you got easy eyes to hunt
and the world above needs your blood

Her ears twitched as the thin, tall mare spoke. She seemed to calm herself in the way that Dock’s mother had sometimes calmed herself when faced with the antics she’d said made her daughter odd. That same breath was always drawn and exhaled slowly, eyes closed off to Dock before they popped open a moment later. Dock blinked in return, a pink tongue slipping out to lick at the crease of her lips before it settled back in her mouth. “O-oh.” She said dumbly in return to the mare’s first words though she still did not grasp a true understanding of them. An apology was coming next, which Dock hadn’t expected, and she frowned. “Uhm, that’s… That’s alright.” Her tentative tone was laced with the confusion that showed on her face. Dock wasn’t used to being apologized to. Normally she was ducking her head, averting her eyes and muttering pitiful apologies from her mouth.

When the black mare looked toward the peak that Dock had been staring at Dock stayed transfixed on her. She studied every line that made up the mare, so sharp and final. For a moment the mare made her think of Hickere, only because she seemed so confident and strong. Yet at the same time she reminded her of Dickere, because she wasn’t flashy like Hickere – she seemed more level-headed. Dock ached but she knew it was silly, it was only because she missed her sisters and still felt guilty for running away that morning.

The words that came next were a surprise to Dock, whose pink-lids widened as her head drew slightly back. A sisterhood. Vulcan Peak. “So, it’s true?” Her voice was merely an exhale, just loud enough that the other would hear her and what awe lingered on her tone. “My sisters, they were talking, they said there was a place that only mares lived but…” But they hadn’t believed it could be true. They couldn’t comprehend the very thought that mares lived without stallions. But then again, Hickere and Dickere probably wouldn’t think living with a stallion was oppressive. Not that Dock thought that… Did she?

“I’m Dock.” She said, realizing she hadn’t given her name, and then frowned. “I guess I live at a place called the Forest on Luthien. I don’t know,” a frustrated sigh and a shake of her slender, dished face, “I’m new to this.”