It was obvious by the dried flecks of blood marring his lightly hued coat that the land from which he came had been invaded by biting insects. His dark mane was caked in dust which diminished its natural color and shine, and the thirst he felt could be seen in the desperate blue of his eyes. Even so, there was still a strength to him. Something he had mustered within his soul rather than his muscles, something that kept him moving across the desert until his hooves felt grass for the first in a very long time. A strength birthed from his determination to create a different future for his ailing herd; a future of success as opposed to extinction.
His stomach ached at the prospect of fresh, green grass and his throat burned at the thought of a possible water source nearby, but he would not allow himself to stop until he found what he was looking for; who he was looking for. He did not know her yet, could not even imagine a face but, out there somewhere in this land of lush foliage touched by the scent of wildflowers, he would find a mare that would help him on his quest. He had not set out to fall in love, the herd would not allow that, and he would not want to subject her to it but he needed her none the less.
The gentle giant lumbered on, his hooves leaving snake-like trails in the dirt as they dragged with each step. His neck was bowed as his head hung low, but still he pushed on. The spirits had given him the vision he needed to save the herd of the White Clay, and he would not fail them. Many disapproved of his actions and threatened to excommunicate him, but he was willing to take that risk. This spirits had told him it was necessary, elsewise his family could only await death.
His gaze finally rose from the valley floor as the sun began to drop, leaving behind it a spray of peach and gold that danced gracefully across the sky. The sight caused his entire body to tremble, and he found himself in a trance as he watched. How long had it been since he had seen a sunset that wasn’t cloaked by a heinous dust storm? How long had it been since he had seen any such beauty? He stood transfixed, taking the breathtaking sight before him as yet another sign from the spirits that he was on the right path.