He is grazing now, near the edge of his oasis. For some reason he always prefers to stay near the edge, rather than lingering in the coolness that can be found near the water. It seems he only uses these patches of life to sustain himself; his real home is among the sands, the multi-hued grains that shift eternally beneath his hard hooves.

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It is a beautiful image, the sight of this stallion before the green and blue shades of this small pocket in the dunes. He is quiet for once, calm and at peace within his realm, nearly still as he cuts at the grass. Most certainly it can be called a reassuring one; such quietude could not be found whence this male came to my lands.

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He is a strong personality, there is no doubt of that, although little indication can be seen of this at the moment. His ears barely flicker, his tail hardly twitches as he noses his way through the dense-packed sand around the water. Even his eyes, such an intensely burning red, seem dulled now, perhaps with sleep.

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His voice, however, is unchanged. A snort to remove the grains of sand in his way are enough to demonstrate this for my recordings; sharp, almost cutting, with a crispness that sparks and flames in the air.

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Despite the peaceful sunset picture before me he is indeed a rather abrasive stallion, as his voice suggests. His is a strongly prominent personality, naturally dominant. Some may even regard him as domineering.

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In truth he is strong and more than accustomed to being responsible. Upon his arrival he had had no other to look out for him, nor any others he knew, for a very long time. Someone had to take charge while they waited for another to come and rescue them from their fractured despair.

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Flint had forgotten what it was to relax; to be happy. The very concepts disturbed him, and he is not a stallion that can accept fear. Rather it springs in himself or in others, he refuses the very notion of fear, for it is indeed a crippling sensation that can crush and kill what would have otherwise been an essential task.

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He is a warrior in heart, to reject this and push forward. More, he is a leader, and so has earned the local name of Sarge. He will push both himself and others to do more, testing their true limits. To him, it is not only his right but his duty to remain surefooted and solid.

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When fear not only managed to obtain a grasp on him but also struck deep, he had no knowledge of how to combat it. His way was always to reject it instantly, to deny it that grip upon his heart; and yet, in this instance, he failed. He was faced, constantly, with not only no longer being the stallion in charge but also little reason not to relax. The only way he found any peace was for this new leader, his new bonded, to demonstrate higher levels of dominance and efficiency. If he could feel that he was the second in command to a being he could at the least trust to take over, that was a notion he found acceptable. To honestly relax, however, and allow that none were needed to lead or protect or battle; this notion made his very skin crawl.

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Adjusting to life after the battles he had been flung into has indeed proven to be difficult, and yet he seems to be adjusting thus far. He has accepted his new 'rank' and even shows an interest in finding another to settle with. A post-apocalyptic family to his mind, it can almost surely be said.

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Beyond the chance to rebuild, to find or become something other than was previously known - to move into territory where he does not hold such solid and sure-footing - is the chance to realize what safety is. Thankfully, after much work, he is beginning to show signs of feeling safe and even the ability to let his constant guard down for but a moment.

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He summons me now, wishing for a touch and a word before retiring to the sands for the night. A blanket of warm sand beside the insulating factor of the oasis plants would keep him warm and comfortable; but first a goodnight is required. It is a tradition we have started. He must end each day on a positive note of love; it helps to dispel his tensions and reinforce the concept of allowing his rest to settle deep into his bones. To remain watchful even in sleep is a soul in great unrest; that he is requesting his nightly pat is greatly encouraging. Progress has been made if he is beginning to welcome this deeper relaxation.

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If there is one thing this stallion can claim to be good at, it is in sending shockwaves throughout the entire realm. Upon the arrival of a new bonded, Flint finally learned how to simply relax, even if but only a little bit. His new mate, a stallion named Shiro, was everything that Flint had a desire for; calm, sweet, passive and receptive, someone with a good and tender heart for him to nurture and love. In the end that was all that mattered and all he saw; yet it was far from what any had expected of him.

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Even so, as the reality settles and daily life continues, it can not be denied how much good this change has brought. With a true love to focus on doting upon, he no longer has a need to insist on pushing his attentiveness upon others. Should help be needed he will be there, and yet the constant partner that has accompanied me all this time and attempted to act as a co-bonded can no longer be found within the silver stallion. Our Sarge now has the solid heat of authority without the overwhelming tendencies of becoming overly pushy. At the end of the day, his main concern is now to return to his mate.

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It is difficult to imagine him ever seeking out or accepting another, yet their love is still fresh; only time shall reveal what further entries are required.

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It's a well known fact that our Sarge is a controlling pain in the rump. It ’s also well known that when he found a Serian that was as soft and compliant as the iridescent sand underhoof, he took the stallion to mate. Their relationship has grown to highlight these simple facts.

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Sarge acts as one extreme within this relationship, the controlling dominant, while the gentle Lover he took to mate is the supple submissive. Each day, this silver stallion exercises his control over his fair-toned mate; each day, Shiro must romance him, seeking his approval. It has turned the winged Lover into something of a show-pony, displaying himself for the pleasure of our Sarge. It’s also turned Sarge into a more balanced stallion.

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As he gains an outlet for this need to be in control, he becomes less rigid in other aspects. He’s taken an active interest in accumulating others to mate; a harem, in a way. He has also decided that a contingency plan would be wise; he has bound himself not only to his mate, but to those best friends of whom he would keep all ties regardless of what else occurs in life.

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He feels he has a handle on his own life again; a mate that constantly tries to romance and please him, a circle to belong to and, potentially, one full of mates.

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The angry, panicked stallion that had first come to these lands is no longer to be found; Flint is now as solid as stone, cool to observe and yet quick to anger. Ever the natural leader, Sarge retains his knack for bossing others around; yet now, he does so with a calm demeanor.

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There is a dependable core to this stallion, one which proclaims that this is a creature which may at all times be relied upon. Without the rage, this central aspect of him is brought to the forefront.

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It was through the help of our warrior, Death, that the truth came to be revealed; without purpose or focus, without the need to fight for survival as he had during his abandonment, Sarge’s darker aspects manifested themselves in his rages. It was a stallion that had used his fiery-temper and cruel tactics without restraint; and had lost control of these tools.

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With a healthy outlet, the dominion and control of his mates, a focus has once again been granted this part of his personality. With his spirit once again in balance, his presence is now considered soothing. He is a stallion that can, by all accounts, calmly take charge of and resolve any given situation. Each problem is resolved in a rather logical, if detached, manner. He is still quick to spring into rage in regards to his protectiveness, although this is not a trait that any hold any true complaint of. It remains a given that even pretending harm to a bondmate of his, as through a prank, would be unwise. Yet for these that he shared bonds with, such is not to be made jest of; there is poor taste in making light of true pain that others have known.

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With this stability the image of the silver stallion has entirely changed. At the height of all who would be turned to for all needs remains their bonded; next resides the mighty Lady, for any aspect of might, magic, or history; after, for all requirements of protection or scolding, the lord Death; and now, they see the Sarge as one to turn towards for need of protective guidance, one that will defend them with the blazing fury of the Gods themselves or merely lead them through trouble and back to safety.

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He is often quiet now, our Flint, for no reason other than having no need of words. All know him to keep an active account of all bondmates; he knows where each is at all times, keeping in touch through the magic of the shared bonds. Should any have need of him, he’ll know how to reach them; he’ll lead them back home again. Always.

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And when there’s no need for him, he returns to his stallion mate, the Lover, and continue to learn about controlling his demanding personality. Now, finally; now that he's given up total control, now he is free.