My Head is an Animal

"You'll see.. Now let's go, I'm excited to show it to you!"

Rex and Layka resumed their steady gallop. The ground was getting mushier, hard to walk in. Rex looked down at his muddy hooves, a little annoyed to be looking less than right in front of the perfect Layka. We must be getting close, Rex thought. And so they were: "There it is!" he shouted, thrilled that they were there finally.

He splashed through the deep water, nosing his way through the vines covering the entrance..


(where dey be~)

Looking down at the water, trying to spy little fishes, he noticed that Layka was staring at his reflection. Rex smiled knowingly.

"Oh, you're beautiful, Layka! Who cares if your mane is a little messed up; you'll always be the star. Here, I'll prove it!" Rex then leaped into the water, creating a huge splash that drenched them both! Their bodies were now smothered in water moss and dirt. "Haha!" Rex laughed flirtingly. He splashed around the miniature cove a little bit more, disrupting the lily pads and frogs.

He splished his way farther into the dark grotto, hiding from view.

Rex hid in the shadows, waiting for Layka to appear. She soon did, and her face lit up as she saw Rex holding a white lily flower in his mouth. "Like it?" he mumbled through his teeth. He carefully slid in into her forelock, like a hairpiece that were so popular in Hollywood. "This is one of the best days of my life, too," Rex replied.. But then he remembered. The single best day of his life. Dutchess. Meeting her. Kissing her. Sleeping next to her. An empty pit formed in his stomach.

What am I doing here with Layka? he wondered. I have the best girlfriend in the world already! Rex looked blankly through the dirty mare in front of him, lost in thought.

"No, no! Don't leave! Everything's fine," Rex moved fast, around Layka in front of the exit. He moved forward to speak again, but tripped over an underwater log, lurching him into the mare. Their lips met for a brief second and Rex jerked backwards. "I'm sorry! I have to go!" He turned around once more and high-tailed it out of the grotto as fast as his legs would carry him

As he made his way back to the cave, Rex had taken a detour. He made a tight circle around the tree territory and it was now night-time. I suppose I should return to Dutchess now.. Rex spotted the large tree, marking where Layka spent a lot of her time. He couldn't see anything underneath, but that was probably just because it's too dark, he thought.

Rex clip-clopped into the stone area that was unofficially deemed his and Dutch's home.

Rex could barely see in the darkness, but he could hear perfectly well. Dutchess was here, and she was happy. Rex's heart did a little flop. "Dutch, hi! I missed you today.. I missed you a lot. You probably don't want to come near me, I'm covered in muck. I, ah, went in a lake." He improvised on the spot, wishing to avoid any sticky conversations. "How about you, what'd you do?"

He went in closer, and lied down getting comfortable. The smelly scent coming from his coat was getting annoying, and Rex regretted not washing up before returning.

"Haha, okay, I'll go wash up."

Rex didn't want to, though. He was not wanting to risk another.. interaction with Layka. He, however, did as Dutchess suggested and walked quietly to the lake beside Layka's dandelion adorned tree.

As he neared the sparkling water, Rex saw a figure by the shore. "Hello..?" he said nervously. "Oh, Layka, it's you." Rex cringed. What are the freaking odds that the one mare I don't want to see is at the lake in the middle of the damn night? "Um, I'm just cleaning the mud off and then I'm going back to Dutchess, so.. Uh. Yeah"

Rex was highly uncomfortable; torn between the two horses. Layka was so captivating and dangerous, while Dutch was the good girl- always there and easy to talk to. And a perfect kisser.. he thought.

Rex tilted his head, worried. A tear slid down Layka's face and onto the hard, cold ground. She walked away from the lake and back to her tree a few yards away. Rex finished getting the dirt off and trotted over to where she lie.

"Layka," he whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." He knelt down, and lied down next to her, resting his head upon her back. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I was confused. I do love you, but.." Rex couldn't finish. His insides shook, he felt horrible. I want them both. But I can't. I need to make a choice.

"She needs me more.." Rex knew that Layka knew who 'she' was. He didn't need to say Dutchess' name. "You'll find somebody much better than me, I promise. Don't you stress over it for a second. I care about you, and always will. Perhaps later we'll be able to have something more. But for now, we cannot be together."

Rex was close to falling apart. But alpha stallions are not vulnerable. Instead, he kissed Layka. A sweet, short, emotion filled nuzzle. "I'll see you around, k?" He stood up and walked away, looking back to where she lie. Suppressing a shudder, Rex went back into to the cave.

There was a knot in his throat. Rex couldn't speak. He could barely breathe. He collapsed upon the stone ground. He ignored Dutch. There wasn't anything he wanted to say, anyway. A hard wet tear fought its way out of Rex's eye. "I can't."

He raised his head, his eyes watery looking like a colt. A brief shadow a smile flitted across his face. "No. I'm staying with you. Just don't give Layka hell, please.."

Rex stood up, and went to Dutch. Looking her in the eyes he said, "I never wanted to in the first place, but I'm done messing around. If you'll take me, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, one hundred percent committing."

But right after he said this, the one that had created all this drama appeared. What happened?? "Uh, Layka, are you okay..?" Rex asked warily.