the blues of our lives [Hud/Hostetler]

[Thoxic]

[th][cs=3][rs=3][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500][bg=000000] Nova & Evangeline They had both heard about the death of the heir, of Eva's brother, Leon. They had both been destroyed inside. Eva had barely seen her brother, but she had loved him nevertheless, and Nova too, because he had been family. She had been her for long enough to think about everyone here as family. As Nova stood outside the Safehouse, bathing in the last of the sun as it still stood high on the sky, Evangeline was trotting around, nipping at the grass as she had just started to try out what it was. She didn't eat it though, her mothers milk was still her only source of food, but she tasted, just like mommy did. She found a little turtle to play with. Or play and play, a turtle wasn't much to play with, but she could sniff at it, discovering how it looked, felt and tasted, because she licked at it, making it a little slobbery. She squeled in hapiness as it withdrew it's head and limbs, because to her, it looked funny, and she could roll it around. She wasn't mean though, so she rolled it over to it's belly again before letting it be, and now she looked around her to see if there were anything else she could play with. She had grown large over the summer and autumn and it was obvious that she would grow to be quite tall and well built, her long legs had been running all summer, making her strong. She wondered where her dad was, he would be fun to play with. Nova just watched her daughter run around, playing with a turtle for a while. She used to play with Evangeline, but just this moment she just wanted to enjoy the sun for a moment, the day had been chilly up until now, the sun had just recently broken free from the clouds, and she loved the heat it gave her, and she really enjoyed watching her and Hoss's daughter running around so healthy and big. She felt for Leon and his mother, and for Hoss. Just the thought of Hoss made her heart flutter again, and she didn't know why. another version

[Hud Levine]

Hoss had been in a funk for days.

The poor stallion had purposefully separated himself from the Safehouse until today. In fact, he hadn't seen any of his herd in all that time either, which added to the enormous mountain of guilt that was now permanently saddled on his back. It was time to forget... No, it would never be time. His one and only son was lost to the very environment he'd brought his daughters into and all his ancestors had brought their foals into... Was it truly safe enough here? Had he been wrong all his life?

Over the spanse of about four days, Hoss had decided that he had been right all along. What did he make sure he did before anyone joined the herd? He warned them. What did he do when he met any visitor to Yacare, for that matter? He warned them. He warned them all, just as his mother and father had always done. Hoss had more gator notches on the cypress than any other living Yacarian; he knew the risks of living here. Poor little Leon never lived long enough for any of the warnings to really mean anything.

On this day, Hostetler slunk toward the Safehouse, succumbing to his constant need to fulfill his leader-ly duties. His appetite had completely disappeared and his movements were a little unnatural as his head hung low and his hooves moved slow. His frame cut through the brush as he moved, his mind not caring about evading sinkholes or murky waters that might hold any number of dangers. Hoss knew who he was going home to - Nova and Evangeline.

They loved it in Yacare and he loved that they loved it. Of course, it being all Eva knew, she was bound to love it. Hoss smiled for the first time in days at the thought of seeing his second little girl. Enough days had gone by since he'd seen her that she'd no doubt be bigger by now... And Nova! How could he forget her... He couldn't. Then there was Rose and Luciole and... Amelia... How terrible of him to leave her at a time like this. His eyes shut tight now, his whole body halting its progress toward the Safehouse. His brows heavily furrowed, he let out a long snort and shook his head at his own idiocy. What must she think of him...

Despite his guilt-ridden conscience, he went on.

He found the two happily relaxing at the Safehouse entrance, as if they were waiting for his return. He walked slowly and with little purpose other than to join them. He hadn't even spoken in the days he'd been away. No doubt he would be a bit hoarse(xD). He cleared his throat to catch Eva's attention away from the shelled reptile, his face holding a more pleasant one than it had in what felt like ages. He glanced up to Nova and smiled with a wink before looking back to that black and white daughter of his, a playful smirk pointed her way.