Pounding Hooves, and Thunderstorms {Sanders Sides Horse AU}

I Will Always Return

Trigger Warnings: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Virgil led Oisin through the forest to the clearing, arriving just as the sun sunk behind the horizon. They decided to spend the night there and make their decision in the morning. Oisin seemed much happier being out of the paddock and away from the center, a happy smile on his face while he went to sleep. Once morning Virgil and Oisin woke up and stretched the sleep out of their limbs.

"So what're you going to do Virgil?" Oisin asked.

Another thing Virgil found refreshing about Oisin; he used his actual name.

"I'm going home to my family. I haven't seen them for so long and I miss them so much," said Virgil, already charting out the course in his mind, "What about you Oisin?"

"I'm going to find a bachelor herd and join them. Then I'll learn how to live in the wild and go from there," the buckskin said.

"Sounds good. I guess this is goodbye then," the friesian looked at his friend and gave him a warm smile.

"I guess so. Thanks for being a friend Virgil, and thanks for setting me free. Hope to see you around some day," with that Oisin gallop off to the mountain where he would find a bachelor herd.

Virgil watched him leave before walking through the trees to the lake where he climbed up the hill to the plain he vividly remembered running across. He started across at a trot, but began to pick up pace the closer got to the ridge, his heart soaring at the thought of seeing his family again. He felt like he was flying as he crested the top and looked down.

There, in the pasture, Roman, Remus, Patton, Janus, and Logan all grazed on the green grass. Thomas, Joan, and Talyn were on the porch with Emile and Remy laying at their feet. Virgil felt like he was floating and his heart fluttered happily in his chest. Letting out a loud and joyful whinny he galloped down the slope to the fence, all five horses looking up at his cry. Virgil leaped gracefully over the fence and ran to the other horses, the group galloping up to meet him. Virgil was swarmed by happy nickers, nuzzles, snorting, and rubbing. The five were overjoyed of his return, as were the humans who came running up to the fence and jumped over, all three wrapping their arms around Virgil's neck once the other steeds cleared up.

"Virgil! You're back! We were so worried about you!" Patton cried.

"We thought you were gone forever!" snorted Remus.

"It was rather lonely here, despite the four other horses," said Logan.

"Glad to have you back Virgil," Janus whinnied.

"What happened at the place they took you?" Roman asked.

"I'm happy to be back. I've missed you all so much and I'm never leaving you ever again," Virgil declared and he rubbed his muzzle against all of theirs. He save Logan for last, missing the thoroughbred the most out of the three captive born horses which makes since considering his feelings that had grown rapidly during their short time together. Virgil found himself thinking about the dark bay while in his small stall at the center, longing to have his comfortable presence next to him.

"Of course you're not leaving us. We'll fight anyone who does," said Janus, everyone else nodding.

Virgil smiled and closed his eyes as he felt the humans finally let go.

He was home.