The Plains

Since their last meeting, she had gained another little follower. They would be at her sides until Wardance returned back to the Deserts where he belonged. She had met her mother, someone who she could barely remember but not someone she could forget. Wardance had constantly told her what she had known and her mother had added her own when they had spoken. But Cree had slipped away again. It might only be until Wardance returns, but Grace figured it would probably be a bit longer, until her wanderlust brought her to them.

She is standing as close as she could get to Wardance’s arena. She’s listening vaguely to the others around her. She notes two stallion as they comment negativity on the competitors but she pays them little heed. They weren’t speaking about her father and for that she can ignore them. She hears Clarke’s voice and smiles briefly though her eyes rarely wavered from her gray father as he fights. Those times that they moved was when she looked at the Cardinal that was part of the Deserts and urged her on. “Teach him what we are made of!” She would yell, urging her to win against her captor, to overcome the challenge. Lonan, the palomino filly, and Aulay, the bay tobiano colt, would then both cheer after her. “Go Eiffel!” “Kick his butt!” They yelled loudly for such little things.

Graceling would have cheered for Shotgun had she met her before, or known she was part of the Deserts.

Her eyes were back on her father watching as he was attacked and then he attacked. She winced as Tormenta’s blows landed. Her muscles tightened as if she were the one being hit. Al and Lonnie had slipped from the shelter of her wings in their excitement, large dark eyes glittering. “Watch out Dad!” Aulay warned. “Stop hitting my daddy!” Little Lonnie cried. Grace smiled a bit, reaching forwards to lip their ears and manes in comfort.

But then Anny is there and her whole body seems to gravitate towards him. She touches the foals moving them as she searches, though it’s a short search. Anny is large and black, like a huge black hole in the middle of the crowd and she wonders as he edges towards the sides if he could consume all of them before him. She smiles a bit at the thought, touching her lips to his shoulder as they fall in step at his side. “Gracie..” Lonan whispers, her dark eyes wide. Graceling turned her head curiously and the golden filly continued. …”He’s so big! Is he a giant?”

Graceling laughed a bit, turning her eyes to Anny. “Well Anny, are you a giant?” Aulay turned his eye up towards the black stallion watching him a bit warily but quietly, looking a bit like a young Wardance only bay and white.

Anny was yelling down her father then and the trio of them, all his children, neigh loudly down to encourage him to win.