Dixie smiled to herself. "No one had ever actually cared for me... with the exception of Macy, Scarlet, Mystery, but they are all mares. Mares usually have a tighter knit family friendship. The only stallions I had ever known were angry, demanding stallions who didn't give a crap about how a mare felt, as long as he got what he wanted. Everything that you say means so much, but that meant the MOST!" Then Dixie giggled. "And you deserve MUCH thanks!"

West snorted slightly at her words, his worry about Mystery returning with a slam as Dixie mentioned the mare's name, but he managed to listen to what Dixie was saying anyway. "Sadly, most stallions are like that." He blew out a breath, his ears flicking back with slight irritation at the thought. "I try to say meaningful things, but they usually sound like sappy sayings I pulled out of a book." West laughed slightly. "And no, I really don't. If you think about it, I'm just doing my job. Or not doing my job. I'm supposed to keep everyone safe and happy but all I can do is fail. Dawn isn't here anymore because I didn't get there fast enough or notice she was missing. You are wounded because I didn't make sure you were okay when you went to the beach. Mystery is who knows where because she's sad about Dawn, and that's my fault too." He sighed heavily, looking defeated.

Dixie pulled herself to her feet as he beat himself down the same way she had earlier. "And now you are blaming yourself for everything. It's their fault for running off. NOT yours. You can't control them. And you were busy protecting the herd when I ran off. That's my fault. If I can't beat myself down, you can't either. She bumped West. "Snap out of it. You got me out, get yourself out too. I'm here to help. Let me help"

West lowered his head slightly. "Dixie, you don't understand. It's not your job to protect anyone. You have no obligations to stay here. I have to! It's my JOB to protect this herd and I failed. Again. I do, every day, over and over because of course I'm not perfect, but this time it got someone killed." His voice dropped to a whisper. "If I would've been there, like my Job is to be, I could've taken the blow for Dawn. I could've at very least beat the stallion back. Given her a second to get away. I could've got in the way of the hooves. Anything! But I didn't. So you will never fully understand, no matter how hard you try." He grit his teeth. "The only thing I can ever do about it is try harder. So that's what I'll have to do."

Dixie stepped back, ignoring the pain when he told her she didn't understand. "You don't know my past. You don't understand what I have been through." She clenched her jaw. +no one does+ she thought, turning around and lowering her head for a sip of water. "You can try to try harder but it only gets you in a deeper hole. Trust me or not, I know"

West closed his eyes a moment. He shouldn't have said any of that. Especially to her. +stupid stallion+ he thought with a slight hiss of breath as he exhaled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that." He mumbled, opening his weary gaze. "And I'm sorry I don't understand. I can't understand anything if I don't know." He added quietly, his pelt twitching at her next words. "I believe you. But what else can I do." He murmured before shaking his head. "it doesn't matter. If you'll be fine for a moment, I need to go make sure Mystery is okay." West stated. He then walked towards the herd, looking around again before going to the edge of the forest

."Mystery?:

(be warned. I'm so sorry West lol)

-

Dixie scoffed when he apologized. She snorted into the water, blowing bubbles. She stomped when he decided to leave. "Wow. Just like the rest of them... but he's not like the rest of them... but he's acting like it... stupid power hungry horse" she threw her front hoof down, watching the ripples tear her reflection apart

(Oof, and what did he say to credit that *sobs* xD)

+++

West swiveled his ears slightly, managing to hear what Dixie said. It felt like it crushed him, but some part of him thought he deserved it. And he did. He was being a selfish jerk. He disappeared into the woods for a moment and stared at the ground, not wanting to feel anything again. He didn't want emotion in his life anymore. It was just hurting. West pulled his feet to move, knowing sitting there was never going to help Mystery... and it was obvious Dixie didn't want him to go back. So he circled round the herd in the woods, trying to find where she went, when suddenly he found a faint scent trail heading out. He followed it for a little while before the reality hit him. Mystery had left. Without saying goodbye. Without doing anything. She had just left. She was gone. And the scent trail was stale. Probably from the night before. It was fading quickly. West trembled slightly, his brain throbbing. Because of him everything was falling apart, but was he allowed to say that? No. Because it'd make Dixie mad. Well if it wasn't his fault who was she going to blame? Herself? Because it wasn't her fault. So now he was stuck. Mystery was gone, Dixie thought he was a stupid power hungry stallion, Dawn was dead, and the herd was falling apart.

(Nothing lol)

-

Dixie looked around to see West disappearing into the woods. "What have I done..?" Dixie knew she couldn't leave because it would break West. But if she stayed she would break. Almost literally. She looked back at her leg. She couldn't get very far and she would get attacked the second she did leave. "Shoot. Now I am screwed.." she laid her head down on the rocks, allowing the pain. Maybe it would make her feel better

West took in shuddering breaths, trying to calm himself, trying to tame the swirling storm in his brain, but he couldn't. Not now anyway. He sank to his knees before laying down, the whole world a mess. His vision blurry, he stared at the ground. What had he done? He couldn't fix this. Nothing could.