From above, the wicked shall receive their just reward
Kronk was under the impression that what didn’t kill you made you stronger. He was parading back and forth in the snow, trying to keep his teeth from chattering. He had been tempted to give into laziness just this one day. The snow was so thick and the ice so cold. Once, just once, couldn’t he stay curled up beneath his tree and preserve the little bit of warmth he still maintained?
No, no he could not. His conscience would not allow it, not after what happened to his home.
The next time an attack came he would be ready. This, Kronk had promised himself. So everyday without fail, Kronk made himself walk the borders of the Gates. He wanted to know he kingdom he had pledged to serve. He wanted its perimeters, its ridges and falls, to be as familiar to him as his own front hooves.
He was having limited success.
Kronk realized he had strayed too far east when he began to come across horses he had never seen before. The Field then. If he didn’t turn around soon he would hit the Falls, and he had no intention of embarking on an impromptu mission of diplomacy. Better leave the smooth talking to the diplomats, Kronk just hit things that needed hitting.
But, for once, his skills would come in good use.
She caught his eye because of the amusing little dance she was doing. Kronk’s serious expression twitched into a smile as she skittered in front of the frozen lake. The doe like mare went in for the killing blow and Kronk buried his face in his shoulder to keep from laughing. That had been pretty cute. Slowly, but with bouncing enthusiasm Kronk approached her, trying to his best to keep his chuckles at bay.
“No! No! You can’t do it that way.” Kronk grinned at her when he appeared at her side.
“You have to put your weight in to it, you have to really mean it.” With a grunt he slammed a mighty front hoof into the ice and grinned triumphantly when a good chunk shattered around his foot, bits of ice bobbing on the exposed water.
He tried not to wince when he put his hoof back on the bank, though it did sting a bit. Still, it was worth it, to give the girl a drink of water. When he thought she wasn’t looking he rotated his fetlock, and made a face, trying to ease the kinks.
“I’m Kronk.” He said after a pause. He felt rather chivalrous, and it went a long way to putting him in a good mood. Maybe it was silly, but it felt good to be useful for a change.
Photograph by Vivacqua