the other way, embarrassed. Did he really just say such a cheesy phrase? Blushing a bit, the young stallion grumbled to himself, like a simmering pot. Snorting softly, he pawed at the ground.

He stopped though when the sound of pounding hooves reached his ears. Once again the thick neck turned, in search of the newcomer. His frown deepened slightly. It was a stallion, another slender, handsome, beautiful horse. Upon seeing his scars, Silas wondered at the coincidence. Seeing that the older stallion meant no harm, he listened to his introduction. He bowed politely, for Silas wanted no trouble with an older male. "No sir, I'm not. Just a wanderer." Then he took a few steps back, allowing room for the mare to step up if she wished.

Relic's sapphire eyes kept focus on the stallion as he spoke. His words were reassuring, if not a little bit cliche. Nodding her slender head to him, she spoke. "Thank you, Silas, for you words. I appreciate them so." The mare was always polite as possible, but used whip-like words to make sure others got too close to her. Looking at Silas, she wondered at why he looked embarrassed. There was nothing embarrassing about having a home. The stallion seemed to have innocence that most others didn't possess, and there was a small space of warmth in her for him from the minute she met him.

The mare's ears flew straight up when the sound of hooves pounded the ground. Her sapphire eyes turning in the direction the owner of the hooves would come. Jerking her head up slightly, Relic looked at the stallion that had cantered up. He was covered in scars like her, but his weren't as fresh. Looking down, the mare viewed her own fresh cuts that would soon become scars. A few were dripping blood, but they didn't bother her at all. Bobbing her head slightly to the new stallion, Relic replied to the male. "Hello, Gin. I'm Relic. No, we are not herd mates, for I just arrived."

Going silent, Reilc kept her focus on both of the stallions. It seemed as if Gin wasn't as perky as he put on, and the mare gave out a sigh of relief. Relic honestly couldn't handle one so cheery after just recently coming out of years of torture. Lifting up her slender head, she bobbed it slightly. Shaking out her knee length mane, the mare waited for either of them to speak.