"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
The young mare was not amused. As she was trying to graze in a sunny field she had found, flies and other insects were buzzing around her. Lifting her head, Astara nipped into the air, determined to put an end to one of the little creatures herself. Normally, the mare was in no mood for natural annoyances of nature, so she quickly trotted away from the spot she had been grazing, for she was unable to bite the insects in the air.
Will I ever get some peace? She thought.
Standing stiffly, Astara gazed across the field, seeing unfamiliar creatures of her kind grazing peacefully. Yes, it would be her lot not to be able to do so. With a mental sigh Astara lowered her head, biting half-heartedly at the grass in front of her hooves. Her problem was not the chip on her shoulder, and that she was generally against the world, but instead it was not knowing how to get rid of it. But after losing her herd and mother to such tragedy, who couldn't feel the way she did?
Zaravich was from the Dale a rather quiet kingdom so she often found herself in the field and meadow which gathered lots of horses. As she was in the field today she saw an unfamiliar face and wondered the spotted horses desires for these lands.
Zaravich bolted into a gallop, the mare was now bulging far along in her pregnancy, she was not as fast as she used to be but she was full of life and would continually have an energetic personality. As she was galloping her tail was lifted in the air and curled (as an arabian would) she gave a whinny and thrashed her head around before slowing down curious to the mare still in the field. She slowed to a trot and made her way over to the mysterious spotted horse. "Hi! Im Zara, Who are you?!" the mare said with life in her voice, energetic and bubbly, the fidgety horse was physically unable to stand still for long. She was like a squirrel, attention switching at every movement and noise around her.
At the distant, but ever increasing sound of rapid hooves, Astara immediately lifted her head, her ears perked and eyes narrowed upon the black horse galloping her way. Until the stranger came close enough, Astara had been unable to tell whether or not a mare or stallion was approaching her. But when the unknown horse was only a few paces away, Astara could see the bulge of her pregnancy, and better recognize her scent.
After Zara introduced herself, the black spotted mare snorted. "I'm a wanderer," Astara replied, not nearly as politely as the other mare. She wanted to ask Zara as to exactly what she wanted, but Astara held back, venting her discomfort through the continual swishing of her tail.
Zaravich had pranced around the mare, she was a young mare and new to the life on her own. She had the mistake of finding herself pregnant with a stag she couldnt promise to see again. Perhaps this would calm the mare in motherhood, but to keep her anxiety down she continued to dance as she always has. The mare seemed unpleased with Zaras presence which was saddening as Zara just wanted the interaction with other horses.
"are you looking for a home?" the mare asked she flicked her tail gently swaying it with the winter breeze. Perhaps the mare had a front since she did not know Zara, and they could be friends in the Dale as life carried on. "what is your name?" Zara asked as the mare did not introduce. It was okay to keep things to yourself, but it made Zara feel as though she was prying. She found herself prancing again only to rest on the opposite side of the mare awaiting a response.
03-30-2016, 08:01 PM (This post was last modified: 03-30-2016, 08:03 PM by Astara.)
Stomping her front leg in the snow, Astara gave in. "My name is Astara," she said, a bit more gently, but not much. "And no, I'm not looking for a home. Not necessarily." The dancing of the mare she watched with bewilderment, as she couldn't remember the last time she had moved so freely. Perhaps it was some sort of relief from the foal growing inside her, but Astara wouldn't have known. She had never been in such circumstance before, and had no intention of it soon.
Searching for her mother was her first priority, despite how bleak the possibly grew each day...
"Let me guess," she said at length. "You are some sort of recruiter? Are you with a stallion too busy to do his own work?" Judging by Zara's belly, it would seem a just conclusion.
Astara, she said to herself it was a pretty name! the mare did not have a voice sounding as though she desired to talk to Zaravich. She gave a snort "If you are not looking for a home, than what is your desires with these lands?" the mare had wondered. She was a wanderer for a short time and had constantly feared being alone, before finding herself in the Dale. She trotted a circle around the mare, she had loved to move it kept the mare calm and happy.
Zaras expression was quick to change from joy to anger as the mare was quick to judge. As though Zara was some stallions puppet, and did his work for him. She knew she would be judged for being pregnant but it had not happened yet and her anger boiled inside of her. "I am NOT chained down by a stallion" the mare snorted flicking her ears back with anger as she spoke "Just because I am with foal does not mean anything, I will never see that stallion again" she snorted with distaste. For all this mare knew, Zara could have been forced upon. She was not, although a bad choice of words from her. "I came to offer you a home as I was once alone and knew the struggle, if you do not want to visit the Dale than you do not have to" she shouted still angry with the mares rudeness. She has never been approached by a horse with such attitude. Her tail flicked back and forth with annoyance.
When the mare admitted she was pregnant more or less of her own misjudgment, and not by the will of a lazy stallion, Astara gained a bit more respect for her. Zara was free of a herd, of a life ruled by another, and that she could find some pleasantry for.
Knock it off, she told herself. This mare is simply offering relief from the position I'm in...
With a final snort of submission, Astara said, "I just happened upon this place by accident, but I am, I guess, wary of all the traveling I've done lately. If you know of a better place to wait out this winter... I'll... I'll go with you. But I cannot promise I'll stay when the snow has vanished."
Promises. Definitely something Astara did not do, or like. With any luck, Zara would be flexible with her, and only on unbinding terms would Astara be willing to follow her.
Zaravich realized she was tense with anger from the mares previous question. She shook out her body relaxing again, she was generally a bubbly horse and tried not to be dragged down with negativity. She lifted her tail again with joy and pranced a circle around the mare. She stopped only when the horse began to talk, she explained her life of a wanderer that had taken a toll on her. Zara was understanding of the situation as Zara was stressed alone, it took a lot to make Zara angry though.
It was at that moment that Astara had agreed to go to the Dale. Zara through her head up to the sky and released a whinny, she was joyed that she could bring a horse to the Kingdom. Not only was the Dale growing, but Zara could have a friend to talk to. This only made her energy grow and she trotted forward, stopping about 10 paces away and turning back around to Astara "Come on lets go to the Dale" she shouted ready to show her the kingdom and all its glory. "You can leave whenever you want!" she laughed and jolted off heading to the Dales entrance.
After the mare told her about the Dale and began to race away, immediately Astara followed. She's not so bad, she thought, following after. And there are no binding terms. Maybe after all this time I've finally found some luck...
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