POLOOO COMEEEE

The moon shone peacefully upon the silent world below it, bathing it in a gentle silver light that danced lambently over the soft blades of grass. They swayed as one, dancing to the melancholy melody of the breeze as it whistled its way between them, ripping them apart only to allow them to join in an enchanted embrace once more.
All colour had left the earth with the passing of the sun, abandoning it within the resplendent glow of silver. Yet with the moon’s light came a certain sense of tranquillity and serenity, a chilled hush falling over all life, if only for a moment.

It was into this radiantly ashen world that Tenken was born.
From that meaningful moment onwards, Tenken was mysterious as the dark side of the moon.

The colt had not once been seen or heard of since the day of his birth. As the fourth anniversary of his birth dawned bright and clear, Tenken suddenly emerged, approaching the herd with the confidence of one who harbours no fear. It was a small land, one where every solitary horse knows every other. Nothing went unnoticed and nothing went unknown. There was no mystery, until Tenken arrived.
He was said to have come from the land beyond the mountains, a place no horse dared venture. It was the territory of the predators, a certain suicide to any poor beast foolish enough to set hoof there.
Yes, it was well known that to travel beyond the mountains was to dance with death, to wrap oneself in a lethal embrace with the serpent and be doomed to wait in painful paralysis until the gates of hell slid open to devour the imprisoned soul.
These rumours all perished soon after Tenken appeared. At first they had thought him a demon, an omen sent to bring ill fortune upon them all, but no single soul was able to cling to that prejudiced hatred after Tenken joined the herd.
There was something radiant about the young stallion, something about him that forcefully stabbed happiness into all hearts, even those unwilling to feel it. He was never heard to complain, yet he was always near to offer sympathy for the complaints of others, no matter how futile. He seemed always to know just what to say, picking his words perfectly to uplift those whom had fallen down until they felt they might soar with the eagles.

Tenken stayed with the herd for a year, spreading jubilance and dispersing hatred and misery wherever he went. He was never seen with any negative emotion lurking in his eyes, unless it was one created through empathy. He had become well liked, so much so that the herd began pressuring him to take the position as lead stallion, including the leader himself. Again and again Tenken was heard to gently decline, yet he never offered reasons for his doing so. He never offered reasons for anything… In reality, he was a secretive soul whose life consisted of nothing but shadows and mysteries. Not one of his friends had noticed this about him, for as was typical of equine nature, they were unable to see past their own worries. They saw him as a source of comfort and a close companion, but were never able to see that there was more to him than the ever-smiling, always charming stallion that always did his best to please everybody.

It was not until shortly after the beginning of his fifth year of life that somebody finally came to realize how little they all truly knew about him. About the horse that had suddenly waltzed into their lives to become their bright shining beacon, forever guiding them through the darkest times while not allowing a single shadow to fall across their lives.
She was a sweet mare, one who always kept to herself. Yet she had been watching Tenken and one day that all-important fact had suddenly struck her. She began following him until she came across a rare moment where she found him alone, grazing peacefully near the river.
“Tenken…? I need to talk to you.”, she began hesitantly, her eyes locked on her hooves, unable to look up and meet his gaze.
“Rampion?” He raised his head in surprise, glancing up at her. Soft, green blades of grass fell from his velvet lips as he stood in motionless silence for a moment. He took a tentative step toward her, extending his muzzle in a friendly gesture. “What is it?” he asked gently, watching her with concerned eyes.
Rampion shifted her weight uncomfortably, wondering where to begin. Just as she was about to give up, she managed to overcome the crippling shyness that bound her and the words leaped from her lips almost without thought.
“Who are you, Tenken? We all follow you, the herd loves you, and yet we don’t really know anything about you! How are we to know you haven’t been lying to us all? Why, must you be so mysterious…? I don’t understand…” She dropped her gaze again, seeming upset, acting every inch the sensitive mare she was. Then, she seemed to steel herself, for as she raised her head, her eyes were harsh and accusing. “What are you hiding, Tenken?”, she asked in a dark voice, her jaws clenched and her muscles tense as she awaited his reaction.
Tenken stumbled backwards in shock, taken aback by her sudden outburst. “R-Rampion, I-“, he broke off, watching her with a bewildered expression for a moment. He dropped his gaze; a sad smile curving his lips as his thick forelock hid his expression from view. It was the first time he had ever showed any unhappiness, so what he said next was not entirely unexpected.
“I cannot give you the answers you seek.”, he told her softly without even bothering to look up. He turned away and burst into a gallop, his long legs stretching out to carry him away on the wind, never turning to look back.

He wandered the forests alone for a few months, but anybody who had known him could have easily predicted that his solitude would not last. He was a sociable type and one who longed to help all his fellow equines for reasons nobody knew…
Before long he came across another herd. They were hostile at first, but soon accepted him and came to love him just as his previous herd had done. Tenken always said what he thought a horse wanted to hear, even at the cost of accidentally spilling half-truths and lies… He did not mean to, he simply wanted to bring happiness, therefor he would offer comforting words without stopping to question if they were sincere or if they were in fact empty and meaningless.
Tenken had matured well over the past year, now almost 6 years old. He was a handsome and charming stallion and the mares soon began to fall for him. As usual, his mysterious nature went unnoticed by all.
After a while, one mare approached him, requesting that he be her mate. They had been friends since he had joined the herd, but no more so than any other member. Not wanting to hurt her, Tenken smiled gently and replied that he would. She seemed happy, so of course, so was he. However, he had fallen into his own trap once again, unable to avoid getting caught up in the net of white lies he had begun to weave without even realizing it. That night he left the herd, vanishing without a trace as though he had been nothing more than an apparition from the start.

Again, Tenken seemed to vanish from the world. Many horses searched for him, his friends’ hearts completely torn by his mysterious departure. He did not reappear until his eight year of life, his whereabouts in previous years still completely unknown. He was searching for company once more, desperate for friendship.
Needless to say, he found that and more. Often, he would bump into lone mares, help them and travel with them. He was as sweet, sensitive and charming as ever, and his appearance had become even more appealing. Even those who never meant to could not help but fall for him… Of course, there were many who were thankfully wise enough to accept his friendship and ask nothing more, but those who were still without a mate, especially the younger and more foolish, would undoubtedly find themselves lost in his gentle gaze. Tenken lost track of how many times he agreed to be a mare’s mate, feigning happiness at the request. Yet each time, he would vanish without a trace. Nobody was ever able to work out why it was that the stallion refused to love or be loved. Nobody knew where he had come from or where he went when he suddenly vanished without a trace. He was a mystery just as he always had been. From beginning to end, he was mysterious as the dark side of the moon. No truths about himself have ever slipped from his lips. Always, he will give his full attention to whoever his companion happens to be and soon have them talking out their sorrows and crying into his shoulder. Never, except for that one time, did they think to ask about him. Every time they failed to notice how little they knew about the stallion… Yet even if they did realize, would he be likely to tell them?


Tenken is now 9 years old. He stands at 16,1hh, though his legs are long and his build delicate. His slightly dished face shows Arabian heritage, while his speed is clearly that of a quarter horse. His coat is a bright white, seeming to sparkle as the sun hits it. Soft dapples are sprinkled over his coat like silver dollars, each one a subtle ring of a slightly darker shade, barely visible at first glance. Black stockings stretch up his delicate legs, shiny and smooth as satin. His mane and tail, too are inky black and glossy, each strand always fluttering with flawless individuality in the breeze, never matted and tangled together. A single scar stretches from his chest to his shoulder, parting the hair in a harsh grey line across his powerful muscles. His eyes are a deep, dark brown. They are emotional and empathetic. Everything about his powerful, yet delicate features suggests a gentle strength. He is certainly not to be taken lightly in battle, for he has the power to fight off almost any opponent. However, Tenken refuses to do so. He hates violence and tends to shy away from a fight whenever possible. He will use his strength only to protect those that are precious to him.
There is not a soul on earth who knows this stallion’s secrets. He is just one big mystery… A question that cannot be answered by even the brightest of minds. Perhaps one day, somebody will manage to force some truth out of him, but until then he will remain mysterious as the dark side of the moon…