 The ground was hard, shot through with frost and littered with dead leaves made brittle by the cold. Tristan stood in his stirrups as Hero thundered over it, his neck stretched out to lengthen every stride. Grinning, the prince looked back over his shoulder at his friend who was starting to fall behind. Alex asked his horse for one final burst of speed, but to no avail. Tristan and Hero crossed the line between the two trees they had been aiming for. They began to slow, and Tristan guided Hero around on a gentle turn so that when Alex caught them up they were facing him and his chestnut mare.
"I want to know where your father found that damn horse," the other boy panted, patting his own horse affectionately on the neck. Tristan laughed and shook his head.
"I don't know, but he sure as hell loves to run."
"You think?" Alex replied as they both finally came to a halt side-by-side. Hero stood with his neck arched, his four hooves planted squarely. "You two were made for each other," Alex teased, leaning forwards to stroke the stallion's neck, "a fine pair of arrogant pricks."
They dismounted and ran up their stirrups before leading the two horses back towards the castle. Tristan shrugged on his jacket as they picked their way through the frozen puddles in an attempt to ward off the autumn chill. As the two boys crested the top of the hill, Tristan spotted a familiar black horse in the meadow below. A little distance away a figure in a white dress lounged on her back, her wolf standing watch on her left.
"Hey," Tristan called to Alex as he came to a sudden stop, "I'll catch up with you later." Alex paused too, following his friend's eye line and adopting a knowing look.
"No worries," he grinned, "I'll be around."
Tristan led Hero down the bank, picking out a safe route to save the horse's legs from injury. He approached Thea slowly, running his hand absent mindedly through his hair.
"Ground's a bit cold isn't it?" he asked her when he was close enough for Thea to hear him. Hero snorted, his warm breath turning to curls of smoke as it hit the cold air.
"What are you doing out here?"
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