Kamo & Navan - Regale's Quest

https://www.deviantart.com/ballatordesignadmin/art/ID-0001-710454646The waves crashed against the distant cliffs, cold spray being carried by the wind and dusting the tall grass of the shore. From out of the mist hovering over the water a foghorn could be heard, but its source was hidden beyond the veil. The soft rays of the morning sun could not breach the clouds yet and as such the small critters that crawled out of their nests and dens shivered for a moment in the cold air. Down at the beach, a seagull was sitting on a large, dead branch, ruffled its feathers and flew away with clamor as an equine walked up and unintentionally scared it away. The ballator was dark grey with a white belly and throat, and his short fur shimmered despite the diffused light, but what probably stood out most about him were the horns on his back and the side of his torso. The stallion was looking for food, but these seagulls did not interest him in the least. Even though he enjoyed cloudy or even rainy weather, he was still often grumpy in the mornings and with his intimidating looks every creature avoided meeting Kāmohoali'i close up in that condition. While he stepped through the sand his hooves sank into it, slowing him down, but he did not mind as his hunting strategy did not involve speed, but tactics.

The breeze pulled at his tail hair and he enjoyed the wind on his bare back. Other than most steppes, he did not have a mane at all, which he embraced every day. He spent a lot of time around water, and especially the salty ocean would bothered him if it encrusted his hair. Furthermore it would hinder his movements inside the water and would take forever to dry, but because of his sleek shape, thankfully none of these things were issues to him.

His eyes wandered over the horizon, looking for a seal that had strayed too far from the water, but suddenly he noticed something else in the distance. Something colorful, standing on the beach just like him. The steppe was not overly curious per se, but he had claimed this territory as his own and wanted to find out what that speck was. It didn't move, but as he got closer he quickly realized it was another ballator, an intruder! He picked up the pace and headed straight for the stranger, his nostrils flaring up already. The stranger must've noticed him, as the steppe did not try to conceil his arrival, yet the other ballator just stood there, like it was waiting for him. By now Kamo was galloping along the shore and as he finally reached the overo ballator, he had to make a hard stop, sliding through the sand and by that scattering it around him in a cloud of dust.

"You better leave my territory or I'll make you" he snarled at the stranger, who replied with a deep and calm voice.

"Now now, there's no need to shout. I'm not a rival to you and don't mean to aggravate you at all. My name is Regale and-"

"Then do as I say and we won't have a problem."

Not recognizing his name, the steppe glared at the mountain, his muscles flexed and ready for a fight, but his demeanor did not unsettle his 'opponent' in the least.

"There is no problem. All I want to offer you is a...challenge."

"A challenge?!» Kamo snorted loudly. «I'm not interested in games, now SCRAM!"

"Alright, I'm not forcing you to listen to me if you're not interested. But if you change your mind you will find me."

The steppe stallion frowned. Did he mean to say 'you know where to find me'? In which case he didn't and sure hoped the overo would not come back to THIS place as if he was a regular around here. The chrome ballator replied with an impatient and still angry growl, his hooves stomping and dragging through the ground like a wild bull. But despite all this, Regale politely bowed his head in goodbye, then he left. But the grey one did not trust him. Kamo thought he might return, so he told himself to wait a while and then walk after him, making sure the intruder knew he was not welcome here again if he tried anything funny. The mountain ballator was tall, sure, but Kāmohoali'i was not scared to fight him to defend his territory if necessary. In fact, he was hoping to get the opportunity to show him who's boss.

~

An hour later, after the steppe had finally caught and consumed his breakfast seal, leaving only scraps for the seagulls on the beach, it was time for him to look for the stranger. This 'Regale' couldn't have gone too far yet, he was sure about that. Starting off in the direction he had last seen the mountain walk towards, the grey equine took in the scents in the air and checked the ground, softened from the rain of last night, for hoof prints. It wasn't exactly difficult to track the intruder down, but then again, he did not seem to make any effort to hide either. Kamo found the stallion with the flaxen mane just outside his territories' border, seemingly waiting for him. Or for someone else? For a moment the steppe pondered whether he should engage in another conversation or just leave to check on him at a later time again, but suddenly the stranger called him over.

"I knew you wouldn't keep me waiting for too long! Come join me here, let's talk! Did you enjoy your breakfast?"

"How do you..?"

But just as Kāmohoali'i was about to walk up to Regale, he noticed the overo wasn't even looking in his direction. He followed the mountain stallion's gaze and noticed another ballator appear from behind a hill.

«Yes, it was fantastic, thank you for asking!»

The unfamiliar voice belonged to a mare who had the build of a mountain, yet the mane on her slender neck was either missing or clean-shaven, leaving only the shoulder manes which made her appear almost like a desert ballator. Her fur was shining in a deep, ocean blue color, with white specks all over like the sea spray.

So he wasn't alone after all! Feeling betrayed by the stranger who had tried to trick him into believing he was alone and peaceful, Kamo's anger was building up inside and the fact that one of them was a mare did not impress or sway him in that matter at all.

Blind with rage he snorted, stomped and flared his nostrils which turned red after a short moment. He squealed loudly as he raced towards them and as before stopped just in time to not run into the other ballators, though they did not flinch. He was now face to face with Regale, who could feel the hot breath of the steppe on his muzzle. The overo opened his mouth to speak, but the mare was faster.

«There there, it's alright.» Her lavender eyes looked deeply into his and suddenly he felt a wave of calmness wash over him. And for a moment, he forgot all about the pain of the past that had haunted him to this day.