She heard him before she saw him, and even before she saw him, she could tell he was huge. Dracaena paused in her stride and held her breath, listening to leaf litter crunch beneath big hooves and branches catch against tall shoulders. If his scent were not so unmistakably equine, she might have thought that she had stumbled into the territory of a moose. They were common back in the thick forests of her homeland, and while she had been fortunate enough in her young life to avoid direct confrontation with one, she knew how dangerous they could be.
The horse that she eventually saw, however, could easily have rivalled a moose in height and girth. Dracaena's mouth parted involuntarily at the sight of him. Then the stallion whickered a greeting, and she collected herself, pressing her lips together and lifting her head to regard the stranger with confident nonchalance. Her dark eyes looked him up and down, as if appraising him. He was impressive, that was undeniable: possibly the most impressive male specimen she'd ever seen. But she would not forget what she had been taught about stallions, especially now that it was breeding season. And - perhaps it was just the poor lighting, but - this stranger had something of a menacing air to him. She would be careful.
Careful to keep her tail clamped firmly on her hindquarters, Dracaena took a few steps closer to the stallion, remaining just out of striking range. The close proximity made their height difference seem all the more pronounced, and she had to tilt her chin up slightly to look him in the eye. Her expression was still and guarded, but her eyes danced with life, and something of a challenge. "Ich scheine zu haben in das Versteck eines riesigen gestolpert."
DRACAENA
four; flaxen liver chestnut sabino; 15.1hh |