The day was a still one. The summer heat was heavy, keeping most things in their dens. The only thing that was stirring was the wind, occasionally passing through. As it passed, it whispered with the tall grass. What did they say to each other? Who could say, but on this occasion, one might assume the wind was announcing the presence of a queen. As the message passed through each blade, they bent and bowed to show their respect. Dark hooves carefully picked their way through the crowd, carrying a regal blue form, head held high. The wind caressed each dark hair of the mare's mane, inviting it to dance and twist. The blue mare tossed her head, as if accepting the request to dance, and she let out a breath, dark eyes taking in the scenery before her.
The summer already felt like it had been a long one, though Mataeris could have sworn it had only just begun.
"We are in desperate need of some rain..." the mare thought to herself absentmindedly, allowing her guard to drop for a moment in the stillness.
She was not wrong. The grass was long and golden, easy kindling for hungry fire. Many of the smaller animals had left in search of greener pastures and accessible water. Only the bugs seemed to have stayed, much to the annoyance of the blue mare. She flicked her tail aggressively at some flies who were trying to claim her royal body as their home. Her ears pinned and she snorted at them, as they were chased away by her tail.
"Hah, that'll show them to never touch a queen!", the mare thought to herself once again, feeling quite proud of her small victory.
The breeze blew through once more, and Mataeris inhaled deeply. The only fragrance on the wind was the warm smell of dried grass. It was comforting smell, and made the mare feel at home. She stood tall for a moment, head still head high, surveying the land before, and allowed her mind to slip. For a while there were no disturbances, only the sound of the wind and grass whispering interrupted the stillness of the day.
However, little did the mare know that with each gust, a form was ever so slowly approaching her. It stayed out of the wind, so their scent wasn't carried, and used the sound of the wind to mask their own approach.
mataeris
and the madness slowly creeps