Stelaria's heart <3

After a long day of walking Stelaria and her foal, Arduro, made it to Hell's Canyon. She had met a stallion early in the morning named Bosch. He had seemed to take it interest but at the same time didn't so Stelaria decided to move on and if he really enjoyed being around her he would follow. Her colt seemed to take a liking to him especially after Bosch saved both of them from a mountain lion in the Fields of Romance.

"Come on Ardy let's stop and rest for a bit." The unicorn mother walked to the stream on the mare's side and started to take a sip. "Mom would you stop calling me that, it's embarassing." He snorted and looked at his mother as if he had lost all his dignity. "I gave birth to you, I can call you what I want." She grinned then playful nipped her colt's buttocks. "Hey!" Arduro did a small buck but then started laughing when his mother did. He stiffled a yawn and laid down near a bush. Before falling asleep and smiled at his mother. "I love you." Stelaria smiled back, slowly walked over and nuzzled her son. "I love you too, Ardy." She then laid down next to him and they both fell asleep.

Bosh looked up from where he was grazing on the other side of the river. He looked closer and saw that it was Stel and her foal, Arduro. He nickered softly at the thought of Stel following him here. Or maybe she just went to Hell's Canyon because she wanted to, not for him. Bosch considered this while looking at the two.

Stel awoke to a familiar nicker and so she raised her head to see who it was. On the stallion side of the river was Bosch! She got up slowly so as to not wake Arduro and then walked over to the edge of the river. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still in the Fields of Romance?" She was curious to see if he had followed them here.

"Well, I think that I can go anywhere here. But I left the Fields before you did. But somehow, I guess we got here at the same time."

"What a coincidence." She then lowered her head to get a drink of water from the river, thinking he wasn't interested in her.

"Yes. But fate makes a coincidence."

Stelaria nodded in agree and was about to speak and Arduro woke up. As soon as he saw Bosch and got up and ran over to him. "Bosch! Hey you wanna play? How about tag? You it!" He was energetic at this moment and when he tagged Bosch he started running around the stallion side of the river.

Bosch grinned down at Arduro and galloped slowly after the colt.

Arduro ran as fast as his little legs would carry him and tried to go faster when Bosch got too close. He laughed the whole time and kept running up and down the stallion side of the river. Stelaria smiled warmly as she watched the grown stallion play with her colt that was only a few months old. There was something about that picture that made her feel so happy that she felt she could fly if she wanted to. ~He's so strong but he yet he is tender and kind.~

Bosch sped up and nudged Arduro slightly with his nose. "Now you're it!" He trotted away to a distance and waited for Arduro to come near him.

Arduro ran after Bosch, running as fast as his legs would carry him.

Bosch cantered lightly and quickly swerved to try and get out of Arduro's way.

After a few minutes Arduro finally gave up by sitting down on his hind quarters. "Alright Alright, you win." He said. Stelaria started to laugh when she looked at her son. He was in the most ridiculous position a horse could be in. He was sitting down like a dog with his legs spread out and in awkward positions. "What's so funny mother?" Arduro asked as he cocked his head in confusion. "Oh nothing Ardy..." She said, still chuckling.

Bosch smiled at Arduro and nudged his gently from behind with his nose.

Arduro smiled up at the massive stallion who stood next to him. He spoke in a whisper to him. "Bosch, do you like my mom?" He was a mischievous colt but his intentions were in the right place.

Bosch's smile faded off his face as Arduro said that. "Well, she is very nice and I think she is a good mother." he said slightly stuttering.

Arduro smiled up at Bosch. "So you do like her. I knew it ever since I saw how happy my mom was when she was around you." He stood up and trotted around the canyon, searching every crevice and cave for anything exciting.

Bosch stood there stunned, but then shook his head and went over to the river to drink some water.

Stelaria smiled at her colt as he went off to chase a butterfly that had flown near him. She then gathered her emotions and walked over to Bosch and spoke to him from her side of the river. "Bosch...I...I wanted to know if...if you would be with me for...forever. I mean...what I'm saying is...well, Arduro he...he needs a father and...and I've been so alone without Sweet Pea around." She blushed as she spoke and it showed through her white fur.

Bosch slightly sputtered and spit some water out of his mouth. Recovering, he turned to face Stelaria and sighed. "I would love to be with you and your son forever but I can't stay in one place a long time. Otherwise I would go mad! I don't want Arduro to be yanked around to different lands all his life without a place to call home forever." Bosch looked sadly down into the river.

Stelaria walked into the river and stood in front of Bosch. She used her nose to tilt his head up so that he was looking in her eyes. "We can work something out." She smiled at the stallion.

"How." asked Bosch, wondering what Stelaria was up to.

Stelaria smiled brightly. "We can find a place to call home and when you feel a need for a change in scenary you go off for a little while. Then when your done looking around at different lands you can always come back home." Her voice wavered when she said 'you go off for a little while', not wanting him to leave and never come back.

Bosch thought over Stelaria's idea. To him, it seemed wonderful. Only there was one small problem to it. "Stelaria, once I leave, I never come back."

Stelaria held her breath for a moment and then looked up at Bosch. "Why?" She was starting to get angry at all these stallions running away. "Why can't anyone just stay?! If you have to leave why not come back?! Is this place really that horrid, am I really that horrid?!" A single tear fell from her cheek into the river and the ripples seem to go on forever. She then turned and galloped down the canyon. Arduro saw his mother running and so he did the same. But before they were out of sight Arduro turned to Bosch his eyes watery, looked down at the ground, and then turned and followed his mother.