She was on her feet, moderately serious again, by the time someone appeared. It was a mare with a small foal at her heels, and Anath could only surmise that it was the mare that Arris had spoken of. No name came to mind, and Anath couldn’t remember if she’d been told it or not. It didn’t matter. The woman was introducing herself and her child, and the champagne mare nodded. It’s a quick introduction, and it’s enough to set her into the meeting mindset. “I did call, yes. Name’s Anath, I’m the General.” The dun mare nods gently, eyeballing the mare and her foal.
Arris was next, and Anath found herself glad she wasn’t going to have to go spitting her name every other second. “Arris.” The greeting is simple, easy to the painted blue mare. The champagne’s posture grows lazier by the moment, almost entirely relaxed by the time the grulla mare and her daughter come up. “Lovely one, hmm, Mouse?” The rhetorical question hangs softly in the air, more a statement than a question but gentle all the same. If asked, the champagne would tell you she never meant to scare the quiet mare. Sometimes some things were inevitable. At least the morning was lovely.
“Good thing you’ve stayed, Skyler. You’d miss all this excitement.” There’s a twinge of sarcasm in Anath’s tone, but it’s gentle—playing. Her brow rises slightly at the painted mare, tail swishing with a bit of bounce. She’s just finished speaking when the familiar shadow comes rolling in. “Take your sweet time, Impa?” Anath is laughing still, reaching out to tug at the mare’s mane playfully. It’s a good day, and those are few and far between with Anath. She was rarely so genuine, rarely so legitimately playing. Her champagne skull knocks into Impa’s side, softly, expectantly. It was as if her blanketed friend had no idea she was about to embarrass her on purpose.
A palomino mare comes in with her child as well, but doesn’t say much. Anath simply nods to them, a cloying grin on her lips. She’s feeling strange today, almost light in her hooves. A rare day indeed for Anath. It’s blatant, the way that Anath ignores Godiva and her son. The mare is whacked. The mare holds up progress for as long as she can, but once Bane appears she knows that there can’t be anyone left in the Peak. It’s in that moment that Anath’s mood darkens considerably. She seems to wilt.
“Gently, Bane.” The words to the overgrown filly are sharp, eyes on the dun creature piercing. Though Anath would never recognize the creature as her daughter, it was a known fact that she’d found the thing and brought her in. A sharp word exchanged, she softens only slightly. The question on Anath’s tongue is a sad, sickly hopeful phrase directed at the younger champagne. “Ardea… Giselle… have you seen them?” There before her, her soul was bared. A bile bubbled up in her throat with Bane’s curt nod, barely stifling a noise of pain. Anath’s hip cocks, enough to bring it into contact with Impa. At this point the General needs the stability.
“Then everyone must be here—alright, ladies--” Anath takes a moment to survey the group, making sure everyone was paying attention before continuing. “I’ve brought you here for two reasons. The first, being that I haven’t met many of you guys… what’s a leader if she doesn’t know her people?” Anath allows the rhetorical question to hang in the air for a moment. “I’m Anath, the General here. The Peak has been my home for over ten years, and I intend to be here until I keel over.” The mare chuckles softly, the introduction quick and curt. “The second, of course, is to embarrass—er, congratulate my dear friend here.” The champagne mare is trying to manufacture her good cheer now. In reality, she’s holding to the blanketed mare until she can get out and start searching for her friends. How dare they leave her again.
“Miss Impa, she’s our new Prime Minister. She’s the head of the politicians, of course, but everyone damn well better respect her—even if you don’t respect me. This girl has the talent when dealing with the rest of us, hmm?” Anath is playing with the group, all in the same trying to embarrass her friend. There’s a gentle nosing of the blanketed mare’s shoulder, but all the while there’s an awkward feeling creeping in and curling up in her belly. She needs to get out, and it’s starting to show. Anath twitches.
Anath "HEROES GET REMEMBERED LEGENDS NEVER DIE " |