Welcome to Gaia! ::

The dark and sparkling stallion snorted letting out a white puff of breath before he shook his entire body throwing off the small dusting of snow that had built up on his broad back. The world was dead with the winter snow except the occasional evergreen. It seemed Jack Frost had set in fast and early this year. VSoD knew he was far from his teepee home, and that he really needed to find somewhere more sheltered to spend the night that would be setting in before long.

Yet, that wasn't what Vibrant was thinking about, his mind was torn, his travels, his home, and Lovebeam all fought for dominance on his mind.

He couldn't understand why his best friend was so firmly lodged into his mind all the time. True, he enjoyed her company and she made him feel at ease but that was all she really was, just a friend ... but apparently nobody had given his head that memo.

Letting out a loud hrrumph! he moved towards the tree line trudging through deep snow drifts and fighting the urge to let his teeth chatter from the bitter cold.

He tossed his mane the long strands brushing against his thick neck. He shook even more snow off his back as the snow started to fall even harder. Ah yes, Jack was gonna be an a** today and it was high time to find some shelter out of the cold. Thankfully the forest line wasn't to far ahead of him now, so hopefully he'd reach his destination soon.

As he trudged through the finally drift and into the semi-protection of the evergreen trees and shook himself one last time.

It was only then that he saw the entrance to a cave, he couldn't help but feel a start of delight it would be far warmer in there no doubt!

He didn't see Lovebeam there as he pranced forward and it wasn't until he was about to trot in did he see her standing in the shadows.

"O-o-OH! Lovebeam ... I didn't expect to see you out here..." He was a little shocked, but it wasn't in a bad way, after a moment though the shock gave way to a slight twinge of happiness at seeing his friend. He was far happier than he had been the last time they'd meet.

He smled at her despite the fact that his teeth had begun to chatter just a tad "y-y-yea .. just a little cold."

As he moved further into the warmth of the cave, then began to followed Lovebeam towards the back, his teeth stopped their chattering. His glowing eyes cast a bright gleam against the rock walls and allowed a little bit more light into the slightly dark cave. He flicked his tail back and forth letting the bright two-toned hair drag across the floor of the cave.

When they reached the back he settled to the floor curling his legs under his body and looked back up at her "how have you been since our last meeting Love?" He cocked his head and his forelock fell into his face covering one eye but leaving the other to stare up at her from his position.

He felt happily relaxed with the mare, as if he didn't have a care in the world for the time being. It had been a long time since he'd felt this carefree and relaxed.

He considered the length of time she put out "hmm, that should be about right." He considered her next question and flicked and ear back and forth in contemplation "I've seen better days ... but the worst are far behind me I do believe. He smiled, it was a soft one, but there was still a sad twinge behind it.

"I no longer grieve over my lose of Awneaty ... but the fact that my other daughter seems to hate me so still hurts deep inside and is still a deep wound."

He rolled slightly into a more relaxed position, and stretched his legs slightly.

He let out a soft sigh, he still wasn't sure what he' done wrong in life to warrant this ... but the fates had chosen this, maybe one day he could love again right?

He smiled softly at her words "no, no you don't have to talk to her. I doubt that would help anyway Love. She and her mother have become closer it seems so I am little more than nothing to her." He licked his tail "besides, a little birdy has told me she found herself a mate ... maybe one day she'll come around, but until then I'll watch over her from afar and let her live her life as she pleases." He wasn't going to force himself into his daughter's life, but as any father should he would always be there for her should she ever need him.

"What about your kids? Do they fare well?" He had never meet Love's children but he did remember her saying that she had born foals to a stallion.

He watched her carefully watching for any sign that she was hurting physically or mentally. The thought of anyone possibly having hurt her made his blood want to boil, he had no clue as to why but it did.

Taking a few slow, deep breaths he settled himself back out of his anger and once more back into a calm state and awaited an answer.

Vibrant leaned over and lightly nosed her cheek "thank you for the offer Love it's much appreciated." He quickly leaned back into a place and looked away hoping that the blush didn't show on his black cheeks. He watched her again through glowing eyes. The pain on her face when she spoke of her own kids pained him just as much and he shifted over nudging her lightly with his head.

"Sometiems I wonder if I could have done better raising my girls ... but they both turned out well .. enough anyway. I know I won't ever understand how you feel being the mother and all .. I know personally I'm happy that they are off living their own lives meeting their own mates." He nodded slightly his long mane rustling against his neck.

He looked over at her and listened as she talked "that is all we can do is parents is try to raise our kids the best we can." He didn't feel like he was the best parent .. look at how Morgana had turned out . He closed his eyes for a moment and frowned deeply. Hopefully she couldn't see him in the darkness.

He shook his he.ad and opened his eyes once more forcing a smile back to his face as he looked over to her sitting nearby, and though he never saw the shiver he too could feel the cold swirling around them from outside.

He let out a soft snort and tried to curl himself up tighter to try and conserve a little more warmth without imposing on his friend.

He snorted again "I hate the cold," his voice sounded pouty when he said it, but he could care less.

His ears flicked and he shook his head at his friend "I think we all wish we could have done better for our kids ... no matter how the turn out." Vib's ears flicked again and he chuckled softly "it will have to be a very special mare with whom I try for any more kids .. one whom I don't have to fear will disappear then claim she doesn't know why she left." Bitterness, anger, and hurt slipped into his voice as he spoke and instantly he was ashamed to have spoken such a way in front of his friend. "Excuse me Dear Lovebeam ... I shouldn't speak in such a tone of any mare."

He shook his mane then chuckled as he titled his head at her smiling a genuine smile this time thanks to the comment "Love ... i swear sometimes you know me better than I know myself."

The thought made him pause for a moment and his eyes stared off into space.

Her chuckle brought him back into reality and he peered over at her grinning "sometimes it pays to be childish, we can't always be serious!" He leaned over and butted his head against he shoulder lightly.