Gareth

Personality:

Gareth is an unusual stallion in the sense that he descends from blood running through veins constructed purely of valor, virtue and chivalry but appears to present these characteristics rather strangely.  The cause for his peculiar demeanor has been identified as his trip through the Twisted Tunnel before his birth; it appears to have warped more than merely his appearance.

He spent much of his foalhood learning to be a knightly figure from both his mother and father but it wasn't until his adolescence that he began to present unusual patterns of behavior...

Though he would act with valor on behalf of anyone who appeared to be in trouble it was soon discerned that his intent behind the act was not to rescue the victim, but to embark upon an adventure and experience the thrill of fighting off a 'villain' like the ones he had learned about.  It wasn't a matter of indifference toward the wellbeing of the other, but moreso about his desire to act heroically and partake in a dangerous situation with an uncertain outcome.  He would quickly shrug off the gratitude and go in search of another quarrel to become involved in.  Though his strength was used to defend the weak, it was obvious that had little to nothing to do with his rationale behind it.

As time went on more oddities began to coalesce, some of them having to do with moral quandaries.  Unlike a typical knightly hero who may make an attempt at mercy, Gareth was abundantly less forgiving.  When a villain was presented to him he saw nothing more than that, a villain.  This became quite dangerous on a few more severe occasions where Gareth ended up taking the life of another rather than sparing them.  Make no mistake, the villains he killed were in fact villains, but the fact that he did not hesitate to end them was disconcerting to say the least.  He didn't even blink at the prospect of removing another's essence from this world. In fact, he admittedly enjoyed it.

That was when the curse of his fangs was revealed.  Unlike the tales of nightwalkers who relish in engorging themselves on the sweet blood of others, Gareth's fangs lead him to a compulsion of a different kind.  Fangs on predators are used for tearing flesh, and that is exactly the sensation Gareth enjoys.  The urge to feel succulent tissue ripping beneath his fangs is like the urge for one with wings to fly.  It calls to him but he is able to keep it under control and use it only toward those who are deserving.  NEVER would he turn his fangs on an innocent, it is just not done.  For the most part he satisfies himself by hunting down a rabbit or two.  He does not torture the poor creatures and kills them quickly, but he is unable to ingest them so it makes his practices seemingly more sinister.  Though internally he knows none of it goes to waste, for a scavenger is likely to come along and do what he cannot.  He is somewhat self-conscious about this particular quirk and tries his best to keep it hidden lest he be seen as a villain himself.

Gareth isn't self-sacrificing like many of the traditional heroes in tales of old.  He values life, and perhaps his a little more highly than he should.  Though one cannot fault him for his logic, if he willingly fell on his blade in defense of the weak then he wouldn't be doing them that much good.  In all actuality he would be removing himself as one who could defend the weak and give evil one more foothold that it did not need.  What good would his death do? Other than depriving his loved ones of his presence and serving those he was defending up on a silver platter to the villains of the world?  

This stallion is vastly different than the revered heroes of the universe, but if there is one similarity it is that he fights for good.  He is far from the perfect knight of expectations, and may be seen as an untrustworthy male who dabbles in the shadows but he is a hero or, more accurately, an antihero.