[PRP] Hero? (Adalind Sangfroid & Rio Du Rhinehart)

[Angelique DelaMort]

Adalind cuffed the colt with her front hoof, not hard, but enough to make a point. "You are going to get yourself killed kid," she growled why he was still rubbing his head. "This isn't some stupid little game you know, you could die. Easily. After all you are small and not especially strong. I'm pretty sure some of the monsters out there will say you're bite sized. A kid like you should just stay home, out of trouble or else you're going to be broken if not one monster than another." She rolled her eyes, "I think before you look into too many more adventures you need to think long and hard about what you want out of them - because if it's a quick thrill and kill that's what you're in for. You want to listen to your self-preservation instincts, slow down and figure yourself out first."  

[Angelique DelaMort]

Rio skittered back from the furious female, tears threatening to fall from his emerald eyes, "But...I could do it. I could be a hero - I know I could." He sniffled uncertainly, wondering why she had turned so violent all of the sudden. "And not everything is so bad...maybe I could even learn how to avoid the bad stuff..." the colt trailed off. "But it can't be all that bad. At least, I don't think so..."  

[Angelique DelaMort]

Adalind huffed and drew herself up straighter. She'd lashed out a little too much at the colt, it was not entirely necessary. But the little fool would get himself killed at this rate and she didn't want blood on her hooves. Regardless, she couldn't bring herself to crush the little guy's hopes entirely. So instead of continuing on her emotional tirade, she took a deep breath in through her mouth and slowly released it through her nostrils. Then and only then did she speak again, "No, they are not All bad. But you must understand that too many things are and that it is unwise to go rushing into dangerous situations as you seem to have a bad habit of doing. If you intend to grow big and strong, if you truly want to be some type of....of hero," she managed gritting her teeth only slightly. "Then you must gain some sense and attempt to use it. Otherwise you only will endanger yourself. Possibly others as well. I do not thing that's what you really want to do, is it?"  

[Angelique DelaMort]

Rio shook her head furiously. He couldn't bare the thought of endangering his family members. The idea that his actions could lead to his father or his sister getting hurt stung him to the core. "I don't want to get hurt," he said quietly, making an effort to break his habit of pawing at the ground. "And I really don't want my friends and family to get hurt. So...I guess I'll have to do as you say and try to find some sense." He looked up at the mare slowly, "Where exactly can I find that type of sense?" He hadn't thought about it before, and though he wanted to do better, he really had no idea how to even begin to get this sense that would allow him to keep his family members safe.  

[Angelique DelaMort]

Adalind bit back an unkind remark. Honestly, when did it become her task to teach this foolish little colt. Something about the responsibility that comes with saving a life, she thought to herself. She was beginning to question if she made the right choice in saving the little foal to begin with. But the deed was done and now it seemed he was at least partially her responsibility. Goody...

"The type of knowledge which you seek, which you need," she added as a strong after thought. "Is the type that can typically only be gained through experience. However if you go plowing into uncertain situations with the intention of gaining life saving experience from them....I fear you will not live long enough to experience much. So I will provide a few brief words of advice to at least provide some guidance in the matter: Think before you Act."  

[Angelique DelaMort]

Rio listened intently to the mare's words but when her speech was finished he found himself slightly more confused than when she had started. "But I always think," he began to protest. A derisive snort and disbelieving eye roll left the colt stoutly defending himself. "I do too think before I act!" he reached for an example and stated the first thing that came to mind. "Even today, before I wondered into the pit, I was thinking to myself, 'What's that noise' and I was going to go investigate for myself!" He nodded in the affirmative, "See! I Was thinking! But it...didn't really work out very well...for me. Or the snakes really...and maybe it didn't work out so well for you either....it's really kinda hard to tell that right about now..."  

[Angelique DelaMort]

Adalind's glowing blue eyes continued to stare the foal down. "That's what I'm talking about, you don't think things through. You wanted to know what something was so you just rushed in. You got yourself in trouble. You could have gotten a few more souls in trouble if they tried to come to your aid without knowing what to do." She sighed deeply for what seemed like the hundredth time, "You're a young kid, you should be worried about keeping your nose clean and staying out of trouble - not investigating strange noises in the night..."  

[Angelique DelaMort]

"It's day time," Rio said stubbornly. "And you're not a whole lot older than I am! Maybe a few months at best..." he huffedbefore continuing in a demanding tone. "What made you the authority on this whole thing anyways? You're going to tell me that you've never gotten in trouble or anything like that?"  

[Angelique DelaMort]

"I've gotten in plenty of trouble..." Adalind said haughty. "THAT is what makes me an expert in such things. I just saved your life, little foal. In some herds that means I am responsible for the life I have saved so I am giving you some friendly advice so that you may keep that life just a little longer..." she concluded with a growl before adding. "The advice is born of experience and the wisdom gained from that experience. Isn't it better to learn from my experiences than make your own mistakes?"  

[Angelique DelaMort]

"It's not that I'm not grateful for your saving my life, I am," Rio affirmed firmly. "But I think it's important that I make my own mistakes, I might learn from them a little better, right?" He quickly added, "I mean, I get the thing about the snakes. No more playing with snakes for me, got it. But I still have plenty of other mistakes to make. And....I promise I'll try to avoid super deadly mistakes from here on out. Promise!"  

[Angelique DelaMort]

Adalind was finding the young foal to be quite frustrating, to say the least. She was also seriously reconsidering her choice to save a life today. Nothing gained from being a hero she supposed. "I guess that's a start," the female gritted out thought her teeth. "You really are some sort of hard headed child," she maintained. She was doing for him what she wished someone would have done for her, told her to avoid the pitfalls in the path and to just...try to do better. But as they said, you could lead a horse to water...  

[Angelique DelaMort]

"Oh yeah," Rio agreed quickly, mistakenly thinking her comment was a compliment. "I have a very hard head. It's really helpful when I get in trouble and stuff. Like when I accidentally run into things because I'm not watching things closely enough." He nodded, "But I will be careful from now on, really I will!" His tail swished in extreme excitement as he added, "Um, I was thinking. Maybe, just maybe - I mean if you want to, you could maybe come with me when I explore new things. Yeah!" he bounced lightly, "That would be perfect. If you came with me then you could tell me when I'm getting in too much trouble. I see that look in your eyes, I know you don't believe me when I say I won't get in trouble any more. If you think I'm lying then why don't you come along with me and we'll see what we can do together. You can tell me if I'm getting in too deep and I...well I can help you have a bit more fun. You look like the type who needs to have a little fun once in a while, right?"  

[Angelique DelaMort]

Adalind paused there for a moment and regarded the foal with a new type of appreciation. For being something of a dolt, she had to admit he was perceptive. Much of the joy of her life did seem to be ebbing away of late. She didn't really want to think about it, but it lingered about - haunted her almost. Perhaps that's why she was so harsh with the foal. She already felt herself being pulled down a dark path, she didn't want to see the same happen to such an innocent soul. If the only way to avoid that was to scare the kid that was what she would do.

But this child seemed to have an unconquerable soul that only wanted to see the best in people. To offer to go on adventures as if they were both just a pair of carefree foals - the offer was tempting. But she had a little more on her plate these days. Adalind was in no way a hero, but she sensed that her continued presence in Rio's life would only endanger him. She was willing to throw her own life into chaos to make her way, but even she wasn't so heartless as to endanger a foal.  

[Angelique DelaMort]

"So?" he asked, his tail swishing back and forth with excitement. "What do you say? I bet you could teach me an awful lot too. More than just the thing about the snakes - lots of things about everything!" Plus she was a bit bigger than he was, and with the horns it looked like she could take care of herself pretty well, and him too if it came to that. He knew there was some level of adventure seeking in his family's blood, now more than ever he wanted to live that kind of life for himself. "Please?" he asked, knowing there was more than a little hint of a begging tone to his voice.  

[Angelique DelaMort]

Adalind shook her head slowly, her mind was already made up. "I'm sorry, kid," she said with a half smile. "I don't think I'm the one to help you out with this one. Actually, I still think you'd be a little better off waiting before you go running off, on your own or otherwise. You're only young once, don't be in such a rush to grow up, little foal. Live your carefree life the right way, there will be time for everything else later."