09-01-2017, 06:08 PM
A cold chill was present in the air today; winter was now fully on its way, and it would not surprise the golden mare if the snowfall caught her out in the open one day, unaware and without better protection until her winter coat came in. As the leaves had turned the color of fire, blanketing the forest of Tephra as they fell from the tree branches, and the steam gushing from the volcano tried to combat the ever-present breeze in the air, Sirana felt her winter coat already coming in. The steam did offer some assistance in keeping warm, but if she ventured too far from the warmth, winter's chill hit her like a boulder.
Sirana had been in the Tephra for some time now and, though it had taken a while, she'd gotten used to the steam spewing from the volcano and blanketing the land in a layer of thick fog on the less pleasant days of autumn. She no longer sweat like she did upon her arrival, she could run without getting too winded due to the higher temperature she had to breath, and her body no longer felt the effects of the increased warmth when she ran.
Still, it was a lot to absorb when she first arrived, and Sirana almost gave up simply because it was so hot. However, having taken a liking to this place, she was willing to put up with it. The effort paid off, for she was happy here, she'd made friends, and had a place in the caste system studying under Nymphetamine to be a diplomat. A better one, anyways, since she'd already received some training from her dam during her first three years in the Falls kingdom.
Sirana had chosen to go off on her own today, since Nymphetamine had not called for a meeting and the one friend she enjoyed hanging out with was busy. Most of the horses in the kingdom had their favorite grazing spots, typically near the safety of the volcano since most outsiders couldn't handle the increased temperatures. Feeling daring, however, Sirana chose a spot closer to the outskirts, not too far from the river flowing through Tephra's grassland.
The golden mare had some peaceful grazing time, delicately munching on the emerald blades and relishing in their taste. Sirana sometimes tried to limit herself and how much she ate, though she was not fat in the sense she might have thought. Her stocky build came not only from her dam's blood but also her sire, who despite his height had also been a thickly-built stallion, with healthy muscles and power to back him up. Sirana did look a little more stocky than a mare of her breeding might, unlike Eiria who had muscle but a more feminine frame.
Sirana's friend often joked that this was the reason she had yet to attract the interest of stallions. The golden mare didn't pay much mind to that, since she was only eight years old. She had some more time if she ever wanted to try for a foal, and it wasn't like there were any stallions around that had attracted her attention.
The sound of a foal's voice caught Sirana's attention. She lifted her finely sculpted head, her nostrils puffing out slightly in order to catch the scent of whoever was nearby. Several yards away, she spotted a couple horses, her view enhanced by the fact that she was standing at an angle, slightly uphill.
The group was small but decent. There was a duo of full-grown horses, along with a few foals. One of them seemed to be trying to entice another to play, nipping at her rump and calling her out in a childish voice that she couldn't catch him. Sirana watched with mild interest, somewhat captured by the foal's antics but not enough to really get her involved in the situation.
She settled back to grazing, deciding that if the situation suddenly took a turn for the worst, she'd get involved. But for now, the foals could handle themselves under watch of the other full-grown horses. If anything, it was entertaining to watch them play, but Sirana decided she wanted to eat first and then deal with other matters later.
Sirana had been in the Tephra for some time now and, though it had taken a while, she'd gotten used to the steam spewing from the volcano and blanketing the land in a layer of thick fog on the less pleasant days of autumn. She no longer sweat like she did upon her arrival, she could run without getting too winded due to the higher temperature she had to breath, and her body no longer felt the effects of the increased warmth when she ran.
Still, it was a lot to absorb when she first arrived, and Sirana almost gave up simply because it was so hot. However, having taken a liking to this place, she was willing to put up with it. The effort paid off, for she was happy here, she'd made friends, and had a place in the caste system studying under Nymphetamine to be a diplomat. A better one, anyways, since she'd already received some training from her dam during her first three years in the Falls kingdom.
Sirana had chosen to go off on her own today, since Nymphetamine had not called for a meeting and the one friend she enjoyed hanging out with was busy. Most of the horses in the kingdom had their favorite grazing spots, typically near the safety of the volcano since most outsiders couldn't handle the increased temperatures. Feeling daring, however, Sirana chose a spot closer to the outskirts, not too far from the river flowing through Tephra's grassland.
The golden mare had some peaceful grazing time, delicately munching on the emerald blades and relishing in their taste. Sirana sometimes tried to limit herself and how much she ate, though she was not fat in the sense she might have thought. Her stocky build came not only from her dam's blood but also her sire, who despite his height had also been a thickly-built stallion, with healthy muscles and power to back him up. Sirana did look a little more stocky than a mare of her breeding might, unlike Eiria who had muscle but a more feminine frame.
Sirana's friend often joked that this was the reason she had yet to attract the interest of stallions. The golden mare didn't pay much mind to that, since she was only eight years old. She had some more time if she ever wanted to try for a foal, and it wasn't like there were any stallions around that had attracted her attention.
The sound of a foal's voice caught Sirana's attention. She lifted her finely sculpted head, her nostrils puffing out slightly in order to catch the scent of whoever was nearby. Several yards away, she spotted a couple horses, her view enhanced by the fact that she was standing at an angle, slightly uphill.
The group was small but decent. There was a duo of full-grown horses, along with a few foals. One of them seemed to be trying to entice another to play, nipping at her rump and calling her out in a childish voice that she couldn't catch him. Sirana watched with mild interest, somewhat captured by the foal's antics but not enough to really get her involved in the situation.
She settled back to grazing, deciding that if the situation suddenly took a turn for the worst, she'd get involved. But for now, the foals could handle themselves under watch of the other full-grown horses. If anything, it was entertaining to watch them play, but Sirana decided she wanted to eat first and then deal with other matters later.