07-16-2019, 10:10 PM
Beqanna's cold winter had settled over the land many suns ago, promising a number of long, frigid days and nights while the beautiful kingdom of Taiga awaited it's chance to reawaken with a promise of new life. Though the days that passed now were still overcome by a frigid winter chill, and some areas of the redforest were still home to pickpockets of white snow, there was a change in the air, a signal that the land's suffering would soon be over for another year.
Aten himself never really minded either the cold or the heat; he'd learned to adapt to each one many suns ago as a colt. He'd learned quick ways to rid his body of the extra winter coat hair that had not yet shed so he could feel cooler in the spring's heat, and of how to burrow down into thickets in the night should he feel extra chilled despite the natural protection he gained as the days grew shorter. He was a well-practiced stallion with many a tricks up his sleeve, and his family would no doubt be proud to see the young, handsome horse he had grown into.
On this easy winter day, the stallion was grazing up near the northern Taiga meadows, for a multitude of reasons. One was quite obvious for those who knew his story over these past six moons; he simply didn't want to be around Beqanna's main meadows in case Wolfbane or Lepis wished to speak with him. Though his hatred toward the two had started to dim, he still did not appreciate their presence no matter the situation. Until he felt absolutely confident that he would not say the wrong thing around them, he'd resolved to steering clear unless they absolutely needed him.
The other was he had not been up in this direction for quite some time. Since Aten was known for growing a rather thick winter coat, Tephra's warmer climate during the cold season made it a bit uncomfortable for him to be so close when he hadn't started shedding. Now that the days were getting longer once again, Aten could start to feel the subtle changes. When he rolled on grassy spots in the meadows or on some of Taiga's knolls to reach a particular knot in his back, he'd often find large traces of hair left over. He still had a coarse coat to contend with these remaining suns, but his ability to stay near Tephra's border had enhanced greatly.
The grass up here was not the most appetizing in the cold months, hardly any was, but it was food the golden stallion would not pass up. It definitely had merits over shoving snow aside with his muzzle to find prickets of grass in small pockets in Taiga's meadows. He both avoided hunger and a chilled muzzle, by coming here. Aten was not going to complain about any of his circumstances; he knew he was more fortunate than some others who had a further dwindling food supply, even with the impending approach of spring.
Aten's thoughts drifted among many topics in his solitude, but one of them was the golden mare Lethia, who he'd come to form a very strong friendship with over the months that passed since he brought her to Taiga. If he were bold enough, he'd even consider saying there was a blossiming romance of sorts, but he still had yet to fully know where she stood on the subject. She probably had an answer, but Aten was new to this sort of topic. Having been without a mare by his side in such a fashion, and without offspring, the golden stallion was unsure of how to proceed in these circumstances.
Especially given what he'd learned over the past few moons.
It had been subtle at first, but, slowly, the increasing size of Lethia's belly gave Aten an indication of where things might stand. He was not going to berate her for her choice; she was a grown mare, fully capable of her own decisions. Aten would only berate himself, for not being bold enough to stand up and say something in the first place. Perhaps then he would have stood a better chance.
For the time being as well, he'd still said nothing; Lethia had a lot to contend with, for sure, keeping herself well fed during the winter and the arrival of a foal to plan for. Matters like this, Aten was sure, were at least somewhat simple; the mare needed plenty of food to provide rich, thick milk for her foal. Everything that came after that... Aten was absolutely clueless, to say the least.
But he did know one thing. Should the stallion who sired Lethia's foal be foolish enough to miss on such an opportunity, Aten would be there for his friend, to help her in any way he could, and, should she allow it, help guide the new foal to learn Taiga's ways, secrets that he had yet to share with even such a close friend.
Speaking of friends, though Aten's thoughts were on Lethia, he was not alone that day. Turul had decided to make a perch of his friend's withers and rest atop the stallion's back, his talons gripping just enough to keep him steady as Aten slowly picked his way through the grass to eat. Every so often, the falcon would wake from his nap and lazily preen his feathers or stretch his wings and legs, but would soon return to a light doze or full on nap again if he felt tired enough. Aten was happy to let his friend rest; he'd been quite busy these recent suns, providing news on Wolfbane and Lepis as well as keep an eye out for Lethia since she had been gone for some time recently.
Aten was not out to monitor his friend's every move, but he would like to know when she returned so he could welcome her.
When a shift in the winds brought the familiar scent, the stallion's eyes grew soft with happiness. Careful not to wake his friend, Aten made his way up a small knoll that led to the glen where Lethia had discovered a favorite spot of hers. Aten himself was not a huge fan of the lush berries that grew here, much preferring grass, ivy, and moss plants, but on the off occasion he decided to feast on them, they were... edible, if anything. The golden stallion easily spotted his friend a short distance away.
Making his way over, Aten almost didn't notice the little foal accompanying her. The handsome stallion's coat was dappled with a light layer of snow that had fallen shortly before Lethia's arrival to the glen, a quick flury that was done before Turul could find real shelter under the tree branches. His thick muscles were somewhat masked by his winter coat, but still visible to the eye, and his proud face, though slightly shaggy with a beard, was accentuated by his dark forelock and eyes.
The stallion spoke in a gentle voice as he approached his friend and the little one at her side, "I am glad to see that you have returned to Taiga safely. And with a new friend, it seems so," Aten stated in a friendly tone, eyes searching for Lethia's own pretty purple against her light colored tapered face.
@[Popinjay] @[Izora Lethia]
Aten himself never really minded either the cold or the heat; he'd learned to adapt to each one many suns ago as a colt. He'd learned quick ways to rid his body of the extra winter coat hair that had not yet shed so he could feel cooler in the spring's heat, and of how to burrow down into thickets in the night should he feel extra chilled despite the natural protection he gained as the days grew shorter. He was a well-practiced stallion with many a tricks up his sleeve, and his family would no doubt be proud to see the young, handsome horse he had grown into.
On this easy winter day, the stallion was grazing up near the northern Taiga meadows, for a multitude of reasons. One was quite obvious for those who knew his story over these past six moons; he simply didn't want to be around Beqanna's main meadows in case Wolfbane or Lepis wished to speak with him. Though his hatred toward the two had started to dim, he still did not appreciate their presence no matter the situation. Until he felt absolutely confident that he would not say the wrong thing around them, he'd resolved to steering clear unless they absolutely needed him.
The other was he had not been up in this direction for quite some time. Since Aten was known for growing a rather thick winter coat, Tephra's warmer climate during the cold season made it a bit uncomfortable for him to be so close when he hadn't started shedding. Now that the days were getting longer once again, Aten could start to feel the subtle changes. When he rolled on grassy spots in the meadows or on some of Taiga's knolls to reach a particular knot in his back, he'd often find large traces of hair left over. He still had a coarse coat to contend with these remaining suns, but his ability to stay near Tephra's border had enhanced greatly.
The grass up here was not the most appetizing in the cold months, hardly any was, but it was food the golden stallion would not pass up. It definitely had merits over shoving snow aside with his muzzle to find prickets of grass in small pockets in Taiga's meadows. He both avoided hunger and a chilled muzzle, by coming here. Aten was not going to complain about any of his circumstances; he knew he was more fortunate than some others who had a further dwindling food supply, even with the impending approach of spring.
Aten's thoughts drifted among many topics in his solitude, but one of them was the golden mare Lethia, who he'd come to form a very strong friendship with over the months that passed since he brought her to Taiga. If he were bold enough, he'd even consider saying there was a blossiming romance of sorts, but he still had yet to fully know where she stood on the subject. She probably had an answer, but Aten was new to this sort of topic. Having been without a mare by his side in such a fashion, and without offspring, the golden stallion was unsure of how to proceed in these circumstances.
Especially given what he'd learned over the past few moons.
It had been subtle at first, but, slowly, the increasing size of Lethia's belly gave Aten an indication of where things might stand. He was not going to berate her for her choice; she was a grown mare, fully capable of her own decisions. Aten would only berate himself, for not being bold enough to stand up and say something in the first place. Perhaps then he would have stood a better chance.
For the time being as well, he'd still said nothing; Lethia had a lot to contend with, for sure, keeping herself well fed during the winter and the arrival of a foal to plan for. Matters like this, Aten was sure, were at least somewhat simple; the mare needed plenty of food to provide rich, thick milk for her foal. Everything that came after that... Aten was absolutely clueless, to say the least.
But he did know one thing. Should the stallion who sired Lethia's foal be foolish enough to miss on such an opportunity, Aten would be there for his friend, to help her in any way he could, and, should she allow it, help guide the new foal to learn Taiga's ways, secrets that he had yet to share with even such a close friend.
Speaking of friends, though Aten's thoughts were on Lethia, he was not alone that day. Turul had decided to make a perch of his friend's withers and rest atop the stallion's back, his talons gripping just enough to keep him steady as Aten slowly picked his way through the grass to eat. Every so often, the falcon would wake from his nap and lazily preen his feathers or stretch his wings and legs, but would soon return to a light doze or full on nap again if he felt tired enough. Aten was happy to let his friend rest; he'd been quite busy these recent suns, providing news on Wolfbane and Lepis as well as keep an eye out for Lethia since she had been gone for some time recently.
Aten was not out to monitor his friend's every move, but he would like to know when she returned so he could welcome her.
When a shift in the winds brought the familiar scent, the stallion's eyes grew soft with happiness. Careful not to wake his friend, Aten made his way up a small knoll that led to the glen where Lethia had discovered a favorite spot of hers. Aten himself was not a huge fan of the lush berries that grew here, much preferring grass, ivy, and moss plants, but on the off occasion he decided to feast on them, they were... edible, if anything. The golden stallion easily spotted his friend a short distance away.
Making his way over, Aten almost didn't notice the little foal accompanying her. The handsome stallion's coat was dappled with a light layer of snow that had fallen shortly before Lethia's arrival to the glen, a quick flury that was done before Turul could find real shelter under the tree branches. His thick muscles were somewhat masked by his winter coat, but still visible to the eye, and his proud face, though slightly shaggy with a beard, was accentuated by his dark forelock and eyes.
The stallion spoke in a gentle voice as he approached his friend and the little one at her side, "I am glad to see that you have returned to Taiga safely. And with a new friend, it seems so," Aten stated in a friendly tone, eyes searching for Lethia's own pretty purple against her light colored tapered face.
@[Popinjay] @[Izora Lethia]