04-25-2019, 07:09 PM
The sun was descending through the sky when a familiar presence returned to the Isle, but for the time being, against the winds, the painted mare and her weanling filly did not notice such a change at first. The two, resting comfortably in a glen, were grazing near each other, Alcinia just a stone's throw away from her dam. Nalia no longer had any problems with her filly grazing far away from her now, but of course being within her sight relieved the first-time dam.
There was also the matter that with each passing day, Alcinia was testing her limits, her independence, already showcasing the factors that made her gifted mother infamous during her younger years. Nalia's wings shuffled in the evening air, keeping close to her torso to warm her until her winter coat would grow in. Alcinia's was already in progress, the filly's fluffy coat puffing out as if she had just taken a dip in the ocean and a large, long breeze had dried her instead of letting the coat do so naturally.
Hearing a snort, Nalia's eyes drifted over to her daughter, seeing the filly still grazing peacefully. More than likely, she had come across a stone, or perhaps inhaled some dust, leading to the display Nalia heard. Content that nothing seemed to be the matter, the mare returned to her own grazing, still unaware of the change in the wind.
Some more time passed in silence before Alcinia was the one to notice the change first. The weanling lifted her head when a shift in the wind brought a strange scent along, stomping her tiny hoof since she didn't quite know what to make of it yet. Nalia lifted her head, flaring her nostrils and taking in a deep breath of air, letting out a small chuckle.
"It's nothing but a deer love. Don't worry, it won't do us any harm."
Alcinia snorted again, shaking her head, "I don't know Mother, there's something strange about that smell."
Nalia tilted her head, "In what sense? You've only smelled deer a few times; they don't often hang around the field of the mainland during the warm months. At least, not near us."
Alcinia shrugged, "I don't know, just a feeling I'm getting."
Deciding to not concern herself, Nalia lowered her head to graze again, but Alcinia wouldn't drop the matter, "Mother... the smell, it's changing... it's..."
Nalia rolled her eyes, "For the last time love, there is nothing-" The mare cut herself off when she caught a whiff of the changing smell, sensing that indeed, her filly was right. The mare inhaled again, racking her thoughts since the scents weren't quite different yet. But as seconds passed, and they split apart...
She almost couldn't believe it.
Nalia looked back at her filly, "Alcinia, love, keep up."
The mare then took off, knowing her filly would follow. Sure enough, Alcinia started galloping to catch up, settling in beside her dam as they cantered in the direction the smell was coming from. It wasn't far from the beach coastline, the two realizing it was only a few yards away when Nalia slowed down first. Alcinia skidded to a stop next to her, her nostrils flared as she caught her breath.
Nalia's wide eyes searched the terrain, spotting something resting by one of the trees. The creature's head was against the bark, it's nostrils flared from the exhertion of it's journey. The mare's eyes were still wide, but then softened when she, with certainty, realized who it was. She was almost afraid to call out his name, scared that he might disappear again, but couldn't stop herself.
"Ardashir."
@[Ardashir]
There was also the matter that with each passing day, Alcinia was testing her limits, her independence, already showcasing the factors that made her gifted mother infamous during her younger years. Nalia's wings shuffled in the evening air, keeping close to her torso to warm her until her winter coat would grow in. Alcinia's was already in progress, the filly's fluffy coat puffing out as if she had just taken a dip in the ocean and a large, long breeze had dried her instead of letting the coat do so naturally.
Hearing a snort, Nalia's eyes drifted over to her daughter, seeing the filly still grazing peacefully. More than likely, she had come across a stone, or perhaps inhaled some dust, leading to the display Nalia heard. Content that nothing seemed to be the matter, the mare returned to her own grazing, still unaware of the change in the wind.
Some more time passed in silence before Alcinia was the one to notice the change first. The weanling lifted her head when a shift in the wind brought a strange scent along, stomping her tiny hoof since she didn't quite know what to make of it yet. Nalia lifted her head, flaring her nostrils and taking in a deep breath of air, letting out a small chuckle.
"It's nothing but a deer love. Don't worry, it won't do us any harm."
Alcinia snorted again, shaking her head, "I don't know Mother, there's something strange about that smell."
Nalia tilted her head, "In what sense? You've only smelled deer a few times; they don't often hang around the field of the mainland during the warm months. At least, not near us."
Alcinia shrugged, "I don't know, just a feeling I'm getting."
Deciding to not concern herself, Nalia lowered her head to graze again, but Alcinia wouldn't drop the matter, "Mother... the smell, it's changing... it's..."
Nalia rolled her eyes, "For the last time love, there is nothing-" The mare cut herself off when she caught a whiff of the changing smell, sensing that indeed, her filly was right. The mare inhaled again, racking her thoughts since the scents weren't quite different yet. But as seconds passed, and they split apart...
She almost couldn't believe it.
Nalia looked back at her filly, "Alcinia, love, keep up."
The mare then took off, knowing her filly would follow. Sure enough, Alcinia started galloping to catch up, settling in beside her dam as they cantered in the direction the smell was coming from. It wasn't far from the beach coastline, the two realizing it was only a few yards away when Nalia slowed down first. Alcinia skidded to a stop next to her, her nostrils flared as she caught her breath.
Nalia's wide eyes searched the terrain, spotting something resting by one of the trees. The creature's head was against the bark, it's nostrils flared from the exhertion of it's journey. The mare's eyes were still wide, but then softened when she, with certainty, realized who it was. She was almost afraid to call out his name, scared that he might disappear again, but couldn't stop herself.
"Ardashir."
@[Ardashir]