Silence stretched out between the two mares; both of them deep in thought about the what-ifs and maybes of their lives. Keyik had a point about winter fast approaching, and although her reasons for wanting a permanent home were more about ego and politics than any deeper need, that did not mean that it was not important. They had been relatively lucky since they had arrived on the islands but it was never smart to rely on luck alone – a lesson Wolpertinger, at least, had learned the hard way.
Wolpertinger’s ears swivelled at the sound of footsteps in opposing directions – one set closer and another slightly further away. It was not uncommon for others to wander past the general area but she grew tense anyway, ready to move Keyik along should someone actually choose to approach rather than just walk near them. Her gaze settled on a golden stallion first and her ears leaned back when she realised he was coming over. She stepped closer to Keyik, who raised her head curiously before noticing the stranger.
Agitation caused Wolpertinger’s tail to twitch, but as she scrutinised him, she realised that he did not appear to be of much threat and her ears swivelled forward. His breeding was muddied and he still looked pretty young; it was highly unlikely that he had been sent by either of the tribes to retrieve them. Keyik arched her neck and looked at the stallion with disinterest – it was beneath her to converse with such impure breeding. Wolpertinger, on the other hand, wondered if perhaps it was worth giving him a chance. She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by the owner of the other foot steps – a buckskin akhal-teke. Wolpertinger cursed herself for not paying more attention.
Immediately, Wolpertinger’s ears turned back again, but they did not pin until the mare mentioned her travelling companion. After the initial surprise, Keyik had been pleased to see another of her own kind but that soon turned to fear when the Arabian was mention. Her blue eyes rolled back to reveal the whites and she staggered a few steps back and closer to Wolpertinger’s side. ”Is that a veiled attempt at a threat?” Wolpertinger practically growled at the mare.
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