It was a gorgeous day out, one that the young mare would drink in. She had already reached a prime age of nine years, but still held the youthful spark in her eye that appeared the day she was born. Vida was a fiery creature, not one to be easily tamed, and yet this wonderful island held her in its grip steadfast. She had become accustomed to Ischia, so much so that she dared say she would never give up this home for another.
Of course, she had said that about her last home, before the stallion disappeared and she sought refuge in the Tundra. Sure, the snow was beautiful, but the lush jungles here, the peaceful sounds of the forest, it felt more like home to her. A warm breeze blew through the mare's thick mane, pushing her forelock out of her eyes. Tilting her head up, closing her eyes in content, the mare thought back on the time she'd spent here so far since Beqanna changed all those moons ago.
It had come so suddenly, to the point Vida was caught off guard. Usually the grullo mare was so vigilant, so aware of what was happening around her. She had heard rumors of the war that had made the land angry, but even she didn't think that everything would just suddenly change like that. Her home, her friends had all disappeared. She'd seen some on her travels before arriving out at the island kingdom, but not many. Then again, she didn't have many friends. The horses who lived here besides her, she didn't think she could call them friends either. Acquaintances, more like, because, to Vida, a friend was somehorse who was willing to look out for you, as well as be open to your past.
So far, no one here knew anything about her. And, for now, until the horses proved trustworthy otherwise, she could keep it that way.
The call of a parrot in the nearby trees set off a chain reaction, sparking some of them to take flight and fly off towards the other trees on the opposite side of the spring Vida was currently resting at. For a moment, the cautious mare watched them, mesmerized for a moment by their bright and expressive colors. When compared to her own plain grullo coat, well, she was a boring one to look at. However, she did not care what she looked like, even with the scar running down her leg.
As if sensing it was the focal point of her thought, Vida's leg bolted with pain. The mare stomped her hoof, her muscles twitching in irritation as she remembered how she got it. It hadn't been a bad fall that day, coming down from the mountain, but that wet rock had been just slippery enough that it took her down the trail a number of feet before she came to a painful stop.
The scar had long since healed, thank goodness, and usually didn't cause her pain, except for when she thought about it. And speaking of, Vida reminded herself to stop thinking about it so the pain would go away.
The grullo snorted, blowing air from her nose before lowering her head to graze on the meadow grass. There was a lot of it over the island, but, for some reason, the grass growing around the big spring tasted the most delicious to her. Its soft texture and dewy taste made eating and swallowing it quite easy, providing a good meal for the fit mare. Vida was not up the caliber of warrior that some of the others here, or throughout Beqanna, were, but she was a fit creature in her own right. Over the years, despite a healthy diet, her frame had slimmed out some, so that most of her structure was lean and not covered in a thin layer of fall-time fat to last through winter. She lacked the fat on her stomach that most mares retained from having a foal, showing that she was still a maiden.
Her shoulders and legs were healthy with muscle, her hindquarters in good shape. Her tapered features flowed together nicely, all complimented by her (still plain in her mind) coat color, and her black white-streaked mane and tail.
But, every once in a while, Vida liked to kick back, relax, and enjoy the grass as opposed to wandering the island or going through some training exercises at the sparring grounds on those occasions she went to the mainland.
Vida went to take another mouthful of grass, but stopped when an unnatural breeze fluttered through the blades. Though Vida herself was not blessed with a magic gift of any sort, she knew how to recognize it; something Tiphon had mentioned, and taught her a little bit about, back when he was around. The land knew when something was amiss; a horse just had to know how to sense it. And sense something Vida did.
The magic didn't give off a sense of threat, or anger; instead, it almost felt protective, as if Ischia knew it had to shield its occupants. Vida looked up at the sky, silently wondering what that could've been about. However, since it was not threatening, she would let fate take its course. The mare lowered her head and continued to graze, her delicate teeth and lips pushing the grass aside as she went for another mouthful, her ears up and turning to pick up on any approaching creatures.
Of course, she had said that about her last home, before the stallion disappeared and she sought refuge in the Tundra. Sure, the snow was beautiful, but the lush jungles here, the peaceful sounds of the forest, it felt more like home to her. A warm breeze blew through the mare's thick mane, pushing her forelock out of her eyes. Tilting her head up, closing her eyes in content, the mare thought back on the time she'd spent here so far since Beqanna changed all those moons ago.
It had come so suddenly, to the point Vida was caught off guard. Usually the grullo mare was so vigilant, so aware of what was happening around her. She had heard rumors of the war that had made the land angry, but even she didn't think that everything would just suddenly change like that. Her home, her friends had all disappeared. She'd seen some on her travels before arriving out at the island kingdom, but not many. Then again, she didn't have many friends. The horses who lived here besides her, she didn't think she could call them friends either. Acquaintances, more like, because, to Vida, a friend was somehorse who was willing to look out for you, as well as be open to your past.
So far, no one here knew anything about her. And, for now, until the horses proved trustworthy otherwise, she could keep it that way.
The call of a parrot in the nearby trees set off a chain reaction, sparking some of them to take flight and fly off towards the other trees on the opposite side of the spring Vida was currently resting at. For a moment, the cautious mare watched them, mesmerized for a moment by their bright and expressive colors. When compared to her own plain grullo coat, well, she was a boring one to look at. However, she did not care what she looked like, even with the scar running down her leg.
As if sensing it was the focal point of her thought, Vida's leg bolted with pain. The mare stomped her hoof, her muscles twitching in irritation as she remembered how she got it. It hadn't been a bad fall that day, coming down from the mountain, but that wet rock had been just slippery enough that it took her down the trail a number of feet before she came to a painful stop.
The scar had long since healed, thank goodness, and usually didn't cause her pain, except for when she thought about it. And speaking of, Vida reminded herself to stop thinking about it so the pain would go away.
The grullo snorted, blowing air from her nose before lowering her head to graze on the meadow grass. There was a lot of it over the island, but, for some reason, the grass growing around the big spring tasted the most delicious to her. Its soft texture and dewy taste made eating and swallowing it quite easy, providing a good meal for the fit mare. Vida was not up the caliber of warrior that some of the others here, or throughout Beqanna, were, but she was a fit creature in her own right. Over the years, despite a healthy diet, her frame had slimmed out some, so that most of her structure was lean and not covered in a thin layer of fall-time fat to last through winter. She lacked the fat on her stomach that most mares retained from having a foal, showing that she was still a maiden.
Her shoulders and legs were healthy with muscle, her hindquarters in good shape. Her tapered features flowed together nicely, all complimented by her (still plain in her mind) coat color, and her black white-streaked mane and tail.
But, every once in a while, Vida liked to kick back, relax, and enjoy the grass as opposed to wandering the island or going through some training exercises at the sparring grounds on those occasions she went to the mainland.
Vida went to take another mouthful of grass, but stopped when an unnatural breeze fluttered through the blades. Though Vida herself was not blessed with a magic gift of any sort, she knew how to recognize it; something Tiphon had mentioned, and taught her a little bit about, back when he was around. The land knew when something was amiss; a horse just had to know how to sense it. And sense something Vida did.
The magic didn't give off a sense of threat, or anger; instead, it almost felt protective, as if Ischia knew it had to shield its occupants. Vida looked up at the sky, silently wondering what that could've been about. However, since it was not threatening, she would let fate take its course. The mare lowered her head and continued to graze, her delicate teeth and lips pushing the grass aside as she went for another mouthful, her ears up and turning to pick up on any approaching creatures.
- x - x - x -
Hope ya'll don't mind me jumping in. It's been a while since Vida's been up to anything so I thought I'd get back into the swing of things with her.
Vida is hanging around the main spring that Ashley and the others are headed to, just in case I should've made it more clearer.