The young scarred buckskin mare moved almost silently through the forest. Her face turned upwards, she looked more at the trees as they rustled in the wind than she did the grass on the ground she walked on. To her, the food meant nothing. Unlike most horses, Sophie would let herself almost starve as her evident ribs showed. Finally, she lowered her head as she came ever closer to a log that lay down in the forest. Her eyes looked at the log as she wondered if she could clear it. In her younger days, she would have tried it with no reservations, but the scars on her side were a permanent reminder to her what happened when she wasn't careful. Sophie circled backwards and put some more distance between herself and the log. Her head swung around checking to make sure that she was indeed alone as she liked it.

Gently, she broke into a trot, slipping easily into a lop, finally as she got close to the log, she jumped forward. Her back foot clipped the tree as she came over and she landed heavily on her other three feet. Grunting, she stopped running and tested her other back foot that was beginning to throb. She moved forward slowly and limped slightly. If she had cared more than a little about herself she would have cursed, instead she merely hung her head and waited. The leg would heal given time.

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,600,true][bg=#00000a] The large buckskin stallion shook out his thick mane, curls of ebony and chocolate of varying hues dancing around his powerful, muscular shoulders as the blue eyes stud walked through the forest. Each hoof hit the ground with a quick tempo as he trotted along, more on the look out for something to bring back to his dear beloved firebird to try to mend what ever bridge he'd burned, silently wondering if she'd prefer a flower, or something much more symbolic as a gift. It was something he spent much time on, thinking about. His firebird, not finding a gift for her. Fenyx was unlike any mare he'd ever met before, one that let the southerner relax, and live with ease and happiness. But that seemed to matter little to him nowadays. He was more worried, more concerned at just keeping her happy. Something had obviously happened between them, though Ry wasn't sure what the hell it could be. Which is why he was out now, searching for something to bring back to Fenyx to make up what ever he'd done wrong. What ever he could to get her to be by his side in that way that always gave him delight. He moved quietly through the forest, careful not to disrupt the natural habitat, looking around constantly for something, anything. Though the search halted the moment he saw her. She shared a coat color with him, but that was were all similarities ended. She was so thin . . . so very thin. He was certain he could count the ribs protruding from the thin layer of skin. Her face was turned upwards, not having seemed to notice him yet. He stood stil, watching her as she lowered her head suddenly, walking close to a log on the ground, looking at it, just staring at it. He shifted back silently, shrouding himself in shadow, wondering if he should approach or not. He watched her look around, and suddenly felt like a stalker, standing still in the shadows, hidden from her sight, as she started in going the way he'd just traveled. She then started to trot, moving faster, heading towards the log again, before jumping it, clipping the tree with a back hoof, and ended up limping slightly after she started forward again, and instantly Rylan stepped out of the area, "Ma'am?" His accent was rich in his words, thick and heavy with a southern drawl. "Are ya alright? Look like you might have taken a serious trip there." He stated quietly, keeping a distance so as to not to spoke her, his blue eyes kind, and polite. Words Thoughts

As the sound reached her ears of the hoofbeats of another, Sophie swung her head slightly to the side bringing it just far enough up to be able to see the buckskin stallion moving towards her. Blinking, she tried to assess exactly what he was up to.He sounded concerned as he spoke, but as he approached Sophie backed away from him by a few feet. Each step caused pain to shoot up her leg, but she'd long learned not to trust any male offering help. Her head shook with her black hair falling into her eyes. Her eyes conveyed her fear of him.

"I'm..I'm...okay.." Her teeth gritted as she took another step away from him. Her voice cracked as she spoke to him. It had been a long time since the mare had spoken to anyone. Shaking her head again, she looked at him waiting to see if he would leave her alone or continue trying to talk to her. Sophie wasn't one much for speaking to anyone. A mute by choice, she avoided others at all costs, mostly because she was terrified by others. Her past experience with stallions had taught her fear and distrust of all other horses. The scars down her sides and on her shoulders would convey that to anyone.

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,600,true][bg=#00000a] Rylan kept his features come, his body loose and non-threatening, as the mare in front of him swung her head, just enough to see him, as he moved forward. As soon as she looked at him, he paused, halting. Careful not to spook the mare he'd come up to. He had already seen her backing away, putting a good few more feet between them as she did so. But it wasn't the space that bothered them, t was her leg, he could see the spazing muscle, and new that it must be causing her pain, and the fear in her eyes did no better, he spoke softly, his tones masculine, though heavy with his southern accent, as he tipped his head, lowering it enough to give her dominance in the situation. Anything to keep her from bolting and hurting herself more, "Miss . . . please. Stay still, I'll back up if ya need meh to. Yer hurtin' yerself, movin' away like that, and I hate seein' a mare in pain. If ya wish fer more space, just say the word, and I'll be happeh to back up for ya. " He said politely, his gaze on her, but not on her eyes directly, hoping to help her feel more comfortable. He listened as she spoke then, watching her take another step back, listening to the cracking in her vocals, I'm..I'm...okay.. She definitely didn't sound it. He didn't dare take another step though, his eyes still on her, concern etched onto his features, heavy in his voice as he spoke, "Perhaps ya should try soakin' that leg of yours. Sittin' or layin' in a cool stream should do the trick. Let the water wash over it, numb that pain.

[/color]" He sighed, taking two steps back, "Clearleh my presence is more troublesome to ya then yer injury. If ya need me ta leave, just say the word, and i'll head on meh way, you just looked mighty banged up, and wanted to make sure ye're alright.[/color]" He explained himself, still keeping the distance, keeping himself back to keep her from causing herself more harm.
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Shaking her lank black mane again, Sophie stopped moving. She tried to deny that her foot hurt that much, but even as she thought to try saying it, she knew it was no use, the stallion could see just as well as she could feel that her leg was bothering her and that she was very vunerable because of it. Her ears twitched back as he spoke of her not hurting herself anymore. His voice reminded her of the stallion she had just escaped from. All warm and inviting until one fell for him. Once in his herd, a mare was under his power and often his body. She knew better than to bolt, even if she hadn't been hurt, there would have been no chance for her getting away form him. Her emaciated form wouldn't carry her very far at any speed more than a walk. Her tiredness and her lethargy were probably the cause of her foiled attempt at jumping the log. In the days before she fell into desperation, Sophie would have made that jump with no problem. Now every movement took concentration and force.There were days when she could barely get up, but she kept moving for no reason. She could not tell him to go away, she didn't have that kind of power within herself.

Her face screwed up a bit as he suggested soaking it. That would leave her very vunerable to other stallions. She looked up at him suddenly wondering if he could be a fourth as nice as he sounded. "I...I'm new...I don't...know where.."She shook her head as she fought for words and looked at her leg. "Stream?" Her head tilted and she looked pitiful. "Could...you...help.......Me?" Her eyes were fearful but her leg hurt too badly for her to go much further and for her to be able to protect herself she'd have to get it to feel at least a little better.

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,600,true][bg=#00000a] The stallion watched the mare as she stopped moving, a concerned frown on his face as he tilted his head, "Are you alright, ma'am?" The southern gentleman of a stallion asked, taking a half a step forward, eyeing the limb she was having problems, before her ears twitched, and he stopped, looking at her, "Ya really should be careful." He said gently, tossing his forelock back, tilting his head when her face screwed up, soaking it seemed to make her confused before she admitted she didn't know where a stream might be, then asked him for help. Instantly the stallion trotted closer, "Lean against me, ma'am." He said, moving to her side so he was there to lean on, before starting ahead, "This way then, ma'am." He informed, taking it slow, watching her to make sure he didn't go to fast as he got close to the stream. He lead her to the edge, before watching, helping her to the ground so she could soak it, "Here ta go ma'am. Feelin' any better now?" Words Thoughts