She had to get out. She was beginning to feel trapped, caged (and utterly bored) within the confines of Loess. The silence that had befallen the small and quaint kingdom is too much for her to sit within, to idly graze and sleep day in and day out, especially with winter in full swing. The cold always bothers her, makes her a bit more bitter than she normally is, and causes her to make rash decisions – like wandering the meadow without a real reason. 

She didn’t realize that maybe she would just be as equally bored here, except with less sloping hills and less snowy rocks – and with more horses. For one who is extremely distrusting of almost all of her acquaintances, it’s strange that she’s chosen the meadow to wander through. But she was just that bored; even a conversation with someone she could end up disliking terribly is better than staying at home beneath the dead willow tree and staring at the snow piling up on the banks. 

Maybe she should have made her way to the field instead, and scout out new residents for Loess. At least then they’d already be where she lived and if she was ever bored and needed some entertainment, they’d be there waiting. But at the same time, the black mare wasn’t about to go acting all super sweet and nice (unless she actually wanted to) to strangers that could easily get on her nerves and cause Heda to find out how terrible of a diplomat she is. Not like the buckskin mare didn’t already know.

Snow had piled up here as well, which even though it didn’t surprise her, did not stop her from scowling the whole time she trumps through it. Merida seeks out a thinner part of the meadow, where the snow isn’t as thick and gives way to a small frozen pond, halting before it’s smooth, reflective surface. She snorts amusedly, rising her brows as she turns her blazing red eyes on the frozen water. A few years back she had tried to walk across a pond just like this, for the thrill of it, and landed herself in a very sticky (and utterly cold) situation that she would rather not relive. 

For amusement’s sake, she lifts a single black hoof and raps quietly on the solid ice, laughing quietly as she did so.