[open] Are you lost enough?

[Ivar]

I V A R i'll use you as a makeshift gauge of how much to give and how much to take The chill of winter is harsh against his scaled hide, but it is tolerable when there is no wind. It’s also infinitely more tolerable than battling the current in a winter sea, which is why Ivar is picking his way through the forest instead. The sun is hidden by the typical winter haze; there’s no telling what time of day it is. Early morning, late afternoon, Ivar doesn’t know. He doesn’t pay much attention to time: a byproduct of youth and a total lack of responsibilities. In the watery light, his matte black and pearlescent white scales do not differ much in apparent luster. His tangled mane and tail have dried stiffly from an attempt ocean cross; they hang at unflattering angles. Despite that (and the high boots of brown mud splashed up his pale legs) Ivar is still the most striking creature in the woods. It’s unnatural - the perfect line of his pale face, the pristine ridges of sinewy muscle on an otherwise narrow build. As he walks through the snowy woods, some of the mud is cleared away. He realizes, belatedly, that he is blindly following the trail of another horse. By the time he looks up he can see her ahead of him. Pawing through the snow, the black mare with her pink mane is impossible to miss. He likes the brightness of it, the unique shade that he’s never seen before. Always a fan of novelty, he approaches. He smiles, and there is still youth in the way his brown eyes dance merrily. They’re half-hidden by the corded mass of his forelock, but Ivar quickly tosses it aside to better see the mare in front of him. Stopped a comfortable distance from her, Ivar makes a clear and friendly attempt to not invade her personal space. “If you’re looking for a good meal,” he says, with perfect innocence and perfect looks, “I’d be glad to show you some places where it might be easier to find.” kelpie mimicry | dragon scales | tactile hypnosis