Username: G.L'S
Equid's Name: Faustus
Age: 3
Sex: Stallion
Height: 14.1hh
Coat Colour: Palomino and Chestnut Chimera Tobiano
Quote/Saying: William Shakespeare wrote:"Exit, pursued by a bear" - A Winter's Tale
Artistic Portrayal: Faustus and the Bear
If there was anything in this world that could stop Faustus, he hadn't found it yet.
Even now years later, nothing stops this explorer from going out into the world and getting his hooves dirty. When he was a yearling though, there were many moments where his expeditions got him into plenty of trouble, but there was no time like that one spring day.
One particular late afternoon, Faustus felt quite antsy. Something his mother usually chalked up to 'stallion jitters' but it wasn't mares that gave him the itch, it was the fact that the whole world was waking up again after months of dormancy and he was stuck on their mountain plateau for the entire day. Despite the absolute stink-eye his father was giving him, he just couldn't help it. A whole new world full of such excitement was far more fascinating than waiting around for some other small family to join them. The fact that he was visibly jittery was not his fault.
"Now don't go anywhere. We've met with some friends with a nice filly your age and they'd like you two to meet. I didn't invite them all the way up here so you can just flounce off you hear?"
"Yes father," the chimera whined. He always hated when his parents went looking for suitable mares for him. It was nearly a full day's travel for any equid to come from the valley beyond the pass below up to them. Naturally, that meant missing a whole day of the world's splendors. Sometimes he wished he wasn't a rarity that way there wouldn't be any pomp and ceremony, his parents wouldn't be so choosy, and he could just go back to exploring. This arranged marriage so to speak was getting rather old with him, and he didn't want to get stuck with some prissy thing who could really care less about everything the world had to offer. "Mom, what if she doesn't like nature?"
"Honey, were not forcing you to be her mate. We just want to find someone who is compatible with you," she cooed and tried to grab some burrs from his unkempt tail.
"Well compatible means she's gotta love me, burrs and all," he snapped and tucked his tail between his legs, forcing his dam to let out a contempt sigh.
"Perhaps you need some alone time," she said and moved toward her mate who was now grazing on the other side of the plateau, "as long as it makes you more social for when our guests arrive."
Faustus didn't say anything as his mother went over to his father and fell into grazing beside him. Feeling his itch to go on an adventure grow out of control, he eyed them suspiciously to see if he could potentially sneak off. He made sure they were well occupied before slipping off into the growing shadows of the forest above. When he was well out of sight and earshot, he whooped for joy and galloped up the mountainside, feeling rather pleased with himself for managing such a great escape. Despite his small victory, he knew he had to get going. After all, nightfall wasn't far off and he had to make up for the day. Though as he moved further and further away from home, he did feel a growing twinge that made him wonder if going off was the smartest idea.
"I'll be back for they even notice that I'm gone," he reassured himself and began to inspect the changes of the growing spring, hoping he could get his fill and get back without too much trouble.
After a couple of hours, he was full of mud, burrs and leaves but he had explored absolutely everything in the area. He had never felt more satisfied than in this moment and still felt just as confident in his ninja abilities. He didn't realize how scruffy he had gotten until he dipped his muzzle into a runoff stream for some water and saw his own ruddy reflection staring back at him. With a wry smile, he began to take his fill of the fresh water. "Oh well, this is how I'll probably always look so she better like it."
"Who better like it?"
Faustus looked up to see a black bear cub on the other side of the stream looking quizzically at him. Hoping to find a friend in the little cub, Faustus pricked his ears and crossed the stream. "My parents want me to meet some girl."
"Oh," the cub replied, "well I'm Ursa, not he most original name I know. Since you just met me and I'm a girl, does that count?"
Faustus gave a small laugh and shook his head, "Hi Ursa, I'm Faustus. And sadly, no. It's a prospective mate they'd like me to get to know and hopefully provide them pretty grandfoals."
The cub made a face. "That hardly sounds like fun."
"It isn't, trust me," he answered and gave a nudge at a spot on her fur that was thoroughly caked in mud. Much to his satisfaction, "sounds like you know how to have fun."
Ursa laughed and made a harmless swipe at him, "sure do. Only the most fun happens when you get muddy and dirty. For instance...tag!" She tapped him on the fetlock and shot off into the underbrush, leaving the chimera in the dust to figure out where she ran off to.
"Hey wait! No fair!" Faustus cried and shot after her. Despite her composition, she was an excellent runner and it took quite some time for him to catch up close to her. He had almost nabbed her too when he heard an angry growl from close by. Both of the pricked their ears and slid to a stop in a small clearing.
"Oh no, it's my mom!" Ursa whispered and turned to Faustus, "you'd better run. She gets real mad when someone wakes her up from hibernation!"
Looking up, Faustus saw the growing figure of a very, very angry mother bear at the edge of the clearing. As she stood on her hind legs, she let out a roar: "First you wake me, then you chase my daughter! Your hide is mine equid!"
Now fearing for his life, Faustus didn't think twice of turning tail and bolting for home. He ran as fast as his skinny legs would send him, with only their two ragged breaths and his panicked thoughts for company. As he ran, he tried to lose her through jumping small ditches and logs and daring in and out of cover. When it didn't initially work, he decided he had to outrun her home and sped up even more. Soon he felt the ground level off and the trees parted towards the edge of his home plateau. In the distance he saw five equine figures, all in a clump probably waiting for him. He cursed himself for not being able to sneak back in, but with an angry black bear hot on your tail, that wasn't the easiest mission to succeed in. Not even caring about how angry his father was, he shot out of the forest's cover and across the plateau.
"BEAR!" He screamed at the top of his lungs and shot past all five of them still in complete terror. They all watched him bolt off in quite the confused manner, but he didn't notice. Faustus was way too panicked and running way too fast to stop and ask why. It wasn't until after he realized he lost her, had calmed down and came back that his parents told him that they didn't see a bear.
"The only fright I had was seeing that mess come running at us!" His mother chastised glaring at his filthy pelt. Seeing his father's match hers in both extremity and anger, he knew he was really in the doghouse now. Rule-breaking, late, dirty, and a presumed liar, Faustus was ready to accept his fate since he knew both his parents would probably kill him.
"I thought it was pretty funny," the prospective filly piped up from behind her father, "bears and dirt! I wish I had been there."
The four adults looked between their offspring and looked at each other quite perplexed. "Perhaps this isn't a bad idea," his father mused aloud and looked at his son, "but please at least go bathe before something begins to grow on you!"
Faustus nodded and decided to go the the stream that was downhill from the plateau. Letting out a huge sigh of relief, he looked back up at his family and smiled. Despite the bathing, he could get used to this.