This was not turning out to be a successful undertaking, Guiliaume had long since come to realize. In fact, it had passed 'not successful' some time before, followed by 'unfortunate', 'unpleasant', and 'bad'. He'd love to be able to say what it was right now; in fact, he'd love to be able to say anything.
~~~~
It had seemed like a good idea at the time.
After years of searching, Guiliaume had finally caught up to his long-lost father, Guilian. He had come to know the stallion that had fathered him, had come to learn that he had TEN brothers and sisters who had numerous offspring themselves, had come to the realization that his quest for a father had led him to a family. A large, boisterous, loving, emotional family. And that had been overwhelming.
A reserved stallion by nature and one who had spent the past few years almost completely on his own (except when he was chatting with the locals for information on his father), Guiliaume felt like a fish out of water when it finally sank in what a large extended family he had. And they were all so different! Most had been welcoming; some he had yet to meet, and a few had been...off-putting, but specifics aside, they were one cohesive family unit. One unit that he was a part of, but had never known until that point.
~~~
That was why, a few weeks prior, he had discussed the idea of a "vacation" from it all with his father. Guilian had listened patiently, understanding what his son wasn't saying: That he needed a break. Guilian had heartily endorsed the idea, agreeing that it would be beneficial for Guiliaume to familiarize himself with the surrounding pats of the Kawani lands, to get out of the forest that Guilian and most of his family called home and see what else was out there. With Guilian's blessing, Guiliaume had set out.
What he hadn't counted on was the sickness. It's onset had been so gradual: a mere feeling of fatigue at first, then a loss of appetite. He had never truly been sick before, so it wasn't until things had gotten much worse that Guiliaume finally realized that he was sick, and that it was serious. By then, fever had set in, along with disorientation and, later, delirium. Being in unfamiliar territory, Guiliaume had pressed onwards, hoping to find a hospitable place to rest and try and bring himself back around.
He didn't realize it when he passed out. He didn't feel his head abruptly knock into his leg as he collapsed, didn't feel his body hit the ground, didn't feel anything other than blessed, blessed blackness.
