"My name is Tiberios, by the way."
The sudden words caught her off-guard.
She didn't expect to have another creature join them on this silent, starry night.
She raised her head slightly as concern shone in her muddy eyes while the stallion wandered closer. Out of the corner of her eye she watched the mare's reaction to the newcomer, wondering if she would turn foul and hostile, chasing the stallion, known as Tiberios, away or accept him into their conversation.
After a moment of hesitation, her eyes lingered on the stallion's side. Just like the first to enter the conversation, the stallion caused curiosity to ripple through her mind. The scarring wasn't from a normal predator. It was something unnatural.
Something like fire.
Neso could only imagine the scorching pain of your side being lit aflame. It sent shivers down her spine. She quickly swatted away the images of blood, charred skin, and fur that lingered in her mind as if they were biting flies in late summer. Small, painful, persistent, and essentially demanding attention.
"A pleasure to meet you, Tiberios."
Her voice was kind and gentle, as if she was not sure how to treat this stranger; she had only slightly figured out how to treat the other so far. She had no idea if they demanded respect from authority or if they needed to still earn their respect. Either way, it seemed that the best option would be to act polite and respectful. That was what she was taught to do after all.
She took a step back, watching the two strange yet interesting equines. Thoughts raced through her mind like angry bees. Thoughts that seemed out of place on a quiet, moon-lit night when she should be asleep and dreaming of pleasant memories from a home and family she once had, not standing in a field with two horses who she knew nothing about them other than the name of one. She closed her eyes for a moment which ached from a long day of travel. She thought of a new home, one where maybe things will go right. Where she will have a new family. Where she will finally be happy once more.
Even though the thoughts still lingered in her mind, she opened her eyes to see the two horses, this time, instead of caution and anxiousness, was hope.
NESO