the heady perfumes of summer; squirt-pony

[Moonlet]

Adventure awaits!

She awakens to a splash of sunlight across closed eyes shut right by sleep and dreams. Lashes flutter and fling away the grit of all of that as she comes awake with a heavy shake of her head and a short meaningless yawn that is more a showing of teeth and a sigh than anything else. The sun shouts good morning with bright light and Moonlet finally gives in with a smile.

Her day begins with some lazy grazing in a broad circle about a nameless swatch of land in some unnamed (at least to her) patch of Beqanna that could pass for any piece of the common lands and probably bridges at least two of them together. Then a good hearty roll in the dirt before the summer heat thickens to sweltering and the need for shade or water to cool off in sets in.

So the day goes on, lazy and unassuming much like she is at the moment. A hind is rolled onto the rim of the hoof in pure relaxation and the same hip cocked out. Moonlet could almost nap there in the summer noontime heat and dream the kind of dreams that are filled with heat and fire. Except she doesn’t - that small inner voice pop up again about adventures waiting for her.

She responds to it with a swinging walk that is more purposeful than necessary for the heat. The girl doesn’t seem to mind though and has pointed herself in the direction of the river that flows around a spit of common land in a horseshoe shape. It makes her laugh out loud to herself about how similar the river is to the imprints her hooves leave behind in the dust-laden path.

Her ears prick forward at the sound of rushing water and she realizes that not only is she thirsty but she’s also dusty and hot. A dip in the river is just what she needs! So without further ado, the bay girl picks up the pace and plunges fantastically into the river throwing up a surge of spray in front of her when force meets force in a collision of small horse and river.

Her laughter bubbles up all around her as the river seethes and eventually settles back into its familiar patterns. She is happily and satisfyingly drenched which means mission accomplished as she swims back to a shallower part that comes up to mid-haunch. Much like the river, Moonlet settles into her own rhythms of breath and laziness, beginning to doze off just a bit.

@[Squirt] ❤️

[Isilya]

Isilya does not often wander out of Tephra, for no reason other than she simply forgets to. The jungle kingdom has become such an integral part of who she is and what she loves, it is so easy for her to get lost among the trees and the gardens, the families and the other animals. Sometimes she’ll think about venturing out only to get distracted and then next thing you know a year has gone by. Today, though, she makes a point to go out and it is both exhilarating and - oddly - maybe a little frightening too. She adorns her vines today with orchids of vivid pinks and purples, their branches curving in luscious arcs from the vines that trail down her spine. Her bird companions are with her as well, though she’s left some behind to keep an eye on Tephra. They’re woven from grasses, thick waxy leaves, and each is a different type of flower. The two with her dance and weave through the grasses as she wanders along the river, eyes bright as she takes in absolutely everything she can. The sound of laughter from further down the river catches her attention and Isilya is drawn to it, drifting until she sees a young bay girl now standing in the shallows of the river and looking so perfectly at peace that Isilya debates whether to disturb her. But, though she does endeavour to be kind, the possibility of a new friend is just too much for the gold-pointed mare to resist. “A beautiful day for a swim, isn’t it?” Isilya says in her soft voice as she stands on the bank, sending her grass-and-flower birds to dance along the surface of the river. soft and sweet

art by azagus

@[Moonlet]

[Moonlet]

She dozed comfortably in the river, eyes half-lidded and focused on the sun-sparkles dancing atop the river. Birdsong drifts to her ears above the currents every so often and sometimes, she opens her eyes long enough to look for the source of the chirps and trills. Her eyes track their trajectories across the sky and not without a tiny hint of envy, because she feels deep down that she ought to be up there with them.

Beaked and feather and flying! Alas, she is simple and grounded and usually content enough with that until moments like this that are warm and dreamy and make her bones heavy with laziness and sleep. The river moves all around her in agitated little swirls and small comments voiced in rushing water. It makes her smile, dreamily and sleepily as her eyes begin to close again, so easily lulled by the environment.

Until she is pulled from her daze by a soft voice and that too, makes her smile as her eyes pop open and blink repeatedly against the light and the vision on the bank. “Are you real?” she asks, not trying to be rude and ignore the words that woke her but she thinks she might be sleeping still because nothing that amazing and beautiful should be so interested in her. “Or am I still dreaming?”

It must be a dream still, she decides while smiling. Just look at those amazing birds gliding above the river! Their dance is enchanting as are their colors and design, natural and unnatural both in that they are birds and behave as such but even she can see the grass and flowers that make up their feathers and wings. “Those are amazing!” she murmurs, still dream-hazed and quiet.

“Did you make them?” because somehow that seems to be the most logical answer given the vines and flowers that decorate the mare. She is reminded of her mother and the stories she told about how she could shift into a plant. It’s not the same thing but close enough and finally, it is this that makes Moonlet stir and wade towards the beautiful vision on the bank.

@[Isilya] ❤️